Kitty Puking up Raw Meat

[MicheleSS]

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help with this issue.

About six weeks ago I tried to transition my two cats to a raw food diet - muscle meat, bones, and organs. My older cat (12) took to the switch immediately and even ate bone on day one!!!

My younger cat (1.5) however, is being very finicky. He would much rather steal some raw food from mommy - leafy greens, a green bean, snap peas, cantaloupe, etc. He even grabbed an entire loaf of bread out of the fridge (my hubby is not raw). He was previously overweight, even though I fed him according to my vet's advice - exactly 3/4 cup of the expensive dry food I bought directly from her. He did not lose even an ounce of weight on this regiman and became an absolute monster - irritable, hissing, growling and biting. My poor baby was probably starving on that terrible food, which was mainly wheat and corn!!! Even humans get fat on mainly wheat and corn.

Anyway, now that I am trying to feed him raw meat, he often pukes it up shortly after eating. I am very worried about this. He has lost weight and is very energetic, happy (even cuddly) and robust, but I am worried that the weight loss may have damaged his liver and hence he now pukes up his new food. Last night after cleaning up some more raw puke, I gave him some canned sardines. He ate some and did not puke, so at least he has some food in his stomach.

Has anyone else experienced their cats puking the raw food?

Thank you for any help!

[lafsalot]

Is he a voracious eater that literally seems to inhale his food? If so, he might not be properly chewing his food. Try giving him a little bit at a time and/or chopping it into smaller pieces. Also, not uncommon for some pets (or people for that matter) to experience stomach upsets when they start a new eating program (detox). Hope he feels better soon ~ Cathy

[CrazyDelicious]

Hmmm - I second what lafsalot said about the new eating program. Raw is a big change from dry kibble and can cause detox problems that range from digestive upsets to skin disorders. Once the system detoxes, these problems tend to go away. Also, eating too fast could be the culprit.
You mention that your cat is acting energetic, happy and robust??? This sounds like a good sign! It is common for cats to get "kitten-like" after transitioning to raw - more energy and playfulness with soft fur and normal weight. I would watch your cat and judge his well-being by how he is acting. If you really see that something is not well with him, maybe you could take him to a raw vet. You could also change the type of meat you are feeding. Some cats can develop an allergy to chicken and do better on the more wild (less "farmed") animals like quail, duck, or rabbit. Good Luck!! :)

[MicheleSS]

Thank you for the replies.

He eats very slowly, so gobbling the food is not the issue. I do think I need to be more patient. I guess I'm just amazed that my 12 year-old cat transitioned to raw in one meal, and my young cat is the finicky one. It really bothers me how far from nature a domesticated animal can be! I mean, a cat stealing bread??? That's just crazy!

I did buy a quail, so I'm going to give that a try next. I feel very alone in trying to do this because if I tried to tell my vet, she would immediately try to switch me back to the stuff she sells!

I need to just be patient and loving and it will all work out, right? I'm doing this for all the right reasons...

[Zuri]

Have you checked out RAWFEDCAT on Yahoo's forum? It's a great site and the more experienced people are very knowledgeable and helpful about raw feeding.