Getting my Lucas to try raw, a new journey...

Hello everyone;

I'm sad to say my Lucas is now allergic to the only food he could eat, Hills z/d, he is very sick right now. He is all itchy and he is scratching his eyes, his back and he is pulling his hair out, it is  a major set back. I was feeling lost and I really didn't know what food to give Lucas and a dear friend from this site told me I should try raw, the only food that won't contain the additives and dangerous things that are hurting my baby.  Soo, I contacted our dear Auntie Crazy and she has agreed to help me, I can't thank her enough for her time and patience.

I have also been inspired by Carolina's success with her kitties, specially Bugsy, that makes me want to try this.

I'm very afraid, I admit, Lucas has many health problems, like the Lupus, but I don't have a choice, I have to help him and this is the only way.  I just started today, of course it didn't go well because he is so used  to dry and canned food, but I'm hoping he can get used to it.

Day 1- introducing raw to Lucas and Nena

Morming- I decided to cut some little pieces of raw chicken on a plate to see how they will react to it and Lucas hated the idea, he smelled it and just tried to cover it.  With Nena  the story was different, OMG the girl acted like she has had raw everyday, she loved it and ate it all!  She is not going to have a problem with the change.

5pm today

I tried again , of course, following Auntie's instructions and I didn't succeed.  But I left the chicken there in the plate for a while to see if Lucas decided to try it, but  no, he is being a very stubborn boy.

I will keep trying, but I know is not going to be easy.

Tammy

So is he eating the z/d or what is he getting nutrition from?  I don't know if this is something that would work on kitties or not, but with ferrets to switch them we pretty much make a raw soup of chicken, little liver, watered down and kind of force feed it into them with syringes, they aren't too happy about it at first but eventually learn to love it, they just get so imprinted on kibble they won't try anything new otherwise, some people do the coating in kibble trick too.  I've seen people talk about force feeding sick cats on here but wasn't sure how difficult that is or if it would just make it worse?  With my cat to get her to try new proteins I would put fish oil or chicken blood over it, she likes both.  I hope you can figure something out and get your poor boy feeling better. 

He is still on the z/d because I have no choice, if the raw doesn't work I have no idea where to turn, he cant continue eating that food.

Well, AC seems to have lots of tricks up her sleeves, so don't despair just yet!  Afterall, this is just day one, right.  Have you tried sprinkling Forti Flora on the chicken pieces, or can Lucas not have that?  I know he has many, many allergies, but is there anything that is dry that he loves that you can use to entice him to try the new stuff the way Carolina is doing with Lucky? 

Tammy, I'm so glad you're going to give this a try. I KNOW it's scary... but poor Lucas just hasn't had any luck with just about any food for so long.... and now the problem with the z/d dry....

I'm wondering if part of the problem is the texture? When he was eating canned, he needed it mushy, right? Do you have a blender? Maybe you can give him "whipped" chicken? Something that's more... mushy? That he doesn't have to chew? And to entice him with the scent, crush up the z/d kibble that he does like - even though it's causing him problems right now - and sprinkle it on top?

Or if he keeps refusing to eat, maybe give him some kibble, even though you really don't want to because it's making him so sick... but put a little piece of chicken - kibble sized - coated in crushed kibble? - in there with it? So he gets used to the taste of the chicken while eating the food he likes?

Or, if you have syringes, maybe force feeding him some - if that doesn't completely stress him out - is worth a try? :dk:

Just trying to brain-storm here, given the limitations....

OR.... what about trying a different protein? Beef? Is turkey available there?

Many for Lucas - and for you! :heart3:

Mine eat ground meat.  Two of the three don't like chunks.  One of the three won't eat ground turkey.  None of them like 100% chicken!  Sooooooo, I end up making either ground beef or a combo of beef/chicken.  I know Felix won't eat any meat plain--he enjoys the taste of the supplements that go into his raw meals--especially the salmon oil.

You may need to try a mix, or get some pre-made raw meals in order to really make it work.  There are so many variables--you will be able to figure out something.

Good luck!!!!

Maybe start him on cooked meat? I know cooking destroys a lot of enzymes/nutrients, but for a cat with so many sensitivities home-cooked would be better than processed food, and at least you'd have control over the ingredients. I know very few cats who won't eat cooked chicken!

Thank you all for your words of support, I like all the ideas that you all have to help Lucas.  I will keep them all in mind.  I need to read a lot of information about enticing cats to eat raw, I will get to it now. I have lots to learn.

Hugs to all

Tammy

Tammy I am really sorry Lucas is so sick again. :shame:. I think you are doing the best for your boy in trying a raw diet. I really do. As you say, nothing else is working. I have heard of many success stories of cat's and dogs suffering terribly with food allergies going raw. I will be supporting you in this journey. This just has to work :cross: for Lucas...

Originally Posted by Feralvr

Tammy

I am really sorry Lucas is so sick again.

. I think you are doing the best for your boy in trying a raw diet. I really do. As you say, nothing else is working. I have heard of many success stories of cat's and dogs suffering terribly with food allergies going raw. I will be supporting you in this journey. This just has to work

for Lucas...

Click to expand...

Amen!!!

Keep trying all the different suggestions, Tammy. You will hit on what works soon. And I suggest keeping a journal of everything you feed Lucas: every treat, sprinkle, and bite, how much and what time fed, and what his condition is day to day. It'll help you narrow down both culprits - if you run into an issue - and Lucas' preferences.

God bless!!! I'm praying really hard for your boy.

AC

OMG Honey, I am so happy for you and Lucas :heart3:
Sorry I just saw this thread and I need to hurry to bed.... I will post tomorrow......
Please please keep going..... It is going to be challenging in the beginning.....
But from the bottom of my heart, I truly believe, after fighting so much to keep Bugsy healthy for so so long.... Trying everything, every medicine and every diet..... and to see what taking him out of all those additives and to simply put him in a raw diet has done for his health.... in just 8 days..... I do think hun this can really be a wonderful thing for Lucas.... It is going to give you the control that no other diet will..... And he will have all the nutrients and all the goodness he needs without the junk that is making him sick.... :cross:
I hope you can see him thrive just like I am seeing Bugsy :heart3:
When things get hard, just keep going, ok? You and Lucas will get there..... we will be right here to support you..... we will learn from each other and we will get there together....
Hugs

Thank you all.  I'm about to leave, have a dentist appointmen, but wanted to update.

I tried again this  morning, but Lucas won't ever try.  I'm amazed at my other three because they like it, they have no problem with it, but Lucas , the one who really needs it, won't touch it.  I even whipped the meat using the blender and still, nothing.  I  went and put some inside his mouth so he could at least taste it, but he got upset and ran away from me.  

I will buy some othe meat, because obviously he hates chicken.  I will buy some turkey and beef today.  I'll keep praying.

Tammy

Well, at least your other three "taste-testers" are letting you know they like "real" food!

It could very well be he just doesn't like chicken. :nod: You may also have to try some flavoring tricks, despite his sensitivities....

I think AC's idea about journaling everything is going to be important to you and Lucas, it's a great idea!

Sending more vibes to you and Lucas!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW - have you purchased a probiotic? Ensuring that Lucas has "good" gut flora may help him with the switch. :nod:

:heart3: Hang in there hun, you'll find something he likes, or a way to get him to eat!!!

Originally Posted by LDG

...
BTW - have you purchased a probiotic? Ensuring that Lucas has "good" gut flora may help him with the switch.

Hang in there hun, you'll find something he likes, or a way to get him to eat!!!

Click to expand...

And Forti Flora is both a probiotic and an awesome enticement that few cats can resist.   Amazon.com has a killer sale on right now.... get $35.95 worth for only $19.99!

I hope you've had some luck with him by now!

AC

I will get the Fortiflora auntie, thank you for letting me know about the sale.  Its been a very though day for me and my Lucas.  I prepared turkey today for my  Lucas.  I tried to entice him with a little canned z/d, I was sooo hopeful that he was going to eat it, in fact I had dreams about it last night and I prayed to God so Lucas will start eating, but he once again refused.  you know how they like open their mouth in a weird way when they smell something funny?  That is the way he acted and I felt so awful because when he sees me preparing something for him he gets so excited thinking is z/d or some canned food, and he was so sad and dissapointed when he saw what it was.

I won't give up, but this is not going to be easy.  I will try beef tomorrow.  The problem with Lucas is that he won't let anyone trick him, once he smells the meat, that's it.  I'm making him try it, but he hated that.

I received in the mail today the pills Barb recommended for Lucas and that I had ordered like two weeks ago, the 2 Docs Allergy Defense capsules, since lucas has been so itchy, I gave him half a pill dissolved in some yougurt, he loves yogurt and he nevers get sick after eating it.

I will continue to update soon, I hope next time is good news.

Tammy

Auntie Crazy said:

And Forti Flora is both a probiotic and an awesome enticement that few cats can resist. :bigthumb:   Amazon.com has a killer sale on right now.... get $35.95 worth for only $19.99

!

I hope you've had some luck with him by now! :heart3:

AC

Click to expand...

LOL - I was just going to ask someone about where to get Fortiflora!!!!! Thank's Auntie - I am on it tonight - will be ordering some. :bigthumb:

Tammy - keep trying - it will work. I am also having troubles with Pipsqueak even licking raw - frozen meat or freeze-dried . That is why I am going to try using the Fortiflora :nod: The reason I started using "raw" was for my elderly :heart3: dog, Wilbur. His Holistic vet recommended it for him. So........ while I sit on the floor and hand-feed Wilbur - I found that four of my six cat's would go absolutely crazy for the raw. I decided to start letting them have a taste to two - which was a win-win for me because.......... Wilbur would see the cat's eating HIS food and that would entice him to eat MORE and then I was also slowly introducing raw meat into my cat's diet Perla will only eat the freeze-dried - absolutely no raw meat - unless I mix with the crappy Fancy Feast .... So Pipsqueak and Perla are the two who are rejecting the raw meat. Hoping the Fortiflora will do the trick :cross:

Here are the product's I have been feeding my Wilbur and my cat's.

Stella/Chewey's Freeze-dried raw cubes made for cat's - all varieties.
Stella/Chewey's raw dog food (with added taurine - so cat's can eat it) Chicken - Beef - Lamb
Bravo (for both cat's and dog's) Pork and Chicken
Nature's Variety raw Beef patties, rabbit patties and chicken patties
Vital Essential's freeze-dried beef tripe - Wilbur only - but Wendall loves the stuff too.

I thought Perla and Wilbur got sick from the Bravo two week's ago. It was not that. I am now incorporating the Bravo back into their diet's with no issues at all. I am sure it was the Wilderness Weight Management Chicken dry formula that I put all of my cat's on before my trip. I have eliminated everything in common from their diets and slowly reintroduced the possible culprit's. They are all eating the same thing as before - EXCEPT for the Wilderness. So it must have been a very bad bag of dry food. I did return the two bag's I had to Petsmart and got a full refund even though they were opened

Good luck with sweet Lucas today!!!!

OH p.s. I am trying to get a video of Presley - my sweet angel, lovebug, cuddle bug who wouldn't hurt a fly. WELL :rofl: When he gets a hold of some raw meat - :shocker: He turns into a - hunker's down and growl's as he is devouring it - looking around - it brings out the wild side in him..... It is absolutely the funniest thing - and if you knew Presley and how sweet natured he is - you would laugh too..... :bigmouth: They just LOVE the stuff

Originally Posted by Momto4kitties


I will get the Fortiflora auntie, thank you for letting me know about the sale.  Its been a very though day for me and my Lucas.  I prepared turkey today for my  Lucas.  I tried to entice him with a little canned z/d, I was sooo hopeful that he was going to eat it, in fact I had dreams about it last night and I prayed to God so Lucas will start eating, but he once again refused.  you know how they like open their mouth in a weird way when they smell something funny?  That is the way he acted and I felt so awful because when he sees me preparing something for him he gets so excited thinking is z/d or some canned food, and he was so sad and dissapointed when he saw what it was.

I won't give up, but this is not going to be easy.  I will try beef tomorrow.  The problem with Lucas is that he won't let anyone trick him, once he smells the meat, that's it.  I'm making him try it, but he hated that.

I received in the mail today the pills Barb recommended for Lucas and that I had ordered like two weeks ago, the 2 Docs Allergy Defense capsules, since lucas has been so itchy, I gave him half a pill dissolved in some yougurt, he loves yogurt and he nevers get sick after eating it.

I will continue to update soon, I hope next time is good news.

Tammy

Click to expand...

How extraordinarily frustrating.    I hope the pills give him some relief while you're working on his transition.

For Lucas' sake, I was hoping for a fast transition. That doesn't look like it's going to happen. I would recommend, then, that you start using some of the slower transition steps in those articles I sent you. (For instance, place a small bit of raw meat next to every meal he does eat, just to get him accustomed to thinking "raw smell = food").

Also, would it be possible to hide small bits of meat inside yogurt? Just roll the meat in the yogurt and hand-feed it to him (just for now)?

Come on, Lucas! You're a smart boy! You know your Momma's trying to help you  - now get with the program!!!!

AC

Just checking in on this thread, same as I'm following Carolina's.  Come on Lucas! 

Thank you auntie and Sally   I'm still trying beef tomorrow just  in case he likes it.  If he doesn't I will do that AC, I will go slow putting the small pieces next to his food.  I can't understand why the others accepted it so easily and he can't.  Well, he is different and more delicate.  The poor kid has been through so much since he was a tiny baby and his mom left him  all alone.  I just hope I can help him.  Listen to your aunties Lucas , please cooperate my darling boy!