Chicken/Turkey innards

[Draco]

Hi all,

I saw that the supermarket sells a container of chicken innards. heart, gizzards and such.

If I get this as a treat for my cat, whats the best way to prepare and store? It's a rather large container and I won't be feeding at once.

Should I warm it up under hot water? feed it cold? Can I freeze left overs or its best to feed at once? 

it'd be treats only, not a meal replacement.

 

[auntie crazy]

This is a great idea, Draco!

Whether you warm it or feed it cold depends on your cat's preferences, though most prefer at least room temperature foods. If you're just feeding as a treat, you can warm the food under warm water; if you want the cat to get the full nutritional value, however, it's best to put the food in a sealed baggie and warm it that way (so nutrients aren't leached out through the water).

You can definitely freeze it, and I would. Gizzards and hearts can be fed in fair-sized pieces, but liver and other organs should be fed in little, smaller than an ounce, pieces to keep from upsetting your kitty's tummy. Depending on the amount you bought, you might want to freeze it in separate containers, as you can only thaw and refreeze a couple of times.

Regards!

AC

 

[Draco]

thanks for the reply!

my biggest concern about feeding raw treats is the bacteria that can form. Anything I should be aware of to make sure its completely safe for my cats?

 

[auntie crazy]

None. Just clean up after handling the meat as you would normally. Your cat has his own defenses if some bacteria should happen to be present, but he's unlikely to encounter any considering that most bacteria are contaminants found on the outside of carcasses and such.

AC

 

[Draco]

Awesome. Thanks again for the replies!

 

[goingpostal]

I would thaw the whole container just enough to separate out into portion sizes you'll use and then refreeze.  You might have to chop the turkey gizzards up for your cat as they are big and harder to chew. 

 

[ritz]

I have found ice cube trays invaluable for portion sizes.  One cube contains around one ounce of meat though you should weigh a few just to make sure. 

Individual chicken hearts defrost very quickly.  I use one or two as a treat or when I need an extra .5 oz of meat.

Sometimes you have to run warm water on the bottom of the ice tray to get the food to pop up (as you would do for ice).  Then you can put the one ounce food cubes into a zip lock bag or plastic container.

 

[Draco]

great advice, thank you! love the ice cube tray idea

I'll get the food next time I go shopping