For those of you who have been feeding raw for awhile. Are your cats still doing well on it?
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still happy with raw?
- Thread starter meuzettesmom
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Been a month since I feed raw. Crazy energetic, zero fur shedding, no poop smell. Can't be happier. Well, I'd be happier if I figure out why he vomits frequently.
We're almost 2 years into it now. I can't imagine not feeding it. They're happy, they're energetic, they have great muscle mass, they are soooooo soft and silky; the vets are happy.... Lazlo is almost 2 years into remission; Tuxedo's hematocrit is off the charts. The only one that wasn't "fixed" by a raw diet is Spooky, and her issue is stress. It takes more work, because they need more attention (more energy). But SO worth it. They're eating real (non-processed) food. I feel good about that. I feel better when I eat real food - why wouldn't it be the same for them?
My cats health improved literally overnight on raw. Everyone that sees them are amazed at their condition. I'm completely happy with raw feeding. I may try cooking beef since one has some problemswith it, but otherwise I'll be sticking with homemade diet as long as I can.
I've been feeding raw for almost 6 years. I've just recently added some cooked home-made. I don't think there is any doubt that a home-made diet, either raw or cooked, is much healthier for them than any commercial processed food. Sometimes I really miss the old days of just dumping out cans of food but with what I know now I couldn't in good conscience go back to canned or dry food.
My cat has eaten raw for almost 3 years now and I wouldn't go back. She gets canned sometimes if I'm super lazy or forget to take anything out but she loves her meat and has done great on it, incredibly well compared to her years off kibble puking. Her coat looks better, she sheds less. She's old but doesn't look or act like it.
100% happy, 0% thoughts of ever going back.
Going on two years here too... Raw has saved Bugsy's life, I have no doubt in my mind :nod:
It has vastly improved all of my cats health, and now that I adopted a dog, it was only natural he would go raw too.... And boy he is doing wonderful and loving it :bigthumb:
We are all happy with it- kits and pup, vet (although he doesn't have as much business anymore
, and I am pretty darn sure the insurance company is thrilled 
Going on two years here too... Raw has saved Bugsy's life, I have no doubt in my mind :nod:
It has vastly improved all of my cats health, and now that I adopted a dog, it was only natural he would go raw too.... And boy he is doing wonderful and loving it :bigthumb:
We are all happy with it- kits and pup, vet (although he doesn't have as much business anymore
, and I am pretty darn sure the insurance company is thrilled 
100% happy I switched. I've been feeding raw for over two years. Yeah, sometimes miss simply dumping out a can, but then I'd miss Ritz' soft, silky fur.
Feeding raw doesn't cure everything--like LDG's cat(s), it doesn't fix stress (as in stress-induced UTIs). And does NOT necessarily lead to automatic weight loss. But I'd never go back.
Feeding raw doesn't cure everything--like LDG's cat(s), it doesn't fix stress (as in stress-induced UTIs). And does NOT necessarily lead to automatic weight loss. But I'd never go back.
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Nope, would never go back. Raw all the way.
Super soft fur that sheds less. And when I say super soft, I mean softer than kitten fur.
Small, less frequent, odorless poo. They do pee a lot more, but that means healthy kidneys.
So much more energy and so athletic.
It's good for them.
Super soft fur that sheds less. And when I say super soft, I mean softer than kitten fur.
Small, less frequent, odorless poo. They do pee a lot more, but that means healthy kidneys.
So much more energy and so athletic.
It's good for them.
My raw feeding is actually quite similar to dumping out a can. Actually it IS literally dumping out a can. I spend about a half hour mixing 5 lbs of meat with supplements and portion them out into cans. Then I just feed him out of the can like I would any canned food. Almost as easy, and 100x healthier and about 2x cheaper.
I think most if not all of us divide the food into meal size portions for storage. It's the " half hour mixing 5 lbs of meat with supplements and portion them out into cans" part that makes it less convenient than store bought cans.
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It doesn't seem to be the easiest wat to feed your cats. I read up on it anyway. It seems there are a lot of vitinums and minerals they miss out on when fed this. So I was wondering if people ever regret feeding it.
Side question, How do you feed organs? Seems these have nutrients they need.
Mine don't eat this raw or cooked food and won't, but I do want to.
Side question, How do you feed organs? Seems these have nutrients they need.
Mine don't eat this raw or cooked food and won't, but I do want to.
I think most if not all of us divide the food into meal size portions for storage. It's the " half hour mixing 5 lbs of meat with supplements and portion them out into cans" part that makes it less convenient than store bought cans.
The danger with raw feeding is that you have to do it right, or don't do it at all. It's better to feed canned than to feed raw the wrong way - i.e without the important minerals.
But done right though, it's great for kitty. I would never think of going back, ever.
The vitamins and minerals are accounted for in a balanced recipe regardless how it is fed (homemade, commercial, canned, or dry). Maybe you were reading about the dangers of feeding an unbalanced recipe?
The only organ my cats get is chicken liver and it's part of the balanced recipe that I use. I don't have access currently to other organs; some of that is due to availability and some of it is due to my finances.
As far as convenience, yes it takes a little time to grind, chop, mix in water/supplements, and then portion the food. But after that all I do is thaw and serve. My cats are healthier and so is my pocketbook. Why medicate my cats for IBS when a better diet alone can help them?
It definitely is not the easiest way to feed a cat. Those who feed it believe the benefits out weight the inconvenience.
It is possible to create a nutritionally deficient home-made diet. It also isn't that hard to ensure a home-made diet is nutritionally complete. Actually one of the things I like about a home-made food is that done right it is likely a *more* complete diet than any commercial processed food could ever be. Using a variety of fresh animal based ingredients ensures nutrients are included that may not even be known to science and so don't appear in any pet food industry standards.
I include as many organs as I can get my hands on which is usually quite a bit. They are loaded with nutrients and IMO important to include in a homemade diet. One of the advantages of a ground diet is that the organs are mixed in are hard to eat around. Even when organs aren't available I think a diet of just muscle meat with appropriate supplements is healthier than commercial processed.
As with any food they aren't familiar with they may or may not take to it right away. Many people have found they have to slowly transition their cats to a home-made diet.
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Yup! I started Pia on raw about 4 or 5 months ago.
Pia was young and healthy to begin with, but I've noticed small, positive changes in her body state since she began on raw. Her breath is odorless and her teeth look a little cleaner (I completely wasn't expecting the latter, since she only gets ground bone). Her coat is slightly less oily. Her feces also smells less.
I make sure to rotate her protein sources often. At any given time, I have 3 different kinds of frozen raw that I switch up (Primal Rabbit is always one of them, since it has the lowest fat content and the highest protein content -- the theory is that this will balance out some of the fattier foods).
So, since her meals are changing all the time, she never really gets tired of it. However, I have noticed she doesn't really care for quail in particular.
No, that's not true at all. There are lots of homemade and commercial raw diets that are nutritionally complete. The commercial raw diets I feed are AAFCO approved as complete for cats. She's not missing anything, and her condition is a testament to that.
A complete commercial raw food will include organs. Everything is ground together, so they just look like little meat patties.
People who feed homemade raw may grind organs together as well, or they may feed them whole as part of a frankenprey or whole prey type diet.
The grinding is nothing compared to the mixing and packaging. I'll gladly do all your grinding if you'll do my mixing and packaging!
So odd! I like the mixing and packaging part. It's therapeutic, I kinda go into a trance and just hum songs to myself. I guess that's how some people feel when they cook or wash dishes haha.
The grinding is nothing compared to the mixing and packaging. I'll gladly do all your grinding if you'll do my mixing and packaging!
You probably wouldn't like grinding then. It doesn't take long enough to be therapeutic!So odd! I like the mixing and packaging part. It's therapeutic, I kinda go into a trance and just hum songs to myself. I guess that's how some people feel when they cook or wash dishes haha.
The grinding is nothing compared to the mixing and packaging. I'll gladly do all your grinding if you'll do my mixing and packaging!
