Rotations

[spider jones]

Hi all,

since reading here I am seeing the concept of rotations used. Is there a reason for this? As I have only just gained some confidence in feeding a balanced raw diet I am sticking to chicken thigh for now.

But for the future, I was thinking of trying to source some rabbit (not yet as there has been a lot of talk of contaminated/diseased rabbit meat in Australia, lately).

As I have so far based my recipe on Dr Pierson's philosophy regarding what sort of meat could my cat realistically kill in the wild, I had thought that beef and pork would be unsuitable, but I see that some members do feed this. What about lamb? Lamb is very easy to buy fresh, here so if it would be suitable, it might make a nice change of flavour (I actually think Layla could kill a lamb in the wild anyway, she is so big and strong and feisty).

Any advice is most welcome.

 

[ritz]

The reasoning behind rotation is that every protein has a different nutritional profile. And so your cat doesn't get 'addicted' to one particular protein.
Lamb would be a good addition to your rotation, especially because rabbit tends to be lower in fat and lamb, high, at least in the USA.
I would feed rabbit more often if I could obtain it and if it wasn't so expensive ($4 a pound, with at least 1/3 to 1/2 not usable because of bone). And lamb is expensive and very fatty in the USA. That is why I feed pork (well did, but Ritz is sensitive to that protein) and beef.
Being in Australia you might have access to proteins we in the USA don't, like kangaroo. I believe some members feed their cats kangaroo.

 

[spider jones]

Hey Ritz, right this does make sense. Yes, you are right, most of the commercial raw food available here is kangaroo based which I had thought was probably not suitable, but again maybe I am wrongly assuming.

Maybe I could use kangaroo instead of rabbit for the next stage in the journey.

 

[jcat]

Our Mogli is on prescription canned. One of the meats is kangaroo, which he does well on and likes. It's certainly worth a try.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

The only cat in our household who is currently eating raw LOVES beef

.  He's a big guy, but I still don't think he could take down a cow

.   I guess he just thinks he's macho.  He hates rabbit, BTW.  Guess they're too small...no challenge

(as if he'd ever have to actually catch something and kill it to survive)

 

[roguethecat]

I feed three who really like bison, and seem to think they would actually be able to take one down (especially my small guy, Grisou

)... they also liked elk (but my budget doesn't). Earlier this week I had a rat in my fridge that seemed to big to even consider, but apparently the head was tasty.

Then, mouse, and best: naked mice and fuzzy rats.

 

[ritz]

Ritz likes bison (buffalo) too. I can only get it ground, and sometimes it's on 'sale' for $7 to $9 a pound. Hey, she's worth it.
Ritz likes venison, too. My nephew is a hunter and sometimes he gives me extra for $0.00 a pound. Hey, she's definitely worth *that*.
I know that there is some debate about whether you should feed your cat an animal he wouldn't find/kill in the wild/outdoors. But I am more concerned that Ritz gets the appropriate amounts of organs, bones and protein. And I can't quite get some mice and feed it to Ritz. Don't mind cutting up jello pee (kidney), but mice, um, no.... But that's just my comfort level.

 

[roguethecat]

how about naked mice, or pinkies? they don't even look much like mice... and you buy them dead, anyway, so they won't mind... (I know the feeling - am working my way up to cut into a small rabbit sitting in my freezer. Had to work my way up buying one at first - I grew up with rabbits)

My guys (except Rascal, who is mad at me) all go crazy about pinkies. I don't even have to cut them anymore.