As many probably know, I am one who was never pro-raw..... Known to give Auntie Crazy a "bit" (just a bit :lol3
of trouble, she said she just about fell off her chair when she received my PM asking for help in transitioning my kiddos to raw 
Truth is, I have always known the theory; the logic behind it..... Cats are carnivores, and yes, that is a fact, and it doesn't take too many brain cells to figure out that we make kibbles and feed them because it is convenient..... I always knew that.... I also always knew that cats can live a very long and healthy life on kibbles.... I had healthy cats on kibbles, the same as I had on table scraps. Cats and dogs....
I have been thinking about raw for a very long time for Bugsy, for his digestive issues. I have always been afraid of it, which is the reason why I have never been here before. At the same time I knew for a regular IBD cat raw could be wonderful, I was always afraid of what it could do to Bugsy - I will get into that a bit later..... and that always stopped me. He is not a typical cat in any way....
But recent events with the Purina scare - if they are in fact a real concern or not, pushed me to learn more about the pet food industry...... the AAFCO.... and I also got to know a first hand experience from our dear Aunty Crazy, who lost her darling
Ollie in the 2007 recall. Bottom line is, I do not want to be a slave to the pet food industry, and have them dictate what I feed to my babies, when the "regulatory" "agency" behind is so weak and does not protect my furfamily. I want to have control. And to me, this is the best way.
It is not a matter of theory anymore.... as I always knew the theory..... it is a matter of taking control and ensuring their health the best way I can.
As a plus side, I hope their health to be improved and to prevent the health issues that will come along with age, may they continue in a bad diet - especially Bugsy.....
So, without further ado, let me post my challenges, as they are MANY - as I said, this is going to be one for the books.
Challenge #1: My Lifestyle:
I travel quite a bit for work.... When I am in town I work out of my home office, which is great, but I can travel as much as once or even twice a week sometimes. I try to make my travels as short as I can, but sometimes it is not possible and I can be gone for 4-5 or even 6 days. When I am gone, I need to rely on Kelly, my petsitter. There have been times when her schedule at work was less than optimum, for which having kibbles out come quite handy.
Kelly does sleep here when I am out, so she can, in theory, feed 3x a day - in the morning before she lives to work, as soon as she comes home, and once again before she goes to bed.
My fear is if she doesn't make home on time for their second meal, and that upsets their tummies.
Challenge #2 Bugsy - The BIG one
This is my BIG challenge, and the reason why I am so excited about this change, and so fearful about it.
Bugsy is my "Murphy's law" kitty - everything that can possibly go wrong, will. His immune-system is completely wacky. He has stomatitis (for which he takes daily medication), IBD - but can not take meds, has had a BAD reaction to vaccines that knocked him down, a bad UTI, for which he was treated with Clavamox........... that gave him months of explosive diarrhea......... and a year and 2 months later, his digestive system is still not normal and he STILL has soft poop. During his treatment, he had reactions to the drugs used, his liver got affected, so he can not be in any drugs (can not tolerate steroids, nor they have shown effect) - the only one he needs to be, and accepts well is the one for stomatitis. But because it is a mixture of drugs, he gets a liver panel every 6 months just in case...... He also had a BAD reaction to steroids...... He has food intolerance and for a long time had explosive diarrhea with chicken in all forms - in kibbles, canned, cooked and raw.
Basically, when it comes to Bugsy it is a shot in the dark - he can be ok, but can have very bad reactions - to just about anything.
Bugsy is obese..... Keep in mind he is a large breed - he is a purebred male Ragdoll, and they are large cats.... But he is, no doubt, FAT.
Bugsy's diet:
1/2 cup of mixed Hills Z/D and Royal Canin HP (Measured free-feed)
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison in the morning
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison at night
In addition, for his digestive system, he takes:
morning:
1 Capsule of Proviable-DC
1 Capsule of Align
5 drops of Runnipoo
1/2 capsule of Vetasyl (fiber)
Night:
1/2 Capsule of Vetasyl
5 Drops of Runnipoo
If he doesn't take these supplements, he has liquid diarrhea. His poop now is formed, but jelly - and anything will put it off. Definitely not normal, but the best we have been since Clavamox.
Goals for Bugsy: Better Digestive System, lose weight. He currently weighs 19lbs. Bugsy is 4 years old, will be 5 in May 2012.
Challenge #3 Lucky:
This one will be a challenge simply because nothing for her is food aside from kibbles
She is a die hard kibble addict!
The ONLY thing that she will go NUTS for, and I mean NUTS is Halo - and yes, brand specific :lol3: Freeze dry chicken treats. She will nearly make a hole on the floor looking for them - attack my hands, try to eat the bag, cry, beg, talk....... She LOVES them!
Very, very finicky eater!
She doesn't have many health issues, but she does have constipation, which led her to a blockage this year, reason why she is on Purina ProPlan. After days of syringe feeding her, I went to the store and let her pick a food to eat - it was better than nothing. The vet ordered a hairball formula, and even though it is nasty, it has been working for her hairballs, I have to admit. Her poop is still not where I would like to be, but she no longer has an issue...... for which I am glad.
With this purina scare however......... I am transitioning her for a better kibble (I know Auntie says there are no good kibbles..... Sorry AC, but this will be a long transition, and I refuse to buy Purina again) - I am working now on transitioning her to Orijen. She loves that food, as far as kibble goes, to me, there is no better, and hopefully it won't be for long anyways.
She is a female Ragdoll, her weight is normal for the breed at 11lbs (vet agrees). She is 3 years old, going on 4 in March 2012.
Lucky's Diet:
Shares with Hope 3/4 cup of Purina ProPlan a day - not on schedule (they seldom finish it). Currently transitioning to Orijen.
Challenge #3 Hope:
I don't see Hope being much of a challenge - she can easily be transitioned to wet only, and put on a schedule.... In fact, I am already working on it. She is currently having tummy issues due to stress (my belief, with all the indications and symptoms of it), and I am taking the opportunity to transition her right now. She has been eating every meal with gusto, and doing well on it.
She has eaten raw in the past and loves it, however she threw it up - I am not sure why......
She has had in the past a bout of IBS (not IBD), and for a long while was not able to digest any protein unless hydrolyzed - little by little I introduced them back into her diet, and now she does fine with pretty much everything.
She has no health issues.
Hope's diet:
Shares with Lucky 3/4 cup of Purina ProPlan a day - not on schedule (they seldom finish it).
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison in the morning
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison at night
***Currently transitioning to all ZiwiPeak
I believe Hope weighs in just short of 11lbs - she is very fit - you can not feel any fat on her, and very very active. Her weight is normal. I was not able to weight her, as she is not feeling well tonight - will update this when I can. She is 4, will be 5 in July 2012.
So...... with all of the above stated...... Auntie gave me some (LOT) reading to do :lol3::lol3::lol3: I will post it here if anyone is interested:
http://catcentric.org/raw-feeding/taking-the-plunge/
http://catinfo.org/docs/Tips for Transitioning PDF 1-14-11.pdf
http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/how-to-transition-your-cat-to-a-raw-diet
http://catcentric.org/raw-feeding/a-frankenprey-and-whole-prey-feeding-guide/
http://catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood
Auntie Crazy feeding schedule
Finally, because of Bugsy's immune-system and plethora of issues, we came to the conclusion that the safest way (and the easiest for me to transition to) would be Nature's Variety, which has a 100% pathogen free guarantee and works under the FDA guidelines. Their facilities are FDA inspected and approved, and I am comfortable with that. They have a nice variety for rotation too, and my Pet Supplies Plus carries all their foods. I just wish they carried the chubs..........but even with the bags, I calculated for the 3 kitties will cost me $131/mo., which is less than what I would spending canned - ZiwiPeak is EXPENSIVE at $2.79 a can!!
Thank you SO much AC for your help....... and wish me good luck............ God..... let's hope this is even possible! :lol3:
of trouble, she said she just about fell off her chair when she received my PM asking for help in transitioning my kiddos to raw Truth is, I have always known the theory; the logic behind it..... Cats are carnivores, and yes, that is a fact, and it doesn't take too many brain cells to figure out that we make kibbles and feed them because it is convenient..... I always knew that.... I also always knew that cats can live a very long and healthy life on kibbles.... I had healthy cats on kibbles, the same as I had on table scraps. Cats and dogs....
I have been thinking about raw for a very long time for Bugsy, for his digestive issues. I have always been afraid of it, which is the reason why I have never been here before. At the same time I knew for a regular IBD cat raw could be wonderful, I was always afraid of what it could do to Bugsy - I will get into that a bit later..... and that always stopped me. He is not a typical cat in any way....
But recent events with the Purina scare - if they are in fact a real concern or not, pushed me to learn more about the pet food industry...... the AAFCO.... and I also got to know a first hand experience from our dear Aunty Crazy, who lost her darling
Ollie in the 2007 recall. Bottom line is, I do not want to be a slave to the pet food industry, and have them dictate what I feed to my babies, when the "regulatory" "agency" behind is so weak and does not protect my furfamily. I want to have control. And to me, this is the best way. It is not a matter of theory anymore.... as I always knew the theory..... it is a matter of taking control and ensuring their health the best way I can.
As a plus side, I hope their health to be improved and to prevent the health issues that will come along with age, may they continue in a bad diet - especially Bugsy.....
So, without further ado, let me post my challenges, as they are MANY - as I said, this is going to be one for the books.
Challenge #1: My Lifestyle:
I travel quite a bit for work.... When I am in town I work out of my home office, which is great, but I can travel as much as once or even twice a week sometimes. I try to make my travels as short as I can, but sometimes it is not possible and I can be gone for 4-5 or even 6 days. When I am gone, I need to rely on Kelly, my petsitter. There have been times when her schedule at work was less than optimum, for which having kibbles out come quite handy.
Kelly does sleep here when I am out, so she can, in theory, feed 3x a day - in the morning before she lives to work, as soon as she comes home, and once again before she goes to bed.
My fear is if she doesn't make home on time for their second meal, and that upsets their tummies.
Challenge #2 Bugsy - The BIG one
This is my BIG challenge, and the reason why I am so excited about this change, and so fearful about it.
Bugsy is my "Murphy's law" kitty - everything that can possibly go wrong, will. His immune-system is completely wacky. He has stomatitis (for which he takes daily medication), IBD - but can not take meds, has had a BAD reaction to vaccines that knocked him down, a bad UTI, for which he was treated with Clavamox........... that gave him months of explosive diarrhea......... and a year and 2 months later, his digestive system is still not normal and he STILL has soft poop. During his treatment, he had reactions to the drugs used, his liver got affected, so he can not be in any drugs (can not tolerate steroids, nor they have shown effect) - the only one he needs to be, and accepts well is the one for stomatitis. But because it is a mixture of drugs, he gets a liver panel every 6 months just in case...... He also had a BAD reaction to steroids...... He has food intolerance and for a long time had explosive diarrhea with chicken in all forms - in kibbles, canned, cooked and raw.
Basically, when it comes to Bugsy it is a shot in the dark - he can be ok, but can have very bad reactions - to just about anything.
Bugsy is obese..... Keep in mind he is a large breed - he is a purebred male Ragdoll, and they are large cats.... But he is, no doubt, FAT.
Bugsy's diet:
1/2 cup of mixed Hills Z/D and Royal Canin HP (Measured free-feed)
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison in the morning
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison at night
In addition, for his digestive system, he takes:
morning:
1 Capsule of Proviable-DC
1 Capsule of Align
5 drops of Runnipoo
1/2 capsule of Vetasyl (fiber)
Night:
1/2 Capsule of Vetasyl
5 Drops of Runnipoo
If he doesn't take these supplements, he has liquid diarrhea. His poop now is formed, but jelly - and anything will put it off. Definitely not normal, but the best we have been since Clavamox.
Goals for Bugsy: Better Digestive System, lose weight. He currently weighs 19lbs. Bugsy is 4 years old, will be 5 in May 2012.
Challenge #3 Lucky:
This one will be a challenge simply because nothing for her is food aside from kibbles
She is a die hard kibble addict!The ONLY thing that she will go NUTS for, and I mean NUTS is Halo - and yes, brand specific :lol3: Freeze dry chicken treats. She will nearly make a hole on the floor looking for them - attack my hands, try to eat the bag, cry, beg, talk....... She LOVES them!
Very, very finicky eater!
She doesn't have many health issues, but she does have constipation, which led her to a blockage this year, reason why she is on Purina ProPlan. After days of syringe feeding her, I went to the store and let her pick a food to eat - it was better than nothing. The vet ordered a hairball formula, and even though it is nasty, it has been working for her hairballs, I have to admit. Her poop is still not where I would like to be, but she no longer has an issue...... for which I am glad.
With this purina scare however......... I am transitioning her for a better kibble (I know Auntie says there are no good kibbles..... Sorry AC, but this will be a long transition, and I refuse to buy Purina again) - I am working now on transitioning her to Orijen. She loves that food, as far as kibble goes, to me, there is no better, and hopefully it won't be for long anyways.
She is a female Ragdoll, her weight is normal for the breed at 11lbs (vet agrees). She is 3 years old, going on 4 in March 2012.
Lucky's Diet:
Shares with Hope 3/4 cup of Purina ProPlan a day - not on schedule (they seldom finish it). Currently transitioning to Orijen.
Challenge #3 Hope:
I don't see Hope being much of a challenge - she can easily be transitioned to wet only, and put on a schedule.... In fact, I am already working on it. She is currently having tummy issues due to stress (my belief, with all the indications and symptoms of it), and I am taking the opportunity to transition her right now. She has been eating every meal with gusto, and doing well on it.
She has eaten raw in the past and loves it, however she threw it up - I am not sure why......
She has had in the past a bout of IBS (not IBD), and for a long while was not able to digest any protein unless hydrolyzed - little by little I introduced them back into her diet, and now she does fine with pretty much everything.
She has no health issues.
Hope's diet:
Shares with Lucky 3/4 cup of Purina ProPlan a day - not on schedule (they seldom finish it).
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison in the morning
1/4 cup of ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish or Venison at night
***Currently transitioning to all ZiwiPeak
I believe Hope weighs in just short of 11lbs - she is very fit - you can not feel any fat on her, and very very active. Her weight is normal. I was not able to weight her, as she is not feeling well tonight - will update this when I can. She is 4, will be 5 in July 2012.
So...... with all of the above stated...... Auntie gave me some (LOT) reading to do :lol3::lol3::lol3: I will post it here if anyone is interested:
http://catcentric.org/raw-feeding/taking-the-plunge/
http://catinfo.org/docs/Tips for Transitioning PDF 1-14-11.pdf
http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/how-to-transition-your-cat-to-a-raw-diet
http://catcentric.org/raw-feeding/a-frankenprey-and-whole-prey-feeding-guide/
http://catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood
Auntie Crazy feeding schedule
Finally, because of Bugsy's immune-system and plethora of issues, we came to the conclusion that the safest way (and the easiest for me to transition to) would be Nature's Variety, which has a 100% pathogen free guarantee and works under the FDA guidelines. Their facilities are FDA inspected and approved, and I am comfortable with that. They have a nice variety for rotation too, and my Pet Supplies Plus carries all their foods. I just wish they carried the chubs..........but even with the bags, I calculated for the 3 kitties will cost me $131/mo., which is less than what I would spending canned - ZiwiPeak is EXPENSIVE at $2.79 a can!!
Thank you SO much AC for your help....... and wish me good luck............ God..... let's hope this is even possible! :lol3:
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on Bugsy eating what he should!
