I'm about to start transitioning my 6 cats to a raw diet after years of eating canned Fancy Feast (Chicken Pate & Chunky Chicken), as well as a bit of dry Purina Beyond for a snack/treat. I know the dry food is bad, and I know the canned isn't much better, so I've been looking forward to getting them transitioned to a species appropriate raw diet. I've been doing research for almost a year, and have read info from many sources, including Dr. Lisa Pierson's website (catinfo.org), which is the recipe I ultimately decided to try. BUT, instead of buying all the nutrients separately, I decided to buy Alnutrin for Bone in Meat Grinds from Hare Today, which is also where I purchased my Ground Rabbit with Bone/Organs. I also bought chicken thighs from Whole Foods, which I will de-bone, and then grind to add to the rabbit (so I can dilute the 15% bone content of the rabbit, as Dr. Pierson suggests. I plan to add Iceland Pure Sardine Anchovy Oil too.
I have everything ready, and was planning to make my first batch tomorrow so I could start the transition (which I planned to complete over 3 - 4 weeks). After that, all canned and dry food will be done. I've already begun reducing their dry food intake, but 2 of my cats were addicted to it when I found them, and it was a challenge to get them to eat anything else. I did succeed in transitioning them to canned, but never completely removed the dry food. I feel confident about the transition to raw for 5 of my 6 cats, but I do worry about my 8 year old calico, Callie.
Callie's been with my family for almost 4 years now, and prior to that she was neglected and abused. She only weighed 5 pounds when I met her, but she quickly went to the extreme opposite and became a a bit overweight. But even before she was overweight, I noticed that she had digestive issues. She would suffer from hairballs often, and she would have digestive problems that caused symptoms of abdominal pain, followed by retching/vomiting (but not always a hairball, and sometimes just liquid), I took her to her vet, and we found out she had a lot of inflammation. She was also diagnosed with arthritis. The vet gave her a round of stem-cell treatment in 2014 (shots directly into her joints, and also an IV course throughout her body), and the results were amazing. Her digestive issues were reduced significantly, and she went from suffering from her "stomach episodes" 3 times a week, to about once every 3 months. (She started running and jumping again too - her joint cartilage was literally rejuvenating.) When the "episodes" started increasing in frequency about 14 months later, the vet gave her another round of stem-cells in Oct. 2015 (He harvested enough the first time so that we have have extra in cryogenic storage; general anesthesia was only used the first time). The digestive issues improved even better with the second round, and she has been doing great. But, even now, eating certain things always induce an "episode". She can't take the daily supplement the other 5 cats were taking (Vetri Science Multi-Supplement with New Zealand Green Muscle - now discontinued, and unavailable), and she can't have the Lysine Chews either. It's gotten to the point were I'm scared to try anything new with her in fear that it will cause her to suffer pain.
Now, on the eve of starting the transition to a raw diet - which my vet and I both think could be a great option for Callie (and all the cats), I read something that said Alnutrin may not be good for cats with Callie's problems. I'm panicking. I don't know if I should proceed with the raw diet w/Alnutrin, or wait and purchase the nutrients separately. Is it the egg ingredient in the Alnutrin that would be the problem? I just don;t know and I would really appreciate some advice. My cats are everything to me. I don't think the other 5 will have any significant issues because they don't have the problems Callie suffers from, but I have to make sure my Callie is ok. I'm willing to make a recipe adjustment for Callie's meals if I have to, but I want to start the transitioning with all of them at the same time.
I was going to make the recipe tomorrow (Fri 8/5), and start the transition process at dinner, but I am going to wait to see if I get some helpful advice before I make it. I've been so excited about switching my cats to a healthy raw diet, and now I'm worried that I might hurt my Callie. I know the canned food (which took forever to get her to enjoy) and the dry food isn't healthy for her. And even though she has been doing well for now, she's getting older. I want her to live as long as possible, and I know a raw diet can help avoid common health problems seen in cats on a terrible diet.
Any info about my question would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and consideration,
P.S. I included 2 photos of my special Callie
.
I have everything ready, and was planning to make my first batch tomorrow so I could start the transition (which I planned to complete over 3 - 4 weeks). After that, all canned and dry food will be done. I've already begun reducing their dry food intake, but 2 of my cats were addicted to it when I found them, and it was a challenge to get them to eat anything else. I did succeed in transitioning them to canned, but never completely removed the dry food. I feel confident about the transition to raw for 5 of my 6 cats, but I do worry about my 8 year old calico, Callie.
Callie's been with my family for almost 4 years now, and prior to that she was neglected and abused. She only weighed 5 pounds when I met her, but she quickly went to the extreme opposite and became a a bit overweight. But even before she was overweight, I noticed that she had digestive issues. She would suffer from hairballs often, and she would have digestive problems that caused symptoms of abdominal pain, followed by retching/vomiting (but not always a hairball, and sometimes just liquid), I took her to her vet, and we found out she had a lot of inflammation. She was also diagnosed with arthritis. The vet gave her a round of stem-cell treatment in 2014 (shots directly into her joints, and also an IV course throughout her body), and the results were amazing. Her digestive issues were reduced significantly, and she went from suffering from her "stomach episodes" 3 times a week, to about once every 3 months. (She started running and jumping again too - her joint cartilage was literally rejuvenating.) When the "episodes" started increasing in frequency about 14 months later, the vet gave her another round of stem-cells in Oct. 2015 (He harvested enough the first time so that we have have extra in cryogenic storage; general anesthesia was only used the first time). The digestive issues improved even better with the second round, and she has been doing great. But, even now, eating certain things always induce an "episode". She can't take the daily supplement the other 5 cats were taking (Vetri Science Multi-Supplement with New Zealand Green Muscle - now discontinued, and unavailable), and she can't have the Lysine Chews either. It's gotten to the point were I'm scared to try anything new with her in fear that it will cause her to suffer pain.
Now, on the eve of starting the transition to a raw diet - which my vet and I both think could be a great option for Callie (and all the cats), I read something that said Alnutrin may not be good for cats with Callie's problems. I'm panicking. I don't know if I should proceed with the raw diet w/Alnutrin, or wait and purchase the nutrients separately. Is it the egg ingredient in the Alnutrin that would be the problem? I just don;t know and I would really appreciate some advice. My cats are everything to me. I don't think the other 5 will have any significant issues because they don't have the problems Callie suffers from, but I have to make sure my Callie is ok. I'm willing to make a recipe adjustment for Callie's meals if I have to, but I want to start the transitioning with all of them at the same time.
I was going to make the recipe tomorrow (Fri 8/5), and start the transition process at dinner, but I am going to wait to see if I get some helpful advice before I make it. I've been so excited about switching my cats to a healthy raw diet, and now I'm worried that I might hurt my Callie. I know the canned food (which took forever to get her to enjoy) and the dry food isn't healthy for her. And even though she has been doing well for now, she's getting older. I want her to live as long as possible, and I know a raw diet can help avoid common health problems seen in cats on a terrible diet.
Any info about my question would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and consideration,
P.S. I included 2 photos of my special Callie
.
