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Post by kristinb on Apr 3, 2011 14:38:46 GMT -5
So I've been trying to switch the cats as well as the ferret to getting some meat/organs, anything at this point.
The one cat of mine, used to live outside and kill chipmunks and mice and eat them. The other cat is beyond fussy and will be a huge challenge. So i tried offering some organ meat (liver) the other day just to see what the reaction was. One cat inhaled it, the other one as anticipated, stared at me like "wtf did you just put in my bowl? that aint food". Unfortunatly, I think i offered my other one too much too quick and she puked it back up (and she's not a puker). So she didnt' want anymore the next time I offered it.
I tried offering some raw chicken, and neither one was very interested even when it was diced nice and small. So i've went back to trying cooked meat. I managed to get my girl to eat cooked chicken, she seems to have taken to that, and i even got the fussy male to eat a few peices of cooked chicken, but if you give him too much of these things he vomits. Anything that is not his normal food generally induces him to puke.
Gah, so anyone else feed their cats raw/cooked meat? Am I going about this the wrong way?
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Post by Heather on Apr 3, 2011 15:05:30 GMT -5
I managed to switch a 13 yr old kibble addict. The method I used was to teach him to eat moist and then gradually added the raw (and I mean gradually, my old boy was a puker) increasing it until he was eating totally raw. It took over a 6 month period (ya really slow) but he ate raw until he was 21 yrs old. I presently have 3 older cats (14 yrs), only Merlyn, Nasty Black Kitty, has eaten raw since he was 18 months. Beauregard and Socrates were switched when they were 8 or 9 yrs. My MIL switched them when they got too fat and the vet said that they needed a species appropriate diet. They now live with me, when she moved into a nursing home.
The reason for the puke fest was probably the organ meat was too rich for a first meal. I know it's rather fun when they suddenly decide they're going to eat the meat but unfortunately if it's really rich or they're not used to it they may not tolerate it very well in the long run. Merlyn used to be able to eat mice (loved hunting them until his arthritis took over) but he's not been able to eat them in a while they just come back up....rather disgusting.
ciao
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 3, 2011 15:20:55 GMT -5
last week, my brother's cat ate a whole family of eurasian collared doves.
he puked up each one. i guess he ate them too fast. he ate the feathers and everything (ledft only the beaks). but the birds did not die in vain because his dog came over and ate the raw-bird cat puke. YUCK.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2011 15:34:32 GMT -5
I would try blending the meats up to a smooth purée.  |
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Post by Sherry on Apr 3, 2011 20:29:03 GMT -5
Out of curiosity- are your cats free fed(kibble left out all day), or do they have specific feeding times? I found it was easier to get them just onto wet by having specific feeding times.
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Post by kristinb on Apr 4, 2011 16:41:14 GMT -5
They are not free fed. They basically only get wet food now, but as I work 60+ hours a week, and they REFUSE to eat cold wet food out of the fridge (or warmed in the microwave), sometimes if I'm running home just to feed them, I will give them a bit of kibble. But usually kibble is only for playtime as they like to chase after the kibbles I throw. They are fed wet food 3 times a day, morning, around 4 or 5 when hubby or I get home to feed them and again right before I go to bed. They only get a small amount each time as it's good quality food, but they usually get 3 wet food feedings a day, but if they do get kibble it's never more than one of those three feedings. My original cat was being free fed whiskas when I adopted him and after a $3000 vet bill due to UTI, i looked up alot of info on cats diets and was rather  by what i found and when I confronted my vet about it, I was told that they do not take nutrition classes in vet school. Like wtf? Great of them to push "vet" foods when they really have no concept of the crap that it is. *sighs* so yeah...long winded answer Sherry LOL but yeah, just 3 specific feed times. Got them both to eat half a bowl of cooked chicken today. And no one has vomitted so far  Jinx...is hiding due to the fact she's sure I'm poisoning her. Haha will give soupie when I get home. |
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Post by Heather on Apr 4, 2011 22:10:06 GMT -5
Good luck  ciao |
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Post by Sherry on Apr 4, 2011 22:53:19 GMT -5
If they've eaten the cooked chicken, get them used to that, then simply start cooking it less and less. It will likely take a while, but they'll get there yet!
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Post by Heather on Apr 4, 2011 23:19:17 GMT -5
There is nothing about cats that is fast....they switch when they think it's time to switch and not before. The whole idea is to try and make them think that it was their idea to begin with  ;D ciao |
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Post by darlene on Apr 10, 2011 2:32:25 GMT -5
There is nothing about cats that is fast....they switch when they think it's time to switch and not before. The whole idea is to try and make them think that it was their idea to begin with ;D ciao Ain't that the truth,my cats were a pain to switch. They won't eat rmb,I really don't like that all they will eat is ground. I'm glad spring is finally here and soon they'll be catching rabbits,field mice etc. |
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;D