Switching my cats to a "healthier" diet

Hi

I currently have 3 cats: Tora, Tigger and a new kitten Waffles.  Tora has FLUTD and has been on the prescription food for about a year.  She's currently eating UR kibble and rotating canned food (so 50/50 dry to canned right now).   Every time I've tried to switch her to a better quality kibble she's had flair ups of the FLUTD.  Both Tigger and Tora eat the prescription diet and both Tigger and Tora seem to be doing terribly on it, aside from no urinary problems.  I want to get them off the prescription food.  I think my long term goal is probably to switch everyone to a raw diet but my short term vision is to get everyone on canned food only.

My challenge with this is that Tora will really only eat chunks in gravy style foods and those are really hard to find, especially ones without fish in them.  I'm thinking they might eat pate style if I really seriously commit to getting them off the kibble.

I also need some canned food suggestions.  Finances are really tight right now because I've had some employment changes so I really can't afford the premium grain free foods.  I know they are best but it just won't be possible.   Currently everyone eats Soulstice and I think I can afford to feed more Soulstice if I can rotate it with some cheaper food.  Am I really terrible if I consider adding some Friskies or Fancy Feast into the rotation?

Thanks for any feedback!

Sara

Hi there, congrats on your decision to move them to a healthier diet!
Question.... Since the long term goal is raw, and finances are tight.... Is there a reason to not take the plunge straight into it? Raw can definitely save money over canned, even considering the "cheap stuff"... And the benefits to their health.... Well.... IMHO there couldn't be a better diet for an obligate carnivore
Just wondering if there are any reservations.....
Several of us transitioned our cats to raw recently (i am one of them, with amazing health and financial benefits), some are currently transitioning, and we would be glad to help in whatever you need- if that's the path you want to go, of course!
The only concern I have with ff and friskies is if your babies have flairs (i see you said they've had in the past when they went off prescription).... I would be way more comfortable with raw, as it naturally balances the urine ph. But then, you mention changing kibble only.... And I don't know what you are referring to when you say FLUTD - that's a broad term. So..... It might not happen with changing to all wet, it might happen.... It might be a gamble. Sorry for all The thinking outloud...... Aaanyways..... I would be more comfortable with raw.
:wave:

Hi!

My big reservation with switching to raw is my fear of doing it wrong.  I'm working on researching it and want to make sure I'm doing it right.  I really need some sort of feeding guide to follow (something like feed this much of this food).  Also I'm worried about getting everyone to eat it.  Tigger has had raw food before (I've offered some chicken wings and things to him for his teeth) and I know he will eat it.  I'm pretty sure I can get the kitten to eat it because he's so little but Tora is a kibble addict and I havea feeling she's going to be difficult to transition. 

I've got a bit of time though, I want to finish this last bag of the prescription food before I switch everyone so maybe by then I'll be ready to just jump right to raw.
 

I totally understand your fear.... I had it too.... Actually, I was completely against raw! But after transitioning my cats to it.... My goodness, what a difference it has made in their lives.... I have no doubt it has saved my baby Bugsy! It is not that hard.... Some cats can be hard to transition, and yes, it can get pretty overwhelming in the beginning, but then you and the kitties get into a routine.... It becomes just part of life.... It is a wonderful journey.... And promise you, not brain science!
We will be here for whatever you need!

Well, Wysong makes it VERY easy to feed balanced raw when feeding just meat. So you can see how easy or difficult it will be to transition, and you can get comfortable with feeding raw (if you want to), and then work on making home made without the Wysong supplement. http://www.wysong.net/products/cotw-dog-cat-supplement.php And if you use the code FREESHIPJX, you get free shipping.

I was like you - only my fear also included being afraid of pathogens from the meat. :nod: Our vet wanted us to switch to raw back in November 2010 because of a number of conditions in one of our cats. I told her I wasn't comfortable with it - I did switch them to all canned then. I used to argue against raw on TCS, in fact. And it was the process of doing research ON that topic that I ended up deciding TO feed raw. :lol3:

It was scary at first, and I only started the transition in January this year. Some of my 8 liked it right away - some took some convincing (my youngest is five, my oldest are all 10). But it really only took a few weeks for me to get comfortable feeding 100% raw. I was worried about how much to feed them, and you do need a kitchen scale to weigh out amounts. But as mine all ate a lot less than the recommended amount of canned (or kibble) than the manufacturer recommendations, I decided to feed at the low-end of the raw feeding guidelines (which are 2% - 4% of the cat's body weight). And I really didn't have to adjust the amount - they all pretty much maintained their weight. But many people who transition do weekly weigh-ins for the first few months (or more often the first few weeks), and it's easy to adjust the amount you're feeding.

If you want to think about it or ask questions, the raw feeding forum is there to help.

But if you want to switch to all canned, Friskies and Fancy Feast are, IMO, better than kibble. You need to stick to the pate styles with both, because of the carb content, and with FF you have to stick to the "classic" style (again, because of grains, wheat gluten, and carbs).

:doh3: thank goodness for you Laurie! Yeah! Wrong call of the wild! Makes is super easy, no brainer to balance raw, with meat only.... Let alone, it can be pretty yummy!

:doh3: thank goodness for you Laurie! Yeah! Wrong call of the wild! Makes is super easy, no brainer to balance raw, with meat only.... Let alone, it can be pretty yummy!