Parenting-Furkids

Cats => Cat Food And Nutrition => Discussion Of Brands And Ingredients => Topic started by: Middle Child on May 30, 2012, 12:04:01 PM

Title: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on May 30, 2012, 12:04:01 PM
I am considering using this food to supplement my Little Cat (to start).  She is so darn picky, and she has some sensitivity and intolerance issues. There are a lot of things in commercial canned foods she can't tolerate.

I may decide to use it for my struvite kitty too.  These are the two cats that can only tolerate certain foods, in a very narrow band of variety.  My third girl can and will eat anything.  Because she can and does, since the S&C is so costly, she will have to stay on her wide variety of canned foods, for now.  It's the two who are eating basically only one food day in and day out, with only a slight varietiuon now and then, that I want to try adding the S&C to their diet.

No fruits and veggies added either. No salt, no carrageenan, no menadione sodium bisulfate  bananamiddlechild

http://www.stellaandchewys.com/cat-products.php
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on May 30, 2012, 01:26:50 PM
Hi MC!

I've been giving Pookie some of the Stella & Chewy's just to see if 1.  he'll eat it and 2.  he'll keep it down.  I've only been giving him 1/4 to 1/2 of a patty and only as a bedtime snack, and he seems ok with it.  So far he's had the duck and the chicken.  I'm not comfortable trying beef yet, but I did get a sample of the beef.  I just haven't worked up the nerve to feed it -- he'd been developing a problem with beef wet food right before I stopped feeding kibble, and I've just been very nervous about giving it to him since then.

Crossing my paws that your kitties like it and you can add it to the rotation! Cats3 kittybutterfly kittyball
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on May 30, 2012, 07:56:26 PM
Thanks Pookie.  Well I ordered a package of the chicken. $20.99 on Amazon, fulfilled by Gulf Coast Pet Supplies. PetCareRX had it listed too, for a more honest listing of $18.99 plus $2 shipping, but they won't ship it to my PO Box and Gulf Coast will. I have ordered from PetCareRX before, but not food.

Of course now I worry she'll like it, and decide she won't eat anything else, but that's not likely for her. I'd like to use if for one meal a day for her. 

How much food does 1/4 of a patty make once you add water to it?  How much water do you add?
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on May 31, 2012, 06:20:42 AM
Good grief.  I had a bad night sleep wise and every time I did start to doze I was dreaming about Stella and Chewy's freeze dried raw food.  Either I was adding water and the contents of the dish turned into dead baby mice, or slimey limbs of rabbits, or I was touching the food and forgetting to wash my hands, then touching everything else in the house, arrrrgh.  Bad night, very bad night, LOL.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on May 31, 2012, 01:37:36 PM
How much food does 1/4 of a patty make once you add water to it?  How much water do you add?

I'm not sure what the answer is to the 1st question.  The back of the bag advises how much to feed (I use the dog S&C -- they just came out with a version for cats but don't see why you can't feed the original) based on body weight, though I don't know if they play the same game as wet/dry food labels that tell you to feed more than you really need to.  Anyway, patties aren't very big - maybe smaller than the palm of your hand (it looks like they're about 2 oz/patty, according to the website).  I don't weigh his food so I don't know how many ounces a rehydrated patty makes.  And since I'm only giving it to him as a snack, I'm only using maybe 1-2 tablespoons of hot water for 1/4- 1/2 patty.  But I don't know if that's too much or not enough . . . :-\

From their website:

Feeding Guidelines: Serve as is or rehydrate by adding warm water. Your pet should consume 1/4 cup of water per patty daily. New Users: Mix Stella & Chewy's with your current brand for the first 5-7 days. Click here for transitioning guidelines.

To protect yourself from bacteria that may be found in raw food, be sure to keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Wash hands, working surfaces, bowls and utensils that come in contact with raw meat with soap and hot water.

Available in:
6 oz. (approximately 12 small patties); 16 oz. (approximately 32 small patties)

Good grief.  I had a bad night sleep wise and every time I did start to doze I was dreaming about Stella and Chewy's freeze dried raw food.  Either I was adding water and the contents of the dish turned into dead baby mice, or slimey limbs of rabbits, or I was touching the food and forgetting to wash my hands, then touching everything else in the house, arrrrgh.  Bad night, very bad night, LOL.

I hate it when I have bad dreams about faw feeding!   :D  I'm just teasing you, MC.  I'm sorry you had a bad night.   grouphug  It'll be okay.

Sorry for the long post!
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on May 31, 2012, 07:13:29 PM
Sorry to butt in...

Got a kick out of their product description:
Quote
Product Description
It may come as a surprise, but your cute kitty is still a carnivore. She must consume meat to survive. Thats why every Stella & Chewys Cat Dinner is made with raw, natural meat, poultry or fish, without added hormones or antibiotics, sourced from USDA-inspected facilities. Chick, Chick Chicken Dinner, for example, contains farm-raised chicken as the first ingredient. Plus just the right amount of taurine, which is essential for feline health. Just like all Stella & Chewy products, its made without grain, fillers, artificial preservatives or colorings. They didnt even add sugar or salt! And every ingredient they use is sourced from reputable suppliers.
http://www.amazon.com/Stella-Chewys-Freeze-Dried-Chicken-Dinner/dp/B0052OUX60/ref=sr_1_1?m=A28XQUUJU6SODD&s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1338509433&sr=1-1

Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on May 31, 2012, 10:25:14 PM
You're not butting in.  I like that this food does not have any fruits or vegetables either.  However I received an answer to my e mail questions.  I was told, on average, one 12 ounce package will feed an 8-9 pound cat for 7 days.  That is way out of my budget.   I am hoping to use it for one meal a day, for my Little Cat.  Or, since she doesn't like to eat the same foods every day, one meal every few days. I am just....desperate.... to find more foods for her to eat, that do not contain carrageenan or other undesirables.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on June 01, 2012, 09:06:55 AM
I got to thinking (scary, isn't it?  :D) -- if you feed, say, 1 3 oz can a day, wouldn't you feed the same amount of the rehydrated S&C?  I'm not sure how you'd weigh it, unless you have a scale for that, but I'm thinking that might work as a starting point and then over time you feed less or more (if needed), depending on if the cat gains or loses weight.

Or am I oversimplifying?

If 1 patty = approx. 2 oz, add 1/4 water (2 oz) water per patty = 4 oz rehydrated patty.  If you feed 1 3 oz can per day, than 1 patty a day would be more than enough.  Hmm . . . I wonder if I'm missing something . . .
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 02, 2012, 08:23:47 AM
I don't know.  I am trying not to think about it, until the food comes and I try it out, as it is giving me nightmares.  She is only 6.5 pounds, most of the time. But  anyway the purpose is to widen the variety of her diet, so I wouldn't ever be feeding only this to her anyway.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on June 04, 2012, 09:10:58 AM
The Universe works in mysterious ways . . . Sunday night I dreamed about feeding Pookie the mice . . . I don't remember the specifics anymore, just that I was thawing mice for Pookie for breakfast and I think I was worrying if he could handle 2.

So that's what I get for teasing you, MC!   funny2
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 04, 2012, 10:44:55 AM
The Universe works in mysterious ways . . . Sunday night I dreamed about feeding Pookie the mice . . . I don't remember the specifics anymore, just that I was thawing mice for Pookie for breakfast and I think I was worrying if he could handle 2.

So that's what I get for teasing you, MC!   funny2

 funny2  funny2
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 04, 2012, 07:23:16 PM
The S&C came today.  I gave each cat one nugget, hydrated.  THEY ALL LOVED IT! bananamiddlechild

I'm concerned about my struvite kitty.  It's a bit high in phosphurous and contains bone. Plus, since it has to have water added, and I am positive my high mineral water has something to do with her crystals.  So I would have to use purified or distilled water.  Hmm. But for now, it's just a snack for her.  I'd like to use it as one meal a day for Little Cat.  Maybe just a snack for the other girl too.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on June 05, 2012, 06:33:31 PM
The S&C came today.  I gave each cat one nugget, hydrated.  THEY ALL LOVED IT! bananamiddlechild


Thanks for letting us know!!! 
Now that I have the dogs eating a bit of something similar, I'll try it for the cats. 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 05, 2012, 07:36:57 PM
Later that same night I gave Little Cat two more nuggets rehydrated and she ate them again, but needed coaxing (by coaxing I mean I shut her in the bathroom for a few minutes)

Today, she has had more appetite for her regular foods than I have ever seen, ever.  She will get three nuggets (rehydrated) again tonight for her bed time snack.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 05, 2012, 09:55:34 PM
I decided to only put two nuggets (rehydrated) down.  She declined to eat them.  I might be using too much water.  Or it might be she just wasn't hungry, having already eaten more than she normally eats in an entire day.

So I will have to make sure she is hungry, when offering the raw.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on June 06, 2012, 08:34:28 AM
That's pawsome that things are going well getting Little Cat more variety!   clapping1 clapping1 clapping1
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 06, 2012, 08:50:33 AM
Yeah.  Except she has refused breakfast this morning, too. :'(   That's the problem with these self regulators.  They will eat so much only, and not a bite more.  Since she ate half again as much as she usually does yesterday, she will not eat today, without a struggle.

I don't know why I can't just accept this about her and stop worrying about it all the time. I know she's healthy. She poops and pees when she should and at not quite 2 years old still runs around as much as she ever has. She's a slender cat, and that's that.   Why can't I just stop worrying? bangshead
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 06, 2012, 08:52:51 AM
Quote
runs around as much as she ever has

To be more accurate,  it's not really running.  She flings her body around like it's a piece of paper in a tornado.  I've never seen anything like it. funny2
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on June 06, 2012, 10:43:03 AM
Why can't I just stop worrying? bangshead

Because you're her mommy, and that's what mommy's do.

 :-* grouphug grouphug grouphug
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 06, 2012, 12:44:30 PM
Little cat did finally eat her regular breakfast (which contains her probiotic), and then just now ate five nuggets (rehydrated) for her lunch! bananamiddlechild I was about to feed her her usual lunch, then decided to save that for supper and try the raw.  Boy it's sweating difficult to stay one step ahead of that baby girl!  Bumpurr1

Struvite kitty ate her lunch (normal canned food with pumpkin) and kept it down.  :) I did give her a pepcid this morning though. (1/4  10 mg pepcid ac )

Not to be left out, Top Cat ate her lunch and said she was starving to death and couldn't she have a lot lot more.  funny2
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on June 07, 2012, 07:05:30 PM
Why can't I just stop worrying? bangshead

MUCH easier said than done...for some.   :D

Quote
Top Cat ate her lunch and said she was starving to death and couldn't she have a lot lot more.

That is a TOUGH one to ignore.  I have to work at it very hard, with a few of our furkids. 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on June 08, 2012, 11:38:15 AM
Holy COW!  Since I started Little Cat on one meal a day of the rehydrated Stella&Chewy raw, her appetite has improved incredibly.  I can hardly believe it!  For the past five days, she has eaten every meal put in front of her, not just the one serving of S&C (four nuggets, rehydrated) but all her other foods too.

For Struvite Kitty I am using it as a garnish for her meals that have pumpkin added, only.  She hates the pumpkin, but still has to have it, I split her one tablespoon of pumpkin between three of her six or seven servings a day. When I sprinkle half a nugget over a pumpkin meal she eats it right up. bananamiddlechild

Top Cat is not getting the S&C.  It's very expensive, and since she has a great appetite, doesn't mind the pumpkin, and will eat a wide variety of canned foods, she's going to have to live without it. She always gets a sliver of raw of any meat I happen to be cooking (usually chicken) and she also gets a taste of whatever I happen to be eating on any given night, so she's getting plenty of variety already.  (by taste, I mean just a tiny tiny drop to lick off my finger. She craves variety like no other cat I have every met)
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Pookie on June 08, 2012, 05:10:16 PM
 love1 clapping1 clapping1 clapping1 clapping1 clapping1 coolgif2 tiggerbounce dancingbanana BanWooHoo bananamiddlechild multistars multistars multistars woohoogif happydance1 yaygif
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on June 09, 2012, 01:38:24 AM
MC,
That IS good news!  Verrrrrrrry happy for you...and the furkids, of course.   ThxGiv6  <----Stella And Chewy's  ;D
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on June 17, 2012, 01:23:45 PM
Ordered some today.  Hoping to add it to the rotation.   fingerscrossed
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Shadow on September 27, 2013, 04:46:44 PM
Just found the Stella and chewys in my local pet food store. Im in canada so this was very shocking to see a USA product like this.  It is for cats. comes in a little pouch, not nuggets. It is one serving (3oz) and it costs 1.99, that is quite expensive. I bought the Turkey flavour. Will let you know if they like it. I guess the store is testing the waters with these sample packs to see if they sell it before getting the bigger packages?
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on September 27, 2013, 05:52:31 PM
They aren't samples, this is a standard size, in addition to the 12 ounce size.  I buy cases of the small pouches now because I don't use it up fast enough and the 12 ounce bags go stale.  There are some nuggets still in the single serve pouches, but not as much, but since water is being added and then I mix it all down anyway, it doesn't really matter.  One .8 oz pouch is equal to one three ounce can of food once it is hydrated.  I like knowing that, I can weigh out .2 oz of it dry, add water and know the cat is eating .75 oz of food.

Let us know how it goes over!
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Shadow on September 27, 2013, 07:38:59 PM
They are both chowing down...added it in with their wellness wet. Is it cheaper to buy the bigger package?
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on September 29, 2013, 02:41:05 AM
That is great that your kitties like it, Shadow!!! 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on November 01, 2013, 04:44:12 AM
They are both chowing down...added it in with their wellness wet. Is it cheaper to buy the bigger package?

I think it might be slightly cheaper.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on December 10, 2013, 01:54:07 PM
Earlier, in this thread, Pookie mentioned feeding S&C patties.  The S&C that I feed is nuggets.  Are we talking about the same thing... just using different terms?  Although Pookie did say the patty was smaller than the palm of a hand.  ??

The feeding guidelines were also mentioned... do they recommend much larger amounts, than is actually required? 

Kibble feeding guidelines are like that.  They recommend huge amounts, because a dog has to eat huge amounts to reach the daily nutritional requirements.  I fed the dogs (different brand) the recommended 6 cups (or whatever it was.. don't remember now...no longer feed kibble to them either) and the dogs were both over weight, when fed the recommended amount. 

Anyway... my point is... the S&C feeding guidelines, for a 10 pound cat, is 1 1/2 cups.  For a while, I fed Lucky only S&C.  She ate about 3/4 of a 3 oz package 3 x a day.  I don't think that adds up even close to 1 1/2 cups. 

edit: Reading the feeding guidelines, on the actual package of S&C... 2 pouches daily for the average 6 to 8 pound cat.  She ate almost 3. 

Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on December 10, 2013, 04:08:06 PM
I think the dog formula comes in patties.

Now, are you talking about the small single serving sizes? Those packages are .8 ounce (8 tenths of an ounce.)

 The .8 oz single size envelope is, so they tell us, equivalent in nutrition value, to a 3 oz can of food (plus hydration of course).   Okay, so I figured all my numbers out and determined that .2 oz (that is point two or two tenths) of an ounce of S&C dry is equivalent to one fourth of a three ounce can, or .75 ounces once hydrated.

Since I use weights, I have to rethink things to figure out what you are feeding......okay here we go

You say lucky is eating 3/4 of an .8 ounce package, three times a day?  That would be, in canned equivalent, 2.25 ounces of food per meal. That means she is eating in total 6.75 ounces a day, in canned equivalent.  So yes, she was getting enough food, even taking into consideration that your averages, since you are going by visuals, may be off a bit.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on December 13, 2013, 12:37:11 AM
Meant to reply sooner… anyway... your reply took away one worry.  Thanks.  You probably guessed that I was questioning if I had been starving Lucky.   

Reading my original post.. I don't even understand what I wrote.  Amazing you did, MC! 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on January 15, 2014, 12:20:53 PM
The first time I fed Stella & Chewys, it did not go over well.  The second time ...required a bit of coaxing, for some.  Now... They ALL absolutely love it.  They go crazy for it!!

A food I actually feel good about feeding... for once. 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on January 17, 2014, 05:31:54 AM
I like S&C too.  Jennie will eat it all the time.  Mazy likes it, but can't keep it down so she doesn't get it.   Queen Eva likes it as long as I don't give it to her too often.  Even then she sometimes needs some coaxing.

So Jennie and Queen Eva get it two meals a week, on average.

 I have, so far only been feeding the Duck/goose and the chicken.  Next time I order I may try the turkey.



Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on January 18, 2014, 12:56:34 AM
I know Mazy's system is out of whack, but why do you think she can't keep it down?
I've only fed the chicken and turkey. 
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on January 18, 2014, 09:00:27 AM
Maybe the bone, Lola. It's difficult to pinpoint specifics with her.  She just cannot tolerate much variety.  However I have recently finally come to the conclusion that if it's not "certified organic", she will puke it up.

 By Nature Organic Turkey&Chicken (Only that formula), Rad Cat Chicken, Rad Cat Turkey, and organic raw egg yolk. Those are the only foods she can eat without bringing it right back up.

Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Middle Child on January 18, 2014, 10:08:56 AM
Anyway I forgot to mention that I don't really want her to have bone anyway, because of her propensity for struvite and alkaline urine.
Title: Re: Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw
Post by: Lola on January 18, 2014, 11:08:37 AM
I forgot about the bone possibility.