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

carolina · Feb 28, 2012

LDG said:
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: )

You tell me!!! The only thing I can think of..... WL chicken - that thing must be calorie packed

02/28/12 -

Late Night Dinner

Ok..... A few things going on here - Definitely Rad Cat Chicken is out of the window for Hope and Bugsy - NOT their favorite - in fact, they downright refused it. So I decided to give them chicken pieces, supplemented with Calcium..... and here we are, looking at a little change of plans too :doh3:
The calcium does spread really well - it coats the meat lightly, like you are painting it with watercolor - that's the best description I can give.... Problem is, they were not very excited about it :slant: They ate some - about 1/2.... Not sure if they were full, since they had eaten some of the ground, or if they didn't like it - the second is more likely. I washed it off and Bugsy ate the rest. Hope didn't she only ate about 1oz of it.
So I think the better plan is to balance their meals once a day - adding the calcium to the ground meal, in the morning. So, instead of adding 1/8tsp to each meal, I would add 1/4tsp to the morning meals every day - I think that would be easier to disguise it.
They would get their probiotics and calcium in the morning :nod: I hope that works! I will try to add a little tomorrow and see what happens :nod:
The first week they will get no calcium as I will be testing the meats/schedule to get an idea of how much they will be eating on their meals :nod:

I offered Lucky the raw first today, and she took a couple of tiny, tiny licks - then she looked at my face as to say "mom, I am ready for my kibbles, please" She had a great meal, and is finally starting to leave some kibbles behind - this gives me some hope - her absolute passion for it is fading away..... Thank goodness..... she is getting there.
Oh, and Laurie, here is for us tomorrow:

ldg · Feb 29, 2012

Yeah, on the calcium I was thinking it may have to be added to the one meal of commercial ground stuff. :nod: Not sure when the eggshells will be here - today or tomorrow, I think. But I suspect we'll have the same issue. :nod:

And given the packages of frozen seem to arrive here so late, I may just put it all in the freezer, and do all the work tomorrow. :lol3:

carolina · Feb 29, 2012

02/29/12 -Breakfast

:clap:

Breakfast for Lucky sums up to this:
[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

I know the video is long........ and there is not much there - she only eats about 0.2oz....... But that is a HUGE step for us :blobgreen :blobgreen :blobgreen
I changed my technique: First now she is offered raw - no kibbles..... when she is done with it, and will no longer eat it at all.... I drop the kibbles. I will not force her or torture her into eat it.... I want this to be a safe and pleasant experience :nod: She will come back to raw at her own terms :nod:

Hope and Bugsy Had Cut chicken and Rad Cat Turkey this morning..... They both went straight to the fresh meat :nod: Hope has gone Frankerprey all the way - she is totally rejecting ground raw

She now only eats it with a LOT of WL and fingerfed :thud:

Fingerfed she was :lol3:
Bugsy ate the ground without an issue.....

LDG said:
Yeah, on the calcium I was thinking it may have to be added to the one meal of commercial ground stuff. :nod: Not sure when the eggshells will be here - today or tomorrow, I think. But I suspect we'll have the same issue. :nod:
And given the packages of frozen seem to arrive here so late, I may just put it all in the freezer, and do all the work tomorrow. :lol3:

Laurie, they had no problem with th calcium I added to balance the cut meat - I wanted to check if they would notice the taste..... nope - not an issue..... I think this is going to be the solution here.... Balancing the meat in the ground am meals :nod:
The meat gets here much earlier - I was thinking about the same thing, but I think I will do it today as Hope needs to get her meat - she wants meat meat meat!! :clap:

So Exciting!!!

ldg · Feb 29, 2012

WTG Lucky! :clap:

Aw, happy momma, Lucky's taking.. steps, not just baby steps! :bigthumb:

Great on the calcium. :nod: Given I'll be feeding eggshells, I doubt they'll have a problem with it in the ground mix - they already eat it with the bone in it. :lol3:

I think I'm going to skip the added calcium for the first week - did you say you were going to do that? Because if they don't eat the meal, I'll have to offer them commercial or canned or something... both of which have calcium in them.

And yeah - Shel's pretty much rejecting anything other than slices of fresh meat.

carolina · Feb 29, 2012

LDG said:
WTG Lucky! Aw, happy momma, Lucky's taking.. steps, not just baby steps! :bigthumb:
Great on the calcium. :nod: Given I'll be feeding eggshells, I doubt they'll have a problem with it in the ground mix - they already eat it with the bone in it. :lol3:
I think I'm going to skip the added calcium for the first week - did you say you were going to do that? Because if they don't eat the meal, I'll have to offer them commercial or canned or something... both of which have calcium in them.
And yeah - Shel's pretty much rejecting anything other than slices of fresh meat.

Yeah..... I will have to skip the calcium on the first week to have a good idea of their intake, since I am going to be balancing the calcium in advance, in the morning meals - otherwise I will run a risk of giving too much calcium if they don't eat and I end up having to complement their diets with commercial ground throughout the day :nod:
At least the test today proved they will eat it in the ground - the eggshells should be easier - they have no taste whatsoever.... I might buy some of that just in case.... :nod:

feralvr · Feb 29, 2012

LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey - that is a start :woohoo:

Love the Frankenstein dude!!! :lol3:

ldg · Feb 29, 2012

Carolina said:
Oh, and Laurie, here is for us tomorrow:

Carolina, my meat and organs didn't arrive today! Hopefully frankenstein will visit tomorrow! :lol3:

So are your fingers raw from working with all that frozen stuff??????

carolina · Feb 29, 2012

LDG said:
Carolina, my meat and organs didn't arrive today! Hopefully frankenstein will visit tomorrow! :lol3:
So are your fingers raw from working with all that frozen stuff??????

Laurie, be aware, he has no mercy, he is very very mean, and he is coming for youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

My goodness - What an act of love Frankerprey is..... :thud:

Let me tell you right now - these kitties better like this program or else! :bat:

It is a LOT of work!
Oh, and let's talk about the Kidney.......

I swear - there is nothing more disgusting than that - NOTHING. NADA. :thud:

I was literally shaking, white as a leaf when I was done with it.... The more it defrosts, the worst it gets.... It has a lot of fat in it.... a LOT.... And the fat is these weird chunks, thick..... and it smells like PEE - like very old, concentrated pee.... Like the worst gas station in the middle of the road you have ever been.......... only if hadn't been cleaned for a month - make that a guy's restroom - after the jerks peed all over the wall. Man, it is really REALLY bad. Mix that with raw/organ meat and blood....

That smell sticks like nothing else.....

(Excited about tomorrow, Laurie? :flail:

)

Amazingly, the cats ate that thing! :barf:

Bugsy ate right up

Hope ate, spit it off (she has a bit more sense into her.... comes with being a girl apparently :lol3

then ate it :lol3:

Anyways........ Took me many hours cutting and prepping this whole thing - but now everything is separated into portion size ziplock baggies, inside of container in the freezer - provided they like the meats, we are set to go! :bigthumb:

A few tips: When measuring the portions frozen, I am adding about 10% from the final weight, as quite a bit of water weight is lost on defrosting. So If I need 4oz to feed Bugsy and Hope, I am bagging 4.4oz portions - I tested this today with the pork and worked out perfectly :nod:

Another tip: I mark all my ziplock bags in advance, then I do this:

I just place all of them open, one on the top of another, on the top of an upside down tall glass. I just pull a new one as I am ready to fill/weight - amazing how silly stuff like that all of the sudden manke your life that much easier :lol3:

02/29/12 - Day 64 Dinner

Lucky was served her raw chicken first this time around as well - she took a few licks, and wanted kibbles..... not as well as breakfast (Turkey), but she did have a few licks, and that IS good :clap:

Bugsy and Hope had Pork for the first time!!! :clap:

We have gone Frankerprey everyone - it is official :clap:

They LOVED IT :woohoo:

No need for anything - nod a drop of WL - this meal was gone in record time :thud:

Pork is much tougher than chicken, and not-a-problem....... Those kids worked that meat like a pro. Hope was licking that plate and crying for more :blobmir: I haven't seen them eat with that much gusto in a long long time....

Let's just home they keep liking it..... and let's hope that the poop-o-meter is kind with me...... It is not like there was an introduction here..... It was like BAM!!!! Here is a whole meal of PORK.... and here is a little heart.... and a little gizzard...... and a little liver.....

Let's all pray.........

feralvr · Feb 29, 2012

Carolina said:
Oh, and let's talk about the Kidney.......
I swear - there is nothing more disgusting than that - NOTHING. NADA. I was literally shaking, white as a leaf when I was done with it.... The more it defrosts, the worst it gets.... It has a lot of fat in it.... a LOT.... And the fat is these weird chunks, thick..... and it smells like PEE - like very old, concentrated pee.... Like the worst gas station in the middle of the road you have ever been.......... only if hadn't been cleaned for a month - make that a guy's restroom - after the jerks peed all over the wall. Man, it is really REALLY bad. Mix that with raw/organ meat and blood.... That smell sticks like nothing else.............

OK

Just too funny :spit: You are either a very brave crazy cat lady or a scary crazy cat lady or a little of both..... AND how do you know what a gas station, in the middle of nowhere, pissed on walls men's room smells like...... :scratch: :hmm: :crackup:

I don't think I have the stomach for kidney :sick: :nausea: :paranoid:

ara2: :dash:

carolina · Feb 29, 2012

Feralvr said:
OK Just too funny :spit: You are either a very brave crazy cat lady or a scary crazy cat lady or a little of both..... AND how do you know what a gas station, in the middle of nowhere, pissed on walls men's room smells like...... :scratch: :hmm: I don't think I have the stomach for kidney :sick: :nausea: ara2: :dash:

I've been in a few nasty ones throughout my life...... I tell ya - I rather do that than the kidney :flail:

I told Laurie to wear her Armageddon survivor mask :flail:

just in case :crackup:

I will buy a very good mask for me for next time..... or just look for "another secreting organ" as this is nuts.
The thing is, when you first start cutting, you think.... oh, it is not so bad..... AC and the others were making too much Ado.... Right

That's because IT IS that bad :lol3: The fat is just weird.... and the smell lingers..... and it gets worst by the minute.... The more you trim - and there is a lot to trim - the more it stinks.
I just hope the kitties don't mark their plates :flail:

can you imagine :spit:

02/29/12 - Day 64 - Late Night Dinner

Another slam dunk meal for Hope and Bugsy - they had Chicken Breast - cut pieces and it was gone in seconds :clap:

Chew chew chew, gone! I am very happy to report that they are very neat eaters too - they eat very close to their plates, and don't drag food around at all - nothing falls out of the plate..... Very clean, neat kitties :woohoo:

Lucky wanted nothing with the raw tonight..... She did eat kibbles well, but left some.... Tomorrow she will have Turkey - she likes it better :nod:

In the menu for Hope and Bugsy tomorrow is :
Breakfast: NM Lamb
Dinner: Chichen Breast
Late Dinner Turk thigh

Since I am pretty sure they will eat both meat meals, I will go ahead and balance the Calcium tomorrow morning already - it takes 1/4tsp for the day added at breakfast :nod: They should not have a problem - I will report :nod:

ldg · Mar 1, 2012

On the kitties gobbling up their food.

With Lucky... I'm pretty sure it'll help to offer her raw she prefers on a rotation. Mine get bored easily.

And the kidney.... I am NOT dethawing it OR prepping the whole thing. They need so little weekly, I'm just going to hack off their weekly bit, split it into two (because I'm feeding at two meals). No dealing with all of it at once!!!!!

carolina · Mar 1, 2012

03/01/12 -

Day 65 Breakfast

Hope and Bugsy had Nature's Menu Lamb for Breakfast Today. I went ahead and added the Calcium fr the day in it - 1/4tsp for each - that will balance out both dinner and late night dinner :nod: I do not think they noticed the taste..... However, they were disappointed it was not meat - I mean, cut meat :disa: The kids got serious now..... They truly have gone Frankerprey :nod:
It took quite a bit of WL for them to finish...... and even so, Bugsy left some behind..... so he did not get the whole Ca he was supposed to..... But he got most of it. And a whole bunch of WL in the process

Hope Finished but only with some finger-feeding Spoiled little girl.....

In the menu for later today, they have Cut Chicken breast for lunch, and Turkey thighs for dinner :cross: they like it - that will be a first!

Lucky had a great meal, however not a lick of raw

I did give her turkey, but she wanted nothing to do with it..... I guess some days will just be better than others.....

ldg · Mar 1, 2012

Yep, that's my worry... they won't want the ground at all anymore. :cross:

mrsgreenjeens · Mar 1, 2012

LDG said:
Yep, that's my worry... they won't want the ground at all anymore.

I was wondering about that myself. I guess then the only problem for everyone is the calcium? Unless you give them cuts of meat with bone? (just checking to make sure I'm not missing anything, or are there actually some other nutrients they might be missing, some vitamins or something that they aren't getting since they don't get served up stomach and intestines in Frankenprey?)

carolina · Mar 1, 2012

LDG said:
Yep, that's my worry... they won't want the ground at all anymore. :cross:

mrsgreenjeens said:
I was wondering about that myself. I guess then the only problem for everyone is the calcium? Unless you give them cuts of meat with bone? (just checking to make sure I'm not missing anything, or are there actually some other nutrients they might be missing, some vitamins or something that they aren't getting since they don't get served up stomach and intestines in Frankenprey?)

And let me tell you, it is happening FAST! :thud:

Sally.... Bugsy has to get his probiotics no matter what.... I would not give him raw without it.... So if he goes 100% Frankerprey, I might need to pill him at least that. Then about the calcium - there are a couple of options: Sprinkling it on the meat but not smearing on the top of it - I can try to see how that goes..... Pilling a calcium tablet in the am, or feeding him bones, which I am not really sure I want to do.
Right now I have a couple of meats in the menu I know they LOVE - Rad Cat lamb and Hare Today Rabbit. I can also stick with those two and see how that goes..... I do have Rad Cat Chicken and that I know for a fact will be a gigantic failure - they don't like that to begin with..... and now after Frankerprey I have a feeling they will flat out reject it. I think I will just remove that from the menu entirely.
If I give him bones, I will definitely have a vet visit before to discuss the matter - I am not taking this lightly with Bugsy.....

feralvr · Mar 1, 2012

Carolina said:
And let me tell you, it is happening FAST!
Sally.... Bugsy has to get his probiotics no matter what.... I would not give him raw without it.... So if he goes 100% Frankerprey, I might need to pill him at least that. Then about the calcium - there are a couple of options: Sprinkling it on the meat but not smearing on the top of it - I can try to see how that goes..... Pilling a calcium tablet in the am, or feeding him bones, which I am not really sure I want to do.
Right now I have a couple of meats in the menu I know they LOVE - Rad Cat lamb and Hare Today Rabbit. I can also stick with those two and see how that goes..... I do have Rad Cat Chicken and that I know for a fact will be a gigantic failure - they don't like that to begin with..... and now after Frankerprey I have a feeling they will flat out reject it. I think I will just remove that from the menu entirely.
If I give him bones, I will definitely have a vet visit before to discuss the matter - I am not taking this lightly with Bugsy.....

WOW I guess once they go Frankenprey - they don't go back

HEY - Carolina - IF you don't want your Rad Cat Chicken....... and want to sell it to me, let me know. Not sure how much you have anyway and maybe you want to keep it on hand. BUT I would love to get my hands on any Rad Cat proteins that I can. My cat's do seem to love chicken. I still have not tried the Nature's menu Chicken yet - but I am thinking that they will like it :cross:

carolina · Mar 1, 2012

Feralvr said:
WOW I guess once they go Frankenprey - they don't go back HEY - Carolina - IF you don't want your Rad Cat Chicken....... and want to sell it to me, let me know. Not sure how much you have anyway and maybe you want to keep it on hand. BUT I would love to get my hands on any Rad Cat proteins that I can. My cat's do seem to love chicken. I still have not tried the Nature's menu Chicken yet - but I am thinking that they will like it :cross:

Lauren,

I have only 4lbs that I can send to you for less than what I got..... I buy them for $8.99 +tax.... I can give you for $6 or so? They are good through Jan 2013 - I just got them last week.... I just won't use them.... Really won't.
I can also go to PSP and get you as many as you want - I can send you the receipt and you can pay me via Paypal.... Unfortunately I just tossed my HT box :doh3:
But I can see at the UPS store what they have in there....I don't think it will be much.... It has to be shipped mon/tuesday though.... so it arrives there frozen..... Let me know, and I can ship you some rad cat that way..... :nod: GET LAMB :nod: :lol3:

carolina · Mar 1, 2012

03/01/12 - Day 65 Dinner

This is getting too easy :thud:

Chicken breast pieces for Hope and Bugsy - one in the blink of an eye - nothing needed.... not a drop of WL nothing at all..... Just like that.... gone!
Hopefully next meal will be a successful one as well :cross: They will be having turkey legs for the first time :clap:

I hope they love it!!

Lucky Had her kibbles, but no raw whatsoever

feralvr · Mar 1, 2012

Carolina said:
Lauren,
I have only 4lbs that I can send to you for less than what I got..... I buy them for $8.99 +tax.... I can give you for $6 or so? They are good through Jan 2013 - I just got them last week.... I just won't use them.... Really won't.
I can also go to PSP and get you as many as you want - I can send you the receipt and you can pay me via Paypal.... Unfortunately I just tossed my HT box :doh3:
But I can see at the UPS store what they have in there....I don't think it will be much.... It has to be shipped mon/tuesday though.... so it arrives there frozen..... Let me know, and I can ship you some rad cat that way..... :nod: GET LAMB :nod: :lol3:

Thank you SO much!!! YES - if it is not too much trouble - I would love to try some Lamb as well. I hope this is not too much extra work for you though.... our time is so precious these days... I don't know what I will do though IF they just LOVE it as I cannot get Rad Cat any other way and I certainly don't want to make you my distributor :lol3: But I would love to try the Lamb and will definitely take your 4 lbs of Chicken. That will last me awhile anyway - especially if the four P's don't like it. Walden and Wendall have quite a variety piling up in the freezer. I try to hide all of the raw meat from Larry in the freezer - he does complain about it :wife: I haven't asked about another freezer yet. :paranoid:

...... You can PM me the details - and the pay pal info. and the total for everything when you have it.

THANK YOU

carolina · Mar 1, 2012

Feralvr said:
Thank you SO much!!! YES - if it is not too much trouble - I would love to try some Lamb as well. I hope this is not too much extra work for you though.... our time is so precious these days... I don't know what I will do though IF they just LOVE it as I cannot get Rad Cat any other way and I certainly don't want to make you my distributor :lol3: But I would love to try the Lamb and will definitely take your 4 lbs of Chicken. That will last me awhile anyway - especially if the four P's don't like it. Walden and Wendall have quite a variety piling up in the freezer. I try to hide all of the raw meat from Larry in the freezer - he does complain about it :wife: I haven't asked about another freezer yet. ...... You can PM me the details - and the pay pal info. and the total for everything when you have it. THANK YOU

I will be happy to share the love :hugs:

Let me go to the UPS store this weekend and check the packaging situation.... In any event, I did find a place that sells dry ice and ships near me - I will be calling them too

You will Love Rad Cat- it is GREAT stuff!!! My cats are just going nuts for the meat.... Lucky did like chicken.... but now.... well.... what's the point? Someone might as well enjoy it - Plus, I have tons of Turkey here, which all of them can enjoy, including her :bigthumb:
:hugs:

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

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