freeze dried products

kat003

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I've been giving my cat freeze dried rabbit toppers and chicken toppers for a while, but wanted to add on to that. I've found freeze dried minnows, chicken giblets, and duck liver. Could these be used as treats or in place of a wet food meal? Also is there any good benefits of freeze dried products?
 

Maurey

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Any non-complete diet shouldn’t be used as a meal replacer. Even with something as beneficial as freeze dried treats, they shouldn’t compose more than 10% of your cats diet, so that they’re able to get their nutritional needs met.
Freeze dried treats (and freeze dried complete diets) are the next best thing to raw food in terms of species-appropriateness, in my opinion :> With fish and especially liver, be sure to start with very small amounts — liver is very healthy and nutritious, but it can cause diarrhoea in cats who aren’t used to it
 
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kat003

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Any non-complete diet shouldn’t be used as a meal replacer. Even with something as beneficial as freeze dried treats, they shouldn’t compose more than 10% of your cats diet, so that they’re able to get their nutritional needs met.
Freeze dried treats (and freeze dried complete diets) are the next best thing to raw food in terms of species-appropriateness, in my opinion :> With fish and especially liver, be sure to start with very small amounts — liver is very healthy and nutritious, but it can cause diarrhoea in cats who aren’t used to it
Thank you, I didn't plan on using it all the time as in place just ever few days when I wouldn't be feeding her wet that day in small amounts as you mentioned.
 

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Complete freeze dried food should always be rehydrated, otherwise it’s very dehydrating to feed. It’s also bone heavy so some cats can have constipation issues. Plus, seniors and cats with kidney problems shouldn’t really eat bone heavy meals. Otherwise it’s very good raw option.
 
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kat003

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Complete freeze dried food should always be rehydrated, otherwise it’s very dehydrating to feed. It’s also bone heavy so some cats can have constipation issues. Plus, seniors and cats with kidney problems shouldn’t really eat bone heavy meals. Otherwise it’s very good raw option.
The kind i have isnt supposed to be rehydrated, and i've tried to do it before and they just sit there like rocks.I will be looking into rehydratable products as im trying to find the perfect diet for my baby.
 

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The kind i have isnt supposed to be rehydrated, and i've tried to do it before and they just sit there like rocks.I will be looking into rehydratable products as im trying to find the perfect diet for my baby.
yes, treats can be fed dry as they don't make a large portion of cat's diet. When you buy complete&balanced freeze dried meal, it's usually better to crumble it as much as possible before adding water as it'll take quicker to rehydrate. Warmish water will help, too.
 
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kat003

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yes, treats can be fed dry as they don't make a large portion of cat's diet. When you buy complete&balanced freeze dried meal, it's usually better to crumble it as much as possible before adding water as it'll take quicker to rehydrate. Warmish water will help, too.
Thanks :) Have any brands you recommend or know of?
 

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I've found freeze dried minnows, chicken giblets, and duck liver. Could these be used as treats or in place of a wet food meal?

No, those are only treats like cookies or brownies. They're not complete meals on their own.

If you wish to add freeze dried as part of the main diet, look into freeze dried raw foods. Some brands to try:

 
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kat003

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Thank you!! have been looking into stella and chewys and they look like a good starting option.
 

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My cat won't touch many freeze dried foods but goes bonkers for Wysong Archetype. It's a complete food option. She's partial to the quail!
 

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At my pet store they were in the dog section but they are for cats too eventhough it doesn't say. I bought some for my cats. They loved them but I it's eerie looking at a minnow's eyes so probably not again!
 

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Yep! The bones are super small and disintegrate really easily when they've been freeze-dried.
 

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Also pitching in to say that freeze dried minnows are very nice healthy treats for your kitties :> The bones are much too small and delicate to be causing any issues, especially when completely covered by the rest of the fish.

However, I would caution everyone about freeze dried or dehydrated treats that have larger bones, like rabbit feet or duck necks, which are pretty commonly sold, at least in -ha- my neck of the woods. Even raw rabbit feet can be dangerous due to the hollow bones, but duck necks, despite being safe raw, will acquire a similar fragility in their bones as cooked bones will, so they're a bit too prone to splintering to be safe, imo.
 
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kat003

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She absolutely goes crazy for them!! I'm glad i bought them, i even gave some to my dogs and they liked them.
 
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