Raw food

[Meredithgraze]

Hi,

Does anyone have any knowledge in feeding cats raw food? I have a Burmese who has been on dried but has diahroea all the time!

The pet shop has recommended raw food but I'm a bit unsure about whether to alternate with dried or feed purely raw? I know it's what they are designed to eat but we are conditioned to feed dried so seems strange! Hoping for some normal stools at the end of all this aswel as the cat being healthy

FB group Cats Completely Raw and Proud CRAP

Quite a few US members so some info not relevant (suppliers etc) but loads of info

Thank you

I have friends that breed both cats and dogs and their animals are on a completely raw diet and in very rude health. They feed their cats and kittens raw chicken wings. They also feed raw turkey and duck necks that most butchers just throw out or charge a minimal amount for.

What dried food do you use at the moment? Also, have you been to your vet to check that it's nothing serious?

Yes, been to the vets. All fine. They have given me some paste to help but advised a change in food.

Currently on James well beloved. Someone suggested science plan or applaws but I'm unsure which is the best route. Currently they are turning their nose up at the raw.

Chopped chicken breast is a good way to get them interested. Also try quails if you can find them - the bones are small and manageable for cats. Otherwise Nature's Menu does a canned raw food.

Ziwipeak is another good option - it's not raw but is pure organic meat with no cereals.

They already have cooked meat such as chicken, with being Burmese.

Oh thank you, I will have a look

It could be an intolerance to a certain protein. You can try cats like this on a novel protein (one they haven't had before like rabbit or even kangaroo) in cans, provided the loose stools continue on other foods. I would get them onto a wet diet anyway, one high in meat and maybe no grains in the first instance.

I had a similar problem with Ophie (Maine Coon) I tried to swtich to raw but they simply would NOT eat it.. one of the cats accepted fish but no meat and the others refused (and went off round the neighbours looking for other stuff)
I persevered for a couple of months then gave up.

Instead I took them off all grains in wet food.. so pure chicken pure fish..lightly cooked, and the vet prescribed me Royal Canin Gastro for dry (Ophie much prefers dry) Within a couple of days her diahorrea had stopped.

We are still using the Gastro dry, but for wet we can now use a mixture..I alternate chicken days with a bit of tuna and some good quality cat food (I like Animonda Carny) and she has been fine. Worth a thought if pure raw is a struggle!

Thank you for that, I will definitely look at that if it doesn't work out. Fingers crossed, it has gone down a bit letter today so I'm going to stick with it for now and see how it goes.

The problem with Archcat was an intolerance to grains too. Within a few days cutting out cheaper food (Felix etc) and anything with grain made a huge difference - no more runny poo and constant farting! Going over 100% to raw is a bit too extreme for me (and for DH, who is reponsible for feeding him in the mornings), so we do a mixture of the best Animonda (vom Feinsten) as wet food in the morning, an evening meal of defrosted raw food (supplemented with a powder containing taurine, and mixed in with warm water to increase his water consumption), and topped up with a permanent supply of Applaws dry on the side (80% meat and grain-free). Archcat now has the most glorious glossy coat and is in superb condition. We had no problem getting him to eat raw, though, because he used to be a street cat and is well used to munching on self-service mice. We've found it surprisingly cheap too - partly because they eat far less quantity of 100% meat than stuff that's puffed up with fillers.

The tip I read for reluctant cats was to take it slowly, first going from dry to commercial wet, then from there to raw bit by bit. The raw food forums scare me somewhat - there are a lot of people around who are rather passionate about the issue and hate dry food with a vengeance. If you can resolve the problem just by cutting out grain, that would do the job instead.

Apparently, it can be difficult to get them started so perseverance is needed. The FB group can really help with the process.

Also, DOC (day old chicks) can be popular - ones you can buy for reptiles!

The bacteria thing worried me a bit about raw. I know cats are less prone to food poisoning than humans but still. I know you can buy raw already frozen complete with taurine and to me that sounded better than preparing it myself. I didn't go down the raw route in the end. Mine got funny guts and all normal since being fed royal Canin gastrointestinal wet. I was worried as wasn't grain free up they have had lovely small firm poos on this.

He is enjoying the raw now, and the diahroea has totally transformed into small, odourless balls. Yippee he has however vomited today so I'm hoping it's just the transition?