Raw Feeding : from theory to practice

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A little more than four weeks ago, we turned to Raw Feeding (model Franken Prey).

The theory of the Franken Prey model is the following one : the meat is roughly cut into pieces, and every meal represents artificially a whole prey (meat, giblets and bone) in the good proportions.

But in the practice…
– Pixie doesn’t like giblets.
– Zorro doesn’t like too much meaty bones (chicken necks most of the time).

If Claire lets us do, Pixie eats all the chicken necks, Zorro eats all the giblets, and our respective nutritional contributions are unbalanced.
Zorro307

How to do ?

Claire has to use trickery : to be able to watch that each eats correctly, she gives giblets and half of meaty bones in the morning, and the other half of meaty bones in the evening.

Zorro always comes to eat first while Claire is having breakfast. She cuts the half chicken neck in slices, and coats them with crumbs of crushed treats. She gives them to Zorro at the same time as giblets. When Zorro has finished, he receives then his ration of meat. Claire will do the same thing with the chicken neck for the dinner.

Pixie comes to eat when Zorro has ended. The first meal of Pixie is ground (meat and giblets). Miss cannot sort out and eats gladly her swill. When she has finished, she receives a piece of chicken neck which she gnaws and chews with great pleasure!

The meal of the middle-day mainly consists of meat : no need to watch. Once a week, Claire enriches this meal with a food complement (vitamins, minerals, trace elements and taurine) and a little salmon oil.

We like chicken, turkey, beef, and duck, but we like less rabbit. Claire wants to let us taste sardines : do you think that we’re going to enjoy it ?
Pixie et Zorro67

26 thoughts on “Raw Feeding : from theory to practice

  1. Canadian Cats

    Mom has tried straight meat with us and she can go whistle up a rope. We don’t like it and won’t eat it. We give mom the evil eye and want our Fancy Feast. She gets very upset with us.

    Shoko

  2. Sammy

    Sam is so set in his ways at 16-1/2 years old that he looks at me like I’m nuts if I try any of the raw diets OR even if I try another wet canned food out on him other than what he loves which is Fancy Feast “classic”. He’s a funny little guy – any change in his routine whether it’s food or bed time gets him quite upset. HAHAHA

    Good luck though with your change for Zorro and Pixie…..sounds like it will work! As for sardines – I’ve heard some cats like them and others turn up their nose. Typical cat behavior!

    Hugs, Pam

  3. Charles Huss

    I have tried giving our cats a raw diet, on and off, since 2010. It is very difficult to get them to eat it. I had been buying the frozen raw food but I want to start making my own. My plan is to buy a meat grinder that can grind bones. This way they all get the same portions. My problem now is that I don’t know of a good source of quality organic meat that includes organs like heart and liver. I also don’t know if they will reject it after all the work and expense. For now I am still thinking about what I am going to do.

  4. The Island Cats

    The mom has tried to incorporate raw food into our diet with not much success. So far she’s purchased the raw foods, not try to make it herself. Ernie seems to like it…but Wally and Zoey not so much.

  5. Hannah and Lucy

    We will not under any circumstance eat raw meat. Mum heaved a sigh of relief as she can’t bear touching raw meat and would never ever give any to us – even when she gives Hannah a freshly cooked chicken breast (depending on the size it will last 2 – 3 days) she washes her hands many times. Hannah will eat canned chicken in a sauce and canned chicken pate plus sachets of chicken in gravy Lucy will enjoy chicken in sauce and very occasionally eat a can of beef in tomato sauce maybe once or twice a week plus canned chicken pate.

  6. Summer

    I love raw, whole food – give me a chicken heart anyday! Binga and Boodie much prefer commercially prepared raw. Although they are older, they aren’t “set in their ways,” probably because my human is always throwing something new at them. I don’t know what you guys will think of sardines, but I can tell you I love them!

  7. Connie

    I think you will love sardines.

    with seven cats there was no way I could get frankenprey to work at my house. I am glad you found a solution

  8. da tabbies o trout towne

    pixi & zorro ~~~~ SARDEENZ !!!!!!!!!!!! we bet de next case load oh trout that comes in ewe both
    will LOVE EM !!!!!! 🙂 🙂 ♥♥♥

  9. Deziz World

    Ooooh Dat’s pawsum!!!! Glad ya’ll are doin’ well. Mommy’s been tryin’ to switch me. So far freeze dried raw is as close as me will go. But sardines? Yuck Good luck with dat.

    Luv ya’

    Dezi

  10. Fraidy Cats!

    when our mom went to switch us to raw, the oldsters were tough converts. Minnie was young at the time and she would/still eats anything 🙂 we always have the prepared/packaged raw because it is easiest. seems like we each have certain special needs when it comes to food so we mostly have stinky goodness any more. we are gonna put our money down that you will like sardines 🙂

    pip, smidgen, minnie, hollie, sharpie, ditto

  11. easy rider

    If you don’t like the sardines you can send them to me… I love sardines :o) (imagine the face of the postman lol) I agree with you rabbit is not really my thing… probably I don’t like it because that rabbit could be a cousin or friend of speedy …

  12. Kitty Cat Chronicles

    Sounds like an excellent meal! We like raw food here, but have never tried the Franken Prey model – only ground. We would love to try some chicken necks though — they sound tasty!!

  13. Gattina

    Feeding raw meat ? Besides minced beef, nobody of my cats would touch raw meat, and then I wouldn’t dare to change because they are not the youngest once anymore ! But if it does good to your cats then it is OK of course.

  14. Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi

    Your franken prey diet sounds delicious! We were being given a commercial raw food until Merlin’s cancer diagnosis. With his medications the vet team didn’t want him to continue having raw, so it’s no raw for all of us, at least for now.

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