Why do raw feeders use grinders?

fattykitty

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IMO, it seems pretty useless. Why don't they just serve it in chunks? Does it better hold the nutrients or something like that?
 

missymotus

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I don't grind, and agree it's better to serve chunks.

Some people grind at first, to help transition cats onto chunks.
 

brooklynlou

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Originally Posted by fattykitty

IMO, it seems pretty useless. Why don't they just serve it in chunks? Does it better hold the nutrients or something like that?
So they can grind the bones (plus there's a long term cost saving) - cats need the calcium and unfortunately most of the food meat you can buy, the bones are a bit too big for the cat to eat on their own. And if you're going to grind the bones, grind the meat for convenience.

Your other post talked about cost. As an example, a 'typical' sized cat goes through 8 - 10 pounds of raw meat a month (4-5 oz per day). If you buy ground rabbit meat (including organs and bones) it goes for around $4 a pound. Add supplements and it runs .80 to 1.00 dollars a day.

If you buy your own grinder, 10 pounds of chicken meat with bones, added chicken livers, and supplements runs about .50 to .70 cents a day for a 4 oz meal.
 

catattack1985

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Consider yourself fortunate if you have a cat that eats carcasses as they are.

some would even yell about cutting meat into chunks!!!

I adopted an adult cat from the shelter who had been raised on kibble and canned his whole life, and now thanks to me is eating 100% raw -- he won't eat meat off the bone, though, so I have to coarse grind it through once to make it more appealing for him. He'll eat small meat chunks, but inevitably some of the meat is ground with the bone during the process.

It's still LOADS better than any commercial food.

IMO, there's a lot of rivalry when it comes to raw feeders & grinders -- those who don't vs. those who do -- imo, there's no need to be condescending about the grinder issue. as long as the cat is eating raw, and is healthy, that should be the only issue.
 

bookworm

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Good question. One website I visited said that grinding was less beneficial and possibly dangerous for cats as taurine oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, and that while the increased risk of bacteria is no problem for dogs the cats digestive system is longer and less acidic, therefore they are vulnrable to food poisoning.

Sorry, that should not have all been one sentance, hope my old English teacher isn't reading this!


In edit, sorry again this slow machine hadn't finished loading the page so I didn't see the last two posts before I answered. No point feeding anything they won't eat no matter how much better it may be for them.
 

catattack1985

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Originally Posted by bookworm

while the increased risk of bacteria is no problem for dogs the cats digestive system is longer and less acidic, therefore they are vulnrable to food poisoning.
eh.

true that cats will not and cannot eat "ripe" meat (as dogs can).

and I don't know about compared to dogs, but a cat's digestive system generally processes food in 12-16 hours and their systems are slightly acidic (needs to be to eat meat & bone). cats also require more protein than dogs, which, in the wild, would mean more meat. they can safely handle bacteria humans cannot, so I never worry about salmonella or stuff like that when feeding raw meat to my cat -- I make note however to buy FRESH raw meat.

I wouldn't worry about the safety of food that is *fresh* and kept fridged/frozen and thawed for consumption. I *would* worry about raw meat left to sit out in the open to room temperature for awhile and then fed. but cats usually won't eat spoiled food anyway (unless it's mixed in with something tasty and they can't tell) so food poisoning is rare.
 

chris10

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Grinding up everything reduces the risk of bone possibly puncturing anything (some vets will give you an ear full about this). Its a good way to transition cats to raw food, it can be cooked to help with transitioning. Good for really small kittens. Good for toothless or cats who have inflammation or other mouth problems. Every meal is balanced with the same amount of nutrients. Most cats are lazy and like the fact that they really don't have to work too much to consume their food. Grinding prevents cats from dragging pieces all over the house


Grinding provides poor jaw exercise. It doesn't help in tarter control and can possibly aid in mouth problems. It may cost more money with the purchasing of the grinder, vitamin E, taurine (possible other nutrients), and storage containers . Vitamin E is not too expensive but is wise to add it to ground food to prevent oxidation. The natural taurine in meat may degrade when ground and exposed to air(oxidize) so adding extra is good to do. Possibly takes more time to assemble and clean up.

I feel grinding has its place. But IMO for able bodied teens and adults, they should be fed whole foods.
 

auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by catattack1985

C...IMO, there's a lot of rivalry when it comes to raw feeders & grinders -- those who don't vs. those who do -- imo, there's no need to be condescending about the grinder issue. as long as the cat is eating raw, and is healthy, that should be the only issue.
I've seen this, too, and agree with you, Catattack - the infighting is total nonsense. I don't grind 'cause it's too much work and my cats eat frankenprey just fine, but if someone else chooses to do so - yay!! the cat's still off commercial and onto a healthier, more natural diet.


(Ooops, I forgot! I DO feed ground chicken wings, but the store does the grinding for me. *rolls eyes at self* )
 
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