Hi

I have always given my boys some raw food, but as a treat rather than a main diet as due to health issues I can't always handle a knife safely.

Both boys are healthy with fantabulous coats and otherwise eat a wide mix of commercial wet (they go off any one brand if fed exclusively) and RC Indoor dry.

How can I get them to eat more raw? they show little interest in it beyond their monthly chicken wing and slivers of beef/venison/rabbit/whatever I'm cooking for us. They just had 3 days of lamb slivers that they loved. My Butcher sells 'animal mix' which is organs diced up with chucnks of bone and you then just add muscle meat to it, he also adds this oil which contains any missing bits.

Am I ok just to give them their 1-2 times a month raw treat? they won't touch anything that has been frozen then defrosted so I can't bulk buy and freeze but as I don't drive I can't go to the butchers every 5 mins either.

The various research sites I looked at don't agree whether the occasional raw is bad or good or anything inbetween...

Hiya,

I think it's just perserverence in getting them to eat more raw. What happens is most dry foods contain ingredients that the cat becomes addicted to, so the transition to raw can take a while. I would carry on with what you are doing & if you want to introduce more then go for it!! Sounds to me like the raw you are feeding is very good! Hope that helps you a bit

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Hi there !! My Nefertiti loves her chicken wings. I too can't use a knife but butchers can be very good if you ask for things diced up but you don't really need to worry too much about cutting up. Our fur babies have a very sharp pair of scissors in their mouths after all .

IMO a raw treat is the best kinda treat. It's a bit like giving a child an apple flavoured sweet or an actual apple (raw being the apple).

Nefertiti gets the occasional mouse from the pet shop. The frozen ones that are "reptile food". A lot of people think thats grose but its a whole prey and its like a balanced meal and she goes wild for it!

I think your doing a great job. Chicken wings are brilliant. How about trying a little bit (not too much vitamin A over dose and all that) of liver? Nef won't touch organs I wish she would as it would be good for her to have a tiny bit now and again.

Another lovely raw treat is an egg! Nefertiti loves to paw around with the egg till it cracks and then she has a yummy gooey treat in side. (Nef rarely gets an egg about once a month).

Though not raw, Nefertiti also likes some smoked salmon and a tiny drop of double cream on a Sunday. Some cats are lactose intolerant so maybe I wouldn't suggest the cream but oh how Nefi laps it up!

I don't know if you know but pork is not an OK meat to give as there is a disease that may be linked to it.

Nefertiti enjoys a sprat from the market now and again too. Some pet owners will advise to stay clear of fish others say its good. I think its fine like anything in moderation.

Hope that helps and good on you for choosing raw!!

they get liver in the 'bit bag' from the butchers. It's really annoying that they won't eat anything that has been frozen, otherwise I could afford to switch them completely onto raw, but if it has been defrosted then they won't even touch it!

They also get the giblets when we buy a whole chicken or turkey and the odd bitt of oxtail...

They won't eat raw fish but get sardine in spring water as a treat (I hide their wormer in there too) and they get goats milk and cows milk as a weekly treat (I mix it together and add a teeny drop of mixed fish oil)

Raw eggs horrify them lol... scrambled is fine but raw they find it icky.

They also get random bones to gnaw on as my bro *hates* meat cooked on the bone so my mum cuts the meat off and they get neck of lamb/chicken thighs/whatever and they love to schurp out the marrow.

You've probably already tried this but how about taking some thing frozen and warming it up a little in the micro wave or in my case frying pan (no microwave), it would make it seem more like "prey" still being warm? I offered Nef some lambs heart and she stuck her nose up. I put it in a frying pan to heat it through and she gobbled it down purring. I don't call her fussy pussy for nothing. lol

hey, tried the warm approach and nada... they won't even eat their regular food if warm (I tried it thinking it would be a treat on a cold day... it was just ignored til it was cold)

these boys are spoilt rotten and don't they just know it?! lol