trying to make an old cat go raw

[Tetris15]

I've read so many posts and blogs about transitioning cats to raw. In the past year, I've tried two different brands of pachaged raw foods and both raw beef and raw chicken with my cat (on other attempts I even tried gently searing the meat). She wouldn't try anything. Any new ideas? I'd love to hear from people that made it over the hurdle, so to speak, with their stubborn cats. Thank you.

[rawstrength]

My cat is not raw, but she does love raw fish, raw egg yolks, and raw organ meats. I think these are more natural foods for cats than chicken or beef.
Have you tried mixing her cooked food with some raw food?

[oceanluv]

I have a new cat, Mr. Lucky. he was a stray that got hit by a car that broke his back leg and had to have it amputated.(I call him lucky 'cause he was found by a great lady that has a feline sanctuary.) he is doing great now. I think the trick to switching cats' food is to do it very gradually. I use the evolution diet vegan kibbles, and just gradually mix a little more in each day. I hate the store cat food, it has so many chemicals and gross body parts. ( I know, cats eat mice, etc, but I'm not about to feed them to him) he is adjusting well, and I expect him to live a very long healthy life.

[rawstrength]

Cats are true carnivores and cannot thrive on a vegan diet.

[Raene]

Cats are true carnivores and cannot thrive on a vegan diet.

I completely agree. If we can't deal with feeding animals raw meat, then we shouldn't have pets. Housepets are getting cancer that they'd never end up getting in the wild because of all of the unnatural foods we give them. Think of what they'd eat in the wild and then strive to give them as close to that as possible.

[RaisingAlex]

Simple solution:
Let her out to go catch a mouse. lol A easy, natural, raw meal!

[PhillyQueenie]

Hey,
I've been transitioning my two adult cats (approx ages 2 & 3 but who really knows!) to raw over the period of about a month - 6 weeks now. I use Aunt Jeni's (www.auntjeni.com) - it's all organic and not expensive. It's made in NJ (which for me is pretty local) and sold frozen in 1 lb. tubs. Anyway, I tried my cats on just raw chicken, raw fish - wouldn't touch any of it. When I tried Aunt Jeni's, I put a little hot water over it and then covered it with their kibble (organic, healthy kibble) they'd been eating. They ate it all.

Slowlly, I've been moving away from the kibble - now I use more raw, and just a sprinkling of kibble over it. Now, it's been 6 weeks or so, and if I don't put any kibble they won't eat it...but if I put just like 8 pieces of kibble, they'll eat it all! Nutty girls, they are!

So, transition time is key. And some cats just won't go for it ever, in which case I recommend (I'm a professional pet sitter) switching to a very high-quality, grain-free kibble, such as Innova Evo. And you can always wet the kibble to "rehydrate" it a tiny bit (for what thats worth) and/or use wet food (again, high quality, grain-free).

Always keep in mind that cats are one of the most pure carnivores out there, so grains are ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY, and veggies should be kept at a minimum. Fowl and other winged animals are most natural to a cat, and, of course, if you are like me and live in an old house in an old city...your cats might be lucky enough to catch mice! ;)

Good luck!

[HolyGuacamole]

Our kitties transitioned to raw really easily over the course of a couple of weeks.

Over the course of their lifetime they have transitioned from all natural dry food with grains to grain-free dry food, then from grain-free dry to grain-free wet, and finally from grain-free wet to ground raw meat.
I would like give them frozen prey, ideally, but at this point I just don't think I could bear the gore.

Their favorite right now is the pheasant variety of this
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/produc...od/165006.aspx
but it's a little costly and we're still experimenting and trying new things.

If your kitty is eating dry food I might try transitioning to wet food first, and then to raw.

[Soldier Girl]

Hi, this thread caught my eye. I started reading/researching feeding my cats raw before doing so for myself.

My experience hasn't been too good so far. But I haven't been consistent with the transitioning either.

My 16 yr old kitty won't even smell it, let alone touch it. She's going to be my biggest challenge. My 4 year old is about the same. My daughter's 2 yr old kitty is fairly receptive, as long as it's mixed with canned cat food.

I ordered from this site http://www.felinespride.com/products...f&a_bid=731194

I didn't really think they were too expensive. I ordered the chicken, which is the cheapest, just to try it. I really should have gotten turkey because that has always seemed to be what my cats prefer.

I guess patience and persistence is the key. My 16 yr old really does NOT like change! If anyone has any other good ideas or recommendations, I would love to hear from you!!

Debbie

[freespirit]

I recently got a new kitten. he was eating kibble with his previous owner-but he wasnt going to be eating it in my house!!! We are raw foodists!

So he was a little hungry for three days. I would put the food in front of him, he wouldnt eat. I would put it away. Three days I did this, with lots of fresh water out for him, and by the third day he was on it! he attacked it- ate every little bit so I waited a couple hours and gave him some more. Thats how i did it when I transitioned my older cat- shes about 7.

I did feel kind of bad for him not eating for three days, but in the end it worked, and he got a litttle fasting in too Animals do naturally fast in the wild, so i equate his transition to him not being able to "find" food if he had been wild. Now he eats seaweed, coconut oil, green smoothies, and any other concoction i eat.

[Rawzula]

Cats are born carnivores and feeding them a vegan diet isn't a good idea.

[Soldier Girl]

I had to update. My 16 yr old feline is eating raw!!! Well, 50/50 right now. I was getting tired of thawing out what I had and having it spoil because they wouldn't touch it (they meaning-I have 3 indoor cats). Anyway, the other day I put some on a small plate. As usual, noses turned up. So I put some on my finger and put it under her nose (the 16 yr old-her name is Muffy) and she ate it!!!! When she realized what was on the plate, she ate most of it. She has been eating it ever since and I had to order more. It should arrive tomorrow.

Now gotta work on the other kitties.

Oh, and since Muffy has added raw to her diet, she is much more playful, more DEMANDING and just seems a little more active in general. I can't wait to see what she's like WHEN she's completely raw!

So, anyone having trouble getting your animals to eat raw......bribe them, hand feed them (that's what Muffy needed), anything. Once they start eating it, the more and more they like it. It's just getting them to eat the first time!

[Auntie Crazy]

Yay! That's wonderful! I'm new to the forum and just read this thread - delighted to hear of your success.

For those who are having difficulty transitioning your cats to raw, try sprinkling Whole Life's freeze-dried Chicken Pet Treats over the meat. The only ingredient is Chicken (or whichever flavor you buy - there are several), so it's quite healthy and cats go nuts for it.

You could also try rubbing whatever they're accustomed to eating on the raw meal you'd like them to eat, slicing the skin so the meat is exposed (especially if it's whole prey), or even pushing some of their usual food into the sliced part of the raw food.

A.C.

[freshlight]

Hey A.C., welcome to the forum :) How many cats have you got? -just curious
Cheers from Eva

[Soldier Girl]

Hi AC, welcome!

Thanks for the tips. We are not totally successful yet. My 16 yr old will eat rabbit but won't touch the turkey. She is also still eating some of her dry. I know, I know...get rid of it! I don't want to put her in shock, I want her around for many more years!

My 4 yr old won't touch raw meat yet. I guess I'm going to have to be more assertive with her.

~Debbie