This is going to be one for the books! Transitioning Lucky, Bugsy and Hope to Raw.... Challenges Gal

Carolina said:

My goodness was she excited when she saw that bag..... It was like she was seeing Jesus Christ in person :lol3: She was dancing, singing, walking around...... Just could not wait to vacuum that food down in seconds! And vacuum she did - almost 1/4 cup gone in record time :jaw:

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OK - that just gave me a much needed laugh

I am very happy to hear that you are a normal person again :lol3: even if you are back at square one :square: with Lucky. Believe me - I have had to go back to "GO" :lol3: many times over here. I think you just start getting used to that possibility and then it is not as frustrating when it happens again. It IS just part of the process for some cats. They are all not going to be so willing to accept raw like some of the cats that take to it immediately, like Walden and Wendall. Just keep convincing Lucky over and over - she will eat raw again. I think each time I have had to "start over", the process goes a bit quicker the next go around. At least I am noticing this. I am just glad that Lucky is eating well again!!!! Now you can rest easy - and don't sweat it :lol3: that you are back to EVO with Lucky. Yes, the goal is 100% raw - but getting reaching that goal could be very trying a times.

  And just where is our report for this morning???   Now that you have a peaceful household again over there, we should have our morning report!

mrsgreenjeens said:

:wait: :surf:   And just where is our report for this morning??? :lol3:   Now that you have a peaceful household again over there, we should have our morning report!

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:anon: :lol3: Thanks for missing us Sally!

I was just SO tired....... Was in the computer until very late last night...... fed them and crashed for a bit...... But here it is


Lucky is doing GREAT with her addiction of choice - EVO. She is 100% back on scheduled feedings, and eating like a champ - actually, she is probably eating more than she should..... but for now it is ok as she was not eating properly for a while :nod: This morning she had almost 1/4 cup of it in one sitting - did not leave a trace behind. She has been hungry. Her dollop of raw today was little pieces of fresh chicken, covered with WL powder - she did not touch it..... Hope and Bugsy were happy to eat it for her :nod:

Hope and Bugsy had Fresh chicken and Rad Cat Turkey. Whenever I serve fresh meat, that's where they go straight to - that's definitely their preference, especially Hope's. It is getting harder and harder to make her eat the ground meat - she wants cuts.... She wants frankerprey.... I had to finger-feed her the rest of her meal, and give her some of Lucky's meal to complete the missing qty (not the kibble of course, but the raw "dollop") - I can't wait for my order from Hare Today to get here so I get that going.... I also need to order my calcium. Still not sure what I am going to do about that. The order is shipped tomorrow 2 days, so should be here wednesday
Off to get their supplements now! :cross: they will like everything :cross:

Feralvr said:

OK - that just gave me a much needed laugh
I am very happy to hear that you are a normal person again :lol3: even if you are back at square one :square: with Lucky. Believe me - I have had to go back to "GO" :lol3: many times over here. I think you just start getting used to that possibility and then it is not as frustrating when it happens again. It IS just part of the process for some cats. They are all not going to be so willing to accept raw like some of the cats that take to it immediately, like Walden and Wendall. Just keep convincing Lucky over and over - she will eat raw again. I think each time I have had to "start over", the process goes a bit quicker the next go around. At least I am noticing this. I am just glad that Lucky is eating well again!!!! Now you can rest easy - and don't sweat it :lol3: that you are back to EVO with Lucky. Yes, the goal is 100% raw - but getting reaching that goal could be very trying a times.

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mrsgreenjeens said:

:wait: :surf:   And just where is our report for this morning??? :lol3:   Now that you have a peaceful household again over there, we should have our morning report!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep! The transition is NOT always easy, and YEP! Sometimes you just have to start over. Part of the process is making sure everyone is EATING, and MOMMA is NOT going insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LDG said:

Part of the process is making sure everyone is EATING, and MOMMA is NOT going insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They MUST eat, and we MUST not make ourselves crazy people over this process!!!!!

Glad everything is going great today

M-E-O-W * M-E-O-W * M-E-O-W

I think you have an idea of who this is :lol3: Yep - Miss rincess at dinner time, reminding me...... Wake up from your darn nap M-O-M I am hungry

I have got to say..... I am over, completely over being disappointed..... In fact, I am not disappointed at all at feeding kibbles again to Lucky
To see her eating full meals so happily on schedule, on her own, not throwing up, and knowing that I can work on introduce her to raw again..... I a good feeling. I put the plate down, close the door, and when I go in, she has this proud and happy look on her face, and not a kibble left in the plate. :nod:

She was funny today - when I got back in the room she was circling the plate.... There were some kibbles stuck in the pieces of meat (fresh chicken), and she was trying to take it off. Oh what a task - must-eat-them-all She ended up putting every single piece of meat in her mouth, licking and sucking on them, taking the kibble from it, and spitting the meat afterwards :spit: :lol3:
I guess bad news good news - bad news that she pit them off..... good news that she actually put them in her mouth, licked and chewed at them for a while - a start, I guess :bigthumb:

Hope and Bugsy had Lamb with a bit of turkey - both Rad Cat - No problem type of meal..... Whenever there is Rad Cat lamb, you know the meal is going to be good :nod:

I am thinking about introducing goat for these two this week - probably defrosting it tomorrow...... will see.... Need another meat in the fridge :nod:

They are all passed out around me as I watch the Academy Awards - pretty happy kitties And happy happy mom!!!

Oh, and I got my Calcium for the Boneless Frankeprey - I got this one: Animal Essentials Natural Seaweed Calcium I have been seeing quite a few recommendations in different raw pages, with good reviews.... You use 1tsp per lb/ or 1/8 tsp per each 2oz meal served. I Just hope they eat the meat with the calcium in it :cross: We will see

Bugsy and Hope had Lamb for dinner
You gotta LOVE Rad Cat Lamb...... if anyone is going through a difficult transition and is looking for a hit of miss meat..... this is it. This meat is Awesome! Hope vacuumed it in one sitting - one sprinkle and she licked the plate clean - left behind a little ball of fat :lol3:
Bugsy also ate really well...... but he got full and could not finish his meal - not insisting..... He left a couple of bites behind.

Lucky's raw meat was cut up fresh chicken - she had none of it....... but had almost 1/4 cup of EVO. Again, I got there and she had the most proud look in her face.... Sitting next to her plate, looking up - Look mom, I ate everything
I will give her tomorrow at this QTY then I will have to reduce it otherwise she will become a piglet!!

She licked the meat a little, but did not eat......
Hopefully she will come back to raw :cross:

OH Carolina :heart3: I just LOVE LOVE LOVE your new outlook. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so tickled :lol3: that the rincess: is happily eating again and seems SO PROUD!!!!!!!!! How cute - SEE MOMMA - I CLEANED MY PLATE!!!! :rub: I would just tell her what a wonderful little darlin' she is for cleaning up her plate. Believe me - I completely started over with Pipsqueak too and now he is eating raw meat from my hand. I am much happier now knowing that it IS OK to start over - to even go back to EVO if needed. The most important thing to me - is that they do eat and that they are making short (very short ) strides towards our long-term goal - a raw diet GOOD JOB SWEETIE

02/27/12-
Rad Cat Lamb :lol3::lol3::lol3: I can always count on you for an easy, painless meal :heart3:

Yep - that's what Bugsy and Hope had for Breakfast...... That and cuts of fresh Chicken..... Very successful meal indeed! Hope went straight to the chicken - she LOVES plain meat!! After eating all the pieces, she cleaned her lamb plate :bigthumb: Bugsy did the reverse - started with the lamb, and once he was done, went for the meat. Today was the first day that he ate all the chicken without a single sprinkle of WL chicken :blobpink:

Lucky is still doing GREAT on her meals.... and making my life very easy. She is eating on her own, and not needing my presence at all with her. I set her plate with the raw and the kibbles, close the door, and when I go in, she is done as proud as ever :lol3: She is licking the raw, but only with the intent of removing the kibbles stuck in it so she can eat them. Regardless, my hope is that one day she will like it again :nod:

Today I will give her her favorite - Turkey..... Let's see how that goes..... I am not in a hurry, but I will be working hard with her. I am always offering her from my fingers as I prepare the meals, and it is always on her plate. I will not force her to eat, starve her..... She will come around, she has once, and she will again :cross:

Feralvr said:

OH Carolina :heart3: I just LOVE LOVE LOVE your new outlook. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so tickled :lol3: that the rincess: is happily eating again and seems SO PROUD!!!!!!!!! How cute - SEE MOMMA - I CLEANED MY PLATE!!!! :rub: I would just tell her what a wonderful little darlin' she is for cleaning up her plate. Believe me - I completely started over with Pipsqueak too and now he is eating raw meat from my hand. I am much happier now knowing that it IS OK to start over - to even go back to EVO if needed. The most important thing to me - is that they do eat and that they are making short (very short ) strides towards our long-term goal - a raw diet GOOD JOB SWEETIE

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Thank you
Yes........ I am not happy it is kibbles...... but I am so happy to see her little face after eating.... To see her dancing at the plate of food To know that she is getting balanced meals again...... To know that she is safe...... full and happy..... :heart3: It is kibbles, but at least is a low carbs one, with a lot of meat in it, and it is giving what she needs for now..... while she brings forth her little carnivore for us :lol3:
I am happy - the stress level here has lowered considerably - and with that...... the kitties are happier too :rub:

Carolina said:

Lucky is still doing GREAT on her meals.... and making my life very easy. She is eating on her own, and not needing my presence at all with her. I set her plate with the raw and the kibbles, close the door, and when I go in, she is done as proud as ever :lol3: She is licking the raw, but only with the intent of removing the kibbles stuck in it so she can eat them. Regardless, my hope is that one day she will like it again :nod:
Today I will give her her favorite - Turkey..... Let's see how that goes..... I am not in a hurry, but I will be working hard with her. I am always offering her from my fingers as I prepare the meals, and it is always on her plate. I will not force her to eat, starve her..... She will come around, she has once, and she will again :cross:

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Carolina said:

Thank you
Yes........ I am not happy it is kibbles...... but I am so happy to see her little face after eating.... To see her dancing at the plate of food To know that she is getting balanced meals again...... To know that she is safe...... full and happy..... :heart3: It is kibbles, but at least is a low carbs one, with a lot of meat in it, and it is giving what she needs for now..... while she brings forth her little carnivore for us :lol3:
I am happy - the stress level here has lowered considerably - and with that...... the kitties are happier too :rub:

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Yep, she needs nutrition, and she WILL come around to raw again!!!!! :rub:

And as dry food goes, Evo is probably the very best of the best.  You aren't rolling the bits of raw in WL powder this time?  New strategy?

mrsgreenjeens said:

And as dry food goes, Evo is probably the very best of the best.  You aren't rolling the bits of raw in WL powder this time?  New strategy?

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Sally, same strategy that worked for her..... A dollop of raw, covered with a generous layer of WL powder, in the plate where I serve her kibbles - every single meal. The size that worked was 0.25oz. Now I do either a dollop, or little cuts of chicken..... Still covered with WL powder though. I am no longer doing the treats- that was done with NV rabbit, and I no longer use that meat.... The dollops worked very well, and that was actually what turned he into a raw eater :nod:
Instead of the treats, I am offering little pieces of chicken covered in WL powder :nod:

Carolina said:

Thank you
Yes........ I am not happy it is kibbles...... but I am so happy to see her little face after eating.... To see her dancing at the plate of food To know that she is getting balanced meals again...... To know that she is safe...... full and happy..... :heart3: It is kibbles, but at least is a low carbs one, with a lot of meat in it, and it is giving what she needs for now..... while she brings forth her little carnivore for us :lol3:
I am happy - the stress level here has lowered considerably - and with that...... the kitties are happier too :rub:

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AMEN TO THAT :lol3: We can't put this much stress and pressure on ourselves or the "fussies" in this process. Not healthy for anyone !!!!!!!!!!! Happy you are happy :happy2: AND she won't be on those kibbles forever - she WILL once again, in time, taste that raw. WHO KNOWS :scratch: Might even be tonight with that turkey!!! :cross:

We're having turkey tenderloins (turkey almondine) tonight for dinner, so I'll be cutting off a couple of teeny pieces before I cook it for our babies to try.  Maybe turkey will work in our house too!

02/27/12 -
Dinner was wasn't such a great meal for Hope and Bugsy as I expected - not their favorite.... Rad Cat Chicken..... I just can't be feeding Lamb constantly - it is too rich/fattening, so I have to feed either turkey or chicken.... Turkey was just in the menu, so it was Chicken's turn
Bugsy ate most of his meal, but if I had to guess, he left about 0.4oz.... or 0.5.... and it took a lot of WL for that. Hope ate the whole thing with a lot of WL's help.
They start the meal with gusto, it is from about 1/2 point that they get bored.... oh well..... they just need to deal with it, as chicken will always be in the menu to balance the fattening meats. Chicken, turkey and rabbit.

Lucky ate a great meal, licked at the raw, but did not eat any of it......

Late night dinner was better - Lamb mixed with a bit of chicken for Hope and Bugsy, as well as the dollop for Lucky - this was a risk..... The time she had a tiny bit of lamb she pretty badly

Everyone ate well..... Hope and Bugsy polished their plates clean as usual - that is the norm with lamb :nod:
Lucky left a little of the kibbles behind - this is good.... I am waiting for the "awe effect" to fade a little in order for her to start trying the raw - I think it will come once she gets used to the fact that she is having kibbles every meal..... that she is safe and it is not going anywhere :nod: Once she knows that, I think she will start trying it..... For now she is pretty desperate for it.....

I have to decide what meat I am going to rotate tomorrow with the chicken for Hope and Bugsy.... I am thinking about introducing the goat..... maybe that will spice things up a notch :nod:

Carolina said:

Lucky left a little of the kibbles behind - this is good.... I am waiting for the "awe effect" to fade a little in order for her to start trying the raw - I think it will come once she gets used to the fact that she is having kibbles every meal..... that she is safe and it is not going anywhere :nod: Once she knows that, I think she will start trying it..... For now she is pretty desperate for it.....

I have to decide what meat I am going to rotate tomorrow with the chicken for Hope and Bugsy.... I am thinking about introducing the goat..... maybe that will spice things up a notch :nod:

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I think you're right about Lucky. :cross: :nod: At least she's back licking at the topping and leaving a few kibbles behind!

I know what you mean about introducing a new protein. Once again, my kids are bored of what we have here. I can't feed them fresh lamb all the time! :lol3: Can't WAIT for the MEAT delivery tomorrow! :lol3:

Good thinking, Carolina . I DO think Lucky might get to that point again when the kibbles will not have that "WOW" effect and that might come pretty quickly. Lucky will start to have more interest in that little "dollop" on her plate. She has not forgotten how much she did enjoy the raw before - I am sure. When she is ready - she will go back to it :nod:

Good luck with the goat intro

02/28/12-
Sorry for the delay peeps

Breakfast today was chicken on chicken Meaning, Rad Cat and Cut Pieces - Both kids went straight to the cut pieces, then to RC. Hope wanted NOTHING with the ground...... NADA. It took me finger feeding her and lots of WL powder..... Bugsy ate it, but also needed quite a bit of WL.......

Lucky ate her kibble and regretted leaving some behind - she went back, but I had taken her plate already. She doesn't need the whole 1/4 cup No licks at the raw at all

Today was weighing day EVERYONE gained weight from last 2 weeks! Even Lucky
I don't know what is up with this - I cut all treats, there is nothing being given in between meals, there is a nice rotation going on, and Bugsy is eating less than 2% of his weight -actually, he is eating 1.83% :dk: How low do I go? :dk:

Here are the weights:

Bugsy -
01/17/2012 -
20lb 8oz -
01/22/2012 - Maintained from past week
20lbs 8oz
01/30/2012 - lost 3.5 oz from past week
20 4.5oz
02/05/12 - lost 1/2 oz from last week
20lbs 4oz
02/13/12 - Gained 1.5oz from past week
20lbs 5.5oz
02/28/12- Gained 1oz from past 2 weeks
20lbs 6.5oz

Lucky -
01/17/2012 -
12lb 1.5oz
01/22/2012 - Maintained from past week
12lbs 1.5oz
01/30/2012 - Lost 3.5 oz from past week
11lbs 14oz
02/05/12 - Gained 2.5 oz from last Week (first week eating raw)
12lbs 0.5oz
02/13/12 - lost 1.5oz from past week
11lbs 15oz
02/28/12 - Gained 3 oz from past 2 weeks
12lbs 2.5oz

Hope -
01/17/2012 -
12lb 14.5oz
01/22/2012 - Gained - Piglet ALERT! :ref:
13lbs 0.5oz
01/30/2012 - lost 6.5 oz from Past week
12lbs 10oz
02/05/12- maintained from last week
12lbs 10oz
02/13/12 - Gained 6oz :shocker:
13lbs 0oz
02/28/12 - Gained 3.5oz from past 2 weeks
13lbs 3.5oz

Dinner -

Dinner for Hope and Bugsy we Nature's Menu Lamb - I think this picture will illustrate how much the kids love lamb better than I can ever tell :lol3:
Sorry about the quality - as you can see, Hope was working hard at polishing that plate mirror-clean!
Bugsy also ate really well, leaving only a couple of bites behind.....
I always add a couple of tablespoons of warm water to NM's lamb - this time I also did for Hope's she loved it.....
Lucky had another great meal.... her raw was lamb...... no licking..... Just a few kibbles left behind :nod:

I will let the kids have one week on frankerprey and see what happens to their weight - then I will see if I have to lower their QTYs......
Hopefully they will start losing soon! :cross:

Here is the schedule I put together:
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun
Breakfast RC Lamb RCTurkey RC Chicken NM Lamb HT Rabbit RCat Lamb Rad Cat Turkey
Dinner Turk Tigh Pork Trims Org/gizz ChxBreast Pork Trims org/gizz Pork Trims
Late Dinner duck Heart Chx Brea chx heart Turk tigh Turk Heart chix Breas turk tigh

So exciting - the meat arrives tomorrow - I already got the calcium, the baggies, and all the hopes and prayers that they will eat it and love it all :cross:

HOW did Lucky gain weight? And WHAT is with our little piggies all gaining weight on these measured amounts of meals that seem SO SMALL????? :dk:

I'm excited about your venture into Frankenprey! (You need to find a frankenstein smiley! :lol3: )