Started them on raw tonight :D

[ldg]

Lamb was definitely a hit. Everyone ate the lamb before the canned - except Tuxedo! WHAT is with that cat? Of ALL of them, I thought he'd be the first to want the raw food! He LOVED the S&C dehydrated (rehydrated) so much, for a while there he was refusing canned, and eating only that. :scratch:

Even FLOWERBELLE at her ENTIRE bowl - no fortiflora!

With coaxing (fortiflora LOL), Tuxie finished his food. Well - I had to add a dash of Halo chicken at the end there.

I gave them dinner on time, even though lunch was so late. And INTERESTINGLY.... Laz NOR Tux NOR Flowerbelle has popped by for more food after dinner. In fact - no one's asked for kibble yet this evening (even though they've been getting canned every time they ask for more food).

Flowerbelle, Billy and Ming Loy were tearing around here and are all passed out now. We have another new box (Lauren, the box you sent at Christmas is still going strong! They LOVE that box - best box we've ever had! :nod: :bigthumb: !!!!!) - the new box is long & wide, but low-sided. Lazlo was going nuts in there with a "rabbit tail" type toy - flipping, kicking, tossing, attacking... popping up like a jack-in-the box - looking around all wild-eyed - then back at it.

Also interesting... and I want to note it, because I want to pay attention to see if or when this changes - no one's chased Spooky down the past two days. She's usually the target of either Billy, Shelly, or Tuxie - and not pleasantly.

And still no hissing from Spooky at Chumley. When she lies in the bed on the shelf at the end of our bed, when he jumps up on the bed, she usually waps him on the head as he jumps up and hisses/growls/yowls at him. This morning he jumped up while she was there... and she just left her paw hanging out there and watched. :dk:

OH! I tried the Vital Essences. These are meat nuggets - not ground like the patties. Even Billy didn't really want to eat them. I tried to mush them up, but no one went for it. So since I need the room in the freezer/fridge, I put half the bag outside for the ferals. I put the rest out this evening. We've been seeing cats over at the dumpster. At least two black cats, one B&W, one gray, and one red tabby. And I've seen a brown tabby over here that isn't ear tipped. Usually winter drives the ferals over here, and we'll trap in decent weather. But we haven't had ANY snow (NOT COMPLAINING, knock wood!!!). I was just wondering if we're going to have to trap over at the dumpster (which is a real PIA because of Gary's medical situation).

Well - the raw did it. Just today I saw the gray cat and the B&W cat over here - and WAY more food than the four regulars and those two could eat is gone. So I'm sure that over the course of the next few days/week or so, the rest will find their way over here now. :bigthumb:

 

[ldg]

Oh, one other behavior thing I have to note for myself here, before I forget. The past week, Tuxie has been seriously beating up on Ming Loy. We've had to intervene - to the point of giving him time-outs. Clapping and starting to stand up and glaring at him usually does it. And Mingle would be doing nothing but sleeping - totally unprovoked!!!!! Tuesday morning, he got her in the mouth with claws, and she was bleeding (quite a bit at first). :-{ but literally since starting the raw, there have been no attacks by Tuxie on Ming Loy. It may be a coincidence - it may not. Time will tell! :cross:

Now - I'm not sure (yet) that I can attribute any or all of these behavior changes to the raw. It's only 50/50 after all. And THIS fast? But as AC pointed out to me, when we eat healthy food, we feel better right away. And this is totally true. :nod:

So I'm noting the changes - and they're pronounced, really. And they started RIGHT after incorporating the raw food.

Now - with 8 cats in an RV, there are bound to be "issues." :lol3: But if this keeps up... there's going to have to be no doubt it's the food.

 

[carolina]

Oh, one other behavior thing I have to note for myself here, before I forget. The past week, Tuxie has been seriously beating up on Ming Loy. We've had to intervene - to the point of giving him time-outs. Clapping and starting to stand up and glaring at him usually does it. And Mingle would be doing nothing but sleeping - totally unprovoked!!!!! Tuesday morning, he got her in the mouth with claws, and she was bleeding (quite a bit at first). :-{ but literally since starting the raw, there have been no attacks by Tuxie on Ming Loy. It may be a coincidence - it may not. Time will tell! :cross:
Now - I'm not sure (yet) that I can attribute any or all of these behavior changes to the raw. It's only 50/50 after all. And THIS fast? But as AC pointed out to me, when we eat healthy food, we feel better right away. And this is totally true. :nod:
So I'm noting the changes - and they're pronounced, really. And they started RIGHT after incorporating the raw food.
Now - with 8 cats in an RV, there are bound to be "issues." :lol3: But if this keeps up... there's going to have to be no doubt it's the food.

Laurie, remember the problems I was having with Bugsy after Gracie's death, and how aggressive he was towards Hope? I mean - she couldn't even come down from the cat tree there for a few days..... Then he started bullying Lucky too :wife:
Then after I started feeding them raw, things changed.... and changed fast. Bugsy is no longer aggressive - and he is playful. Sure, there are fights - but they are play fights - which can be a bit of a problem for Lucky and Hope, given the shear size of Bugsy :lol3:
But he is playing with them, and hanging out, and it is a much less stressful atmosphere here for sure.
I am sure it has to do with the fact of him feeling better..... But I also think the fact that we are having out meals together, they are all getting attention at meal times, and they are eating together :nod:
I think that eating together is a big key on this also - no wonder it is used as a toll in introduction of new cats :nod:

 

[ldg]

Well, given I switched to all wet, timed meals in November 2010, we've been eating four meals a day together for over a year now. :lol3: So the only thing that's changed is the raw food. :nod:

We'll see! :cross: :lol3:

 

[carolina]

Well, given I switched to all wet, timed meals in November 2010, we've been eating four meals a day together for over a year now. :lol3: So the only thing that's changed is the raw food. :nod:
We'll see! :cross: :lol3:

So there you have it :lol3::lol3::lol3:
I also think that not only they feel better, but the meals are more fulfilling - they are not hungry, therefore not are stressed..... Satisfied kitties = happy kitties....... happy kitties don't see much point in fighting..... :lol3:

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

The cats all getting along...that's so great!  One benefit I'm really hoping IS a benefit of going raw

 

[feralvr]

Oh, one other behavior thing I have to note for myself here, before I forget. The past week, Tuxie has been seriously beating up on Ming Loy. We've had to intervene - to the point of giving him time-outs. Clapping and starting to stand up and glaring at him usually does it. And Mingle would be doing nothing but sleeping - totally unprovoked!!!!! Tuesday morning, he got her in the mouth with claws, and she was bleeding (quite a bit at first). :-{ but literally since starting the raw, there have been no attacks by Tuxie on Ming Loy. It may be a coincidence - it may not. Time will tell! :cross:
Now - I'm not sure (yet) that I can attribute any or all of these behavior changes to the raw. It's only 50/50 after all. And THIS fast? But as AC pointed out to me, when we eat healthy food, we feel better right away. And this is totally true. :nod:
So I'm noting the changes - and they're pronounced, really. And they started RIGHT after incorporating the raw food.
Now - with 8 cats in an RV, there are bound to be "issues." :lol3: But if this keeps up... there's going to have to be no doubt it's the food.

Laurie - I am glad to hear Tuxie is backing off of Ming Doobie - OR ELSE Presley will have a fit over here!!! Seriously, I have also noticed a change in Wendall's behavior - in many positive ways - but he has been so much nicer to Perla these last few days. I just couldn't be happier about it. I think Wendall seems more satisfied now and his tummy feels better :nod: :bigthumb:

 

[feralvr]

:sun: :happy3: YAY for Lamb !!! I can't believe how thrilling this is for me :lol3: - so much excitement!! I am very happy that your babies - well except TUXIE :scratch:... all love the lamb. It is very true that if you were already feeding a wet food the transition to raw couldn't be easier :nod:. Just mix both together and you are on your way . So simple.

Just beaming with smiles :happy3: :sun: and cannot wait to hear about more positive changes in the furbabies overall health. This is JUST so great :heart3:

 

[ldg]

Well, Shelly threw up right after lunch. We know it isn't the lamb, he's been eating it with gusto and no problem. I'm still at 50/50, so the problem had to be the canned. And it was not only a new type (Spot's Stew), but a new protein - salmon. The kitties LOVE the Wellness beef & salmon, but we haven't had any for a while. And yesterday everyone did fine on the Spot's Stew lamb. (I did have to pick out all kinds of vegetables, which left me with a little more than half a can of food. But at least you can SEE the veggies to pick them out. :lol3: ).

A little while after that, he went to the bathroom - and pooped perfectly.

About two hours after lunch, we were using our air-sucker-outer to get stuff we bought yesterday ready for the freezer. Gary gave Shel (and everyone) some raw tuna. Oh wow did they bonk out! They LOVE that stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, Shel seemed completely normal - and hungry LOL - and didn't have any trouble with the tuna. So I'm pretty sure it was the canned salmon. I'll stick with the EVO this evening. :cross:

I took out some Vital Essences chicken PATTIES that I bought yesterday. They didn't like those little nuggets - they're not ready for that much chewing yet. They're not dethawed yet, so they're in the sink in cold water. We'll try that chicken this evening. [Added: It was time for dinner before I finished this. I don't know that I'd call it a hit - but chicken doesn't seem to be. :dk: Tux needed the fortiflora, Flowerbelle got dried liver. Shel needed fortiflora). Everyone did fine with the NV chicken - not their favorite - but I want them to have other brands. Well - Laz and Chum will get the NV chicken as it's pathogen-free. I'm actually confident Chum can handle anything I throw at him - perhaps better than all the other kitties, having been on a human dose of probiotics for over a year and being apparently really healthy now. :lol3: But Laz I want to stick to the HPP foods, at least until we're 100% raw for a while. :nod: His last chemo treatment is a week from Monday. Maybe a couple of weeks after that.... [Added: So dinner with the Vital Essences chicken for everyone went fine. Laz/Chum had NV chicken).

She did not get sick. Knock wood, he's fine.

Anyway, with 8 cats, I don't usually know whose poop is who's in the litter box. But I do have to say, the amount of poop is decreasing - meaning the amount PER poop. I know they're not 100% raw yet, but I already see a difference. And so far, I've seen Spooky, Tuxedo, Sheldon, Billy, and Chumley go to the bathroom. No one's been straining or fussing the least little bit and definitely (knock wood!) no diarrhea.

So ,,, so far so good! Better than good! :lol3:

OH! Another unusual thing happened today. :nod: After three years, Billy is STILL trying to make friends with Lazlo. (That boy never gives up!) Bill sometimes hunkers down, and slowly creeps towards him, sloooooowly stretching, pulling himself over... and Lazlo will stare him down. Billy will "tuck up" and leave it. OR Billy will slowly approach Lazlo, head down (he bumps everyone in the chest looking for "pets" from them) - and if he gets all the way up to him, Lazlo waps him on the head, sometimes more than once if Billy doesn't give up. When Lazlo felt so sick, he wasn't bothering. When Laz started getting pissy with Billy, it was something that made us happy. :anon:

Well, today Billy sidled up to Lazlo, who didn't react. Bill shoved his head into Lazlo's chest. Lazlo looked at him, and gave him one lick on the head. Bill was happy. :rub:

Tuxedo has not gone after Ming Loy in any way.
No one has chased Spooky.
Spooky has not even looked sideways at Chumley, and he had to walk past her on the couch today.
And the new one: Lazlo licked Billy. Once.

 

[carolina]

Love is in the air.....

Awww....... How sweet of to see that everyone is getting along in there..... Specially Lazlo and Billy
I have been noticing the same changes here, and it is just the sweetest thing to watch :heart3: Every time I see now Bugsy grooming Lucky, or playing with her..... it is just such a treat for my heart :heart3:
Today they were totally having the crazies those two - especially Bugsy - he was running around the house like there was a little ghost to catch somewhere - it was funny - poor Lucky was most confused :scratch:
I am SO happy to hear your reports It's awesome they are doing so well and taking to raw so readily
I just can't wait for Lucky to get into the program too - this girl is tough tough - and she SO needs to be on it
Keep going momma

 

[feralvr]

:jaw: WHAT - LAZLO LICKED BILLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will "raw" wonders ever cease :lol3:... This is truly amazing all of these behavior changes we are seeing in the cats. Blows my mind. I sit here in almost disbelief and joy at the same time after reading about Carolina's kitties positive changes and now yours, Laurie. I am starting to see major positive changes as well in my cats :happy3: Perla is actually allowing Wendall to walk right past her without hissing or screaming in anger :shocker:. I just about fell over today when that happened because I was ready for a huge reaction from her as usual. Nothing, she did nothing!!!! I am really tired tonight :lol3: - but I will start a thread tomorrow.. I know..... more reading - but you know what - this is just TOO exciting NOT to share, right ??!!!

OH - tomorrow I try the S&C Lamb too. :cross: that my kids like the lamb as much as yours did.

I am JUST on :9: :9: for you, sweetie, and how well this transition is going. It is really cool that we are all going through this process together too and helps to compare notes and just share the good news :high5:

p.s. I tried that Spot':s Stew once too - odd because both Perkins and Presley after eating that stuff. So I gave the other cans to the ferals. I picked out the veges too :lol3: My cats will not eat peas in their wet food. When I feed Weruva Granny's Chicken soup - I have to pick out the peas and carrots too. It makes them sick for some reason.

 

[auntie crazy]

Originally Posted by LDG

...

Well, today Billy sidled up to Lazlo, who didn't react. Bill shoved his head into Lazlo's chest. Lazlo looked at him, and gave him one lick on the head. Bill was happy.

Tuxedo has not gone after Ming Loy in any way.
No one has chased Spooky.
Spooky has not even looked sideways at Chumley, and he had to walk past her on the couch today.
And the new one: Lazlo licked Billy. Once.
 

This just brought tears to my eyes. How very, very awesome!!!!!!!

 

AC

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Laurie, your description of Lazlo and Billy sounds just like my Callie and Darko.  I can't WAIT until Callie actually lets Darko get close enough to her to actually snuggle

.

And if the same type of thing is happening at Carolina's and Lauren's, well...  Raw, here we come!  (I'm almost thinking about cancelling our vacation to get started early!!) 

 

[ldg]

It is exciting - but not worth canceling the vacation! (Though if you go through transition frustration, you made need ANOTHER one! :lol3: ).

Well, as Gary says, three days doesn't make a trend. :lol3:

And Sally, I wouldn't call Lazlo and Billy's relationship one that includes snuggling. It's kind of sad... almost every picture I have before we moved out of the RV in 2004 - so when the kitties were still little - has kitties snuggling, in piles, cuddling... we moved into the house, and they all spread out. Perhaps it was partially because they're older. But it was sad! We lived in a house for four years, then moved back to the RV in 2008. And they're still not snuggly. They'll sleep NEAR each other up in the front dash. But rarely do we ever see more than one or two on the bed. And if Tuxedo claimed it (during the day) - no one else is on it. And I have loads of pictures from when they were young with everyone on it.

But the lowered rates of "get out of my face" are something we are REALLY happy about, that's for sure! :rub:

**************

Breakfast/lunch - everything status quo. :lol3: They had rabbit for breakfast, and lamb for lunch.

I am going to have to start bumping up the amount of raw I'm feeding. They need to be at 100% pretty quickly. This is a logistical problem - eating only two of the 8 ounce (half pound) patties a day isn't going through the food quickly enough. I don't have room in the freezer to put another bag, they're so big. Now - maybe the chubs will help. We ordered the 3 pound chubs for Tuesday. But I need them moving through the food more quickly just so we have the room in the freezer TO rotate not just the proteins, but the manufacturers.

 

[carolina]

Breakfast/lunch - everything status quo. :lol3: They had rabbit for breakfast, and lamb for lunch.
I am going to have to start bumping up the amount of raw I'm feeding. They need to be at 100% pretty quickly. This is a logistical problem - eating only two of the 8 ounce (half pound) patties a day isn't going through the food quickly enough. I don't have room in the freezer to put another bag, they're so big. Now - maybe the chubs will help. We ordered the 3 pound chubs for Tuesday. But I need them moving through the food more quickly just so we have the room in the freezer TO rotate not just the proteins, but the manufacturers.

I think you have a very convenient logistic problem for the kitties I love it!

 

[feralvr]

for JOY !!! Love the good news :happy3:. It seems just too easy :lol3:. The key is the already have been feeding wet food and scheduled feeding AND not wavering from those feedings. My kitties are cleaning their plates completely. We need to buy this small "cool cat" freezers :lol3:. Did you order or are going to order the Natures Menu ? OR are you sticking to the three HPP brands...... I am thinking of incorporating Natures Logic once in awhile. AND why do they all have to use the word NATURE in their brand names. :bigmouth:

 

[feralvr]

for JOY !!! Love the good news :happy3:. It seems just too easy :lol3:. The key is the already have been feeding wet food and scheduled feeding AND not wavering from those feedings. My kitties are cleaning their plates completely. We need to buy this small "cool cat" freezers :lol3:. Did you order or are going to order the Natures Menu ? OR are you sticking to the three HPP brands...... I am thinking of incorporating Natures Logic once in awhile. AND why do they all have to use the word NATURE in their brand names. :bigmouth:

 

[ldg]

No, I'm not ordering (or having Jim order LOL) anything yet. I'm sticking to the HPP for the most part - for Laz and Chum for now. I've already got the Vital Essentials chicken (not HPP) in rotation for the others. Might ask him to order the Nature's Menu instead though.

He does have the S&C "Duck Duck Goose" in the store... we'll see how much room there is in the freezer by Tues/Wed. :lol3:

DAY 4 / EVENING 5

BUT... I did give them 100% raw rabbit this evening. Spooky didn't show up for dinner - but she might not have been hungry. I realized that at lunch I put out their "old normal" amount of canned with the 1/2 oz of raw - which might have been why I had to coax a few to finish lunch. :lo3: But Spooky ate all her lunch, and a bit Lazlo didn't finish. So understandable she wasn't hungry at dinner time. :lol3: They had more food than they usually get.

Lazlo asked for food about an hour before dinner. He, Tux, and Flowerbelle split a 3 oz can of Wellness-something-or-other. Ate the whole thing!

So with that information....Tux finished almost all of dinner (topped with fortiflora as usual); Lazlo ate about half (with the Halo), Shel ate about 3/4, and everyone else ate everything. Including Flowerbelle (who got hers with fortiflora). She was up in her cave in the upper corner of the bedroom, so she got dinner in bed. When I went to fuss with her bowl - it was empty!

Tux and Laz usually pop by for more food almost immediately after dinner. But nope!

Billy and Ming Loy were tearing around for a while, and everyone's having a nice nap now. :lol3:

Day four:

Tuxedo has not gone after Ming Loy in any way.
No one has chased Spooky.
Spooky has not even looked sideways at Chumley again today
No incidents between Laz and Bill. In fact, Billy tried to eat Lazlo's lunch while Lazlo was still eating. And instead of snarling and hitting him, he just kind of moved so it made it more difficult for Bill to get at it. :lol3:

 

[carolina]

No, I'm not ordering (or having Jim order LOL) anything yet. I'm sticking to the HPP for the most part - for Laz and Chum for now. I've already got the Vital Essentials chicken (not HPP) in rotation for the others. Might ask him to order the Nature's Menu instead though.
He does have the S&C "Duck Duck Goose" in the store... we'll see how much room there is in the freezer by Tues/Wed. :lol3:
DAY 4 / EVENING 5
BUT... I did give them 100% raw rabbit this evening. Spooky didn't show up for dinner - but she might not have been hungry. I realized that at lunch I put out their "old normal" amount of canned with the 1/2 oz of raw - which might have been why I had to coax a few to finish lunch. :lo3: But Spooky ate all her lunch, and a bit Lazlo didn't finish. So understandable she wasn't hungry at dinner time. :lol3: They had more food than they usually get.
Lazlo asked for food about an hour before dinner. He, Tux, and Flowerbelle split a 3 oz can of Wellness-something-or-other. Ate the whole thing!
So with that information....Tux finished almost all of dinner (topped with fortiflora as usual); Lazlo ate about half (with the Halo), Shel ate about 3/4, and everyone else ate everything. Including Flowerbelle (who got hers with fortiflora). She was up in her cave in the upper corner of the bedroom, so she got dinner in bed. When I went to fuss with her bowl - it was empty!
Tux and Laz usually pop by for more food almost immediately after dinner. But nope!
Billy and Ming Loy were tearing around for a while, and everyone's having a nice nap now. :lol3:
Day four:
Tuxedo has not gone after Ming Loy in any way.
No one has chased Spooky.
Spooky has not even looked sideways at Chumley again today
No incidents between Laz and Bill. In fact, Billy tried to eat Lazlo's lunch while Lazlo was still eating. And instead of snarling and hitting him, he just kind of moved so it made it more difficult for Bill to get at it. :lol3:

So what's the current ratio you are at right now? 50/50?
BTW - Nature's Menu takes less space at the freezer, I think - the patties are smaller, and they lay 2-2 side by side, so 2 layers of 6 patties..... laying flat - not a huuuuuge bag like S&C or NV, which makes it easier for storage :bigthumb:
I will be posting my reviews when I come back from my trip.... and let you both know how it goes - they have been in business since the 90s though, never had a recall, and no problems so far..... Some vet offices sell their foods and have quite the success with it..... We shall see how the kids respond - you never know if the kitties' palate will fit your plans, you know?

 

[auntie crazy]

Another excellent and exciting update! Whoot!!

AC