I've been (vaguely) thinking about starting to feed my boys raw lately. I've been lurking on everyone's raw threads and observing the trials and challenges, and triumphs. :lol3:
I have no plan whatsoever for this. I just wanted to see if mine would even register it as food in their little kitty heads. I had a pretty good feeling they'd take to it well. Both of them are already on timed wet (and I free feed dry Blue Buffalo Wilderness too :anon: for boots since he's growing...)
Boots loves all cat food but especially all people food and will think he is getting a special treat. Also, he's only 6 months ex-feral, so maybe he had some hunting (and thus raw) under his belt before I got him? Kramer is more picky, but I thought I'd try it anyway. He's not even 2 years old yet, so probably not as set in his ways as older cats who refuse raw. So tonight, I thawed a chicken thigh.
First, I cut it up into little kitty bite-sized pieces. I mean maybe 10 tiny pieces total, pieces the size of my thumbnail. The thigh was still somewhat frozen in the middle... easily cut through but still icy and chewy. Both cats attempted to eat the pieces anyway. They were super excited! But the chewing thing put them off in the end. They tried valiantly but gave up when they couldn't swallow it after a few chews. But, they loved the flavor. They both enthusiastically licked the chicken juice and bits off my fingers and gobbled up the skin.
Then, I zapped the pieces in the microwave for just a few seconds, to bring them to body heat-ish temperature, like lukewarm. Boots gobbled down the whole dish before Kramer could even get a bite. :lol3:
I'm going to try Kramer again tomorrow with some warmer pieces. But just the fact that they were WANTING to eat semi-frozen raw chicken is a very encouraging sign. :nod:
If they still have texture/chewing issues, a dental is probably in order, or at least a more regular Greenies schedule, before I look into grinders and such. But I really think the warmth helped eliminate some of the chewing issues since Boots ate it all easily after that.
I have no plan whatsoever for this. I just wanted to see if mine would even register it as food in their little kitty heads. I had a pretty good feeling they'd take to it well. Both of them are already on timed wet (and I free feed dry Blue Buffalo Wilderness too :anon: for boots since he's growing...)
Boots loves all cat food but especially all people food and will think he is getting a special treat. Also, he's only 6 months ex-feral, so maybe he had some hunting (and thus raw) under his belt before I got him? Kramer is more picky, but I thought I'd try it anyway. He's not even 2 years old yet, so probably not as set in his ways as older cats who refuse raw. So tonight, I thawed a chicken thigh.
First, I cut it up into little kitty bite-sized pieces. I mean maybe 10 tiny pieces total, pieces the size of my thumbnail. The thigh was still somewhat frozen in the middle... easily cut through but still icy and chewy. Both cats attempted to eat the pieces anyway. They were super excited! But the chewing thing put them off in the end. They tried valiantly but gave up when they couldn't swallow it after a few chews. But, they loved the flavor. They both enthusiastically licked the chicken juice and bits off my fingers and gobbled up the skin.
Then, I zapped the pieces in the microwave for just a few seconds, to bring them to body heat-ish temperature, like lukewarm. Boots gobbled down the whole dish before Kramer could even get a bite. :lol3:
I'm going to try Kramer again tomorrow with some warmer pieces. But just the fact that they were WANTING to eat semi-frozen raw chicken is a very encouraging sign. :nod:
If they still have texture/chewing issues, a dental is probably in order, or at least a more regular Greenies schedule, before I look into grinders and such. But I really think the warmth helped eliminate some of the chewing issues since Boots ate it all easily after that.
... and Welcome to the Raw Camps :lol3: 
It seems to be so easy for some cat's to transition and then the other's are so much more work. The "convincing" never ends. With my six, two of them took to it immediately and have never looked back. The other four are still a work in progress. It is a labor of love and I am ecstatic with the closer bond I am developing with all of my cat's because of this process. I have gotten into their little heads and seem to have learned new thing's about their personalities that I never knew before. Pretty cool 
- well try anyway..... :winkblue: :happy3: 
They'll get to work on chewing for that reason alone. But yep - we started with very small slices and worked (well - are still working LOL) our way up to larger pieces for most of them. But they'll get the hang of it! 
:lol3: I have a thing about listening to the cat's chewing raw fresh meat. I LOVE THAT SOUND and watching them chew. Like little lions in the wild 
I'll try him again tomorrow.
GO BOOTS GO! 
I have heard of many raw feeder's feeding the cats whole frankenprey in crates :nod: The cat's learn very quickly to run to those crates when momma brings out the "bird" 
