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

auntie crazy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,435
Purraise
60
Originally Posted by Carolina
....

Oh No! Her luggage was ready!


Lucky truly is a drop-dead beautiful cat. If you were really serious (and I wasn't really risking life and limb ticking off six current kitties!), I'd take that darling girl in a heartbeat!!!!!!!


AC
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #222

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
:lol3:

Lucky truly is a drop-dead beautiful cat. If you were really serious (and I wasn't really risking life and limb ticking off six current kitties!), I'd take that darling girl in a heartbeat!!!!!!! :heart3:

AC
:flail: And she knows it too - she has the purrsonality of a princess that one :rolleyes::lol3:
Whew- had to RUN to the store as I was risking running out of Rad Cat - Emergency :nono: :lol3:
Going to have dinner then I will post - Hungry!! :yummy:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #223

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Day 13 Dinner

I am almost afraid to post it an jinx it - it has been a fantastic day for everyone here :clap::clap::clap:

Hope and Bugsy - Again, 100% Turkey Rad Cat - I am making a habit to warm up the meat into a sandwich size ziplock bag to a "mouse temperature" before serving. It is nice and and just the way they love it :nod:
Usually, they wait for me in the kitchen while I make their meals - the three of them - and follow me excitedly, screaming their little heads off to the hallway where I feed Bugsy and hope - Lucky goes straight to her room and waits for me there.
I then set Bugsy's and Hope's plates down.... As always, Bugsy jumped right in, and Hope waited for her beloved Fortiflora. Their Fortiflora consumption was cut tremendously since Rad Cat BTW - for Hope, it takes on Sprinkle to start, and a tiny one to finish it off..... For Bugsy only one to finish off..... Which means that now one packet lasts me several meals for both of them :clap::clap::clap: They have both been consistently finishing off their meals, and Hope always licks Bugsy's plate clean - she just can't get enough! :clap::clap::clap:

Lucky - She was really hungry today :clap: I made sure to not give her any treats in between her meals as I wanted her to have enough kibbles at meal times. So far so good :bigthumb: My biggest concern when she is hungry like this is to make sure that she keeps everything in and doesn't throw up..... She had an excellent meal, and I decided to not push it at all - did not want to risk it :nod: She has kept everything without a problem :clap::clap::clap:
I will tray to make this transition to EVO a week long transition - fast for Lucky, but I want to start the process of skipping a meal/offering raw only and I will be able do that only when she is on EVO due to the higher caloric content she will be getting on the other 2 meals :nod:
She hasn't been getting the raw treats in her plate for a few days, as it has slowed down her eating - but since she has eaten plenty tonight, I will start putting them back in on the next meal.
And as always, she will get her treats in the end of the night as well - cold this time! I am making sure she eats them every night, and she always eats a little more than the night before :bigthumb: (aside from last night, which was a disaster :( )

I also went to the store to get more food, and took a leap - got the kids some lamb :clap::clap::clap:
Soon they will try their next Protein from Rad Cat - Hope they like it :clap::clap::clap:
Was also thinking about placing an order for the Feline's Pride Rabbit for the kids - might try the duck as well.... Bugsy has had problems with Duck before, but not as bad as chicken - I might give it a try....
But for now we have some food on the freezer and all the bellies are full :nod:

It is quite amazing the difference I am noticing on them in this short amount of time.... Their fur is soft.... Their eyes are brighter.... I only get perfect poops in the litterbox - sorry I am not doing the poop-o-meter anymore :lol3: Perhaps I should just post a picture of Bugsy's bottom completely clean next time :flail:
Even their behavior is changing - they are playing more with each other, which is really nice to see..... :clap::clap::clap:

Oh, and one last thing - My hands are on the mends - Vaseline lotion and Nivea cream ROCKS - thanks for the tips, and getting both of them really helps!!
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #224

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
I priced Feline's Price and it comes down to just a little bit lower than Rad Cat..... Not sure how long shipping takes.... I will give it a try because of the extra varieties though - Duck and Rabbit.... 10lbs would be 80.90 for the Rabbit and Duck so $8.09 per pound, but if I do the Turkey, Rabbit and Duck, the price per pound drops considerably. One thing I noticed, is that the price advertised matches the rice in the cart for some items - for the later variety pack, for example, but not for others - I guess I will call the company before placing the order....
Another thing that makes me uneasy, is that is they don't like it, I can't just go to the store and replace it, like I do with Pet Supplies Plus......
Anyways - that's the Story.
Will think about it...... long and hard :lol3:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #225

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
:party4: :woohoo: Day 13 - a Lucky Day!! :woohoo: :party4:​

Finally - a GREAT day - when everything goes well - from start to finish.....I was so waiting for a day like this :woo:

This last meal was another success - for everyone!! :clap::clap::clap:

For Hope and Bugsy, I decided to do 50/50 Rabbit and Turkey - the Rabbit is Nature's Variety...... I was expecting them to be finicky....... but nope - they ate like champs :clap::clap::clap::clap:

Miss Lucky got 3 little raw meatball treats in her plate with her kibbles, covered with halo powder........................ and she ate 2 of them :clap::clap::clap: The third one she tired her best to eat - I have to give her credit - she chewed, chewed, then spit it off :lol3:
Then she proceeded to eat her kibbles like a good girl! She ate well today - 1/2 more than yesterday 3/8 of cup - not quite 1/2, but more than a 1/4..... 50% more than she ate yesterday :clap::clap::clap:

I feel a lot more confident that things are moving in the right direction now - hopefully tomorrow we will have another great day like today :cross: where everything falls into place...... That will make my life a whole lot easier! :bigthumb:

***Edit - Just finished giving them their raw treats Lucky ate about 3 of them - I made 5, but 2 of them she chew and spit it off....
I decided to make my life easier too - I am making using my little blender (The Magic Bullet) to grind the Halo treats into a powder in advance - then I just keep it in the closed cup in the fridge and use the portion I need to make the treats at each meal :nod:
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #226

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Question about safe handling for you raw feeders out there - specially the ones familiar with commercial diets:

Basically, my meats touch no cutting surfaces/boards, etc.... When they go on the scale, they are either in a fresh ziplock bag, or on the top of their plates.... If I defrost a patty - because it takes so long to defrost, they go into a ziplock bag, so I can immerse them int a container of water and the rest - still frozen, goes (still in the ziplock) inside of a closed glass container in the fridge)

Rad Cat comes into its own container, and in the fridge.

The only parts that touch the counter tops are the ziplock bags, and the outside of the containers - but never the meat....

I am afraid of disinfecting the counters with chemicals and getting that into their food - how do you do that, and do you need to? Or soap and water is enough?

Also - should I be washing the outside of the Rad Cat container prior to each use? Or is that paranoia? :wavey:
 

auntie crazy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,435
Purraise
60
Originally Posted by Carolina

Question about safe handling for you raw feeders out there - specially the ones familiar with commercial diets:

Basically, my meats touch no cutting surfaces/boards, etc.... When they go on the scale, they are either in a fresh ziplock bag, or on the top of their plates.... If I defrost a patty - because it takes so long to defrost, they go into a ziplock bag, so I can immerse them int a container of water and the rest - still frozen, goes (still in the ziplock) inside of a closed glass container in the fridge)

Rad Cat comes into its own container, and in the fridge.

The only parts that touch the counter tops are the ziplock bags, and the outside of the containers - but never the meat....

I am afraid of disinfecting the counters with chemicals and getting that into their food - how do you do that, and do you need to? Or soap and water is enough?

Also - should I be washing the outside of the Rad Cat container prior to each use? Or is that paranoia?
1) Soap and water and a good rinse is perfectly fine, Carolina.

2) Paranoia.

AC
 

catmom2wires

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,429
Purraise
212
Location
Texas
We keep a spray bottle of diluted Dr Bronner's Magic Soap (lavender scent) under the sink and just spray down the counters and wipe with a wet dishrag.  Lavender is naturally antibacterial.  You can find Dr Bronner's at any natural food store.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #230

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
We keep a spray bottle of diluted Dr Bronner's Magic Soap (lavender scent) under the sink and just spray down the counters and wipe with a wet dishrag.  Lavender is naturally antibacterial.  You can find Dr Bronner's at any natural food store.
Ok - thanks! I will look for that - I used to get it at Trader Joe's in California...... I am not so sure where to get it here..... Will look at Perhaps Whole foods? :nod:

1) Soap and water and a good rinse is perfectly fine, Carolina.

2) Paranoia.

AC
Good to know AC - Evidently they haven't gotten sick yet.... not even Bugsy who is SO sensitive..... But I have never done this before..... And the meat I cook for myself, as I said, is really from raw to frozen - so I am quite clueless on that department.... Thanks for setting my mind at ease :nod:

:woohoo: for Lucky 13! :lol3: And even Lucky is progressing! :clap: :clap: :clap:
well....... I wish every day was like this...... day 14..... not so good :wife:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #231

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Day 14 Report

Ok - here is what I have decided -

So I don't bore you to death :bore: This is now going to be more about Lucky, who is struggling, and needs to make some progress here, than about Hope and Bugsy - who are officially Carnivores by Now :woo:
I will post about Hope and Bugsy very simple updates, and will post also about changes, and big progresses, big steps they take, issues, questions, etc.....

So.......
Bugsy and Hope - Licked their plates clean, without a problem, with barely any help from Fortiflora :nod:

Lucky - The day did not start well for her, and I think it was my fault. I decided to put 5 little raw treats in her plate today, and I think it backfired. She ate the first - spit it up. Second, spit it up..... Ate some kibble off her plate, but very very little..... Her breakfast amounted to nothing. Well.... I can't say nothing because she ate "something".... but I can't count that for a meal - not a 1/2 meal either...... not even 1/4 of a meal. More like a snack.

Note to self - at the most 3 treats per meal, and I have to coat them more heavily.
Hopefully she will have a better dinner tonight, as she will be very hungry :nod:
No adverse side effects from EVO on the litterbox - she is just fine...... no throwing up either.........
Come on Lucky pick it up momma! :cross:

Now - question for Bugsy and Hope -

Especially for Bugsy, I want him to start chewing a bit to clean up his teeth/strengthen his jaw - I think it is going to be very good for his stomatitis, and teeth health..... Now that he is used to the meat..... How should I start that? In details? Remember - no chicken.... So chicken necks, wings, etc are not possible at the time.....

Thanks!! :wavey:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #233

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
What about that last piece of Turkey wing? :dk: Do we know if he can tolerate Quail? Or Cornish Game Hen? :dk:
Well.... Cornish Hen is pretty much chicken, isn't it?
The US Department of Agriculture describes the Rock Cornish game hen or Cornish game hen as "a young immature chicken (less than 5 weeks of age), weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was prepared from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken."
So.... IMHO that's a risk for Bugsy... It could be at this point.

I have not tried Quail yet.....
 

auntie crazy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,435
Purraise
60
Bone-in meals are always a toughie.

Besides poultry, the only regularly available bone-in meals I'm aware of are from rabbits, and you usually have to get them online.

Since Bugsy tolerates Halo chicken just fine, though, I would search for organic, naturally-fed chicken and try him on that. Just try a little bitty piece and see what happens.

Alternatively, you could (now that you've done all this work transitioning Bugsy and Hope to a fully raw diet - CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!) start feeding your kitties whole prey items. You'd start very, very small... tiny pinkie mice mixed in with their foods, and work your way up from there.

Chunked meat also plays a part in keeping the carnivore's mouth healthy.... have you thought of offering chunks of different meats as half of one of your meals per day? You'd start small and with soft meats - poultry, rabbit, pork - and work up to larger pieces of tougher meats, like beef, until your cats could handle the toughest - gizzard. At half a meal every day, that ought to have some benefit.

AC
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #235

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
start feeding your kitties whole prey items. You'd start very, very small... tiny pinkie mice mixed in with their foods, and work your way up from there.
:not: :flail:
Noooooooo way this is going to happen - I don't have the stomach for that Auntie :nono: :nausea: Sorry, but not for this momma :dash:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #236

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Bone-in meals are always a toughie.

Besides poultry, the only regularly available bone-in meals I'm aware of are from rabbits, and you usually have to get them online.

Chunked meat also plays a part in keeping the carnivore's mouth healthy.... have you thought of offering chunks of different meats as half of one of your meals per day? You'd start small and with soft meats - poultry, rabbit, pork - and work up to larger pieces of tougher meats, like beef, until your cats could handle the toughest - gizzard. At half a meal every day, that ought to have some benefit.

AC
Ok.... This is more likely..... I've heard some not some nice things about Pork.... Can I just buy some at my local whole foods? What cut should I get for each - Say Turkey.... Dark meat? Pork - Loin? How big would be the pieces?
 
Last edited:

feralvr

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
18,474
Purraise
689
Location
Northwest Indiana
Catching up on this one !!! So HAPPY :D to see all of the good reports. :cross: for Lucky :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes: I have been reading this very closely and SO appreciate your journaling :hugs:.

Question, Carolina: Do you defrost in the fridge overnight? Can a chunk/pattie of raw meat stay in the fridge in a sealed container for 24 to 48 hours and still be safe to feed? OR do you defrost another way and feed the same day? I just want to make sure I am thawing and serving my raw meat's properly to my cat's and my Wilbur. I may have to go total raw for Perla, along with the very bad herpes virus - she is showing sign's of allergies on her eye lid's and now ears - a red rash - much like Tammy's Lucas - but only on her eye lid's and ears. I just want to know the safe handling of the raw meat's from freezer to mouth. Thank you. :hugs:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #238

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Catching up on this one !!! So HAPPY :D to see all of the good reports. :cross: for Lucky :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes: I have been reading this very closely and SO appreciate your journaling :hugs:.
Thanks :hug:

Question, Carolina: Do you defrost in the fridge overnight? Can a chunk/pattie of raw meat stay in the fridge in a sealed container for 24 to 48 hours and still be safe to feed? OR do you defrost another way and feed the same day? I just want to make sure I am thawing and serving my raw meat's properly to my cat's and my Wilbur. I may have to go total raw for Perla, along with the very bad herpes virus - she is showing sign's of allergies on her eye lid's and now ears - a red rash - much like Tammy's Lucas - but only on her eye lid's and ears. I just want to know the safe handling of the raw meat's from freezer to mouth. Thank you. :hugs:
I am so sorry about Little Perla :hugs: Good thing is I understand they already like the good stuff?

Yes, I defrost in the fridge - but it takes a LONG time to defrost - for instance - in the package it says that the patty would defrost in about 8 hours overnight? :nono: Solid rock! So what I do, Is I put it in a ziplock bag and in a container filled of cold water - and defrost enough only for that serving (Use the spoon to remove the surface, but the center will still be frozen) the rest I goes back to the fridge in to a sealed glass container (still in the ziplock bag)...
With Rad Cat, since it is a little Tub, it takes even longer - that thing can be there for a couple of days I think and would still be frozen - I put in a ziplock bag and inside of a cold water container.... It doesn't take a very long time.....
Cold water is safer than warm water, as with warm water you run the risk of bacteria reproducing :nod:
Then the rest goes back in the fridge.
I like feeding within a day or at the most 48 hours.
I was told that it can be kept for 3-4 days....
NV recommends 24 hours from the time it is defrosted - but in my experience, the meat is always somewhat frozen anyways..... so....
Ah, and I also read that you can defrost in cold water, take what you need and immediately refreeze the rest - I believe I read this from Feline's Pride - but don't quote me on that.... As long as you do it immediately, there is no problem, and no loss of nutrients - if you feel more comfortable that way... it is something you can definitely do.....
Never ever just defrost on the counter though - always on the refrigerator, or for a few minutes on cold water ;)
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #239

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help: I can't give in :help:

I know Lucky is SO hungry as she didn't eat anything..... she is begging for food and dinner is still 4 hours away :bawling:
This is SO hard :bawling: It breaks my heart :bawling:
 

ritz

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
4,656
Purraise
282
Location
Annapolis, MD
Oh Carolina, I do emphathsize.  It breaks my heart too when Ritz wants more food and I know she's eaten enough.

What I found helpful is to busy myself with anything, especially if it involves my moving a lot.  Like (for me) doing a crafts project or physical therapy exercises.   Ritz tends to settle down when she sees I'm busy, though she is, by nature, a little skittish.

You can try to distract Lucky, maybe playing, brushing/grooming,petting.

And finally--got any shopping to do?  Errands?  The public library or book store. Desperate times call for desperate measures....  Think of Lucy having a nicotine craving.

Oh and about bone:  I can buy frozen rabbit in the Asian/international grocery stores where I live.  Ritz loves rabbit, and has no problem eating the bone + meat, either from the legs or rib cage.  (She can also chew quail and cornish hen bone.  I don't know how closely quail is to cornish hen to chicken.)

Regarding amount of time it takes to defrost in refrigerator:  check the setting on your refrigerator/freezer.  Maybe adjust it a little?  If your raw eggs are hard, then you know your refrigerator setting needs to be adjusted downward :) 

Hang in there.... we got your back .
 
Top