What meats do I use and where can I buy them?

Muscle and organ meats are the most essential foods for cats, and special care should be applied when selecting them. Meats must be raw, fresh (e.g. not spoiled) and preferably not previously frozen. Heat processing of meat will destroy or alter most essential nutrients. Feeding cats cooked meat therefore leads to deficiencies and results in poor health, and ultimately to a premature death.

With Instincts you have choice and control over the primary ingredient in your cat’s food: the meat. Instincts is equally suited for care givers who want a pure, organic food for their cat, as well as care givers who want the best food for their cat without spending a small fortune. It is your choice! During our studies and research we have tried nearly all possible sources of meat for our cats’ food, and the following list demonstrates how creative you can get, depending on your resources and preferences.

Cuts of meat from the grocery store/ super market.

Usually chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb that you grind or cut into small chunks at home.
Ground meat from the grocery store/ super market.
We have feed ground turkey, chicken, beef, and lamb from the grocery store as a main staple for many years with no ill effects. Please do consider, however, that ground meat is associated with high counts of bacteria.

Organic/ specialty meats from the health food store.

Health food stores offer a variety of free range, un-medicated meats like beef, buffalo, venison, chicken, turkey, and even emu. A great choice for your cat, small farmers, and the planet, but often not affordable to the multi cat household.

Specialty meats from the meat packer.

Buy the same meats available at health food stores directly from the meat packer/ distributor for half the price! Try rabbit, caribou, or muskox, too. However, be prepared to make a lot of cat food at once, because meat packers only sell in larger quantities.

Meat from farmers.

This is a great way to buy the best quality meat for your family and your cat. Buy a half side of beef or lamb, have it cut and wrapped, and stash it in your chest freezer for a year supply of meat for everyone! Chicken and Turkey can be bought this way, too, but still need to be de-boned.

Meat raised on our own farm.

Yes … we are fortunate to be living in the country on a small farm where we can raise our own animals for butcher. It is a lifestyle that takes a lot of work and is not likely one you choose just for your cat (although he/she would probably love it). It made the list, because it is an option. Being involved in the farming community it is delightful to say, however, that many people in North America return to the farming tradition … if only as a hobby.

Meat from hunting.

Hunting is a highly regulated recreational activity with deep roots and lots of tradition. Today it goes hand in hand with governmental conservation efforts and population control, and hunters cannot go out any time of the year shooting whatever moves. If your family or a friend hunts, meat from deer, elk, moose, and goat makes great food for your cat. Do not feed meat from predatory animals like bear to your cat to prevent infecting your cat with parasites.

Road kill.

Why not? Thousands of deer, elk, and moose die on our roads from collisions with vehicles every year. If the carcass does not end up in the ditch, it is picked up by the highway maintenance crew and dumped in the woods or carted to the rendering plant. When driving on the road especially at night, it is not difficult to spot a recent casualty. If you are a practical person why not utilize this resource? Feline Future used to have an agreement with the local highway maintenance crew from whom we received all fresh road kill deer for a number of years.

• Feed a variety of meats to your cat. This provides stimulation, prevents fixation, and guarantees a well-balanced meal plan.
• Lean meats are preferred over fatty meats like regular ground hamburger, chicken with skin, or ground lamb. A high fat content in meat disturbs the proper digestion of the food.
• When using InstinctsTC, if possible, choose liver from the same type of animal as the meat used in preparing your cat’s food. We have observed that combining different types of meats and livers in the same meal can lead to indigestion. However, if you cannot match up meat and liver, please don’t omit the liver altogether. Liver is an essential part of your cat’s diet. Instead, prepare your cat’s food with miss-match meat and liver. If your cat does not regurgitate her food, it is perfectly safe to continue feeding the miss-matched meal. Or you can purchase InstinctsPLUS, which already contains liver and appears to be compatible with all meats.
• Do not feed raw fish, because it leads to a deficiency of the vitamin Thiamine. Feed fish very sparingly, cooked, as treats only.
• All meats may be served ground or chopped into small cubes.

Readily available meat choices we can suggest:

… or try more exotic meats such as ostrich, buffalo, caribou, elk, moose, muskox, goose, duck, or pheasant.