What is the longest you have had any one cat on raw food diet? Most questions I see relate to kittens or getting older cats to convert.
joshgamble
There are people on the yahoo rawfeeding forums (14K members over there!) who have had their dogs/cats on raw upwards of 20 years.
And many of us have converted older animals. My 2 oldest were Lincoln (cat) and Sophie (dog), both 11 at conversion. Folks on the rawcat group have converted cats as old as 18.
And many of us have converted older animals. My 2 oldest were Lincoln (cat) and Sophie (dog), both 11 at conversion. Folks on the rawcat group have converted cats as old as 18.
Converting an 18 yr old cat is no mean feat, then again,growing to 18 is good going,but that brings me to the root of my line of questioning. I have had people who feed their cats conventionally say that there are plenty of cats growing to ripe old ages on normal diets so I am looking for people that can say that they had CatA who grew to say 18, but then they raised CatB on raw food to say 20 and he was much healthier at the end of his life.
Well, you can join the yahoo rawfeeding forums and ask there if you like. That's probably where the greatest number of raw feeders are located online.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawcat/
However, I think you're asking a lot. Cats die from all kinds of things, including genetic problems, and diet doesn't control EVERYTHING. A rawfed cat might die at 11 from cancer or thyroid disease, and a world's worst kibble fed cat might make it to 20. Doesn't mean that feeding cats kibble makes them live longer or that raw causes cancer.
For me, it seems pretty obvious that the closer we stay to nature the better. I try to do that w/ my horses, and also w/ my dogs and cats. The things we CAN stay close to nature on, we should -- that's how I approach it. Given the many millenia that dogs and cats have survived and thrived on raw meat, it seems like the obvious choice to me!
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawcat/
However, I think you're asking a lot. Cats die from all kinds of things, including genetic problems, and diet doesn't control EVERYTHING. A rawfed cat might die at 11 from cancer or thyroid disease, and a world's worst kibble fed cat might make it to 20. Doesn't mean that feeding cats kibble makes them live longer or that raw causes cancer.
For me, it seems pretty obvious that the closer we stay to nature the better. I try to do that w/ my horses, and also w/ my dogs and cats. The things we CAN stay close to nature on, we should -- that's how I approach it. Given the many millenia that dogs and cats have survived and thrived on raw meat, it seems like the obvious choice to me!
That really wouldn't prove anything, honestly. There are way too many variables (outside factors such as environment and exercise, and internal factors like hte cat's DNA).
Sorry to be blunt, but your logic is seriously flawed. Negative evidence proves nothing. By the same token I could say, "My dresser is an alien repellent. Proof: There are no aliens in my apartment" ("raw diet prevents heart disease. Proof: My cat doesn't have it and that one over there does").
To get any reliable data would require an experiment where variables such as how much exercise the cats get to what kind of air fresheners the owner uses, etc.
Of course we can use anecdotal, informal evidence to support going raw, and cases of individual cats (such as hoofmaiden's cat with IBS) is at least somewhat valid. But to compare feline health on a cat-to-cat basis isn't fair or accurate.
Sorry to be blunt, but your logic is seriously flawed. Negative evidence proves nothing. By the same token I could say, "My dresser is an alien repellent. Proof: There are no aliens in my apartment" ("raw diet prevents heart disease. Proof: My cat doesn't have it and that one over there does").
To get any reliable data would require an experiment where variables such as how much exercise the cats get to what kind of air fresheners the owner uses, etc.
Of course we can use anecdotal, informal evidence to support going raw, and cases of individual cats (such as hoofmaiden's cat with IBS) is at least somewhat valid. But to compare feline health on a cat-to-cat basis isn't fair or accurate.
The other thing to keep in mind is that it will be a LOOOOONG time before there are any actual "studies" on raw feeding. This is b/c the folks who spend the $$ on the extensive studies are pet food companies (either directly or via their support of vet schools and researchers). Pet food manufacturers aren't gonna make money by folks feeding true prey model or whole prey raw, and if there's no money in it, no one is gonna SPEND money on it. 
Mother Nature's laboratory works for me!
Mother Nature's laboratory works for me!
Hmm, there may be some veterinarian articles, anecdotal and otherwise, that compare the instances of diseases (obesity, IBD, etc.) between raw and commercial fed cats, Josh, which might yield some of the info you seek.
Here's the Feline Nutrition website (for whom I occasionally write), and Dr. Hodgins diabetic site.
Good luck!
Here's the Feline Nutrition website (for whom I occasionally write), and Dr. Hodgins diabetic site.
Good luck!
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