Question about treats and a raw eater

mewlittle

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Hi can a raw eater have cats treats ? Because I know they shouldnt eat dry when they on a raw diet
If they can have the treats what ones do you recommend? If they cant have the treats what other crunchy things can cats it?

Im asking bc I want to get the cat toys you put dry treats in that the cat has to work for it for stemulation and help boredom out
 

LTS3

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Treats are fine sicne they're, well, treats and not fed all the time
Even dry treats are fine. It's feeding both dry and raw food as the main source of food that can be a problem.

Most people like to give 100% freeze dried or seafood treats.PureBites is one popular brand. There are other brands suggested here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/314398/what-treats-do-you-feed-your-cat Freeze dried treats can be rehdyrated in water.

I'm not sure if freeze dried treats will work in a puzzle feeder but I guess it depend on the shape of the treat. Some are c ube-shaped, others are in random shaped small pices, others are round-ish.

Air dried raw food and freeze dried raw food can be also given as treats. Some people may even give a high quality grain-free regular dry food as treats.
 

sophie1

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I use Orijen dry food for one cat who insists that his favorite game is playing throw and chase with treats. He's an expert at grabbing them in midair.  He'd be the kitty equivalent of the Pillsbury Dough Boy if I threw him that many freeze dried treats.  He also likes anything labeled as a cat treat.  My other cat, though, will not touch any dry cat food or treat, except freeze dried raw and (inexplicably) Honest Kitchen, which he has now decided he wants in dry form.

Nature Variety Instinct Minis are the right size and shape for puzzle feeders, and unlike most freeze dried treats they aren't crumbly, so they're ideal for setting up treasure hunts in the morning before I head off to work.  I get them through a subscribe and save deal at Amazon.
 

beth0612

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Please forgive my ignorance (I'm new to raw), but why shouldn't they eat dry when they're on a raw diet?

I have two four-month old kittens that I'm transitioning to raw from wet food. However, I have an extremely finicky 17-year-old cat who will only eat dry (it's high-quality grain free) from a self-feeder. She's always eaten from a self feeder and I'm afraid to take it away because she will hunger strike and she's already borderline underweight. So, there's always dry food available. While the kittens are eating primarily raw food on a schedule, I do catch them snacking from my older kitty's feeder. It's not much, but I'm wondering what the problem with dry and raw food is?

Thank you!
 
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mewlittle

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Because cats digest dry and raw at different rates and it can cause an issue in the intestinal track

Also maybe add high quality grain free wet to your 17 yr old cats diet my 20 yr old cat gets wet and dry and the vet says she is at a great weight
 

mschauer

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Because cats digest dry and raw at different rates and it can cause an issue in the intestinal track
 
That is actually a myth that has been disproven. I'll see if I can the link to the study that disproved it.
 

beth0612

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I was worried that I might be causing problems for the kittens by allowing them access to dry while they're transitioning to raw. They've had chronic diarrhea the entire time I've had them (it started with coccidia but persisted even after multiple fecal tests turned up negative). It's finally getting better so I'm wary of causing more stress to their little systems. 

I offer my 17-year-old wet food every meal, but she usually just takes a bite or two at most and then leaves it. She's always been picky with food. She lost her lifelong companion, who was 21, back in November and the kittens have been an adjustment for her so I don't want to upset her by removing the self-feeder, which she's had access to her entire life. 

I had a followup appointment for the vet with my kittens on Tuesday. The vet initially recommended Science Diet dry food for the kittens, so I didn't tell her I have them on raw because I don't think she's approve, but she did comment on how great the kittens' fur and skin looked. The boy kitten is actually big for his age so they appear to be thriving despite these lingering GI issues that I hope raw will clear up.
 
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