We're actually doing it! So nervous!

[Caloci]

Hi Everyone!


We are actually doing it, RAW that is. I've been investigating the possibility all week especially since I wasn't happy with the food Mr.Vito arrived with and he didn't like the kibble I chose. And horror of all horrors he LOVED the Hills Science that a friend of ours let us sample. I realize that many cats and owners like this food, but some of the ingredients didnt sit well with me.

I try to eat clean and healthy and I want the same for my cat. After PMing Khaleesi she recommended a RAW pet food store here in Victoria. I had already checked out several places that carried RAW but none could answer my questions or make me feel at ease about starting with RAW.

This morning I went in and met one of the owners and she was wonderful! I told her I was interested in Red Dog Blue Kat and she agreed that it was a good choice particularly for a cat. She gave me a bunch of pamphlets about raw, switching over, the benifits etc. I came home with enough for a week and nervously thought about when the best time to start was.

Well since I've been on vacation all week and I go back to work tomorrow, probably better to see how he does tonight than to try and fuss with it in the morning and then got to work while he possibly pukes all over the house all day while I'm at work. I gave him half a pack of chicken and he ate about 9 grams. No major hesitations, but he didn't dive right in either. I knew he was still hungry so I mixed in some SD that he loves and he ate about another 10 grams. I know because I weighed it. Might have been a bit less as I didn't account for the kibble. Mind you he didn't actually eat any of the kibble. He wanted me to sit with him while he ate it....lol Strange considering tonight marks the end of our first week together.

I put the rest in the fridge and will try again just before bed time. Seems like it will go well. Chicken for breakfast tomorrow and Lamb for supper tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[susi794]

Re: We're actually doing it! So nervous!

You shouldn't feed kibble at the same time as raw--they digest at very different speeds and combining them can cause painful belly aches for your baby. You can do this.....he's a lucky boy to have a family that loves him so much.

 

[Caloci]

Re: We're actually doing it! So nervous!

Thanks Susi. I only put about 5 pieces in to entice him a little more as I didn't have any of the suggested bribe toppings around. I dont forsee any major issues. I may pick up some canned to top it with if it looks like its going to be a problem. Im really pleased to far.

 

[Caloci]

This morning went ok. He ate about half his chicken. The packages are 1/4 packages and Vito weighs just over 6 lbs. Hes not skinny just a smaller cat. So today when I got home from work I gave him 1/4 of a pack of lamb. He just looked at it so I sprinkled some freeze dried chicken on it. Just just enough to make him want to lick it and he only ate half that. We will try the other half at bedtime.

I dont know if he is just taking his time getting used to the food or if he isnt eating enough. I really thought he would eat 1/2 a pack twice a day. He seems to like it ok, but he also wants me beside him when he eats and I cant do that all the time. Besides which I cant just leave raw meat sitting there waiting for him to come back to it 3-4 times till hes done.

Anyone else have experiences like this?

 

[susi794]

How many ounces are the packs? You have to be very careful that your cat is getting enough to eat, as he can get sick with liver problems if he goes hungry--you can't just say when he gets hungry enough he'll eat it.....not saying that is what you're doing....just warning you to make sure he is getting enough to eat. Leave it out for 15 minutes then pick up what he doesn't eat and offer it again later. But if he isn't eating well, you'll need to supplement with something he will eat--just try to space it far apart from the raw. You could try his dry in the early morning as a feeding--not to graze on all day, and then in the evening, give him the raw, or mix it in with his wet and gradually reduce the wet and increase the raw. Hang in there, it should get better.

 

[Caloci]

The packs are 4 oz. he ate about 3 oz between supper and breakfast this morning. He had close to one ounce at 330 and I am hoping for another 2 before bed.

 

[susi794]

The amount of raw to feed according to the research I have done, is to allow kits to eat as much as they want and monitor their weight and adjust accordingly. An adult cat should be eating 4-6 oz. of raw food per day. So the 6 oz. you are hoping to get in before bedtime sounds good. Also, the research I have done suggests up to 250 mg. per day of taurine be added to ground or frozen raw diet mealas a day. Taurine is water soluble and you can't overdose your cat on it--any he doesn't need will be flushed away in his urine. Taurine is important for heart health, some sites also suggest fish oil, Vitamin B complex and vitamin E.
Hope any of that helps,
Susi

 

[Caloci]

Well, I guess we are going to have to back track a bit. We are going to go back to a mixture of kibble and canned until I can get him eating enough on canned and then slowly mix in the raw and reduce the canned.

He is just not eating enough. As a result no poop yesterday. Hes not crazy begging for food, but I want him happy and healthy and I dont want to make him sick because he isnt getting enough. Yesterday he only ate about 2 oz if that. No where near enough for one day.

Im sad, but I will keep trying Im sure we can work someting out.

 

[Caloci]

So because Mr. Vito wasnt eating enough and there for didnt poop for a whole day Ive decided to back track. Back to kibble, I chose EVO grain free this time. Doesn't seem to mind it but doesnt love it they way he does science diet. I refuse to give him that stuff. I would have liked to have tried Wellness Core or Taste of the Wild, but they were out.

I also picked up a bunch of wet food. I think I will work on getting him on 100% wet food and then start mixing in little bits of raw. I knew cats were finickey eaters, but none in my family ever were.

Still working on going raw, I guess its just going to take a little longer than expected.

If anyone has any experiences to share I would love to hear them.

Thanks

Megan

 

[Inflamed]

I wish you the best of luck! You can do it Mr. Vito!

 

[Caloci]

Well things arent going so well in the food Dept, let alone RAW. Vito wasnt getting enough to eat on the raw. I would feed him at 6am, 4pm, 10ish pm. He would barley eat 2 oz. The packages which are supposed to be a days worth of food are 4 oz.

So we went back to the dry and canned. Dry is Evo grain free and I tried a few different wet ones which he doesnt really seem to eat. Vito is also a grazer so it is hard to get him to eat his portions all at once.

On top of that because of the changes he has had mostly pudding poos for the two weeks we have had him. He doesnt cover them and they stink to high heaven. Makes my husband gag. Yes it is really that bad. Sometimes we come home to bum stamps on the bed or furniture from where the gooey mess had gotten stuck to this testicles or tail.

Monday I had to soak him in the tub to get the dry poo off because I didnt think he wanted me wiping at his balls. OUCH!

Told the vet about the RAW and she didnt get upset but felt that a lot of them werent complete and is getting me some information about making my own to ensure I know what is in it and what I should add. Although I feel Blue Dog Red Kat is pretty complete.

Here is the link if anyone had input: Red Dog Blue Kat

Would be great to see what I should try next. I hate the constant changing of his food, even tho I do it slowly. Thanks


By the way they have way more variety than what is on the site, We have lamb chicken turkey, beef, venison, kangaroo.....

 

[Inflamed]

Most pre-packaged raw has everything a cat needs but about the mushy poo that stinks very much, has Vito been tested for Giardia? If you follow this link you can read what it is if you don't already know it
http://www.sphynxlair.com/f53/sphynx-cat-diarrhea-giardia-3610/

Good luck!

 

[Caloci]

No, he hasn't been tested for that, but I will ask about it next time we are at the vet. We are going for full blood work up on Sat as well as urinalysis. Sometimes his poos are more solid and well formed but usually more like pudding.

The last few days his poo sechedual is different. He usually poos before bedtime. Two nights ago he had a normalish poo followed by a mushy one 3 hours later.

 

[DoctorSpock]

I went to their website and checked the ingredients. A little confusing about bone/calcium. The FAQ page doesn't mention any bone but when you read the description of the product (products for cats) they mention bone but down at the bottom of the page they tell you to supplement with calcium or bone every other meal. If cat/kitten is not getting enough calcium or bone, it will have loose/liquid stools.

 

[Caloci]

I'm still trying to sort our the mushy poo before getting him on the raw. I will have him tested for giaurdia and let the vet look at the food and see what she thinks. She has a few other ideas about how to feed raw. Fortunatley she is not totally against it as many vets are.

He's a stinky little bugger and sometimes I have to come home and soak his bum in the tub because the mess would be uncomfortable to wipe off of his man bits. then we have to change the sheets too...lol

 

[DoctorSpock]

Mushy poop can also be caused by too much food... I'm going through the same thing w/Suzi... I just put Vaseline on her butt because she gets a little raw down there... I also have to wash her feet constantly to get the poop and litter stuck to her feet. I know stalk her when she goes to the box and intervene her from covering up her mess, then I cover it myself and scoop it out... Man! What we do for our "kids"!

 

[Caloci]

Right now he is eating 1/4 cup of EVO grain free in the am and pm. At 4 when I get home from work he gets about 10 pieces of Science Diet as treats while we do our clicker training, followed by about 1 Tbsp of wet. He doesnt seem to big on the wet. By the way how long can a can last in the fridge if hes only eating a Tbsp at a time.

He weighs just over 9 pounds. The vet says he is about perfect weight wise. wouldnt want to see any more or less.

I dont mind cleaning up after him. I love him so much. He loves to chat and cries the whole time I am in the shower. He wont come in tho and I would love if he would. Hard to keep water out of his ears if he ever decided he wanted to come in.

What are you feeding Susi? How old is she and how long has the problem been going on?

 

[tiffany.hill]

I have also considered doing a RAW diet for my little ones. I am currently feeding blue buffalo to all my pets and they seem to love it so much, to the point any other foods such as innova and wellness weren't even touched. Just a thought, from one picky kitty to another