Planning to switch to raw.

[washu]

First, I need a good chest freezer. I'm looking for one with low energy cost. Husband doesn't want a pre-owned. It will be kept in the garage. I'm not really sure what size I should get, or how much food I should keep in it at a time? I have four adult cats that weigh 11.6, 10, 8.2, and 7.5 lbs.

Ohki has food allergies and ends up itchy with scabs all over her back. I think she's allergic to multiple ingredients. Right now she eats canned Wellness grain free chicken. She still gets mild scabbing, I think maybe from grabbing bits of the dog's kibble. I haven't found a wet food that doesn't give her scabs yet. The only food she's been clear of scabs with is Nutro Max Roasted Chicken kibble. It is a long process to wait it out and see because the scabs can take a few months to go away. She was the worst when we tried Duck and Pea Natural Balance canned, ended up needing a steroid shot at the vet. She has also had urinary crystals once, but couldn't go on prescription food due to allergies.

Zelda has had urinary crystals and UTI. She went on prescription food, antibiotics, and pain reliever. After that I switched the cats to an all wet diet. Zelda also became overweight to the point that she could not clean herself, and developed vaginitis. She has to be fed separate from the other cats so doesn't eat everyone's food. She eventually lost weight and grooms herself without problems.

Edea and Vivi have only been to the vet for shots and flea prevention.

I don't think any of them are particularly picky about foods. The Wellness grain free canned is their favorite, and it is less expensive than other grain free canned (I buy the 12.5 oz cans). I did the math and right now I'm spending $90-$100 a month on the cans. On a raw diet, even feeding a variety, it would be about $60-$70 a month. I live only 15 minutes away from My Pet Carnivore. I could also order from Hare-Today but it would be more expensive with the added shipping.

If I were to feed the fine-ground meat/bone/organs from My Pet Carnivore, would I need to add supplements?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

As far as freezer size, I'm guessing that all depends on whether or not you want to use it for other things as well.  We bought an 11 cubic foot upright, and have plenty of room to store the cats' food as well as lots and lots of ice cream

, along with our meat, frozen vegies, etc.  But if you want it just for your cats, then you could probably go with a 5.5 cubic foot chest freezer, since you wouldn't want their food to stay in there too long anyway (meaning you'll rotate it in and out rather than stock a year's supply, I'm guessing).

I have 3 adult cats, one weighing almost 15 lbs, one at 10 lbs and one at 7.5, and all together, their food only takes up one shelf of the freezer, and it's not even completely full. 

As far as the allergies and UTIs, etc., I think raw will definitely be a good way to go.  Some cats that are allergic to certain proteins that are in canned or kibble CAN eat them in the raw form, especially if you buy organic (even organic chicken at Walmart, if you ever decide to feed frankenprey vs ground)

Now as to the food from My Pet Carnivore.  I've not familiar with them, and my PC is giving me a warning about their webpage (possible hacking), so I'm not going to open it, but if it's strictly the meat, organs and bones, then you would probably want to add supplements.  Alnutrin makes one that you just mix with a little water, then mix the meat into it.  (the Alnutrin comes in 2 varieties....one for use with bones already in your meat, and one without, so make sure you order the correct one if you go with this supplement). 

Also, don't forget to give your furkids a probiotic, and many of us also used digestive enzymes when we first started on raw.  I know many others will add more here, but with the Hurricane wreaking havoc right now, they are probably just trying to keep safe and warm at the moment. 

And I'm in a time crunch myself, otherwise I would look up some links and add them.  If no one else is able to come on here, I'll try to get back later this afternoon and add more.  Please ask all the questions you want and we WILL address them. (a lot of our raw experts are on the East Coast though, so may not have power for some time

...let's just hope they are safe

)

 

[feralvr]

This resource thread will help you with many of your question as it is packed with great information on feeding raw and transitioning. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/240809/raw-feeding-resource-thread

I have not tried My Pet Carnivore but have heard good things about it. The Alnutrin is a great supplement and as Sally said, make sure you are buying the correct one according to the type of raw you are going with http://knowwhatyoufeed.com/alnutrin_supplements.html. All commercially made raw needs no supplementation. I am not sure about My Pet Carnivore but since you live so close to them, I am sure someone there will be educated on how to safely feed it to your kitties.

I would also suggest starting your cats on a good probiotic/enzyme right away. I have used Prozyme http://www.petco.com/product/13434/Prozyme.aspx and have also used Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics http://animalessentials.com/ There are other's to choose from and you can pick one up at most pet stores.

OH on the chest freezer. I think mine is a 5.3 cubic foot. Plenty big for us. I use it for the kitties and for extra frozen for us. Try Ebay or Craigs List. You can probably find one used for very inexpensively.

 

[carmina piranha]

Hi, Washu:

Living close to My Pet Carnivore will be great for you!  A lot of raw feeders in the Chicago area get deliveries from them.  Since you live so close, you may not realllly need a chest freezer, but could run out to buy more stuff once a week or so.  Regarding supplements, I don't know if using their ground whole chicken will give you the perfect amount of calcium, the most vital of the "supplements" but it's a start.  We raw feeders adjust ingredients (like added calcium--eggshell is easy--or more organ meat) based off of each kitty's "poop-o-meter."  I though MPC offered a supplement mix, but I didn't see it just now.

We make our own food, and we supplement according to the recommendations of Dr Pierson (which is echoed in the supplement recs of most other raw food experts).  Our cats get meat, bone, liver, hearts and usually some secreting organ, but we add taurine, B, E, lite salt and fish oil because of the concern that these vital nutrients are degraded by the grinding and storage (and the fish oil because their meat doesn't have the omega 3s that their wild prey would have)

If you can hold off until February or so, you can do like we did, and get your new freezer at Jewel (there is at least one in Indianapolis).  The freezer costs about $160, but they give you coupons for $160 of free food items.  Of course, you weren't going to buy all of those foods on your own, but still--it makes the freezer a lot cheaper!  Here's an article about it: http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/20272  .  It is 5.3 cubic feet, and we could probably store 2 months or more of cat food in there if we wanted to.  We usually make 30 days at a time.  We have 4 cats, all 11-12.5 lbs, and they each eat 4.5 ounces of our food a day.  We put their food into 25-ounce gladware "entree" containers, which will last about a day and a half.  That shape has a lot of surface area, making thawing easy.  They last quite well, as long as we take them away from the clean-up crew before they start biting them.  You won't want to keep a container of  food in the fridge for more than 3 days.  Old liver smells groooossssss.

I hope that info helps!

 

[carolina]

Hi Washu, really quickly as I am going to bed..... Yes, you should use Alnutrin as the other members have posted for the meat/bone/organs mixes. Get the one without Calcium, since you already have bones in it (Alnutrin for Meat and Bone)

I use this probiotic: Natural Factors Probiotics

And I bought my freezer on Craig's List, but since you want new, you got a good tip on how to buy cheap cheap :bigthumb:

I hear good things about My pet Carnivore, and the best thing is that they deliver :bigthumb:

I will be back later (when it's not THIS late) to chime in on the other questions - Welcome to the raw forums!

 

[washu]

Sorry for taking so long to reply. I've been busy reading your responses, following links, reading other posts here in the raw forums and browsing for supplies on Amazon. I really like to take my time and research everything thoroughly. Instead of Alnutrin I think I'll use Dr Pierson's supplement recommendations. I have Amazon Prime so ordering the supplements would be simple. I have Now Foods Dry E 400 capsules, Now Foods Taurine Powder, Prozyme Original, and Natural Factors probiotic in my Amazon cart at the moment. At home I already have the B complex 50 mgs (my husband takes these), and in the fridge I have a pump bottle of Grizzly Salmon Oil (I add this to my dogs food). I'd have to find the lite salt at the grocery.

My Pet Carnivore sells finely ground turkey necks as well as a variety of organ meats and heart that I could use to adjust if needed.

I'd definitely want a freezer. My current freezer is always full of just people food. I'm leaning toward a 7 sq ft. so I'll have extra space for people food. I like to stock up to save time and money when there is a deal, plus we have a Sams Club membership. My husband and I are going to shop around next week and see what we can find. That Jewel freezer deal looks awesome. I'll look into it even if I buy a different freezer, in case I decide a 7 sq ft isn't big enough or I might want to move the dogs to raw.

I might have more questions later. I haven't finished reading through all the links posted here, yet.

Thanks for all the links and information.

 

[carolina]

Hi Washu
Even better than salmon oil is Krill oil - Since you are on Amazon...... NOW 500mg Krill oil. Instead of mixing into the food while preparing the entire batch, just give them a capsule a day in the am. Puncture the gel cap and squeeze it over the food :nod:

Turkey necks and hearts are not considered organs. Hearts are considered muscle just like the other meats - Turkey, chicken, venison, etc. They are very rich in Taurine and vitamins, and are an excellent meal - my kitties LOVE hearts!!! I feed it often :nod:
Turkey necks have very high bone percentage, and I would not feed ground as part of the rotation if you are already feeding bone-in meals. It will throw off your bone percentages.
The turkey neck in chunks make a good treat once they are used to eating bones, for teeth health.

I think my freezer is 5.1sq ft, and it fits a LOT of meat. I mean, a LOT. Just letting you know, you might be just fine..... I have 3 cats, and I will not ever fill that freezer...... and I do stock up!