Love Letter to EZComplete

If you follow Hazel and me on Instagram (the.raw.fed.feline), then you know how much I love using EZComplete to make Hazel’s meals.  I thought I would explain in more detail what I love about it, how to use it, and why I think completers are an important option when it comes to raw feeding.  Let me also state here at the outset, that I am not affiliated with EZComplete in any way.  These are my own opinions and personal experience using EZComplete over the past 7+ years.  

What is EZComplete?

I guess I should start with what it is—EZComplete is a pre-mixed powder containing ingredients that when added to plain boneless meat, makes nutritionally “complete” food.  Here are the ingredients from the website:

“Dried chicken liver, eggshell (source of calcium), dried egg yolk, pork pancreas glandular, NZ green-lipped mussel powder, taurine, digestive enzymes (bromelain, lipase, amylase, cellulase), vitamin E, chelated iron, vitamin B complex, chelated manganese, zinc, chelated copper, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), potassium iodide (iodine).” 

The website states that EZComplete is based on the prey model raw feeding philosophy.  As you can see from the ingredients, it contains two secreting organs: liver and pancreas, egg yolk, a source of calcium, a source of omega-3s, digestive enzymes, and a few vitamins and minerals.  You add the meat and water.  You will note that there are no carbohydrates included, since cats have zero nutritional requirement for any in their diet.  If your cat benefits from having fiber in their diet, you would add that yourself. 

I really like that it is based on the prey model raw feeding philosophy.  It is the only completer that I am aware of that includes two secreting organs, which is a serious bonus in my opinion.  I also like that I can use any boneless protein option.  This allows for some important variety since every meat has its own nutritional profile.  It is advised to feed at least three different proteins; however, the more, the merrier, in my opinion.  I use beef, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, venison, goat, lamb, elk, bison, and on rarer occasions, rabbit, ostrich, camel, and kangaroo.  You can also vary the texture of the meat: ground, chunked, and/or shredded.  It’s a nice way to provide variety through texture and allow for the oral health benefits of chunked meats.  

How to Use EZComplete

When you mix the meat, water, and EZComplete powder, you want to make sure you distribute it evenly.  When using chunked or shredded meats, there will be more liquid left in the bowl.  You want to be sure that your cat will lap up the liquid or if not, then you can use some ground with the chunked/shredded, which will mix more easily with the liquid and help ensure that your cat gets all of the nutrients.

Using EZComplete really is the easiest thing, I swear!  I still remember the first time I used it; I couldn’t believe it was that easy.  Maybe I was missing something?  I thought it would be complicated to make my cat’s food, but nope. Not at all.  If you can mix together a box of cake mix with water, you can make your cat’s food with EZComplete.  

step by step

Here are some step by step photos of making food with EZComplete.  You just thaw the amount of meat you want to use, measure the powder and water, and mix together.  You can then portion and freeze to use later.  

If you aren’t quite ready for the raw feeding life, you can use EZComplete with cooked meat, too.  You cook the meat, let it cool to room temperature, retain the cooking liquid, and then mix with water and the EZComplete powder.  

Many cats find the smell/taste of EZComplete pretty irresistible.  If your cat likes liver treats, they will likely love EZComplete.  But as with any new food, a slow introduction is best to allow your cat to accept something new and to minimize any digestive upset.

Cost

Let’s talk money.  Keep in mind that the overall cost will greatly depend on which meat you use, (for example, rabbit is much more expensive than pork for me), and the cost of meat where you live in general.  Buying meat on sale, ordering from raw pet food suppliers, joining raw feeding co-ops, and having hunter friends are all ways to help minimize the cost of meat.  In the US, beef, chicken, and pork tend to be the easiest to source and the most wallet friendly.  Feeding these three proteins more heavily in the rotation and then adding in others less frequently is another way to help keep costs down. 

Examples of cost using different meats

Here are some examples of my costs of food made with EZComplete.  The approximate cost of EZComplete, including the 20% off discount when buying 4 bags in one order from the website and the cost of shipping: ~$3.00 per pound of food.  Hazel eats 4oz of food daily, so I am showing my daily cost to feed her.  How much food your cat needs will depend on their age, weight, and activity level.  The more useful number is the cost per ounce of food.  

Pork: $2.09/lb from Aldi

1oz of food: $0.32 with EZC

4oz daily: $1.28

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Beef: $5.00/lb from Raw Feeding Miami

1oz of food: $0.50 with EZC

4oz daily: $2.00

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Lamb: $8.60/lb from Raw Feeding Miami

1oz: $0.73 with EZC

4oz daily: $2.92

You can see how the price of meat impacts the overall cost. And below you can see how fresh food made with EZComplete is comparable to feeding canned food.  Here are some examples of the cost of canned foods per Chewy’s website: 

Fancy Feast Classic Chicken Pate costs $0.27 per ounce, pork with EZComplete is only a few cents more. 

The Wellness Beef & Chicken Pate costs $0.61 per ounce; beef with EZComplete costs less. 

Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb Feast costs $0.80 per ounce; lamb with EZComplete is slightly less. 

I would argue that for a comparable price, you are feeding much higher quality food using fresh meat and EZComplete. 

Cons

So, what are the cons of EZComplete?  If your cat is allergic/intolerant to chicken liver, then EZComplete will not work for your cat.  That goes for any ingredient, of course, but negative responses to chicken are more common.  Sometimes cats are not ok with canned chicken based foods, but are fine with fresh chicken.  Sometimes cats respond poorly to chicken meat, but are ok with chicken organs.  You can order a sample of EZComplete to try with your cat here. 

If you do not have pork in your household due to religious and/or cultural reasons, then EZComplete, with the inclusion of pork pancreas, would not be an option. 

While EZComplete allows for a wide variety of meats to be used, both in regards to the protein and texture, the other components of the diet remain the same.  This means that every batch of food has chicken liver and pork pancreas included, so the variety that can be offered is limited to the meat.

A criticism of EZComplete and of completers in general, is that since every meat has a different nutrient profile, how can we know that every batch of food is truly “complete?”  This criticism is assuming that making 100% “complete” food is the goal, which in my opinion, it is not.  The goal is to provide a balanced diet over time.  This is where feeding a variety of meats in rotation, which is based on the way cats naturally eat, is key.  By feeding several different proteins, which will each have a varied nutrient profile and fat content, you ensure that your cat is getting a proper diet over time.  

Why Completers are Important

I think completers are an incredibly important resource for pet parents.  Let’s face it, not everyone wants to handle all of the raw components, especially the organs, and/or has the time or inclination to source and assemble a prey model raw diet.  While a prey model raw diet is an amazing way to feed your cat, it’s a lot of work and requires time that many people just don’t have.  Many people don’t want to calculate individual nutrients either. These are some common reasons that turn people off from feeding raw. But never fear, there are completers! You can literally mix up the meat, water, and powder in less than 5 minutes and the formulation has been done for you.  

While this post focused on EZComplete, which is a US-based (and I might add, woman-owned) company, you can check out this past post about meat completers in general, and which ones are available where you live.  If you are on the fence about making your cat’s food, I would urge you to give a completer a try, it’s a great and easy way to feed your raw fed feline!