Tragic Example of not feeding a balanced raw diet

[silent meowlook]

Just a word of caution to all feeding home cooked or raw diets. Make sure you have your calcium to phosphorus ratio correct.
Had a 4 month old f1 Savannah come in for lameness in the hind end. Radiographs showed almost translucent bones and multiple fractures. We euthanized. Very sad case. He had been fed only raw chicken without the bones and no supplements other than a little KMR. I will not forget his face, or the X-rays.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Thank you for this reminder. I know when people mention they are feeding chicken pieces we remind them that isn't nutritionally complete and tell them they need to add in organs and some form of calcium. Even so, your story is not the first we have heard

 

[mschauer]

Yes, stories like yours's are a primary reason this sub-forum exists. We try to ensure that anyone feeding a homemade diet knows how to do it properly and making sure a calcium source is included in the diet is a big thing to watch for.

 

[Willowy]

Only 4 months? You'd think his mother's milk would have kept him going longer than that. Unless she also only got boneless chicken.

Very sad, thanks for the cautionary tale.

 

[mschauer]

It's doubtful that he was still with his mother at 4 months. When kittens are re-homed it is usually at about 2 months. Kittens grow very rapidly in their first year. There must be adequate calcium the diet to support bone growth.

 

[silent meowlook]

He wasn’t with his mother. I don’t know the nutritional status of the mother or anything about the breeder. The kitten was purchased at 8 weeks and owned for 8 weeks.

 

[Anchoress]

I try for balance. Mine all get a raw chicken joint each morning, bone and all, then tinned cat food evening.

 

[goingpostal]

F1s aren't cheap, it's strange someone dropping 15,000 grand on a kitten wouldn't have a clue on diet, but clearly from a byb if it was rehomed at 8 weeks so there's a lot of red flags in this situation.