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View Full Version : Does anyone feed a BARF diet to their Cats?


borderdawn
22-06-2006, 06:06 PM
I feed my dogs BARF and occasionally Naturediet, just wondered whether any of you feed BARF to your Cats? Mine get raw Fish, and hearts, but thats it.
Dawn,

Kay
22-06-2006, 06:56 PM
I don't at the moment but I am seriously considering changing to it. Will do some research into it first. Is it a success with your dogs Dawn?

borderdawn
22-06-2006, 07:30 PM
Oh yes Kay, a HUGE difference, have done it for some years now. Very small poo's hard and hardly any smell, its great. The dogs have clean teeth and they chew their food instead of gulping it!

I would like to go the whole hog with the Cats, but at 14, 14 and 17 I think its a bit too old. Wiggy has some raw but isnt that keen, I might get naturediet for them from now on at least. Any future Cats will have raw as the main part of their diet. Let me know how you get on if you try it.
Dawn.

Fran
22-06-2006, 08:12 PM
My dogs are totally raw fed. Some of my cats are partly raw fed. They have raw minced chicken complete with bone. Two of the bigger cats will tackle a whole chicken wing :shock: They also get minced tripe and veg

Kim
22-06-2006, 08:15 PM
The cats don't like it Dawn, although I adopted an oldie semi-feral once that loved raw. Caleb is 99% BARF fed (except roast dinner on Sundays!) and he absolutely loves it!

borderdawn
22-06-2006, 09:11 PM
More doggie barfers!! :-D :-D

A chicken wing, thats pretty good for a Cat! Mine will eat chicken mince with bone in it too, but I dont often get it. Dogs had tripe and lambs hearts last night, old Jessie Cat, tried to nick it!

Dont worry about the Sunday roast Kim, mine are partial to that too. :-D
Dawn.

Fran
22-06-2006, 09:42 PM
Seriously there isn't much left of a chicken wing :shock: I was rather surprised too and only found out because one of them pinced one off the side :roll: My cats won't eat offal but I haven't tried them with heart although the dogs love both. I always have chicken mince in the dog freezer and it is what I wean my pups onto..

borderdawn
22-06-2006, 10:08 PM
Will Porsha get raw too?
Dawn.

Fran
22-06-2006, 10:10 PM
Will Porsha get raw too?
Dawn.

Yes she will but only part raw fed as the others are. She will still get the Hills food the breeder will feed her..

Sweet
22-06-2006, 10:53 PM
Whats Barf? x

Fran
22-06-2006, 10:54 PM
Whats Barf? x


Bones and raw feeding. Raw meat and meaty bones Sweet :D

Hreow
22-06-2006, 10:57 PM
Where do you find good-enough quality chicken?

Fran
22-06-2006, 10:59 PM
Where do you find good-enough quality chicken?

I buy mine from Landywood Pet foods in Staffordshire. It's all specifically prepared for raw feeding animals :cool:

Sweet
22-06-2006, 11:01 PM
Ah with you now :) x

Kim
22-06-2006, 11:10 PM
I buy mine from the supermarket. The tesco value range is good, they do lamb & pork chops and chicken wings. I also buy Caleb minced chicken, beef, turkey, pork and lamb and lamb ribs. Caleb had a raw rabbit for dinner this week too! Although I must say that this is a rare treat as I find it very difficult to feed him rabbit. :( I have heard mixed reports about Landywoods. One of the reasons I haven't ordered from them is that the minimum order is £50? Not sure I would have enough room in the freezer, even though we have a second freezer in the garage, but I would like to give him more variety. I have tried him with raw offal but he doesn't like it, so I occasionally buy kidney, heart & liver and cook it for him. He will eat the AMP blocks of minced meat for brekkie. He looks fab on his BARF diet, his poos are solid and don't smell and his teeth & coat are in great condition. I have no doubts in my mind that this really is the best way to feed a dog, and cats too if they enjoy it!

Fran
22-06-2006, 11:16 PM
I have heard mixed reports about Landywoods. One of the reasons I haven't ordered from them is that the minimum order is £50? Not sure I would have enough room in the freezer

I am very pleased with Landywoods. I have been with them so long now that they often waiver the minimum order for me but I do have a chest freezer just for dog food so can accomodate quite a lot really. I feed mine holistic wholebake too which I get from them. It's a type of wholebake mixer. They deliver every two weeks in my area and always phone me to ask if I need anything :cool: The quality is excellent especially their rib bones and I can't recommend them highly enough. Before I used Landywoods I got supplies of things from a local butcher and supermarket. It did work out very much more expensive doing it this way and I didn't get the variety I have now..

Kim
22-06-2006, 11:20 PM
I am very pleased with Landywoods. Because I have been with them so long now they waiver the minimum order often for me but I do have a chest freezer just for dog food so can accomodate quite a lot really. I feed mine holistic wholebake too which I get from them. It's a type of wholebake mixer. They deliver every two weeks in my area and always phone me to ask if I need anything :cool: The quality is excellent especially the rib bones and I can't recommend them highly enough. Before I used Landywoods I got supplies of things from a local butcher and supermarket. It did work out very much more expensive doing it this way and I didn't get the variety I have now..

Thanks for that Fran. :) Shame I haven't got anyone to share an order with!!! I agree that buying from a supermarket or butcher does work out more expensive and yes the variety is limited. I like the way Landywoods do the raw veg with the meat too. Perhaps I should ring them and ask advice....

Fran
22-06-2006, 11:24 PM
Thanks for that Fran. :) Shame I haven't got anyone to share an order with!!! I agree that buying from a supermarket or butcher does work out more expensive and yes the variety is limited. I like the way Landywoods do the raw veg with the meat too. Perhaps I should ring them and ask advice....

It is a shame you haven't got anyone to share an order with Kim :( I have a friend who is just 'trying' raw and she gets her supplies on my orders and then I take them over to her. it also means we can share the delivery charge...I do my own veg but always have some of their meat and veg mixes in for back up..

Kim
22-06-2006, 11:28 PM
It is a shame you haven't got anyone to share an order with Kim :( I have a friend who is just 'trying' raw and she gets her supplies on my orders and then I take them over to her. it also means we can share the delivery charge...I do my own veg but always have some of their meat and veg mixes for back up..

Good idea Fran. How is your friend or rather her dog getting on with raw feeding? What sort of things does your order contain? What do Landywoods charge for delivery? Sorry so many questions, Ben didn't like raw and Daisy was very fussy over it, so I didn't feed BARF very often, as Caleb loves it I intend to give him BARF for every meal.

Fran
22-06-2006, 11:36 PM
My friend has 2 Llaso Apsos and a Lurcher x greyhound. All is going well except the female Llaso has a bit of a runny tum on the barf :? The other two are doing really well on it. Delivery is £2 and my regular sort of order would consist of rib bones, chicken wings and chicken backs, one of their meat and veg mixes, I try to alternate the meat each time. So say tripe one time, lamb the next. I also have the holistic wholebake mixer and I buy the Greenark feed supplement which contains Kelp, alfalfa, nettle etc... My order varies according to whether the girls are pregnant or I am weaning pups. I buy coarse ground chicken mince for the latter third of the girls pregnancy but buy fine ground chicken mince to wean the pups on...I tend to still buy my offal and hearts from the supermarket as and when I need it and off course I feed things like tinned sardines, cottage cheese and whole raw eggs. My dogs don't tolerate raw fish it makes them vomit :shock: :?

Kim
23-06-2006, 01:12 PM
Thanks for that Fran! :) I give Caleb whole raw eggs too and garlic and naturezyme supplement. He doesn't seem too keen or fish, not even sardines.

borderdawn
23-06-2006, 02:07 PM
We used Landywood for a while and they were very unreliable. It was at work where we use 400lb chicken and 100lb tripe each month. The chicken was rotton on a lot of occasions, it stunk and was green. They delivered it in an estate car. They often didnt turn up and let us down on a number of occasions. I believe (although some are having problems again) that they are running a better service now they are in new premises. We now use http://www.tpms.co.uk I was invited (and my boss) to inspect their premises and look at everything that went on, we were very impressed. They have never let us down and do a huge range.
Dawn.

Fran
23-06-2006, 02:15 PM
I can honestly say I have never had a problem with Landywoods. The meat and bones have always come in a refrigerated van and I have never had any meat that didn't look or smell fresh. I have never found them to be unreliable at all :?

I looked at the link Dawn. I can't find any type of rib bones, did I miss them? and is there a price list on the site?

Ruthlynn
23-06-2006, 04:19 PM
I'd love to feed raw to Lily! She has the fish heads when we have trout and I've got some heart in the freezer that we had for Murph....how do you feed it? In chunks or minced? She actually does raw feed herself I'm sure because she's turning into a really succesful hunter!:shock: Not what I like but she's doing what comes naturally!:roll:

Booktigger
25-06-2006, 12:19 PM
I keep debating with raw, but would be too wary of them not getting the right nutrients. I did get them raw mince for PEbbles's birthday, and the only one who woudl eat it raw was Ginger - and he has no teeth!! Not sure what treat I would get them for Ginger's birthday in August - is raw fish OK to give them?

borderdawn
25-06-2006, 12:48 PM
Yes raw fish is fine.:D

I think they do rib bones Fran, no prices on there though, thats a bit annoying!! Im not sure how far they deliver north. I can only speak as I find with Landywoods, we had no end of problems and did often get smelly green chicken, an "Asian" festival they blamed one time!:shock: They are very local to us, so a good supplier close by would of been ideal.
Dawn.

Elaine
25-06-2006, 02:38 PM
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/felinekidney.htm

Was doing some reading about CRF today and came across this, I found it very interesting. Have thought on and off about raw feeding but am seriously thinking that it is the way to go and may try introding it to Bernie and Eva in the very near future. Added benefit for me is that my dad is a butcher.

dinahsmum
25-06-2006, 03:26 PM
Here is the link about recipes, purchasing grinders etc etc.
I'm still keen, for when the lads are bigger

http://www.catnutrition.org/pictorial.html

Luz
25-06-2006, 04:35 PM
I feed my dogs BARF and occasionally Naturediet, just wondered whether any of you feed BARF to your Cats? Mine get raw Fish, and hearts, but thats it.
Dawn,
I dont feed my cats the barf diet on purpose they just help themselves to the dogs dinner (always barf) if any is left. I think if I did give them a barf diet they would miss that lovely sound of a tin being opened. :D

Elaine
25-06-2006, 04:42 PM
So is it all as messy and complicated as it seems with regards to all the supplements etc?
If any of you give it to cats, how easy was the transition? Did they take to it imediately or was it introduced very gradually?

Elaine
26-06-2006, 02:58 PM
Excuse me if I am being a bit thick here but if the BARF diet is the most natural way to feed your cat/dog, which I would tend to agree with, why is it that you also have to give so many supplements as well?

Hreow
26-06-2006, 03:03 PM
Presumably because you do not feed whole animals? The stomach-contents would add vegetable matter and perhaps the missing minerals, vitamines etc., I imagine.

Kim
26-06-2006, 07:34 PM
Excuse me if I am being a bit thick here but if the BARF diet is the most natural way to feed your cat/dog, which I would tend to agree with, why is it that you also have to give so many supplements as well?

I don't think you do need to Elaine! I personally chose to give Caleb garlic for example as a natural remedy to keep fleas at bay, I give him cod liver oil as he tends to get dandruff, which incidentally is so much better than when we first had him. :)

Fran
26-06-2006, 08:46 PM
Excuse me if I am being a bit thick here but if the BARF diet is the most natural way to feed your cat/dog, which I would tend to agree with, why is it that you also have to give so many supplements as well?

Hreow has hit the nail on the head! In the wild, dogs/cats would choose/acquire their own diets and their meals would be balanced over a period of time. They would naturally assimilate all the nutrients they needed without obviously needing supplements. Because we actually feed a raw diet to our animals, it is not quite the same as them hunting their own food. We can only aspire to give them the nearest possible to their natural diet. This often results in a deficit of nutrients as not many of us would give them a whole dead animal to eat :shock:

borderdawn
26-06-2006, 08:51 PM
Hreow has hit the nail on the head! In the wild, dogs/cats would choose/acquire their own diets and their meals would be balanced over a period of time. They would naturally assimilate all the nutrients they needed without obviously needing supplements. Because we actually feed a raw diet to our animals, it is not quite the same as them hunting their own food. We can only aspire to give them the nearest possible to their natural diet. This often results in a deficit of nutrients as not many of us would give them a whole dead animal to eat :shock:
I give mine Rabbits whole. :cat36
Dawn.

Fran
26-06-2006, 08:52 PM
I give mine Rabbits whole. :cat36
Dawn.

Yes mine have 'whole' occasionally but in the natural environment most of their meals would be whole not just an occasional one.

Donna
26-06-2006, 09:34 PM
Do you just literally put the bunny in their bowl????

Sorry, but I have no knowledge of raw feeding (couldnt do it myself), but have found this thread interesting!

Fran
26-06-2006, 09:37 PM
Do you just literally put the bunny in their bowl????


:lol: @ Donna!! I just don't bother with the bowl bit ;)

Donna
26-06-2006, 09:41 PM
:lol: @ Donna!! I just don't bother with the bowl bit ;)


:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: oops sorry!!

Do you take the fur off first??? :oops: :oops: :oops:

Fran
26-06-2006, 09:44 PM
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: oops sorry!!

Do you take the fur off first??? :oops: :oops: :oops:

I don't feed rabbits to my girls as I keep two pet bunnies at home and haven't got the heart to feed rabbit to them. I have feed whole duck and pheasant to them though. We did de-feather them first ( is the term dress them?) but I know people who feed whole rabbits complete with fur to their dogs :shock:

Donna
26-06-2006, 09:52 PM
I don't feed rabbits to my girls as I keep two pet bunnies at home and haven't got the heart to feed rabbit to them. I have feed whole duck and pheasant to them though. We did de-feather them first ( is the term dress them?) but I know people who feed whole rabbits complete with fur to their dogs :shock:

Poor bunnies. I have a pet bunny so understand where you are coming from.

Mags
26-06-2006, 09:52 PM
Do you just literally put the bunny in their bowl????


:lol::lol::lol:....Sorry Donna but I couldn't help laughing at that!!

Donna
26-06-2006, 09:53 PM
:lol::lol::lol:....Sorry Donna but I couldn't help laughing at that!!

Glad to have amused you Mags!! :-D

borderdawn
26-06-2006, 10:02 PM
Mine get the fur too. Its amazing how dogs know the difference, apart from Breeze who had not known pet Rabbits before, the boys are fine with "Radish" and the smell of a wild Rabbit is very different, it stinks! My Ferrets would relish a wild Rabbit, but when I had to get a commercially bred one because of myxi, the Ferrets wouldnt touch it!

Mine have had Pheasants too, they were skinned, far quicker than plucking, they also get eggs complete with shell.
Dawn.

Fran
26-06-2006, 10:13 PM
I feed raw egg, both duck and hen complete with shells to my girls :-)

borderdawn
26-06-2006, 10:17 PM
I feed raw egg, both duck and hen complete with shells to my girls :-)
Good girl! :-D
Dawn.

Elaine
27-06-2006, 08:06 AM
Thanx for an interesting thread and lots of info. I would really like to try this Barf Diet on my cats and hopefull the transition wont be too unpleasant for them and me;)

dinahsmum
27-06-2006, 09:05 AM
Dawn/Fran - is the rabbit paunched before you feed it? Or the pheasant drawn? Imagine it must be. So puss is still missing out on the glories of the prey creature's digestive organs & contents? Think that is what all the supplements replace?

Fran
27-06-2006, 09:30 AM
I can't speak for the rabbit DM as I don't feed it but regarding pheasant / duck we have fed both prepared and unprepared as it were (sorry I don't know the correct terminology :oops: )

borderdawn
27-06-2006, 09:50 AM
Yes DM, I always gut the Rabbit first and the Pheasant.
Dawn.

Hreow
27-06-2006, 10:42 AM
Yes mine have 'whole' occasionally but in the natural environment most of their meals would be whole not just an occasional one.

Came back to this thread as it had new entries, thinking "cat" (instead of the obviously intended "dog") and trying to picture what Rover would do if I plunked a whole rabbit down in front of him. :shock: The "alright...and BTW where's my *food*!?!" looks... :lol:

Jeanette
27-06-2006, 07:12 PM
I feed Luna raw, and sooo want to feed Oliver raw aswell, but he's so stubborn, and wont eat it:roll: :roll:

Ruthlynn
02-07-2006, 06:41 PM
I gave Lily fresh herring - she chewed it a bit and walked away in disgust......raw chicken - now that's another story!:roll: She LOVES it! Perhaps the herring was too strong for her or perhaps she's just a fussy madam!:roll:

Donna
02-07-2006, 08:43 PM
I gave Chloe some raw chicken tonight and she wolfed the lot down!! Was so scared I was going to poison her tho!!

Been keeping an eye on her since she ate it and she seems ok!

Fran
02-07-2006, 08:45 PM
I gave Chloe some raw chicken tonight and she wolfed the lot down!! Was so scared I was going to poison her tho!!

Been keeping an eye on her since she ate it and she seems ok!


:lol: @ Donna!! I have been feeding my girls raw chicken for years and haven't poisoned them yet!! :-D

Donna
02-07-2006, 08:48 PM
It just goes against everything I have been taught about food hygiene/cooking/germs/bacteria etc etc!!!

And the thought of eating raw chicken turns my stomach!!!! Cant believe it tastes better than cooked with a nice sweet n sour sauce (which is what I had lol)

Fran
02-07-2006, 08:50 PM
It just goes against everything I have been taught about food hygiene/cooking/germs/bacteria etc etc!!!

And the thought of eating raw chicken turns my stomach!!!! Cant believe it tastes better than cooked with a nice sweet n sour sauce (which is what I had lol)

I don't advocate that you eat the chicken raw yourself Donna :shock: :-D But dogs and cats have different digestive systems from us and are able to cope with raw food, hence they can eat their prey uncooked. You don't cook Chloe's mice for her do you??

Donna
02-07-2006, 08:53 PM
I don't advocate that you eat the chicken raw yourself Donna :shock: :-D But dogs and cats have different digestive systems from us and are able to cope with raw food, hence they can eat their prey uncooked. You don't cook Chloe's mice for her do you??

Sorry Fran, worded that a bit wrong - but knew you would know I dont eat raw chicken!!! :roll: Was just making me feel queasy watching Chloe eat it!!:-D

And cook Chloe's mice??? She has only ever bought me worms - and I do them in a nice tomato sauce heated through with a few onions and served on a plate of creamy mash potato!!!:shock: :-D :-D

Dont you all do that????????????????????????:roll: :lol: :-D ;)

Fran
02-07-2006, 08:58 PM
And cook Chloe's mice??? She has only ever bought me worms - and I do them in a nice tomato sauce heated through with a few onions and served on a plate of creamy mash potato!!!:shock: :-D :-D

Dont you all do that????????????????????????:roll: :lol: :-D ;)


:lol: :lol: :lol: Course we do Donna :roll: :-D

Donna
02-07-2006, 09:02 PM
:lol: :lol: :lol: Course we do Donna :roll: :-D

Knew you more experienced cat owners would teach me a thing or two!!! Learnt everything from you guys!!;)

Mags
02-07-2006, 09:26 PM
And cook Chloe's mice??? She has only ever bought me worms - and I do them in a nice tomato sauce heated through with a few onions and served on a plate of creamy mash potato!!!:shock: :-D :-D

Dont you all do that????????????????????????:roll: :lol: :-D ;)
:-D:-D:-D @ Donna

Hreow
02-07-2006, 09:51 PM
Beurre blanc and chives, of course! Barbarian!! :-D
All Rover catches are tiny lawn-flies, and I think they're mostly in his imagination as well... :roll:

Xanthorn
05-07-2006, 08:46 AM
I am too much of a chicken to feed my cats a completely raw diet (I worry too much about supplements and things), but I strongly feel that they need some variety, and that wet/raw food is a necessary part of their diet. So although their basic food is dry biscuits (JWB at the moment), I make a point of feeding them raw food at least a few times a week.

I alternate what I give them - organ meats (heart, kidneys, liver) are very good for them, but since they can contain quite concentrated vitamins they don't get each one more than twice a month. Chicken wings always go down quite well, and occasionally I'll buy a big turkey drumstick which the both of them take turns with. Their absolute favourite thing is the frozen mice we get for our pet snakes - both lads go crackers for them, so normally once a week when we feed the snakes, they get a whole mouse each to run around with like an eejit for ten minutes, then devour.

Donna
05-07-2006, 12:31 PM
Can I ask another silly question????????


A couple of you have mentioned chicken wings - do I need to take the bone out, or watch them?

Xanthorn
05-07-2006, 12:59 PM
Donna - nope! Bones are absolutely fine for cats, as long as they're uncooked, there's no more risk of them causing an injury than having a cat choke on a cat biscuit ...

Mine enjoy gnawing on bones, and I am sure it is good for their teeth too.

Fran
05-07-2006, 05:34 PM
Can I ask another silly question????????


A couple of you have mentioned chicken wings - do I need to take the bone out, or watch them?

A couple of my cats will tackle a whole chicken wing Donna. Bones are absolutely fine as long as they are fed raw. Cooked bones are a definite no no

Donna
05-07-2006, 07:26 PM
Thanks you too!!!!

Was like this with my children too!!! Used to cut fruit cocktail up into smaller bits for them lol!!!!!

What a worrier I am!!!

Ruthlynn
07-07-2006, 06:03 PM
Lily had a fresh sardine tonight...loved it once I'd cut itup into smaller pieces for her!!:roll: :) I think she'll be having more fresh as I've had to stop work and money is very tight at the moment. Oscars is a brilliant food but rather pricey so for now, Lily will have Autarky/Whiskas complete with fresh in the evening.