Canned Food Transition

[stefanie412]

As you guys know I'm trying to make the switch to raw and the first step I'm taking is getting the babies used to scheduled eating and eating canned food. I'm feeding them Wellness Grain Free Chicken in a can only. I feed it three times a day, they're not happy about it at the moment lol. They cry at me and run to the room I feed them in because they're used to having their kibble out all day. I got a great deal for a pack of 12 oz cans on Amazon! It comes out to a little over a dollar a day and their poop already looks MUCH better and it's already less stinky. I'm pretty hopeful at the moment. I want to start adding raw food to the menu for them to eat with their canned, but I'm not sure if this is the right move. What do you guys think?

 

[MollysMom]

Absolutely... you can try giving them just the straight raw as a meal, and ser what they do. Or you can mix half canned and half raw together really well. Then gradually decrease the amount of canned food in the dish until it is straight raw. Do they like that flavour of the canned food?

Just make sure that whatever raw method you decide to feed, that it gives them a balanced diet with all the nutrients that they need.

 

[stefanie412]

@MollysMom They do like the canned food a lot. I wanted to feed a prey model raw. I've been doing a lot of research and know the percentages that I need to give, and I already calculated how many ounces Bane and Fluffy will need individually. I'm worried they're not going to want to chew on the bones though. I'm going to start the transition by putting cut up pieces of chicken next to their canned food, and go from there.

 

[MollysMom]

You can start with smaller bones as well, and pound them a bit so they are easier for the kitties to bite and chew at first. I have tried chicken wings and pounded and sliced them a bit. From what I have read, the bone can be the tricky part to get them to eat

 

[MollysMom]

Also, a really good thing to sprinkle on top is forti flora powder (cat probiotics). I did this when I have given mine the chicken wings, as they were not attracted to the smell of just the meat alone.

 

[stefanie412]

Thats good advice thank you. Im confused about the ratios too. How do I know how much bone or meat theyre getting from a chicken wing? Or would that just be weighed as bone? @MollysMom

 

[stefanie412]

@MollysMom I'll add that to my notebook of raw food notes haha. Its soo much information!

 

[MollysMom]

Thats good advice thank you. Im confused about the ratios too. How do I know how much bone or meat theyre getting from a chicken wing? Or would that just be weighed as bone? @MollysMom

I am not entirely sure about the ratios, as we just use the Better in the Raw powder supplement with raw... the place I would check is catinfo.org Dr. Lisa Pierson is a good reliable source of info on all types of raw diets for cats. There is a ton of information to wade through on her page, but it is highly informative

 

[stefanie412]

Thank you! @MollysMom

 

[naomi]

@MollysMom They do like the canned food a lot. I wanted to feed a prey model raw. I've been doing a lot of research and know the percentages that I need to give, and I already calculated how many ounces Bane and Fluffy will need individually. I'm worried they're not going to want to chew on the bones though. I'm going to start the transition by putting cut up pieces of chicken next to their canned food, and go from there.

I feed prey model raw. It was super easy to transition. Start with something like chicken wing tips and chicken heart. Since you feed three meals I would replace the midday meal with raw and see how they do. I had to smear a little wet food on the raw just so she would know that yes this is food, but she didn't need that after the first time. After that the transition happened pretty quick. My sis has a super finicky cat who would lap gently at his food before and now he has no problems crunching bones! Both of our cats like raw better than the caned wellness which we were also feeding previously.

 

[stefanie412]

Awesome! I'm so glad there is someone on sphynxlair who feeds prey model raw. When I go to the grocery store I'll buy some chicken wings and chicken hearts. After they get accustomed to eating that then I can incorporate chicken liver and chicken breast. Do you mind if I PM you if I have any questions? @naomi

 

[MunnkieSphynx]

I switch my little guy over from canned to raw easily. I gave him the canned one day and the next day started him on raw, I didn't have any issues

 

[MunnkieSphynx]

I Switched* not switch hahaha
When I got him the breeder had him on dry and canned and I switched over to raw and do not offer him canned or dry

 

[OpheliasMommy]

I feed kibble, Natures Variety instinct raw and human grade raw Bison to my fur kittens. Now Ophelia just came home with me today and did not eat raw in the home she came from but one bite of the pre-made raw and the bison and oh yes it made her very happy. I told my husband he should take his gun and kill some squirrels and rabbits for her but he's concerned they will have disease. I have a friend that has goats would goat meat be a good option to go with the pre-made raw? Just the meat part to add to their existing plan. I'm not ready to do the ratio stuff.

 

[OpheliasMommy]

Awesome! I'm so glad there is someone on sphynxlair who feeds prey model raw. When I go to the grocery store I'll buy some chicken wings and chicken hearts. After they get accustomed to eating that then I can incorporate chicken liver and chicken breast. Do you mind if I PM you if I have any questions? @naomi

What does prey model raw mean? You don't use additives?

 

[andreanar]

What does prey model raw mean? You don't use additives?

Prey model raw is feeding what they would naturally eat in the wild, I used to feed it to my nakeds and dogs. Skin, bone, organs, meat. I ordered rabbits and quail and would cut up the whole thing and feed it.

 

[OpheliasMommy]

Prey model raw is feeding what they would naturally eat in the wild, I used to feed it to my nakeds and dogs. Skin, bone, organs, meat. I ordered rabbits and quail and would cut up the whole thing and feed it.

Omgoodness I totally forgot I can buy quail at bi lo! Do you just defrost a quail and put it on a plate? My kittens absolutely love some raw food. Ophelia doesn't care for tuna or salmon but likes the pre-made raw chicken and Rabbit and plain human ground Bison.

 

[andreanar]

Well hmm, this is just my opinion, I would figure out one feeding regime and stick to it. Either kibble and wet or just wet or premade raw or prey model. Prey model, or using any raw that isn't premade, has a formula that you MUST follow. Your cats body weight figures in to break down how much raw your cat should be fed. Then that has to be broken down into percentages of bone, organ, muscle meat, liver that go into a meal. Too much bone will cause constipation, too much liver gives diarrhea. Premade is easiest as it has everything already in it and you don't have all the work of figuring out the formula. Non premade raw is a lot more than just putting down raw meat, it takes a bit of planning and work, and a good, sharp set of knives!

 

[OpheliasMommy]

I've talked to a couple people willing to give me rabbit and venison when they have it available. Do I have to stick to same meat with raw or can I change between? Or does that have to be done over time? Gonna be mixing it with BITR for cats.

 

[andreanar]

I've talked to a couple people willing to give me rabbit and venison when they have it available. Do I have to stick to same meat with raw or can I change between? Or does that have to be done over time? Gonna be mixing it with BITR for cats.

You can change meats whenever.