Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet

renovia

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Hi Everyone, I just started doing some research on this and I found it pretty intriguing. Who here uses this diet? Is it appropriate for all cats? Other than careful selection of food and making enough to freeze are there other concerns about the diet? How careful do you have to be to preserve enzymes?
 

sharky

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I use a prepared mix from my vet with supplements ... The dog eat Raw all the time ... The oldest cat eats 50 raw 50 canned... the other eats a little raw and lots of kibble/// As you can see I run a diner
 
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renovia

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what benefits have you seen since starting this?
 

sharky

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Less allergies ....

Lower stool volume

Lower feeding requirements thus saving$$$

More active kids the raw ones are 18 yrs and 8.5 yrs

I strongly recommend finding a like minded vet ... I tried on my own and quit because it is not always easy and questions arise... Like my girl with loads of allergies and intolerances turns out she is allergic to rabbit well I was feeding rabbit


Kindey kittys values have improved and she sheds a bit less
 

homiegfunk

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I have all my animals on a Raw food diet. It really helps to read about it online. I started with the book called Raw Meaty Bones by Dr Tom Lonsdale. There are also several Yahoo Groups that you can join on the topic to get more information. Its the best choice I have ever made. Once you find out what is in commerical pet food, you will most likely never buy it again.

Im so glad you are thinking about switching.

-Amanda
 
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renovia

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i know that it is a long process to change over and you really have to be careful but maybe i'll pick up that book. how many hours do you spend per week fixing food?
 

vanillasugar

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I've chosen to not take the plunge just yet into making it myself, I don't want to screw something up. But I found a company I trust, and I feed a well balanced, pre-made raw. My cats LOVE it, and I love the results I've seen in them. I feed them a wide variety of meat sources, with a "bone meal" (chicken necks, quail frames, or a choice of smaller red meat bones) once a week or so. It takes me no longer than feeding commercial food. The only thing I have to remember is to thaw out what I need in advance.
 

sol

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I've raw fed my cats for three years and I sincerely believe raw food is the best. I've seen tremendous changes in the cats:
- No vomiting (I have a female who used to vomit every day)
- No smelly poop!
- Less poop!
- Much better coats
- More energetic cats
- Better teeth
- No foul mouths
- Cheaper
 

etain

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Check out http://www.catinfo.org

I found this site to be very helpful in making my decision to feed Nature's Variety pre-made raw. It also has a lot of information on why to feed raw, or a high quality canned food, how to make raw food from chicken or rabbit and how to transition your cats on to raw. There is also a link on this site to another excellent raw feeding site with more recipes and arguments for feeding raw food.

I have been mixing Nature's variety canned food with the raw to wean my cats onto the raw, and it is going very well.
 

solaritybengals

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I also do a pre-prepared raw mixed with canned salmon. I think its the best thing I can do for the kitties.
 
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renovia

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where can i get this premade mix??
 

solaritybengals

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Originally Posted by Renovia

where can i get this premade mix??
Your siggy is kind of spooky
.

I get mine from a local health food store (yah, not a pet store, wierd huh?), its nice because the bone is ground in so they are getting a natural source of calcium. But its made locally in NC and only available in a few southern states. Definitely check out the brands sharky linked. You can set up regular shipments with most of them. Its better if you can find a local retailer though. If you know of a holistic vet in your area you can call and see if they know where any are sold.
 

etain

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If you want to feed pre-made raw, definitely try to find a local supplier, shipping frozen food is expensive!

Also, do your research, not all pre-made raws are created equal, I decided to go with Nature's Variety because it was recommended by Lisa Pierson on her web site and because it doesn't contain any of the nasty stuff that I've been told to avoid and because I found a store reasonably close that stocks it.

If that's not available or affordable, you can make your own, I suggest following a recipe like the ones availabe on Dr. Pierson's web site. You do not want to try to figure it out on your own, determining the proper balance of muscle/organ/bone/supplements/plant material is very tricky .. and if you get it wrong, with long term use, it could cause malnutrition.

Someday, I may start making my own raw, when I feel like shelling out the money for a good meat grinder, the supplements and a supply of chicken hearts


And last, but not least, this is a big decision, if your kitty has any chronic health problems or a supressed immune system, talk to your vet before making diet changes.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Etain

If you want to feed pre-made raw, definitely try to find a local supplier, shipping frozen food is expensive!

Also, do your research, not all pre-made raws are created equal, I decided to go with Nature's Variety because it was recommended by Lisa Pierson on her web site and because it doesn't contain any of the nasty stuff that I've been told to avoid and because I found a store reasonably close that stocks it.

If that's not available or affordable, you can make your own, I suggest following a recipe like the ones availabe on Dr. Pierson's web site. You do not want to try to figure it out on your own, determining the proper balance of muscle/organ/bone/supplements/plant material is very tricky .. and if you get it wrong, with long term use, it could cause malnutrition.

Someday, I may start making my own raw, when I feel like shelling out the money for a good meat grinder, the supplements and a supply of chicken hearts


And last, but not least, this is a big decision, if your kitty has any chronic health problems or a supressed immune system, talk to your vet before making diet changes.
I regularly talk with my vet as I get the raw there
yes I am very lucky... I use a meat with bone and organ supplement as cats really dont need much else .. My cat has a big issue that most would say no raw but in her case it is good
 

eagleeye

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Raw makes even more sense for cats as obligate carnivores than it does for dogs. I feed my dog a rotating mix of Nature's Variety Frozen Raw Patties/Medallions, recipes from Dr. Pitcairn's book on natural dog and cat health, and a premium kibble when I don't have anything defrosted or we travel.

NV's product is very good and I'm thinking about feeding it to my kitty Lusa when she's older and her health has stablized. I mentioned this to my vet yesterday and he was NOT supportive because he feels the US meat supply just isn't safe enough for raw feeding. IMO, it's a matter of weighing benefits with risks and your pet's acceptance of the diet.
 
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renovia

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wow this is all great stuff thanks, i will begin checking it out. sorry if my sig is spooky


how should i talk to my current vet without freaking them out or putting them out. i realize that if they acted either way i shouldn't want them as a vet, but i feel like i've developed a friendly relationship with her and her team and i want to be open and cautious.
 

annasmom

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Originally Posted by Renovia

how should i talk to my current vet without freaking them out or putting them out. i realize that if they acted either way i shouldn't want them as a vet, but i feel like i've developed a friendly relationship with her and her team and i want to be open and cautious.
If I were you I'd simply tell the vet that you've been researching the BARF diet and have decided to try it out on Stoli. That way, they know the decision has already been made and can guide you based on that.
 
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renovia

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that's a good idea. are there any cons to this diet?
 

sol

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Originally Posted by Renovia

that's a good idea. are there any cons to this diet?
If the meat isn't handled properly bacterial overgrowth may cause disease. If not balanced you can make the cat severly ill. I'd say that the when the raw food is properly handled and well balanced the only con is that you can't leave it out as out as you can with dryfood (but I'm not an advocate for letting cats have free access to food).
 
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