Cat wont eat raw

[sueko]

I have been trying to convert my cat to a raw food diet, and she will not touch anything but the dry mix she has eaten since we got her as a kitten. In fact, the only thing she will "eat" other than dry food is the water drained from a can of tuna -- she wont even eat the tuna. Any advice on how to convince her to eat out of her comfort zone?

[luckitri]

Same problem. We adopted a mature cat who was being fed by a dying man who gave him no attention. I have tried giving him raw meats that I have given other cats over the years and he has turned up his nose at everything. Maybe someone here has an idea I have not tried.

[SharonC]

I have a neighbor who converted 3 cats who were set in their ways! She tried a few times and was not successful until she found something they really loved and mixed it in with the raw meat - made sure there was a good layer on top. I believe it was chicken baby food. And, then slowly started adding less and less. They have been raw for years now!

Sharon

[Vegan Princess]

My cat took one bite and threw up 3 times. I think it grosses him out - I know it couldn't have disagreed with him that fast. I guess that means he doesn't like it either.

Cindy

[SeaSprite]

Hi!

I used to feed my coyote-dog raw meat, and my kitties wouldn't touch the stuff. BUT, a few months ago, I started feeding the cats and the dogs dehydrated raw food from The Honest Kitchen. (coyote-girl is with God now) I tried all their flavors of dog food, they won't eat any but "Force" which they all love, even my youngest who is ridiculously picky. My cats all love their "Prowl" food, although it took a couple of them a little while to warm up to it, maybe a week. I have foster kitties most of the time, and they always love it too, my last two INHALED it.

When they're on the raw food, the kitty box barely smells, their disposition seems to be better, and I haven't noticed any hairballs whatsoever.. and I have 8 cats! And I love that the food itself doesn't stink like canned cat food usually does. We haven't had a single health problem since they've been on the raw food, which is amazing since these are all with me because they had chronic health problems or behavior problems.. and my girly dog is off of medication for the first time in her life because she has no allergies whatsoever, unless the UPS driver gives her a milkbone, grrrr.

It looks expensive, it's almost $50 for 4 lbs of Prowl, BUT you re-hydrate it (and let it stand for ten minutes) and 4 lbs, well it lasts my cats over a week, and they're all really really big. I'm spending a lot less on much better pet food than when I used to feed them Halo Spots Stew. I'm spending about 1/3 of what I used to spend on premium canned food (and 100% less on vet bills :D) (okay not entirely true.. my girly dog just had her second knee surgery a few weeks ago, but not related to diet)

I tried them on the frozen BARF diet before I found Prowl, I had to mix a little FancyFeast in to get them to eat it, and OMG it was so disgusting, I would have blood leaking out of the package in my refrigerator!!! EW EW EW!!!

Not sure if links are allowed here.. I order it from thehonestkitchen.. I just took two foster kitties to their new forever home (and I'm ecstatic about it!) and she said she found Prowl at her local pet shop, I'm in the middle of the woods so can't get it here.

[SeaSprite]

I just remembered one more benefit I've noticed since my kitties have been on Prowl... this is pretty disgusting but...

Since their poo isn't stinky, the dogs don't try to steal it from the cat box. At my house, that's called Tony. No Tony! Tony is very bad!! lol. hey it needed a name.. anyway, it's really great that the dogs aren't tonying any more :D At least not at home, hikes are another story....