• Three Feline Future kittens relaxing on a patio chair during a summer afternoon on Salt Spring Island.

Table of contents

The cost of feeding cats has risen everywhere. Grocery prices, canned foods, kibble, and homemade diets have all been affected by inflation and supply chain disruptions. Throughout these changes, one of my goals has been to keep homemade feeding accessible and affordable. Over the past decade, the price of TCfeline premix has increased only modestly despite substantial increases in ingredient and operating costs. Just as I continue to look for ways to keep TCfeline affordable, cat owners can also make practical choices when sourcing meat to control the overall cost of feeding fresh food.

Keeping Homemade Cat Food Affordable in Challenging Times

One of the less obvious advantages of preparing homemade cat food is flexibility.

When the cost of commercial pet food rises, cat owners have little choice but to absorb the increase or switch products. Homemade feeding is different. Because you remain in control of the main ingredient, the meat, you have options. You can adapt to changing prices, take advantage of seasonal availability, buy in bulk, and explore alternative sources of meat while continuing to feed a high-quality diet.

This flexibility has become increasingly important in recent years. The cost of food has risen dramatically since the pandemic disrupted global supply chains. Climate-related events continue to affect agricultural production, while geopolitical conflicts influence transportation and energy costs. Even when purchasing meat produced locally, cat owners are not insulated from these larger economic forces.

Fortunately, homemade feeding offers room to manoeuvre.

Look Beyond Prime Cuts

Many cat owners initially gravitate toward the same cuts of meat they would choose for themselves. While there is nothing wrong with using premium cuts, they are often the most expensive option.

Beef heart is one example of a highly nutritious and economical alternative. Although organ meats have largely fallen out of favour as human food, beef heart remains an excellent ingredient for homemade cat food and is priced considerably lower than cuts of beef from skeletal muscle. During periods of high beef prices, incorporating beef heart into a beef-based recipe can help stabilize feeding costs without compromising quality.

Consider Grinding Your Own Meat

A meat grinder can be one of the most valuable investments for anyone preparing homemade cat food regularly.

Used grinders are often available through local classifieds at very reasonable prices. Once you own a grinder, your options expand dramatically. Instead of relying on pre-ground meats, which tend to carry a premium price and reduce options, you can purchase whole cuts when they are on sale and grind them yourself.

This approach not only reduces cost, but often results in fresher ingredients as well.

A grinder also opens the door to using ingredients such as beef heart, which would otherwise be difficult to incorporate into recipes.

Many cat owners assume that buying meat in bulk means preparing enormous batches of cat food all at once. It doesn’t. A practical approach is to grind the meat, package it into 450 g portions, and freeze it as plain meat. 1-2 of the 450 g portions can then be thawed and mixed with TCfeline premix whenever needed. Having to re-freeze the meat as cat food is not a problem. Any nutrient loss is negligible. But, this allows you to take advantage of sales and bulk purchasing without committing to large cat food preparation sessions.

Don’t Overlook Pork

While beef prices have fluctuated significantly in recent years, pork has remained comparatively stable and is often surprisingly affordable.

Many grocery stores carry large pork loins (one side of the entire back, minus bone) or pork tenderloins, particularly during the summer barbecue season. These cuts are naturally lean, easy to process, and well suited to homemade cat food recipes.

By purchasing larger cuts and grinding them at home, substantial savings can often be achieved compared to buying pre-ground meats.

Buy in Bulk When It Makes Sense

Once you become comfortable processing meat yourself, opportunities begin to appear beyond the local grocery store.

Regional meat wholesalers often offer a wider variety of meats than conventional retailers, including products such as venison or other specialty proteins. Many are willing to discuss individual needs and may already be familiar with customers purchasing meat for homemade pet food. Meat wholesales in your region can be found with an internet search.

Wholesale purchasing typically requires larger minimum quantities—often 50-pound boxes—but the savings can be substantial for households with multiple cats or adequate freezer space.

If you live in a rural area, purchasing directly from local farms may also be an option. This option may require a little more research, because not every farm markets their meats directly to customers. Farmers may be able to provide less marketable cuts such as heart, liver, or trim meats at favourable prices, creating value for both parties. Many farms have websites or social media pages through which you can connect and start a conversation.

When purchasing meats from wholesalers or farms, always specify that you are looking for lean meats not exceeding approximately 10% fat. While higher-fat cuts are often less expensive, cats are not well adapted to diets containing excessive amounts of fat. 

Reduce Convenience Costs

When budgets become tighter, it may be worth examining which conveniences are truly necessary.

Freeze-dried liver, for example, offers convenience but often comes at a premium price. Fresh liver remains inexpensive and can easily be prepared in larger quantities to make its use with homemade cat food more convenient.

A practical approach is to buy and grind a larger quantity of liver at one time, portion it into silicone muffin cups, freeze the portions, and store them in a labelled freezer bag. Individual portions can then be thawed as needed when preparing cat food batches.

A little preparation can translate into significant savings over time.

Fresh liver is one area where substantial savings can often be achieved. 2 kg of liver is enough to supply one cat with the liver portion for about six months of homemade feeding. When liver becomes available at a good price, consider purchasing a larger quantity, grinding it, and freezing it in measured 100 g portions using silicone muffin cups. 2 kg of liver turns into 20 neat 100g  frozen liver pucks – enough to cover six months of cat food preparation for one cat, making this a simple way to reduce costs and create convenience.

Building Resilience Into Your Feeding Program

Perhaps the greatest strength of homemade feeding is that it allows cat owners to adapt.

When one ingredient becomes expensive, another may become more economical. When grocery store prices rise, wholesale suppliers or farm-direct purchasing may offer alternatives. When convenience products become costly, there is always the option of resorting back to basics, like using fresh liver to avoid the cost of freeze dried liver cubes.

The goal is not simply to reduce costs. It is to maintain access to high-quality food while navigating a changing world.

By remaining flexible, exploring alternative meat sources, purchasing strategically, and taking advantage of bulk buying opportunities, many cat owners can continue feeding fresh food without dramatically increasing their overall costs.

In some cases, the same strategies that help reduce the cost of feeding your cat may also lower the cost of feeding yourself. After all, a freezer stocked with quality meats is a resource that benefits the entire household.

Homemade feeding is not only about knowing what goes into your cat’s bowl. It is also about having the freedom to adapt, make informed choices, and remain resilient when circumstances change.