Thank you Auntie Crazy. No, I can't consider a raw diet at this time, and especially not for her. Raw diets are rather high in things like phosphorous and calcium, aren't they? I don't think that would be the right thing for this cat.
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AC, do you think the RC sawdust containing canned food would be better than the c/d kibble? Oh well, I already know you think any canned is better than kibble. It just galls me to allow my cat to eat sawdust. It's irrational, I know, since right now she isn't eating anything even remotely containing meat. At least the Royal Canin SO has identifiable meat.
Oh my gosh here I go again. I drive myself crazy with this. Absolutely crazy.
No, raw diets aren't high in anything, actually. They are precisely in the range of what is optimal for cats, packaged in it's freshest, most easily and thoroughly digestible form.
Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, author of YourDiabeticCat.com, in her book,
Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life: “I have never seen a single case of serious obesity, diabetes, urinary tract disease, or IBD in a cat fed meat instead of commercial dry foods. Many other people have seen the same results. Further, I do not see nutritional deficiencies in cats fed properly balanced raw-meat diets. I want to emphasize a point here. The incidence of these problems has not just declined on a raw-meat diet, they have entirely disappeared. These results are too dramatic to ignore.”
Dr. Jean Hofve, co-author of LittleBigCat.com in her article
Homemade vs. Commercial Food for Cats (and Dogs!): “The most impressive evidence for homemade diets is the testimony of dozens of pet guardians, breeders, and veterinarians. Not only have I personally seen the improved health and well-being of pets on good homemade diets, but I have received dozens of first-hand reports from pet guardians citing increased health and vitality, as well as rapid disappearance of medical problems, from itchy ears to seizures.”
Ingrid King, former veterinary hospital manager turned writer and author of ConsciousCat.net in her article
Feeding raw: a veterinarian’s view: “I have seen diabetes, asthma, lower urinary tract (bladder) problems, chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea (inflammatory bowel disease-type symptoms), skin and ear problems and other health issues either markedly improve or completely resolve when raw diets were introduced. Every cat will respond in their own way, but I now view real, fresh, raw food as the “best medicine” for many of my patients.”
I'm not trying to pressure you, Middle Child, I'm just distressed by the anxiety I see in your posts; I empathize with your worry over your little girl. I have helped many transition their cats to raw and seen, myself, through their experiences, what an incredible impact a fresh, raw diet can have on a cat's health.
And remember, there are quite a few options for raw feeding that didn't exist before, from an ever-increasing list of commercial products to a variety of home-preparing methods to purchasing whole prey. No matter your lifestyle and resources, I'll bet there's a raw feeding option that can be worked in.
AC