The Raw Deal – The Next Step (protein Rotation)

Now that everyone (yes, all eight of them) has converted to raw food, it’s time to take the next step – protein rotation.

From what I’ve read, it is recommended that we feed cats (or dogs) at least 3 different types of protein on a rotation basis: https://back2raw.ca/blogs/raw-dog-food/the-importance-of-protein-rotation

So, I actually started on the protein rotation sometime in the middle of last month. Their staple food is Cubgrub’s Chicken. I figured that since I was already giving them Primal Chicken n Salmon as toppings/sprinkles and a treat/reward, I could try Primal Turkey.  It took me sometime to get them to be willing to eat Primal Turkey, though. There was, of course, the initial resistance to anything new. I would safely say now that I’ve got seven of them to eat Primal Turkey (everyone, except Heidi who will not touch the stuff).

So, that’s protein No. 2 – Turkey for everyone except Heidi. We would have to find something else for Heidi.

Then, when we were searching for a solution to Indy’s loose stools problem, I was advised by a friend that Indy might need some greens as fibre. That led me to Coco&Joe’s barf because they add 5% greens. Their recipe has always had the 5% vegetables, but recently they introduced sprouts and microgreens into their recipe. I thought this might be closer to digested greens in a herbivorous prey’s stomach, so I decided to try this.

True enough, Indy and Cleo were often found eating a clump of weeds in the garden. I even saw Indy trying to eat cow grass. That’s when I bought the wheatgrass but he wasn’t interested in that. Heidi has a stash of her favourite weed (herb?) at the park and in our house compound which she always eats, but we fear that if we let Indy out of Stargate2, catching him back might be impossible. I’ve tried planting this weed inside, but Heidi won’t eat it. She has to eat from her secret stash at the park or in our house compound (outside Stargate2).

Complicated, right?

So, anyway, I started with something familiar, ie. Coco&Joe’s Chicken Recipe. Stick to chicken and introduce them to a different recipe which has greens. Only Ginger, Pole and Cleo were willing to eat this. Later, Bunny and Cow obliged by eating a little bit and that’s about it. Tabs and Heidi refused to touch it. Indy was under diet control at the time, so I didn’t give it to him until much later where he also obliged by eating a little.

I was looking at Coco&Joe’s also because they have other proteins like Chicken & Fish, Turkey with Chicken and Rabbit with Chicken (new). Initially, I wasn’t keen on exploring rabbit for personal reasons, but when Indy was suspected of food intolerance to chicken, I read an account by a pet parent whose cat had chronic diarrhoea for MONTHS (where nothing worked – you name it, he had tried it) and finally, it boiled down to food intolerance to chicken. The only thing that worked was a switch to rabbit for a few months and that did the trick. Now, he rotates protein for every meal and the cat is thriving (and cat eat chicken again too). The moral of that story is that food intolerance can happen to certain cats when they have been eating the same protein for too long. I was desperately trying to find a cure for Indy’s problem at that time so as much as I’d rather not, I knew I had to explore rabbit as well. For Indy’s sake.

I know how complicated this already sounds.

I also had to search for a new protein for Heidi. Of course I could go back to canned fish for her which she would gladly welcome, but I fear that if she even has one meal of canned fish, I am sure she will reject raw chicken again and all my efforts at converting her would have literally gone down the drain. Moreover, the canned fish that Heidi eats is tuna and the literature seems to suggest that the tuna, being a big fish, has high levels of toxins like mercury. Sardine is the recommended once-a-week fish treat, if we opt for it.

This led me to Coco&Joe’s Chicken n Fish recipe. They use sardines in it. So I bought some to try yesterday. So far, only Cleo, Ginger, Tabs (surprisingly!), Bunny and Indy would eat this. Heidi simply won’t touch it….again.

I also explored Cubgrub’s Quail for protein rotation. But only Ginger would eat it. Everybody else thought it wasn’t real food! I put a wee bit of Quail beside their regular Cubgrub Chicken and they boycotted the food. Removing the wee bit did not work. I had to remove all the food, wash the bowls clean with detergent, then re-offer the Chicken again. Only then did they eat. Phew! LUCKILY they ate!! I hear there are cats who would boycott food for a whole day if they smelled something different.

The things we do for them….

In fact, Ginger loved the Quail so much, he kept asking for more, as though saying, “Now, THIS is real food…where have you been all my life?” Also, Ginger had been acting up for many days now and he had only been eating bare minimum. Now, he is guzzling the Quail like he hadn’t eaten for months. In any case, nobody else would go near the Quail, so I am depending on Ginger to eat up the whole jar!

Waste not, want not. Help yourself, Ginger.

Before I complicate things further, this is what we have so far on protein rotation.

Staple food
Cubgrub’s Chicken (for everyone)
Primal’s Chicken & Salmon (for everyone’s treat except Heidi who won’t eat it)

For protein rotation:
Primal Turkey (for everyone except Heidi – she won’t eat it too)
Coco&Joe’s Chicken n Fish (for Cleo, Tabs, Indy, Ginger)
Cubgrub’s Quail (only for Ginger) – we may not proceed with this since he is the only one who is willing to eat it.

For every new food that I introduce, being willing to eat it is the first step but more importantly is the second step – watch their stools. So, this still needs to be done.

I might be exploring Coco&Joe’s Turkey with Chicken and Rabbit with Chicken next. I figured since it isn’t pure protein (like the Quail), maybe the presence chicken would offer a familiar scent. That’s just my guess.

When Vincent was sick (kidney failure), he was willing to eat Cubgrub’s Duck too. I might explore that as well, but it’s still a pure protein, like the Quail.

I would still need to find a second protein for Heidi, but we will do this slowly. Being able to convert her to raw chicken in one month is already a HUGE win. I’ll take that win and be extremely grateful for it.

I was thinking maybe I would just buy sardines and steam it for her….hmm. Cats cannot eat raw fish. It contains thiaminase which destroys Vitamin B in their body. Fish must be cooked.

Humans make life SO complicated!

P.S. A few days ago, I gave away all the remaining kibble in the house to a friend who welcomed it. We are officially off kibble now. I’m still keeping some remaining canned food, just in case.

P.P.S. Cleo could not agree with the Chicken & Fish. She had loose stools. So did Indy. So, that’s out for now.

The bottom line: It sure isn’t easy. 

Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2019/11/01/the-raw-deal-the-next-st..

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