Raw Food Diet - need opinions/info!

Hiiii Cat People!

I was recently introduced to raw food by my local pet supply store (Mud Bay) that supplies healthy food for cats & dogs, which I love, as I would not be caught dead feeding my little one Friskies-type, cheap, preservative-loaded crap food (hope I don't offend anyone!). My Lulu is 6 months, and I only feed her natural, grain-free wet food (she won't drink water on her own, except for here and there, so this is how I keep her hydrated for now- with my vet's approval).

I have also done my own research recently on the benefits of going raw for cats, and like what I'm finding so far, especially in regards to improved digestion, overall energy, oral health, and a smoother coat with less shedding.  I have been feeding Lulu about 50% raw for the past week and a half, and am considering moving to 75% if all goes well. I do notice that this food is definitely more expensive, and will add up over time, so I wanted to get opinions of any of you who are familiar with raw feeding.

Is it worth it in terms of $$? What benefits have you noted? Will I still see results even at 50% or 75% raw? FYI, the brand I am using is 'Rad Cat' (http://www.radfood.com/).

ANY and ALL opinions/insights/etc. is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!!

Crystal

Greetings Crystal,

Congratulations on introducing raw to your kitty.

I have been feeding my two four year old cats mostly commercial raw - about 75% of their diet, both freeze dried raw and frozen raw (Primal) for almost a year. We do FD turkey, frozen raw rabbit and RadCat turkey. The remaining 25% is Nature's Variety canned. Let me first mention that my expenses for cat food has actually been *lowered* due to  more raw feeding, even though it does seem the prices are higher. It cost me far more money to feed grain-free canned (NV and I had other manufacturers in the past) with no raw than to do mostly commercial raw even though commercial raw is considered expensive. Yet, it takes less raw for the kitties to feel sated then canned.

That being said, the most cost effective is a homemade, well balanced raw diet which I'm sure you will get advice on this thread from others far more knowledgeable than me. The only reason we haven't gone 100% raw is because my female cat is a bit fussy, she only likes FD raw (with water added, of course). But I'm still working on her.  

I feel comfortable with commercial raw b/c it's HPP and since my little guy has herpes, I like the added reassurance, although Rad Cat isn't HPP, I trust the company's quality control and safety protocols.  I would like to introduce at some point, either some homemade raw with supplements as part of that diet.

It's a constant learning curve, fascinating actually.

The benefits are all that I've read -- more energy, soft coats, decreased stool in the kitty box.  My male cat is FHV - herpes with chronic symptoms, however, he does so much better on raw, his eyes are clearer, he's not as stuffy and congested.  He also has IBD and before doing commercial raw, he had the most horrible, stinky stools, like mounds of Play Doh, even on NV's grainfree which is mostly 95% meat.  He is now IBD free - small, firm stools, he rarely vomits any more.

Rad Cat is a very good food, among the best commercial raw, in my opinion.

Yes, I do believe you will see results, even with a 50% feeding of raw.

Good luck, I think it's great you are introducing raw to your 6 month old, in some cases it's far easier to introduce a cat to raw food when they are younger.  Keep us posted on how it all works out.

Most folks notice results in their older cats within a few weeks.  Your cat is still young, so you may not notice immediate results.  Like a new car, most younger cats still have shiny new systems running in good condition.  It's when the parts start showing the wear and tear that people suddenly start thinking they should be more careful with them.  Good on you for not waiting. 

As Lisa Marie just mentioned, a homemade diet is usually more cost efficient, though it does take a bit more research and invested time.  Personally, I feed a "Frankenprey" model diet, and have done so for 6 ¹/₂ years.  I haven't estimated my costs recently, but when I started out, after factoring in all varieties of meats and organs, my cost was $ .52 per day per cat. 

Thanks guys!! I wouldn't have known about raw if it weren't for the woman I usually talk who works at my pet store, she definitely knows her stuff and has given me such great advice with Lulu and recommended some great products- I definitely trust her or I would have brushed off the idea. I'm glad I didn't! I will totally look into homemade raw soon here.

There seems to be quite a bit of controversy around raw feeding...am I right? Like, to the point where people are kind of sensitive about it and get offended? Why is this? What someone chooses to feed their pet doesn't seem like a topic that would garner an intense, emotional debate? I'll be curious to read more into it.

Crystal

Crystal,

That's great that there is someone knowledgeable about raw feeding at your neighborhood pet food store.

I would guess people become sensitive about what they are feeding if they feel their choices are being attacked. No one likes the "hard sell", being hit over the head with, "You should be feeding this and not that." Also, I work p/t out of a major pet food chain store and as far as raw feeding, people generally have misconceptions about raw (or at least the commercial HPP products sold at the store) still, that it's not safe.

I think people do the best they can with the knowledge they have. For many years (more than fifteen years ago), our cats ate only kibble, (and not even "good" kibble, but whatever was on sale at the grocery store).  We didn't know any better, knew nothing about cat food and what's appropriate. It wasn't until our nine year old cat at that time ended up with CRF (chronic renal failure), that I started researching and found info online.  So everyone comes into their own when they do, that's just how it is and when they do, hopefully there will be others with more experience who can gently guide without pressuring and making value judgments about what they are feeding. It's about educating and empowering people, giving them the tools to do the research and make better choices, in my opinion.

I started as you did, half raw half "normal"  food. I now feed her all raw since a few months back. I started all raw after deciding to make her food from scratch. It´s a steep learning curve, but It didn´t take long before I started noticing that my opinions about handling raw and "thinking raw" had changed. Yesterday I made three batches, all different meats, and there was no struggle do do the calculations to plan the food,to handle the raw meat or to make it. Three batches (10 pounds) took 30 minutes to do and to freeze in portions. Food for 3 months for my cat.

The food she eats costs me less than  0.5 dollar /0.2 € a day. It is much cheaper than commercial raw, especially if you know someone who hunts / knows a butcher who sells the intestines cheap/ have a good eye for low prices and know which internet sites that sells the frozen meat to a good price. I buy frozen mixtures of meat and bone (with clear labels of how much bone there is in the mix). And then I add liver, heart (both cheap from the butcher, minced!) and blood (5%). A few additives as well, for iodine, vitamin B (she needs a bit more than there is in the food) and egg yolk.

My cat now have a much more varied diet than before, I know everything that she eats (and the things she finds on the floor/steals from me that she is not supposed to eat is easily detected by the smell the day after in the litterbox.....). She has never been picky, and loves this food! She growls at me when I give her bones go gnaw on! "my food- only mine!"

The controversy about feeding raw probably has to do with two things- 1) the feeling of handling raw meat, feeding "my baby" something so primal as raw meat- does the cat becomes wild? dangerous? It has to do with the (minimal) risk och the cat getting ill on raw (the intestinal system is adapted to eat slightly contaminated meat, and effectively kills bacteria, besides- the food passes through the cat very fast- the bacteria has virtually no chance to attack.(what many don´t consider is the contamination there is on kibble.... )  2) raw feeders often get a bit "religious" about the effect is has on their cats- and talk about how and when they feed the cat. It is common that others feel attacked, when they start to compare and think, and I think that it is easy to feel that they are doing something wrong to the cat. That´s the point where you have to defend your way of thinking and priorities about your cat. And you  close your mind to the other. Raw feeders tend to think that raw food is the solution to ALL problems. And of course there is a clash about opinions......

I usually tell what I feed her after they ask, and always say that this is the best for MY cat. I also tell about the things you have to know before starting feeding this way.

When/if you start on homemade raw- make sure it is balanced- vary the meat- and enjoy your improved cat 1.2 ...... 

I think when you start on Raw your cat definately can over eat until they settle down to what they actually need. As mentioned homemade and whole prey make things much cheaper, in the UK Docs ( day old chicks) work out at 4p each! At most. The downside is you have to buy in large quantities. Find a butcher you trust and see if you can get offal and game meat trim for free or at reduced rates. Venison here is an expensive lean meat, when prepared by the butcher they cut off what fat there is as it is not wanted but for the cats these venison off cuts and trim are perfect ( just freeze for three weeks before feeding ie all game). l have two pet butchers : ) who phone me when they've saved enough. Yesterday I had seven wild rabbits! And a massive bag of over shot pheasant breast ie shot gun pellets had shredded the breast so they cannot sell it.

I have "breeders" of venison very close to where I live, and can buy liver, meat and bone very cheap. They sometimes have wild boar as well. At the butcher I buy heart and meat (pig) and liver (young "cow" liver). I recently bought lamb kidney as well. So all contacts are important when keeping the cost as low as possible.