Raw Feeding And Supplements?

[imcf]

Hi there, I was wondering if I should be supplementing my baby's raw food with additional supplements like taurine? and when in the prep process would you normally add them in?

I recently read that taurine can be destroyed in the grinding and freezing process, and now I am worried that it's not enough since I am feeding a commercial raw pet food (natural instincts)

I also have some salmon and krill oil, which I alternate in mixing into her food when I open a new package of meat.

I would love to hear how everyone preps for their babies and what supplements you use!

Thank-you in advance

 

[dhammagirl]

Hi
I add taurine powder when I mix the raw meat with the Alnutrin, water, and fish oil. I then put the food in containers and freeze. I get taurine powder from Bulk Supplements ( one can order from them directly or find their products on Amazon, either way is very inexpensive)
There's taurine in the Alnutrin supplement, but I like to add extra, just to be sure they're getting plenty. Any excess is just excreted, so no worry about overdosing.

 

[Furballsmom]

You could double check Dr Lisa Pierson's site catinfo . org for specifics regarding complete nutrition and home made cat food. (I'm not gutsy enough yet to make this shift so I'm doing a combo/rotation of canned, kibble and frozen raw).

 

[imcf]

i should add that the meats without bone seem to already have greenmin mixed in, though it doesn't state specifically how much. I have started adding taurine but I am quite worried that adding the alnutrin might be too much?

 

[Furballsmom]

dhammagirl was indicating, if I read it right, that any extra is simply excreted.

 

[Ardina]

What type of natural instincts food are you feeding? It may be already nutritionally complete, in which case you don't need to add anything. You could always add extra taurine, which is excreted if there's extra. But adding Alnutrin to already complete food would be too much.

 

[furmonster mom]

Supplements like Alnutrin are usually used when making homemade raw from scratch using plain meat (no bone/organ) grinds.

Commercial raw foods sold in stores are subject to the same minimal nutritional requirements as other commercial (canned/dry) foods. Technically they should be complete (and usually do better than "minimal").

Taurine may be water soluble, and flush through the system, but excess can still have an effect. I know humans who react to excess taurine in some of those "fortified" drinks. I don't know if cats would react in a similar manner, but I've always believed in moderation and balance.

I've been feeding homemade raw for several years, and since I include a wide variety in the diet, I tend to supplement pretty minimally: the occasional fish oil, vit. E, glucosamine... is about it.

 

[imcf]

What type of natural instincts food are you feeding? It may be already nutritionally complete, in which case you don't need to add anything. You could always add extra taurine, which is excreted if there's extra. But adding Alnutrin to already complete food would be too much.

I'm using the cat formula that comes mixed with some salmon oils and greenmin (if there is no bone present). this is a different brand from NV instincts! As far as the meat goes, I have almost all the flavors as it's supposedly better to be switching up proteins? I am trying to feed more lamb and chicken for my growing but rather skinny kitten (~15 wks)

 

[imcf]

I usually add a little bit of krill oil as well*, and have recently started mixing in just a teeny amount of taurine powder