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Can I feed raw only twice a day?

meandmytwo

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Hi.

I'm currently feeding raw at 7am first thing in the morning and 10pm just before we go to bed. In between, my boys get kibble as a snack two times (Noon and 5 pm - just 1/3 cup to share each time).

They are 15 months old. No longer kittens but not far into adulthood. My little loves. :love:

I'm considering eliminating the kibble all together, but then I'd only be able to feed them twice a day (or three times but that would not be spread out equally nor consistent day to day). I am away from home for between 6 and 10 hours a day (usually 6-7 hours) but those hours are inconsistent anywhere between 9 am and 9 pm, 7 days/week.

Is twice a day enough?
Thoughts?

Thanks!
 

MollysMom

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You can try feeding them twice a day for a few days and see how it goes. Of course, make sure that they are given enough raw in those 2 meals to sustain them for the day. At 15 months, they may still be too ravenous to only go down to twice a day. We feed ours raw 3x a day - once in the early morning (6 am - 9 am), once in the late afternoon (3 pm - 6 pm) and once before bed (9pm -12pm). They don't have to be fed like clockwork, so just do the best that you can with your schedule.
 

Condo commando

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I feed mine raw food twice a day. In the morning around 7am and then when I get home from work around 9pm. So they go about 14 hours and then 8 hours in between meals.

The only thing I do is I divide the food so they get less in the morning and more in the evening because I know they're really hungry from having to wait.

On days I'm home, I give them a SMALL mid-day snack. Otherwise they just make do with their 2 meals.
 
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meandmytwo

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@MollysMom Thank you. That's a great point you make about clockwork. I know I have been overly concerned about keeping the schedule. I've often given them their kibble snack (auto feeder that I control over the net) at a specific time to keep on schedule even though I know I'll be home in an hour. If I'd just wait, I could give them a little wet or raw instead for that snack. Seeing as what I'm trying to do is eliminate kibble.

(Something a little funny... to use the autofeeder I call them over to it first, from a recording of my voice. There's a camera to confirm they've approached and that is when I release the food. Most of the time I can tell I've woken them, they're yawning and looking goofy - they would not have actually been looking for food at that time.)

I'll start by combining the two snacks into one. They'll be down to 3 feedings then.

@Condo commando
Thank you for that! I'm sure they are thriving. I'm going to give it a try eventually, wait till they're a little older.
 
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Xandria

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Sorry I'm late. But when it comes to raw, you can pretty much feed them as much as they'll eat in 15 minutes. Mine finish in like 3 minutes. It's insane. These days they get 50 grams raw each in the morning, and then 75 grams at lunch and before bed. They don't eat as much in the morning as they've slept all night in bed with Hubby and I. Having said all that, I have previously fed them up to 120 grams per meal each. They seem to eat less now that they're older.
 

meandmytwo

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Thanks @Xandria

My two eat a lot too! 3.5 ounces (100 grams) per serving. They also get it down in just a few minutes lol, they love the stuff (that said, they have wolfed down wet the same way and their kibble too). When I have offered more than that, they don't lick the plate as clean so we have stayed at 100 grams (each - I put down 200 and they share).

Without fail, I feed raw in the morning and before bed, which these days is pretty much exactly 7 am and 10 pm. I'm home here and there during the day but it's not always at the same times each day. I always know I wake here and go to bed here, so that's why. I have thought about doing 7 am and 7 pm (give or take half an hour) but I'm not always home at 7 pm (about half the time I would be, though on days when I'm not I'm often home most of the day before that).

It's the mid day when I give kibble that I am wondering about eliminating in order to get the full benefits of a raw diet. But I feel like right now that is too long of a stretch to go. I'll keep the mid day kibble for now (around 2:30 pm now that I have combined the two). Maybe on days I am home at 2:30 (about half the time too) I will give raw, not use the auto feeder.

My vet suggests we are all over feeding - that they eat because it's there and don't necessarily benefit from more then 2x day (in most cases for a healthy cat of a healthy weight (kittens exempt of course)). Wish I could have a chat with these two! Ask them if they're actually hungry or eating for the sake of eating like I do sometimes ha. Anyway, they are a healthy weight so no real worries. I am always looking to fine tune everything ha. I do understand the matter of regulating body temperature specific to a sphynx - with a warm home and no end of places to keep cozy I just wonder if we worry about it more than they do.

Btw, my breeder feeds her adults 2x day raw. When pregnant and nursing it's more, as is for kittens.
 
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Loveme

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Can anyone help me what’s raw is? Any list so I can keep on side I only give royal canin dry food on side and provide chicken or ground turkey cooked every morning and cauliflower and cheese in afternoon and evening. Please poke at me if I need guidance I am open!
 

Condo commando

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Loveme

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HI there i am disappointed.. I went to Prima, Aldi, Spar store that is grocery store and none of them provided those vitamins that I couldnt provide Loveme, and Amazon does have them but wont deliver to this country at all. I had a feeling that big change for Loveme when we move to America, she will be around 9 months old hope that s not a big effective from now til then to adjust to raw with those vitamins. Shall I go ahead continue give raw without vitamins ? If I should stop giving her cooked chicken shredded and ground turkey as well? Let me know . I know I am feeding her as its my own so far she is doing well just that I noticed she either gag or coughing when i stay home with her at meal times.
 

Loveme

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Sorry I'm late. But when it comes to raw, you can pretty much feed them as much as they'll eat in 15 minutes. Mine finish in like 3 minutes. It's insane. These days they get 50 grams raw each in the morning, and then 75 grams at lunch and before bed. They don't eat as much in the morning as they've slept all night in bed with Hubby and I. Having said all that, I have previously fed them up to 120 grams per meal each. They seem to eat less now that they're older.

You mean I should leave the raw ground turkey there in bowl and Loveme will come eat it anyway? I watched for like ten min and worry she wouldnt eat and she turned to royal canin. Maybe i should not have dry foods on the floor and only the raw for least 30 min to see if she gave in and eat the raw?? advise please?
 

Loveme

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Thanks @Xandria

My two eat a lot too! 3.5 ounces (100 grams) per serving. They also get it down in just a few minutes lol, they love the stuff (that said, they have wolfed down wet the same way and their kibble too). When I have offered more than that, they don't lick the plate as clean so we have stayed at 100 grams (each - I put down 200 and they share).

Without fail, I feed raw in the morning and before bed, which these days is pretty much exactly 7 am and 10 pm. I'm home here and there during the day but it's not always at the same times each day. I always know I wake here and go to bed here, so that's why. I have thought about doing 7 am and 7 pm (give or take half an hour) but I'm not always home at 7 pm (about half the time I would be, though on days when I'm not I'm often home most of the day before that).

It's the mid day when I give kibble that I am wondering about eliminating in order to get the full benefits of a raw diet. But I feel like right now that is too long of a stretch to go. I'll keep the mid day kibble for now (around 2:30 pm now that I have combined the two). Maybe on days I am home at 2:30 (about half the time too) I will give raw, not use the auto feeder.

My vet suggests we are all over feeding - that they eat because it's there and don't necessarily benefit from more then 2x day (in most cases for a healthy cat of a healthy weight (kittens exempt of course)). Wish I could have a chat with these two! Ask them if they're actually hungry or eating for the sake of eating like I do sometimes ha. Anyway, they are a healthy weight so no real worries. I am always looking to fine tune everything ha. I do understand the matter of regulating body temperature specific to a sphynx - with a warm home and no end of places to keep cozy I just wonder if we worry about it more than they do.

Btw, my breeder feeds her adults 2x day raw. When pregnant and nursing it's more, as is for kittens.


Do you share one bowl for both of them or separate each bowl for them? I wonder. My sphynx will meet my sons orange tabby cat in January and cant wait for them to cuddle in few minutes after they meet I hope!! I wonder about how to do with the foods between them Tabby one eats and steals dog food haha!
 

meandmytwo

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Do you share one bowl for both of them or separate each bowl for them? I wonder. My sphynx will meet my sons orange tabby cat in January and cant wait for them to cuddle in few minutes after they meet I hope!! I wonder about how to do with the foods between them Tabby one eats and steals dog food haha!

I serve their raw on a plate and they share from one. Once in awhile I divide it onto two plates to check that one has not been getting more than the other. They continue to eat at the same pace.

My two are litter mates and we've always done it this way - I'm fortunate in that. I can't advise on feeding different foods to different pets but many people must do.
 
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Loveme

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I serve their raw on a plate and they share from one. Once in awhile I divide it onto two plates to check that one has not been getting more than the other. They continue to eat at the same pace.

My two are litter mates and we've always done it this way - I'm fortunate in that. I can't advise on feeding different foods to different pets but many people must do.


Sounds and seem fair. I am more of observer and want the best. I do open for advices and try on Loveme and willing to share with orange Tabby when she will meet him in January. THanks for your advices
 

Xandria

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@Loveme -- Hi there! Sorry I'm late again. I would definitely remove the dry kibble when putting down a bowl of raw. Have you tried putting some Fortiflora on top as an enticement? You could even try crumbling up as finely as you can some kibble and put a bit on top of the raw too.

Mine eat from their own bowl and different locations. Max insists on eating on the living room window sill with the radiator blowing heat up at him. He's very fussy. LOL Min will eat anywhere so she gets a slot next to the kitchen. They finish eating about the same time.

Hopefully someone else can address how to keep them separated and eating their own food!
 

Anita Eccleston

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Hi there , I really admire the mums and dads who raw feed their babies
I did look at it even went as far as pricing up the best food grinder ,
But then I saw all the addertives that need to be added
And I thought what if I got it wrong gave too much or too little of the vitamins so decided to stick with what she was used to
Though I did give her some raw minced beef ( ground beef I think it’s called in the USA ) as a treat when we are making spag Bol or cottage pie , she does like it
So good on you keep up the good work with raw feeding
Hugs
Anita & Cleo xxx
 

Condo commando

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Both of mine will try to eat the other one's food if the other one was eating slow that day.

I feed them in the kitchen and usually I have a couple of things to wash so my hands are wet. I set their food bowls on the floor right next to me so I can use my foot to block whoever tries to eat the other one's food. Sometimes just saying no works so it depends on how they feel that day.

The funniest part is how they adjust. One of them hears me saying no and usually tries to sneak a paw and pull her sister's food bowl towards her as if she had an invisible paw. The other one is more obedient and backs off but she'll just sit a couple of feet away and wait to lick the bowl. You'd think they only get one meal every blue moon.
 
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