Grind Bones

Sometimes a cat who is being raw fed will not eat bones or whole prey. This article will teach you how to grind small animal bones, often used for raw feeding of cats and other carnivorous animals. Bones are a crucial part of the animal's diet - if not fed, the animal could suffer from calcium deficiencies among other serious health risks.

Steps

 * 1) Get a meat grinder. Many prefer electric meat grinders because they're easier and faster, but also more expensive ($80+). Manual meat grinders are 'a thing of the past' but can still be found online, in shops, and on sites like eBay and Craigslist for relatively cheap (under $40). Be sure to choose a grinder that comes apart completely so that it is easy to wash.[[Image:Grind Bones Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Prepare the bones to be ground. If preparing a meal for an animal, use raw bones (only raw bones - never cooked!) and use the soft, pliable bones that the animal would normally eat in the wild.  Poultry wing tips, the ribcage, necks and backs are all good choices. Do not attempt to grind up leg bones or anything larger or thicker than your thumb - these may prove to be too difficult for the grinder, and while perhaps gnawed on, the actual bone would not likely be consumed by a cat, anyway (too large & coarse). Fish, poultry, rabbit & rodent bones are all okay to grind.[[Image:Grind Bones Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3)  Prepare a "catching pot" where the ground bones will fall into.[[Image:Grind Bones Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 4)  Grind the bones.[[Image:Grind Bones Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 5) * Marrow, blood, and other tissue will be present in some bone. This is OK and healthy for the animal to consume.
 * 6)  Disassemble the meat grinder when finished, and wash thoroughly with hot water & soap.[[Image:Grind Bones Step 5.jpg|center]]

Warnings

 * If your cat refuses to eat ground bone, you can try feeding bone meal (bought from health food stores) as a substitute, or ground eggshells (1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat), or calcium supplement.
 * Never feed cooked bones of any kind to an animal. Raw bones are completely okay to feed - even ground, smashed, and cut - but cooked bones are tough and hard and are prone to splinter and can cause serious injury.
 * Only feed bones in a 5-10% ratio of the entire meal. Not a lot of bone is needed in an animal's diet, but it is a a critical part. Feeding too much bone can cause constipation, white & chalky stools, and impaction.