Raw Diet?

[Mitramonday]

OK - I'll try to remember that and revisit my 'assertiveness training' in readiness?!  One thing - and I'm soooo hoping and  that we never have cause to concern ourselves with this - but how do you cope if your barf cats have to be kept overnight (or more) at the vets?  I'm planning to freeze 'patties' of raw food - but I really don't think I can contemplate all the canning process that they talk about on those sites - I'm really not planning to 'stockpile in case of becoming snow-bound' or anything!

[Millys Mum]

Will do, Gill - and  again!  Wish me us luck.........I think we may need it?!  I'm a bit  - especially if I ever have occasion to let on to my vet what I'm doing ...... I ain't any good at arguing with professionals!!

Remind them they arent nutritionists  most of their knowledge will come from Hills.
You may be surprised and find your vet is a secret barf supporter!

[Mitramonday]

Will do, Gill - and  again!  Wish me us luck.........I think we may need it?!  I'm a bit  - especially if I ever have occasion to let on to my vet what I'm doing ...... I ain't any good at arguing with professionals!!

[Gillian Harvey]

However, the instinctsTC seems to be the easiest to prepare for a newbie like myself so......I have bitten the bullet and ordered some!  From what you say in your post, perhaps feeding (e.g.) a chicken wing every now and then without the InstinctsTC is OK? 

Excellent!  Yep, absolutely, chicken wings will help with keeping teeth clean, and would be fine even if you are feeding instincts. Bone chewing is good which is why 'prey model' diet is the 'gold standard' if you like, but as you say instincts is easy and a good way to start too, plus you can add the instincts to chunks of meat (doesnt have to be minced) which will also be good for gum/teeth health. Instincts simply uses a calcium supplement in place of bones which is why its used with boneless meats.

I'd start by making a small batch and offering just a small amount alongside normal food to begin with, just as you would if you were changing from one brand of food to another.

[Mitramonday]

Awww,  , Gill!! My printer has been working overtime tonight after going on to those links!  I still get confused with the contradictory advice though - bones, or no bones?  I am concerned about dental hygiene (Percy already has inflamed gums) so thought that bone-chewing would be good - but if using InstinctsTC, it seems, NO bones allowed?  However, the instinctsTC seems to be the easiest to prepare for a newbie like myself so......I have bitten the bullet and ordered some!  From what you say in your post, perhaps feeding (e.g.) a chicken wing every now and then without the InstinctsTC is OK?  The other diets where you have to calculate % of protein/calcium/fat or whatever are just too daunting for me to contemplate at the moment........

[Gillian Harvey]

You might be interested in looking at this site about raw feeding written by vet Lisa Pierson www.catinfo.org which includes a 'recipe' for a balanced diet. If you wanted to feed a 'prey model' diet, this site is good www.rawfedcats.org and you don't need a grinder for that.

Another way to do it is using already minced (or chunks of meat is better for their teeth) meat and add a powder supplement to it to make a balanced meal - such as Feline Future Instincts http://www.felinefuture.com/ - again, no grinder needed.

There is a great rabbit meat stockist online offering bone in minced and bone in chunks www.woldsway.co.uk and if you wanted to feed 'whole prey' (not for the fainthearted!) this site is good http://www.frozendirect.com/shop/home.php

I feed prey model sometimes, recipe (not very often as I only have a hand grinder and its hard work!) as well as Intincts, and other recipes from the Holisticat site www.holisticat.com ,  alternating with some pet shop cat foods like applaws, natures harvest, forthglade.

[Janeyk]

I haven't but have heard really good reports where nutritionists have prescribed this type of diet for dogs with stomach problems and they have been helped enormously so possibly good for cats too.

[Beth]

I only know about feeding raw to dogs, but i've never heard of needing a grinder?

From what i know the key is variety, and not to aim for a balanced meal, but a balance over a week or so.

[Dark Moon]

and are you prepared to include all those other 'raw' things one can't normally get?

Cats are wild beings. They feed on full prey. Full prey includes not just muscle tissue, but all those others...........  most of which we can't get at stores.

I doubt if you would be able to derive a diet that would fulfill his/her needs.  I am no fan of the cat food industry, but I also know that there is no way I can replace that which they would 'normally' have............

OK - see the new post. So, Gill....

[clarenmax]

Hopefully Gillian will spot this later, she feeds a raw diet to her furries, so will be able to help on this 

[Mitramonday]

I have been interested about changing Percy over to a completely raw diet (having 'lost faith' in prepared pet food after reading all the threads on here, and also having lost my 3 year old to CRF) but it feels very complicated - and also expensive if you take into accound the necessary grinder etc.?  Anyone have any experience of a raw diet?