U stew for cats

[laurag]

https://www.knowbetterpetfood.com/cat_food_u-stew

This is interesting, a pre-mix of the vitamins and minerals and then you choose the protein to mix it - cooked.

 There is considerable debate regarding raw vs. cooked cat food.  Over the past several years we have come to realize that not all cats are willing to eat a raw meat diet, and trying to switch them over is not always successful.  Even though feeding a raw meat diet is always the best option for the feline, feeding a balanced homemade cooked diet can be the next best thing.  The result is a formulation that enhances the cooked meat to such an extent that it replaces the nutritional deficit (caused by cooking) with sufficient supplementation.  We have added digestive enzymes for stomach and intestinal health; taurine for enhancing the natural levels already found in the meat and essential fatty acids from fish.
U-Stew for Cats was developed because we believe that feeding a home-prepared diet to our feline companions is the most nutritious and most palatable choice we can make.  Knowing exactly what your cat is consuming gives peace of mind and reassurance they're getting what they need to maintain optimal health.

Ingredients:  Egg yolk, calcium lactate, beef liver powder, gelatin, whey protein, psyllium husks, EFA from fish, digestive enzymes, taurine, kelp, barley grass, Vitamin E succinate, Vitamin B complex.

Nutritional Analysis:  Based on "as fed" mixed food including ground chicken meat.
Average meal size:  1/4lb. (120g)

Energy/Kcal	133
Protein	17.29%
Carbohydrates	1.2%
Fat	6.0%
Ash	3.19%
Calcium	231mg
Phosphorus	224mg
Magnesium	74mg
Sodium	144mg
Potassium	201mg

You Add:  Cooked meat and water 

Preparation:  The Recipe to make a 3lb. batch of cat food (12 - 1/2 cup servings)

Looks like the recipe is 1/2 cup of U-stew to 2 lbs of meat and 1.5 cups of water.

The company also has a powder for raw diets. The convenience of it is appealing, but my guess is that it has a taste which may not go over well with the cats.  Measuring out ingredients one item at a time---grinding eggshell, etc are the the things that would give me pause on a homemade diet.

Curious if others have experience with this product.

 

[peaches08]

I used Better In The Raw (the raw one you mentioned) until my grinder and supplements came in. My cats liked it almost as much as they liked TC Feline, but definitely liked it better than Alnutrin and Dr. P's supplement recipe. I thought it was a great premix but for me cost is a factor so the kitties had to get used to Dr. P's ground recipe.

 

[ldg]

There are a number of premix options that can be used: some only for cooked (like U-stew); some work with raw or cooked. There's a list for each in each resource thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/264153/home-cooked-cat-food-resources

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/264154/raw-feeding-resources


A lot of cats LOVE TCfeline. Mine didn't. Basically, see if they like freeze dried liver. Do they prefer chicken, or beef? And there's your answer for TCfeline.

Do your cats eat egg yolk lecithin without a problem? If so, they'll probably do just fine with Alnutrin if you want to use it as a sprinkle-on supplement. It's meant to be used for batches, and the cats can't really taste it in there, I don't think - but it does work as a sprinkle-on. Alnutrin comes with or without calcium, but either choice must be used with fresh liver (or the freeze dried equivalent of fresh. The point is that Alnutrin provides no liver / vitamin A).

Many people buy whole ground animal stuff from Hare-Today and just mix in the Alnutrin made without calcium. This is quick and easy.

I've been using Call of the Wild by Wysong for one of my cats that won't eat any organs reliably. It makes just meat complete, like TCfeline or Better-in-the-Raw, or U-Stew for cooked. It can just be sprinkled on to the meat. Lazlo loves it. The problem is that it seems it's quite high in iodine, which can cause thyroid problems. mschauer is trying to get answers from Wysong about this.

But the point is there are a lot of premix options; some are more affordable than others. Some provide calcium, some don't; some make just meat complete, and some make meat & liver complete, and some are meant to balance meat/bone/organ mixes that aren't otherwise balanced.

TCfeline and Alnutrin are the most widely used among TCS members, I think.

If you're interested in cooked, there's a thread with balanced recipes that are quite easy. mschauer included links to the analysis of the diets, so you can see they're balanced: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/263751/cooked-recipes-thread

 

[laurag]

Thanks LDG! Great resources. My kitty is getting bored with the Stella and Chewys, but adores cooked chicken, cooked turkey. And I was thinking that I could change the meat so when he's bored, I can make something else. The other cats are more likely to eat cooked meat than raw so it might be an easier transition.