This is going to be one for the books! Transitioning Lucky, Bugsy and Hope to Raw.... Challenges Gal

[feralvr]

Please folks!!! do NOT start worrying about calories or weight gain!!!!!!!

Cats NEED more fat than we do, considerably more! In rotation, lamb is a fantastic addition to a cat's menu. I recommend it for all cats, even Ritz.

It is really, really difficult to make a cat fat on a balanced raw diet, and any attempt to eliminate what we perceive as "excess" fat is likely to end in a cat not receiving an optimal level of fat.

AC

Good to know this!!!

 

[carolina]

Please folks!!! do NOT start worrying about calories or weight gain!!!!!!!

Cats NEED more fat than we do, considerably more! In rotation, lamb is a fantastic addition to a cat's menu. I recommend it for all cats, even Ritz.

It is really, really difficult to make a cat fat on a balanced raw diet, and any attempt to eliminate what we perceive as "excess" fat is likely to end in a cat not receiving an optimal level of fat.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Carolina - I totally LOL'ed at your dream. That is seriously funny!!!! CLEARLY, you are one very "raw-food" focused lady right now!!!!!

AC

AC- ok...... Man..... I just hope Bugsy doesn't go from bad to worst here
Talking about that - AC - I think you missed my post about QTYs and baby scale? Can you respond to that? I think I should be monitoring this mini-elephant-white-whale-of-a-cat's weight? :lol3: (just kidding Bugsy :heart3 Thank goodness these kids don't know how to read :blush2: Here is the Post: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/239771/...ope-to-raw-challenges-galore/240#post_3161906

for a drama free raw feeding day You are on a roll YA HEAR THAT , Miss Lucky - your momma said - pull the plate - :cross: For Lucky this weekend :cross:
About the grilling :lol3: Let's just hope you DO grill the pattie first :bigmouth:

:lol3::lol3::lol3: My brother got awfully tempted when I told him Rabbit and Bison were in the kids menu - hopefully that conversation didn't hit my subconscious

Oh - I also have a question for the raw feeders out there -
Hairballs:
Bugsy was hacking a few minutes ago - Since he is on raw, I am tempted to leave him be and see if he passes the hair naturally :nod:...... Or should I just give him Vaseline? What to do :scratch:

 

[auntie crazy]

Originally Posted by Carolina

......
Bugsy was hacking a few minutes ago - Since he is on raw, I am tempted to leave him be and see if he passes the hair naturally

...... Or should I just give him Vaseline? What to do

 

Just let him be.

As for how much to feed, pick an amount (or stay with what you've been feeding) and start weighing Bugsy weekly...  if he gains (highly unlikely), cut his meals back a hair; if he loses, just keep an eye on him to ensure he doesn't lose too much, too fast.

And don't forget!!! 1) Now that your cats have the protein they need, they'll be building up their lean body mass (NOT getting fact, just building up the muscles and other body tissues that were undernourished before) and 2) Now that they're more active, they're definitely going to become more muscular.

So don't just watch the scale, watch their body condition as well.

Best regards!

AC

 

[ldg]

REALLY good point - muscle weighs more than fat, so it may LOOK like he's gaining weight on a scale, but his BODY may look leaner. :nod:

And Lauren - THAT was too funny! Yes, Carolina, if you're going to give them a try, just make sure you grill the patties first!

 

[carolina]

REALLY good point - muscle weighs more than fat, so it may LOOK like he's gaining weight on a scale, but his BODY may look leaner. :nod:
And Lauren - THAT was too funny! Yes, Carolina, if you're going to give them a try, just make sure you grill the patties first!

Just let him be.

As for how much to feed, pick an amount (or stay with what you've been feeding) and start weighing Bugsy weekly...  if he gains (highly unlikely), cut his meals back a hair; if he loses, just keep an eye on him to ensure he doesn't lose too much, too fast.

And don't forget!!! 1) Now that your cats have the protein they need, they'll be building up their lean body mass (NOT getting fact, just building up the muscles and other body tissues that were undernourished before) and 2) Now that they're more active, they're definitely going to become more muscular.

So don't just watch the scale, watch their body condition as well.

Best regards!

AC

Ok.... I will let him be on the hairball.... He doesn't have them often, but when he does..... He does in style - I mean, Bugsy style HUGE
OMG - I had to laugh at the comment of him gaining the weight in muscles..... He has to lose quite a bit of weight - in order for him to put ALL that in muscles, he would look like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the kitty World - six pack and all

 

[carolina]

Day 16 Dinner - Holly Cow, what was that?​

Ok, this was a WEIRD meal - Bad for Lucky, WEIRD for Hope and Bugsy.... Something was in the air :scratch:

Hope and Bugsy - They had their 50/50 Lamb/Turkey Rad Cat..... The weird part was that Hope did NOT want to start eating...... not with Fortiflora.... not with anything..... She finally started..... and ate 1/2 of her food..... So did Bugsy.... Bugsy did his routine.... Took a couple more sprinkles and finished his meal.
Now here where it got really strange - Hope kept going to Bugsy's plate - she wanted to eat from HIS plate - NOT from hers....... Same food, same mix, same Fortiflora. She has Always eaten from her plate..... Never had a problem.... She has her stainless plate, Bugsy his heavy ceramic plate. Tonight she only wanted to eat from HIS plate.
It was not until when he finished and I dumped her food into HIS plate, that she ate...... :scratch: SO weird!
She then ate it with gusto, so there wasn't anything wrong with the food :dk: Her plate was completely clean..... :dk:

What the heck?

Then there was Lucky - She chewed all her treats, but spit them off.... Ate only one of them.... Ate a great meal......... Only to regurgitate the entire thing right afterwards. There was no hairballs in it - this was her eating too fast
So, from now on, even though she doesn't like it..... She will eat out of the slow feeding plate. She threw up her LAST kibble Did 3 times, until everything was out.....
She is hungry, and asked me for food, but I am not going to give her, as I know she can't take it right now - I will let her tummy settle and give it to her on next meal.

Here is a wild card for ya - I, momma, was stressed out when I prepared the meal, and when I fed them - I had a fight with my mom..... Could they picked up the stress - Hope, for example? Can they be THAT sensitive?
For Lucky, I know this happens when she eats too much too fast, and the schedule does make it even harder, as she is super hungry at meal times..... She is eating more.....
Her wild card was that the treats were done with lamb too - 1/2 and 1/2 turkey - but could only a tiny amount of lamb do that to her?

Gee....... Just hope the next meal tonight is easier!! Goodness this one was just weird

 

[carolina]

Keeping track of Bugsy's Weight - Baby Scale
So, I am going to be investing on a baby scale to keep track of their weight..... Bugsy doesn't fit on my scale - he is way too long, and he likes laying on it

Amazon has quite a few offers for good prices, I am looking at:
FAO Schwarz Baby And Toddler Scale, White
$34.99 Free shipping

From the Manufacturer
As baby grows, it's critical to record her weight for feeding and preventive medicine as well the enjoyment of seeing her develop before your eye's. Weigh baby in the comfort of your home. Stylish ergonomic design fits baby's shape and contours for comfort. The LCD readout measures weight in ounces, pounds or kilograms and the automatic shut-off prolongs battery life. "Freeze Function", unique measurement stabilizers capture the measurement even when baby is moving and the "Memory function" feature, records not only the weight but the difference between measurements.
Product Description
This is a great scale for your home 100 lb Capacity is perfect for you baby and toddler ideal for small pets up to 100 lb

**From a cat owner: 5.0 out of 5 stars Also good for fat cats!, November 28, 2011
By
Deb G "Little Debbie" (Des Moines, IA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: FAO Schwarz Baby And Toddler Scale, White (Baby Product)
I bought this scale as a compromise for weekly diet weigh-ins my 20 pound cat needs at my local vet's office. For this price, it was a steal. Very sturdy construction & easy to operate. It keeps flipping from lbs to kgs though but am sure it's "operator error". ;-) It's low to the ground & easy to place a cat (or baby) in. My cats actually enjoy laying it it because it's contour is comfortable!

Digital Baby Scale HI-01/ 44 lbs
$39.95 + Free Shipping

High Precision strain gauge sensors system
Capacity and accuracy: 20kg/10g (up to 44 pounds)
Music function to reduce infant's swing
Free measuring tape and hygiene cloth included
Auto off, overload protective sysrem, Tare function use 4x AA batteries

From a cat owner:
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleased overall, December 12, 2011
By
Ken Y. - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Digital Baby Scale HI-01/ 44 lbs (Health and Beauty)
I bought this scale to weight my cat who has been losing weight. It was about half the price of comparable scales. It is very accurate and the shape is perfect for weighing a small animal. It doesn't matter to me, but there is a music component. It doesn't work. Otherwise, a great value.

The first one has 12 reviews, the second only 2....
What do you guys think?

 

[feralvr]

I guess it can't be perfect every meal right now - still transitioning and going over some bumps here and there - after all they are cat's AND just when you think you found a way to make thing's run smoothly, they throw a wrench into the mix .... ODD about the plate - you washed it the same way, the same soap, etc. I wonder if it had a slightly different smell :dk: I wonder what will happen the next meal. Do you have two of the same plate's like Bugsy's plate? Definitely could be them feeling your tension a bit after your argument. I have seen it with my own... I guess a deep breath and clearing our minds while preparing and feeding kitties :lol3: Poor Lucky and poor momma having to clean up her dinner :shame:. Much, much luck for the next meal

 

[feralvr]

Keeping track of Bugsy's Weight - Baby Scale
So, I am going to be investing on a baby scale to keep track of their weight..... Bugsy doesn't fit on my scale - he is way too long, and he likes laying on it
Amazon has quite a few offers for good prices, I am looking at:
FAO Schwarz Baby And Toddler Scale, White
$34.99 Free shipping

From the Manufacturer
As baby grows, it's critical to record her weight for feeding and preventive medicine as well the enjoyment of seeing her develop before your eye's. Weigh baby in the comfort of your home. Stylish ergonomic design fits baby's shape and contours for comfort. The LCD readout measures weight in ounces, pounds or kilograms and the automatic shut-off prolongs battery life. "Freeze Function", unique measurement stabilizers capture the measurement even when baby is moving and the "Memory function" feature, records not only the weight but the difference between measurements.
Product Description
This is a great scale for your home 100 lb Capacity is perfect for you baby and toddler ideal for small pets up to 100 lb
**From a cat owner: 5.0 out of 5 stars Also good for fat cats!, November 28, 2011
By
Deb G "Little Debbie" (Des Moines, IA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: FAO Schwarz Baby And Toddler Scale, White (Baby Product)
I bought this scale as a compromise for weekly diet weigh-ins my 20 pound cat needs at my local vet's office. For this price, it was a steal. Very sturdy construction & easy to operate. It keeps flipping from lbs to kgs though but am sure it's "operator error". ;-) It's low to the ground & easy to place a cat (or baby) in. My cats actually enjoy laying it it because it's contour is comfortable!
Digital Baby Scale HI-01/ 44 lbs
$39.95 + Free Shipping

High Precision strain gauge sensors system
Capacity and accuracy: 20kg/10g (up to 44 pounds)
Music function to reduce infant's swing
Free measuring tape and hygiene cloth included
Auto off, overload protective sysrem, Tare function use 4x AA batteries
From a cat owner:
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleased overall, December 12, 2011
By
Ken Y. - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Digital Baby Scale HI-01/ 44 lbs (Health and Beauty)
I bought this scale to weight my cat who has been losing weight. It was about half the price of comparable scales. It is very accurate and the shape is perfect for weighing a small animal. It doesn't matter to me, but there is a music component. It doesn't work. Otherwise, a great value.
The first one has 12 reviews, the second only 2....
What do you guys think?

The first one look's exactly like the ones the vet's use. I like that one. Do you have a digital scale for yourself? That is how I weigh my cat's. I weigh myself first - it shows lbs.and ozs. Then I pick up the cat or dog :lol3: I want to weigh and step back on the scale. Sometimes I am afraid to get on the scale ya know what I mean OINK OINK

 

[carolina]

The first one look's exactly like the ones the vet's use. I like that one. Do you have a digital scale for yourself? That is how I weigh my cat's. I weigh myself first - it shows lbs.and ozs. Then I pick up the cat or dog :lol3: I want to weigh and step back on the scale. Sometimes I am afraid to get on the scale ya know what I mean OINK OINK

I am leaning towards the first one too! Plus.... the price is awesome
I do have a digital scale, but the problem I have with it, is that it seems that it fluctuates a little depending how I position Bugsy on my lap - if I bend my back backwards, for example, or if I lean forward..... and he is SO big, there is no way to be in the same position..... Bugsy not only is chubby, but he is looooong!
You know those huge maine coons you see in pictures? Yeah - Bugsy is like that - he is a big kitty :lol3:

 

[carolina]

Whew, that was better! Day 16, late night meal​

Lucky - The Slow feeder is definitely here to stay.... It does work well..... Which is probably the reason why I bought in the first place :doh3: :lol3: The only problem is that she will have to get used to one small little detail - eating in it :lol3: It does slow her down considerably, helping to prevent her to throw up, but also makes her to eat less.... So tonight she only ate 1/8 of a cup..... which would've been ok if she had eaten her second meal.... But it is what it is! I didn't push it as I didn't want to risk her throwing up.

She is walking backwards on the treats as well.... Did not eat any tonight

I guess I need to go back to making them in rabbit again? It is hard as I need to defrost a whole patty only for her And those treats are tiny tiny.... Major waste of meat now that I am working on introducing lamb to the other kids

I really need to do some reading tonight about my next step with her once she is transitioned to EVO - I have to get her to progress a little more as I have a trip coming up on the 23rd, and from there I am going to be busy.... As much as I want to, Kelly can't work as actively on transitions.... It is going to be 2 steps ahead and 5 backwards. We need to pick up the pace here. Safely, but we need to speed up the process a notch now that she is on a schedule.... otherwise I feel we might not achieve this anytime soon :nod:

Bugsy and Hope had an easier meal later tonight- thank goodness
Took a bit more of fortiflora - actually, I am noticing that lamb is taking a bit more..... But not nearly as much as the beginning - consumption is down considerably!
They both ate really well!!
It always scares the heck out of me when Hope Burps :lol3: I am always on the look out thinking that she is going to throw up
The poop-o-meter is functioning but not in front of me :lol3::lol3::lol3: All the poop is solid and perfect this far......... soooooo..... If it is like this still tomorrow, we will move to 75% lamb, 25% Turkey
Then the next day I can rotate the two meats yey

 

[carolina]

If my scale is correct..... using the step in with Bugsy, step down without him.............. He weighs in at 20.4lbs :dash:
Male Neutered Ragdolls, which is what he is, weight in between 15-20lbs normally, so he is a BIG breed..... But he should be around 16-17lbs.... not 20. Bugsy is very long, his paws are huge, his head massive. His is large, no doubt. This is not a 12lb cat.

Anyways, I will be weighing him weekly and registering it here.... Let's see where raw takes us

 

[ritz]

Carolina,

What is the Slow feeder and where did you buy it?

Ritz inhales her raw food (frankenprey), literally it seems.  She gulps down her two ounces of raw food in less than a minute. It takes her longer to eat bone+meat, but I have to limit the amount of bone she eats because she tends to be constipated.

With the commercial raw, I mix it with water and spread it flat on the bowl, so maybe it takes her a second or two longer for her to eat it.  But still! I guess I'm lucky she doesn't scarf and barf, but I would think eating that fast would give her acid ingestion.

Oh and about the scale:  some have memory that record the last weight, and then subsequent weigh-ins indicate whether the weight has gone up or down.  I've found it impossible to clear the memory.  http://www.kmart.com/redmon-digital-pet-scale/p-3370000000007460P

So if you intend to weigh more than one cat on the scale you buy, this might be an option to avoid.  In retrospect, I like the one you are considering, though I can't pick up Ritz, which is one reason I bought the scale I did.

Thanks.
 

Whew, that was better! Day 16, late night meal
Lucky - The Slow feeder is definitely here to stay.... It does work well..... Which is probably the reason why I bought in the first place

The only problem is that she will have to get used to one small little detail - eating in it

It does slow her down considerably, helping to prevent her to throw up, but also makes her to eat less.... So tonight she only ate 1/8 of a cup..... which would've been ok if she had eaten her second meal.... But it is what it is! I didn't push it as I didn't want to risk her throwing up.
She is walking backwards on the treats as well.... Did not eat any tonight

I guess I need to go back to making them in rabbit again? It is hard as I need to defrost a whole patty only for her

And those treats are tiny tiny.... Major waste of meat now that I am working on introducing lamb to the other kids

I really need to do some reading tonight about my next step with her once she is transitioned to EVO - I have to get her to progress a little more as I have a trip coming up on the 23rd, and from there I am going to be busy.... As much as I want to, Kelly can't work as actively on transitions.... It is going to be 2 steps ahead and 5 backwards. We need to pick up the pace here. Safely, but we need to speed up the process a notch now that she is on a schedule.... otherwise I feel we might not achieve this anytime soon

Bugsy and Hope had an easier meal later tonight- thank goodness

Took a bit more of fortiflora - actually, I am noticing that lamb is taking a bit more..... But not nearly as much as the beginning - consumption is down considerably!
They both ate really well!!
It always scares the heck out of me when Hope Burps

I am always on the look out thinking that she is going to throw up

The poop-o-meter is functioning but not in front of me

All the poop is solid and perfect this far......... soooooo..... If it is like this still tomorrow, we will move to 75% lamb, 25% Turkey

Then the next day I can rotate the two meats yey

 

[carolina]

Carolina,
What is the Slow feeder and where did you buy it?
Ritz inhales her raw food (frankenprey), literally it seems.  She gulps down her two ounces of raw food in less than a minute. It takes her longer to eat bone+meat, but I have to limit the amount of bone she eats because she tends to be constipated.
With the commercial raw, I mix it with water and spread it flat on the bowl, so maybe it takes her a second or two longer for her to eat it.  But still! I guess I'm lucky she doesn't scarf and barf, but I would think eating that fast would give her acid ingestion.
Oh and about the scale:  some have memory that record the last weight, and then subsequent weigh-ins indicate whether the weight has gone up or down.  I've found it impossible to clear the memory.  http://www.kmart.com/redmon-digital-pet-scale/p-3370000000007460P
So if you intend to weigh more than one cat on the scale you buy, this might be an option to avoid.  In retrospect, I like the one you are considering, though I can't pick up Ritz, which is one reason I bought the scale I did.
Thanks.

 

This is what I have: Durapet Slow Feed for Cats and Dogs You just spread the food around that ring in the center, and it makes them eat much much slower :nod:

 

[ldg]

For Bugsy and Hope!!!

I'm sorry to hear about Lucky.... but I guess you have to expect these little set-backs along the way.

So - did you order a scale? I think having a proper scale for Bugsy will really help. It's hard to get consistent readings on the home scale for people. :nod:

Lucky will do better on the slow feeder!

 

[carolina]

Tired of us yet? :lol3: Hope Not! Day 17 Here we come!​

Day 17 Started well, and I am hoping it will continue like this :cross:

Lucky Ate her 3 treats Yeah - making momma proud!! This time I made them of Rad Cat Turkey, and flattened them before serving - I serve the treats sprinkled in Halo powder, and also put the powder around it.... They were flat, but nice and juicy :nod:
I also serve them before I serve the kibbles, so I work with her hunger - since she ate all three for me, I will be serving 4 tonight :nod:

Her kibbles were served on the slow feed, and she ate a very good meal - the ratio was 75% EVO, 25% Proplan She did take a break for some water, but came back for more. Ate almost between 1/8 cup and 1/4 cup - more towards a 1/4, and kept all in. The slow feed makes her eat very slowly and safely - it is here to stay now. :nod:

It AMAZING to see now how drying kibbles are - Hope and Bugsy are barely drinking any water..... While Lucky HAS to have a considerable amount of water DURING her meal otherwise she can't even finish it :shocker: When you feed kibbles to all, you don't really notice these things..... But then when you have side by side comparisons.....

Hope and Bugsy had 75% Lamb 25% Turkey today and loved it. One thing I am noticing about the lamb, is that it is quite bloody. Well, not sure if bloody or juicy - but there is quite a bit of juice in there when served. I read that a lot of blood can make them throw up..... But so far, they have eaten it without a problem - even Bugsy is doing FANTASTIC on it. They loved their meal, and it took very little fortiflora to get them to finish it.
Hope is getting to be quite the carnivore..... She actually finished her meal today, and went to stalk Bugsy..... He was eating..... and all of the sudden Then BAM - she slaps him right on the face! :ref: He just looked at her Like :scratch: and went on eating.... When he was done she proceeded to polish his plate clean :lol3: Bad Bad girl
She is almost 1/2 his size and eating almost as much as he is eating :dash:
I don't know who is pooping what here, but the poop-o-meter is peeeeeeerfect!
Bugsy has not hacked again - they are all good!!

 

[carolina]

For Bugsy and Hope!!!
I'm sorry to hear about Lucky.... but I guess you have to expect these little set-backs along the way.
So - did you order a scale? I think having a proper scale for Bugsy will really help. It's hard to get consistent readings on the home scale for people. :nod:
Lucky will do better on the slow feeder!

Yeah...... Lucky is proving to be my challenge - all the while I thought it would be Bugsy :lol3:
But...... that's what challenges are - just that..... they come our ways, we find solutions for them.... right?:nod:

I am ordering the scale tomorrow, when I get paid - SO excited!

 

[ritz]

Carolina, thanks for the link.  Next time I order from Amazon, I'll get that too.  If I don't find one in the thrift store first.  I saw a digital baby scale in the thrift store a few months ago.  I'll look for that, too.

 

[otto]

I have this one:

 

[carolina]

I have this one:

How do you like it?