A New "Raw"some Beginning... (yup - another one LOL)

If you asked me six months ago if I would ever feed raw food to my pets - I would have said a fast NO . My 13 year old, Jack Russell Terrier, Wilbur ( my angel on earth ) has multiple health problems... Mast cell cancer at age seven, Cushing's, Myotonia ( constant muscle tremors - muscle disorder), and an endocrine disorder and imbalance. As a last chance effort and after exhausting Western medicine - I found a Holistic Vet through Ellen (thanks to Laurie ). This vet recommended a RAW diet for Wilbur But since I would do absolutely anything to save my dog - I did it. Commercial raw food. That's how this all started. I would hand-feed Wilbur the food and in doing so the cats started circling around - like vultures . I started offering very small pieces to them as well. This also made Wilbur more willing to eat too, just seeing the cats eat HIS food. It was a win-win situation. Slowly the cats became more accustomed to the raw tidbits and started asking for more and more.

Since Carolina's thread and now Laurie's thread - I have started actually feeding them the food in their bowls. It has been about ten days now and they are at about 75% raw meat and 15% wet and 10% dry. I am now only offering the dry kibble at bedtime and it is about 1/16 of a cup. Just a snack. They no longer get any kibble mixed in with the wet like I did before . It took me quite some time to get Pipsqueak and Perla to try it. Pipsqueak was very anti-raw on it's own but when I started mixing it in with the wet food ten days ago - he started eating it and enjoying the meat. So I added a bit more each day. Perla loves the Fortiflora and will stop eating and wait for some more to be sprinkled on BUT the last two days she has only needed one sprinkling in the beginning of her meal. I also have Halo treats and Bonito flakes. None of which Pipsqueak likes

I don't want to make this soooooo long because I know there has been a lot of reading to do in the Raw Forums lately. AND Auntie ....... I must ask - Have the Raw Forums ever been this busy ????

I want to just start by telling you the overall changes I have noticed in all the cats combined and then the individual changes. It has just blown my mind completely. No joke here....and now I ask myself and why did I wait soooo long to give it a go? the owner of the natural pet food store told me that in the last two years the amount of people changing to commercially made raw from kibble (dogs and cats) has been astounding. The most popular are the ones she sells (Nature's Variety, Stella and Chewey's, Nature's Logic, Vital Essential's, and Primal) She can order most anything I would like - but I will do that myself on-line.

The changes in the cats overall are nice, pink, clean butts - sorry - but it is true. No more of those tiny brown cling-ons . Nice firm poops and not as many either. WHERES THE BEEF - is now WHERES THE POOP Their coats have such a gleam to them already AND their nails are growing like hot cakes. I trim my cats nails weekly and now I noticed that they need twice weekly trimmings. I just can't keep up with it. I wonder if they think they are hunting or something They are much more energetic but not to the point of being bad - just overall happy. This is a big one for me - NO MORE CHIN DIRT (except Pipsqueak has a teeny bit left but he is not eating the raw as well as the other's either)

The individual changes so far:
Pipsqueak - Plays like a madman during interactive play, chin dirt is less, seems more stable and not as stressed but still very alert. large pee clumps without the medication. Seems to have more confidence in keeping everyone in line including me. Was sick with a virus and recovered in record time.
Perla - very, very active and out-going. She is more tolerant of Wendall AND I actually saw her TWICE stalking Perkins and pounced on him. NEVER have I seen her this bold. I like this a lot. NO chin dirt at all - completely gone now. Better appetite and asking for food.
Perkins - Not as skittish anymore - he seems much more relaxed and happy overall.
Presley - Very active and more agile - not as clumsy during play.
Walden - Very bright eyes - more so than ever - extremely playful has gained some weight.
Wendall - THIS IS A MAJOR relief for me. His tummy is NOT as bloated anymore like a balloon. At one point I thought he had FIP - but no just a fat boy I guess. Since coming off of the kibbles - and he and Walden are getting mostly raw now - his tummy is not a blown up. NO coughing either. Coincidence we will see. ALSO- ANOTHER BIG ONE - he is NOT stalking Perla anymore In fact, he can walk right past her and get no reaction from her and he doesn't pay any attention to her. I am sure they will never be friend's but I would say there is a level of tolerance I have not seen before.

I am not even feeding them total raw either - but these changes are just too amazing and I am SO excited to try other brands of raw too. It is really late and I will fill you in tomorrow on what I have been feeding them. I PROMISE my posts will not be long like this first one....

I am a raw believer now..... Thanks Dr. Wessner and Wilbur....... BTW>>>>>>> Wilbur's quality of life has improved ten-fold since last August. I never thought he would make it to Christmas. He did and he is still with me, eating raw and taking his homeopathics like a good old man should

Goodnight, my friends.... I am on for sure.......

THANK YOU .... I am really, really thrilled to see the wonderful changes in my kitties. I don't know how I will ever get to 100% though.... I have a trip in May and I will have to unfortunately leave dry food down during my absence . I don't know what else to do. Perla and Perkins will not come out for Krista, my cat sitter. So they have to have food available to them while I am gone for these short trips. I will ONLY be offering them kibbles in the evening as a snack about 1/16 of a cup. I will really have to think this one over and try to come up with a solution for the times I have to go away because it makes me sad going through all of this and then have them back on dry for my short trips.

Have a great trip this week - NO WORRIES

Thanks, Auntie !!!!! As you know, I have been giving my cats "some" raw for a few months now. But Carolina's thread DID give me that final push to go all the way - or as far as I can with the raw diet. I wanted the same wonderful changes in my cats that Carolina has had in her babies And I thought WHY am I not just following through I think it was just the handling with the raw meat. When I started full time with the raw about a week and a half ago, the first few days were a bit of a mess - trying not to touch anything with my hand after I had touched the raw meat, then worrying that I contaminated this and that - and then having to disinfect this and that - and then remembering OOPS - I touched that... But now I have a routine down pat and it is much easier now. I also wear disposable cheap gloves and that has saved my hands from so much washing and cracked skin. AND now that the cats are cleaning up their plates - it makes it so much easier because I don't have raw food everywhere that has been uneaten. The first day was a riot. I was like Carolina walking around in circles with my hands up in the air and not knowing which way to turn The cats were watching me in WONDER over the whole process. Pretty funny in the beginning.

MORNING!!! And a good morning at that . S&C Lamb was on the menu this morning and I was REALLY nervous thinking it would go to the ferals They had about 25% S&C Lamb and 50% NV rabbit and then the wet on top. I personally get a bit sick smelling the Lamb. YUK and yesterday when I tried to give some as a snack - Presley made that face and started to cover the treat I really didn't think it would go as well as it did this morning but here is how I am doing this and "covering" up the smell of the Lamb to at least get them digging in. To me, the hardest part is getting them to TRY a new protein or brand. BUT I think the key to this transition is that the cats MUST be on a wet diet in the first place and they must be used to a wide variety of rotating brands of wet food. I think if a cat is stuck on ONE variety/brand of wet, you will have much more trouble converting your cat. So I would suggest anyone considering to get started on a total wet diet and start rotating some brands around. Also - a scheduled feeding program is a must as well. So with those three things.... I think that has made my transition SO SO easy. My cats are already used to a different tasting food at each meal anyway.

To get them started I had on hand, of course, the Fortiflora, Halo treats and the Bonito flakes AND Fancy Feast if the first three didn't work. To begin, I just mix a about 1/2 tsp of the new brand of raw meat with about 1 tsp. of the other brand of raw meat. I mix those together with a tiny bit of really warm water since the meat has just come out of the fridge. I have found that my cats ALL love cold food though - very odd. But I don't serve it cold - but it is very cool to the touch when fed. They like it that way. After I mix the new protein with the one they are used to - I top it off with either Fortiflora, Halo, Bonito OR either Weruva Mack and Jack (my cats go nuts for that) or Fancy Feast - just a teeny bit. Then they DIG in and totally finish up ALL of their food. With the NV products, I don't have to use anything now - as they all love that brand. BUT for introducing new proteins and other brands, this is how I will get them to eat it and take that first bite. I found that once they take that bite - they are sold . It is the very first smell that will be the problem - you have to make it smell really, really irresistible to them from the first sniff. Presley is always my test subject - if something does not smell really good - he will cover it and walk away. I know if he likes it then everyone else will.

I feed Walden and Wendall in the foster room again. It just has made it easier on me to do it that way then all six together downstairs. PLUS Perla is much happier now that those piglets are not in her way while I am preparing the meals. Walden and Wendall are really eating 100% raw at the moment. Those two boys, honest to God, would eat just about anything you put in front of them

Of all the cats, Pipsqueak has surprised me the most. I really thought he would be my hardest sell on the raw - but he has been happily eating up his meals. In the beginning of the transition, he tried a few times to sniff his food and then jump off his counter and follow me meowing and complaining. He would follow me into the next room to feed the other group. I turned and told him... "Sorry Pipsqueak, that is all you are getting until the next meal " I set the bowls down for the three P's and turned expecting to see Pipsqueak displaying his displeasure. BUT he was back on the counter - eating up his food. I think he understood the MOMMA MEANS BUSINESS!!!!! He is my kibble addict and still asks for some after his breakfast. So instead of the kibble - I am trying to get him to like the Halo treats - as his reward for eating the raw. What I have noticed though, like Carolina and Laurie, is my cats are not begging for kibble at lunchtime anymore. They are totally satisfied until dinner now. It is just SOOOOOOOOOO COOL and I am SOOOOOOOOOO happy.

The brands I have been feeding so far have been Bravo (which I am not doing at the moment), Nature's Variety, S&C and Nature's Logic. I will also be adding in Primal, Nature's Menu and Rad Cat. Will have to order those on-line. I want to give LAURIE a HUGE GIGANTIC THANK YOU - for that spreadsheet and all the time, effort and work she put into compiling all of that detailed raw product information. Just INCREDIBLY GENEROUS ( hope I didn't speak out of turn on that - but I am just so very grateful for the time you took in saving all of us time in researching the brands ourselves )
Edited by Feralvr - 1/23/12 at 9:24am

ME EITHER.... Sally - HURRY UP!!!!!

HAIRY POOP!!!!!!!!!!!! OK - for the "faint of heart" don't read....... BUT I had to. Pipsqueak was just in the litter box pushing a pretty hard poop out. Then when he left the box some turds plopped on the floor as he walked away. OUT came the disposable gloves, the headlamp, the white coat, the microscope and the tweezers ..... Seriously, just the gloves.... BUT his poop was all hair - just covered in brown feces. I pulled it apart and it was all hair - all the pieces..... IS THIS A GOOD SIGN, I think it must be. OH AUNTIE..... ARE YOU THERE!!!!! IS THIS NORMAL???? I have never seen this much hair in a poop before and upon further inspection - it was quite a lot of it Wouldn't that be wonderful if the raw diet is ridding him of "hairballs" which I never knew he might have had. None of my cats vomit - although I brush them weekly as best I can.


OK - a quick recap of dinner..... Tonight the chef made NV chicken and S&C Lamb topped off with a tiny bit of Mack/Jack. Unfortunately, the customers complained a little bit. Perla decided NOPE not interested..... but I could be tempted, momma, with that stuff you have over there on the counter.... LITTLE PRINCESS - Out came the Fortiflora and it took a few sprinkles for her to finish - but the good news is she did finish up her dinner So did everyone else - THEY LOVE THE STUFF. Tomorrow, new to the breakfast menu is.... NV Venison Another stinky one to me


I have to say, I AM having the best time feeding my cats now AND I feel we are bonding even more closely than before. I don't know why or how that could be possible but it is. I feel good in my heart that this is the best thing I could be doing for my cats. Especially Pipsqueak. If this diet could help to improve his health issues then I am the HAPPIEST momma on the planet


NEW for today - is another side by side walk by for Perla and Wendall. Actually, Perla was playing with her mouse toy right in front of Wendall. That would NEVER have happened before. She would never let her guard down like that before. ALSO - Perkins is the king of cool now. He always would run off if ... let's say, he was resting on the floor and I walked up to him or past him - he would race off. He was feral as a kitten btw. WELL now he just lays there - like - YEAH - you want me to move. I can even reach down to pet him now and he loves the extra scritches he is receiving from momma now. It is surely a WIN-WIN with him because now he is finally realizing how wonderful scrtiches can be when you stay relaxed. JUST INCREDIBLE, PEOPLE.

PHEW!!! ..... I figured that had to be an excellent sign... Poor babies.... All that hair stopped up inside is now making it's way out. And now I am recalling in Carolinas thread a post about Hairy poops too . Good comparison on the cat vomit versus human vomit I do recall you mentioning that before too

for the quick response..... I will sleep better now

PHEW!!! ..... I figured that had to be an excellent sign... Poor babies.... All that hair stopped up inside is now making it's way out. And now I am recalling in Carolinas thread a post about Hairy poops too . Good comparison on the cat vomit versus human vomit I do recall you mentioning that before too

for the quick response..... I will sleep better now

OH I DO have specified feeding spots for all of the cats Always have done that when I started scheduled feedings. Pipsqueak has his own counter. The three P's have another counter. And the two W's have their spots in the foster room and are closed in there to eat. They are real pigs and it is just easier for me now closing them back in that room. Perla is happier about that too. So they ALL go to their designated spot for feeding. The petsitter knows where all the spots are too and my cats always go to their spots to wait for their bowls. It is so cute.

The problem is that Perla and Perkins will NOT come out of hiding when Krista comes over. I will have to figure this out - somehow -

I DO remember you talking about Bugsy's hairy poop and I am happy that Pipsqueak passed SO much hair last night - it was such a surprise to see that Just another great reason to feed raw

WELL......... Should have listened to Carolina on the Venison ..... but I guess the only way we can know what our individual cats can tolerate is to try it. So breakfast - was NV Venison and a little Mack/Jack on top. Walden, Wendall and Presley all tolerated the Venison fine. Everyone loved it - BUT five minutes after their meals - Perla, Perkins and Pipsqueak all were very and up their whole meal. OK first of all - I fed WAY too much for the first time trying a new protein Perkins ate way too fast and so did Perla. I gave them all one whole medallion and should have split them in half to start. So that was lesson #1 - new protein - make it a smaller meal to start. Lesson #2 - forget the Venison But I wanted to try it. I will still feed, in small amounts, the venison to Walden, Wendall and Presley and of course, the dogs, Wilbur and Henry. But after that bag is gone - no more venison..... (you were right, Carolina, ) I just think I gave them WAY too much for first thing in the morning. It really SUCKE* having to clean up all of that vomit. I have a good way to do it though - but it is time-consuming to say the least and with three puking - it threw off my whole morning schedule. I have a little hand-held steam cleaner too that works very well. It took me over an hour to clean it all up. AND Pipsqueak - kept retching even after everything was gone. He was very ill from it. Funny thing, is they all liked it ... I already told myself that this would happen when trying new proteins and new brands. I just learned that I have to give a very small amount in the beginning and go from there. Pipsqueak, Perkins and Perla all had another meal about two hours later - a bit of S&C Lamb and some wellness canned mixed together. It stayed down too.

SO - I have some NV rabbit thawing for dinner tonight - they will all be happy with that . I want to try the S&C Duck - but will wait to see how Laurie's cats do with it I know all cats are different and will take to some of the proteins more than other's but I think we can all say that the Venison is not going to be tolerated very well. I should have known too because my cats were never fond of the canned Instinct Venison. GOSH - even Wilbur turned his nose up at the Venison this morning

Will update more later

It just really scared me to see Pipsqueak that sick. He went on for twenty minutes retching even after all the food was out of his stomach. WELL guess what - I broke down at lunchtime because he was so very hungry. and wasn't interested in anything to eat other than dry So he had some dry - then proceeded to puke twenty minutes later..... It could be the virus he is still getting over and that made his tummy sick all morning OR when he puked up the venison he also was just medicated with Metronidazole and I think that came up too and the bitter taste made him go on and on, that was the foamy part in the end. But I get very concerned about Pip and don't want to see him sick like that again. I might try the venison with him - just a touch - in a few days. Perla and Perkins - yes - you are right and as the day has gone on, I realized I might have been to hasty in giving up on the venison - I might give it one more try. Just a tiny amount in the next few days again - just to see. My cat's are always famished by morning and they do eat fast for the morning meal - but I have never had puking like that. It must be because the raw is so filling - more so than wet food - right? so it was just too much in their tummies. Auntie

Weruva's Mack and Jack - grain-free red meat tuna/mackerel based wet food. Cats go crazy for that stuff. Great in a pinch to get a cat to eat. I used that as an appetite stimulant for Perla last Fall when she became so picky and now she is addicted to tuna . BUT we are getting away from that now - and the Fortiflora is taking it's place. Better that than the tuna.

AWWWW no raw shopping today - so sad because it is SO much fun for me too - buying raw meat for my kitties YES - get that freezer - FAST

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dinner was a slam-dunk NV Rabbit mixed with a teeny bit of Wellness Core - Pipsqueak's and Perla's had Fortiflora sprinkled on...... THEN - I had the back-up of the Fancy Feast Salmon for Perla so she would finish her meal ..... it worked. I know - the has my number - but since we just started this raw about 12 days ago, I am still giving in to her demands . No puking tonight. And so far so good with Pipsqueak - who puked up his dry food at lunch. I broke down as I posted earlier and gave him the dry at lunch because that is all he would eat and I wanted him to eat. So it might not have been the venison this morning - he is still recovering from that "Perla virus".... BUT this is good news that everyone had a nice fulfilling meal and that makes momma so happy inside We had playtime and now everyone is napping and relaxing

Late night snack will be less than the 1/16 cup dry with a tiny bit of Lamb, just before bed. Breakfast menu - Not sure. I have Lamb, Chicken and Venison () in the fridge thawing for the morning. I do have dogs that eat the stuff too

I looked over the spreadsheet today - I might just order some Nature's Menu.... they don't use any bone meal - only calcium carbonate. That way I won't worry so much about too much bone content. I have to check out the website. I also have a bag of Nature's Logic Chicken in the freezer. They don't use bone meal either - it has whole eggs and egg shell meal. So that would be good to use in rotation as well. I do like the Nature's Logic - but it is not HPP .....

Yes, I do get that now that you mention this. Funny, isn't is, how I never before questioned the production, management and handling of the canned foods or dry foods that I have fed over the years. All of the sudden it is SO important to me now - what I am feeding my cats I guess when you hear the word's "raw" you immediately think ..... bacteria, e-coli, salmonella..... BUT in all reality - processed cat food can possibly contain environmental toxins and other coliform bacteria types..... I just honestly never thought about it before - I just "trust" that cat food manufacturers that the foods are in fact, safe. I think with raw - and new to commercially made raw - I are concerned with the "handling" of the raw meat before it was packaged because the risk seems higher for potential contamination than the other. Probably not true because the manufacturing and processing of any pet food, raw or not has the potential to be mishandled.