Raw issue

[maple syrup]

Hi,

So our little guy has been on raw food since we took him home.  This week he's been pretty picky... He's taken a turn and really won't chew any bones.  His consumption had dropped when I try to feed him bone in.  Basically the chicken option.  He loves a good chunk of beef.  Could this be related to loose teeth?  He's about 4.5 months.  what are the other options if not eating frankenfood for bone content?

 

[katluver4life]

Maybe his kitten teeth need softer bones? Small quail wings and such perhaps? Mine are currently on a ground meat/bone/organs, as they have only been on raw for 3 weeks and have refused and are not used to frankenprey yet. These grinds can be obtained from many sources including commercially prepared raw. There are many sources listed in the resource guide here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/240809/raw-feeding-resource-thread. The list for commercial raw is a bit down in the thread.

 

[carolina]

That's interesting, that is a possibility, I guess!
Well, I feed my cats "Boneless Frankerprey" :lol3: Which is basically frankerprey balanced with Calcium instead of bones. I use Eggshells for Ca - it works really well!!

You can make the eggshell Ca at home quite easily - just get the eggshells, wash them, remove the inner membrane, bake on 350F for 30 minutes. Crush it on a food processor into a fine powder.

If you want to buy it ready to feed, this is the one I use: http://knowwhatyoufeed.com/shop_online.html
It's on the bottom of the page.

To measure it, I use these tiny measuring spoons: Mini-Measuring Spoon Sets

SMIDGEN = 1/32 tsp - will balance 1oz of muscle meat.
DROP = 1/64 tsp - this will balance 1/2 oz.

Both together will balance 1oz of organs.

Of course you can grind the meat/bones in a processor, if you have one strong enough..... of feed ground commercial foods for a little while.....

 

[maple syrup]

I've been feeding Quail as well, but he just picks the bones clean and won't eat them!  I've tried the Natures instinct ground pellets, but I find it really makes him have runny wet stinky poo... Maybe it's the veggies that are in there?   All the commercial raw I've found has veggies in it which I am not too keen on.

I've got some egg shells that I've cleaned this morning to try your method of Ca.  I just saved them from the compost.... so 30 minutes at 3:50 won't burn the shells? What should they look like when they're done?

I don't have a processor strong enough for meat/bones, and I'd probably have to worry about Taurine (sp) if its ground right?  might it help if I just use a mallet to beat up the quail ribs to make them easier to chew?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You can certainly try pounding the quail to see if he'll eat the bones that way.  Good idea.  I've never tried making the eggshell powder by hand (I just buy it already powdered), but Carolina's way should work...just remember she is giving you the temperature in Fahrenheit, not Centigrade

I'm not sure on the taurine question.  I know freezing affects taurine, but not sure if you just take a piece of fresh meat and grind it up and serve it if that would change it...don't see why it would

 

[maple syrup]

So... The mallet did the trick!  And he's started eating more again.  I also did the Eggshells so we are good when I want to give his little jaws a break... they do smell a little like cooked eggshells, but he doesn't seem to mind.

So will freezing affect Taurine if it is not ground?  I usually buy his meat fresh, break it down into portions and freeze it... is that bad?
 

 

[ldg]

No, freezing in and of itself does not affect taurine levels. Taurine is water soluble though, so when you dethaw the food, that watery run-off should be included in the meal, because it will contain taurine.

 

[meranaldar]

I use egg shell powder for another purpose, and I just let them sit in an open container for a while to dry out completely, then grind them up with a mortar and pestle. It just looks like a fine powder when I'm done, and works fine without baking.

I don't have a food processor so I don't know if that would be different.

 

[Willowy]

I tried putting eggshells in the food processor and they just turned into little bits, not powder :/. And I have a good food processor (thanks Mom!). Maybe a coffee grinder would make powder? IDK. I didn't know if the little bits are digestible enough to count as a calcium source or not.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I tried putting eggshells in the food processor and they just turned into little bits, not powder :/. And I have a good food processor (thanks Mom!). Maybe a coffee grinder would make powder? IDK. I didn't know if the little bits are digestible enough to count as a calcium source or not.

I would certainly think they would count, to me it's a question of it your cats will eat them in that form

.  A coffee grinder would probably work GREAT !

 

[ldg]

You probably need to smash them up a bit to put in a coffee grinder, but that's how I make my homemade supplement - I put the pills and capsules in a coffee grinder. It grinds up everything - including the gelcaps - into a very fine powder.

I DO know that whatever you use, you have to let it sit for at least 20 minutes to settle, or you will have powder everywhere!

 

[maple syrup]

So... a little update.  I was just checking out Kipper's teeth today, and look what I found! I guess that his top canines are coming in without his milk teeth having fallen out!  Is this normal?  Will the milk teeth fall out once the adult teeth are in? And do you think it is the little small ones that are the new ones coming in, or the longer ones?

2013-06-14 12.53.47.jpg

• maple syrup
• Jun 14, 2013

 

[Willowy]

The milk teeth should come out before the adult teeth are all the way in. If they seem to hang around too long, call your vet---he/she may want to remove them, this is best done at the same time as neuter/spay so the cat won't need anesthesia twice. But usually they come out just fine. Encourage tugging-type games if you want to speed the process .

I think the longer ones are the baby teeth, as the adult teeth aren't usually so curved.