Yes, Growler, ironically or coincidentally... or just simply because we're both on the same page...
I included that very same link in my correspondence to AAFCO with a request to help me understand how to apply it. I asked numerous vets and they could not interpret it -- as far as determining what the recommended daily allowances of vitamins, minerals, etc. are for felines.
Can you? It takes some calculation because these nutrients are recommendations based on kilogram of food - or dry matter, more specifically.
And yes, the calcium thought was not wrapped around a binder -- it was a reflection on keeping calcium
hos proportions when feeding home prepared meat. (We delved into binders on another thread. Thanks again. Yes, it seems aluminum based is the way to go.)
Mentioned mixes and products are interesting and good to be aware of -- especially when someone I am communicating with has used them successfully. Right now, raw is a hard sell for my kitty. It's not an immediate attraction for her.
I tried medium rare chicken, with some pieces having some of the blood still dripping. It wasn't a show stopper, but she did lick it (loving the broth) and consumed one slightly more cooked piece.
In turn, I experimented with a recipe that went over really well:
Chicken thigh (run through the food processor)
Olive oil (just a touch)
Tomato Sauce (just a dab)
Pulverized egg shells
She ate it ravenously -- wet food style -- as a treat -- to fill in the gap for incomplete staple meal portions.
And before bedtime (as she has a habit of meowing in the middle of the night for food), I packed this mixture into bite-size pieces, and very lightly sprinkled the introductory pieces with (veggie) "parmesan" cheese to entice her to try it. That was a smash hit -- and the rest I gave to her without the cheese.
Thank you for all of your wonderful insights on raw!
I just needed an immediate appetizer in the moment with food she is more apt to eat -- and as a result of reflecting through this thread, we found a treat that boosts her energy and keeps the overnight hunger pangs away. She slept through the night for the first time after these bedtime treats.
Regard to all.