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 :heart3. This vet recommended a RAW diet for Wilbur :nothappy: 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 :lol3:. 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 ???? :lol3:

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 :scratch: 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 :spit:. Nice firm poops and not as many either. WHERES THE BEEF - is now WHERES THE POOP :rofl: 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. :lol3: 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 :dk: - 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 :dk: 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 :heart3: and he is still with me, eating raw and taking his homeopathics like a good old man should

Goodnight, my friends.... I am on :9: for sure.......

Yey !!!!! Here is the official thread! I was just waiting for this to get going to do the rest I need to do - yep - still a lot :lol3::lol3::lol3::lol3: I am the worst
I am SO happy to read this thread
i hadn't realized you were are 75% raw already You and Laurie are going fast!!
The changes are really amazing! Same type of changes I am seeing here I call Bugsy now "Bugsy Clean Butt" Which is NICE - considering he was Bugsy the dirty butt for well over a year Now he had this perfectly round fluffy white touch - so cute :lol3:
I used to tap his belly and her the sound of gas.... no more sir! These changes are awesome......
And the behavior is about the same as what you are seeing in there.... the ones who were skittish are standing up for themselves..... Bugsy is playful and has much more energy..... The eyes are SO bright.... The coats are thick and have this sheen to them....
There is just more peaceful interactions too - healthy ones - more play in between all of them..... it is so fun to watch, isn't it?
A raw fed kitty is a happy kitty for sure - I think that's what I am getting to the conclusion
I can't wait for you to be feeding 100% raw, for Laurie too, and for Lucky to get into the program
I think this will provide the three of us a much healthier and fun 2012 :bigthumb:
Let the fun begin Lauren!!!
Congrats to you and your babies, I will be following this thread closely - I am super excited for you and your babies :blobgreen

Originally Posted by Feralvr

....

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 ????

.....

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These are all wonderful, awesome and sometimes heartwarming posts, and I couldn't be more tickled seeing them proliferate like they have. Best of all - there's a whole bunch of happier, healthier TCS kitties running around.



AC

P.S. Lauren, I wouldn't worry about the length of your posts!  We're all friends here and we all *want* to read and share these delightful stores. *And,* don't forget, the forum also has tons of folks who just read and don't sign on - no knowing just what little tidbit you drop is the one they need to make a change that helps out one of their own kitties, you know?

Carolina said:

I can't wait for you to be feeding 100% raw, for Laurie too, and for Lucky to get into the program
I think this will provide the three of us a much healthier and fun 2012 :bigthumb:
Let the fun begin Lauren!!!
Congrats to you and your babies, I will be following this thread closely - I am super excited for you and your babies :blobgreen

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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. :dk: 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 :lol3: :heart3:

Auntie Crazy said:

These are all wonderful, awesome and sometimes heartwarming posts, and I couldn't be more tickled seeing them proliferate like they have. Best of all - there's a whole bunch of happier, healthier TCS kitties running around. :heart3:


AC

P.S. Lauren, I wouldn't worry about the length of your posts!  We're all friends here and we all *want* to read and share these delightful stores. *And,* don't forget, the forum also has tons of folks who just read and don't sign on - no knowing just what little tidbit you drop is the one they need to make a change that helps out one of their own kitties, you know?

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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 :bigthumb: And I thought WHY am I not just following through :dk: 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 :rofl: The cats were watching me in WONDER over the whole process. Pretty funny in the beginning.

MORNING!!! And a good morning at that :nod:. 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 :nausea: 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 :anon: 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 :nod:. 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. :lol3: 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 :lol3:

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. :happy3:

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 (:anon: 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 :grphug: :heart3

First of all, It is SUCH a pleasure to hear how things are changing! Really, Lauren, I'm the same way. I was totally against raw for a lot of reasons, and debated extensively in threads here on TCS. :lol3: But the more research I did.... and then seeing how things went with Carolina's transition... and I've only been at it for four days and I'm just blown away. :nod:

And I agree with AC - it's nice to see all the details, and it may help others. :bigthumb:

Feralvr said:

To get them started I had on hand, of course, the Fortiflora, Halo treats and the Bonito flakes AND Fancy Feast :anon: 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 :nod:. 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. :lol3:

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You put it just right! They sniff it and ignore it if they don't like the smell. With Lazlo, several times I smooshed a little in his mouth - and then he just dug in. But it's much easier to just "top" it with something, make it smell appealing. I have a couple of fussy eaters that need help finishing - though I don't really do the "you need to eat this much at each meal" thing, I want them to not just have a bit or two then walk away.

Aw... I'm just beaming smiles at how well things are going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

for another Raw thread!!!  (I can't wait until I have my own going)

mrsgreenjeens said:

for another Raw thread!!!  (I can't wait until I have my own going)

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

[COLOR=#BROWN] HAIRY POOP!!!!!!!!!!!![/COLOR] 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 :spit: ..... 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 :lol3: Wouldn't that be wonderful if the raw diet is ridding him of "hairballs" which I never knew he might have had. :dk: 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,:indiff: the customers complained a little bit. Perla decided NOPE :not: 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 :nausea:


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 :heart:


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. :shocker: That would NEVER have happened before. She would never let her guard down like that before. ALSO - Perkins is the king of cool now. :king: 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. :happy3:

Lol, I'm glad everyone's kitties are improving in many ways, but you guys and your poop obsession is too much, I have never gotten that personal with my pets turds.  It's probably excellent all that fur is making it's way out though. 

GoingPostal said:

Lol, I'm glad everyone's kitties are improving in many ways, but you guys and your poop obsession is too much, I have never gotten that personal with my pets turds.  It's probably excellent all that fur is making it's way out though. 

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LOL -- I have to say...the tweezers and gloves and the mental image of you digging through the turds to find hair reminded me of dissecting owl pellets in Science class.  Perhaps just a bit too up close and personal... 

Originally Posted by Feralvr

...

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.

.......

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One of the very cool things for me about this current veritable onslaught (if you will) of raw food converts is that - with so many kitties making the conversion all at the same time, the entire gamut of raw feeding benefits is being represented. *rubs hands together excitedly*

To answer your question, yes, Lauren, the facilitation of hair through the gut (versus being thrown up) is a perfectly normal benefit of improving a cat's diet. The proper, high animal-protein / fat diet is processed much more quickly (not to mention efficiently) than any other "diet" and under normal conditions, a cat doesn't (can't!) swallow enough hair fast enough to outrace that natural stomach emptying time.

It's only when fed difficult-to-digest, species-inappropriate products that digestion time is slowed down enough to allow for a hair backup to occur. Accompanying inflammation of the gut from those same products can exacerbate that problem even more.

I think I've mentioned somewhere before that healthy cats should be throwing up precisely as often as healthy cat owners? *grin*

These are such fun times in the raw feeding forum!!!

AC

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 :lol3:. 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 :9:

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 :lol3:. 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 :9:

Feralvr said:

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. :dk: 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 :lol3: :heart3:

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Lauren - May is waaaaaay down the road - don't even worry about it :bigthumb:
Here is a GREAT tip that helped me tremendously from Auntie , that made feeding with Kelly and me, but mostly with Kelly, that much easier: Establish a feeding area - preferably a closed space, and a routine. Auntie feedd them in a table, and some in crates (because of the frankerpray issue) - I now feed mine in a hallway with all the doors closed. It is a small, contained space.... They used to eat all over the place before - I used to feed them wherever they were..... under the bed, on the top of the cat tree..... on the top of the shelves..... So the HAD the choice of not coming out to eat, or running away from the food. Not anymore
This was the single greatest thing I did for them, for me, and to ensure the success of the diet, I think. Establishing the 20minute rule - and a feeding area.
I will only feed them in that area, and they have only 20 minutes to eat. And believe me, they know it, and they WILL come out for food.
They are SO into their routines, that they will go at feeding time to the kitchen, wait for me to prepare the meat..... then guide me to their feeding area, wait for me to set their mats on the floor and their plates. I do not let anyone out until all of them are done.....
It didn't take long at all for them to learn their routines..... Kitties are very very smart.... and they LOVE routines.....
I think, if you establish something like that - a strict schedule - 20 minutes per meal (from the time you put the plates down. In a set enclosed feeding area.... where all of them eat together..... I am pretty sure they will get set into that routine making your life easier, and setting the path to the sitter too :nod:

Feralvr said:

[COLOR=#BROWN] HAIRY POOP!!!!!!!!!!!![/COLOR] 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 :spit: ..... 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 :lol3: Wouldn't that be wonderful if the raw diet is ridding him of "hairballs" which I never knew he might have had. :dk: None of my cats vomit - although I brush them weekly as best I can.

Click to expand...

:spit:
Too funny - here is the poo-o-meter taken to a whole new level!
Totally - forget about ANY hairball treatment - the hair just keeps coming out and out and out! My goodness - can you imagine Bugsy with his winter fur? It is a LOT of hair! Sometimes the poops are just a thin crust and the rest is a hairball :lol3: My kitties pass hair consistently with their poops - now more than ever - and yep..... I am a big poop inspector :anon:
I just can't wait for Lucky to be onboard.... she has major hairball issues....... She will benefit from this SO much

Carolina said:

Lauren - May is waaaaaay down the road - don't even worry about it :bigthumb:
Here is a GREAT tip that helped me tremendously from Auntie , that made feeding with Kelly and me, but mostly with Kelly, that much easier: Establish a feeding area - preferably a closed space, and a routine. Auntie feedd them in a table, and some in crates (because of the frankerpray issue) - I now feed mine in a hallway with all the doors closed. It is a small, contained space.... They used to eat all over the place before - I used to feed them wherever they were..... under the bed, on the top of the cat tree..... on the top of the shelves..... So the HAD the choice of not coming out to eat, or running away from the food. Not anymore
This was the single greatest thing I did for them, for me, and to ensure the success of the diet, I think. Establishing the 20minute rule - and a feeding area.
I will only feed them in that area, and they have only 20 minutes to eat. And believe me, they know it, and they WILL come out for food.
They are SO into their routines, that they will go at feeding time to the kitchen, wait for me to prepare the meat..... then guide me to their feeding area, wait for me to set their mats on the floor and their plates. I do not let anyone out until all of them are done.....
It didn't take long at all for them to learn their routines..... Kitties are very very smart.... and they LOVE routines.....
I think, if you establish something like that - a strict schedule - 20 minutes per meal (from the time you put the plates down. In a set enclosed feeding area.... where all of them eat together..... I am pretty sure they will get set into that routine making your life easier, and setting the path to the sitter too :nod:
:spit:
Too funny - here is the poo-o-meter taken to a whole new level!
Totally - forget about ANY hairball treatment - the hair just keeps coming out and out and out! My goodness - can you imagine Bugsy with his winter fur? It is a LOT of hair! Sometimes the poops are just a thin crust and the rest is a hairball :lol3: My kitties pass hair consistently with their poops - now more than ever - and yep..... I am a big poop inspector :anon:
I just can't wait for Lucky to be onboard.... she has major hairball issues....... She will benefit from this SO much

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OH I DO have specified feeding spots for all of the cats :nod: 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 - :scratch:

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 :nausea: 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 :nothappy: 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, :lol3 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 :dk:... 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 :rofl: 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 :nausea:

Will update more later

Originally Posted by Feralvr

...

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 
.....

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Lauren, I'm puzzled - the cats all loved it and you know they ate too much too fast which caused the vomiting, so why would you NOT feed this again, just in smaller amounts, or smooshed down (or whatever) to slow down the pace of their eating?

Just curious.

AC

Auntie Crazy said:

Lauren, I'm puzzled - the cats all loved it and you know they ate too much too fast which caused the vomiting, so why would you NOT feed this again, just in smaller amounts, or smooshed down (or whatever) to slow down the pace of their eating?

Just curious.

AC

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I was wondering the same thing.  Also, what is Mack/Jack?