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yup the other end
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Notice <>>> Please Read ... HOMEMADE or RAW info seekers
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Our outdoor only cats tend to have fewer health problems and they are fed very little commercial cat food while mostly catching prey. Internal parasites is the only increased problem. The shortened lifespan is 99% of the time due to accident or injury. Most are run over by cars, eaten by coyotes, get in fights with other cats and wildlife, or disapear without a trace (probably eaten by coyotes). Very very few of our outdoor cats have ever died of anything resembling malnutrition or simple illnesses like respiratory infections. Actually I can't think of any that have died of anything but injury resulting from an accident or attack. The only one that did have some skin issues did better come spring when more prey was around and he didn't have to eat as much cat food. The difference in lifespan between our indoor and outdoor cats has always been the result of physical injuries. I don't consider the lifespan comparison a good example of malnutrition in the least.
I do have to say better nutrition cuts down greatly on respiratory and similar infections even if it does not impact infections due to injury. As well as a much lower rate of a variety of "mystery illnesses" where we can't find a specific cause for the illness, skin issue, odd bumps, etc... I still advocate you feed a better diet but I entirely disagree that it really has much impact on the difference between the lifespan of an indoor versus outdoor cat. There are too many other things that are a much greated factor. Malnutrition unless accompanied by actual starvation (lack of food not lack of quality) is rarely the cause of death of any outdoor cats in my area.
Good nutrition does very little to stop an abcess especially when caused by injury. It may help them heal a little faster after you clean up the wound but I've had just as many and as bad of abcesses or infected wounds in well fed animals as those on cheap foods or scraping up whatever they can find outside. I've almost lost a few guinea pigs to infections from minor injuries when I order in pellets from the other side of the country in order to get good enough quality. They are fed the best possible diet you can come up with for a guinea pig and it had no impact on their resistent or healing rate from such infections. My horses I also drive to specific stores to get grain free feeds (grain is actually not that great for horses), bale some of the best quality hay in the area to feed them, and have 40 acres of pasture for them to naturally graze. Not to mention vitamin/mineral/joint supplements. One was nearly permanently lame last spring from a bad hoof abcess that wouldn't heal and another poked it's shoulder and it took 2months to get the infection cleared up. In my experience better food won't prevent an outdoor cat or most any other animal from dying of an abcess or infected wound unless the animal has obvously been starving for awhile so that it is obviously in weakened health.
I do have to say better nutrition cuts down greatly on respiratory and similar infections even if it does not impact infections due to injury. As well as a much lower rate of a variety of "mystery illnesses" where we can't find a specific cause for the illness, skin issue, odd bumps, etc... I still advocate you feed a better diet but I entirely disagree that it really has much impact on the difference between the lifespan of an indoor versus outdoor cat. There are too many other things that are a much greated factor. Malnutrition unless accompanied by actual starvation (lack of food not lack of quality) is rarely the cause of death of any outdoor cats in my area.
If I consulted my vet and followed their advice I would be feeding dry Science Diet and no raw at all. No thanks. I prefer doing my own research all of which comes from knowledgeable vets such as Dr Lisa Pierson and Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins.
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BUT Have YOU talked to or written to and or seen either in PERSON???
Your first word is IF and that makes me think that you do not know that for sure and are just assuming. I understand what you are saying, I am pretty sure that my vet would just push whatever product they sell in the office as well. All I do know is that I am not a nutritionist (escpecially not a cat nutritionist) and don't mind having other input besides myself.
IMO, it's best not to take anyone's word as gospel, but to get as much information as possible from many sources. I know what my vet says about nutrition - he believes any dry food with an AAFCO statement on the bag is fine, and that wet food rots cats' teeth. I disagree.
That's fine, though. I have learned what I wanted to know from other sources, like the NRC and AAFCO guidelines, nutrition studies that have been published, and people who have many years of experience feeding cats (though they aren't vets or scientists).
I wanna play! I wanna play!
IMO: There's a *ton* of contradictory information out there. I don't take what *any* one person says about *anything* to be the gospel. I research and consider what many people say and use my own experience and common to guide me.
IMO: There's a *ton* of contradictory information out there. I don't take what *any* one person says about *anything* to be the gospel. I research and consider what many people say and use my own experience and common to guide me.
I have consulted them years ago and they did not support it. They reccommend Science Diet. Plus Hodgkins and Pierson are other input besides myself. I did not get my research from myself, I got it from reading sources of information. I think the post should say, consult a holistic vet, not simply consult your vet as many are against the raw diet.
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WEll put... I am saying CONSULT your vet NOT only use there info ... just a double checkOriginally Posted by mschauer
I wanna play! I wanna play!
IMO: There's a *ton* of contradictory information out there. I don't take what *any* one person says about *anything* to be the gospel. I research and consider what many people say and use my own experience and common to guide me.
One lives in Yorba Linda and the other is in another part of California. I've read Dr Hodgkins book and agree with all the advice in that book. I will use it as a reference when I need it. I won't consult them just to feed my healthy cats a raw diet. Research on how to balance and supplement works fine for me but believe me if my cats had a medical issue and my conventional vets in my area were not helping me Pierson or Hodgkins would be the first vets I'd contact because they do really understand feline nutrition and I've read such great testimonials.Their phone numbers are listed on this website. www.felinespride.com
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If you are feeding your cats a raw, a home made diet....
or anything else for that matter,
please don't forget that a cooperative vet is needed for occasional labs (blood can tell you a lot) and check ups.
or anything else for that matter,
please don't forget that a cooperative vet is needed for occasional labs (blood can tell you a lot) and check ups.
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I have enough vets, my two natural ,one of their mentors, the uni vets and two others I deal with ... but I am glad they are within reach for you
And the other burning question is have either of those noted vets actually performed a thorough examination of your cat/s to determine what the best nutritional plan for them as individuals would be?
I have to support the opinion that it is always best to consult your trusted vet or vet nutritionalist when it comes to the individual needs of your cats. It just makes better sense! When we propose a new diet/exercise program for our cats, we should request blood/urine labwork and a complete physical for our cats to ensure they are in good enough condition to withstand the rigors of the new program. Armed with this information, you, along with your vet can tailor a program that is right for YOUR SPECIFIC CAT and additionally, it allows you to become aware of any potential health issues which could be exacerbated by the elements of a new food.
I realize that there are not many vets out there who specialize in nutrition and there are many who do push this or that specific brand. But as we promote here at TCS many times over on a daily basis, it is up to us as responsible caregivers to research, learn as much as we can about whatever changes we would like to make and then discuss it all with your trusted vet.
ETA: I have received a request to lock this thread and I normally do not like to do that, especially when such an important topic is being discussed. But there is really nothing more to be added or gained by leaving the thread open and frankly, it is becoming more a topic for the IMO Forum than here in Health & Nutrition. So, we're done. Feel free to open a new thread in IMO if anyone would like to continue this discussion. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
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