I think were fubar here ...

[darg]

I have about 1 weeks worth of raw food left and I cannot get turkey thighs. I know there are much bigger problems going on right now but I needed to vent ... so I'm venting. Kitty needs to eat too.

 

[Jem]

With Easter just around the corner, my grocery store has started carrying whole frozen turkeys...would that be an option for you?

 

[furmonster mom]

I feel ya.
A week ago, I went out and bought 2 months worth of meats for processing, but there was one thing the Asian market was out of... they almost always have plenty... melt. The one thing.
They didn't have any a few days ago, either.
So I called today to see if it had come it. They say no. I ask if I can please put in an order. They say no, first come first served. I ask when they expect the next order. They say they don't know, but when it does, first come first served. I've been going there for 12 years, but they are not willing to help even a little.

 

[Tobermory]

I know. I’m getting low on my supply of homemade cat food, so I went to the market where I buy meat and the five-pound bags of boneless thighs were gone as were the two-pound “logs” of boneless pork. No turkey other than ground. They had boneless thighs loose in the case and I got almost 75 percent of what they had left—about 15 pounds. It was $3.99/lb. vs. $2.49/lb. but I was glad to get it. But with three cats, it won’t last long. They actually had a 10-pound limit, but the lovely man behind the counter slipped in another five pounds. So frustrating. I have about two weeks worth of canned I keep for emergencies, and it looks like I’ll need it.

 

[Azazel]

Have you guys tried reaching out to different butchers in your area? I had to call a few different places and then arrive right on shipment day to grab some turkey thighs. I don't think the issue is that supplies are low but rather that people are just buying lots of them all at once and not leaving any for others. It might be worth asking what day your local grocer or butcher gets their shipment in.

 

[darg]

Have you guys tried reaching out to different butchers in your area? I had to call a few different places and then arrive right on shipment day to grab some turkey thighs. I don't think the issue is that supplies are low but rather that people are just buying lots of them all at once and not leaving any for others. It might be worth asking what day your local grocer or butcher gets their shipment in.

Tried that. None of the local shops get thighs. Some do get drumsticks. I picked up 2 packages of drumsticks just now. They're frozen but in a day or two I'll de-tendon and de-bone and see if he'll eat them. Also going to try pork. I'm risking Covid-19 running around to find food for my cat. Not a brilliant thing to be doing. But again, kitty has to eat too.

 

[Melanie (Meowtel)]

Are you opposed to trying commercial frozen raw food? (I'm new here so if you are, I apologize).

If you're not opposed to it, most pet stores should be open (with limited hours) since pet food is considered essential.

 

[Tobermory]

Are you opposed to trying commercial frozen raw food?

Speaking for Lily, Mocha, and me, no, we’re not opposed to it at all. Speaking for Iris, she wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.

 

[Melanie (Meowtel)]

Speaking for Lily, Mocha, and me, no, we’re not opposed to it at all. Speaking for Iris, she wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.

 

[Azazel]

I think the problem with commerical raw for many of us homemade feeders is that it contains lots of bone unfortunately. I would feed canned food before commerical raw because of this cause one of my cats gets bad constipation. Also trying to keep the phosphorous levels moderate.

 

[Melanie (Meowtel)]

Gotcha. Every cat is different, as we all know, so what works for one won't necessarily work for another.

 

[Tobermory]

I think the problem with commerical raw for many of us homemade feeders is that it contains lots of bone unfortunately. I would feed canned food before commerical raw because of this cause one of my cats gets bad constipation. Also trying to keep the phosphorous levels moderate.

I agree, particularly as my two 15-year-olds are prone to constipation. But I would feed Stella’s Selects (boneless frozen raw) if Iris the Diva Princess would eat them.

I bought a large bag of Northwest Naturals freeze-dried turkey because they love it so much (even the Diva Princess) but I’ll use it only to stretch the homemade farther and in case they don’t like the canned I bought. I’ve found that if I rehydrate a bit of freeze-dried and mix it into their regular meal, they are more willing to eat it.

 

[maeganj]

What about ordering from raw feeding Miami or hare today? If you have the freezer space I thinks it's worth it, I did a cost analysis and if you fill the 50# box it's actually cheaper(or about the same) than buying at a grocery store, at least in my area. The whole thighs are sold out on RFM but they still have ground. Hare Today currently has whole thighs

 

[Tobermory]

What about ordering from raw feeding Miami or hare today? If you have the freezer space I thinks it's worth it, I did a cost analysis and if you fill the 50# box it's actually cheaper(or about the same) than buying at a grocery store, at least in my area. The whole thighs are sold out on RFM but they still have ground. Hare Today currently has whole thighs

I don't know about others, but I'm okay for right now. I have about three or four weeks of homemade and another three or four weeks of canned. And I'll keep restocking as I can. I had a chest freezer where I was keeping large quantities of frozen meat, but we sold it when we downsized and moved in October. My current refrigerator freezer is spacious, but it's now maxed out with a combo of people food, raw meat I've ground for the cats, and already-made cat food.

I ordered from Hare Today a couple of times when I first started to feed raw about two years ago, but for some strange reason known only to quirky calicos, Iris wouldn't eat it. And also, I worried slightly about shipping from Pennsylvania to Oregon, even though both shipments arrived with very little thawing. I wouldn't order in the summer, though.

 

[maeganj]

I don't know about others, but I'm okay for right now. I have about three or four weeks of homemade and another three or four weeks of canned. And I'll keep restocking as I can. I had a chest freezer where I was keeping large quantities of frozen meat, but we sold it when we downsized and moved in October. My current refrigerator freezer is spacious, but it's now maxed out with a combo of people food, raw meat I've ground for the cats, and already-made cat food.

I ordered from Hare Today a couple of times when I first started to feed raw about two years ago, but for some strange reason known only to quirky calicos, Iris wouldn't eat it. And also, I worried slightly about shipping from Pennsylvania to Oregon, even though both shipments arrived with very little thawing. I wouldn't order in the summer, though.

Oh I just mentioned the online route because the OP said they were short on turkey thighs locally. I didn't even think to consider their location, they could be from outside the US, my mistake!

 

[darg]

Oh I just mentioned the online route because the OP said they were short on turkey thighs locally. I didn't even think to consider their location, they could be from outside the US, my mistake!

Were in Florida. It's a good suggestion but, unfortunately, we don't have the freezer space for a bulk order of meat. If it gets down to it we could try and find a small freezer. But, we saw whole turkeys in a couple stores over the last couple of days. The turkey thigh we usually buy has no additives at all. It's not listed as "organic" but it's the Greenwise Turkey, fresh, not frozen. I know they add some brine solution to the whole, frozen turkeys but I'm thinking that probably wouldn't be a problem. We'd be better off going the route with whole Turkey since the lack of freezer space would be an issue with a large, shipped order.

 

[mschauer]

Have you continued to check for the thighs? Here in Houston the supply of anything at a particular store changes day by day. I was able to get the pork, turkey and chicken I need but got each at different stores on different days.

 

[darg]

Have you continued to check for the thighs? Here in Houston the supply of anything at a particular store changes day by day. I was able to get the pork, turkey and chicken I need but got each at different stores on different days.

Yes. I / we get groceries twice a week and hit a couple stores looking for Turkey while out. But I'm not running around like I did initially, hitting every Publix and Winn Dixie in a 10 mile radius every other day hoping to get lucky. Were getting up there in age and I'm trying to avoid contact with folks. Can't afford to get the new virus, especially because my wife is 2 weeks post-op off a major surgery. But I'm still looking when were out. Drumsticks are a PITA but I'll buy them again if I find them ... any turkey meat will work at this point. Pork is usually available so that's a new one that he seems to be doing ok with now. Also, whole Turkeys are starting to show up here and there so if I need to, I'll get a whole bird and cut it up.

Right now, it looks like I have food for Gizmo for about a month between the turkey and pork so at least I have some time now to try and find more.

Thanks