Need HELP w/ frozen meat from Hare-Today!

[ArlosMom]

I have my meat from hare-today and it is frozen. How do I go about defrosting so I can mix it all up? I am worried if I fully defrost it in water and then re-freeze it into portions, it won't be good. Any suggestions?

Also, in mixing a batch of food for my kitty. I am using one pound of chicken w/ bones/organs. However, the ratios are off (68% meat, 27% bone, 5% organ) so I am also adding a pound of boneless chicken breast to even things out. How much alnutrin am I to add to this mix? I assume just one packet since I am just adjusting it with the boneless to make the ratios where they need to be, but I wanted to be sure.


Thank you!

 

[admin]

I have my meat from hare-today and it is frozen. How do I go about defrosting so I can mix it all up? I am worried if I fully defrost it in water and then re-freeze it into portions, it won't be good. Any suggestions?

Also, in mixing a batch of food for my kitty. I am using one pound of chicken w/ bones/organs. However, the ratios are off (68% meat, 27% bone, 5% organ) so I am also adding a pound of boneless chicken breast to even things out. How much alnutrin am I to add to this mix? I assume just one packet since I am just adjusting it with the boneless to make the ratios where they need to be, but I wanted to be sure.


Thank you!

We don't feed raw so i'm no help, but we have many members who do, perhaps they will chime in, I believe @zoinks and @Xandria feed raw.

 

[Xandria]

I thaw all meats in the fridge. I maintain a temperature of 40F (or 4C) for safety reasons. Depending on the size of the rabbit, it may take 1-1.5 days to thaw.

If you're adding another pound of meat, I would add another package of Alnutrin (4 gram packet), as you are effectively doubling the recipe to get the ratios right.

 

[Calicocious]

@ArlosMom I made a comment on your other post about Hare today about their ratios. I had emailed them because I had the same question. The bone ratio on their poultry and rabbit is around 15-18% depending on the specific one. Chicken will be at the higher end and turkey at the lower. Their grinds aren't whole carcasses but they do try to follow the 80/10/10 rule. You do want to add some ground meat to dilute it but it won't take much.
As far as defrosting it and re freezing that is fine. Defrosting in the fridge is best but if you need to a quick defrost method of cold water in the sink is fine too. I've done before just make sure you put the chubs from Hare today in another bag since the chubs do leak blood as they defrost.
The Alnutrin you should be able add as the directions say.

 

[Calicocious]

@ArlosMom I made a comment on your other post about Hare today about their ratios. I had emailed them because I had the same question. The bone ratio on their poultry and rabbit is around 15-18% depending on the specific one. Chicken will be at the higher end and turkey at the lower. Their grinds aren't whole carcasses but they do try to follow the 80/10/10 rule. You do want to add some ground meat to dilute it but it won't take much.
As far as defrosting it and re freezing that is fine. Defrosting in the fridge is best but if you need to a quick defrost method of cold water in the sink is fine too. I've done before just make sure you put the chubs from Hare today in another bag since the chubs do leak blood as they defrost.
The Alnutrin you should be able add as the directions say.

Sorry @ArlosMom I was just on the Hare Today site and I see they now list what the ratios are in each grind. They never did before. And it looks like what they had told me before was not correct! The turkey is listed as a ratio of 68/27/5. Wow that is way off from what they told me in the email. I'm thinking after I asked that question they took a closer look at what the ratios actually are. So the next question is if you have to add that much meat to it how diluted is the organ ratio after that?

 

[ArlosMom]

No worries @Calicocious ! I did mix up one batch of chicken with 1 lb each of the bone/organ mix and 1 lb of the boneless breast. I think I may just stick with the Bitr as I like better knowing exactly what the ratios are that I am getting instead of taking a chance. However, I did buy alot of meat, but luckily some of what I bought, such as the rabbit, pheasant and goose, all have good ratios at about 15/10 for bone and organ. I am going to use what I have and then probablly stick to just getting boneless and using the Bitr, although I likes getting the "all natural" calcium/phosphorus/taurine from the real stuff, but better to have the correct ratios then to be off on something and take a chance.

Sorry @ArlosMom I was just on the Hare Today site and I see they now list what the ratios are in each grind. They never did before. And it looks like what they had told me before was not correct! The turkey is listed as a ratio of 68/27/5. Wow that is way off from what they told me in the email. I'm thinking after I asked that question they took a closer look at what the ratios actually are. So the next question is if you have to add that much meat to it how diluted is the organ ratio after that?

 

[Calicocious]

I second that. I find more and more reasons to buy a grinder and make my own. The noise of the grinder and the fact that my landlord lives downstairs has me rethinking it though :facepalm: I feel like I can't trust anything commercially bought.

 

[Miss Beck]

Hi raw foodies! I need some help. I've switched Prune over to a pre packaged raw diet. She switched in a week with no fuss at all. She still is getting her grain free kibble, but I'm hoping to wean her soon. Her stinky skunk poo is already gone!!! Amazing!

I just cannot figure out how much to feed her. She is 1 -1/2 old and 7 ish lbs. when I rescued her she was on canned grain free 2x a day & free feeding her kibble. She is on the little side, but was neglected before she was in foster care, so she has been gaining needed weight since she moved in.

I know that Sphynx expend more energy keeping warm and being crazy; I just cannot figure out how much food to give her. One place says 4oz 2x daily, another says 2oz, one says feed raw 4x a day.... I know it's up to the individual cat, but can you give me a starting point suggestions. She loves to graze, so I feel bad taking her kibble and I don't want to starve her! What IS the ideal weight for a little girl Sphynx?

The next question is warming her raw. I don't want it cooked, but what is the most successful way to warm her meat up so it is not fridge cold?

In the past, we had Maine Coons, so I'm on a weight/feeding learning curve! Monkey, our last MC was a healthy 16lbs!

Lady P & I thank you!!!

 

[momdeeze]

I use commercial raw and we warm it at power level 2 in the microwave for 2 minutes if it is not completely thawed. If it's thawed completely we don't warm it at all and they scarf it down! We feed raw twice a day. My boys eat almost a pound a day, 8 ounces at a time. The girls usually 4 to six ounces each serving. Remember that cats in the wild don't nibble all day. They likely have one big meal a day. Feed her as much as she will eat in 20 minutes then take it away, you'll get a feel for it in a couple days. Good luck!

 

[Miss Beck]

I use commercial raw and we warm it at power level 2 in the microwave for 2 minutes if it is not completely thawed. If it's thawed completely we don't warm it at all and they scarf it down! We feed raw twice a day. My boys eat almost a pound a day, 8 ounces at a time. The girls usually 4 to six ounces each serving. Remember that cats in the wild don't nibble all day. They likely have one big meal a day. Feed her as much as she will eat in 20 minutes then take it away, you'll get a feel for it in a couple days. Good luck!

That's true. I didn't think about the big picture raw diet. That seems like so much food, but she is not an overeater. Sometimes she leaves her wet food in her bowl. Some days she goes through all her kibble other days not. I have noticed she eats more when it's chilly in the house. I'll start giving her more, timing it and letting her tell me.

Do you recommend adding any veggies for fiber to their diets? I've seen some raw recipes with peas or pumpkin. I figure the added moisture in the raw should take care of that, but I don't know. In the wild she wouldn't be picking pea pods or digging up carrots, but she might chew some grass or something.

Thank you for the help.

 

[Miss Beck]

I use commercial raw and we warm it at power level 2 in the microwave for 2 minutes if it is not completely thawed. If it's thawed completely we don't warm it at all and they scarf it down! We feed raw twice a day. My boys eat almost a pound a day, 8 ounces at a time. The girls usually 4 to six ounces each serving. Remember that cats in the wild don't nibble all day. They likely have one big meal a day. Feed her as much as she will eat in 20 minutes then take it away, you'll get a feel for it in a couple days. Good luck!

I use commercial raw and we warm it at power level 2 in the microwave for 2 minutes if it is not completely thawed. If it's thawed completely we don't warm it at all and they scarf it down! We feed raw twice a day. My boys eat almost a pound a day, 8 ounces at a time. The girls usually 4 to six ounces each serving. Remember that cats in the wild don't nibble all day. They likely have one big meal a day. Feed her as much as she will eat in 20 minutes then take it away, you'll get a feel for it in a couple days. Good luck!

BTW
Hi local Mom! Prune & I are down in Seattle.

 

[Xandria]

Max eats around a pound of raw per day over 4 feedings per day. I do not supplement with any vegetables as they don't need it. Pumpkin can be used to help any bowel issues, but I've become more of a fan of adding Psyllium (finely ground) if ever needed.

I store the raw in the freezer and then let thaw in the fridge (at 40F/4C) about 18-24 hours ahead. At mealtime I run hot water into a larger bowl, scoop about a quarter pound of food into a smaller bowl (adding lysine or psyllium as needed), and then set the bowl of food partially into the bowl of hot water (not allowing water to enter food bowl). I then swish the food around with a fork for a few minutes (with Max perched on my shoulder to monitor progress). This warms the food to a nice temperature without cooking it. And then feed!

 

[Miss Beck]

Prunes been eating RadCat Raw for a few weeks now. She switched over really easily, but Monday & yesterday she was leaving most of her bowl or not eating it at all. I thought maybe she was over it. So I gave her a can of her old food, which she ate.
This morning I opened a new tub of frozen raw and decided to give her half raw & half old canned. We here's the answer. A very carefully eaten line avoiding the canned food! I left it out for a bit and she never came back for her old stuff.

I think the big tubs take her so long to eat through, it gets a bit too ripe in the fridge for her by meal 4-5. So smaller tubs of raw & Lady P is a happy cat!
Amazing!

The old leftover cans are going into her emergency kit. Thank you everyone for the help & support!

 

[Miss Beck]

Ok, next raw food question.
Im driving from Seattle to LA with Prunella's over 2 1/2 days. I have a cooler and ice packs, but that never keeps anything full frozen for the full day. I also won't have a freezer and possibly not a fridge overnight during the trip. How do you recommend keeping it fresh? Could I use dry ice?

 

[momdeeze]

As long as the stuff in the cooler stays at refrigerator temperature the raw will be okay for 48 hours. If you want to keep it frozen dry ice would probably do the trick but only use it if you have a trunk. Dry ice in an enclosed space can be deadly from carbon monoxide. http://www.dryiceinfo.com/safe.htm

 

[Miss Beck]

Oh! Your right! I didn't even think about the off gassing.
Thank you!