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Questions about feeding 80/20 hamburger

Pembrook

Lairian
Joined
Apr 13, 2018
Messages
6
Points
14
Hi there sphynx lovers! I have an 8 month old boy and a 2.5 year old boy. My older boy has IBD we are certain. About 3 months ago, we started feeding ishi, the older boy, 1/3 cup cooked 80/20 hamburger 2x a day mixed with Better In The Raw nutrient mix with o.5 ml prednisone every other day. We also fed him additional when he was hungry to get his weight up from 5lbs after a near death illness. He gained his weight back within a month then we tapered his diet down that helped tremendously with stools and vomiting. We started feeding our kitten same diet 2.5 months ago, 1/4 cup x2 day as he had leaky eye and diahrrea. We are still watching his symptoms as it's been inconsistent. The leaky eye has cleared up!
Our monthly cost break down for 2 cats at current is $150 (still stabilising as we've been reducing food)
*Better In The Raw $75 a bag -makes 40# food

*10lbs 80/20 hamburger $25 x 3 a month for both cats

Just wondering what others suggest about food choice for making at home?

Is cooked hamburger an ok choice for protein? Cats seem to be doing well, but always so hungry even tho they are both thick. Even when we were overfeeding, they appeared starving.

Other suggestions for supplement products or recipes?

We would like to make this experience cost effective and healthy for the kitties.

Thank you so much!
 

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Condo commando

Gold Lairian
Notable Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
4,070
Points
568
Hi there, your boys are beautiful!

It's recommended to vary the meats because #1 they can get bored, #2 they can develop a food sensitivity to that always food, and #3 they miss out on certain nutrients that may not be available in that particular meat. The idea of rotating is you cover all the bases over time and they don't get overexposed to any one thing.

I'm pretty sure chicken is the most popular meat choice. It's easy to find and the cost is on the low end. That said, a few cats have a food sensitivity with chicken so be aware.

Rabbit seems to be a universal favorite. It's more expensive than chicken but very easy to source - you can buy online from Hare Today.

You have other options such as turkey, duck, venison ....you can try almost anything and see if they like it.

For what it's worth, I feed raw, not cooked. It's much easier if you ask me not to have to cook. However, there's nothing wrong with cooked if that's your preference. Either way, be sure to add the right supplementation to the recipe so that the food you end up with provides all the necessary nutrients.
 

Condo commando

Gold Lairian
Notable Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
4,070
Points
568
Regarding cost, I think you're in the right ballpark. I used to spend about $140 when I was buying all my meat already ground. I spend less now but I have to grind it, so it's whatever you're willing to do. I use Alnutrin supplement instead of Better in the Raw, which might also explain some of the difference.
 

meandmytwo

Lairian
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Messages
228
Points
81
Hi @Pembrook .

I use Better in the Raw, raw, for my two boys, 2 yr old brothers. (I’ve had a package of the BitR Stew in the pantry for a few months to try but haven’t done so yet).

I use ground beef for about half of their food as it’s the most cost effective and they love it. They are fed raw twice a day - typically beef for breakfast and a different protein at bedtime which I rotate between lamb, veal, venison, as those are the most easily accessible for us. I’ve avoided poultry because of the common allergies though I can’t say my boys are affected. I’d like to find ground rabbit around here. I haven’t looked seriously though. They’ve had commercial raw rabbit and devour it. Well, they devour everything!

They have a portion of kibble around 3 pm to get them through from 7 am (breakfast raw) to 9 pm (bedtime raw).

Beef is an acceptable protein but as @Condo commando pointed out, variety is best.

Our costs for raw feeding is also about $150/month for two. We feed similar portion sizes that you mentioned.
 
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