Feeding Instructions

I feed my cats once ever 24 hours. Some people choose to do 2-3 feedings a day. 

This is entirely up to you. If your house stays really warm I suggest more frequent feedings or if you have a cat who scarfs down food. You can take food away after 15 mins in the morning and offer it again in the evening. 

I feed once in the evening. Cats stomach acid and digestive tract is designed to handle the bacteria on meat. So don't worry!

Kitten's are growing and should get as much as they want! Make sure you are following the pie diagram when feeding a premade to make sure they are getting enough fatty calories.

Adult raw fed cats self regulate. This means they may eat 8-10+ ounces one day and not touch their food the next. That's totally okay! Feed the cat in front of you. If they are hungry feed them more, if they don't finish their food, give them less next time or skip a meal (12-24 hours).

Raw fed cats are not like kibble fed cats, they do not need to be constantly munching as their body is processing more of their food!

 Remember raw meat is only good in the fridge for 3 days. Whatever you don't plan to use, place in a ziploc bag and refreeze. It is safe to refreeze meat that has been defrosted in the fridge the night before. You may also defrost in cold water. Never defrost in the microwave or on the counter. 

Always handle meat like you would your own! Make sure the premade never smells rancid, looks a funny color or is abnormally slimy. Error on the side of caution!

Did you know that raw fed cats self regulate? Since their bodies are digesting majority of their food they decide when they are full. My cats can go from scarfing down all their food one week to eating a fraction of that the next day. If my cats start leaving alot of food on their plates I lessen the portion the next meal or skip a full 24 hours. Their hunger comes back and I slowly work the portion sizes back up. Feed the cat in front of you! 

Also remember cats will eat less in the warmer months and more in the colder months. Cats also do not like when their food warms past room temperature. 

A raw fed cat can vomit for several reasons. 

• Their food was too cold
• their food is spoiled
• they ate too fast
• they are allergic
• they vomited bile because they aren't eating
• they have a blockage and need medical attention

It's important to determine the cause for vomiting. One off infrequent vomiting is not usually a cause for concern and can be determined through process of elimination.

Raw Fed cats pee big amounts frequently! Most of their litter box will consist of pee, with poop once every 2 days or so. Raw Fed cats pee a lot, but poop less because they are actually digesting their food! Their poops are much smaller, harder and barely smell. 

Oddly enough since the raw meat contains plenty of moisture they drink very little water.

 It's the same for kibble and wet food. Don't kiss your pet on the mouth after they have eaten! Commercial pet food has recalls ALL the time for mold, salmonella, ecoli & more. It's a MYTH raw food has more recalls. Handle their feeding station with care by sanitizing like you would your own kitchen when cooking with meat. 

Cats have a super acidic stomach and kill most of the pathogens incl salmonella. They also have a short digestive track. That's also why food for cats can be left out for up to 12-24 hours in reasonable temperatures. Good hygiene helps to protect YOU in case any pathogens are present, the cat would still eat them if it's already on the meat. Cats digestive systems are super strong. 

They can handle small loads of bacteria making feeding raw safe for them and not for humans. 

That being said, it's important to buy from reputable sources. Make sure you have researched the companies you are feeding and check for recalls & handling issues. Always inspect the meat before you serve it. Keep in mind that Salmonella and ecoli recalls are in kibble and wet food every year, yet you don't see people scaring you about those!

 I would be MUCH more worried about a bag of cat food making my cats sick than raw. Make sure you always do a google search on the company you use. Also cats will generally not touch spoiled meat or quickly throw it up. Very very rarely will they get super sick if you handled the meat improperly like it got warm during transport, you left if on the counter then refroze ect.

While it may seem cheaper, you cannot feed too much fish.

It's too rich in vitamin A & Mercury. Max amount is a spoonful 2x a week as I have written on my website. You should stay away from bottom feeders. Salmon, Sardines & Mackerel are the only ones you should feed.

Cats should not have majority fish in their diet, ever!! Never buy a recipe where the main protein is fish. 

Please don't feed raw fish unless it's been frozen for 3 weeks to kill parasites. I like to feed canned fish for this reason (no salt or oil added!!) 

Freeze Dried Raw is a great alternative to frozen raw when flying or doing long trips.

Just add water to rehydrate and it’s really lightweight so it’s easy to take on airplanes especially since they don’t allow you to bring a full size carry-on when you bring a pet in cabin.

I reccomend Fresh is Best and Feline Naturals. 

Just start introducing it here and there to make sure the cat’s stomach is not sensitive that way when you’re traveling, you don’t have to deal with diarrhea or stomach upsets.

I do not recommend feeding freeze dried as a main food source and only in cases of emergency!

 You can wean kittens onto raw just like you would solids starting at 4 weeks +. It is never too late to switch your cat to raw. However the method you use will be dependent on the overall health of your cat. Your kitty is over weight, skinny, suffering from a disease using the hunger method can be dangerous. I recommend the gradual method listed on the Transition Page.  

A typical raw fed cat self regulates! Which means that their food is so full of digestible calories that sometimes they won't touch or finish their food one day! That being said for a cat that struggles with overeating, I suggest using a slow feeder plate and setting up feeding times for both your cats. 

Once in the morning and once in the evening, leaving food available for 15 mins then taking away whatever they don't eat. The reason I free feed and give multiple plates is so not to teach kittens to eat super fast and compete with each other. They don't feel the need to rush.

I learned this tip from a dog trainer who saw a lot of issues from breeders who gave the puppies one bowl in the morning and all the puppies rushed and fought around the food (creating poor eating habits).