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correct proportions are one teaspoon of either calcium lactate or bone meal for each onepound of ground beef.Ground beef with its calcium additive can be mixed into wet food or fed as an extradish on the side. Mixing it with dry food creates a real mess so you want to avoid that. Ifyou want to go the extra yard, add chopped-up and cooked broccoli, zucchini or carrots tothe beef/calcium recipe. The vegetables need to be cooked, preferably steamed, or thecats won’t be able to digest them. Dried barley is also nutritious. Never add onions inany form – they’re potentially toxic for cats in even a small amount (like chocolate).Fresh (emphasis on “fresh”) ground beef, mixed with a calcium supplement, can befed to the cats raw and uncooked. Raw meat is the most natural diet for cats who, afterall, when they catch a mouse, don’t cook it first before dining. But raw meat must befresh, meaning it was put out that day at a reliable store and shows no outward signs ofbrowning. If it concerns you to feed meat raw, then lightly cook it. It will still greatlyimprove the quality of the cats’ diet. Chicken and turkey can also be used in place of theground beef (adding calcium in the same proportions: one teaspoon per pound).However, because of its greater susceptibility to bacterial buildup, it’s recommended youdo cook poultry unless it’s very fresh and organic.Don’t feed the cats only the ground beef mixture described here, but use it as asupplement. If you want to feed only a self-prepared raw or cooked meat diet, you needto learn more about cat nutrition, including what vitamins and minerals to add. Thesebooks are excellent resources for learning more about preparing your own cat food: “The Natural Cat,” by Anitra Frazier (Penguin Books, 2008) “Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats,” byDr. Richard Pitcairn, DVM (Rodale Press, 2005)If you’re interested in learning more about what goes into manufactured cat food,Ann M. Martin has written excellent and highly informative books on the topic: “Food Pets Die For (2 nd ed.),” by Ann N. Martin (NewSage Press, 2002) “Protect Your Pet: More Shocking Facts to Consider,” by Ann N. Martin(NewSage Press, 2001) Vitamin C to the Rescueby Anitra Frazier, author of “The Natural Cat”It is certainly easier, cheaper and a lot more pleasant to prevent illness than it is totrap a sick cat, transport him to a vet and then try to diagnose and treat the frightenedanimal.Vitamin C, the first vitamin discovered by humankind, is truly a friend to thecaregiver of a feral colony. An efficient healer and powerful protector, it works like anutritional knight in shining armor fighting against invasions of germs and viruses andbattling stress of all kinds. Germs, viruses, dirt, x-rays and chemicals such as antibiotics,40