Raw Food Causing Vomiting

[cryptic]

So I slowly introduced Jinx and Java to Freshpet, a simple raw food, until I find something a bit better. Not sure how I feel about it right now, but Java seems to love it!
Jinx does too - she's my 'older' girl, not even 2 yet. While Java LOVES it (cat eats anything. Kibble, raw, wet, mothballs, whatever.) Jinx seems to have issues with it. She eats it, I've been mixing in very little with her PM meals so her tract can adjust. The first few times, it went great. I've fed her the same minimal amount, but now every time she eats it, she vomits immediately. I stopped giving it to her, but my question is are there any raw foods for cats with sensitive stomachs? Is she going to be bound to crappy kibble her entire life? I can feed just wet too, but she really seems to enjoy the crunch of her dry food.
Thanks,
Alissa

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So are you mixing her new raw food with kibble? It may be that because they digest at different levels, that's the issue. I'm not sure, but with a sensitive stomach cat, that could be the problem. Or, how soon after she eats is she vomiting? Is it immediately? If so, then it's possible she's simply eating too fast or too much and you can resolve that by feeding her less at each meal. It's also possible that she's got problems with the specific protein in the FreshPet. Have you tried giving her a different one?

 

[cryptic]

I'm going to try a new one - I don't think it's sitting well with her and FreshPet is a low quality raw food. I may try Rad Cat again, she seemed to really like that initially. Maybe I can get her to eat more of it now.
The vomiting is as soon as she eats the raw - which she of course eats first - and then doesn't touch the rest of her meal. Unlike her, because I top her food with her favorite wet. She's a very slow eater, I don't think speed is the issue. If I had to guess, you're probably right about her being unable to digest it right.

 

[maureen brad]

If you are mixing raw with kibble that is probably the problem, those two things digest differently. Also, if the raw is cold when you feed it , many cats vomit if they ate cold food.My catys will gorge on their meal but., if it was even slightly cold when they ate it at least one will vomit soon after. I do not know of a commercial raw for sensitive stomachs, rabbit is good on the digestive tract and if you can find it Small Batch makes a rabbit grind, my cats love that.Some cats do not do well with red meat either.

 

[lisamarie12]

Freshpet cat food is not raw, it's cooked.

Primal, Northwest Naturals, Natures Variety Instinct, Bravo, Vital Essentials, Stella & Chewy's, Fresh Is Best, All Provide, Feline Natural, Rad Cat, Balanced Blends are raw, among other brands I may have missed.

Any new food ideally should be introduced gradually.

 

[cryptic]

It was very gradual, no more than a sprinkle on her old food initially. I still only added a little bit but she would still vomit. She does have a sensitive stomach - I picked up Rad Cat tonight! Gonna add tiny amounts over the next week.
I didn't know Freshpet was cooked. Although I should've assumed based on the color and texture.

 

[cryptic]

So how should I introduce the Rad Cat? Since it's raw and you said they digest differently, I would love advice on how to do this correctly

 

[Ardina]

You can mix with canned food if you want to do a slow transition. You could even put a spoonful down at the side of the dish of canned food without mixing (mixing is mostly for picky cats). Just make sure not to mix with kibble or feed any dry at the same meal. Also trying warming up the raw to room temp or slightly above - you can do that by putting the raw in a plastic bag and running under warm (not hot!) water for a couple of minutes.