Raw Diet And General Lack Of Knowledge.

[hell_storm2004]

Hello Everyone,

So I was planning to get a two cats. And I am firm believer in raw diet. My last two were on it till I had to put them up for adoption when I changed continents. But over here, at least in area I live, there seems to be a genuine lack of knowledge about the matter. Since this would be my first pets in US, i dont know how the vets are and what advice they provide. Not to mention the difficulty in finding a proper butcher. My way has been called a Neanderthal method and what a few other choice words because of my stance. Just wanted to know is it like that for the rest of US? Raised eyebrows would be putting it mildly!

 

[mschauer]

Welcome to the US and to TCS! Where did you move from?

Feeding pets a home-made raw or cooked diet is not mainstream in the US. It is slowly gaining acceptance. The thread that you started under Cat Nutrition was moved to the Raw & Home-Cooked Cat Food forum which exists exactly because there so many people interested in learning more about home prepared pet food. Of course it isn't just Americans who post here but that is the majority.

As for vet acceptance, my experience with several has ranged from full approval with encouragement to disapproval but acceptance that I will do it anyway so they don't give me a hard time. I've never encountered a vet that strongly disapproved. But none of my vets have been at all helpful when it came to formulating a diet. I've always been on my own in that.

I'm sure others will chime in soon.

 

[hell_storm2004]

My vet in England was the one who prescribed raw+wet food. They were pretty young when I switched. Over there butchers are everywhere. They had UTD for which I had to transition, back then I did not have much idea about raising cats. So it was more like learn as you go along kinda thing. But now I can call myself experienced enough. So I was looking around for butchers. And naturally folks asked why, so i said i am planning to get cats, BOOM, the criticism started!

It was impossible to get the term "obligate carnivore" through most people's head!

 

[mschauer]

It was impossible to get the term "obligate carnivore" through most people's head!

My recommendation would be don't try to. Just do your thing. It's not the business of anyone else.

I don't get my meats from a full service butcher. I just use what I can get from the grocery stores. I can get a fair variety, even organs, but not all that I might want. Meats and organs available in grocery stores vary widely depending on where you live.

Where do you live? Someone here at TCS may live near by and might be able to help you find good sources.

 

[lalagimp]

Depending on what meats you need and what side of the country you are on, Hare-Today.com out of Pennsylvania has supplied LOTS of people. I use them for my rabbit and I use the grocer's for my turkey thighs. There is a vet online that runs catinfo.org and I've been feeding based on that recipe, as well as having a conference with Dr Pierson last year.
My vet office is cat exclusive and has no issue with me feeding raw. The owner just wanted to know that I was supplementing my meats because I freeze all my portions for the month.
I got into home made after I decided that it was cheaper than buying high quality canned or commercial raw. Not a single fruit or vegetable this way, and my cats don't need that anyway.

 

[hell_storm2004]

Oh yes, I should have mentioned it before. I am in Dallas. I plan to get most of the meat from stores. The butcher thing is just out of habit. Mostly plan to to get chicken and fish. Some beef. Along with some wet food.

There is this company called Darwin who do packed raw meat for pets. Have you guys tried it? I found it by Googling.

 

[mschauer]

I've used Darwin's. My cats loved their food. They have been hit hard by food safety violations recently however. See the link below.

FDA, state investigate Darwin's pet food after illnesses, death | Food Safety News

I consider RadCat to be the highest quality pre-made raw pet food available in the US. It ain't cheap though. I can buy it locally (Houston) but I don't know what the availability in Dallas would be. It can be bought online and shipped though.

 

[hell_storm2004]

Yikes! Thanks for the that one! I am only looking for this as an option if my work gets in the way. As a single guy it gets hectic every once in a while at work. I will prepare food on my own.

Red Cat is available close to my home! Awesome!

 

[mschauer]

Be sure the store near your home carries the cat food. Some stores shown on the RadCat web site only carry the dog food. They likely could special order the cat food though if you didn't need it in short order.

 

[hell_storm2004]

Ah, I see. I will ask ahead when I need it. Thanks for the advice. Its feels good to be back of pet forums after such a long time!

 

[mschauer]

Actually I got my products mixed up. RadCat only makes cat food. Some of the stores the list as places where it is sold appear to be dog oriented though. Oh well, you might want to check availability at the store closest you at any rate.

 

[Tobermory]

I buy meat from a variety of places. Locally (SW Oregon), I buy at a specialty butcher shop, Fred Meyer (which is owned by Kroger), and Costco. Like lalagimp , I buy rabbit from Hare Today. Their stuff is first rate and they have a variety of different proteins. And although it travels from Pennsylvania to Oregon, the meat arrives almost completely frozen.

You’re living in meat country! There have to be butcher shops in Dallas...although it may be very beef heavy.

 

[hell_storm2004]

Beef yes. Chicken is hard. I found an animal farm not very close, not very far. I will call them up. My cats move in next week.

 

[orange&white]

I buy most of my meats at HEB and Randalls. I think Randalls is called "Tom Thumb" in Dallas...same company. Twice a year, I drive across town to a Mexican supermarket for kidneys and other organ meats. There's also a large Asian market across town with a good variety of organ meats which aren't sold in general grocery stores in Texas.

I haven't ordered from this company, but am planning my first order of either chicken necks or backs this month. This company sources from Texas farms and drives a delivery truck around Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Looks like they make deliveries in Dallas every Thursday. Prices are really great...of course you'd be buying in bulk. Texas Tripe - Raw Foods for Dogs and Cats in North Texas

If you're planning to make your cats' food from scratch, you may want a deep freezer so you can stock up on meats when they're on sale (or to buy large cases of meat from Texas Tripe or Hare Today).

 

[EmmiTemmi]

There is this company called Darwin who do packed raw meat for pets. Have you guys tried it? I found it by Googling.

Just last week I ordered and got their introductory 10lb for $15 package. It came with 2lbs of lamb mix, 4lbs of chicken mix, and 4lbs of turkey mix. Not planning on continuing with them since their prices are pretty high (for me), but the introductory offer price was so good I couldn't pass it up!

I've only offered the chicken mix to my boys, but I had insanely good results. My picky boy even ate it right away!

 

[lalagimp]

Just last week I ordered and got their introductory 10lb for $15 package. It came with 2lbs of lamb mix, 4lbs of chicken mix, and 4lbs of turkey mix. Not planning on continuing with them since their prices are pretty high (for me), but the introductory offer price was so good I couldn't pass it up!

I've only offered the chicken mix to my boys, but I had insanely good results. My picky boy even ate it right away!

Aye. I think it's about $130 to feed my boys based on their pricing, and when I make it at home I get it to around $85. Duck for some reason is no longer on their menu, and they're subbing lamb now? It was all poultry.

 

[hell_storm2004]

Safeway is Tom Thumb I know. I could be wrong! Me being right in the middle of the city, the nearest HEB is about 80kms away!

I used to butcher my own meat. Stuff it in boxes in the freezer. I had become pretty good at it. I want to feed them fish, but it is weakness of mine. I hate it!

 

[orange&white]

Yes Randalls we have here is also a Safeway company. Seems like it would be easier to just call all their stores "Safeway".

 

[sabrinah]

My new vet very strongly disapproves of raw. She disapproves of anything that isn't Royal Canin or Science Diet. Her reaction was so strong I'll probably be searching for a new vet!

I'm new to the land of raw but I'm getting meat mostly from Safeway and Grocery Outlet.

 

[hell_storm2004]

I have heard this conspiracy theory thrown around that vets or higher organizations making profits out of forcing packaged food. I wouldn't believe in something without proof. But some vets do work hard I guess to fuel the fire.