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The recipe we use is based upon that offered by Anitra Frazier in her book, The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners. More raw cat food recipes can be found at the Holisticat site, and recipes for raw dog and cat food can be found at most of the sites throughout the BARFers web ring.
We make a batch of ”Cat Fud” (as we fondly refer to it) once a month and freeze it; if we're feeling particularly inspired, we can get it all done from scratch in one Saturday, but we usually do it half Saturday, half Sunday. The amount of meat you purchase doesn't matter, as the measurements are done in “parts” once everything is prepared, but it's good to know that the amounts shown below carry us through an entire month, for both cats. Lupi weighs around 6 lbs., and Mickey, about 8 lbs.
 Preparing the Fruits and Vegetables (do this any time you get the urge and have some spare time, and it'll make Cat Fud Day that much easier!): Fresh cantaloupe, sugar snap peas, cabbage, cooked pumpkin, cooked acorn squash, zucchini, green beans, carrots, broccoli, and/or apples - but NO CITRUS OR ONIONS. Wash them well, cut them into chunks, and puree them in the blender or food processor with a bit of water, keeping each type separate - for variety! (We generally use two fruits and two vegetables each Cat Fud Day).
Pour the puree of each of the fruits or vegetables into separate ice cube trays, cover with clear plastic wrap, label, and freeze overnight. The next day, pop the cubes out, drop them into freezer bags, label, date and return them to the freezer for use next Cat Fud Day, or snag a couple out of a few of the cubes for yourself, drop them in a glass and thaw for a nutritious treat!
 Preparing the Grains (once again, do this any time you have some spare time, for a faster, easier Cat Fud Day): Prepare, as you would for yourself, some brown or wild rice mixtures (not the white or instant kind, as they offer very little, nutritionally), oatmeal, or one of those fabulous multi-grain hot cereals that are in every health food aisle but - here's the neat part - instead of water or milk, thaw and use the chicken broth you made last Cat Fud Day! Again, keep each type of grain separate, for variety in the daily meals. After following the directions on the package, allow the grain mixture to cool, scoop it into your trusty ice cube trays (you may have to add a little water if it's too thick to fill the reservoirs), cover with clear plastic wrap, label and freeze overnight. The next day, pop the cubes out, drop them into freezer bags, label, date and return them to the freezer for use next Cat Fud Day, or snag a couple out the next time you need a quick, small side dish for your chicken dinner!
 Preparing the Chicken (do this on Cat Fud Day): We buy two family-size packages of chicken thighs (about 4.5 lbs. each). We know from trial and error that the thighs are by far the quickest and most easy cuts to debone.
Rinse well using a colander, so all the used water flows down the drain. Make sure to flush water under the skin as well, in case those baddies are hiding! Remove the bones and put them in a pot on the stove; fill the bowl with fresh water and make some chicken broth, simmering for a couple of hours. Add more water to keep the bones covered. We use some of the broth to make the oatmeal, rice or other grain mixtures; a nutritious alternative to using plain water, as it's rich in calcium, gelatine and other nutrients! The rest of the broth gets poured into Ziploc containers, labeled, dated and popped in the freezer for use in our own cooking, or the next time we want to get a jump on cat food day by pre-cooking some grains.
Cut the meat (skin attached) into strips that will fit easily into your grinder. Grind into your giant bowl, seal and put in the fridge immediately.
 Preparing the Beef (do this on Cat Fud Day): One family-size package (about 4 lb.) of stew meat, with a good amount of marbling (you want some fat in there). We don't use ground beef because the amount of surface area available to bad bacteria gives me the willies. A cheap cut of beef that isn't already cut up is fine, too -- stew meat can be washed, and it’s a time-saver because it's already cut into grinder-size chunks. Wash it well with cold water over the colander, grind it into a smaller, sealable bowl and refrigerate it immediately.
 Preparing the Gizzards and Hearts (do this on Cat Fud Day): We pick up two standard-size packages (about 1.5 lb. each); your supermarket butcher will be able to help you out if you can't find them with the other meat castaways. Sometimes they're not available, so you may want to buy extras and freeze them for next time. Wash them well under cold water with your buddy, the colander. Cut the gizzards in half, then cut each side into three pieces. These provide some good chewing action, so you don't want them too tiny. Toss them in a small bowl and refrigerate them immediately.
 Combining the wet ingredients (on cat Fud day)... Set out all of your ZipLoc containers in rows on your table or counter. Using one vegetable, fruit or grain cube as one “part,” first scoop six parts of Chicken OR Beef into the bowl, then one part Gizzards. Grab one frozen grain cube from your freezer bag full and press it into the side of the bowl (or scoop one part from freshly cooked grains), and do the same with two frozen fruit or vegetable cubes. Label and date the lid with removable masking tape if you wish, and freeze immediately. Repeat these steps until all the meat and gizzards are gone!
Please remember, you can use the above process to prepare fresh turkey, rabbit, venison, ostrich, buffalo or veal for your cats! Think variety -- the sky is the limit!
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