Hi! I've never posted on here, but I've used your guidance in switching my cat, Cam over to a raw diet, and I'm convinced it saved her life! So I owe all of you a big thank you!
Cam is 8 and about a year ago after a very scary few days of her having uncontrollable diarrhea (all over the house), and being very lethargic and weak, our vet told us she had IBD. She's always had a sensitive tummy, but for all those years previously, the vet really only told us "that's just how she is" and "there isn't really anything you can do". She was put on Prednisone, and it seemed to help, but every time we tried to lower the dose she would get sick again. I didn't want her to be on it forever, so I came here and successfully switched her from eating Science Diet and Rx wet food, to Stella and Chewy's freeze dried. It's the only raw we can get her to eat, she doesn't like the frozen stuff, which might be temperature related, but I get nervous about leaving it out to warm up, so Stella & Chewy's has been great. Sometimes I give her a bit of Nature's Variety Instincts canned food.
My question is this: Since switching her over I think she's getting constipated. Going out of the box and it's very light in color, and crumbles like sawdust. I read that cats go less and it's more firm on a raw diet, so at first I wasn't concerned about the consistency, but this doesn't seem right. Plus sometimes she seems to be uncomfortable, and still runs around right before, and sometimes after she goes to the bathroom. Could this be the bone content of Stella and Chewy's or something else? If it is, how can I offset the high bone percentage when I can't get her to eat any other raw? I started mixing Slippery Elm Bark into her food a few weeks ago, and I tried giving her a chicken gizzard today, which she sampled, but didn't seem to love. I can't spend a ton of money on expensive foods and remedy's, but I'd love anyones advice or experiences--my vet approved of giving manufactured raw food, but doesn't know much about it, so she's been little help.
Thank you in advance, this website has been a HUGE help to me and Cam!
Cam is 8 and about a year ago after a very scary few days of her having uncontrollable diarrhea (all over the house), and being very lethargic and weak, our vet told us she had IBD. She's always had a sensitive tummy, but for all those years previously, the vet really only told us "that's just how she is" and "there isn't really anything you can do". She was put on Prednisone, and it seemed to help, but every time we tried to lower the dose she would get sick again. I didn't want her to be on it forever, so I came here and successfully switched her from eating Science Diet and Rx wet food, to Stella and Chewy's freeze dried. It's the only raw we can get her to eat, she doesn't like the frozen stuff, which might be temperature related, but I get nervous about leaving it out to warm up, so Stella & Chewy's has been great. Sometimes I give her a bit of Nature's Variety Instincts canned food.
My question is this: Since switching her over I think she's getting constipated. Going out of the box and it's very light in color, and crumbles like sawdust. I read that cats go less and it's more firm on a raw diet, so at first I wasn't concerned about the consistency, but this doesn't seem right. Plus sometimes she seems to be uncomfortable, and still runs around right before, and sometimes after she goes to the bathroom. Could this be the bone content of Stella and Chewy's or something else? If it is, how can I offset the high bone percentage when I can't get her to eat any other raw? I started mixing Slippery Elm Bark into her food a few weeks ago, and I tried giving her a chicken gizzard today, which she sampled, but didn't seem to love. I can't spend a ton of money on expensive foods and remedy's, but I'd love anyones advice or experiences--my vet approved of giving manufactured raw food, but doesn't know much about it, so she's been little help.
Thank you in advance, this website has been a HUGE help to me and Cam!