My Cat Feeding Story
TLDR: Cats are obligate carnivores, they need meat and moisture, not carbs. Ask us how you can get more meat and moisture and less carbs in your feline’s diet!
We adopted Meredith 12 years ago from the Androscoggin County Humane Society.
We started her out on dry kibble, Orijen Cat & Kitten to be exact, and she loved it! Meredith is a long-haired gorgeous cat, maybe a Maine Coon mix? I am not really sure, but the girl has fur!
What we were constantly dealing with was POOP! It was always stuck to her backend fur, so it felt like all we were ever doing was trimming and washing her backside, and let me tell you, she did NOT appreciate us working to keep her clean!
Now, 12 years ago, I was still very new to the pet food business and learning so much everyday. Let’s just say at that time, my knowledge on raw was……well, raw. But one of my sales reps convinced me to try it.
What a WORLD of difference that made!!
Almost immediately, there was no more poop stuck to the backend needing cleaning, and can we just TALK about the smell of the cat box (WHAT SMELL????) Seriously, my cat box doesn’t stink!!! Even immediately after a poo!
On top of that, Meredith has now been raw fed for 11 ½ years. Her teeth are beautiful, her long furry coat is soft, clean, and I never have to brush her. She is still mobile as all get out and jumps like she is still in her prime. This girl shows no signs of slowing down as she enters her senior years.
The transition to raw for a cat can be tough, but it is worth it, I promise you!
There are three T’s to a raw food transition for a cat. Most cats are skeptical and think when you change their food you are actually out to ruin their lives. Slow and steady wins the race on this one.
- Texture - if your cat likes dry, start with freeze-dried raw. If you cat likes cans, start with frozen raw.
- Taste - are they a chicken lover? Start with turkey, duck or chicken. Are they a fish lover? Go for something that has fish in it!
- Temperature - A cold and frozen nugget isn’t going to appeal to most cats right off the bat. Start by bringing it up to room temperature and follow your cats lead on what they like best.
For me, I know that I am lucky enough to have a cat that will eat ANYTHING (and I mean anything, even saltine crackers that someone, who shall remain nameless, left on the counter!). I seriously think, deep in her soul, she believes she is a dog!
That made the transition easy for us. I started by mixing a little (at room temp) in with her dry. I kept adding more raw, removing more kibble for a while. When we first started with raw, I would nuke it just enough to take the chill out and mash it up for her. She now eats it straight from the fridge, sometimes even a bit frozen if I don’t give it enough time to thaw!
Even if you are not ready for a full transition to raw, adding moisture and meat to your cats’ diet is so important for long-term health. Cats are obligate carnivores that thrive on meat, and they have no nutritional need for carbs. But what do you need to make a kibble? CARBS! Cats are also naturally dehydrated and will never drink enough on their own to compensate for that, leading to long term issues, like kidney failure and diabetes. By adding in moisture (goats milk, bone broth) and supplementing with some meat (either freeze-dried or frozen raw), you can help put your cat on the right path to long-term health!!