A New "Raw"some Beginning... (yup - another one LOL)

[carolina]

That is excellent Lauren, Just excellent!!

 

[feralvr]

THANK YOU

GREAT BREAKFAST TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone - including Pipsqueak had about 1/2 ounce of the NM Lamb!!!!! Walden and Wendall had 50% NM Lamb and 50% NVorg. Chicken. The four P's all had 1/2 ounce of NM Lamb and 1/2 ounce of NVorg Chicken mixed with Wellness Chicken and Herring. OK - it did take a little Fortiflora to get Presley started. Perkins, Perla and Pip all ate very well for me. Pip did leave a little - then asked for more food about ten minutes later. Offered him his plate back and sprinkled the WL on top and that got him going again :bigthumb:

I have to say - I love the NM Lamb so far. No upset tummies and everyone seems to like it. Tomorrow I will push to 75% NM Lamb!!!! :cross:

 

[parsleysage]

Thank you Anna

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How nice to have you drop in

I was so shocked that my babies all lost a few ounces

not gained. SO how come they look like they are bigger

Except Pipsqueak and Perla. They are just perfect now. The other four boys - well - I guess they are not as porky as I thought

Awww, so glad to hear about the weigh-ins!!!  It's good they have lost some weight.  I know you are a happy mama esp because Nature's Menu seems to be the trick your P's needed to like raw!  Knock on wood OF COURSE!

And yeah, I dropped in out of the blue heehee but been reading since day one!  Catching up on you raw-feeding ladies is my favorite part of the day!  I just keep the forum open on my browser and when I come back: refresh!  

 

[ldg]

Well, Anna, I'm also glad you dropped in, because I missed the weigh-ins somehow! :dk:

Wow - we're having the opposites. :lol3: I thought mine were losing weight, and they gained! And of course I'm having the same thing - the ones that need to lose it aren't. :lol3:

I WANT NATURE'S MENU FOODS! :lol3:

 

[feralvr]

Awww, so glad to hear about the weigh-ins!!!  It's good they have lost some weight.  I know you are a happy mama esp because Nature's Menu seems to be the trick your P's needed to like raw!  Knock on wood OF COURSE!

And yeah, I dropped in out of the blue heehee but been reading since day one!  Catching up on you raw-feeding ladies is my favorite part of the day!  I just keep the forum open on my browser and when I come back: refresh!  

AWWWW thank you !!!! We love an audience This is NOT an easy thing to do - transitioning to raw with the kitties. BUT we are all wanting this so badly for our kitties - we will persevere and keep trying

 

[feralvr]

Well, Anna, I'm also glad you dropped in, because I missed the weigh-ins somehow! :dk:
Wow - we're having the opposites. :lol3: I thought mine were losing weight, and they gained! And of course I'm having the same thing - the ones that need to lose it aren't. :lol3:
I WANT NATURE'S MENU FOODS! :lol3:

YOU have to get some NM for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG the meat is gorgeous and NO BONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to order some Hare Today Pork and rabbit next week too.

I wonder if I should be worried about the slight weight loss. Even though the fatties need to lose some - Pipsqueak and Perla are just perfect and can not lose anymore IMO. Larry says I just like plump pets :lol3: YES - he is right - I like them a bit fatter - even my horses, I always wanted them "beefy" I will keep a closer watch on weights. Two week weigh ins from now on :nod:

 

[ldg]

I don't think you should be worried about it. Have you talked about what their ideal weights are with the vet? Because I KNOW my idea of what was healthy is fatter than what IS healthy. :nod: I'll just never get over last year at the vet. I thought Shel was a little thin, and she said he could stand to lose a pound. :lol3:

I'd show pictures, but they never look as bony in the pics as they do in person.

 

[feralvr]

Dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK we are on to something here ladies :happy3: The NM Lamb is getting better and better reviews from the critics as the days go on. Tonight was about 50% NM Lamb and less than 25% NV chicken. Added in for extra push was GO trout. Just a tad of Fortiflora for Presley - all other's ate well. Perla even came for dinner tonight and pigged out. I honestly think the NV is the problem and tomorrow will be 75% NM Lamb with canned only. No NVorg. chicken tomorrow. I still have about two pounds each of NVorg. chicken and NV Lamb. Once those bags are gone, I am done with the NV products. Way too many large bones. The only NV product that I might keep in rotation is the NV Organic Chicken. The bones/cartilage are not nearly as large and sharp as the other proteins. I am going to order some Hare Today Pork and Rabbit next week. I would really love to get some Rad Cat - and pushing one of the natural stores to contact their distributor to see if they will stock it :cross: :cross: Wouldn't that be wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told the store owner that once people got wind of the Rad Cat, the ingredients - it will be a big seller.

OH - Pipsqueak does seem to like the NM Lamb too - although he is a lover of the NVorg. chicken too. As long as I pick out the bones and cartilage - I won't worry about feeding that to Pip. Next up after the introduction of the NM Lamb will be the NM Turkey - probably Tuesday. Because Monday will be 100% NM Lamb :cross: :lol3:

 

[feralvr]

I don't think you should be worried about it. Have you talked about what their ideal weights are with the vet? Because I KNOW my idea of what was healthy is fatter than what IS healthy. :nod: I'll just never get over last year at the vet. I thought Shel was a little thin, and she said he could stand to lose a pound. :lol3:
I'd show pictures, but they never look as bony in the pics as they do in person.

When I took the three P's in for their distemper shot in December - the vet said that all were about one - two pounds overweight . Honestly, I don't see it. OK maybe a pound but no more :lol3: Pipsqueak lost too much when he was on the Baytril and feeling sick . But he is back eating well again and I am offering him an extra meal or two during the day. He doesn't eat at much at one feeding as he used too. He is not thin - but I am used to him being a bit plumper. He does run around and play more than he ever did before. Just more energetic and kittenish . The raw is taking credit for that change in Pip. A wonderful change too Funny thing is ..... they look a bit more round than before raw but weigh a little less...... strange - but I am not worried - they are happy and very, very playful babies :rub:

 

[feralvr]

The four P's sure told me off this morning . Even got a bite from Pipsqueak :lol3: after serving him breakfast. Today was 75% NM Lamb. No GO!!!!!! . All four of them were very disgusted with me. Perla took :dash:. Perkins stared at Presley covered and Pipsqueak gave it to me :wife:. OK - so momma is going to fast again. SHOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope this doesn't back them off all together again and I have to start over !!!!!!! I will go back to 50% NM Lamb and stay there for a few days. I guess the plan for 100% NM Lamb has been squashed. Walden and Wendall will be my 100% raw eaters. I wonder if the four P's will be 50% raw eaters :dk: Seems every time I try to push it more - they all refuse to eat - no matter what toppings I put on. SO tonight I will offer 1/2 ounce of NM Lamb and add in 1/2 ounce of NV org. chicken (since that combo has been working) and 1 ounce of Weruva Mack/Jack just to get them back on track. Perla didn't even come back down to eat at all. When I came back upstairs - she was waiting for me on the counter - I offered her a different wet food with just a little NM Lamb NOPE - :dash:. She came back in the kitchen about 1/2 hour later and I fed her WL chicken Don't want to be doing that. She is already addicted to the WL. THEN she wanted MORE food about 1/2 hour later after the WL chicken. Offered more NM Lamb - :dash: again. Finally she ate some canned Wellness later. These four P's are turning into the four PIA'S.....

I just have to take this process turtle slow or slower, more like snail pace with Pip, Perla, Perk and Pres. Walden and Wendall are my raw eating champs and make life so easy for momma :heart3: :rub:

 

[ldg]

These four P's are turning into the four PIA'S.....

Oh Lauren - I don't mean to laugh at your frustration, but they WAY you put it was just too funny!

I just have to take this process turtle slow or slower, more like snail pace with Pip, Perla, Perk and Pres.

Slow works!

they're good with the 50% again tonight and don't drive you completely crazy!

 

[feralvr]

Oh Lauren - I don't mean to laugh at your frustration, but they WAY you put it was just too funny!
Slow works!
they're good with the 50% again tonight and don't drive you completely crazy!

HEE HEE !!!!!! The four PIA's did eat the 50% mixture with the 50% Mack/Jack. BUT it took some convincing that I wasn't tricking them again. I will definitely keep them at 50% for a few more days and see if I can push to 75%. Just don't think these PIA's will ever be at 100% :bigmouth:

 

[ldg]

Well, look at it this way. If you feed them at 50% for the next WEEK, they'll be so used to it, maybe they won't notice when you do bump it to 75%!

Well.... we can dream..... :heart3:

 

[feralvr]

WELL- I can't even get them to eat 1/8 of an ounce of the NM Lamb anymore - those "Picky Four's"..... No more NM Lamb for those four. Good news first - Walden and Wendall had 100% NM Lamb this morning. Those boys are my champs :lovegrin:

NOW - the Picky Four's. What a PIA this morning again. The ferals got an excellent meal today :lol3: Anyway - can you believe I even had to use some Fortiflora to get Presley and Perla to even eat Wellness Beef/Chicken :frusty:. Still they ran off. It seems they are associated the Fortiflora with raw meat now. :shocker: Unbelievable to me. I am not upset at all - I just feel so badly for my four babies that they are yet again stressed during mealtime. After trying a few different thing's to get them to eat. I just let them settle. Cleaned up and went upstairs. Rehydrated five patties of S&C freeze-dried Lamb. They all ate like they were starved Pipsqueak had a fresh can of Wellness chicken and ate 3 ounces !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plan (what number plan am I on now with the Picky Four :scratch: )....... I will try the Nature's Menu Turkey tomorrow and give them a break today. IF the turkey is not well taken - then I will move to the Nature's Menu Chicken. I am thinking from now on of doing it this way - the way Carolina suggested. Making a pea sized ball of raw and putting it next to the wet food on the plate. Since mixing it in with the wet has not been consistently working - I will try that other way. One thing for sure is that they LOVE the S&C freeze-dried dog patties. I do know they love Bravo meats too - but I think I have to supplement those meats. I found this out when Wilbur was eating Bravo last Fall. That was the meat that Presley would gobble off my finger - just raw meat - no topping's, no mess, no fussing. :hmm: Maybe I might go back to sitting on the floor and hand offering the raw meat again :lol3: It seemed to work back then very well.

Dinner will be more rehydrated S&C and some EVO canned. Walden and Wendall will have NM Lamb mixed with NVorg. chicken for dinner. My happy raw eating carnies - the two W's. :rub: :rub:

 

[ldg]

Well, I'm finding that the plan to introduce 25%/50%/75% then go to 100% doesn't work for my kitties. Yes, it needs to be introduced slowly, but they don't seem to want anything (other than NV rabbit LOL) at 100%. Yours are also used to getting variety - so once you introduce the proteins and they've eaten them up to 50% for a day or two, you may find you need to rotate proteins they already know. :dk: And down the road, like I'm doing, you may be able to mix the proteins, so they don't have to eat more than 50/50 at a meal. :dk: Don't forget - you can mix the rehydrated patties with the other raw too. :nod: I know that too many proteins can cause GI issues.... but if you stick to only two - maybe three - proteins in any given day, you may not have a problem. :dk:

It's definitely a process and a labor of love, and you're finding their preferences and limits, that's for sure! :heart3:

BTW - Bravo definitely has balanced meals. They also have unsupplemented meat OR meat/bone mixes. :nod: You just have to make sure which ones you're buying, that's all. And yes - the Bravo meats were VERY juicy!!! I had the unsupplemented, so I don't know about the balanced stuff. But I'm sure you'll find out.

 

[carolina]

Lauren, here is what I do when they start getting finicky on the transition - I give them a break.... Say they are at the 50% level and I notice they are not eating well..... I serve them the next meal a meal that they love, without the meat they are being transitioned to.... usually this is the last meal of the day - and the next day I still move on to the next level. This seems to reset things.
I also rotate the base meats. So, in your case, you can do that with canned, or with re-hydrated S&C, or whatever flavors they eat and love. I never do my intros with one flavor - the only constant is the percentage of the meat I am introducing..... but the "base meat", I am always rotating to keep things interesting. The more they love this base meat, the more successful your rotation will be.
It is ok to give them a break - just pick up from the level you were before, and keep going from it when you come back to it. I did the same with NM lamb..... and they love it now.....
For Hare today Rabbit, when I got to 100%, I skipped 2 meals to give them a break, as they were sick and tired of it - only the last meal of the 100% day was rabbit..... and was successful, as they had had their beloved turkey and lamb on that day for a reset.....
You need to play by the ear..... If they are tired of it, give them a break..... Try to give them 2 meals on each level, and you should be good to go

 

[feralvr]

Well, I'm finding that the plan to introduce 25%/50%/75% then go to 100% doesn't work for my kitties. Yes, it needs to be introduced slowly, but they don't seem to want anything (other than NV rabbit LOL) at 100%. Yours are also used to getting variety - so once you introduce the proteins and they've eaten them up to 50% for a day or two, you may find you need to rotate proteins they already know. :dk: And down the road, like I'm doing, you may be able to mix the proteins, so they don't have to eat more than 50/50 at a meal. :dk: Don't forget - you can mix the rehydrated patties with the other raw too. :nod: I know that too many proteins can cause GI issues.... but if you stick to only two - maybe three - proteins in any given day, you may not have a problem. :dk:
It's definitely a process and a labor of love, and you're finding their preferences and limits, that's for sure! :heart3:
BTW - Bravo definitely has balanced meals. They also have unsupplemented meat OR meat/bone mixes. :nod: You just have to make sure which ones you're buying, that's all. And yes - the Bravo meats were VERY juicy!!! I had the unsupplemented, so I don't know about the balanced stuff. But I'm sure you'll find out.

:doh3: I never thought of mixing the rehydrated patties in with the raw frozen meat meals.... might "spice" things up for them too. YEAH the 25/50/75/100 plan doesn't work for these four. I get to about 50% just fine then when I move to 75% all bets are off. THEN when I go back down to save myself - they still refuse..... The only meat I ever go to 100% was the NV rabbit. I really have to wonder if I was able to keep that going if I would be farther along in this process than we are now. I am going to Four Legs this afternoon to look at the Bravo products they have. :cross:

 

[feralvr]

Lauren, here is what I do when they start getting finicky on the transition - I give them a break.... Say they are at the 50% level and I notice they are not eating well..... I serve them the next meal a meal that they love, without the meat they are being transitioned to.... usually this is the last meal of the day - and the next day I still move on to the next level. This seems to reset things.
I also rotate the base meats. So, in your case, you can do that with canned, or with re-hydrated S&C, or whatever flavors they eat and love. I never do my intros with one flavor - the only constant is the percentage of the meat I am introducing..... but the "base meat", I am always rotating to keep things interesting. The more they love this base meat, the more successful your rotation will be.
It is ok to give them a break - just pick up from the level you were before, and keep going from it when you come back to it. I did the same with NM lamb..... and they love it now.....
For Hare today Rabbit, when I got to 100%, I skipped 2 meals to give them a break, as they were sick and tired of it - only the last meal of the 100% day was rabbit..... and was successful, as they had had their beloved turkey and lamb on that day for a reset.....
You need to play by the ear..... If they are tired of it, give them a break..... Try to give them 2 meals on each level, and you should be good to go

Will do, thanks . I will give them a break for dinner tonight... and will try just the NVorg. chicken in the morning. I think that is a good plan too - if I see them backing off - not offer that meat at the next meal, instead off them something I know they will devour. That way mealtime won't turn into a circus :spin: . Tomorrow night I will intro the Nature's Menu Turkey. AND I never thought of using the S&C as the base meat.... I just hope that doesn't throw them off of the S&C though - they are really tough ones. The only thing that seems to get them eating the raw meat (and they have trained me) is the tuna-based grain free wet foods. Like Weruva, Fussy Cat, or BFF. Then they will eat the raw meat - but not because of the raw meat, they eat because of the tuna. I have even been thinking of using tuna juice to entice them. I DO have more tricks up my sleeve :lol3:

 

[ldg]

Oh these are all great ideas!!!!

 

[feralvr]

I have figured out that Perla, Perkins and Presley are addicted to Fortiflora. They are expecting sprinkles even for canned food. Nope - not doing that :lol3: I am going to keep meals for the four P's wet food for now to get them back eating well again without the use of Fortiflora. I will not be ordering more Fortiflora - even though I want to so badly. It has become a huge issue with those three and I have to break them out of that drug addition What I did do this morning was what I did before introductions with them. I sit on the floor when I feed Wilbur. I had plates ready for any takers. YEP - there were taker's. Perkins and Presley each had one ounce of NVorg. chicken - straight from my hand!!! No toppers - nothing. Just the meat. That made me very happy. Of course, Walden and Wendall wanted some too. They had 100% NM Lamb for breakfast but I still let them have a taste. Perla and Pipsqueak do not come into the raw eating circle on the floor - never have. OH well - they don't know what they are missing :lol3: I will do this for a couple of days and see where we are at. I will try to introduce Nature's Menu Turkey in the raw eating circle tonight at dinner!!!!! :cross:

I am running to Costco today - they have an excellent selection of quality meats. Will be picking up some organic chicken breast for the kids to see if anyone would love a little piece of fresh chicken meat!!!