experiment with raw meat & bones went bust

coaster · 02-09-2005, 05:20 PM

so I went to the store to find some raw meat with nice chewy bones to try on my cats. 95% of all meat in the grocery store is pre-packaged "factory" meat. beef bones are too big. chicken has salmonella. pork has a slight risk of trichinosis. all factory meat is fed antibiotics and growth hormones. finally I found a package of lamb neck. thought I, "that might be worth a try...bones a little on the large side, but no salmonella or trichinosis, and it's cheap." got the package home and started to cut it up. noticed the spinal cord. remembered that sheep get scrapie, which is the sheep version of mad cow diseases. thought I, "nope, don't want to feed THAT to my cats"

so tossed the whole deal in the garbage.

sigh....life in America. well, next summer there's a farmer's market in town during the season and a guy who sells fresh cut rabbit. that might be worth a try!!

icklemiss21 · 02-09-2005, 05:43 PM

I' not sure about there, by sentimentalgirl was telling me that there is a place near us that specialises in raw food diets for cats and dogs, they buy from a company called Paws and Claws Pet Pantry.

http://www.freshpetfood.ca/index.htm

OsnobunnieO · 02-09-2005, 10:07 PM

Chicken DOES have salmonella, but cats and dogs rarely have any problems with it. They have such strong digestive tracts that it doesn't bother them.

I've given both my dog and cat raw chicken (and turkey and beef) on occasion and they've never had a problem.

Plus, I think if you're going to try them on raw (which is GREAT!) its better to start with something simple. I think things like lamb can be a bit too rich for them at first.

AddFran · 02-09-2005, 11:32 PM

My dog and cats both get chicken too and neither have had trouble with it.

Ianthe · 02-10-2005, 02:42 AM

OK- so this is something I would really like to try with my cats....but, being a vegetarian, I know NOTHING about meat. I know a store that sells organic, no antibiotics, free-range chicken..so that is what I will buy........but then what???? How much should I offer them? Are there any parts they can't have? How do I cut it up?

I probably sound like an idiot, but I really know nothing about this!

emma_pen · 02-10-2005, 04:02 AM

I'm veggie too, Ianthe, so I found the whole thing a little weird and gross at first. As long as the meat/bones is human grade, and preferably organic, all of it should be fine to feed raw.

If your cats have never had raw before, try them each with a little raw muscle meat - poultry breast for example. If they like it, you can add other things into the equation - necks, organs and meaty bones. You'll probably be surprised by how eagerly and easily they take to it.

I tend to not cut up too much. I did start by cutting up the meat/organs really small, but then I realised it would probably actually benefit them more to let them chew it up as they naturally would. For an example of how much to give, I split half a chicken carcass between 4 cats as a whole meal. Obviously, if you were just giving as a treat, you'd give less.

My cats favourite raw treat is beef heart, its so rich in taurine but cannot be given in large amounts. Again, I used to cut it up small but now they absolutely relish a fairly large piece to chew up themselves. It turns them into a pride of lions on my kitchen floor!

My friend who feeds all her cats and dogs on the BARF diet, makes it up in bulk, then freezes it. Another excellent tip, is to freeze all meat of unknown origin before use - freezing kills off a ton of nasties. Put it in your fridge to defrost, though, then once defrosted leave out for a couple of hours before giving to your cats.

Ems x

coaster · 02-10-2005, 08:54 AM

OK, thanks gang. I guess I'll try some chicken next.

BoscosMum · 02-10-2005, 10:53 AM

I tried feeding my dogs raw chicken.
I figured a leg was a good place to start.
Rocky did real good.....Jack swallowed the chicken leg in one gulp!
I was pretty nervous for the next few days.

sentimentalgirl · 02-10-2005, 12:26 PM

I started feeding raw meat just about 2 months ago. First, I was preparing it by myself and I found it difficult. I spent too much time and I wasn't sure the diet is balanced.

Now, I buy food from Paws and Claws Pet Pantry and I will probably buy from other companies, to give the cats variety.

Yesterday, I gave them whole organic chicken wings and Yoda & Dunga loved them! Only Maugli had troubles chewing the bone. I think she has small mouth & teeth. LOL

Today, I found really good web site. It's mostly for people living in Canada but there are also web sites of companies manufacturing raw meat diets for cats & dogs and I think some of them are available in US too.

Check it out (ignore the first part of the page and go to the section called LIST OF MEAT SUPPLIERS):

http://www.lepus.reach.net/NRS1a.html

sentimentalgirl · 02-10-2005, 12:31 PM

Oh, good news! I just found on the same web site U.S.A. section. It's somewhere in the middle of the page - after all the Canadian provinces.

02-09-2005, 05:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	experiment with raw meat & bones went bust so I went to the store to find some raw meat with nice chewy bones to try on my cats. 95% of all meat in the grocery store is pre-packaged "factory" meat. beef bones are too big. chicken has salmonella. pork has a slight risk of trichinosis. all factory meat is fed antibiotics and growth hormones. finally I found a package of lamb neck. thought I, "that might be worth a try...bones a little on the large side, but no salmonella or trichinosis, and it's cheap." got the package home and started to cut it up. noticed the spinal cord. remembered that sheep get scrapie, which is the sheep version of mad cow diseases. thought I, "nope, don't want to feed THAT to my cats" so tossed the whole deal in the garbage. sigh....life in America. well, next summer there's a farmer's market in town during the season and a guy who sells fresh cut rabbit. that might be worth a try!!

02-09-2005, 05:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
icklemiss21 Cat Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Burlington, Canada Posts: 2,976	I' not sure about there, by sentimentalgirl was telling me that there is a place near us that specialises in raw food diets for cats and dogs, they buy from a company called Paws and Claws Pet Pantry. http://www.freshpetfood.ca/index.htm __________________

02-09-2005, 10:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
OsnobunnieO Premier Cat Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Simpsonville, SC Posts: 4,399	Chicken DOES have salmonella, but cats and dogs rarely have any problems with it. They have such strong digestive tracts that it doesn't bother them. I've given both my dog and cat raw chicken (and turkey and beef) on occasion and they've never had a problem. Plus, I think if you're going to try them on raw (which is GREAT!) its better to start with something simple. I think things like lamb can be a bit too rich for them at first. __________________ Jessie "There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."

02-10-2005, 12:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
sentimentalgirl Cat Addict Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Burlington,ON, Canada Posts: 2,272	I started feeding raw meat just about 2 months ago. First, I was preparing it by myself and I found it difficult. I spent too much time and I wasn't sure the diet is balanced. Now, I buy food from Paws and Claws Pet Pantry and I will probably buy from other companies, to give the cats variety. Yesterday, I gave them whole organic chicken wings and Yoda & Dunga loved them! Only Maugli had troubles chewing the bone. I think she has small mouth & teeth. LOL Today, I found really good web site. It's mostly for people living in Canada but there are also web sites of companies manufacturing raw meat diets for cats & dogs and I think some of them are available in US too. Check it out (ignore the first part of the page and go to the section called LIST OF MEAT SUPPLIERS): http://www.lepus.reach.net/NRS1a.html __________________ -eva-

02-10-2005, 12:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
sentimentalgirl Cat Addict Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Burlington,ON, Canada Posts: 2,272	Oh, good news! I just found on the same web site U.S.A. section. It's somewhere in the middle of the page - after all the Canadian provinces. __________________ -eva-

02-09-2005, 11:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
AddFran Premier Cat Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,480	My dog and cats both get chicken too and neither have had trouble with it.

02-10-2005, 02:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ianthe Premier Cat Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 5,157	OK- so this is something I would really like to try with my cats....but, being a vegetarian, I know NOTHING about meat. I know a store that sells organic, no antibiotics, free-range chicken..so that is what I will buy........but then what???? How much should I offer them? Are there any parts they can't have? How do I cut it up? I probably sound like an idiot, but I really know nothing about this!

02-10-2005, 04:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
emma_pen Cat Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,655	I'm veggie too, Ianthe, so I found the whole thing a little weird and gross at first. As long as the meat/bones is human grade, and preferably organic, all of it should be fine to feed raw. If your cats have never had raw before, try them each with a little raw muscle meat - poultry breast for example. If they like it, you can add other things into the equation - necks, organs and meaty bones. You'll probably be surprised by how eagerly and easily they take to it. I tend to not cut up too much. I did start by cutting up the meat/organs really small, but then I realised it would probably actually benefit them more to let them chew it up as they naturally would. For an example of how much to give, I split half a chicken carcass between 4 cats as a whole meal. Obviously, if you were just giving as a treat, you'd give less. My cats favourite raw treat is beef heart, its so rich in taurine but cannot be given in large amounts. Again, I used to cut it up small but now they absolutely relish a fairly large piece to chew up themselves. It turns them into a pride of lions on my kitchen floor! My friend who feeds all her cats and dogs on the BARF diet, makes it up in bulk, then freezes it. Another excellent tip, is to freeze all meat of unknown origin before use - freezing kills off a ton of nasties. Put it in your fridge to defrost, though, then once defrosted leave out for a couple of hours before giving to your cats. Ems x

02-10-2005, 08:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	OK, thanks gang. I guess I'll try some chicken next.

02-10-2005, 10:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
BoscosMum Premier Cat Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York Posts: 5,297	I tried feeding my dogs raw chicken. I figured a leg was a good place to start. Rocky did real good.....Jack swallowed the chicken leg in one gulp! I was pretty nervous for the next few days.

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