Switching to raw diet(hopefully!)

[Bonkers]

  Hey you are doing great! Getting any of them to eat more wet food, whether it be canned or raw, is an improvement over kibble. Just don't give up on Herne and Stubbs. They will eventually come around but if not you may have to resort to forcing them to give up kibble cold turkey. Have you had a chance to check out any of the info on the websites that were provided?

[sherrylynne]

Actually, yes, I did. And I've already switched 4 ferrets to RMB. I just wish cats were as easy! Simply scruff several times, put on nose, done! Granted, it took two months for them, but they are there! Now, if I could only get hubby on line with it, it would be great!

[Perseus]

It sounds like you're making good progress!  I'm sure with time everyone will come around.

My kibble addict took a full 6 weeks to switch over 100% to the raw and at first I thought he would never give it up.  I knew he couldn't do it cold turkey, so it was a progression of kibble to canned to cooked to raw to ease him off.  There were days he wouldn't eat the canned or the cooked and would scream for the kibble.  I wasn't sure I was causing more harm than good on some of those days.

But patience paid off and he's a truly beautiful cat today.  His coat has never been more gorgeous, he's calmed down tremendously and in all aspects is much healthier and happier.

[sherrylynne]

Tried them all with Fancy Feast(horrors, I know ) this morning. I could only get one to regularly try a better quality soft food. Three ate quite well! Unfortunately, the Siamese flatly refused! I'm hoping if I can at least get them on this junk, then I can start mixing a better canned slowly, til they are at least eating decently. Also unfortunately, I had to leave the dishes out for quite a while.
I just can't seem to get them off the bloody free feeding. They will simply nibble in the morning, then again in the evening. As I think I mentioned before, after a week of this, and them extremely hungry, I caved. Do you think it will hurt to leave the dishes out til the serving is finished? It's the canned. Thanks!

[Bonkers]

  Hi Sherrylynne! Even though you only have only gotten one kitty to eat the better quality food you are making progress and with continued determination on your part the others hopefully will follow. I would guess that canned food should be left out no longer than 1/2 hour to an hour at a time, especially if the climate is warm where you live.

[Perseus]

I would guess that canned food should be left out no longer than 1/2 hour to an hour at a time, especially if the climate is warm where you live.

Uh oh, I leave the canned out until it's gone...can be a couple of hours or more....I just thought if it was dried out and didn't taste good any more, they just wouldn't eat it, no?  I leave the canned out for the kittens when I leave for work, or sometimes overnight so they let me sleep.

[sherrylynne]

I would guess that canned food should be left out no longer than 1/2 hour to an hour at a time, especially if the climate is warm where you live.

Uh oh, I leave the canned out until it's gone...can be a couple of hours or more....I just thought if it was dried out and didn't taste good any more, they just wouldn't eat it, no?  I leave the canned out for the kittens when I leave for work, or sometimes overnight so they let me sleep.

I live in Calgary, Ab. Believe me, right now warm is not a problem ! But thanks for the info. When I've tried them with the canned before, it sat out for 3-4hrs(didn't know better- I know, bad girl!), with no ill effects. I really didn't realize it could be a problem for them. I thought the digestive process was fast enough to forstall that.

[Bonkers]

  Any meat based food should not be left out for long periods of time as bacteria starts to grow and the stuff dries out and gets all crusty. It is no wonder cats do not usually finish it after that starts to happen.   If they are not consuming all of it within a reasonable amount of time, you could try decreasing the amount that is left out for them. Don't worry, they won't starve. 

[Bonkers]

I live in Calgary, Ab. Believe me, right now warm is not a problem ! But thanks for the info. When I've tried them with the canned before, it sat out for 3-4hrs(didn't know better- I know, bad girl!), with no ill effects. I really didn't realize it could be a problem for them. I thought the digestive process was fast enough to forstall that.

  Sherry, Have you considered trying any freeze dried raw cat food? Some kitties take to it fairly quickly and you can let it set out. Nature's Variety and Stella & Chewey's are two brands that come to mind.

[sherrylynne]

Might be worth a shot. I've got some Wysong's Archetypal 1 for the ferrets when we have to go anywhere(vet's, etc.). I picked up some NV freeze dried for them by mistake a short while ago. I can't give it to them because of the pumpkin seeds. Maybe I'll try kitties with it after the canned. See if they take to it

[GreyGhost]

I use the Natures Variety freeze dried as treats. Most cats and dogs seem to love the taste.

[sherrylynne]

I use the Natures Variety freeze dried as treats. Most cats and dogs seem to love the taste.

Do you give it dry, or rehydrated? With the ferrets, they like the Archetypal dry, but with cats, not a clue . Hard to believe I've had cats all my life, ferrets less than a year, but I know more about how to do their switch, and their diet, than I do my cats! Not  that I love one more or less than the other, but fuzzies were what got me into researching the whole diet thing in the first place! So any and all suggestions are more than welcome!

[Bonkers]

  You can give it to the cats either dry or rehydrated. But once again, if hydrated, it should not be left out more than 1/2 hour at a time.  I would start out by using it as a dry treat as GreyGhost had mentioned and see how they react to it. Break it up into smaller pieces for them at first. Keep us posted!!

[Perseus]

I use the Natures Variety freeze dried as treats. Most cats and dogs seem to love the taste.

I've researched Nature's Variety and think it's a very good food, and would not hesitate to recommend to others.  However, I tried the freeze dried with my crew and they didn't like it.  But I think it's because they prefer the raw to the freeze dried and hold out for that instead.

[sherrylynne]

Tried the NV freeze dried, both wet and dry, no luck. However, I now have three cats taking the canned in the morning, and kibbles in the evening. I've started putting any oil from the canned on Herne's kibbles, as well as a few very small pieces of the canned food on it as well. He ate it . Also, Watson always has a few kibble sized pieces of raw when I feed the ferrets. Generally only 4-5, but still! He also had some of the blood from the turkey necks tonight, and seemed to love it! So we are making progress ! Not a lot yet, but still progress!