Couldn't agree more about Elizabeth Hodgkins' book - it certainly opened my eyes and I thought I was fairly knowledgable already, but when you really start reading pet food labels you get a very nasty shock!

I wouldn't ever want to go over to a totally raw diet, with 15 cats plus various kittens throughout the year, it would be too time consuming to do my own grinding etc. But I must say my cats have taken to the Back to Nature meats, (well they're not too keen on the rabbit actually) and I shall certainly be putting in a regular order for that

I shall continue to feed high quality commercial wet foods plus raw / cooked meats as that seems to work best for me and the cats

Good luck with your grinder! I can understand why you're excited

QUOTE=Otterwhiskers;376297]I have been feeding raw for a couple of years now, along side a good commercial wet food. But after reading the book ‘Your Cat - simple new secrets to a longer, stronger life’ by Elizabeth M. Hodgkins (which I can’t highly recommend enough to anyone who owns a cat ), I have decided to take the plunge and start feeding a home prepared raw idea exclusively. This weekend we are going out to buy a meat grinder for the purpose - I can’t tell you how excited I am to be buying a meat grinder!! I was on the fence for a couple of years about doing the 100% home prepared diet, but now I feel so much more confident about it that actually I'm really excited to get started.

Anyway, if anyone ever decides that they want to move to that stage too, I can recommend these two amazing sites which take you through the whole process step-by-step and supply lots of helpful pictures to illustrate the stages of putting your own food together.

Cat Nutrition.Org

makingcatfood[/QUOTE]

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Mine are currently at the stage of batting chicken drumsticks all around the conservatory floor. I'm forever mopping in there! They are kinda getting their heads around that it is there to eat, and not to play chicken drumstick football with!

Is there any risk of salmonella or food poisoning giving raw chicken or do cats not get food poisoning like us humans do

If you follow good meat hygine rules then the risk is the same as for humans. There is as much chance of salmonella from dry food as there is from raw if handled correctly.

Cats can get food poisoning, but unlike dogs most will turn their noses up at food that isn't fresh. If you are buying from a raw pet food manufacturer that is Defera registered then they have to follow strict testing rules for salmonella and other bacteria. These rules are more strict than buying from the butcher or supermarket.

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Karen

www.kiskasiberians.co.uk - The home of Hypoallergenic Siberian Cats


www.rawfed.com - Information on Raw Feeding