Well, you lot finally did it. Today, after nearly 5 years of veganism (and most of my life as a vegetarian) I pottered into a butcher's shop without a second thought. My mission was to find chicken wing tips to give Icco his first taste of raw foods. I only picked up a couple in case he won't eat them...

Now, we tried Spock on a bit of raw chicken last year and he was completely uninterested. What's the best way to encourage Icarus to tuck in? Should I leave it whole or cut it into chunks? How long can I leave it out for before it needs to be chucked away?

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Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will p*ss on your computer.

The Story So Far:
Spock (2010-2011), who began our love affair with kitties but whose grasp on the green cross code was sadly lacking.
Icarus (2011-...?), who loves noses more than anything else.
Mildred (2010-...?), who sings to the birds.

The twisted brainwrong of a one-off man mental.

I would nick the skin so he can smell the flesh underneath and maybe bash it with a hammer to break the bones up - if you really need to you can give it a 5 sec blast in the micro wave to make it smell nice.

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please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins and Selkirk Rex

Well done Very brave of you to enter a butcher's shop
I'd score the skin on the chicken wing so that it's easier to bite into - though having said that, my little lot at six weeks old don't seem to have any trouble
If it hasn't all been eaten - Mai Tai crunches up the bones but I don't expect kittens to do that - I'd throw it away at the end of the day, sooner if it's hot weather or the heating is on indoors.
Be prepared for it to be dragged round the house to be killed first

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Hey well done for taking the plunge!

What worked for my cats was to harness their thieving instinct.
I gave them chicken wings one evening and they were tossed around the kitchen as per usual. In the morning I picked them up, all furry from the carpet, and put them in the bin. Nipped upstairs to get ready, and when I came back down, Monty had raided the bin for the chicken wing and was crunching away - bingo!

So my tip is to make them think they're not allowed to eat it!

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.

Okay, I've put the wing down for him this morning. Followed all the advice about snipping the skin, quick blast in the microwave etc. but he seems a little perplexed. He's given it a good lick but honestly seems more interested in dragging around the towel I put down! Oh dear...

__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will p*ss on your computer.

The Story So Far:
Spock (2010-2011), who began our love affair with kitties but whose grasp on the green cross code was sadly lacking.
Icarus (2011-...?), who loves noses more than anything else.
Mildred (2010-...?), who sings to the birds.

The twisted brainwrong of a one-off man mental.

Don't worry, it can take some time for them to get the idea of what to do with it. If you have a decent pair of kitchen scissors you could try cutting lengthways down between the two long bones up to the final section of the tip itself....this lays the flesh bare and they can get their teeth into it. I got Millie to eat her first ever bone yesterday by smearing the section with malt paste which she adores! Today she ate one without the added smear so she got the idea pretty quickly.

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Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

We have lift-off! It took chopping it up and sprinkling it with Thrive powder, but still - he's properly into it now! Chucking it around, sneaking up on it, pouncing and having a good old chew... I'm well pleased, it must be so much more fun for him to have something more interesting than his usual wet food to munch on!

__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will p*ss on your computer.

The Story So Far:
Spock (2010-2011), who began our love affair with kitties but whose grasp on the green cross code was sadly lacking.
Icarus (2011-...?), who loves noses more than anything else.
Mildred (2010-...?), who sings to the birds.

The twisted brainwrong of a one-off man mental.

That's great! Didn't take you too long after all and some good old 'icing' on the cake did the trick.

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.

when i told my friend i had bought some chicken wings for the cats she was horrified that i was giving them bones. i did mention that the bones are softer in the wing but she wouldnt have it.
i had the same trouble with my cats with regards to the wings, i ended up chopping it up for them.
i suppose cat food has spoilt them so they dont have to do anything but eat it

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Today Icco has discovered that gravity is a great aid in getting the meat off the bones. Cue much merriment whilst watching him hop around in circles backwards on his hind legs with a hunk of meat dangling out of his mouth. Wish I'd filmed it! He is the crappest predator ever.

He will get the hang of it eventually, right? This is a really encouraging step towards feeding him on a raw diet (if I can get him interested in the bones)... he went completely bananas when he saw me getting a wing out of the fridge for him this morning!

__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will p*ss on your computer.

The Story So Far:
Spock (2010-2011), who began our love affair with kitties but whose grasp on the green cross code was sadly lacking.
Icarus (2011-...?), who loves noses more than anything else.
Mildred (2010-...?), who sings to the birds.

The twisted brainwrong of a one-off man mental.