Pre-packaged Frozen Raw Diets

So I have read a lot on here about ppl making their own raw diet for their cats, but I really don't have the time (or really the skills, as i'm not a hug meat-eater myself) to do that. I was wondering what people thought of the frozen diets you can buy at the store such as Primal.

Thank you.

I used Omas pride when doing commercial raw

Premade raw is expensive and a lot of them are high on veggies. Have you ever considered Alnutrin or Platinum Performance? Just add supplements to meat.

http://www.mousabilities.com/cats/fo...Today_complete
http://knowwhatyoufeed.com/

I use a prepared frozen raw for Kody. You just need to find one sold in your area that your cat likes. I started out with the Nature's Variety medallions. He would eat them, but I could tell he wasn't crazy about them. His breeder had fed a homemake raw diet and I don't think the Nature's Variety tasted like what he was used to. He won't eat the Primal or the Bravo raw either, although I have heard of many cats that do like all of these. The one Kody really likes is RadCat Chicken. I have never tried the Feline's Pride, but I have heard it is a great raw--it is just not available close to me.

Anne

I think the premades are just fine except, as fattykitty said, they are expensive and you need to look at the ingredients. One of the reasons I feed raw is because I don't want them to have a bunch of grains, fruits and veggies and some of the premades are quite high in that stuff.

I feed Primal, Natures Variety and Bravo. They are all good products, the cats like them and are thriving.

I personally think that premade raw is soo overpriced. I think buying sale items at the grocery store is alot more cost effective and healthier. Simple things can be bought from the store, such as chicken wings, necks, liver, heart, whole chickens/turkey, etc.

Originally Posted by Kimberleigh

I personally think that premade raw is soo overpriced. I think buying sale items at the grocery store is alot more cost effective and healthier. Simple things can be bought from the store, such as chicken wings, necks, liver, heart, whole chickens/turkey, etc.

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You're correct that it is expensive, but it is there as an alternative for people who don't have time or the ability to make time to prepare the food themselves. It is also a smart alternative for people who don't know enough about the dietary needs of cats, i.e. taurine, supplements, to have a good option to get their cats on raw with all their nutritional needs met in one simple package.
Although more expensive these pre-made foods are the perfect solution for many of us. Personally I just don't have the time to grind meat/bones and supplements.

I agree, it IS a good alternative. I'd like to point out though that not that many things have to be ground up. I don't even own a meat grinder and I have 3 cats. I feed whole necks and wings with no problems. Good for their teeth and jaws, too.

Originally Posted by Kimberleigh

I agree, it IS a good alternative. I'd like to point out though that not that many things have to be ground up. I don't even own a meat grinder and I have 3 cats. I feed whole necks and wings with no problems. Good for their teeth and jaws, too.

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Actually, *a lot* of things have to be ground up if the cats, like mine, won't eat them any other way.

I do keep NV frozen raw on hand at my house just for convenience at times & also for the variety. It is VERY expensive IMO & I would not buy it if I couldn't get it for wholesale price, & even at that I only keep a few bags on hand at home.

I think it's a great, nutritionally balanced meal & has no grains, even tho they do add I think 5% fruits & veggies.

I buy NV (rabbit) and Charlie and Ramsey LOVE it. Cleo and Albert won't touch it.

I'm sure that buying your own at the grocery store would be more cost efficient, but then you have all the prep work. Plus, I'm a vegetarian and that's just WAY too much for me to handle.

It really is not that hard to make your own homemade raw diet. You can make a months supply and put into freezer to pull out when needed. Put into the fridge the night before you want to defrost and in the morning put on to cats plate and serve. Just like commercial pet food.

I am vegetarian and I feed raw no problem because cats are carnivores and I feel raw is the best diet for my cat. I started out mixing whole chicken carcass medallions (from Urban Carnivore) mixed in with there canned cat food. Slowly decreasing the canned until they were fully on raw. Then I slowly started adding in fresh chunked chicken. Once they got a tasting of the fresh they started turning their noses up to the medallions. I was glad because the medallions are quite expensive. And that's when I started making the raw diet myself after alot of research on proper raw diets and feline nutrition.

My kitties love Radcat turkey. Whimsey my IBD kitty used to waste cans of the stuff I use to get at the vet, but he cleans his Radcat every day, so I figure I saving money by not throwing out wasted food.

Best,

Elizabeth

It's funny how we all justify our choices, when the bottom line for everyone is resources. For some, money isn't an issue but time is, so they will buy the best foods available for their furkids, price is no obstacle.

For others, time is readily available, so they spend whatever amount is needed in the prep work for raw, it's not a problem for them.

In another group, trust is the resource - either they have it in commercial foods or they don't, and if the latter...., whatever is needed to feed their felines a raw diet, that's what they'll do, no question.

Personally, I'm a bit of a blend of all three. I have the funds to buy pre-made raw, but I don't trust the industry or the food, so I spend the time needed to buy, package and freeze frankenprey meals. *shrug* This is what works for me.

Denali, I WISH I could make the cats' food myself. It's very worrisome for me to think about making absolutely sure that I'm doing everything right, when I can just go buy exactly what I know they'll eat from the store. Plus, I'm supporting a local mom and pop that way and I'm all about that.

I'm just far too squeamish for organ meat...I cook for my husband all the time and thought I could handle mixing raw myself, but when it came down to it, I just don't have the stomach for it.

Thanks for all your advice. Luna was eating Primal just fine - the chicken kind. Then I got the beef kind and she liked that too but it gave her diherea so I switched back to the chicken. She seems more disinterested in the chicken, though does eat it after a few minutes. It's kind of weird...

And yeah, at this point in my life, I definitely don't have the time to make homemade stuff. Also, I am pretty freaked out about not putting enough minerals into the homemade stuff. I will make sure to read the ingredients because, yeah, I do'nt really want to feed them grains or veggies either. I was under the impression that the pre-made raw diets didn't have anything like that in them....hmm....

On the plus side, since switching Luna to 3 oz raw and 2 oz canned she has lost 1.4 lbs! She is a little overweight (vet says) at 16.4 lbs but now she's down to 15! Vet says 14 is probably a good weight for her (maybe even 13 as she is small) so, I'm goin to try to keep it up so she can slowly lose weight. (it's taken her about a month to lose the 1.4lbs.)