# Starting a cat on raw



## MadPets (Mar 2, 2011)

I was just wondering if starting a cat on the raw meaty bones diet is the same as starting a dog? Do you begin with one protein source or can you go straight in with a variety of meats? 

My cat is an avid hunter of mice and will happily eat them, except the bottoms and tail??! Does this mean he'll be ok with different types of meat and his 10% of offal right from the start?

I know cats should not be fed meat that is past it's prime and that they need 2-3% of their body weight daily but as for starting them off, I'd just like some advice from those who have done it already.

Also, what is your cats weekly menu? I'm wondering what types of food to give him. He'll probably get some of the food my raw fed dog has, like chicken wings and other small cuts and obviously his liver and kidney. Are cat ratios the same as dog ratios 80% meat 10% bone and 10% organ meat?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Switching a cat over to raw is different than a dog, but can be similar based on the individual cat. I suggest you refer to the sites below for more information on switching cats to raw:

Raw Fed Cats

When I had cats this is what I fed them:

Chicken wings
Cornish game hens 
Small whole fresh fishes (sardines, scad, mackerel, etc) as well as other type of filets
Chicken hearts (very important to feed protein sources high in taurine like heart...something they'd get everyday)
Turkey
Beef
Lamb
Game meats
Llama
Organ meats (liver and kidney- cats can handle a higher amount of richer foods compared to dogs)

You MUST feed fresh meats because cats cannot handle high bacterial loads like dogs.

You MUST NOT feed ground meats because taurine is destroyed when exposed to the air, grinding exposes meat to air. A meal of ground meat occasionally won't hurt, but should not be everyday!

Cats cannot do "tough love" meaning they need to eat on a regular basis, because they WILL starve themselves and go into liver failure. If a cat doesn't want to eat raw foods, do NOT force it. Just live with the fact that they won't. 

Thats all I can think of for now....


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

DaneMama said:


> You MUST NOT feed ground meats because taurine is destroyed when exposed to the air, grinding exposes meat to air. A meal of ground meat occasionally won't hurt, but should not be everyday!.


From what I've learned, feeding ground meats is okay if you feed plenty of heart. Cats can be very finicky, so I know a lot of people who feed ground. I myself feed a finely chopped mix to my cat, but then she loves chicken heart and will eat those whole. She also eats more canned food than I would like her to...


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

I have 2 adults and 3 kittens on raw. The 2 adults I used some canned grain free mixed with raw before they fully switched over. Cats cannot go longer then 12 hours without food. There is condition it's called I can't remember. My kittens/cats get turkey hearts, beef hearts, pork hearts, goat, lamb, deer, fish once a week, beef, turkey, chicken quail, I was buying mice but now I am breeding them. They pretty much eat everything the dogs' eat but the fish they can't have more then once or twice a week. Also the food that is in the fridge has to be discarded after 3-4 days because of the bacterial load. Cats need to have fresh raw. We smash up a chicken neck or let them chew some of the chicken carcass that we have. The organs they get also.

The other adult cat I have - I had to get really creative. LOL. Older cats are harder to switch then kittens. I had 2 1/2 months to finally get him to switch over. Now he is fully raw!

I did dehydrated liver crushed over raw
I did cooked turkey grounded over raw (very very finely) sprinkled over food
I got turkey hearts to mix with the whole mice (I cut up into sections so he would eat the mice)
I did some sardines mixed with raw to coax him to eat it.

Basically you need to keep thinking whatever works to get them eat. Then once you know what works you give them less and less of what you are coaxing them with. Until finally they just eat raw without it.

If you work at it, they WILL switch over. I still have my canned grain free just in-case.

It was exciting and amazing all at once to get the older ones. Given they are four years old. I know my girlfriend has 5 cats all adults and it took her 8 months to switch them all over.

Just have to keep going and not to give up.

They WILL FEEL tons better in the long run.


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## MadPets (Mar 2, 2011)

I gave the cat a chicken wing and he wolfed it down! No fuss or anything. I then gave him some lamb heart and he absolutely loved it. The chicken wings are a bit tough for him at the moment and it takes him a long time to get through the bone but, bless him, he doesn't give up.
The only problem is getting him used to only having 2 meals a day instead of an open buffet. I need to get him some liver and kidney today to balance out his diet...lets see if he'll eat that straight away.


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