When I look back at when I was first learning about raw cat food, my biggest concern was a meat grinder.
The buying, storing, cleaning, maintaining and using a meat grinder seemed like such a hassle. I was afraid it was going to be expensive, big, heavy and would break down easily.Even the thought of owning a meat grinder almost turned me off to raw cat food competently.
I purchased this grinder in early 2014 and have used it at least once a month for two years now. My $30 manual meat grinder has proven to be easy to use, inexpensive and efficient. You can read my original post on my first manual grinder and why I bought this one immediately after.
Maintenance:
After each use I first wash all pieces with hot soapy water. I then spray with a 50/50 water/vinegar mixture to disinfect. Towel dry all pieces. It is important to towel dry all parts and not let the wet pieces sit on the counter to avoid rust. If needed I will use steel-wool to scrub clean certain areas. It is important to disinfect all materials used, utensils, plates, cutting board and counter/table tops.
To clean out the disc with all the holes, I use bamboo skewers to poke out all the little pieces stuck inside.
Here is a close up of the grinder pieces. It’s not pretty, it is a meat grinder after all. It shows some wear-and-tear. But it still works just as well as it did in the beginning.
The blade, disc and disc cover I coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil and then store in a Tupperware container. The oil helps to prevent rust.
Meats I grind:
Bones: chicken thighs, necks, wings, rabbit legs and thighs
Muscle meat: turkey, chicken, rabbit, beef, lamb
I would still like to upgrade to this #32 size grinder with a pulley handle which would make turning a bit easier. With my current grinder preparing food alone does take muscle and work. Having someone help you makes the job much easier and faster. If you are looking to buy a grinder I would recommend a #32 or #22 but nothing smaller.
Overall I’m so happy with my purchase and am happy I didn’t let the intimation of a meat grinder stop me from feeding my cats a homemade raw diet.
Hi Jenna, it’s great you took the plunge with a meat grinder. Thanks for the tips on cleaning and storing it, and I must say, you do a very meticulous job! I like how you separate the bones so they come from small animal parts and the meat so they come from big parts – that makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
By the way, what model is that? There are so many models that look alike I can’t tell the difference!
Author
Thanks for coming by! I purchased it from a German supplier.
I don’t know if I could ever have (or make) the time to feed raw. I try to feed Truffle and Brulee the best I can with already processed food.
Yuck, yuck, we can’t ever imagine eating anything raw apart from the odd mouse of course which doesn’t count !!
Author
I don’t eat meat at all so believe I understand being grossed out by meat. I wish I could love rabbits more and have a vegetarian pet. But I just love cats so much. We have to feed them what they are designed to eat.
Glad it works fur ya’. With mommies purroblems she would have to have an electric one. Maybe another reason me’s not eatin’ completely raw yet.
Luv ya’
Dezi
I am impressed that you have been doing it for so long. I know it is healthy, but I am too lazy to do it for 13 cats.