Does Feeding Raw Really Save Money?

[1 bruce 1]

The electricity bill is already absolutely insane and there are extra charges for a handful of things (tiny town that's redoing just about everything, so there's an extra $100 or so added on to most bills right now), so there's no way to swing a little freezer. Maybe in a year or two... or three... when the town rebuilds and redoes everything and the extra charges are gone.

I put a pea-sized amount of the mix in her bowl and covered it in bonito flakes. She was not amused. I tried covering it in Stella & Chewy's freeze dried (her favorite), and she wouldn't go for that either She won't even eat it if there's a super duper tiny amount mixed in with her normal amount of canned Maybe S&C, bonito flakes, and a bit of cheese all on top of a tiny bit will get her to try it...

Keep trying, but don't let tough love rule!
Also, a side note (and sincere) shout out to orange&white! I've been a raw feeder for years but find your posts very educational and fascinating. Thanks for sharing what you do and how you do it!!! =)

 

[sabrinah]

Keep trying, but don't let tough love rule!
Also, a side note (and sincere) shout out to orange&white! I've been a raw feeder for years but find your posts very educational and fascinating. Thanks for sharing what you do and how you do it!!! =)

Agreed! This raw feeding thing is pretty intimidating but orange&white makes it far more clear and less scary!

Do you guys ever have those times when your cat apparently just wants treats for dinner? I swear that what she's wanted for the last couple nights. She'll eat breakfast fine, but then she'll just yowl at me instead of eating dinner. Once I hand over a few treats she'll be content for a bit but then beg for more. I can't really judge since I'll eat ice cream for dinner on an exceptionally bad day. It doesn't hurt to have the occasional unhealthy dinner.

 

[Tobermory]

orange&white She gets dry throughout the day so I'm not too worried about her dropping weight. I usually keep track of how she's doing based on how she feels. I think I'm kinda obsessed with making sure she doesn't turn into a skinny old kitty. She'll be 15 in May![/USER]

orange&white

 

[sabrinah]

The sisters will be 14 in May, one fat and one thin. You’re right to keep thinking about her weight!

Weight is so stressful! I focus on it so much! Some days I swear her spine feels more prominent and I have a mild freak out, or I forget how much fluff she loses when it warms up and I think she's dropping weight. On rare occasions, I'll give her a bath (once or twice a year, or when she pees on herself from going to the vet. She doesn't groom herself anymore except for her tail and paws so she can get pretty gross) just so I can get a solid view of her body condition. She's a short hair but a fluffier short hair. She also has extra long fur on her belly that makes her constantly look fat until she's wet and I can smooth it down. Even though her weight is perfect right now (12.4 lbs) I wish I could get just a little more weight on her. I would rather have her a little chubby as she gets older than a little thin. At the very least up to 12.5 would be nice.

 

[orange&white]

I hear you about insane electricity charges. We're on municipal utilities, and I figured that if I didn't use one drop of water or one kwh of electricity, my bill would be almost $100. For nothing. Everyone with a utility account here pays a "clean community fee"...which I hear mostly goes to spray the homeless peoples' pee and feces off the downtown party-district streets and alleys every single day.

Anyway, a little 3.5 cu.ft. freezer doesn't suck up too much electricity. That's the size I started with when I was young. It's in the garage, still running after a few decades. About 10 years ago, I added a 5 cu.ft. to the patio. Every shopping run I make would pay for another freezer (and the electricity). What I purchased this weekend saved around $250 off the regular meat prices. Of course, I am feeding 3 cats and a dog (and myself), so I do need a lot of meat!

 

[orange&white]

Keep trying, but don't let tough love rule!
Also, a side note (and sincere) shout out to orange&white! I've been a raw feeder for years but find your posts very educational and fascinating. Thanks for sharing what you do and how you do it!!! =)

Thank you! I've always used very simple 80/10/10 ratios plus supplement for recipes, but had to dig down into calories and fat content when Tangent needed to be 12.5-13 pounds, but his weight got "stuck" at 15 pounds for a couple of months. He wasn't eating much, but my mixes were too fatty.

 

[orange&white]

Do you guys ever have those times when your cat apparently just wants treats for dinner?

The second feral kitty I TNR'd last year drives me crazy! Since Thursday night's bedtime meal, she's eaten one full meal a day, but just picked at or outright refused the other two meals. She's done this 3 times since November. Cats! She still goes outside to burn excess energy though...so I think she may be eating insects.

The garbage-disposer Corgi is very happy when he gets uneaten cat food "treats".

 

[sophie1]

I'm with sabrinah on the freezer issue: it doesn't make economic sense for me. Sabrinah, if you keep watching Safeway meat prices maybe you'll find enough sales that a freezer could make sense.

You also have a super picky cat! Could you try cooking a little chicken by itself to see if that's the problem, and try her on liver separately? If she's used to canned, I'd be surprised if she objected to cooked chicken, but some cats don't like fresh liver. Maybe try cooking a small bit of the mix to see if she prefers it that way? Otherwise, you might have to just put the pea size dollop into her dish every day until she finally decides to try it. There's an epic thread from Carolina where she had to do exactly that for a month.

Or is she just in a picky stage? I had a cat go through that recently. He suddenly started refusing raw food, then decided he would eat it but only from a specific bowl in a place and time of his choosing, and now he's back to eating normally (thank heavens). In the meantime he lost quite a bit of weight and I was frantically trying to figure out how to get him to eat something other than treats and Friskies. I have no idea what prompted this.

 

[Tobermory]

Anyway, a little 3.5 cu.ft. freezer doesn't suck up too much electricity. That's the size I started with when I was young. It's in the garage, still running after a few decades. About 10 years ago, I added a 5 cu.ft. to the patio. Every shopping run I make would pay for another freezer (and the electricity). What I purchased this weekend saved around $250 off the regular meat prices. Of course, I am feeding 3 cats and a dog (and myself), so I do need a lot of meat!

I “sold” spouse on buying a grinder and a 3.5 cf freezer by showing him the math on savings going from canned to homemade. We should break even in May, roughly five months in. Well, maybe a bit longer because of the cost of rabbit. Of course, I was buying very expensive canned food. Still, it’s healthier for the girls and we’re saving money! (I may possibly have neglected to mention the cost of the probiotics I’ve started to add and the Cosequin I’m now giving Lily. Shhhhh.)

 

[orange&white]

I think you'll really enjoy the freezer and wonder how you ever lived without one.

My mom talked me into getting that first 3.5 cu.ft. freezer when I had one cat who only ate kibble. Mom wisdom: "Stock up when food is on sale." For many years that little freezer did service for my "on sale" foods: meats, frozen dinners, veggies, and cooking extra food and freezing the leftovers for later.

Have you asked around to see if anyone is raising meat rabbits in Oregon? Farmer's market vendors may know of someone where you could get an affordable local source?

 

[Tobermory]

I think you'll really enjoy the freezer and wonder how you ever lived without one.

My mom talked me into getting that first 3.5 cu.ft. freezer when I had one cat who only ate kibble. Mom wisdom: "Stock up when food is on sale." For many years that little freezer did service for my "on sale" foods: meats, frozen dinners, veggies, and cooking extra food and freezing the leftovers for later.

Have you asked around to see if anyone is raising meat rabbits in Oregon? Farmer's market vendors may know of someone where you could get an affordable local source?

The lack of freezer space was one of my concerns when I considered feeding raw. The freezer part of my kitchen frig is really small. For some reason, I hadn’t been thinking in terms of chest freezers. Also, there’s no room in our garage and it gets too hot in the summer. One day I was in my laundry room, though, and realized I had exactly the right space for a small chest freezer...as long as I didn’t mind snaking the cord across the counter. Perfect fit. I’m making food on Thursday—three weeks worth—and it will all go in the little freezer in the laundry room. As an added benefit, I can fold clothes on top of it.

Cartwright’s, a specialty meat market in Grants Pass, just opened a store here in Medford and they’re great. Knowledgeable, helpful and the meat is reasonably priced. They do have whole frozen rabbit in the store. Little naked frozen bunnies sans fur, shrink wrapped in plastic. I didn’t look at the price because the sight of the bunny made me cringe. I would have made a rotten pioneer woman; I hate to make eye contact with my food. But your suggestion of checking out the farmers’ market is great and well timed. They just started up again for the season. Thank you!

 

[1 bruce 1]

I “sold” spouse on buying a grinder and a 3.5 cf freezer by showing him the math on savings going from canned to homemade. We should break even in May, roughly five months in. Well, maybe a bit longer because of the cost of rabbit. Of course, I was buying very expensive canned food. Still, it’s healthier for the girls and we’re saving money! (I may possibly have neglected to mention the cost of the probiotics I’ve started to add and the Cosequin I’m now giving Lily. Shhhhh.)

We opted to buy a small freezer and keep cat food (and dog food) in there, and reserve our refrigerator space freezer for us.
When our population grew, we saved and bought a huge double-side freezer for personal use (pet food, etc). It was an expense, but worth while as we can stock up on good deals!
My neighbors also are raw feeders so we're constantly giving one another frantic calls, asking if they have available freezer space. One neighbors has two large freezers and the other has so many freezers I've lost count!
Also, (only if space/expense permits), I find myself preferring two smaller freezers vs. one larger because darned if freezers don't randomly stop working =( At least I have a back up to store in.
One day years ago on the morning of an agility trial we woke up to realize one of our (very full) freezers was not working and it was a time intensive thing to transfer food. I wanted to pull my hair out and scream but we got things transferred. I went to the trial...I only missed 3 classes =/

 

[sabrinah]

Anyway, a little 3.5 cu.ft. freezer doesn't suck up too much electricity. That's the size I started with when I was young. It's in the garage, still running after a few decades. About 10 years ago, I added a 5 cu.ft. to the patio. Every shopping run I make would pay for another freezer (and the electricity). What I purchased this weekend saved around $250 off the regular meat prices. Of course, I am feeding 3 cats and a dog (and myself), so I do need a lot of meat!

My cat is the only one getting meat. I don't eat it and making raw for the dog would be too expensive. If I stock up I really don't think I could make it through it before it all gets freezer burn. At this rate, I think she's going to be one of those cats that takes months and months and months to switch to raw, so I'm definitely not considering a freezer until she's fully accepted raw.

Could you try cooking a little chicken by itself to see if that's the problem, and try her on liver separately? If she's used to canned, I'd be surprised if she objected to cooked chicken, but some cats don't like fresh liver. Maybe try cooking a small bit of the mix to see if she prefers it that way? Otherwise, you might have to just put the pea size dollop into her dish every day until she finally decides to try it. There's an epic thread from Carolina where she had to do exactly that for a month.

She loves cooked chicken and turkey, always has She even eats plain raw chicken with little issue. She just doesn't like it all combined apparently

If I put the mix on the side of the bowl with her regular food she won't eat at all. Not even a little bit. She'll avoid her food area completely. I'm going to try to find a little plastic bowl or plate that I can leave a couple feet off to the side. I have to use plastic because I break everything. If it's glass or ceramic it'll die quickly. I also put dents in stainless steel bowls bad enough that she can't use them anymore.

 

[1 bruce 1]

My cat is the only one getting meat. I don't eat it and making raw for the dog would be too expensive. If I stock up I really don't think I could make it through it before it all gets freezer burn. At this rate, I think she's going to be one of those cats that takes months and months and months to switch to raw, so I'm definitely not considering a freezer until she's fully accepted raw.



She loves cooked chicken and turkey, always has She even eats plain raw chicken with little issue. She just doesn't like it all combined apparently

If I put the mix on the side of the bowl with her regular food she won't eat at all. Not even a little bit. She'll avoid her food area completely. I'm going to try to find a little plastic bowl or plate that I can leave a couple feet off to the side. I have to use plastic because I break everything. If it's glass or ceramic it'll die quickly. I also put dents in stainless steel bowls bad enough that she can't use them anymore.

If she likes cooked but leaves raw, what about "searing" boneless raw so that it's cooked (and the aroma, etc.) on the outside, but still raw inside? Just little boneless chunks of course.
And LOL at the glass/ceramic thing, we have glass water bowls but (with the exception of one lightweight ceramic for a dainty cat), food bowls are stainless steel as I drop things on the ground, drop things into the sink, put bowls on the ground for feeding time and forget about them accidentally kick them across the room because I'm a klutz, etc...I'd use plastic if it weren't a chew toy for dogs that insist on behaving like occasional jerks =D And the cats eat up high on cat trees, etc., to keep the dogs away and they have the nice little habit of finishing dinner and then slapping the bowl onto the floor to make sure it's REALLY empty....
Yeah, ceramic and glass wouldn't work here, LOL.
On the subject of HEAVY ceramic bowls (water, usually), for anyone who uses these please be careful as I know of a fellow dog friend that was carrying a heavy ceramic bowl of water and her dog got under her feet, she tripped, dropped the bowl, and the bowl hit her dog on the way down on the head and sent the dog into a seizure. The dog was OK, but lesson learned! =(

 

[sabrinah]

If she likes cooked but leaves raw, what about "searing" boneless raw so that it's cooked (and the aroma, etc.) on the outside, but still raw inside? Just little boneless chunks of course.
And LOL at the glass/ceramic thing, we have glass water bowls but (with the exception of one lightweight ceramic for a dainty cat), food bowls are stainless steel as I drop things on the ground, drop things into the sink, put bowls on the ground for feeding time and forget about them accidentally kick them across the room because I'm a klutz, etc...I'd use plastic if it weren't a chew toy for dogs that insist on behaving like occasional jerks =D And the cats eat up high on cat trees, etc., to keep the dogs away and they have the nice little habit of finishing dinner and then slapping the bowl onto the floor to make sure it's REALLY empty....
Yeah, ceramic and glass wouldn't work here, LOL.
On the subject of HEAVY ceramic bowls (water, usually), for anyone who uses these please be careful as I know of a fellow dog friend that was carrying a heavy ceramic bowl of water and her dog got under her feet, she tripped, dropped the bowl, and the bowl hit her dog on the way down on the head and sent the dog into a seizure. The dog was OK, but lesson learned! =(

I'm glad someone else has the same problem! My dog doesn't think plastic things are chew toys, but he does have an obsession with food. I used to feed my cat on a desk until he figured out how to jump on top of it. When I was given a floor to ceiling cat tree, within a few hours of it being set up he learned to climb it and get to her food. I have to feed her on top of a bookshelf that requires climbing up the tree then jumping a few feet. Honestly, he'll probably figure that out at some point. I blame myself for teaching him to jump and climb rocks. The dog can get just about anything!

That ceramic bowl story is terrifying! I always worry when I'm carrying a pot of water, or even worse, carrying a pot of boiling pasta to the sink to drain. I make him sit at the edge of the kitchen out of the way, but what if he thinks I dropped something edible and he runs over? I would die if I poured hot water on him!

 

[1 bruce 1]

I'm glad someone else has the same problem! My dog doesn't think plastic things are chew toys, but he does have an obsession with food. I used to feed my cat on a desk until he figured out how to jump on top of it. When I was given a floor to ceiling cat tree, within a few hours of it being set up he learned to climb it and get to her food. I have to feed her on top of a bookshelf that requires climbing up the tree then jumping a few feet. Honestly, he'll probably figure that out at some point. I blame myself for teaching him to jump and climb rocks. The dog can get just about anything!

That ceramic bowl story is terrifying! I always worry when I'm carrying a pot of water, or even worse, carrying a pot of boiling pasta to the sink to drain. I make him sit at the edge of the kitchen out of the way, but what if he thinks I dropped something edible and he runs over? I would die if I poured hot water on him!

I taught one of our dogs to hop baby gates, jump out of car/truck windows and to scale walls in our barn. What a stupid mistake LOL!!!
The hot water thing scares me too. I spend a lot of time in our main personal kitchen practicing food recipes and stuff and the dogs and cats are always there for a hand out...I enjoy their company and stuff but I have a female cat that probably a slipper in a former life because she's ON my feet and under them, inches away, no matter what I'm doing. =/

 

[1 bruce 1]

Agreed! This raw feeding thing is pretty intimidating but orange&white makes it far more clear and less scary!

Do you guys ever have those times when your cat apparently just wants treats for dinner? I swear that what she's wanted for the last couple nights. She'll eat breakfast fine, but then she'll just yowl at me instead of eating dinner. Once I hand over a few treats she'll be content for a bit but then beg for more. I can't really judge since I'll eat ice cream for dinner on an exceptionally bad day. It doesn't hurt to have the occasional unhealthy dinner.

Well, I have a chronically ill formerly-raw fed guy who wants nothing but Fancy Feast anymore, so...whatever. So long as he's eating! He likes other canned foods and certain cooked foods, but for his staple diet FF is where it's at. I don't LOVE the ingredients, but I don't love a cat that's not eating way more!

Last summer I had ice cream for dinner way more than I'm comfortable admitting =D

 

[sabrinah]

I taught one of our dogs to hop baby gates, jump out of car/truck windows and to scale walls in our barn. What a stupid mistake LOL!!!

I almost trained the dog to climb a ladder....I'm so glad I came to my senses before I made that mistake!

Well, I have a chronically ill formerly-raw fed guy who wants nothing but Fancy Feast anymore, so...whatever. So long as he's eating! He likes other canned foods and certain cooked foods, but for his staple diet FF is where it's at. I don't LOVE the ingredients, but I don't love a cat that's not eating way more!

Last summer I had ice cream for dinner way more than I'm comfortable admitting =D

My cat has salmon Instinct (It was free and the only flavor left), and while it used to be kitty crack, she's now decided she doesn't really want it. What the heck?! She just wants Greenies. That's it. All Greenies, all the time.

 

[Zima]

I'm considering transitioning to raw, but as a broke college student, the cost of it is critical. Right now my cat eats half wet half dry, and even with feeding raw I would keep the dry around because she loves it and I want her to be able to graze if she gets hungry since I can't leave the raw out all day. It costs me about $20 a month to feed the canned and I'm guessing around $10 a month for the dry but I really have no idea.

I plan, at least to start, to use grocery store boneless meats and a supplement like Alnutrin with calcium. I don't mind adding in liver or eggs. I don't have a grinder, I can't afford a grinder, so I would see if putting boneless meats in a blender works. If it doesn't I'll spend a century chopping it up small enough for my cat. She's not a chewer. I also don't have enough freezer space to make tons of food at once, and the power bill is already too high to add another freezer, so I would be making small batches. Since raw will only be half her diet she'll only be eating a few ounces a day, so a pound of food will probably last a week+ if it doesn't take much to fill her up. If I get the Alnutrin that I weigh out myself a $20 bag should last 30-40 pounds or 30-40 weeks. That puts me at $0.67 - $0.50 a week in supplements (not including the cost of shipping). If I buy meat on sale will it keep within the $20 a month range? I don't eat meat so I have absolutely no idea what the cost of it is.

Raw is the best way and moist food versus dry. Cats normally eat 6 to I nice a day outside depending on size. Dry food is processed down to much and to many additives and plastic from packing. You can get a family pack of chicken drumsticks for about 5 dollars or perhaps go to the store and get feeder mice kitty can eat.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I almost trained the dog to climb a ladder....I'm so glad I came to my senses before I made that mistake!



My cat has salmon Instinct (It was free and the only flavor left), and while it used to be kitty crack, she's now decided she doesn't really want it. What the heck?! She just wants Greenies. That's it. All Greenies, all the time.

Aren't finicky ones fun!!? =/
I had one that decided rabbit was the Food of the Devil and wouldn't eat it, and only wanted poultry. Fine.
Days later, poultry was out but beef was where it was AT, and after that she asked nicely for elk. Freaking brat that I love with all my heart.
Elk is a human staple for the non-vegetarians here, and I think she turned onto the smell or something.
Part of me thinks she's decided she can control my every move and part of me thinks if she wants variety, great!