So confused!

[Natalie]

I really want to switch my 5 cats (and possibly my dog) to a raw food diet, I know there are so many threads about it but I'm still clueless as to what to actually feed them, does it have to be cut up (I've seen threads about meat grinders but I read on another website grinders should only be used if the animal has no teeth?!), can they crunch up bones, what taurine is (is this already in meat or does it have to be added, I'm vegetarian so don't know much about meat!) Is there somewhere to find recipes or do you just give them a chunk of meat?! Looking online there seems to be alot more info about raw feeding dogs rather than cats.

Also are their risks of salmonella? & where do you buy hearts & muscle etc?!

Hope someone can help!

 

[SealySphynx]

First you have to decide what kind of raw diet you want to feed. Some raw diets like the commercial raw diets is ground up meat, bones, organs, and veggies.

I personally believe in the whole prey raw diet. From my research, this is the diet that most closely mimics what cats eat in the wild. There is no grinding. The food is fed in the proportions of 85% meat, 5% edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other squishy organs. That's it, no veggies, carbs, fruit, just raw meat, bones, and organs. Your main goal is to feed as many different parts from as many different animals that you can find. Their diet is mostly meat (chunks of meat), hearts and gizzards are considered meat not organs.

Taurine is important for cats as they can't make it for themselves. As long as you feed chunks (not ground) of lots of red meats (including all types of heart) and the dark meat from poultry, your cats will get taurine naturally from the meat they eat and will not need a supplement. If you're getting your meat from a grocery store, they will need a human quality soy free omega 3 supplement in the form of fish body oil to even out the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 in the meat.

I order a lot of my meats from www.hare-today.com as they are located in my state and the shipping isn't too bad. I also get pork and occasionally chicken from the grocery store. I'm waiting for thanksgiving to come to see about getting some turkey that isn't enhanced for my crew.

Wow this is getting long! Just to give you an example of things you could feed, I give my cats (and dogs):
Beef heart
Beef trim
Beef liver
Beef kidney
Turkey heart
Turkey thigh meat
Turkey gizzards
Turkey liver
Pork heart
Pork roasts
Pork liver
Pork ribs (occasionally)
Bone in Duck
Duck gizzards
Duck hearts
Duck liver
Duck necks
Bone in rabbit
Rabbit organs
Whole prey mice
Whole prey quail
Whole prey rabbit (they haven't tried these yet, but they are in the freezer)
Chicken gizzards
Chicken hearts
Chicken necks
Mutton
Goat
Buffalo hearts
Buffalo liver

If you want me to answer questions, just PM me. I can also send you some links with tips and info for beginners as well as a email group that can answer questions.

Btw, your dog would be fed the same as your cats but in a ratio of 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other squishy organs. Dogs can make their own taurine so you don't have to worry about that with them, but the process of getting a dog switched over goes slower than cats.

 

[ElvirasMum]

Wow Missy!!
You've certainly done your research!
Thanks for providing all that good information!!!

 

[SealySphynx]

Wow Missy!!
You've certainly done your research!
Thanks for providing all that good information!!!

Yea, I get a little obsessive over new things, especially when it comes to my precious pups and kitties I joined a couple email groups and Facebook groups and did a ton of research before I started and kept at it while I was still new and learning. I still read over other people's questions to keep learning new stuff, I figure it might come in handy later on for myself or someone else.

 

[ElvirasMum]

Yea, I get a little obsessive over new things, especially when it comes to my precious pups and kitties I joined a couple email groups and Facebook groups and did a ton of research before I started and kept at it while I was still new and learning. I still read over other people's questions to keep learning new stuff, I figure it might come in handy later on for myself or someone else.

I just don't think I'm home enough to start raw feeding. I used to be out of the house 50+ hours; now I'm down to being gone 30+ hours a week but that still seems like a lot!!!
But I will keep you in mind if my craziness calms down!!!
Thanks Missy!!!

 

[Natalie]

Thank you so much that's really helpful! Going to start off trying with the cats & if I'm successful I might try it with my dog, my only worry is she is food aggressive although has gotten alot better the older she gets but I worry she will get really aggressive over meat & bones!

 

[werecatrising]

Ask around and find out if there are any meat wholesalers around you. There is one near me that supplies restaurants. They also sell to the public. I get beef heart and boneless dark turkey meat from them. Everything else I get at the grocery store. There is a discount place near me. They are a great source for pork, liver and chicken hearts. I get things like cornish game hens and drumsticks when they are on sale. It helps if you have extra freezer space. That way you can stock up when you find a good deal.

 

[admin]

I really want to switch my 5 cats (and possibly my dog) to a raw food diet, I know there are so many threads about it but I'm still clueless as to what to actually feed them, does it have to be cut up (I've seen threads about meat grinders but I read on another website grinders should only be used if the animal has no teeth?!), can they crunch up bones, what taurine is (is this already in meat or does it have to be added, I'm vegetarian so don't know much about meat!) Is there somewhere to find recipes or do you just give them a chunk of meat?! Looking online there seems to be alot more info about raw feeding dogs rather than cats.

Also are their risks of salmonella? & where do you buy hearts & muscle etc?!

Hope someone can help!

We are not raw feeders, however I have done a bit of research on this subject and found that depending on your life style (ours is always busy and on the go) you may want to try Nature's Variety pre - made raw. The thing that I like about it is their High Pressure Processing of the product which kills all bacteria but yet preserves all the goodies! Check into it and it's pretty much ready to go out of the bag!

Below is Nature's Variety's Q&A document I copied from the site.

Raw Diet Q&A

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE RAW FOOD EXPERTS

At Nature's Variety, we understand that feeding raw pet food is a new concept for many people. Below is a Q&A specific to our Raw Frozen Diets. We hope this helps you understand the benefits of feeding raw! If you have any other questions about feeding raw, please feel free to Contact Us or visit our Store Locator to find a retail store in your area.
Why are Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets preferred to ordinary pet food?
Dogs and cats are meat eaters by nature. That's why raw, fresh meat is the most instinctive diet for your pet. A diet consisting primarily of raw meat, organs, bone, and fat reflects what your pet would eat in his natural habitat. With natural proportions of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and amino acids, raw diets provide wholesome nutrition for the health and well-being of your animal companions.

Is it healthy to feed my pet raw meat?

With natural proportions of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and amino acids, raw diets provide wholesome nutrition for the health of your pet. Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are made with the highest quality ingredients, sourced from USDA inspected facilities. Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets have also passed AAFCO Protocol Feeding Trials, so they have been scientifically substantiated as complete and balanced.

What results have other customers experienced when feeding a raw diet?

Nature's Variety Instinct Raw customers have experienced amazing results when feeding raw diets. Some of the results include freedom from allergies, increased energy, weight management, improved skin and coat, and less backyard cleanup. Please visit our Testimonials and sort by "Raw Diet Results" to read more real results from our customers.
I’ve heard that raw meat diet is appropriate for wild animals, not domesticated pets.
Dogs and cats are biologically the same as ‘wild’ animals. Wolves and dogs even share the same genetics. They look different because of the way they are bred to be different; however, their digestive systems actually function the same. Breeding changes your pet’s appearance and demeanor, not their internal organs. Cats are even more similar to wild animals than dogs since they have experienced less breeding. Dogs and cats are meat eaters by nature; the raw, fresh meat found in Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets is the most instinctive and natural nutrition for your pet.

What kind of packaging and storage do Instinct Raw Frozen Diets require?

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are available in medallions, patties, and chubs. All varieties come in bags or boxes and should be stored in your freezer. Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are available in three product forms:
• 1 oz medallions available in 0.75 lb trial size (avg. 12 medallions) or 3 lb bags (avg. 48 medallions)
• 8 oz patties available in 6 lb bags (12 patties)
• 2 lb chubs available for individual purchase, or in 12 lb cases (6 chubs per case)
These various sizes will help you serve our Instinct Raw Frozen Diets quickly and conveniently, whether you have a small cat or full house of large dogs.

What varieties is the Instinct Raw Frozen Diet line available in for my dog and cat?

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are available in Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Bison, Venison, Rabbit, and Organic Chicken Formulas for both dogs and cats. Click here to view our raw diet product offerings.

Are Instinct Raw Frozen Diets complete and balanced?
Yes, Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs and cats, all life stages and all breeds. In fact, we are the 1st and only raw frozen diets that have been scientifically substantiated as complete and balanced for all canine life stages through AAFCO Protocol Feeding Trial. We are currently in the process of passing AAFCO Feeding Trials for all feline life stages as well!

How should I serve a raw diet to my pet?

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are convenient because they are ready to serve – no need for mixing or measuring! Store the raw diet in the freezer until the day before you are ready to feed it, then just thaw your pet’s daily portion (such as 1 patty) in your refrigerator, and serve it in your pet’s dish. Remember, whenever you feed any new food to your pet for the first time, it is best to transition slowly. Mix increasing amounts of your pet’s new food with decreasing amounts of the previous food over a 7 to 14 day period.
Use good hygiene and common sense when you handle any raw food. Always wash your hands, surfaces, and food dishes – just as you would if you were preparing meat for yourself or your family. If you have additional questions, please refer to the Handling Instructions printed directly on the back of the raw food package. Or, click here for additional information about our Quality and Food Safety Protocols.

Do I have to switch completely over to an Instinct Raw Frozen Diet, or can I continue to feed kibble and canned food as well?

Nature’s Variety believes in offering more variety to your pet, and we encourage you to rotate between forms and flavors for better pet health and happiness. You can feed Instinct Raw as a sole diet, or you can mix it with any Nature's Variety Instinct or Prairie kibble or canned food. With Nature's Variety there's no right or wrong way to rotate – variety is the key! Click here to learn more about the feeding a variety for better health.

If I feed my pet a mixture of Instinct Raw and Instinct or Prairie Kibble during the same meal, should I be concerned about the different rate of digestion?

It’s important for pet parents to feel comfortable with their feeding process. We believe customers need not be concerned about mixing raw and kibble at the same meal. Raw is like canned food in terms of moisture content and rates of digestion; people routinely combine canned and kibble diets with no digestive upset or stomach emptying issues. There is no scientific evidence that combining kibble and raw food causes the raw foods to be digested at a slower rate.

How do I handle and serve your raw diets?

You should always practice good hygiene just like when you prepare meals for yourself or your family. Always clean and disinfect working surfaces and utensils. Your pet's food bowl should be washed after they finish each meal. Make sure to wash your hands before and after preparing your pet's meals. (These handling instructions are also found on the back of your Instinct Raw package.)
How long should I keep a defrosted raw medallion/patty/chub thawed in the refrigerator?
Once your pet's portion has been thawed, we recommend serving it within 24 hours.

Should I cook the raw food?

We do not recommend cooking our raw diets, as heat processing destroys the naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and probiotics. (If you want a high meat, grain-free food that is cooked, we suggest you try our Instinct Kibble or Cans.)
What are the risks of bacteria or pathogen contamination to pets when feeding Instinct Raw Frozen Diets?
Your pet was biologically designed to eat raw food – it’s the diet that he or she will thrive on. Dogs and cats have unique physiochemical adaptations that reduce the chance of developing food-borne bacterial disease.
That said, Nature's Variety takes extra care to ensure that our Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are free of pathogenic bacteria. We utilize a state-of-the-art manufacturing process called High Pressure Processing (HPP). In essence, HPP uses water pressure to kill harmful bacteria. In addition to this safety step, our manufacturing facility utilizes many other quality and safety protocols to ensure that our foods are nothing short of superior – from farm to bowl. We even enforce a strict "test and hold" protocol to ensure that all Raw Diets leaving our facilities are free of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E Coli. Click here to learn more about HPP and our food safety protocols.

What are the risks of bacteria or pathogen contamination to owners when handling Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets?

There are very few, if any, reports that can actually link human illness with feeding raw diets. Nature’s Variety uses only the highest quality ingredients and strictest quality standards to manufacture our Instinct Raw Frozen Diets.
We utilize a state-of-the-art manufacturing process called High Pressure Processing (HPP). In essence, HPP uses water pressure to kill harmful bacteria. In addition to this safety step, our manufacturing facility utilizes many other quality and safety protocols to ensure that our foods are nothing short of superior – from farm to bowl. We even enforce a strict "test and hold" protocol to ensure that all Raw Diets leaving our facilities are free of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E Coli. Click here to learn more about HPP and our food safety protocols. Furthermore, our commercially prepared Instinct Raw Diets are shipped and stored frozen so that bacteria cannot multiply. Similarly, the grinding and freezing process will destroy any parasites.
Again, we always recommend that you use good hygiene and common sense when you handle the any raw food. Always wash your hands, surfaces, and food dishes – just as you would if you were preparing meat for yourself or your family. You may also refer to the handling instructions printed directly on the back of the raw food package if they have other questions.

Why do you include raw ground bone in Instinct Raw Frozen Diets?

Raw bones are an important part of a dog and cat's ancestral diet. We include ground bones in our raw diets in the proper proportion that your dog and cat would have enjoyed in the wild. Raw bone is an excellent source of minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins, and enzymes. They are also a balanced source of calcium and phosphorus, and a natural source of chondroitin for joint health.

Is the raw ground bone in your raw diets safe for my pet?

Yes, the raw bone has been very finely ground – in fact, we double grind all of our raw bones through a very small 0.25 inch plate. Moreover, raw (uncooked) bones are softer and more digestible than cooked bones. The raw ground bone should not present any digestive issues for your pet.

Why do Instinct Raw Diets contain 5% vegetables and fruits?

The percentage of fruits and vegetables in our Instinct Raw Frozen Diets is meant to mirror what dogs and cats would eat in the wild (fruits and vegetables would be present in the stomach of their prey). Our fruits and vegetables provide beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote health and well-being.

Why don't you have a raw formula specifically for cats?

In the wild, dogs and cats would eat the same prey animals. They have very similar nutritional requirements. Cats do need a higher minimum protein, more taurine, thiamine, vitamin A, and arachidonic acid. However, a food formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of cats will more than meet the needs of a dog. Our Instinct Raw Frozen Diets are complete and balanced for dogs and cats, all life stages and all breeds.

 

[Natalie]

Thanks admin, but we don't have that in the UK. I've found a butcher near my house so shall be going there soon with my Mum's help!

 

[Xandria]

I just quickly googled "raw food pet Vancouver" and I'm almost in tears with joy as to the choices I have. Still need to learn, but it's great that there are pre-made options out there for me. Eventually I'll likely make my own, but to start with, I'm happy to buy pre-made. More research... more research!

 

[Des]

First you have to decide what kind of raw diet you want to feed. Some raw diets like the commercial raw diets is ground up meat, bones, organs, and veggies.

I personally believe in the whole prey raw diet. From my research, this is the diet that most closely mimics what cats eat in the wild. There is no grinding. The food is fed in the proportions of 85% meat, 5% edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other squishy organs. That's it, no veggies, carbs, fruit, just raw meat, bones, and organs. Your main goal is to feed as many different parts from as many different animals that you can find. Their diet is mostly meat (chunks of meat), hearts and gizzards are considered meat not organs.

Taurine is important for cats as they can't make it for themselves. As long as you feed chunks (not ground) of lots of red meats (including all types of heart) and the dark meat from poultry, your cats will get taurine naturally from the meat they eat and will not need a supplement. If you're getting your meat from a grocery store, they will need a human quality soy free omega 3 supplement in the form of fish body oil to even out the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 in the meat.

I order a lot of my meats from www.hare-today.com as they are located in my state and the shipping isn't too bad. I also get pork and occasionally chicken from the grocery store. I'm waiting for thanksgiving to come to see about getting some turkey that isn't enhanced for my crew.

Wow this is getting long! Just to give you an example of things you could feed, I give my cats (and dogs):
Beef heart
Beef trim
Beef liver
Beef kidney
Turkey heart
Turkey thigh meat
Turkey gizzards
Turkey liver
Pork heart
Pork roasts
Pork liver
Pork ribs (occasionally)
Bone in Duck
Duck gizzards
Duck hearts
Duck liver
Duck necks
Bone in rabbit
Rabbit organs
Whole prey mice
Whole prey quail
Whole prey rabbit (they haven't tried these yet, but they are in the freezer)
Chicken gizzards
Chicken hearts
Chicken necks
Mutton
Goat
Buffalo hearts
Buffalo liver

If you want me to answer questions, just PM me. I can also send you some links with tips and info for beginners as well as a email group that can answer questions.

Btw, your dog would be fed the same as your cats but in a ratio of 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other squishy organs. Dogs can make their own taurine so you don't have to worry about that with them, but the process of getting a dog switched over goes slower than cats.

 

[Des]

I have a questions my kitten only eats cat food pea & duck the lady I got her from never feed her baby raw meat she said ...

 

[zoinks]

@Des it is possible to switch her food over to raw, if you wanted to.

Our cats came to us only eating royal canin and we now feed raw.

Check out this article for advice: http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/beginners-luck-where-do-i-start

 

[Jenna Meow]

I was intimated at first too. But its not as difficult as it sounds. I've been feeding 90% home-prepared raw for almost two years and have great results. It's been well worth it.

There are 3 different methods:
Whole Prey Raw Food Diet – this most naturally resembles a cat’s true diet in the wild. Give your cat whole mice, birds, chicks, and that’s it. It is agreed that this is the easiest, most natural and beneficial diet. However it can be emotionally difficult for the person to store frozen little animals in their kitchen and then watch their cat eat pieces of them. This can also be a bit messy and cats should be confined to a small area so they do not play with their food all over your house. Kittens are the easiest to adapt to this diet. It can be very difficult for an older cat to accept this and learn to chew on bones. For the above reasons (I admit mostly for my own comfort) this just wasn’t an option for me.
Frankenprey Raw Food Diet – a variety of animal parts (bone, muscle, organs, tissue) are measured over a period of time (usually a week) For example in the morning you may give chicken hearts with a small chicken wing, for lunch a drumstick and some liver, etc. The exact proportions are not equal at each meal but over the course of a week they should be 80/10/5/5. This has many benefits as the cat has the opportunity to work for its meal and chew on bone which is great for its teeth. However it is possible that cats will refuse to chew bones and certain parts they just won’t eat. Again this is much easier with kittens and younger cats. While you don’t have to go through the whole food making process that you do with the grinding method, you have to buy different meat sources multiple times a week and keep a detailed daily and weekly record of what you are feeding.

Ground Raw Food Diet – This follows the same 80/10/5/5 ratio rule. The meat, bones, organs are all grinding up and then mixed in a mixture of water, egg yolks and essential vitamins. The final mixture can then be put into small containers and frozen. Each day you can remove one container to the refrigerator to defrost then use.
This is my chosen method because I like the convenience of making the food ahead of time and having it available in the freezer. The only thing I was hesitant about was buying a large expensive grinder. Until I discovered manual meat grinders are small, inexpensive and work great.This is also the easiest to transition cats onto. And for an almost-vegetarian like myself it is the easiest for me to deal with. I can make a batch of food to last one month in under 2 hours and that is with clean up. My cat eats his food neatly on his plate and there is very little to pick up after, really the same as wet food. I buy all the meat from my local grocery store and supplements from iherb.

I share my entire step-by-step process on my blog, pm me if you are interested.

Jenna

 

[NekidKats]

This is a very helpful introduction to raw! Feeding Raw should never be overwhelming because it's just like feeding your other children. We would never feed our babies anything not good enough for ourselves so keeping that in mind along with Felines being "Obligate" carnivores we tried it and have never looked back. Our babies are muscular, healthy, and happy! We promote Raw Feeding at every opportunity.