Going Raw!

[sickkitty]

I have been looking into starting my 3 cats on a raw food diet. They only problem is i dont have a grinder,
will it be ok if a cut the bone into chunks?
Are Bones essential or can i add bone meal like Beaphar Bone Builder?
also should i use a complete supplement like felini complete or single supplements?
Anyone know of a raw cat food suppliers in the uk?
Can i buy pre minced frozen meat and mix it myself?

At the moment my 9yrs black mix, 2yrs persian and 1yrs 6month sphynx all eat a mix of Natures Menu wet food, hi life real meat, feline fayre and a small amount of Applaws dry. Would love to get them to eat some raw as the oldest cat has had problems with his teeth because of his years of felix and iams diet. Am I doing the right thing for my cats?
Thanx K

 

[SpartisMommy]

I wish i had an answer but i dont. I have 3 kittens and all of them either need or like something different. Its a pain in the you know what lol. One has severe skin irritation and i want to try raw so shes only getting one protien and see how she does. Good luck with what you decide and let us know how it goes.

 

[kristininn]

I feed raw, but use a pre-made food sold here in the states.

Although I can't offer advice on mixing etc, I can say raw has made a big difference for Winston. Not only are his poos much more normal now, he also seems to feel better having more consistent moods - i.e. when he's playful he is 100% playful, when calm he's totally calm, and he seems to be more lovey now as well. He used to be kinda cranky a lot of the time or easily irritated no matter what his mood. He's even stopped biting (hard at least)

Good luck and hopefully those with more do-it-yourself raw knowledge will pipe in!!

 

[SealySphynx]

I fed Sealy a homemade raw diet for the first 5 months or so after I got him. I recently switched him to kibble/canned because it was easier for me but the food I picked is expensive and I think he was doing better in the raw. So in 2 weeks or so Sealy will be going back on his homemade raw diet, along with the new kitten. I also have 3 Chinese Cresteds and one if them always has skin issues, so all of the dogs are going raw too. In fact they just started theirs today

As for what to feed on a raw diet, I get whole animals (like for a chicken the grind the whole thing except for the feathers) pre-ground. When I place my order, the meat comes in these plastic tubes like sausage come in. To the pre-ground meat/bones/organs, I add a supplement that is made specifically to be added to your kitty's raw food diet. I also chop up about 1 pound of meat for each 5 pounds of ground meat/bones/organs.

If you can't get whole animals (meat/bones/organs) and don't want to get a grinder, you could use a food processor or a cheap grinder and grind meat only and add a little liver, if you do this, you will either need to add bone meal or get the raw food supplement for homemade raw without bones (they've already added the bonemeal). If you add bonemeal, make sure you still add the raw supplement for kitties.

As for the types of meats, you want to get a good variety, but you want to start out slow. Most people start out with chicken. Give only chicken (including raw meaty bones, like chicken necks, if your kitty will eat them) for 2 weeks. Then add another meat like turkey. Alternate the chicken and turkey every week a couple times. Then add another meat source, etc. They say the most biologically appropriate meats for cats are poultry like chicken and turkey and small animals like rabbits. On the other hand red meat is supposed to be more biologically appropriate for dogs like beef and goat.

There's tons of info on the Internet about feeding homemade raw, just do a google search. Same thing for raw meat suppliers. Good luck!

 

[Lilipop]

Are Bones essential or can i add bone meal like Beaphar Bone Builder?

Yes they are. For a nutritionally complete raw diet the Ca ratio (Calcium, phosphorus) HAS to be correct. You need a good mix of muscle meat and bone. A good example is chicken quarters. In addition, about 10% of the entire meal should be organ meat. You also need to add a little fiber (we use pure pumpkin) to mimic the stomach contents of animals.

Not doing this can cause many long term problems, that will show up pretty quickly if the cat/dog is not fed a correct diet. Weak/fractured bones and teeth. Liver and kidney problems can show up within a few months.

also should i use a complete supplement like felini complete or single supplements?

If the diet is correct, you should not need supplements at all.

Anyone know of a raw cat food suppliers in the uk?

Don't know any in the UK.

Can i buy pre minced frozen meat and mix it myself?

Yes.. but you need the bone.


Many people think of a raw diet and think they can toss their pet a few chicken wings or necks ... or some mince they had in the fridge and it will be fine. This IS fine if you are giving raw in addition to a commercial pet food, but if you plan on doing it as a whole diet plan, it is really important it is done correctly.

I feed all my animals raw and we own a raw food company, hence we did many months of research prior to launching. In addition we had to send off samples to the FDA to check content. It really is important for the health of your cat to get it right, if for some reason you can't... feed commercial pet food. Also do NOT be fooled by commercial "raw" foods. Many of them are no better for your pet than a bag of dry kibble as far as preservatives. additives and fillers go.

You can buy little hand grinders, maybe do that?

I would not recommend giving whole bones/hunks of meat. Many people do, but I personally don't like to.
Animals fed meat on the bone will tend to leave the bone or a lot of the bone, as it is hard work to get through it. They also drag it around the floor, don't keep it in the bowl, this is dangerous with are meat, for our pets and the humans that live in the house too. Over 68% of raw meat carries e-coli and 54% Salmonella. Bones can also cause blockages and damage to teeth quite easily, especially in cats. Not really worth the risk or vet bills.

You can buy little hand grinders! They actually work very well if you are only feeding a couple of animals. I prepare 300lbs a week, so have a commercial grinder, but a small hand grinder would work great for you. You could chop up chicken quarters and stick that through the grinder OR chicken thighs also have a correct Ca ratio, they may be easier to get through!

 

[Lilipop]

Wanted to add, if you can do it you will LOVE the results! Smelly Sphynx-y poo no more! Mine poo once every 24-36hrs.. and NO smell!

 

[sickkitty]

Got a chicken quarter today, going to cut it up a bit and try them with it. dont want to give them big bits so they dont drag it around the flat. do you warm your raw meat a bit before you feed them? Thank you for your advice!

 

[kristininn]

It's very important not to warm anything too much as the bones then become brittle and dangerous . Winston eats all his stuff straight out of the fridge and he only gets 30 minutes to eat (also important to avoid bacterial issues). If you want to warm it slightly you could put the chucks in a baggie in warm, not hot, water for a couple minutes - but I would subtract the time the meat is in the water from the 30 minute feeding time.

 

[sickkitty]

Just gave them all raw chicken, warmed it for a min in warm water. The two wee ones ate it straight away but the older cat took five mins to have a wee think about it. Think they all loved it.

 

[Lilipop]

I take mine out of the fridge 1 hour prior to feeding to bring it to room temperature. They get 30 mins to eat, then I throw it away.

Do not warm it at ALL. Bacteria will start to grow. I also would not give it directly out of the fridge, cold food can give them tummy ache and change their body temperature too fast.

 

[SealySphynx]

I add a little warm homemade broth or warm water to bring the food up to room temp