My cat hates the vitamins put into raw food.

[britt]

Hello so like the title says my 11 year old cat hates the vitamins I put into the raw food but she LOVES to get the grinded up bone and meat and skin before I put the vitamins in. She refuses to eat it with the vitamins even if I mix it with canned food. So I was wondering if it's ok to do one meal just the meat skin and bones so she gets the benefits of raw and then a meal of of canned food? Also she's had a cold recently it has lasted forever and she's been on meds three times from the vet and it's finally clearing up. Last night when I actually got her to eat a little of the raw she got completely stuffy but on canned food she doesn't do that. Can some cats just not handle raw?

 

[missmimz]

Are you using a pre-mix like Alnutrin or adding your own vitamins? Alnutrin has essentially no taste. My super picky old man eats raw with alnutrin without issue, but I can't add anything else to his food or he turns his nose up to it. 

 

[lisahe]

I wondered the same thing: is it a premix or all kinds of separate supplements? Our cats really love EZcomplete, which I've only used, so far, on cooked meat, not raw.

And to avoid malnutrition, only 10% of a cat's diet should be unbalanced. But maybe whole prey would work for your cat if she likes to eat skin and bones and chunks of meat but not supplements? She'd still need other elements, notably organ meats, to balance it but if you're able to source those it might be easier than trying to get her to eat food with supplements.

 

[sophie1]

If it's a premix and it's one you intend to keep using, you could try adding just a tiny amount at each meal to the plain raw food, then gradually increase the amount to let your kitty get used to it.

Alternatively, you could do the same thing your own supplement mix, which has less chance of having an objectionable ingredient and will be far less costly as a bonus.  Use the catinfo.org recipe.  Start with just a single capsule of one supplement first - I'd recommend starting with taurine - then if that's ok try the full amount with the next batch, then add supplements one at a time until you're using the whole recipe, or you find whatever it is that your cat objects to.   I'd leave off trying the eggs and fish oil until after your cat is eating the dry vitamin mix.

BTW just a reminder:  Alnutrin doesn't include the omega 3 supplement, i.e. the fish oil.  You need to add that separately.

 

[britt]

Sorry forgot to mention I make the recipe on catinfo.org. She will eat the grinded up meat bones and skin like crazy she'll jump on counters and beg me till I give her some then as soon as I add the vitamins and fish oil shes gone and could care less. Maybe it's the fish oil? She was on better in the raw but hamburger meat and chicken breast were costing alot so I wanted to try to get her on what my other cats are on but she's not having it so right now she's on soulistic canned which she loves and is giving her crazy energy along with giving her a probiotic she acts like a kitten but I can't help but to feel like I'm not giving her the 100% best. I've tried whole prey but she hasn't figured out how to crush bones yet she will only chew on meat.I wanted to try Alnutrin but my only option to order stuff right now is amazon and sadly they don't have it.

 

[LTS3]

A lot of people order their raw meats from Hare-Today.com Perhaps that may be an more affordable option for you than buying meat from the supermarket. I buy chubs fo raw meat from the independent pet store and use that with either Better In The Raw or Alnutrin for meat and bone.

You can buy Alnutrin directly from the company: http://www.knowwhatyoufeed.com/shop_online.html Amazon is great but there are just some things you can't buy there.

Some cats don't like fish oil. I think krill oil is an acceptable substitue. Here's a thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/300477/alternative-to-fish-oil-for-home-made-raw-food

As long as your cat is eating a complete balanced diet, even if it's canned food right now, and's healthy don't feel like you are a bad owner

You're doing the best you can but you know, cats have a mind of their own and often want to do their own thng.

 

[peaches08]

Which brand of vitamins are you using? Sometimes using a different brand makes all the difference.

My cats went from TC Feline to Dr. Pierson's recipe on catinfo.org, and they were not interested initially in her recipe. They were crazy for the TC Feline, but it was just too expensive for me to continue feeding and I wanted them to get their calcium from fresh bone so I had to wait them out a little bit.  They gave in and ate it. Now they tear up anything I put down for them. It took them a few meals before they ate with gusto again.

I have no answers about the stuffiness. It's possible it was just a coincidence? Only way to tell is to eliminate one for a while and see if it returns.