Anyone use a manual grinder?

[steven esteban]

I transitioned my Mom's cat from dry to wet and now wet and some raw chicken or commercial raw and would like to get started on some raw recipes. 

I'd like to grind chicken, including the bones and perhaps rabbit as well. I know of the motorized models, but I don't mind the extra time and human power required for manual (for now), does anyone use a hand grinder? Is it effective, especially for bones? If so, what model are you using? 

Thanks in advance.

 

[vball91]

Hi and welcome to TCS! Nice job on transitioning your mom's cat away from dry and onto wet and raw. I'm not sure I've heard of anyone on this site using a manual grinder but hopefully others will chime in.

Have you thought about trying prey model raw (or frankenprey) instead so that a grinder is not necessary? That's what I would like for my cat, but currently we're stuck on ground raw.

 

[peaches08]

I don't know about grinding bone manually, but there are premixes you could look into and just chunk the raw chicken. I did that for a few months until my grinder came in.

 

[steven esteban]

Hi and welcome to TCS! Nice job on transitioning your mom's cat away from dry and onto wet and raw. I'm not sure I've heard of anyone on this site using a manual grinder but hopefully others will chime in.

Have you thought about trying prey model raw (or frankenprey) instead so that a grinder is not necessary? That's what I would like for my cat, but currently we're stuck on ground raw.

Thanks for the suggestion. I never heard of this, but it sounds interesting. Looks like I have some reading to do.

Here's two sites I found:

http://preymodelraw.com/how-to-get-started/

http://www.mypetcarnivore.com/frankenprey.htm

 

[vball91]

Also check out rawfedcats and catcentric.org. There's also a resource thread at the top of the Raw Feeding forum that has a lot of great information. Good luck, and if you have any questions, there are some very experienced raw feeders on this site, so feel free to post.

 

[korina]

I wouldn't suggest it, for bones its impossible.

Also from a sanitary and freshness standpoint, your meat will be exposed to room temps and air for much longer.

I would suggest to debone the meat, then chop it up with scissors.

If you want to grind I would suggest saving, even if just one dollar a day for 5 months and get the Tasin, 150$ from www.onestopjerkyshop.com

Its the grinder that about 95% of folks use, its battle tested, and I have never heard of a defective model.

I have never manualy ground before so I am just giving a educated opinon.

Have I ever ground meat with a mechanized grinder? Nope, but in all fairness, I did just plop down 550$ on Weston #22 that arrived 3 days ago and plan to break it in this Sunday. (also, the vendor, and several members implored me to get the tasin instead, as Weston is total overkill, I just like shiny objects

)

Will be making 20lbs of cat food, and buddy is making 10lbs of sausage.

PS another tip for increasing whole meat eating, take a drumstick and snip it a bunch of times.

I notice with my cats are much more interested, I assume they can smell and see the meat, or they know they cant break the skin on their own (my cats are only 7 months old, cut them some slack !  lol)

If he goes to town on the drumstick, try not to let that bone out of your site, I have been warned by members leg bones are danger to their teeth, and to stick to wings and chicken ribs if he starts to eat the bone.