[jenh22]

Hi, My names Jenny. We just got our first dog about a month and a half ago. He's a 4 yr old pug/mix. His name is Chubs although he's not the least bit chubby (14lbs.) but that's what the shelter said his name was so we decided to keep it to make things easier for him. When I got him he was on Science Diet. Now he's on Taste of the Wild canned in the morning and raw in the evening.

Eventually the plan is to get everyone on 100% raw (I also have 3 cats) Right now mornings are hectic (I have 2 human kids to get off to school) and I prefer to supervise raw feedings, that way I know who's eating, who's not and who's stealing someone else's food. I also worry (probably unnecessarily) about choking. When we do switch totally to raw I think I will give meaty meals in the morning and meals with bones at night.

I'll probably have lots of questions, many of them will probably be in the "all other pets forum" since feeding the dog has been a breeze, he'll eat anything I give him and a few things I don't. The cats are a different story though.

 

[wags]

Welcome to the forum!:biggrin:
You will get alot of help here! I have a pug mix with shar~pei! Hes 55 lbs.!:smile:

 

[rannmiller]

Welcome to the forum! If you have any questions or concerns about raw feeding and getting started on a full raw diet, don't hesitate to ask!

 

[DaneMama]

Welcome!

I will say that it is MUCH easier to switch dogs than cats. Adult cats WILL starve themselves if they don't like what you give them and go into something called hepatic lipidosis...ie liver failure. I know this because my cat did and she got VERY sick, almost died. So, you have to be very careful about trying to switch cats. Even if you do everything by the books, some cats will just not do what you want them to like dogs. But cat people know that you can't MAKE a cat do anything that they don't want to do LOL

We have a new kitten in the house, well have had her for a few months now, and she will eat anything you give her. Kittens are very easy to switch. Adult cats...not so much, at least from my experience. And the sites that I researched about switching cats to raw, said to be very careful and that cats are stubborn.

Good luck!

 

[rannmiller]

My senior kitty was doing ok on raw then refused to touch it til I gave her this pre-made stuff called RadCat which she loves and is the only thing she'll eat now. Good thing too, since it's one of the only ones I've found that's actually affordable and doesn't have a bunch of fruits and veggies in it!

 

[jenh22]

Welcome!

Kittens are very easy to switch. Adult cats...not so much, at least from my experience. And the sites that I researched about switching cats to raw, said to be very careful and that cats are stubborn.

Good luck!

Yes, definitely! Our kitten (Notty) took right to raw feeding, though struggles with the mechanics of it at times.

I have 2 adult cats (Jose and Cuervo) and I'm well aware of the danger of them going too long without food. I offer Cuervo raw each night, but usually end up having to de-bone and cook it. I've tried just lightly cooking the outside but it's a no go. I've had success a few times with giving him small little pieces of boneless chicken raw or lightly cooked, but he usually turns his nose up at that too. If he would eat canned food I'd try hiding little pieces in that, but he doesn't like canned either. Tonight I plan to crush up some dry kibble and sprinkle it over some tiny pieces of raw, we'll see.

I've given up trying to get Jose to eat raw for the time being. He's sick and right now just getting anything into him is a struggle. He rarely has an appetite. We've tried just about everything food out there. Right now I'll give him anything that he's willing to eat it, and unfortunately that happens to be canned 9 lives with Parmesan cheese on top. I cringe just reading the ingredients. Some days he won't even eat that and I thin out some canned Felidae and syringe feed him.

Chubs took to raw like he'd been waiting his whole life for it. The day I brought him home I tossed him a drumstick to see what he would do and he crunched it up and devoured it with no problem.

 

[DaneMama]

Yes, definitely! Our kitten (Notty) took right to raw feeding, though struggles with the mechanics of it at times.

Our kitten is daring enough to steal meat right off our plates. Look away for 1 whole second and your dinner is in the other room LOL so we lock her up at meal times :biggrin:

I have 2 adult cats (Jose and Cuervo) and I'm well aware of the danger of them going too long without food. I offer Cuervo raw each night, but usually end up having to de-bone and cook it. I've tried just lightly cooking the outside but it's a no go. I've had success a few times with giving him small little pieces of boneless chicken raw or lightly cooked, but he usually turns his nose up at that too. If he would eat canned food I'd try hiding little pieces in that, but he doesn't like canned either. Tonight I plan to crush up some dry kibble and sprinkle it over some tiny pieces of raw, we'll see.

Yeah, unfortunately cats are born stubborn and will only eat what they want. They cannot be trained to eat what you want them to. There is no "pack leader" to them...solitary animals.

I've given up trying to get Jose to eat raw for the time being. He's sick and right now just getting anything into him is a struggle. He rarely has an appetite. We've tried just about everything food out there. Right now I'll give him anything that he's willing to eat it, and unfortunately that happens to be canned 9 lives with Parmesan cheese on top. I cringe just reading the ingredients. Some days he won't even eat that and I thin out some canned Felidae and syringe feed him.

Sometimes that is the best you can do...especially when thety are sick. Good luck!

Chubs took to raw like he'd been waiting his whole life for it. The day I brought him home I tossed him a drumstick to see what he would do and he crunched it up and devoured it with no problem.

Some dogs are just naturals at it.