Gotcha.

When you say poop logs, do you mean that it stayed formed unless you poked it with a stick? Or it came out in a log but then flattened out?

No, it stayed formed. It came out of her kind of squishy (that's why I went to investigate), but it did stay formed on the ground. Then, when I poked it, that part of it went to mush.

OK, then, like you my concern would be limited to wanting it not to get worse. So I'd probably look at this as one of the perfect times for good old canned plain pumpkin. If you don't have any, it's something always to keep on hand. You want the plain pumpkin (Ingredients: Pumpkin) and not the pie filling with sugar and spices added.

The remainder can be frozen for another time, and it runs about a dollar or two (max) for a regular-size can.

I'd add a heaping tablespoon to her next meal and the one after that. As far as I'm concerned, there's no downside (although I don't use it as a daily ingredient). It has far (FAR) less sugar than most of the orange squashes/gourds, so I way prefer it over sweet potatoes or the butternut, hubbard, etc., squashes.

Please post back the result. I think that it will be good, and that you can then back off it and start slowly increasing the backs as soon as you have normal firm log-poops.

JMO.

P.S. What it does is add bulk to the poop, so it's also useful for mild occasional constipation. (When you are using it for constipation, you want to up the water intake and perhaps a bit of good oil like evoo, flax oil, etc.)

Great! Thanks, Connie!

I'll run out for canned pumpkin in a minute, so I can get it before the stores close for the night.
I hope it doesn't get worse. She's just so much happier eating real food. She looks like she's enjoying the process as much as the food itself!

I betcha that this is going to work just fine.

Don't worry. She will not have to go back to kibble.

 Quote: Sam Fain

.... She's just so much happier eating real food. She looks like she's enjoying the process as much as the food itself!

Of course she is! This is her hard-wired nature being allowed fulfillment.

Connie, I don't know how to thank you enough!
Ever since we started giving her the pumpkin yesterday morning, she's having great stools. Firm (really firm) and don't turn to mush when poked with a stick. They don't even break up, they kind of remind me of consistency of almost-dry clay or silly putty when it's cold.
Tara is doing great, she loves both her food and the pumpkin, and she's just generally happy, chewy, bity and sometimes irritatingly stubborn. And very hungry.

I'll be following your advice to the T and decreasing the pumpkin to half a tablespoon and increasing the backs to 3-3.5oz instead of 2-2.5. Does that sound reasonable?

Again, thank you SO MUCH!

 Quote: Sam Fain

I'll be following your advice to the T and decreasing the pumpkin to half a tablespoon and increasing the backs to 3-3.5oz instead of 2-2.5. Does that sound reasonable?

Again, thank you SO MUCH!

Not Connie, but that sounds reasonable to me.

Post back on the outcome.:smile: Then hopefully soon(later on, not right now) you can start leaving the fat and skin on in small gradually increasing amounts.

The poops are still good.
We're slowly increasing the portions, right now they're up to 3-3.5oz of backs + heaping teaspoon of pumpkin for lunch today. I'm still worried about starving the poor thing, but I guess she gets more food during training.

I think, for breakfast tomorrow we'll try to leave some of the skin/fat on, and then the next day, if everything stays good, we'll try a half a teaspoon of chicken liver. Or, since all the backs I have defrosted are skinless (I went a little overboard on that), I'll just use one that still has some organs stuck on the inside. And vitamin E & fish oil a week after that?

First, make sure the food increase has gone O.K.

If so, then leaving some skin and fat on will be fine.

I mean a small amount of skin and fat. If that goes good, then a little more the next time. Small increments. Gradually getting to the point where you leave it all on and just cut the backs into the desired size.

Hold off on the organs for a little longer. You are currently increasing the amount of food, and possibly adding some fat in a day or two. That is plenty of change at one time.

After you aren't having to worry about meal size and a normal amount of fat, THEN start slowly adding organs.

In fact, if you really think she needs more food, that would be the only change that I'd make. One thing at a time.

When she is eating the desired amount, THEN more fat.

After she shows tolerance for the normal fat amount, THEN organs.

Trust me, I've checked. There are no trophies for the fastest diet switch.:wink: