So I've finally been trying to make the switch to raw with my cat. The last two weeks she's had cut up chicken breast and beef stew chunks. All was going beautifully... until I got my bulk order. She's not even remotely interested in the ground chicken necks or livers. I didn't have anything else to feed but her Evo kibble. I waited until later tonight, but she'd thrown up just thick white spit looking stuff (didn't look like bile) so I gave her some kibble.

She's acting totally fine. She even tried to play with the bag I had the food in. Plastic bags are her true joy in life.

Anyway, is it hopeless? I feed the dog first, because then she really gets hungry. But today she just sniffed the meat, and then continued to ask for her dinner.

Any advice would be amazing. Thank you!!!

Cats are weird. Maybe try going back to what you were feeding raw that she was eating and just adding in a very small portion of the new meat and see what happens. Maybe you can find a raw feeding Yahoo group for cats that could help.

Another thought. Cats only eat fresh meat. Is it possible that the bulk meat is too old as far as the cat's concerned?

I have one cat who is a piggy/garbage disposal. He'll eat anything, and easily.

The Universe paid me back for this by my second cat being one of those very finicky eaters, so I know what you're going thru. He'll go thru periods when he'll eat fine, then he'll go thru stages where he'll just turn his nose up a the same darn food. Go figure, right? (BTW, because of this guy, they get premade raw...he'd never go for whole prey feeding, alas.)

Anyway, I have found a couple of things that work for him...the liquid from a can of salmon is like kitty crack to him. If I put some on his food and mix it in well, this works. I've also got some canned salmon cat food that I'll use to mix in a bit, just as much as it takes to get him to eat, when he's going thru one of these phases. And, I just bought a little bottle of clam juice, which I hope works as well as the salmon liquid. He LOVES smoked oysters, so my fingers are crossed on the clam juice thing, since it'll be much easier than dealing with canned salmon juice.

The little buggers...

leih

Hi Katie, it took me 3 attempts to switch my cats to raw food. The last time when they did not eat they did not get anything else. One of the Persians hasn't eaten for several days and then - voila - she is eating chicken breast with ribs and gnaws on other parts as well. She still doesn't like a back or neck much, she's tiny. Sometimes I mince backs/necks up with a cleaver and she'll eat some. Mixing in small amounts of their favorite stuff also helps to get them interested. My cats usually get mostly meat but they started crunching through small bones lately, one of them eats whole drumsticks *crunch* crunch* *crunch*.

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

...it took me 3 attempts to switch my cats to raw food. The last time when they did not eat they did not get anything else. One of the Persians hasn't eaten for several days...

Just a note of caution...

Unlike dogs, who can go for a few days without food with no negative results, it's not quite the same with cats. I forget which organ system gets affected so quickly, but they can get into danger, health-wise, very fast, from not eating regular meals.

I'm glad it worked for you without negative results, but this is why most people who are switching cats to raw get really creative about disguising the food, or otherwise making it very enticing.

leih

Thanks everyone. I bought her canned Evo today and she won't eat that either. But she's never had canned food in her life, just kibble.

Dolly won't eat the ground necks and livers now either. At least with her I can starve her out for a day or two.

But right now I'm at a loss. I got my first huge bulk order and only one dog will eat it!

 Quote:

Help Feeding a Cat!

If your dog won't eat the cat, try sauteing in garlic and butter

doesn't help with the food you already have, but have you thought of trying to use Honest Kitchen: Prowl... I have only ever used there food for dogs, but it was a really good dehydrated raw. The sell single servings at my local pet store, you could buy one and see if the cat likes it and start adding the meat slowly and eventually switch completely. Can't say i have ever tried feeding a cat raw though.

http://leerburg.com/prowl.htm

Good luck

 Quote: Dennis Jones

 Quote:

Help Feeding a Cat!

If your dog won't eat the cat, try sauteing in garlic and butter

That definitely helped cheer me up in my moment of frustration.

Robert, I thought about getting THK Prowl. I didn't because I didn't want to spend that much money if she wouldn't eat it. So right now I'm trying the Evo. I know she'll eat chicken breast so I'm going to start mixing that in too. See if I can get her to eat.

The dog will just have to cowboy up. I know she's a senior. But she's had all this stuff before.

I'm really hoping to get the cat switched over. I wish it wasn't so hard!!!