What to feed my bengal?

[Elvisisboss]

I have no idea what to feed her, I keep getting different advice, she was on Iams before coming to me, but she has had a tumache (runny poop) since she got here on sunday night :( We thought the traveling/stress of moving & the fact we bought the wrong food (idiots!) was the reason.

She still has it though :( shes going to the vets tom night.

BUT I read that just feed raw mince for bengals, and thats it? but surely then wont get enough vitamins?

I keep reading that they have sensitive tums........then I read that they can eat like any other cat normal cat food!

not sure what to listen to or feed for the best? shes nearly 2!

Any help appreciated!

[Mags]

I didn't realise you had a Bengal, I hope her tum settles down soon..

[pinklizzy]

I'd keep her on the same food until seeing the vet this evening, they'll probably advise bland diet for a couple of days until her tummy settles down, then introduce a high quality complete diet over about a 10 day period. It could all be stress-related, being 2 years old will make the transistion to a new home harder than if she was a still a baby, but doing the diet transition a lot slower will help if she does have a sensitive stomach.
Hope it goes well at the vets and she's feeling better soon, also, double check when she was last wormed as some animals will develop a runny tummy if they're overdue with worming.

[Elvisisboss]

I didn't realise you had a Bengal, I hope her tum settles down soon..

You probably wouldnt as it says I only got her on sunday.

I'd keep her on the same food until seeing the vet this evening, they'll probably advise bland diet for a couple of days until her tummy settles down, then introduce a high quality complete diet over about a 10 day period. It could all be stress-related, being 2 years old will make the transistion to a new home harder than if she was a still a baby, but doing the diet transition a lot slower will help if she does have a sensitive stomach.
Hope it goes well at the vets and she's feeling better soon, also, double check when she was last wormed as some animals will develop a runny tummy if they're overdue with worming.

Yes she is due worming, she settled in withing about 15mins never met such a chilled out cat!

ill see what the vet says!

[Leesy]

Hi just read your post about your Bengal cat, how did you get on at the vets and has her tummy settled, I have problems with loose stools with my Maine Coon cat Maximus who is 7 mths old, he has been diagnosed with colitus and I have been pondering over changing him onto the raw food diet, have you actually made a decision yet or been able to get any advice.

[Elvisisboss]

Hiya she became more ill with other problems so I had to sort them, them vet gave me some pump thing with this awful green stuff!!! to put in her mouth for her tum, it hasn't helped at all!!

I am thinking of going raw she is very meat orientated and i think it may be best for her, I am thinking about easing her into it so I am just reading up on BARF & other raw sites, its alot to take in all the good & bad etc.

I am trying to find a site online that I can buy raw food for pets on, I have only found one site But it was a £50 min order and I dont have a big enough freezer/fridge for £50 worth! Plus say she doesnt like it? (I think she will though)

So I really want a place with no min order, maybe ill pop to the local farm/butchers? I wonder if they do 'pet bags' or something?

So far I have read, 2 x rawchicken wings per week, for cleaning the teeth, 1 x beef heart for the extra taurine

The gristle/boney/end bits are said to be better than the meat itself! then chicken/lamb/beef some say no pork, some say pork OK?

some say dont mince the food due to air....some say its ok if you add the beef heart in as then it doesnt matter!

very confusing to a newbie!!

[Leesy]

Hi sorry to here the green stuff has not helped, are you going to go back to the vets.


I have been looking things up on the websites wich like you have said can be abit contradicting and confusing.

My breeder Jenny gave me this website address (www.woldsway.co.uk) that sells whole minced rabbit meat for pets that has the bones, heart, lungs etc in so that they get everything in it. It seems quite good so am considering getting some from there as rabbit is supposed to be really good for them. That site has a minimum order of £10.00 which isn`t to bad.

Tried them with a little bit of organic minced beef form local butchers first though to see if they liked raw meat, Maisy the youngest wolfed the little bit down that I gave her and proceeded to climb up my trouser leg for more, Maxi the one with the bowel problem was a little bit hesitant at first but did eat the little bit I gave to him.

I am doing like you have said just introducing a little at a time so as not to upset their tums.

Hope you find the wesite of interest.

[Elvisisboss]

Hiya thanks I am going to go on that site now!

She has now been about a week on raw, still hasnt got hard poos but they are getting better and do not smell as much (she could clear a room........no wait the entire lower floor of the house before!!)

She has turkey thigh pieces, beef, lamb, chicken, sardines & tuna heart/kidney/liver once a week & chicken wings which I cut up as she cant get into them!

She still has a few biscuits, but she LOVES it, she wolfs it down and wants more! its really cheap aswell, only cost me about £3.50 for a weeks worth! :D

[Leesy]

WOW,sounds like everything is going great for you and you and your cat (sorry what is her name don`t think you have said).

I have had a little bit of a set back with Maxi as he has been to the vets with a cystitus problem and is on various medication to clear that up, so I am just going to wait until I have got the all clear from the vets then I am definataly going to give it a go.

Will keep you informed as to how we go.:D