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raw pet food

jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

I’m sorry if this topic has been brought up before… I browsed through the topics and I didn’t see it, but I may have missed it…

Do any of you feed your pets raw food? Yesterday when I went to give my dog his dinner I all of the sudden just could not serve him his kibble. He looked at me with great interest (one ear up, one ear down, sooo cute) as I made a little seed pate (adapted from Ani Phyo’s book), cut in some nori, some greens, some sprouts, sea salt, olive oil. I mixed in a little of his kibble so I wouldn’t throw him off too much. When I gave it to him he kept looking at it, then back to me, then back to his bowl (probably thinking: “are you sure?”) But then he ate it! He ate every bit except for the greens which he seemed to lick clean but then leave behind. I don’t know how he did that.

This morning I did it again but instead of the pate I mixed in some of my green smoothie with superfoods. Again he ate it all except for the greens.

I love caring for him this way. It does bring up some stirrings of “what if I’m not feeding him appropriately?” though. I would hate to unintentionally harm him in any way—but, like me, I don’t really see how raw food could be BAD for him.

I’m bracing myself because this is likely to bring up a debate… but what do you guys think?

Comments

  • TomsMomTomsMom Raw Newbie

    Raw food for a dog is great, but should be raw meaty bones and raw organ. VEgetation is not appropriate and hurts them in teh long run, although I know it’s very popular for vegans to misfeed their pets. Dogs are scavangers at heart and love anything; that’s why he loves your snacks. Heck, I’d love your snacks, too:-D

  • I agree. Please don’t feed your dog your diet. He is a natural carnivore and trying to feed him otherwise will hurt him. That’s not to say that his best diet will consist of kibble alone. Raw organically fed meat will be wonderful for him. Peace, Karuna.

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    jellibi, I got raw dog food information on the net some years ago. Sorry I don’t have their name now. They suggested organic raw chicken necks for 5 days, for the other two process well some veggies, when done put in some offal. or an organic egg if you want. I have done this for about a year now and my dog, which is 1/2 Border Collie and 1/2 Blue Heeler, has a much better attitude with this type of natural eating. One thing we do enjoy is grazing my garden. Some things he likes others no. I only give him a tiny bit of veggies but he loves blue berries. I will also give him a couple Tb.of my smoothie. because he now automatically goes into the bedroom when I get the blender.

    By the way he now hates kibbles.

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    Thank you everyone for your replies. I thought this might be the response I would get :) but I wanted to make sure because I love preparing his food, but at the same time I cannot handle the raw meat thing. I tried this before with my cats and it was just horrible (in my opinion). And the cats would sometimes throw it up (it did not settle well with them at all) and, let me tell you, cleaning up raw meat cat vomit is even worse than handling the raw meat itself.

    I’ll think this over some more though. I’m just wondering—what is it that is in raw meat (vitamin and mineral-wise) that can not be supplemented with raw food and superfoods?

  • I wish that whoever is owned by thier pet would feed them a species specific diet. I feed my toy rat terrier raw meat with ground raw eggshells for calcium becuase she is too small to eat bones. Please do not feed carnivors meat without calcium. If you cannot handle the cats natural diet maybe next time you could get a rabbit or a bird? Please do not feed your dog raw banana peels (happened by accident and I almost lost her), avocado peels or pits, any grape product and chocolate. All these things can kill dogs. I am sorry I do not know this info on cats but before you feed any raw foods I would research it very well.

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    I thought about this more and realized it is probably not that the raw meat that dogs and cats eat has special vitamins/minerals that they need, but rather that their digestive tract is different than ours and that is why they need a different type of food.

    Don’t worry everyone, I love my pets. I am a good pet owner.

    I just believe in researching things and finding my own answers rather than automatically accepting what is the norm. That’s why I ask so many questions on this forum. I’m sorry if I seem stupid for wondering things that seem obvious to you, but I would be stupider if I never wondered or asked at all, right?

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    Rosehebrew, saying that if “I cannot handle the cats natural diet then maybe next time I should get a rabbit or a bird” was a little harsh. That would be like me telling you that you are a bad person for not eating a raw food diet your entire life (or not feeding it to your kids if you have any)

    We all come to our own conclusions along the way, right? Everyone is different, not only with the conclusions that we come up with, but also with how we get there.

    I do appreciate your input though and will definitely put your words into consideration. Thank you.

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    I know with cats that if they are fed a vegetarian diet, they will eventually go blind

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    I don’t feed my cats a vegetarian diet. I feed them what I feel is the best cat food available at the pet store. They did not do well on a raw meat diet—although this was about 5 years ago when I tried it. I did not stop feeding them raw meat because I couldn’t handle it (although it was very very difficult for me to purchase and process animal parts) but rather because it did not work for them. Maybe I’ll try it again. I’m researching this (again) to see what info I can come up with because I am doing so well on a raw food diet that it inspired me to see if perhaps my pets could benefit from it too.

  • beanybeeganbeanybeegan Raw Newbie

    Found the information for feeding raw to dogs. Go to FAQ 50 asked question for beginners www.njboxers.com

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    Thanks beany! Yep, I saw that site last night. It’s funny that they call it the BARF diet :) You would think they could have thought of a better name, lol!

  • Jellibi, I am sorry if it came across like I was saying you were a bad person. I am not saying that at all. Obviously you care for your pets or you would not be trying to find the best thing for them. I just have a situation myself in that I have a HUGE dog that I cannot afford to feed a raw diet to 9she weighs over 100 pounds). This dog kind of found me and I ended up with her and I feel really bad about feeding my tiny dog right and not feeding her right. If I ever get another dog in the future I will just have to consider being able to feed it right as a major issue. My rat terrier was having bad digestive pain and right after I went raw my whole attitude shifted and I am so glad I changed her over as she is happy and healthy now. May you find the best solution for your cats who obviously you love a lot.

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    Thanks so much, rosehebrew. Oh, I’m sorry that you are feeling bad about not being able to feed one of your dogs the diet that you wish you could feed it.

    (smiles) we all are just doing the best we can, aren't we... I'm sure our pets feel our love and best intentions and benefit from all of the ways that we care for them :)
  • There was another forum topic regarding this very same issue, it had some great links to a raw prey diet for pets. It was awesome, when I get my kitten I plan on feeding it raw meat and bones only!!!

  • omshantiomshanti Raw Newbie

    we feed our cat an organic raw frozen diet mostly the chicken and rabbit as she hates the venison and beef, we dont feed our dogs this way as its cost prohibative for us at this time for the 4 of them but they get great organic kibble and lots of fresh veggies… our cat is old( 19) the raw diet has greatly improved her over all health she’ll probobly live to be 25 now! teehee

  • ZoeZoe Raw Newbie

    Here is one thread that has got loads of info on it:

    http://goneraw.com/forums/2/topics/286

    My cat Tonka is about 4 1/2 years raw now and thriving like I have never seen a cat thrive before.

    I now give him a little hemp oil on his dinner, he seems to like it, and his fur coat Loves it too ;)

  • jellibijellibi Raw Newbie

    Thanks Zoe (btw, Zoe is my daughter’s name, I love that name :) ) that was a good thread.

    Now I know why my cats didn’t do well with raw food before—I’m pretty sure it was red meat.

    Thanks you so much everyone who responded.

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