Hare Today - cats have stopped eating it

[cat dad]

Hi there,

I feed my guys whole ground rabbit from Hare Today. They've been eating it 3x a day for over 8 weeks.

I just got my new batch in from Hare Today and I made it just as I did before - 1 scoop Alnutrin per 1lb of rabbit plus 2-3 C water (they like it on the soupy side).

I put some down and the one who will eat anything licked a bit up and then looked at me like "Uh... what's with this?" and walked away. The picky one wasn't having any of it.

Ive tried toppers etc and nothing. The eat anything guy ate almost all of his dinner last night, but breakfast today hardly anything. My picky one I gave a bit of canned food that I had hanging around just so he had something to eat.

Not sure what's wrong. I will say the meat this time is bright pink when usually it's kind of a pinky brown. Not sure if there are dyes in this batch which might be turning them off.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[vball91]

There could be something different or off about this new batch although I haven't heard anything bad about HT. It could also be that they are tired of rabbit. It is a good idea to switch up proteins (3-5 minimum different proteins is what is recommended), so I would try something else and come back to the rabbit in a few days.

 

[cat dad]

I get what you are saying about switching up the proteins, but it doesn't seem like a coincidence that breakfast they eat the last of the old batch of rabbit, and then lunchtime (6 hours later) they wont touch the new batch.

I've emailed Tracy from HT to see what she says.

 

[vball91]

There could certainly be something off with the new batch. You're right. That is a big coincidence. It's probably worthwhile to contact HT and see if anything's changed. Was the Alnutrin new too?

 

[cat dad]

I used the rest of my old Altnutrin (that I kept in a sealed jar in the fridge) on the first 5lbs I processed and bagged. Then, thinking maybe it was a problem with the Altnutrin, I processed another 5lbs using the new Altnutrin I bought with this last shipment of meat. Both batches were a no go. So frustrating.

 

[ldg]

I just got a new batch of rabbit from HT and I noticed a difference in color too. I have a couple of cats that eat the ground rabbit, but not with enthusiasm. They prefer this batch! I just served it this morning, and breakfast was done in record time.

I'm guessing the difference will be fat content. :dk: Maybe these were younger rabbits? Maybe the feed changed? One thing is for sure, Tracy doesn't add coloring.

The only other thing I can speculate that could cause the difference is oxidation. Maybe she's got a new freezer that freezes more quickly so there's less oxidation before the meat is frozen? Oxidation makes meat appear grayer or browner. :dk:

Is there a reason you're feeding only rabbit? When feeding raw, it's usually best to include 3 to 5 proteins in rotation. ...this would be one example of why. But each meat has a different fat / vitamin profile, which is the primary reason.

I'm so sorry your kitties won't eat it. But based on the reaction of my cats, I agree, there is something that's different about the rabbit she's got in stock right now. Mine just prefer this one. :dk:

 

[goingpostal]

Cats can be pretty picky.  Chances are the age or breed or something with the rabbits is different and because your cats don't get variety they aren't used to it.  If you had any of the old batch I would say mix them, or you can just keep offering and hope they take it.  Feeding only one protein is not a balanced diet, especially a lean white meat like rabbit which is too low in fat and taurine.

 

[cat dad]

I have always planned on feeding more proteins. I know it's important. Ive done a ton of research on all of this prior to even getting my boys. In my last HT order I also got turkey and quail, so believe me, I'm on it. But more proteins isn't the point of my post.

I spoke to Tracey and she says nothing has changed:

 Nothing has changed with the rabbits. Everything is the same from feed that I use to our processing.

I've used up all of their old food, so Ill just have to start over, as if they've never had raw before. What's frustrating is my little guy normally will eat anything with enthusiasm on the first try, and he is eating maybe half of what he normally would - he just doesn't like it.

Thanks all.

 

[ldg]

Feeding only one protein is not a balanced diet, especially a lean white meat like rabbit which is too low in fat and taurine.

Domestic rabbit isn't very lean: wild rabbit is lean. And Cat Dad is adding taurine (and other supplements, via the Alnutrin for meat/bones/organs).

I've put this chart up before, but I can never remember where it was posted. So I created a thread so it's easier to find. But it outlines the macronutrient profile of common proteins we use and I included a table that indicates the profile of prey items.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/265440/...tein-fat-carbs-and-prey-animals-of-feral-cats

 

[goingpostal]

Except for a rare older fatty animal the rabbits I buy are very lean.  I suppose it would depend on age of the animal greatly. 

 

[cat dad]

I don't know what to do.

The picky one isn't eating it. The one who eats everything is eating like maybe half.

I've been giving the picky one some canned along with it just so he'll eat something. I don't know what to do about the little one - anything but raw gives him diarrhea.

I'm stuck with 35lbs of rabbit that neither of them will eat. If I can't get them to eat it, that's a costly disaster.

 

[peaches08]

Toppers? Dilute it with some chicken? Just throwing stuff out there...

 

[ldg]

Try various toppers. Do they like freeze dried liver? FD chicken? (Pure Bites or Whole Life). Maybe bonito flakes? Fortiflora?

I had one of those large, costly mistakes. I bought a box of Nature's Menu raw food - and the cats hated it. There wasn't any way to purchase it locally. At least I have the feral colony to feed, so they got it all, so it didn't go to waste, but....

 

[cat dad]

Thanks so much everyone for the tips and good vibes.

Unbelievably I have never found a treat that "Mr Picky" will eat. No freeze dried anything, not bonito flakes, not flora, not horrible processed treats - nothing. He likes his Wellness grain free chunky chicken or turkey in gravy, thank you very much! I have been mixing some of that in with the rabbit so he cant pick around it. He ate about an ounce of the rabbit this morning and about another ounce today.

For "Mr I will eat anything" I've put a few bonito flakes on top to get him interested and that worked up to a point, and then I tried some freeze dried salmon and again got him to eat almost all of his lunch. Ill keep going with this method and see how we go. If I can get Mr Picky to eat 2oz of food raw and canned a meal Ill be good. If I can get the little one to eat 1.5oz Ill be happy. He's slightly overweight so a little less would do him good.

I have 1lb each of turkey and quail from HT that I've just processed and froze into cubes. Ill wait a couple of days and start adding that in to see how they like it.

Giving the food didn't even occur to me - duh. If they just don't like it, I'm sure there is a shelter or something that would love to have it.