Officially Started Them on Raw!

[ldg]

I am sure the days to come will be a bit unsettling with the cat's figuring out how to adjust to Sven being gone :shame: Hard on everyone :rub: :heart3: Pretty cool about Stinkpot hanging out with the company. I guess they are feeling a little insecure without Sven and need to stay close. Very telling with ALL three of them on your bed last night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :nod:

Awww.................... :heart3:


As to the order... you've certainly had plenty on your mind recently.

I do the same as Lauren. Everyone says "don't microwave!" - but seriously, they won't consider eating it any other way. I do the same time too!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I see I haven't reported anything in a couple of days. 

I'm continuing to mix lamb into their canned food, but cannot seem to increase the amount from maybe 1/2 Tablespoon (if that) or they won't eat any of the food, and then when that happens, I serve the next meal without any raw, just to make sure they get a good meal in them.  So, it's kind of been hit or miss.  Then this morning, Stinkpot didn't want to eat at all

, and neither Darko nor Callie wanted any of their lamb, but apparently what Stinkpot really didn't want was any canned food, because once Darko walked away leaving just the lamb in his bowl, Stinkpot went over to it and gobbled up the lamb

.  So...when Callie was finished (leaving mainly her lamb too), I took her bowl to him and he proceeded to eat her lamb too

.  So there was still HIS bowl that had both canned food AND lamb in it though.  I tried to push the canned food off of the lamb and give it to him, but then he wasn't interested in it.  Now this sounds kind of good, but the problem here is, I had decided to start giving smaller portions,so they would at least lick their bowls clean and I would be sure they ate their raw, and depending on how that went, either give them more right then and there, or add an extra meal sometime during the day.  So...this mornings. meal was only about 1 oz of canned food each.  And they STILL didn't finish it.  So, to complete the meal, I had to bring out S & C freeze dried and let them chow down on that.  Not sure what to do.  I think they like the food, because they still go do it and start to chow down, they just don't ever finish, and today I even switched to my china "berry bowls" because I think they are best suited for the purpose...nice rounded bottoms, not too big so the food can't move around too much, etc.

Oh, BTW, that store near our friends that was supposed to carry Rad Cat?  They don't!!!!!  I am very bummed about that.  They do, however, have a Primal sample pack that has 3 1oz frozen cubes of 5 different varieties (beef and salmon, chicken and salmon, pheasant, turkey, and ??? (can't remember) for $4.99.  I may get that one just to see what the kids think of it.  I spoke to the owner via phone and told her I was interested in Rad Cat because there weren't any bones in it, for one thing, and she said the Primal bones were very fine; finer than NV.  Seems to me someone here is currently feeding Primal, but can't remember who is it.  Anyone have any thoughts on it?  Since my kids aren't all that thrilled with NM, I need to find something else.  And the local store only sell Bravo, Primal, S & C, or NV.  And shipping to Arizona is prohibitive.  That NM order cost more to ship than my actual order!!!!! So it's not really worth it to order on-line until they are really eating raw and I can order a huge supply to fill a freezer (which I don't have yet anyway). 

Oh!  And I'm a little worried, same as Lauren, that I'm feeding too much fish, since that's the only type of canned food my babies like.  Granted, it's Weruva, but it's still fish.  They like the one with Tilapia, so I told myself "good, that's a lake fish", but then I checked the ingredients, and the first ingredient is tuna

.  So now I'm paranoid and monitoring their bathroom habits!  Yesterday I was watching Darko so hard that he ended up getting back OUT of the litterbox

.  (I was trying to be discreet, but apparently was a little obvious!)

 

[ldg]

Sally, have you tried mixing the raw into the wet? Do they eat it that way? That's how we started. And I just kept upping the amount of how much was mixed in. Like Lauren, you may hit that barrier, whatever it is (may still be half a teaspoon!). But IF they eat it mixed in, then you don't have to worry about them licking their bowls clean. :dk:

As to the Primal, the bones ARE finer than in NV, and they target 8% bone content (unlike NV's 15%). So MUCH better, much more appropriate that way!!!! :nod: We only tried Primal Turkey, but mine hated it. But as it turns out, they didn't like ANY ground turkey. :lol3:

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yes, sometimes I mix the lamb in, sometimes I just plop the wet food on top.  Depends on my mood!  They still don't ever lick their bowls clean,and if I've mixed it in, then I can't tell exactly what it is that's left

 

[klag]

Hi, I picked up that same Primal sample pack (cost me $7.50 downtown Atlanta!) and I think the 5th variety is Quail.  If memory serves, the only two that didn't contain any fish were the turkey and quail formulas.  Those were the only two I actually let my cats sample and they were both a hit.  My kitten eats anything, so no toppers ever for her.  My 14 pound Maine Coon required such a small amount of Whole Life Turkey dust on top that I think it's a mental thing with her or she's just crazy because the amount I put on wasn't even noticeable.  I betcha I could fake sprinkle the dust on top and she'd eat it as long as she saw me do it.  Typical of her, she is certifiably crazy.  The moderately picky toothless kitty did walk away first, but did eat a lot with some Whole Life Turkey dust on top. 

My picky 20 pounder wouldn't touch the Primal with any amount of Whole Life Turkey on top/mixed.   But, she eats ZERO raw so far so don't let her be the judge.

Primal does have fruits and veggies in it though....

 

[feralvr]

I have had the same issue here with my four fussies. As soon as I would TRY to increase the amount of raw and decrease the amount of canned ..... :dash: Off they would go. The only raw meat I found that works for Perla ( not always her ), Perkins and Presley is the Rad Cat Lamb or Turkey. They do not like the Chicken so much. That is a good idea about offering the next meal as just plain wet food. I had problems with my fussies even backing off of wet food . It was a real problem. I basically had to start all over with them. It IS very frustrating having to use this "fishy" :fishy: canned food to get them to eat the raw. I am also thinking of trying Primal again too. I only tried the turkey, like Laurie :lol3: and like her cat's, my cat's hated Primal turkey. I will be waiting to see if your gang likes the Primal, I hope they DO :cross: I am sorry that the store does not carry Rad Cat for you. I wonder IF they could get it in for you??? It really is wonderful meat. I am still trying to get one of my stores near me to find a distributor but have not had any luck.

OH poor Darko - momma peeking while he was in the litter box that he just left. :lol3: I do that all the time... pretend I am doing something else all the while watching out of the corner of my eye MY goodness - what we have to resort to....... :rofl:

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Ok, last night was  NO raw, plus they were very hungry because I didn't feed them lunch

(trying a new thing here...WL snacks mid day because I really want them to be hungry at meal time), and they all ate like champs. 

This morning, mixed the NM lamb into their food, fresh can (not from the fridge), and Darko and Stinkpot licked their bowls clean.  I stayed with them the entire time and even added more to their bowls to keep them away from Miss Slow Eater (Callie).  She didn't finish hers, but I couldn't detect any lamb left, so think she ate it.  I left her bowl out for a few minutes more, and when I came back, it was empty.  The boys were upstairs with me most of the time, so I'm thinking Callie went back and finished her bowl.  Plus, I handed out a few WL chicken pieces as dessert before I left the room, and only Callie wanted some, which told me the boys were full.  So...may not be a good thing, but skipping lunch and having them extra hungry may be the only way to increase their raw intake.  I'll keep a close eye on their weight, and make sure I keep giving them WL "treats" mid-day so they aren't too hungry.  What it boils down to, my new plan is to feed them a full meal every 12 hours.  It really did seem like they weren't all that hungry when I fed them 3 times a day.  What do you guys think?

Still haven't gotten the Primal, because now I'm wondering why the heck they would put fruits and vegies in their product!  Plus I still have lots of NM left that I'm working with, which will give me time to investigate. 

Lauren, I could probably get that store to order Rad Cat for me...but I really wanted to try the samples first before ordering, because what if they don't like it?  It's pretty pricey to toss!

 

[klag]

I think one meal every 12 hours is just fine.  Maybe a snack in between?  A raw snack like freeze dried Stella and Chewy's? 

As far as Rad Cat, they do make really small tubs - not quite sampler size, but still small and cheap.  The stuff is so good and fresh looking if your cats don't like it, cook it up and make yourself some burgers!  If you don't like the way it tastes, add some fortiflora on top and see if it helps

 

[ldg]

I think one meal every 12 hours is just fine.  Maybe a snack in between?  A raw snack like freeze dried Stella and Chewy's? 

As far as Rad Cat, they do make really small tubs - not quite sampler size, but still small and cheap.  The stuff is so good and fresh looking if your cats don't like it, cook it up and make yourself some burgers!  If you don't like the way it tastes, add some fortiflora on top and see if it helps

Sally, Spooky skips meals at times, and she seems to only want 2 meals a day frequently. So if that's what they're telling you, and they eat enough at each of those meals, then I see no reason not to do it!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well...They seemed to want lunch today (figures!), so I rolled them some lambballs and Darko woofed his right down and went and disturbed Callie before I could stop him

(and I was sitting right there on the floor between the two of them.  (Bad Momma

)  Anyway, Callie had 1, Darko had  4, and Stinkpot had 3.  I had coated them with Pure Life (I think that's what it is) freeze dried chicken (powdered), and Darko doesn't usually like that, so I only give him 2 to start with.  Apparently he likes it when it powdered and wrapped around lambballs

.  Then those little rascals still seemed hungry, and I was already late for an appt, so I opened up a 3 oz pouch of Weruva Chicken something, which they formerly wouldn't touch, and they all went for it.  Geez.  I need to place another order for wet food on-line and have absolutely no idea what to get, since they keep changing their minds about what they like. They probably like Paw Lickin Chicken now, and I can't tell you how many cans I have thrown away (opened). 

Oh well, basically just wanted to report that they all happily ate Natures Menu  lambballs for lunch, only coated with fd chicken, not smothered in wet food. 

 

[feralvr]

  What it boils down to, my new plan is to feed them a full meal every 12 hours.  It really did seem like they weren't all that hungry when I fed them 3 times a day.  What do you guys think?

Still haven't gotten the Primal, because now I'm wondering why the heck they would put fruits and vegies in their product!  Plus I still have lots of NM left that I'm working with, which will give me time to investigate. 

Lauren, I could probably get that store to order Rad Cat for me...but I really wanted to try the samples first before ordering, because what if they don't like it?  It's pretty pricey to toss!

Sally - I know how you are feeling and what you are going through with this process. I had complete refusals also before Rad Cat. BUT I can honestly say that for my four PsIMA - the Rad Cat has been the only raw commercially made meat that they will eat at 100% with topper's that is. Some days I do still have to mix in some wet food - fishy wet food. IF the store can't get you sample. Then just start with the Lamb :nod: You can get the one pound tub. They all come in one pound tubs :nod: It makes it SO easy that way. I love it like that - better than patties. I REALLY DO think your kids will LOVE the RC Lamb. I REALLY DO!!!!!!! :bigthumb: FUNNY.... Now I am sounding like Carolina when she was encouraging me to try the Lamb. EVEN the turkey is well liked. The chicken not so much, except for Walden and Wendall. So anyways, if you start with a one pound tub - 16 ounces.... I think at least ONE of them will eat it :nod: You just soak the one pound container in cold water for about one hour. Open the container, drop the whole lot of meat on a chopping block, and start cutting up sections. I put the portions in a baggie, weigh them, mark them and then refreeze them. Sorry if this is too much information

OH - on the Primal - I am going to try the Chicken/Salmon eventually. I like that fact that the bone is only 8% compared to NV's 15%. The fruits/veges don't bother me. Since I would just be trying it and using it in rotation for variety.

Also - Perla is really a two meal a day girl - like Spooky :rub: I also am really giving my cats TWO main meals a day. and a snack before bedtime. :nod: I agree that with the three full meals, I was calling them and waking them up to eat each day for the middle meal. Now I space breakfast and dinner about ten hours apart. NOW they are asking to eat dinner :nod: I think two meals a day is absolutely fine with a small snack in between. Good plan

 

[feralvr]

Well...They seemed to want lunch today (figures!), so I rolled them some lambballs and Darko woofed his right down and went and disturbed Callie before I could stop him :anon: (and I was sitting right there on the floor between the two of them.  (Bad Momma :doh3: )  Anyway, Callie had 1, Darko had  4, and Stinkpot had 3.  I had coated them with Pure Life (I think that's what it is) freeze dried chicken (powdered), and Darko doesn't usually like that, so I only give him 2 to start with.  Apparently he likes it when it powdered and wrapped around lambballs :bigmouth: .  Then those little rascals still seemed hungry, and I was already late for an appt, so I opened up a 3 oz pouch of Weruva Chicken something, which they formerly wouldn't touch, and they all went for it.  Geez.  I need to place another order for wet food on-line and have absolutely no idea what to get, since they keep changing their minds about what they like. They probably like Paw Lickin Chicken now, and I can't tell you how many cans I have thrown away (opened). 

Oh well, basically just wanted to report that they all happily ate Natures Menu  lambballs for lunch, only coated with fd chicken, not smothered in wet food. 

YAY!!!!!!!!!! See, these kitties ARE going to drive us to the Raw Feeding Nut House :spin: :rotate: :lol3: I cannot tell you how many times a certain brand of wet was refused only to have them devour that exact same brand a week later. WHO KNOWS..... ya just gotta love that one day is different from the next. Nothing is ever written in stone

OH I just received my order from Nature's Menu today. John sent me another bag of freeze-dried beef chunks AND a three pound of the frozen Beef - all for free. He is SO nice. I am curious to try the Beef. BOY the meat is gorgeous - the beef. Compared to the Chicken, the beef is very juicy. I know if the cat's don't like it or on it - the dogs will eat it :nod:

OH :lol3: also - I found another topper that works INCREDIBLY well for Perla. It is Halo's FD Salmon..... OMG..... she went ballistic for her dinner tonight, even after her rough day at the vet. Will update my thread... :rofl:

 

[klag]

The fruits/veges don't bother me. Since I would just be trying it and using it in rotation for variety.
 

I agree with this 100%.  While I do not care for the fruits/veggies and would prefer they not be in there, the Primal is just a small part in my overall rotation of canned variety, and raw variety.  Just like in the wild I bet a cat would eat a fruit or veggie now and then.  Either by accident or in the belly of their prey.  Once or twice a week, I think it's just fine. It's a very small amount anyway in the food.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Here are today's "findings".

Stinkpot still doesn't like Weruva's Polynesian BBQ!  I tried bfast without any lamb to see if perhaps he's changed his mind.  A big "no" on that front

.  The others like it ok, but he's still a hold out, so had to give him S & C freeze dried (still in that form).  THAT he likes, figures since it's quite pricey.  Oh well, whatever my boy wants, my boy gets, pretty much.

So...for mid afternoon I rolled lamballs in PureBites "powder" such as it is, and did up 3 for each, PLUS decided to make one plain and put in heir bowl with the others.  Now, mind you, these lambbals are bigger than peas.  I would say they are at least as big as 2 temptations stacked on top of each other.  So...fairly good sized. 

Stnkpot licked his bowl clean! 

...perhaps I have at least one little carnivore in the making

Callie ate one "loaded" one, after I followed her around with the bowl

Darko ate one "loaded" one

THEN, Stinkpot polished off everyone else's bowls!  So, all in all, he ate 10! 

; 7 were rolled in the PureBites chicken, and 3 were naked

So, then I thought, if he was ok eating them plain, I'd just give him some more, so I plopped down 4 more little bites in a bowl, but by that time he and Callie were chasing each other around, so he was out of the mood.  Darko was in the window, however, so I offered them to him, and he wasn't interested, so I brought out the PureBites again, and sprinkled some over them, and added one whole PureBite chicken piece in the bowl, and that got his attention!  Darko then proceeded to eat the chicken piece (freeze dried), along with 2 of the bites in the bowl.  That was it.  Couldn't get any takers for those last two bites.  Oh well...I am still one happy momma over here.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Granted it's stlll a long way off, but it's there

 

[feralvr]

:lol3: YES - THERE IS A LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hard to see it on some days - but then other's - it shines brightly :sun: That's what I love about this whole deal.. this whole process, that wonderful feeling you receive when you see one of them enjoying raw meat - like they were born to LOVE :lol3: I didn't feel this way in the beginning NOPE - I just got stressed and upset. NOW I am just used to the refusal's and work around it. Funny thing, this raw transition.... it has taught me more lessons than I care to know Glad you had a great day, Sally

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well, this morning didn't go as well as yesterday, but hoping their lambballs for lunch will be better rec'd.  Stinkpot wasn't even anywhere to be found at bfast!  I had to track him down, and then he wasn't hungry, not even for S & Cs.  I was a little worried about him, but FINALLY got him to eat just a little after he watched Darko polish off most of the S & C (this after Darko already ate his own and some of Callie's

.  My little piggy

.  So...Darko was the only one who ate lamb this morning...both HIS and Callie's that was mixed in with their canned.  Got to figure out something to bring Callie along.  Maybe she's mourning Sven, because she used to seem to enjoy it.  This may call for some pork

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Mid-day snack today was entirely different from yesterday.  I made up lambballs similar to yesterday, only bigger, but instead of putting any "naked" ones in Darko and Callie's bowls, I just gave them the coated ones.  I gave Callie and Darko two each, and Stinkpot 3, plus one "naked" one.  Darko ate 7 and 1/2 of them!  Stinkpot didn't want to have anything to do with eating...still

.  Got to keep an eye on him, I'm beginning to worry.  Callie backed away from the bowl

, and Darko just went to town!  I just wish he'd keep his either in the bowl, or at least on the placemat.  Today he first put one (lambball) on an uphoslstered chair, then on the rug

...granted, it was my fault for serving him in the window, where he was sitting on the chair, but still!  (at least he sort of cleaned up after himself...too bad he can't disinfect too

)

 

[klag]

Maybe alternate the lambballs with turkeyballs or a different kind of meatballs (lol @ calling these meatballs) every other day.  My cats seem to do better if they don't get the same meat any two days in a row.  That surprised me since my cats at the same Natural Balance canned every day for 4 years.

I just ordered a bag of the Stella & Chewy's salmon/chicken flavor - I think that's the same kind you have.  My 3 raw eaters really like the Stella & Chewy's chicken flavor, which is strange since none of them like chicken flavor anything.  Too bad they don't make Stella & Chewy's turkey or lamb...  I don't care for all the beef and fish flavors... 

 

[feralvr]

Mid-day snack today was entirely different from yesterday.  I made up lambballs similar to yesterday, only bigger, but instead of putting any "naked" ones in Darko and Callie's bowls, I just gave them the coated ones.  I gave Callie and Darko two each, and Stinkpot 3, plus one "naked" one.  Darko ate 7 and 1/2 of them!  Stinkpot didn't want to have anything to do with eating...still .  Got to keep an eye on him, I'm beginning to worry.  Callie backed away from the bowl , and Darko just went to town!  I just wish he'd keep his either in the bowl, or at least on the placemat.  Today he first put one (lambball) on an uphoslstered chair, then on the rug ...granted, it was my fault for serving him in the window, where he was sitting on the chair, but still!  (at least he sort of cleaned up after himself...too bad he can't disinfect too )

Come on Stinkpot and Callie..... :rub: Don't make momma worry. AND YAY FOR DARKO!! It really helps to at least have one or two easy raw eaters :nod: Hope today brings about some good lamb ball eating :cross:

 

[feralvr]

I just ordered a bag of the Stella & Chewy's salmon/chicken flavor - I think that's the same kind you have.  My 3 raw eaters really like the Stella & Chewy's chicken flavor, which is strange since none of them like chicken flavor anything.  Too bad they don't make Stella & Chewy's turkey or lamb...  I don't care for all the beef and fish flavors... 

You can get S&C Lamb :nod: I don't use the "cat" freeze-dried S&C. I use the dog freeze-dried S&C patties :nod: They are supplemented with taurine and perfectly fine for cats as well. My cat's LOVE LOVE all the FD S&C dog patties. The Lamb, Duck, Surf/Turf, Chicken. That is what I feed everyone at bedtime. I just break up about four patties or so and soak them in warm water for a minute. Then serve!!!! YUM YUM If I could afford it :lol3: all of my cat's would eat the S&C FD dog patties all day long. BUT the odd thing is... they won't eat the S&C frozen raw meat patties. I have weird cats