I have two large breed kittens, they are mixed but supposedly have 3/4 mainecoon in them. I put them on raw immediately after adoption. Here is the general guidelines I have found with feeding raw to my kittens.
How much raw food I feed my kittens?
I spent quite a bit of time reading protocols for feeding kittens, most websites seem to suggest that kittens will not overeat - this is NOT true for my kittens, nor other people I know. Some cats just love food, others are picky.
I follow the at least 5% of current body weight in food per day. My kittens are 4 lbs each this means I feed them 0.20 - 0.25 lbs of food per day each. I weigh them weekly and adjust this as needed.
For those of you that feed raw you'll know that the amounts are guidelines. My one kitten tends to chub of faster (less active) while the other one is lanky and skinny. I tend to give a bit extra here and there to the skinnier one. Raw food is all about balance over time.
What blends do I feed?
Personally, my research has determined that both cats and dogs are mostly carnivores, requiring a high protein and high fat diet. Some people might be quick to bring up pancreas problems with a high fat diet, BUT uncooked fats are not hard on the pancreas. Thus, feeding a higher fat RAW diet is perfectly healthy and mimics a wild diet. I do feed veggies and other scraps but I focus mainly on meat and fats.
I feed my cats a mix of all blends. All blends contain organs and bones. For protein I choose:
Pure Turkey- this is their staple.
Chicken with Eggs
Beef/Bison
Supplements: I buy fish scraps (e.g. fatty salmon skins) and additional organs to mix in every now and then. I also add small amounts of psyllium to their first meal of the day every now and then (3x per week) just to help move things along. I do not mix psyllium with every meal because it blocks the absorption of nutrients. I also mix spirulina and chlorella into their food.
I make homemade probiotic yogurt to give them an additional boost
Taurine- because the meat is raw the taurine and other minerals do not degrade so no need to add as supplement. Taurine can be consumed in high amounts without issues so if your worried add it in!
How many times per day:
I feed my kittens at least 4 times per day. I also give them drinks
How difficult is feeding this way:
Once you get the hang of it, I would say an additional hour a week is required for prep. This is not difficult.
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