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Many of us have done that. It's fine.
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Launching into homemade raw!
- Thread starter andrya
- Start Date
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #82
Thanks, ladies
Batch 6 - mostly chicken, tiny amounts of beef and pork. Too much liver added, but not outside the realm of balance. Bonemeal batch.
First batch with krill oil replacing salmon oil. The boys LOVE krill oil. They were up on the counter "helping" me by cleaning off any utensils touched by krill oil.
This batch is a hit, they wolfed it down with enjoyment.
Tried them with chunks of turkey neck from our Christmas turkey and they were unimpressed so the dog got a treat.
Batch 6 - mostly chicken, tiny amounts of beef and pork. Too much liver added, but not outside the realm of balance. Bonemeal batch.
First batch with krill oil replacing salmon oil. The boys LOVE krill oil. They were up on the counter "helping" me by cleaning off any utensils touched by krill oil.
This batch is a hit, they wolfed it down with enjoyment.
Tried them with chunks of turkey neck from our Christmas turkey and they were unimpressed so the dog got a treat.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #83
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #84
Latest batch was mostly lamb, with a tiny amount of chicken. Chicken livers and hearts, bonemeal, and supplements. Small amount of psyllium this batch, no pumpkin.
The cats HATE lamb (note to self: never buy lamb). Not only do they not like it, one of them hurled it all over the carpet.
Older guys are in excellent health and condition.
Kitten (9 months) is glossy and healthy, but weighs 9.5lbs. He is chunky and has a blubber-bag from the side view.
The three of them eat the same amount although they weigh between 7.5 and 9.5lbs. They eat roughly 500g, (anything from 500 - 530g per frozen bag) or 1.1 - 1.2 lbs of raw food per day between the three of them.
The older guy who had been straining did better on less psyllium and more pumpkin. Everybody's fine now, though the two older guys have taken to standing almost upright in order to go.
The cats HATE lamb (note to self: never buy lamb). Not only do they not like it, one of them hurled it all over the carpet.
Older guys are in excellent health and condition.
Kitten (9 months) is glossy and healthy, but weighs 9.5lbs. He is chunky and has a blubber-bag from the side view.
The three of them eat the same amount although they weigh between 7.5 and 9.5lbs. They eat roughly 500g, (anything from 500 - 530g per frozen bag) or 1.1 - 1.2 lbs of raw food per day between the three of them.
The older guy who had been straining did better on less psyllium and more pumpkin. Everybody's fine now, though the two older guys have taken to standing almost upright in order to go.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #85
Last batch: one farm-fresh whole duck (minus everything south of the diaphragm), and chicken thighs. Huge hit - my cats seem to like duck.
Other two batches: one mostly chicken with some pork and beef. The other was mostly pork with some chicken and beef.
Only the duck batch was bone-in. All 3 were psyllium, no pumpkin.
Tanner is the only one to be straining to poop, though he is always successful - no blockages or true constipation. Sometimes the straining makes him vomit after, so l'll go back to adding pumpkin, or perhaps add pumpkin to his meals when feeding if he'll eat it that way.
Other two batches: one mostly chicken with some pork and beef. The other was mostly pork with some chicken and beef.
Only the duck batch was bone-in. All 3 were psyllium, no pumpkin.
Tanner is the only one to be straining to poop, though he is always successful - no blockages or true constipation. Sometimes the straining makes him vomit after, so l'll go back to adding pumpkin, or perhaps add pumpkin to his meals when feeding if he'll eat it that way.
I still recommend you consider reducing (or eliminate) the psyllium.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #87
Hmmm, l think you have a point.
When l saw your post, l checked a site which says that if not taken with enough water it will cause constipation. None of my cats seem to drink water, but l do add extra to their raw to compensate for the psyllium. l'll try the next batch without, and note any changes
When l saw your post, l checked a site which says that if not taken with enough water it will cause constipation. None of my cats seem to drink water, but l do add extra to their raw to compensate for the psyllium. l'll try the next batch without, and note any changes
Yeah, we chatted about it here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/252854/constipation-vomiting
It seems the psyllium really needs a LOT of water to go with it. Personally, I suspect the recipe was put up before other fibers were really discussed or explored as they have been, and it was just never updated. Dr. Pierson uses guar gum for the one cat of hers that even needs fiber - which adds no bulk, but apparently does cause some odor. But the pumpkin itself is a fiber, and you can just use it to replace the psyllium. It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out how much to add so that they get 1 teaspoon a day in the amount you feed them.
It seems the psyllium really needs a LOT of water to go with it. Personally, I suspect the recipe was put up before other fibers were really discussed or explored as they have been, and it was just never updated. Dr. Pierson uses guar gum for the one cat of hers that even needs fiber - which adds no bulk, but apparently does cause some odor. But the pumpkin itself is a fiber, and you can just use it to replace the psyllium. It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out how much to add so that they get 1 teaspoon a day in the amount you feed them.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #89
So we did! l know l had reduced the amount of psyllium l was using, since l'd amended the paper copy of the recipe l use, but l didn't remember why.
l'm going to skip it altogether.
Do l need to use guar gum or is pumpkin equally good? l would prefer to use pumpkin since l can add it only when/if necessary, and then l don't need to give it to the other two boys who aren't having any pooping issues.
Well, those using Dr. Pierson's recipe don't usually include a fiber, and prey model raw feeders don't include fiber unless there's a kitty with a problem. Of my 8, one needs pumpkin regularly, and one occasionally has issues. The others don't need any fiber.
Healthy cats don't need a source of fiber in the diet, or don't seem to. Their natural diet would only contain the very small amount of stomach contents of their prey. On average, that worked out to just 2.8% of the diet.
So I think just adding pumpkin as needed is probably the best idea. Right now Spooky is getting one teaspoon a day; I don't know if I'm going to keep it there, or take it down to 3 or 4x a week.
Healthy cats don't need a source of fiber in the diet, or don't seem to. Their natural diet would only contain the very small amount of stomach contents of their prey. On average, that worked out to just 2.8% of the diet.
So I think just adding pumpkin as needed is probably the best idea. Right now Spooky is getting one teaspoon a day; I don't know if I'm going to keep it there, or take it down to 3 or 4x a week.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #91
l'm so excited. A friend of mine has a farm, and she's raising chickens, fancy chickens, and ducks (among other things).
On Wednesday, she's bring me a large Peking duck (l thought that was a dish, not a type of duck), and two Silkie hens. Apparently the Silkie hens have dark black skin, flesh and bones. l'll be very interested to see how it looks - and of course if the boys will deign to eat it
On Wednesday, she's bring me a large Peking duck (l thought that was a dish, not a type of duck), and two Silkie hens. Apparently the Silkie hens have dark black skin, flesh and bones. l'll be very interested to see how it looks - and of course if the boys will deign to eat it
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #93
Made 3 batches of plain duck, and duck/chicken.
Two of the batches l tried something a little different.
There is an almost full bag of Carnivora green tripe gracing my fridge which not even the dog will eat. l decided to "hide" some in one of the duck batches! The two skinnies will deign to eat it, but Rhys won't touch it. Fail.
One of the other batches l decided to cook the 4 egg whites and include them.
All three of them eat around the egg bits and l have to throw it out. Another fail.
Only the duck/chicken and pumpkin batch is being eaten with enthusiasm.
On another note, Tanner's appetite seems to have increased, but so has his yakking. One could account for the other, but he's due his vaccines so l'll have him looked at.
Two of the batches l tried something a little different.
There is an almost full bag of Carnivora green tripe gracing my fridge which not even the dog will eat. l decided to "hide" some in one of the duck batches! The two skinnies will deign to eat it, but Rhys won't touch it. Fail.
One of the other batches l decided to cook the 4 egg whites and include them.
All three of them eat around the egg bits and l have to throw it out. Another fail.
Only the duck/chicken and pumpkin batch is being eaten with enthusiasm.
On another note, Tanner's appetite seems to have increased, but so has his yakking. One could account for the other, but he's due his vaccines so l'll have him looked at.
