I've just gone to a biggish Asda looking for them this morning, but no luck unfortunately. I've bought some free range drumsticks and thighs, presume they are better for teeth than nothing?

I'm new to this raw meat thing too, but the reason I'm trying it is because I read that the bones are good for a cat's dental health (and, not being cooked, they are not dangerous, hope that's right).

Added benefit to a odd raw chicken wing is it helps with keeping your cats teeth in better condition....so ive been told. Mine likes a odd bit of raw beef mince he woofs it back.

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Hi,

I am not offended, I asked for advice. However, the Vet gave my cat the meds after years of tests and not being able to find anything.

I am a competent cook, but do not have any of these traders in my country (I am Scottish not American). Plus the supermarkets here actually deal in raw chicken wings etc. My Vet is simply happy that Popsie is making a recovery. She knows me, and knows that I would never do anything rash when it comes to my charges. I have had other advice from people in exactly the same situation with their cats, and have taken their advice not simply made it us - when your Vet is unable to help, then often other owners have the answers through their experience.

Popsie is doing really well and was so bad that my vet suggested the worst possible answer - I hope that she continues to do well, and the anti-biotics and steroids from the vet have contributed to this, before this she was virtually dying.

Thanks for your input. No disrespect intended either but America is not the whole world - other places do not have the same culture - raw meat for animals is available in England, but I do not live there either - butchers in Scotland have their meat delivered without bones and take great pride in their Aberdeen beef!

You do realise that 90% of this site is British don't you? I've just moved from Scotland (Fife) and had absolutely no problem getting hold of either chicken wings or raw. Food4-cats deliver to Scotland and my local fantastic butchers had plenty of meat on the bone. I'm not saying that is what you should do, but I just think you have got the mix of this board wrong. Not a single person who answered this thread is American!

EDIT: I think it was the use of unprescribed antibiotics that you were recommending that made people sit up and take notice - yes it worked for your girl and her condition - doesn't mean everyone else should pop out and start self medicating their cats just because they are feeding raw or chicken wings.

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Hi,

Just wanted to thank Rocky so much for their advice. Popsie doing great!

This particular suggestion must mean that your cat/s had the same problem as mine. A new vet suggest Giardia (a viral gut bug). Hence the meds. But the recurring colitis was killing my cat. Your diet of Jms Wellbeloved and the chicken wings etc. has done the trick. Popsie was out playing in the garden chasing leaves yesterday - this from being unable to stand.


Cheers - thanks

p.s. I have been criticised for suggesting meds etc. but all you cat worshipers out there know that you will do anything for your pals. A new vet suggested the meds after Popsie had been ill for over 2 years. Suggesting the meds was merely meant towards forcing vets to address the cause of the problem. In my case it was sorted by killing bacteria in the gut through meds (including Drontal which I did not give her because she was so ill) my mistake. Now she is great and I am extremely happy. TA!

Hiya i'm english , I buy all my cats food and make up my own balanced diet for them.

However my point still stands

Antibiotics and steroids are not necessary in a healthy cat on a healthy properly balanced raw diet.

Further to that, antibiotics and steroids given to a cat without a veterinary prescription, could be fatal. What happens if that cat is already on another course of long term treatments?

Giving advice about using prescription only drugs should not be done on a public forum. I'm pleased it worked for your girl with your vets advice, but that is not what made me reply. It sounds very much like your cat had giardia, and yes a good quality diet (whether dry, raw, wet or a combination) along with the correct treatments should solve it. Giardia is a paracite found in the gut, and unfortunatly by the time they start to show symptoms they have been incubating it for some time. Giardia is found in puddles, in wild animals (is she a mouser?), and from eating or drinking things she shouldnt have been - rummaging in a dustbin. It can also be picked up from soil that has been used as a toilet by another infected animal . Some cats/dogs show no symptoms, others it can be fatal . On top of that, its hard to test for, as the conventional tests for paracites and blood infections kills the giardia. I Hope she is now on the mend.


I agree, we all do what we think is best, and we would all walk over hot coals if we thought it would help the pets we love. BUT prescription drugs are on prescription for a reason and shouldnt be given willy nilly based on advice read on a forum.



Onto the raw diet. Here i am talking about feeding raw exclusively (or in the majority). Not the occasional chicken wing or plate of beef as a treat once or twice a week.

Getting a properly balanced diet, which contains enough muscle, taurine RMB and organ meats is not an easy thing to do.

Many people who make their own diets also give a taurine supplement due to the consequenses of getting that balance wrong.

A cat on an unbalanced diet could very quickly become very ill, and could actually die very rapidly from irreversible heart failure.

Its never simply a case of popping to the local supermarket, grabbing a few chicken wings and some aberdeen angus beef! Doing so could put a cats life at risk.

Please please have a look at some of the other threads in this section about feeding raw,

here is a good one, although the original question was about feeding a combined diet. It explains the necessity of bones, organ meats, good muscle meats and taurine.

Basic rules for feeding raw combined with good quality commercial please


As for raw food suppliers.

Here are those i am aware of that supply to scotland.


Natural instinct

Food 4 Cats

Natural Frozen Pet Foods - Prize Choice - The Natural Food for Healthy Animals

Landywoods

You can also buy frozen prey animals to feed as whole carcas food to your cats. Foods such as frozen mice, rats, rabbits, pidgeon, grouse, pheasant, partridge, chicks etc etc etc. More often seen as food for reptiles or birds of prey.

Most larger petshops have a freezer section too with frozen meats and prey animals.


Now ive said all that... I just want to point out to the majority of people reading this thread.

Raw chicken wings given as a treat or occasional meal replacement are absoloutly fine, and providing your cats are fed a balanced diet at other times you wont need to worry about the raw food balance.

Raw chicken wings, are excellent for dental health, strengthening jaw muscles, environmental enrichment.... and the cats think theyre very tasty too

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