Thanks for all the great info guys. I'm gonna print off some of the weblinks and research at lunch today. I will keep you updated on my very stubborn gal One question - I know the web links may answer but is feeding the chicken livers and/or chicken hearts not a good idea to add everyday? I could not find anyplace around here that sells the chicken/turkey necks. Is that too much organ in the diet?

Ooops. I fasted my cat. Well, she fasted herself b/c she wouldn't eat what I served. She lived through it. This was quite a few years ago...probably 6-7. My cats are not neurotic b/c I don't allow them to be. They eat when I feed them, and they eat WHAT I feed them. I really like that I can vary their diet and not have issues this way now that they're over the kibble-junkie phase. They also eat pizza and french fries .

I did use Prowl for a while as a transition to straight raw (which my former feral had no issue with, but my male, the fry thief, didn't think was real food.) Now they all eat Nature's Variety patties and I switch between formulas. My Savannah is naturally the most willing to chew bones, but I have the others to the point now that they will gnaw on a chicken wing if that's all that's available. I think Prowl is a great way to add water to their diet, too. Make it runny, then pour it over canned Evo or something or raw patties (broken in tiny pieces).

What I noticed w/Prowl, and honestly the only negative...is that they ALWAYS seemed starving. I think it's a mental thing more than anything else b/c Prowl stays pretty liquid, as opposed to the dog formulas.

I would not feed organs every day. JMO. Especially liver, as liver filters toxins. Have you tried a frozen pre-made raw, Lori?

No, I haven't tried premade raw? Not real sure what that is or where to get it?

Try any of the ones I mentioned above. Nature's Variety is good, and I used to use Bravo before it got hard to find after the salmonella recall (geez, whooda thunk raw chicken could carry salmonella?? LOL).

http://www.naturesvariety.com/raw_products

http://www.k9cuisine.com ships free, which is a HUGE help when ordering a ton of food.

My cats get Nature's Variety, too, and I also alternate between a couple of different proteins. I think it's one of the few complete premade raw diets available, which is good for one of my cats who can't handle much supplementation or add-ins.

I'm careful with organs but heart is an excellent source of taurine, which cats need to have. Heart is a muscle so I add it in fairly frequently and just cut back slightly on the amount of NV patty they get for that meal.

One thing I learned the hard way with my cats is a chilled or frosty meal will come back up. Unlike the dog, my cats don't seem to handle really cold food very well.

Good point about heart; I was only responding to the liver aspect; Heart is not an organ!

update: I tried to find some decent quality canned food tonight to no avail - small town. Anyway, I bought some boneless chicken and the parmesian cheese. While I was cutting the chicken up I put two pieces in Tula Belle's bowl. She ate one and left. I put some pieces into the HK mix and sprinkled the parm cheese on top. She came came back and ate another piece or two; then left. She came back and I gave her another piece that was just plain as I was still cutting up pieces to freeze but that was all she ate. Meanwhile Turbo is pigging out on his and came over later and ate most of what was left of hers. I plan on trying to give her a few more pieces before bed but I'm afraid she isn't eating enough. As far as Turbo when can I give him a chicken wing? Should I just continue him on the boneless for about a week and then introduce the bone? I may need to take a step back. I feel a little overwhelmed as far as just wanting to be sure I'm getting it right.

Nice! Maybe it won't take Tula Belle very long to decide she likes.

Disclaimer: I have never fed a cat raw. I only know what I have read.

I'm not sure what I'd do about her not getting enough food. On one hand you don't want to hurt her by not feeding enough, and the other you don't want to step backward from this HUGE progress you made tonight.

With Turbo and the wing, remember that it is mostly fat and bone. Not a lot of meat on them. If digestive upset occurs it could probably be blamed on the skin and fat.

Might be better to start with game hen parts or bone-in chicken breast. At least 'til he gets used to the bones.

With all that said......wait on someone else to listen to that really knows something.

Nice name for the male cat, BTW.:wink:

Edited by Michael_Wise (01/26/2009 06:51 PM)
Edit reason: added sumpthin'