Freeze dried raw questions

Columbine

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Sorry everyone - more raw food questions. I came across some 'treats' the other day. They're sold as treats, but the bag says they can be fed as treats or food. They're the same flavours as the frozen nuggets by the same company. I can't work out if they're a complete food or not :confuse3: Ok - Ingredients lists:-

Chicken and duck

Chicken (55%) inc. 5% Liver, Duck (40%), Malt Extracts (1%), Yeast Extracts (1%), Cranberry (1%), Yucca Extract, Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Yeast Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate.

Analytical Constituents:
Protein 69%, Crude Oils & Fats 14%, Crude Ash 13.5%, Crude Fibres 0.4%, Moisture 3%.

Nutritional Additives:
Vitamins: Vitamin A 2,000iu, Vitamin D 200iu, Vitamin E 28mg Trace elements: Zinc sulphate monohydrate 102mg; Ferrous sulphate monohydrate 40mg; Cupric sulphate pentahydrate 14mg, Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.85mg; Selenised yeast inactivated 17.4mg/kg.

Chicken and rabbit

Chicken (55%) inc. 10% Heart, 5% Liver, Rabbit (40%), Malt Extracts (1%), Yeast Extracts (1%), Cranberry (1%), Yucca Extract, Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate.

Analytical Constituents:
Protein 69%, Crude Oils & Fats 14%, Crude Ash 13.5%, Crude Fibres 0.4%, Moisture 3%.

Nutritional Additives:
Vitamins: Vitamin A 2,000iu, Vitamin D 200iu, Vitamin E 28mg Trace elements: Zinc sulphate monohydrate 102mg; Ferrous sulphate monohydrate 40mg; Cupric sulphate pentahydrate 14mg, Calcium iodate anhydrous 0.85mg; Selenised yeast inactivated 17.4mg/kg.

FYI, both contain ground bone.

Sorry if I'm being thick - I just find the whole raw nutrition thing overwhelming. Asha loves both varieties, so I take that as a good sign for transitioning :D
 
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Columbine

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And another question...about any kind of raw this time: I've been re reading all the articles on raw feeding and think I've hit a problem. In the safety article it said that if you're immunocompromised then you should only use HPP raw foods. My immune system is pretty useless due to fibromyalgia and a whole host of other health issues. However, HPP raw doesn't exist over here. I can't even find the American brands that are HPP treated (besides, even if I could, I kind of resent buying food at inflated prices and imported over such a distance when there are perfectly good manufacturers in the uk and Europe...no offence, honest ;) ).

So...If I use uk raw from suppliers who undergo strict and regular testing for salmonella etc, and if I stick to standard raw meat safety procedures, am I likely to be ok? I'm already tussling with dad on the safety issue (he's a little paranoid about food poisoning risks), and I don't want to launch into this only to get sick and prove him right. At the same time, I do believe that, from the cat's perspective, raw is the best thing I can do for her. I'm just stuck and confused. :help:
 

mrsgreenjeens

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And another question...about any kind of raw this time: I've been re reading all the articles on raw feeding and think I've hit a problem. In the safety article it said that if you're immunocompromised then you should only use HPP raw foods. My immune system is pretty useless due to fibromyalgia and a whole host of other health issues. However, HPP raw doesn't exist over here. I can't even find the American brands that are HPP treated (besides, even if I could, I kind of resent buying food at inflated prices and imported over such a distance when there are perfectly good manufacturers in the uk and Europe...no offence, honest
).

So...If I use uk raw from suppliers who undergo strict and regular testing for salmonella etc, and if I stick to standard raw meat safety procedures, am I likely to be ok? I'm already tussling with dad on the safety issue (he's a little paranoid about food poisoning risks), and I don't want to launch into this only to get sick and prove him right. At the same time, I do believe that, from the cat's perspective, raw is the best thing I can do for her. I'm just stuck and confused.
I'm only going to answer this question, because I don't know the answer to your first question


I am also immune compromised, and I fed raw for a couple of years.  I, personally, didn't eat the food, my cats did , therefore, it didn't matter to me if their food was processed using HPP methods
.  I just washed my hands thoroughly after dishing up their food, then I washed their dishes after they finished...just like when preparing our own meals.  I really saw no difference. ( BTW, I would still be feeding raw if they would eat it
.  Two of the three went on a raw strike, so I decided it was too difficult to try to feed raw to one and canned to the other two, mainly because the raw eater wanted what the other two were getting
)
 
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Columbine

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Thanks. That's really good to know. It would be so much easier if I could use the brands all of you talk about :lol:
We just seem to be really behind when it comes to cat raw food in the uk :sigh: choice is so much more limited
 

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To answer your question about the treats, I am going to say they are *not* a complete food. I don't see evidence of taurine.
 

LTS3

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Sorry everyone - more raw food questions. I came across some 'treats' the other day. They're sold as treats, but the bag says they can be fed as treats or food. They're the same flavours as the frozen nuggets by the same company. I can't work out if they're a complete food or not
Ok - Ingredients lists:-

 
All of those look like regular treats to me. IMO, if there are no vitamins or minerals listed and you are in doubt if the food is a treat or a complete diet, err on the side of caution and feed as a treat.
Chicken and duck

Chicken (55%) inc. 5% Liver, Duck (40%), Malt Extracts (1%), Yeast Extracts (1%), Cranberry (1%), Yucca Extract, Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed Extract, Yeast Extract, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate.

 
Grape seed extract?? I know grapes are pretty harmful to cats but I'm not sure about grape seed extract. Anyone know?
We just seem to be really behind when it comes to cat raw food in the uk
choice is so much more limited
I know there are other UK members here on TCS. Maybe start a new thread and put "Help needed with raw food sources in the UK" or something similar in the subject to catch the eyes of UK members.

I did find these UK raw pet food sources:

http://feline-nutrition.org/feline-nutrition-resource-center/raw-food-manufacturers/51-natures-menu

http://feline-nutrition.org/feline-nutrition-resource-center/raw-food-manufacturers/7-purrform

http://feline-nutrition.org/feline-nutrition-resource-center/raw-food-online/14-woldsway-foods

http://rawtogo.co.uk/

http://www.nurturingbynature.co.uk/

http://www.naturalinstinct.com/categories/cat-food/

https://thecatswhiskers.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/raw-feeding-uk-sources-for-meat-and-supplements/

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/supplements_specialty_cat_food/vitamins/155860 (a pre-mix to use with boneless organless ground meat)
 
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Columbine

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Thanks for all those links. Really useful :)

Just been reading about grape seed extract. It seems to be in a fair number of supplements for cats and dogs. The compounds in grapes that are toxic appear to be in the skin and flesh, not the seeds. The extract isn't even the whole seed - its the oils from the seed. These are rich in vitamin e and omega 6. I think that means it's ok.

Taurine - labeling here is different to in America (we don't have full nutritional breakdowns or cals on pet food either). Taurine isn't listed in ingredients unless it's been added as a separate compound. The taurine naturally occurring in other ingredients isn't listed. Basically, if there is sufficient taurine already present in the meat blend it won't be listed anywhere on the pack. Nature's menu complete nuggets (frozen) don't have taurine listed either, but they are sold as 'complete and balanced...contains naturally occurring taurine'. I don't understand fully, but I don't think something can have a 'complete and balanced ' label attached to it unless it is (trading standards).

*Edit* I've emailed the company asking for clarification. I'll be interested to see how they respond.
 
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Columbine

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I've heard back from the company. They said
Firstly with regards to the freeze dried cat treats. They are a complete food so yes they can be fed as a meal however they have no moister content in them, so therefore if you are going to do this we do recommend rehydrating them with water.

With reference to the taurine, in our raw cat nuggets the taurine levels have been checked and follow the FEDIAF guidelines and thus we don’t need to add any.
So...that looks ok to me.
 
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