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Thank you for your answers and information! I knew this thread would prove helpful!
I started my 3 cats on raw in February when I learned that my neighbor's cat was diagnosed with Diabetes and had many of the same symptoms that my previous cats had before they died. Doing research, I found that dry kibble was the biggest cause of this and many other diseases. 2 of my cats had been overweight for years and the Vet told me to cut out wet food completely because it had too many calories. I cut it way down, but did not eliminate it, and they still did not lose any weight (5 years at least). Now both cats have lost 1 lb each and they are more active, friendlier, and dandruff has disappeared from their coats.
I started them on the Dr. Lisa Pierson recipe, using 4 whole chickens, making a very large batch. They are still in transition, and are not sure about the consistency. Chunks surprise them. Sometimes they turn away. So I thought I needed more variety in their diet.
That's why I bought the beef and pork yesterday. I decided to freeze it in small batches so I could either eat it myself if I couldn't refreaze it when my other ingredients come in, or give it to them as a treat or mix it in with their usual slurry.
I'm glad to hear I can make a new slurry with it and re-freeze it in small batches.
I am also looking into the whole prey method but have questions about getting the extra nutrition in. Perhaps feeding a whole chicken with bone, unground in small batches over a week will supply all the nutrition the cat needs, but I'm wondering if I need to supplement with the slurry (which has all the vitamins included). I am not going to feed vegetables.
Today the cats had a breakthrough--just like a lightbulb going off in their heads! For their morning feeding I gave the reluctant cat beef cubes mixed with a small portion of 9-Lives Tuna, and gave the other two beef cubes with a small portion of tuna next to the beef. Everybody ate everything and wanted more! So I put chunks of chicken breast in their dishes, and the reluctant cat wouldn't eat it until I sprinkled on a dehydrated chicken piece. Down it went and then they all wanted more!
So I took out their raw chicken slurry, put it in their bowls, and they ate it all!
I have raw food medallions and patties of beef, chicken and turkey coming from an online store this week. I ordered it to see if they will like other types of meat. I know these have some veggies in them, and it's expensive, so I won't be doing this very often. It will be a convenience for me when I serve that if they like it.
Optimally, I'd like to give them a chicken wing or drumstick, a spare rib, a piece of steak, or whatever I can with a bone in it, and hope they like it. Do you think if that happens, I should sprinkle on salmon oil, vitamin B complex, Vitamin E, taurine, salt, etc... -- the ingredients from the slurry recipe, or is the whole food enough? The cats are not fond of liver, so that may be a problem.
I think success is around the corner... Thanks for listening.
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