Raw diets for cats????
 

I am thinking about starting my Ragamuffin on Natures Variety medallions. I don't know anything about starting a raw diet. Is this all he will eat or can I also feed dry? Anyone out there with raw feeding experience that can help to get me started? I don't think I can feed my yorkie raw as he has had liver shunt suregery in the past and don't think that the meat protien would be good for him. Any info would be helpful. Thanks Tammy

Raw is excellent for cats! In fact, I think raw is even more important than cats than for dogs. I believe dogs are carnivores but there is controversy over dogs being carnivores or omnivores. Technically dogs can survive on other things besides meat, bones, and organs...but of course I don't think that's healthy. Cats, however, are 100% true carnivores. They must have meat to survive. I definitely don't believe in feeding cats grains..I think it contributes to diabetes, stones, etc that we are frequently seeing in cats.

My cats eat NV raw. My oldest cat has had chronic allergies her whole life with a lot of hair loss and sores from scratching. I finally switched her to all raw (rabbit) and she is doing fabulous! In three months she has completely grown her coat back as thick as ever and isn't scratching anymore.

My youngest cat came from her breeder eating raw so she was used to it. My older cat I had trouble switching at first because cats can be so picky and will actually starve themselves to death. I switched her from kibble to canned food first which she was fine with. Then I very slowly started switching to raw. I would put a tiny amount of raw in the canned and every day added more and more and took the canned away. I eventually got her eating all raw and now she LOVES it!

Oh man, really? I just bought Lily a new bag of dry today (she eats Innova Evo right now), but I completely forgot I wanted to try her on the raw. I know she'll LOVE it...you should see that fat cat run when she hears a can opening with "processed" tuna or chicken...she'll adore eating raw meat. :rolleyes:

Michelle, how much do you spend on the NV for your 2 a month?

For Lacy and my two cats I think I spend about $80 a month currently or maybe a little more.

Natures variety?
 

What about natures variety? They have a raw medallion? This sounds pretty easy to me. Do I feed just that or can they have dry along with this??

I feed Nature's Variety raw medallions. I don't feed any kibble at all..just the raw

Natures Variety
 

I think I am going to try the medallions. Do I just go by the feeding directions and start out a little bit at a time? They don't need any vitamins or anything else with this?? Thanks for your help.

I'm currently feeding my cat 3 a day. I did 4 for a while but she started getting fat, so I'm going to see how she does with 3. She's only about 8 or 9lbs and not active at all. Nature's Variety has a feeding chart on their website that might give you a starting place...you just might have to adjust it somewhat depending on if your cat gains or loses weight..it's a bit of trial and error at first.

I don't give them anything else. I do give my dog Eicosaderm, a fish oil and vit. e supplement, but I normally don't give it to my cats (although you can). They really don't need anything else with a raw diet

Thanks for your help. We are going to try this and see how it works out.

Natures Variety
 

Okay we got our Natures Variety today. I am going to start out with just a little tonight and see how the Fonz likes this new and exciting food. Wish us luck. Hmmm just wondering what kind of poop you have with raw, what we have now is sooooooooo smelly.

Dying to read the answer to this question!!!

I'm always looking for the latest "poop" LOL

But in all seriousness... I am eating this thread up! I have one cat now and two coming home in 6 weeks...

I am a BIG believer in free feeding so portioning out food goes against everything I believe in, however I aalso think that raw for cats IS the best thing for them as it is their natural diet. And we do owe it to them to provide them with a naturall diet!

Tell us about the poop!

How long have you been feeding it??

oh...the poop is amazing! LOL Really..my cat's poop once a day. It's small and firm and light in color. And it's not smelly at all.

Raw diet
 

Well so much for Fonzie eating this stuff, he took a look and a tiny taste and never looked back at it again, just looked at me with eyes that said what are you trying to do to me???? After an afternoon of not eating I tried again in the evenin before bed and no go, he was not into that and just meowwed and was just starving to death so I gave in with the dry food. I have tried it again since and no go, I read somewhere that you can fast them for a day or so and they may become more receptive to it, but I couldnt last that long with him telling me he is hungry and looking at me with those eyes. Today I opened a can of Felidae and he turned his nose up at that also. Any ideas that don't have to do with starving him, I am to weak for that.

Cats are one animal that will actually starve itself to death. Maybe you can start by adding a tiny amount of canned with the dry...once he eats it start very slowly adding more and more canned and less dry until you have him eating all canned. then slowly start switching from canned to raw by mixing small amount of raw in at first until you have all raw and no canned. It may take you several weeks to fully switch.

My dogs eat raw - prey style and I have half-heartedly tried it on my cat.

My cat is the type who will eat NO type of people food. You can leave tuna, steak, cheese - anything out and she will not touch it. She likes canned only a little bit - will only eat a few bites. She sits and watches the dogs eat their raw but doesn't want any of it. Silly cat.

Maybe I will try again - she is just so headstrong about what she will NOT eat!!!