Ground eggshells instead of bones in raw diet?

Hi. I'm currently trying to work out the best way to feed my 5 cats a balanced raw diet. (They are currently eating 50% wet/50% Porta 21 Grain free dry, supplemented by the occasional raw treat, but I'd like to change to 100% raw, if possible.)

My main concern is ensuring they get their 10% calcium, as they refuse to eat the bones on the chicken wings I give them. I know chicken necks are better, but they are unobtainable where I live.)

I've heard that you can substitute ground eggshell instead of bone, and that this is a lot safer (no danger of splinters...)

Is this true?

If so, would I just add 10g of eggshells to 80g muscle meat & 10g offal to achieve a balanced diet? Or would 10g eggshell be too much, as it's a more concentrated source of calcium?

Would appreciate any advice from experienced raw feeders, as I'm terrified of doing the wrong thing for my cats.

 

As you say, the eggshell to bone conversion isn't 1-2-1. Instead, it would be roughly 7.8g of eggshell to roughly 1000g of meat and 125g of heart, 60g kidney et al and 60g of liver.

I use finely ground eggshells as well as ground bones as well as just bones. Re the chicken wing; it is quite a big bone for a cat, so don't be surprised if your cat is a little daunted. There are "better" (ie. more cat appropriate bones) imo but they cost more money, such as quail, poussin, woodpigeon, small rabbit.

 

My cats refuse to eat whole bones in the raw I prepare (although they will eat a whole mouse ) so I bought a meat grinder (you need a powerful one) which grinds the bones and meat into a mince.

You don't need to worry about splinters on raw bones.... It is only cooked bones that give the problem which is why you should never give cooked bones to a cat.

 

Well, actually you do and I think it is misleading to say otherwise. There is still a risk with raw feeding bones. **** happens and everything is a risk/benefit analysis. Use species appropriate bones is my advice and take it slowly.

 

Removed for checking

 

Ta - that's really helpful. :smile: Hope you don't mind if I pick your brains again, but can you tell me if a 50% wet (Bozita) and 50% raw diet is OK? (I know raw and dry are bad together). Also, is there any reason I can't use ox heart as my 80 muscle meat portion?

 

Course you can use wet and raw. My lot tend to get commercial wet food in the mornings and my raw in the evenings. Although you are only feeding partly wet I wouldn't get hung up on just one brand (ie. Bozita tins I presume). There is no harm but plenty of advantages to feeding more than one brand of similar quality.

Sure, you can use heart as part of the muscle meat but I tend to use only about 10% or so heart.

 

When I've finished my dratted dissertation, built my cat pole and done all the rest of the stuff on my list, I'd like to have a go at making my own raw.

I use wet (macs, grau, Animonda) at the moment and Natural Instinct minces. I would like to offer both raw and wet, because one of my Burmese won't eat raw, my moggy prefer it and other Burmese is equally happy with either.

None of them are interested in chicken wings, I've tried all sorts, loads of times, smearing it with raw meat, canned food, everything and the best they've done is have a lick - so I don't expect them to eat bones.

My father is a retired butcher so was thinking he will be of help, but can anyone point me in the direction of a grinder. Do you put all the meat in it, or just the bones and leave the meat in chunks, then mix them together or what.

 

DDaisy you can get chicken necks on line, Kiezebrink sell them and have other things you might not be able to get, chciken hearts, duck hearts, gizzards (listed as chicken stomachs) as well as day old chicks, mice, quail etc. They are a little more expensive than butchers but useful for variety.

Some of the raw pet food suppliers also sell them as do some online butchers.