Cats and Homemade Raw ("hardcore animal person" question)

[Monzter79]

This is a double whammy!!! I have 3 cats (and 2 dogs, but that's for another day) One cat is prone to bladder problems (already had very expensive surgery once for urinary blockage), and a cat with chronic renal failure - whom I medicate and administer sub q fluids to. They HAVE to eat wet food.

My vet and I came up with a great homemade diet for them. There health has been great since. The main ingredient is raw poultry. I grind the meat and bones myself at home. (Too much risk in store bought ground chicken, too expensive, and needs bone content)

I have not handled any of the raw cat food since I found out I'm pregnant. And the cats are switched to a canned diet. (Don't want "raw paws" running around while I'm growing a baby.)

My question is- should I be concerned about it? It's really expensive to feed 3 cats store bought canned food. Anybody have any suggestions for keeping costs down while providing a quality canned food diet?

I feel like a jerk- but this somehow got missed when we were planning for baby!

 

[misspriss]

Hm that is a toughy. Although, I assume, while you are preparing the food as long as you handle proper food preparation safety measures, you should be fine. Wash your hands before and after, etc. I mean it's no different from handling raw chicken for your own consumption, is it? Be sure to treat their chicken like you would yours - keep it refrigerated until use.

Do they roll around in while eating or anything? Or generally eat it right up and not leave any laying around? If it were the former I'd be worried, but the latter I'd worry a lot less.

It also depends on how much daily contact you have with your kitties. I pet mine a bit throughout the day, but they really keep to themselves (they are not the social kittens they once were). If I were in your shoes, I'd probably keep it up, but it's hard to say, because I'm not.

 

[ladders]

Can you boil the poultry carcass first before grinding so they are staying on the same diet but it's just not raw?
Definitely would be better for them then tinned if recurrent blocker and crf.

 

[Monzter79]

Hm that is a toughy. Although, I assume, while you are preparing the food as long as you handle proper food preparation safety measures, you should be fine. Wash your hands before and after, etc. I mean it's no different from handling raw chicken for your own consumption, is it? Be sure to treat their chicken like you would yours - keep it refrigerated until use.

Do they roll around in while eating or anything? Or generally eat it right up and not leave any laying around? If it were the former I'd be worried, but the latter I'd worry a lot less.

It also depends on how much daily contact you have with your kitties. I pet mine a bit throughout the day, but they really keep to themselves (they are not the social kittens they once were). If I were in your shoes, I'd probably keep it up, but it's hard to say, because I'm not.

Thanks MissP. I share your line of thought as well. They are pretty tidy eaters. I actually handle their food more carefully than I handle my own. I wear gloves, use a bleach/water air dry clean-up method, and hand wash like crazy. (I process about 20lbs at a time- so it's really important to keep it sanitary!) My husband is happy to feed them and is willing to process their food.

I know that a "raw fed" house can be "germy-er". Mostly due to their food bowls, mouths, and paw licking. (It's not for everybody!). I'm definitely leaning toward keeping it going and just add whatever additional measures I can to keep things extra sanitary. We have hardwood floors- so I see extra mopping in my future!!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

[misspriss]

Hm that is a toughy. Although, I assume, while you are preparing the food as long as you handle proper food preparation safety measures, you should be fine. Wash your hands before and after, etc. I mean it's no different from handling raw chicken for your own consumption, is it? Be sure to treat their chicken like you would yours - keep it refrigerated until use.

Do they roll around in while eating or anything? Or generally eat it right up and not leave any laying around? If it were the former I'd be worried, but the latter I'd worry a lot less.

It also depends on how much daily contact you have with your kitties. I pet mine a bit throughout the day, but they really keep to themselves (they are not the social kittens they once were). If I were in your shoes, I'd probably keep it up, but it's hard to say, because I'm not.

Thanks MissP. I share your line of thought as well. They are pretty tidy eaters. I actually handle their food more carefully than I handle my own. I wear gloves, use a bleach/water air dry clean-up method, and hand wash like crazy. (I process about 20lbs at a time- so it's really important to keep it sanitary!) My husband is happy to feed them and is willing to process their food.

I know that a "raw fed" house can be "germy-er". Mostly due to their food bowls, mouths, and paw licking. (It's not for everybody!). I'm definitely leaning toward keeping it going and just add whatever additional measures I can to keep things extra sanitary. We have hardwood floors- so I see extra mopping in my future!!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

My sister raw feeds her dogs, so I'm familiar with the practice. Look at it this way though, you have already been exposed to those germs for some time, so it's probably not anything that will hurt you now. Also, don't clean the litter boxes, just in case.

I think you are being incredibly safe about it (I would probably use gloves and regular cleaner and that is that!).

 

[Monzter79]

Can you boil the poultry carcass first before grinding so they are staying on the same diet but it's just not raw?
Definitely would be better for them then tinned if recurrent blocker and crf.

Hi ladders. Unfortunately, boiling will hurt the nutrition and digestibility of the bones. But your question has given me a thought.... It's possible that I could work with the vet on a cooked diet and supplement with bone meal. Not AS good, but probably better than canned and definitely less expensive!!!

Thank you!!

 

[Monzter79]

Thanks again MissP. I also feel like after all the exposure it should be fine. Normally, I'm REALLY laid back about stuff. But, this is my first baby- SO.... everything has to be filtered through "wait...is this okay????". Driving me nuts.

 

[Radkat]

We fed our cats a raw diet throughout my first pregnancy with no problems. DH made it but only bc it made me feel kinda barfy. We switched to the refrigerated food a little while ago, but only because we got tired of making the food. I feel kinda bad, but it just got too much with a LO. I'm convinced it was healthier for them. Sounds like you're very aware of the germ situation and clean appropriately. I understand your concern, but I think you should be fine.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I just check in with the husband, who's a vet tech at a practice that recommends raw. He said salmonella doesn't thrive outside of certain environments - if your cat licks his paws after eating his raw diet, any trace amounts of salmonella won't survive past a couple hours max, and it definitely won't survive on your floors. It's just the wrong environment for it - it will only potentially survive in a dark, damp environment. He suggests not letting the cats lick your face right after they eat

It sounds like having your husband do the prep and feeding, and just keeping your house normal clean, is perfectly safe. Most of the paranoia about raw diet is completely unfounded.

 

[Monzter79]

I just check in with the husband, who's a vet tech at a practice that recommends raw. He said salmonella doesn't thrive outside of certain environments - if your cat licks his paws after eating his raw diet, any trace amounts of salmonella won't survive past a couple hours max, and it definitely won't survive on your floors. It's just the wrong environment for it - it will only potentially survive in a dark, damp environment. He suggests not letting the cats lick your face right after they eat

It sounds like having your husband do the prep and feeding, and just keeping your house normal clean, is perfectly safe. Most of the paranoia about raw diet is completely unfounded.

Thanks MsKC.

Now that I think of it- I probably wouldn't be as paranoid, but my main "clinical" vet -also my baby's aunt- scared me about all the germs. I went ahead and consulted my holistic leaning vet to come up with their recipe. And, I clean extra... mostly to meet the concerns of my clinical vet. (realizing it's probably a little excessive )

Thanks to you and your husband for the reminder that this is a healthy diet and that there's no need to freak out!



After dealing with the variety of medical opinions regarding what's best for my pets over the years- I shudder to think what's going to come my way with this baby!!!

Thx again!