How I Feed Raw After Losing My Big Freezers

Hazel and I (and the other 2 cats that live with us right now) have just made a big move.  I had to downsize from two large freezers, (one of which was a specific cat food designated one) to only one much smaller freezer for both humans and cats.  Yikes!  

I have had to prioritize what frozen foods I use and shift how I source ingredients.  I thought I would share some of these adjustments in case you’re ever in this situation or if you don’t think you can feed raw given your current freezer constraints (spoiler alert!—you can). 

Freezer priorities

My first priority was having freezer space for whole prey.  Whole prey is way too expensive to purchase from local pet stores in an on-going way.  I order whole prey from online suppliers for a better deal, so I get a large-ish order at one time.  

Instead of keeping the animals in separate packages, I now combine packages of specific prey into one bag.  For example, hamsters and gerbils often come in smaller bags with 3-10 animals each. Now I open those up and put them in one bag.  Keeps the clutter to a minimum and allows me to see what I have more easily in the smaller space. 

My second priority was freezer space for muscle meat.  Previously, I routinely ordered from online suppliers for meat and organs. I ordered a large amount at one time to maximize shipping savings.  That is definitely not an option anymore.  I just don’t have the space to accommodate large orders like that.  

Sourcing shift

So, I have been on the hunt for local sources that allow me to buy smaller amounts of meat. I want to avoid the high shipping costs that come with smaller online orders.  Fortunately, my local grocery store has a nice meat department.  Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, and bison were available. I have to shift how I shop and purchase small amounts of meat more frequently.  I am sure there are other grocery stores to check out in my area, but this store is the most convenient for me. 

Some people are not comfortable with feeding meat from the grocery store.  I personally like that it is all human grade meat.  In the US, there is a significant difference between human grade and feed grade meats.  Human grade meats have a higher standard to meet when it comes to the processing, handling, and transporting of those meats.  There is more regulatory oversight and higher standards of sanitation required.  In contrast, feed grade meats used in pet foods consist of the cast offs of the human food industry, have less oversight, and have more relaxed sanitation requirements.  Yuck.

In the US, meat sold for human consumption will have undergone an inspection process.  In order to be sold, the meat must be free from parasites (unlike wild game, which requires freezing for three weeks to kill potential parasites).  All meat has bacteria, so you want to be sure that the meat looks fresh and has no odor.  Fortunately, cats are literally designed to eat raw meat. Their bodies are able to handle the normative bacterial load of raw foods. Cats can also tell through their highly discerning sense of smell if meat is “bad,” so I trust Hazel in this regard as well.

I found out that the local farmer’s market has a bison supplier, so I will be checking that out soon, too!  Bison is a nice, lean red meat to feed in rotation.  Hazel loves it.  

Freeze dried to the rescue

The next shift was incorporating more freeze dried foods and organs.  I have always kept some freeze dried foods in the diet as it’s nice for traveling or when I have forgotten to thaw something.  Now, however, freeze dried is becoming a more regular option as it doesn’t require any freezer space at all!  

Hazel’s and my favorite freeze dried foods are from Fresh is Best.  They offer chicken, lamb, pork, beef, and duck complete cat foods.  When you order directly from their website, you get a discount the more bags you order. Plus you get free shipping for any order over $100 (US only). If you want to order 1-2 bags to try, you can also find them on Amazon.

*To note, I am not affiliated with this company in any way, I just really like their ingredients, how they source, and the phosphorus levels of their foods.

Ordering organs from online suppliers has always been a bit of a challenge as they come in amounts that are not cat friendly, imho. It takes a long time when feeding a cat to go through 2.5 lbs of pancreas, for example.   

So for me, freeze dried organs are actually a welcome shift.  Again, I love the options from Fresh is Best.  They offer a great variety and they are all shelf stable, no freezer required.  It is important to note that when using freeze dried organs it is not a 1:1 swap with fresh.  This calculator helps determine the equivalent amount of freeze dried for fresh.  You need FAR less freeze dried because all of the moisture has been removed, they are much more concentrated. 

Completers keep it easy

If you follow the.raw.fed.feline on Instagram you already know that I love using completers to make Hazel’s food.  I will be using them even more now as I only have to have muscle meat to make high quality food with them.  This helps when freezer space is at a minimum, too, as I won’t need bones, organs, and other whole food ingredients prepped and stored in the freezer.  I plan on rotating different completers in her diet for that all important variety.  Check out this previous blog about the importance of variety in your cat’s diet.  

So there you have it, the ways that I am shifting what and how I feed Hazel a raw diet given my new freezer constraints.  While part of me is bummed not to be able to make more elaborate meals for her, another part of me is up for this challenge.  I hope that by sharing my process, I help others realize that raw feeding is possible even when you have minimal freezer space.  Let me know if you have any questions or ideas to share!