Hi all! I just joined and wanted to introduce me and my three kitties.
My name is Jules, and I've been a raw feeder for around seven years now.
My kitties:
Abby (Abbot), a rescued boy when he and his brother Tuffy were around 10 weeks old. They were found in a cemetery stuck to a headstone, both developed frostbite and lost body parts--Tuffy especially. Abby is going to be 16 this year in August, although you wouldn't know that from the way he looks and acts. He's quite the "talker" and talks back all the time, just like a teenager.
Maxie (MaxZam Tangoson of Gentle Giants Maine Coons) is my huge, lovable MC boy that gives his mama lots of headbutts and loves to wrap his arms around my neck. He has boundless energy and loves to play with Izzy--although sometimes I have to intervene because he is so large and she is so small. He's quite the talker too--even with one of his favorite balls in his mouth.
He is almost 7-1/2 years old.
Izzy is a rescue from our local no-kill animal shelter when she was approximately 10-12 weeks old. She'd been shot with a b-b gun and her shoulder was dislocated.
She is currently 5 years old and the most affectionate wee little lass. I used a combo of homeopathy and supplements for her shoulder--she didn't need surgery as the vet suggested. How she could have been treated so cruelly before she came to me makes me sick to my stomach. She has the tiniest meow; you'd sometimes never know she's talking to you unless you see her open her mouth. <grin>
I must include my Angel Tuffy in this intro. As mentioned, he was Abby's brother. Tuffy was my little soul mate and I miss him so much. Tuffy developed CRF/CKD when he was 2-1/2 years old. Tuffy was my start to finding better, more holistic ways to manage his CRF/CKD. Although I hadn't found raw feeding back then, I did switch to better canned foods--I didn't limit his protein as suggested by the vet I had then (they basically sent me home and said he had about 2 months at most to live). I did a lot of research because limiting protein for a carnivore just didn't set well with me. Tuffy lived for another 5-1/2 years with this awful disease. I feel that if I was armed with the continuing research I've done back then, that he would have lived even longer. I finally had to make the heartbreaking decision to end his suffering July 17, 2004.
A really condensed version of our journey to raw: Maxie joined me and Abby on Thanksgiving Day of 2004 all the way from South Carolina (I'm in IA). Exactly one year later, T-Day of 2005, I noticed that Maxie was having a hard time eating. Vet office was closed because of the holiday weekend. First thing Monday I took him in and the vet knew right away what was wrong: EGC (Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex). It was in his mouth. Vet wanted to put him on steroids, but because I knew of the nasty side effects of steroids and kitties, I declined and I began a quest to figure out what I could do for my sweet boy. I did use the Metacam (which I would never do now--let's just say when you know better you do better!) to ease his suffering so he could eat. Then I discovered raw feeding, did tons of research on this, and began grinding a balanced ground raw diet, including organs and bones and a few human-grade supplements, for him and Abby. Transitioning took about two weeks (and I had stopped the Metacam), so we had no time to waste.
Maxie's EGC cleared up, and we haven't looked back.
Gosh, I didn't mean to write a book here...I just love my babies so much! They are the loves of my life and I try to give them the best life possible.
Thanks for reading!
Jules
My name is Jules, and I've been a raw feeder for around seven years now.
My kitties:
Abby (Abbot), a rescued boy when he and his brother Tuffy were around 10 weeks old. They were found in a cemetery stuck to a headstone, both developed frostbite and lost body parts--Tuffy especially. Abby is going to be 16 this year in August, although you wouldn't know that from the way he looks and acts. He's quite the "talker" and talks back all the time, just like a teenager.
Maxie (MaxZam Tangoson of Gentle Giants Maine Coons) is my huge, lovable MC boy that gives his mama lots of headbutts and loves to wrap his arms around my neck. He has boundless energy and loves to play with Izzy--although sometimes I have to intervene because he is so large and she is so small. He's quite the talker too--even with one of his favorite balls in his mouth.
Izzy is a rescue from our local no-kill animal shelter when she was approximately 10-12 weeks old. She'd been shot with a b-b gun and her shoulder was dislocated.
I must include my Angel Tuffy in this intro. As mentioned, he was Abby's brother. Tuffy was my little soul mate and I miss him so much. Tuffy developed CRF/CKD when he was 2-1/2 years old. Tuffy was my start to finding better, more holistic ways to manage his CRF/CKD. Although I hadn't found raw feeding back then, I did switch to better canned foods--I didn't limit his protein as suggested by the vet I had then (they basically sent me home and said he had about 2 months at most to live). I did a lot of research because limiting protein for a carnivore just didn't set well with me. Tuffy lived for another 5-1/2 years with this awful disease. I feel that if I was armed with the continuing research I've done back then, that he would have lived even longer. I finally had to make the heartbreaking decision to end his suffering July 17, 2004.
A really condensed version of our journey to raw: Maxie joined me and Abby on Thanksgiving Day of 2004 all the way from South Carolina (I'm in IA). Exactly one year later, T-Day of 2005, I noticed that Maxie was having a hard time eating. Vet office was closed because of the holiday weekend. First thing Monday I took him in and the vet knew right away what was wrong: EGC (Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex). It was in his mouth. Vet wanted to put him on steroids, but because I knew of the nasty side effects of steroids and kitties, I declined and I began a quest to figure out what I could do for my sweet boy. I did use the Metacam (which I would never do now--let's just say when you know better you do better!) to ease his suffering so he could eat. Then I discovered raw feeding, did tons of research on this, and began grinding a balanced ground raw diet, including organs and bones and a few human-grade supplements, for him and Abby. Transitioning took about two weeks (and I had stopped the Metacam), so we had no time to waste.
Gosh, I didn't mean to write a book here...I just love my babies so much! They are the loves of my life and I try to give them the best life possible.
Thanks for reading!
Jules
