Transitioning from Dry to Raw (eventually)

[gravekandi]

Don't let the cuteness fool you, he's evil. (Thor)

cat2.jpg

• heatherselway
• Oct 16, 2013

cat3.jpg

• heatherselway
• Oct 16, 2013

you kittys are so cute! And I loooooveee their names! I almost named Ziggy Deathstrike when I got her 

 Kittens are never ending black holes when it comes to their food intake. I wonder if their can be kittens with really high metabolisms like humans O__o

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

The cost of shipping goes down per lb the more you order. I'm in northwest NJ and it costs me about $25 for 50 pounds.

I just did an order, and it cost me $41 for 38 lbs of food, but it has to come clear across the country.

  Luckily, it's cooled down enough now that everything arrived almost completely frozen this time.  I think that's a first

  Usually right after I place my order, no  matter what time of year, we get a heat wave.  Week before last, I saw we were going to have a couple of days in the high 70's, so I quickly placed an order, and wouldn't you know it, Tracy was on vacation

.  I figured I was in trouble, but luckily the temps didn't rise too much (mid 80s) by the time the order got here, so I'm a happy camper.  The only think partially thawed were some chicken livers, so no big deal. 

 

[ldg]

I discovered this summer that I actually prefer it when some of the stuff is partially thawed. :lol3: It's SO easy to just bag up into meal portions right away, and I don't have to take up the fridge space thawing it. :bigthumb:

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I discovered this summer that I actually prefer it when some of the stuff is partially thawed.

It's SO easy to just bag up into meal portions right away, and I don't have to take up the fridge space thawing it.

Well, that would be true, IF I were ready to divy it up, however, yesterday I wasn't prepared to do it

.  AND, if any of it has thawed, I have found, then I feel like I have to vacuum pack each and every  package to eliminate transference of blood, etc. all over the freezer, since ALL the packages get bloody since anything in a chub sort of package will leak blood out the end.  It's a real pain

.  That's why I was so happy yesterday. 

 

[ldg]

Completely understand!

I use gallon baggies to prevent the stuff from leaking all of the fridge (the 2 pound bags). For the chubs, I just stand them up in a freezer quart baggie. It doesn't zip closed, but if (rather when) blood leaks out of the Hare Today packaging, it does prevent it getting all over the fridge.

 

[heatherselway]

Ugh my poor cat (orange tabby, Loki) has some diarrhea. I'm hoping it was just this time and doesn't last.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Ugh my poor cat (orange tabby, Loki) has some diarrhea. I'm hoping it was just this time and doesn't last.

Any more diarrhea?  Are they completely on canned now?  Are you giving them all the varieties shown in your pix above?  It's possible one ingredient didn't agree with him.  Are you giving them probiotics and digestive enzymes?  You'll probably want to start those if you're going to convert them to raw eventually, and the probiotics should help prevent diarrhea normally.  Most of us use human grade.  Here is the one several of us use:      I think for kittens your age, probably 1/2 capsule daily would do it.  Just mix it into their food.  You might divide it into 2 different meals. 

 

[heatherselway]

Yes they both had diarrhea last night in middle of the night. I've been rotating those brands in the picture. Hope it was just somethin in one of cans that didn't agree with them.

 

[peaches08]

Mine had diarrhea on canned. I think it may have been the carrageenan.

 

[heatherselway]

Still no improvement

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You never said if you were giving them probiotics and/or digestive enzymes.  Also, maybe instead of rotating the foods, stick with one and see what happens, to try to in it done.  If they are ok on one food, then try another to see if they are ok on that one. 

 

[peaches08]

I'm sorry. I know how frustrating diarrhea is. I wonder if giving them a chicken wing or neck might help firm things up?

 

[heatherselway]

You never said if you were giving them probiotics and/or digestive enzymes.  Also, maybe instead of rotating the foods, stick with one and see what happens, to try to in it done.  If they are ok on one food, then try another to see if they are ok on that one. 

Where do I buy these at?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well, you can get a good human probiotic at any vitamin store, or on-line.  This is the one many of us feeding raw use:  http://www.thecatsite.com/products/natural-factors-double-strength-acidophilus-bifidus-10-billion 

This is the digestive enzyme that I use, and I get it from Amazon: 

 

[heatherselway]

Ok thank you I just bought some off Amazon I'll try that and see if it helps with diarrhea.