Afternoon guys. I recently started our boys on a raw food diet and thought I’d give you all an update as I know people are generally divided on the subject.
Like a duck to water (cat to grass?)! Firstly, I’d say both cats took to the change of diet really well. Neither cat is fussy about food so I was confident it would go well but I didn’t know they’d enjoy it as much as they do! The downside is that whenever I’m in the kitchen chopping meat, they assume it’s for them!
Toxic –poo no more! I have a pretty delicate stomach, generally set off by smells more than anything else. Since moving the boys off their cat-food diet (we fed them HiLife because of the high protein content), I’ve been able to clean their bins without having to wear a mask or take regular “fresh air breaks”!
Glossy coats! The boys both have really soft and shiny fur now. It’s not taken that long for us to notice the difference but it’s quite astounding!
Easy peasy (but no lemon squeezy)! I know pre-preparing a pet’s food can be daunting, but it’s really quite easy. My two both have their own teeth and are healthy so I go for chopped meats and occasional treats of animal parts (a chicken wing or similar). I spend an hour or two once a month chopping, weighing and bagging the food. I freeze it, defrost overnight (for their breakfast) or during the day (for dinner) and that’s it!
Cheap as chips (or raw meat)! It’s not drastically cheaper than commercial foods, but there’s definitely a saving. If you’re going for supermarket meats then you’ll save around 10-15% of the money spent on Whiskers, HiLife or other brands. If you have a good butchers nearby (or a halal meat shop) you can save up to about 30%. Strike up a friendly relationship with said butcher and get leftover off-cuts and you’ll make further savings!
It must be love (love, love)! Our boys really love their new diet. They’re visibly excited about their food and show real appreciation. They spend more time working for their food, chewing, tearing and biting and it makes meal time more healthy.
What’s on the menu? We’re feeding a mix of 80% meat (chicken, beef, lamb, rabbit, duck, goat, etc) 10% bone, 5% offal (heart, kidney, etc) and 5% liver. There’s real variety in the meal and they haven’t shown evidence of getting bored.
I’m by no means an expert on this but I know what my cats like. The aim was for a healthy diet, the fact they enjoy it makes it even more worthwhile. I’ll no-doubt give an update in 6 months but by all means send me a message if you have any questions.
