I might go raw in a few months, so I am wondering how much you spend per month on food? TIA
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How much does raw food cost?
- Thread starter fattykitty
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Your cost is going to vary tremendously depending on exactly what you feed and on how good your local meat sources are.
I feed ground raw that comes to about $3.00 a lb including all supplements. Each of mine eat 4 oz a day so that comes to 75 cents a day or $22.50 a month per cat.
I feed ground raw that comes to about $3.00 a lb including all supplements. Each of mine eat 4 oz a day so that comes to 75 cents a day or $22.50 a month per cat.
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I guess raw will have to wait. $500 isn't really manageable at the moment, sadly. I'll stick with grain-free dry and 13 oz cans of wet.
Where does $500 come from???
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Fattykitty, where did the $500 per month figure come from? Unless you have a LOT of cats, that's a crazy high cost.
Prior to raw, I fed canned, grain-free, fish-free, 95% meat varieties mostly. My cost was just about $250 every month for five cats.
Now that all five are on raw, I pay less than half that, easily.
Your cost will, of course, depend on what you feed and where you get it. I tried every store in the area, talked to other folks looking for low prices, etc. I now buy my cat foods from four different stores (local grocery for kidney and liver, pricerite for turkey drumsticks and chicken leg quarters, BJs - like a Sams Club - for pork and beef, and Whole Foods for ground chicken wings).
Good luck!
Prior to raw, I fed canned, grain-free, fish-free, 95% meat varieties mostly. My cost was just about $250 every month for five cats.
Now that all five are on raw, I pay less than half that, easily.
Your cost will, of course, depend on what you feed and where you get it. I tried every store in the area, talked to other folks looking for low prices, etc. I now buy my cat foods from four different stores (local grocery for kidney and liver, pricerite for turkey drumsticks and chicken leg quarters, BJs - like a Sams Club - for pork and beef, and Whole Foods for ground chicken wings).
Good luck!
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I bought an extra freezer and found a butcher that will discount for bulk purchases, really cuts down on the cost.
I won't feed dry and homemade raw is cheaper than wet for me, though I don't do it for costs I feed raw because I feel that's best for my cats.
I won't feed dry and homemade raw is cheaper than wet for me, though I don't do it for costs I feed raw because I feel that's best for my cats.
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- #7
Sorry...that's what I would spend per year. I was typing almost one handed in a rush-sorry.
Why do you buy your chicken wings specifically from Whole Foods?
What is your opinion on feeding meaty bones? I'm nervous to feed my cats bones when I read about pieces of bones getting stuck in their teeth. And some people supplement the calcium I think but it seems like if you can grind bones then that's better.
I'm thinking the frankenprey seems easier than a grinder but then maybe it's not because you have to be really good with a cleaver. What do you think?
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beesto
You don't have to use a cleaver, ever. If the idea of feeding bones is what's stopping you, use ground eggshell instead to supplement boneless meat and organs. Easy fix.
Have you checked out your local Asian grocery?
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The bones isn't stopping me... it's the most intimidating part, but I am all for it since it really is recommended it seems. I will have to check out an asian market. I'm not going to do the local co-op from Fremont, CA because it has a $145 membership fee. I can use that for a grinder.
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Hi, Beesto!
At the time of that post, my cats were still somewhat new to raw feeding so they were still getting ground chicken wings - and Whole Foods would grind them for me. That was worth the extra cost of the product.
Shortly after that, however, I switched to completely prey model raw (and yes, absolutely, a PMR, or "frankenprey", diet is easier to prepare than ground). Once the kitties learned how to crunch bone and strengthened their jaw muscles, there was no reason to keep them on ground, and lots of reasons to get them on whole bone. :-)
Not too long ago, however, I upgraded once again and now feed my kitties whole prey.
Hope this helps answer your questions!
Hi AuntieCrazy! (your name cracks me up)
You definitely answered my questions and I love that you gave me a definite on the PMR being easier than ground. I thought maybe having a recipe would be easier than putting specific parts together so they get a complete through all the various pieces. I love the idea of not having to buy a grinder and do all that grinding.
I will have to read up on the difference between feeding "whole prey" and frankenprey. As soon as my commercial raw runs out I want to get on this homemade raw. The big freezer is being delivered on Saturday. (Luckily my husband wanted an extra freezer for awhile now and he's glad that now I'm interested in one too.) It's amazing how much information is out there. I'm hoping it's a little simpler than some of the questions I see people discussing on my yahoo raw foods group. Anyhow, a lot to learn but I find it all fascinating and I feel it's a new hobby/interest/passion so I'm excited and I'm excited my kitties will be extra healthy.
THANK YOU!
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I feed home made raw, partly ground, partly in pieces, whole bones that she eats. It cost me less than 1 dollar a day. Depending on the meat used: 0.5-1 dollar a day.
i have three cats. switching from feeding high-quality, grain free canned food to home cooked food saves me a significant amount of money. i spent about $40 to get all of the supplements, which all last for numerous batches of food. weekly i spend about $12-17 on chicken, depending on sale prices, and i buy freeze dried liver for under $3/batch. i would have to guess that it costs me around $22 to feed three cats home cooked food every week; i was spending between $30-40 a week on high-quality canned food. i also have seen a huge difference in the litter boxes (so much less stuff that they just pass through) and their overall health.
Where do you buy freeze dried liver? Also, how about the other organs? And are you feeding more than just chicken? I keep reading about variety and wondering how often you need to use different types of meat. What you just described seems so much easier.
i buy stewart freeze dried liver treats and send them through the grinder with the chicken. i supplement with taurine and do not feed other organs because i don't have good sources for them AND hearts make my samantha vomit. i also feed freeze dried commercial raw for about 25% of their diet - i use stella & chewy's, either duck duck goose or tummy ticklin' turkey so they do get different protein sources.
Ahhh, yes- I like that option of using some commercial to add to the variety. Great info. I appreciate it.
