How to start feeding raw?

chupi

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Ive decided I'm going to try a trial of raw feeding - Im going with this company:

http://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/

How do I introduce it? There's freeflow frozen mince , so should be easy to dispense, but how??


I thaw the stuff in water? in the microwave? and then mix with their current wet food? 50/50 ratio?

They are also free fed dry food, and we would like to keep the dry food available for them...

Advice and top tips please!
Thanks
 

apric0t

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Ooh, yum! That looks like a great food. I like the Complete Mix, it looks the best. Anyway, when I started to feed raw, I switch gradually. I added about a tablespoon everyday to their current canned food. After about a week, I did 50/50 canned/raw. After another week of that, I did 100% raw. Except, the foster gets 50/50 raw/canned, because the rescue INSISTS. It worked like a charm, both are used to the raw and love it! I thaw my meats in the sink for a few hours. I do like to keep some stuff frozen, like the turkey necks and chunked pheasant, because it takes longer to consume, especially with the dogs. But I thaw their salmon, ground rabbit and chicken organs. Good luck!
 

vanillasugar

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I'm not sure how that product is packaged, but with the food I feed, I thaw a package in the fridge, and it lasts 3 days, which is perfect. I wouldn't microwave it. If you need to thaw it quickly, warm water works well.

The only concern there would be with the raw/dry mixing, is that they digest at different rates. The reason cats aren't affected by the bacterias in meat is because they digest it so quickly and it passes through without harming them. By offering them dry food at the same time, you're taking the chance that dry in the stomach will slow the digestion of the raw, and increase the chance of bacterial growth. I don't know how great of a risk this is, but it's something you might want to keep in mind.
 

sharky

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I did it very slowly..I offered about half a teaspoon strait( thawed of course) but the rest was a 10% raw to 90% canned.... My oldest like canned then raw later then raw canned mix ... the dog eat s her raw twice daily alone and then has dry to snack on
 
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