How to thaw correctly?

[dan138zig]

I (like many others) store my raw meat in the freezer so what's the best way to thaw it before giving it to my kitty? So far I put it in warm water until the meat reach room temperature. And is it okay to put back in the freezer the meat that's been left out in the bowl by the cat for future use?

 

[missymotus]

I leave it in the fridge to defrost, they eat it cold I don't heat up to room temp.

I wouldn't re-freeze thawed meat.

 

[dan138zig]

Originally Posted by missymotus

I wouldn't re-freeze thawed meat.

any specific reason?

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Refreezing meat toughens it. I don't feed raw to my cats but if I did, I would cut the meal into pieces and freeze it in portion sizes in the zip top freezer bags. Then it would thaw quickly in the refrigerator. If you thaw meat outside the refrigerator, it should be done in cold water because of bacteria issues.

 

[sarahp]

Yep - better to just freeze 1-2 days worth of meat in each portion, defrost in the fridge, and serve as needed. This will help cut down any possible bacterial issues.