[*Amber*]

I’ve been talking to my daughter about raw food, as I’m trying to find a good brand. I like Honeys and Luna and me also look good in the little portion patties. They say they’re complete, but my daughter says they’re not balanced as they don’t have 2 organs in, should be 10% heart, and 5% liver. I’m all confused ha ha! I’d prefer free range, and I’m not into making my own! Does anyone know why companies tend to not use the correct percentage of organs in the foods?

 

[SbanR]

I've been talking to my daughter about raw food, as I'm trying to find a good brand. I like Honeys and Luna and me also look good in the little portion patties. They say they're complete, but my daughter says they're not balanced as they don't have 2 organs in, should be 10% heart, and 5% liver. I'm all confused ha ha! I'd prefer free range, and I'm not into making my own! Does anyone know why companies tend to not use the correct percentage of organs in the foods?

I don't feed raw but do know that heart is not considered an organ. Instead its classed as muscle meat.

 

[*Amber*]

I don't feed raw but do know that heart is not considered an organ. Instead its classed as muscle meat.

Yes she said 2 organs is best, like liver and kidney for example. It's very confusing!

 

[Maurey]

Ideal is 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ. I feed liver with chicken heads (meaty bone +brains) for my organ content.

 

[*Amber*]

Ideal is 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ. I feed liver with chicken heads (meaty bone +brains) for my organ content.

Sometimes it's hard to know what is in raw brand foods, as some don't put the percentages.

 

[TTouch]

I feed raw/bone for my dogs and cat however I make it myself ( as I want to know exactly what they are eating)
If you find a raw product you like but are concerned about lack of organ meat then simply purchase some chicken liver, chop and freeze them using an ice cube tray & add one 'cube' to the meal.... or I dry bake ox liver/kidney, chop when cool and dry a little more in the oven, they make great treats for my dogs but the cat loves them too

As SbanR says ox heart is a muscle meat and that also works well as a treat baked the same as liver/kidney... my cat doesn't like heart raw but loves it baked

 

[SbanR]

Many on here like Luna & Me.
If you occasionally change brands, it should balance things out?
Or do a mix of commercial wet and raw.

 

[*Amber*]

I feed raw/bone for my dogs and cat however I make it myself ( as I want to know exactly what they are eating)
If you find a raw product you like but are concerned about lack of organ meat then simply purchase some chicken liver, chop and freeze them using an ice cube tray & add one 'cube' to the meal.... or I dry bake ox liver/kidney, chop when cool and dry a little more in the oven, they make great treats for my dogs but the cat loves them too

As SbanR says ox heart is a muscle meat and that also works well as a treat baked the same as liver/kidney... my cat doesn't like heart raw but loves it baked

Thank you, my cats have oddly never eaten any treats I've tried them with! My dog is currently eating the freeze dried chicken I got them! That's a good idea with the kidney! Might be able to manage that!

 

[*Amber*]

Many on here like Luna & Me.
If you occasionally change brands, it should balance things out?
Or do a mix of commercial wet and raw.

Thank you, yes, Luna and me looks good, as does Honeys. Whether they'll even touch it, I don't know, but I can only try! I need to get a new raw food freezer first though!

 

[Tigermoon]

I've been talking to my daughter about raw food, as I'm trying to find a good brand. I like Honeys and Luna and me also look good in the little portion patties. They say they're complete, but my daughter says they're not balanced as they don't have 2 organs in, should be 10% heart, and 5% liver.

Just my two pennies worth based upon my own personal experience: Prior to last Autumn, I fed Kiezebrink raw complete to my cats for a number of years without issue. I switched to Luna & Me because I felt the patties would make it easier to manage the portions for each cat. I did put aside my niggling concern that despite what the packaging said, the food wasn't really complete. However, this year I have had problems with two litters I bred (both displaying symptoms that indicate a lack of specific nutrition during pregnancy). As the queens involved had previously had no problems with their litters while eating the kiezebrink, rightly or wrongly I have dropped L&M like a hot potato. After asking round breeder friends I have gone for the somewhat more expensive Purrform.

Finding the right raw company is a bit of a minefield, there are an increasing number out there doing raw pet food now. However I would carefully read all the ingredients and nutritional details before making your final choice.

 

[Borderstories]

Hi Tigermoon,

I'm really interested in the problems you mentioned with feeding composition and your litters, can you elaborate on the issues?

Thanks!

 

[*Amber*]

Just my two pennies worth based upon my own personal experience: Prior to last Autumn, I fed Kiezebrink raw complete to my cats for a number of years without issue. I switched to Luna & Me because I felt the patties would make it easier to manage the portions for each cat. I did put aside my niggling concern that despite what the packaging said, the food wasn't really complete. However, this year I have had problems with two litters I bred (both displaying symptoms that indicate a lack of specific nutrition during pregnancy). As the queens involved had previously had no problems with their litters while eating the kiezebrink, rightly or wrongly I have dropped L&M like a hot potato. After asking round breeder friends I have gone for the somewhat more expensive Purrform.

Finding the right raw company is a bit of a minefield, there are an increasing number out there doing raw pet food now. However I would carefully read all the ingredients and nutritional details before making your final choice.

Thank you for your reply and warning. I've contacted Honeys with lots of questions! Sorry you've had issues with your queens. Purrform does look good too, but not free range, but might have to have one that I think has better ingredients. May I ask why you didn't go back to Keizebrink?

 

[Tigermoon]

Thank you for your reply and warning. I've contacted Honeys with lots of questions! Sorry you've had issues with your queens. Purrform does look good too, but not free range, but might have to have one that I think has better ingredients. May I ask why you didn't go back to Keizebrink?

I don't believe they use human grade meat which I'd rather feed to be honest. When I opened a kiezebrink sausage there was often a smell, I think because they use tripe in their mixes. The cats often left a lot of it too, so even though it was cheap I didn't feel it was good value in that respect. Neither L&M or Purrform have a smell on opening, and the cats tend to polish the lot off fairly quickly, with the exception of the beef one as they've never liked beef. Purrform uses free range poultry, personally I'd never feed wild shot game (rabbit/venison) to my pets.

 

[*Amber*]

I don't believe they use human grade meat which I'd rather feed to be honest. When I opened a kiezebrink sausage there was often a smell, I think because they use tripe in their mixes. The cats often left a lot of it too, so even though it was cheap I didn't feel it was good value in that respect. Neither L&M or Purrform have a smell on opening, and the cats tend to polish the lot off fairly quickly, with the exception of the beef one as they've never liked beef. Purrform uses free range poultry, personally I'd never feed wild shot game (rabbit/venison) to my pets.

Thanks, I know Honeys is free range/ wild and human grade, so I await their reply.

 

[Maurey]

I feed raw/bone for my dogs and cat however I make it myself ( as I want to know exactly what they are eating)
If you find a raw product you like but are concerned about lack of organ meat then simply purchase some chicken liver, chop and freeze them using an ice cube tray & add one 'cube' to the meal.... or I dry bake ox liver/kidney, chop when cool and dry a little more in the oven, they make great treats for my dogs but the cat loves them too

As SbanR says ox heart is a muscle meat and that also works well as a treat baked the same as liver/kidney... my cat doesn't like heart raw but loves it baked

Adding liver to a raw food that already has liver isn't a good idea, imo - much more than 5% and you're feeding too much vitamin A, which can lead to toxicity.

 

[*Amber*]

Adding liver to a raw food that already has liver isn't a good idea, imo - much more than 5% and you're feeding too much vitamin A, which can lead to toxicity.

Thank you.

 

[*Amber*]

Thank you to everyone for all your advice. I’ve bought a cat food freezer, and ordered the trial pack of 5 tubs of Purrform, as I liked their flavours, and they seem a good company. I ordered the kitten ones, which are double minced, as my boys seem to have issues with lumpy food! I really hope they can be converted.

 

[gskinner123]

I've become more interested in raw foods, their components and whether they really are complete as manufacturers claim for some.

I make my own, following a Lisa Pierson complete recipe which I trust implicitly. Anyone who has read her web pages will know that she is utterly obsessive (I do mean that in a kind way) about ingredients and the safety of raw diets in relation to completeness and preparation. I have a suspicion that a few of the supplements in her list are there for good measure, in a harmless 'on the safe side' basis.

A few manufacturers some years ago were challenged on their claims of their food being nutritionally complete for cats. The food proved not to be as, incredibly, the manufacturers were treating cats like small dogs - as so many have a wont to do - in their keenness to widen their market to the growing number of raw fed cats.

I stopped using Purrform partly due to the expense and I hate their customer service. I have my doubts about the completeness of the minced rabbit I used to buy from them. And I never believed Kiezebrink rabbit to be complete though I'm not sure they ever claimed it was?

 

[*Amber*]

I've become more interested in raw foods, their components and whether they really are complete as manufacturers claim for some.

I make my own, following a Lisa Pierson complete recipe which I trust implicitly. Anyone who has read her web pages will know that she is utterly obsessive (I do mean that in a kind way) about ingredients and the safety of raw diets in relation to completeness and preparation. I have a suspicion that a few of the supplements in her list are there for good measure, in a harmless 'on the safe side' basis.

A few manufacturers some years ago were challenged on their claims of their food being nutritionally complete for cats. The food proved not to be as, incredibly, the manufacturers were treating cats like small dogs - as so many have a wont to do - in their keenness to widen their market to the growing number of raw fed cats.

I stopped using Purrform partly due to the expense and I hate their customer service. I have my doubts about the completeness of the minced rabbit I used to buy from them. And I never believed Kiezebrink rabbit to be complete though I'm not sure they ever claimed it was?

It does worry me, but Purrform looks like one of the best raw foods out there that I could see.

 

[gskinner123]

It does worry me, but Purrform looks like one of the best raw foods out there that I could see.

I couldn't vouch for it (or any) commercial raw food in terms of being exactly what it's said to be, but cats certainly seem to love it! We are "there" now but it took ages for me to get mine onto a different raw after feeding Purrform.