anyone tried this?

[aprilprey]

Ohio. In the land that petco just came last year ... Our petco's suck too since they bought out and converted a local chain. 

You are soooo cloooose to Hare Today https://www.hare-today.com/ - which ships out of PA.  I would urge you to crunch those numbers - you could get pre ground rabbit, and add a pre mix to it.  That would be a pretty easy way to go - no grinder to invest in, pretty quick processing.  I am on the other side of the US from them - I am going to order once the winter/cooler months set in. But being in the next state...I'd definitely look into it.  I was shocked out of my shoes to find that even with cross country, 4 day FedEx (which they will NOT do in the summer) the rabbit was cheaper per lb than the local stuff from China.  But I was pricing whole rabbit.

Work that calculator!

 

[elliriyanna]

Those are good prices but I can not imagine Emma eating a whole animal or my boyfriend letting something like that in the house lol. 

If I were to feed Raw how many Oz per day would a lazy 10 lb cat need? 

 

[aprilprey]

You don't need to buy a whole rabbit - you can get it already ground.

RE: feeding - I have seen guideline such as:

2%-3% of current weight to maintain body weight

2.5% of current weight to maintain body weight (splits the difference between the one above)

I use a lower number for my sedentary 12 year old, a higher one for my younger, active 1.5 yr old.  Then monitor weight to see how its working out - because every guideline out there has the disclaimer "guideline only - monitor your cat's weight".
 

 

[vball91]

You don't need to buy a whole rabbit - you can get it already ground.

RE: feeding - I have seen guideline such as:

2%-3% of current weight to maintain body weight

2.5% of current weight to maintain body weight (splits the difference between the one above)

I use a lower number for my sedentary 12 year old, a higher one for my younger, active 1.5 yr old.  Then monitor weight to see how its working out - because every guideline out there has the disclaimer "guideline only - monitor your cat's weight".
 

Agreed. So 2.5% of 10 pound cat would be 4 oz of raw a day. Adjust as you go.

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, you don't need to jump into feeding whole prey---that's pretty hard-core! Just get the ground meat/organ/bone mixes and add the Alnutrin they sell. The meat is in a tidy little plastic tube, just like the ground beef they sell at the grocery store (get the 1 or 2 pound chubs because the 5-pound tube takes forever to thaw :tongue2. Super easy.

 

[cat dad]

I use Hare Today and get the whole ground rabbit and it's super easy. Just add Alnutrin  and as much water depending on how thin/thick you want it, give it a good mix (I use my standing mixer) and then portion it out and freeze.

I can do 8 weeks of food for two cats in under two hours start to finish (including clean up).

BTW anyone know where I can get whole ground rabbit closer to CA? The shipping charges really add up, especially in the summer months.

 

[peaches08]

I live alone but I sometimes need a neighbor to feed my cats for me when I'm out of town. What I do is have it measured out so all he has to do is take the sandwich saver containers from the fridge, pop off the lids, and put it on the floor. I wash everything when I return.

Remind the boyfriend that the litter box will have virtually no odor...always a plus!

 

[aprilprey]

BTW anyone know where I can get whole ground rabbit closer to CA? The shipping charges really add up, especially in the summer months.

LOL - I am in WA State and feel your pain!  I must have spent hours looking for decent rabbit on the West coast.  The only place I could find in CA is Layne Laboratories, Inc. - see the email I got from them below.  It was pricey with the shipping - Hare Today is cheaper IF you ship during the cooler months of Oct-April, when they will ship 4-Day Fed Ex.  I was stunned, but it was still cheaper per lb, even with FedEx costs, than the human grade rabbit from China our local meat store sells.  That was $5.00 per lb, for comparison.  Hare Today is still cheaper - as long as you buy a large enough order during FALL-WINTER, like 30+ lbs.  ETA: I believe these are whole rabbits, so you'd still have to grind them.  That's another thing to consider: Hare Today will grind for you.

ETA #2 - and, it looks like they may not even consider ground delivery, but if you are in CA - might work for you.

April,

The cost of rabbits that range from 2.00-3.00 lbs are $5.00-$7.00.  If you could please provide me with the ship to zip code I would be shipping to I can give you a better shipping quote.  And I would highly recommend filling a box to maximize your shipping.  If you would like I can take an order from you and either remove or add animals to maximize the box.  And yes, these animals will ship in a styrafoam box filled with dry ice to keep them completely frozen during transit.  They will be shipped via FedEx 2-day air and will not need a signature to be delivered.  If you have any other questions please let me know.

Thank you,

Jenna Bennett

P: 805.242.7915

F: 805.474.1351

[email protected]

 

[elliriyanna]

Maybe Emma is odd but she isnt smelly now ... Just urine odor. I will continue looking at Raw ... Hare today is the best I have seen by far.