clean habits when feeding raw

[msserena]

I have fed my kitties raw chicken only a few times. I find they are sticking their claws in it, pawing at it, taking off & running with it. I have read blog after blog, site after site. They won't eat inside a big dog kennel so I figured the bathroom is small & the floor will be easy to clean after.

Well I first tried the shower so I could confine them, they walked all around the chicken & juice so I figured they're tracking bacteria all over my house until they decide to clean their feet.

I then tried just putting the chunks on the lino floor but they did the same thing, they walked around all over so in essence they were spreading the raw all over the bathroom floor. I seriously don't want to mop my bathroom floor on a daily basis.

I'm trying to make this as easy as possible. HELP! What are your suggestions? I have tried putting the chunks on a towel but yes they take them & then roll them all over the floor before eating.

They also won't eat the chicken off a plate like they do with rad cat. I've also tried a bowl, nope.

 

[peaches08]

Ugh...cats will be cats, won't they? 

Are your kitties new to raw feeding?   Mine did this early on and when I feed new meats to them, but not as much now.  Now they'll remove the food from the bowl and plop it on the floor immediately next to the bowl. 

  I keep a spray bottle of alcohol in the kitchen which is awesome for spot cleaning stuff like this, greasy messes, and for cleaning the meat grinder.  The only thing alcohol won't help with is C. diff, but I don't see that as a problem when dealing with meat/juices.

 

[msserena]

yeah I'm kind of new to the feeding of raw chicken chunks. they have been eating rad cat for many months but since it's all ground, there is nothing to "move to the floor".

I guess I will just continue the bathroom feeding. I can't think of anything else. I did try outside on my patio but they were so excited to be outside they didn't pay attention to the chicken.

thanks

 

[furmonster mom]

Baby wipes.... lots and lots of baby wipes.

 

[mildlyironic]

I've been all about obsessive Lysol wipes - Lysol wipes for myself, the surfaces, the kittens' nametags, the plastic wrap container after I've touched it to wrap something up - and antibacterial soap pretty much every time I use a utensil or touch a plate or clear their food. Also, a separate sponge.  

 

[citrineblue]

Have you tried a large cut of plastic coated material laid down at meal time? You can have lengths cut off a roll, I use the one now we had when the kids were young and we covered the kitchen table when painting. Easy to wipe or wash.......

 

[msserena]

like a giant placemat? I've tried a towel & they carry their finds off from it. Lately I've been putting the chicken near the wall & then I sit in the middle so they haven't been running off. I wash with antibacterial soap after & think that will work.

 

[stiletto]

I have completely taken away the bowls (unless I give them eggs). Instead, I purchased some placemats from the dollar store (the kind with some grip but washable). 

My cats originally took food and ran to eat too. There were two solutions for me.

1) Watch where the cat decides to take the food. They will choose a location comfortable for them. Make that spot the new feeding "spot" if possible. 

2) Take their food away and place it back on the original spot you put it. Repeatedly. Sometimes, I had to hold down the food so they wouldn't take it. This can be time consuming and you might have to do it for days. But for me, it got my cats to stay. I also found that it helps if you put up some "walls" so they feel they can eat in privacy.

HTH!

 

[andrya]

l feed ground raw so they don't drag anything and the ceramic floor is an easy clean.

l've heard of some people feeding raw in the bathtub. l suppose it would be easier to clean than the whole floor, but still...ew.