| About Raw Food |
Madison is a more severe case. When he was switched to a raw diet in November of 2008 he improved from day one and
continued to do well until July of 2009. He began vomiting bile several times a week until it got to the point where it was
obvious he was having pain and the raw was no longer working well for him. After several tests and a thorough exam it was
confirmed that Madison has pancreatitis.
There’s no way to tell for sure what brought this on but our best guess after reviewing some other cases is that the larger
bone fragments in the brand of raw that Madison was eating didn’t break down properly and caused a backup of acid in his
GI tract, which then proceeded to aggravate his intestines and then his pancreas. Normally a healthy cat can easily digest
small bone and has no problem breaking it down for elimination. In fact, it’s important to have ground bone in raw food for
calcium and other vital nutrients you can’t get anywhere else. But for an IBD kitty that has a compromised organ system,
there is nothing normal about how their intestines are working. We also feel some of the herbs that are present in that
particular food and are known to upset an IBD kitty’s stomach and may have contributed to the whole issue. Again, there’s
no way to tell for sure. As we all know, IBD is always a diagnosis of exclusions and these upsets are no different. But
unfortunately the initial diagnosis and treatment of the disease does not guarantee that the regimen won’t change. That
inflammatory response is tricky and can change on a dime.
After switching Madison to a more palpable raw food, he seemed to do well with it for a day or two but by then the damage
had already been done and he needed to be put on steroids for the inflammation. Right now he’s on a grain free canned food
but at some point, his parent plans to try raw again when things have calmed down. The important factor is that for almost a
year, he not only tolerated the raw, but thrived on it. The problem now is that the flora in his system has changed and for
some reason, he’s not able to tolerate it well. Until his pancreas has settled down and is no longer struggling to keep up with
the rest of his stomach, he'll have to stay with canned food. In the future, a raw diet will likely be instrumental to replacing
those enzymes that have been lost and damaged from his pancreas. Even if he’s not on a complete raw diet, mixing it with
canned food will be better than no raw at all and will certainly add those nutrients back into his system much quicker than
just cooked food alone.
Another case is a kitty named Boo. In July of 2009 he was diagnosed with IBD and pancreatitis, and he's been on home
made raw from the time he was about a year old. His mom cannot figure out how he developed these conditions having been
fed none of the "usual" IBD triggers and being fed a solely raw diet his entire life. It's a mystery that's leaving her frustrated
and wondering what to do next.
All of these different issues are the reason it’s important to have these case studies for review. We need to have
documentation on what’s working for different cats and what can still go wrong with this disease. I believe strongly in a raw
food diet and would still recommend trying it. It is without a doubt the most important tool so far in seeing recovery in this
disease and its symptoms. Even if there are setbacks, major or minor, it’s by far the one thing that helps above all others. It
has a higher success rate for keeping IBD in check and keeping their system running on an even keel. It should never be
used to forgo medication if needed and it should not be the only tool used, especially when first diagnosed.
As far as worries of salmonella are concerned, I’ll bet it would surprise you to know that canned and even dry food can just
as easily contain salmonella and/or ecoli or fungal infections. Dry food sits in the warehouse, trucks, stores, etc., and if there’
s any leak in the bag then condensation can occur and you’ve got yourself a recipe for poison. This article from Nov. of 2008
clearly shows how people can easily contract salmonella from dry pet foods and how widespread it had become:
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/07/health/webmd
You can also read about it in this article from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/salmonellosis.htm
A terrific site for information on how pet food is made and how salmonella can turn up in dry food is:
www.bornfreeusa.org/facts. According to the information on this site, the cooking process kills bacteria in the ingredients,
but the final product can pick up more bacteria during the subsequent drying, coating, and packaging process. Getting dry
food wet can allow the bacteria on the surface to multiply and make pets sick.
A cat's digestive system is short and acidic. It can handle and process meat, bones, and most bacteria very effectively. But a
grain-heavy or purely vegetarian diet spells trouble for a cat’s tiny fermentation system. Carbohydrate rich foods, such as
dry grain and plant material, are difficult to digest and can cause an imbalance in the normal pH levels of a cat’s urinary
system, potentially leading to irritation of the bladder lining and increasing the risk for urinary tract infections.
Production of the digestive enzyme amylase becomes greater and the overworked pancreas becomes stressed. Undigested
grains and a pH imbalance create toxins in the kidneys and bladder and the weakened immune system can’t fight off illness.
Animals in the wild have healthy digestive systems because they eat a variety of foods including prey flesh, internal organs
and stomach contents. The combination of these foods provides a diet that is rich in high quality protein, enzymes,
vegetation and vitamins.
Raw foods help your pet maintain a healthy PH and enzyme level in their stomach and digestive track. This in turn helps
your animal to maintain a naturally strong immune system which helps prevent degenerative diseases from attacking their
bodies.
Why is Raw the Best?
Raw Meats properly prepared and minimally processed are high in essential fatty acids. These fatty acids are attained in
the wild naturally from the carcasses of the prey animals. Live enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants and friendly bacteria
are also found in a readily absorbable form in raw meats along with predigested grains and vegetable materials. Minerals are
scientifically found in abundance and in nature's own ratio in the uncooked bones of animals.
While the processed pet foods today are better formulated than in the 1930’s, they do not provide the live materials that A
FRESH RAW DIET can.
Top 10 benefits of feeding raw food:
1. Teeth brighten and lose plaque, eliminating the need for cleaning.
2. Breath becomes almost odorless indicating a healthy start to the digestive process.
3. Skin becomes healthy and vibrant and creates a hostile environment to most parasites.
4. Coat shines brightly and sheds minimally.
5. Stool is less in volume and much less offensive even in the litter box.
6. Optimal body weight is easily obtained and maintained. As a result, the vascular system is much less stressed, allowing
the best function
of the heart, liver and thyroid.
7. Large breed animals have much less chance of growing too fast. Their joints can grow without undue stress and their
long-term quality
of life is optimized.
8. Arthritic conditions are minimized and many geriatric companions feel rejuvenated and youthful. This is greatly
attributed to the
natural essential fatty acids as well as the overall PH balance becoming normalized, reducing inflammation. glucosamine,
chondroitin and
collagen are a natural component in raw meat.
9. Quicker recoveries from infections or infestations as well as over-all healing occur. The strength of the immune system is
revitalized and
better equipped to handle illness or injury.
10. The ravages of a degenerative disease seem to be decreased and overall chances for full recovery are optimized.
When it comes to handling raw food, wearing latex free vinyl gloves used for food handling while touching the food and then
disposing of them after each use will curtail any chances of contracting salmonella. Do not wear the same gloves to handle
different kinds of meat and/or foods. Keeping your working area completely clean and washing it with Clorox or some other
form of antibiotic cleaner or bleach, every time, is important. Make sure to clean your cat’s dishes with antibacterial dish
soap or use hot water in the dishwasher, and keep their food area clean. We all know what slobs cats can be when they eat
and there’s usually food strewn about their dinner area to prove it. Don’t let food particles waste on the floor or carpet.
The amount of time leaving raw food out for them to eat is a controversial issue. Most say 30 minutes tops but cats will play
with their kill outdoors for hours, sometimes days before eating it and not have any problems. Cats are natural grazers and
nibblers. If left to their own devices, a cat will eat between ten and sixteen small meals per day. Their teeth are designed to
stab and tear through raw or tough food rather than chewing it. In fact, in the wild, cats can swallow and digest food without
having to chew it.
They have a higher acidic level for food break down and digestion and they metabolize it at a quicker rate than humans do.
Normally it takes us between 35 to 55 hours to fully digest our meals whereas it can take a cat between 12 and 16 hours.
Most of my friends and even vets will leave their cat’s raw meal out for a couple of hours before removing it and tossing out
any leftovers.
Depending on where you live in the country and if you have the A/C running while your cat is eating, 30 minutes really
doesn’t need to be the limit. I certainly wouldn’t leave the food out all day but a couple of hours in a cool temperature
shouldn’t cause any problems with a good quality food that’s been frozen for at least three days first. If it’s a pre-made,
frozen raw food, it’s been in the freezer since it was put in the bag at the manufacturing plant. If you have to travel longer
than 30 minutes to pick up the food, bring a cooler with a freezer pack and/or some ice with you for the ride back just to be
safe, especially in summer months.
Eventually switching up the raw food is as important as when you fed canned or kibble. Give them different options of meats
and organs to ensure they don’t become allergic. I’d even recommend switching up the raw food supplements occasionally.
Any time you use a product continuously, you run the risk of their flora becoming too accustomed to it.
There’s a lot of different information regarding a raw food diet on the web and some sites suggest that when feeding whole
prey, you don’t need to supplement. That statement is in question by many experts and some people I know who own a
couple of holistic pet food stores say it’s nice in theory but can’t be 100% proven. They use supplements no matter what just
to be safe. When they use whole prey, they lessen the supplemental ratio per meal. They’ve been doing this for many years
and have never had a problem. Just make sure to read your supplement labels and if you’re going to prepare raw food
yourself, figure out your ratios for organs, bone, meat and supplements accordingly. And be careful when adding liver as too
much can cause an overload of vitamin A and it can be toxic.
The use of bones is also in question and information on this subject varies as well. Small chicken wings with bones seem to be
the safe choice but it still doesn’t guarantee there won’t be any obstructions, though it's rare. Ground bone for an IBD kitty
especially is probably best but be aware of acidic backup or constipation.
A very good explanation of feeding options for your cat according to weight, diet which includes canned and/or kibble with
raw or raw alone is given here at this site: www.rawadvantagepetfood.com. Some of the material used in this article was
written and provided by: www.rawadvantagepetfood.com.
This is the website of a holistic veterinarian who has some excellent reading on these subjects:
Grains and Raw Foods, Understanding Dog & Cat Nutrition, Understanding The Pet Food Industry, and Raw Food Diets: Go
to this link and you'll see the grains article. For the rest of them, click on the links to the left. Very, very good reading.
www.drkarenbecker.com.
continued to do well until July of 2009. He began vomiting bile several times a week until it got to the point where it was
obvious he was having pain and the raw was no longer working well for him. After several tests and a thorough exam it was
confirmed that Madison has pancreatitis.
There’s no way to tell for sure what brought this on but our best guess after reviewing some other cases is that the larger
bone fragments in the brand of raw that Madison was eating didn’t break down properly and caused a backup of acid in his
GI tract, which then proceeded to aggravate his intestines and then his pancreas. Normally a healthy cat can easily digest
small bone and has no problem breaking it down for elimination. In fact, it’s important to have ground bone in raw food for
calcium and other vital nutrients you can’t get anywhere else. But for an IBD kitty that has a compromised organ system,
there is nothing normal about how their intestines are working. We also feel some of the herbs that are present in that
particular food and are known to upset an IBD kitty’s stomach and may have contributed to the whole issue. Again, there’s
no way to tell for sure. As we all know, IBD is always a diagnosis of exclusions and these upsets are no different. But
unfortunately the initial diagnosis and treatment of the disease does not guarantee that the regimen won’t change. That
inflammatory response is tricky and can change on a dime.
After switching Madison to a more palpable raw food, he seemed to do well with it for a day or two but by then the damage
had already been done and he needed to be put on steroids for the inflammation. Right now he’s on a grain free canned food
but at some point, his parent plans to try raw again when things have calmed down. The important factor is that for almost a
year, he not only tolerated the raw, but thrived on it. The problem now is that the flora in his system has changed and for
some reason, he’s not able to tolerate it well. Until his pancreas has settled down and is no longer struggling to keep up with
the rest of his stomach, he'll have to stay with canned food. In the future, a raw diet will likely be instrumental to replacing
those enzymes that have been lost and damaged from his pancreas. Even if he’s not on a complete raw diet, mixing it with
canned food will be better than no raw at all and will certainly add those nutrients back into his system much quicker than
just cooked food alone.
Another case is a kitty named Boo. In July of 2009 he was diagnosed with IBD and pancreatitis, and he's been on home
made raw from the time he was about a year old. His mom cannot figure out how he developed these conditions having been
fed none of the "usual" IBD triggers and being fed a solely raw diet his entire life. It's a mystery that's leaving her frustrated
and wondering what to do next.
All of these different issues are the reason it’s important to have these case studies for review. We need to have
documentation on what’s working for different cats and what can still go wrong with this disease. I believe strongly in a raw
food diet and would still recommend trying it. It is without a doubt the most important tool so far in seeing recovery in this
disease and its symptoms. Even if there are setbacks, major or minor, it’s by far the one thing that helps above all others. It
has a higher success rate for keeping IBD in check and keeping their system running on an even keel. It should never be
used to forgo medication if needed and it should not be the only tool used, especially when first diagnosed.
As far as worries of salmonella are concerned, I’ll bet it would surprise you to know that canned and even dry food can just
as easily contain salmonella and/or ecoli or fungal infections. Dry food sits in the warehouse, trucks, stores, etc., and if there’
s any leak in the bag then condensation can occur and you’ve got yourself a recipe for poison. This article from Nov. of 2008
clearly shows how people can easily contract salmonella from dry pet foods and how widespread it had become:
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/07/health/webmd
You can also read about it in this article from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/salmonellosis.htm
A terrific site for information on how pet food is made and how salmonella can turn up in dry food is:
www.bornfreeusa.org/facts. According to the information on this site, the cooking process kills bacteria in the ingredients,
but the final product can pick up more bacteria during the subsequent drying, coating, and packaging process. Getting dry
food wet can allow the bacteria on the surface to multiply and make pets sick.
A cat's digestive system is short and acidic. It can handle and process meat, bones, and most bacteria very effectively. But a
grain-heavy or purely vegetarian diet spells trouble for a cat’s tiny fermentation system. Carbohydrate rich foods, such as
dry grain and plant material, are difficult to digest and can cause an imbalance in the normal pH levels of a cat’s urinary
system, potentially leading to irritation of the bladder lining and increasing the risk for urinary tract infections.
Production of the digestive enzyme amylase becomes greater and the overworked pancreas becomes stressed. Undigested
grains and a pH imbalance create toxins in the kidneys and bladder and the weakened immune system can’t fight off illness.
Animals in the wild have healthy digestive systems because they eat a variety of foods including prey flesh, internal organs
and stomach contents. The combination of these foods provides a diet that is rich in high quality protein, enzymes,
vegetation and vitamins.
Raw foods help your pet maintain a healthy PH and enzyme level in their stomach and digestive track. This in turn helps
your animal to maintain a naturally strong immune system which helps prevent degenerative diseases from attacking their
bodies.
Why is Raw the Best?
Raw Meats properly prepared and minimally processed are high in essential fatty acids. These fatty acids are attained in
the wild naturally from the carcasses of the prey animals. Live enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants and friendly bacteria
are also found in a readily absorbable form in raw meats along with predigested grains and vegetable materials. Minerals are
scientifically found in abundance and in nature's own ratio in the uncooked bones of animals.
While the processed pet foods today are better formulated than in the 1930’s, they do not provide the live materials that A
FRESH RAW DIET can.
Top 10 benefits of feeding raw food:
1. Teeth brighten and lose plaque, eliminating the need for cleaning.
2. Breath becomes almost odorless indicating a healthy start to the digestive process.
3. Skin becomes healthy and vibrant and creates a hostile environment to most parasites.
4. Coat shines brightly and sheds minimally.
5. Stool is less in volume and much less offensive even in the litter box.
6. Optimal body weight is easily obtained and maintained. As a result, the vascular system is much less stressed, allowing
the best function
of the heart, liver and thyroid.
7. Large breed animals have much less chance of growing too fast. Their joints can grow without undue stress and their
long-term quality
of life is optimized.
8. Arthritic conditions are minimized and many geriatric companions feel rejuvenated and youthful. This is greatly
attributed to the
natural essential fatty acids as well as the overall PH balance becoming normalized, reducing inflammation. glucosamine,
chondroitin and
collagen are a natural component in raw meat.
9. Quicker recoveries from infections or infestations as well as over-all healing occur. The strength of the immune system is
revitalized and
better equipped to handle illness or injury.
10. The ravages of a degenerative disease seem to be decreased and overall chances for full recovery are optimized.
When it comes to handling raw food, wearing latex free vinyl gloves used for food handling while touching the food and then
disposing of them after each use will curtail any chances of contracting salmonella. Do not wear the same gloves to handle
different kinds of meat and/or foods. Keeping your working area completely clean and washing it with Clorox or some other
form of antibiotic cleaner or bleach, every time, is important. Make sure to clean your cat’s dishes with antibacterial dish
soap or use hot water in the dishwasher, and keep their food area clean. We all know what slobs cats can be when they eat
and there’s usually food strewn about their dinner area to prove it. Don’t let food particles waste on the floor or carpet.
The amount of time leaving raw food out for them to eat is a controversial issue. Most say 30 minutes tops but cats will play
with their kill outdoors for hours, sometimes days before eating it and not have any problems. Cats are natural grazers and
nibblers. If left to their own devices, a cat will eat between ten and sixteen small meals per day. Their teeth are designed to
stab and tear through raw or tough food rather than chewing it. In fact, in the wild, cats can swallow and digest food without
having to chew it.
They have a higher acidic level for food break down and digestion and they metabolize it at a quicker rate than humans do.
Normally it takes us between 35 to 55 hours to fully digest our meals whereas it can take a cat between 12 and 16 hours.
Most of my friends and even vets will leave their cat’s raw meal out for a couple of hours before removing it and tossing out
any leftovers.
Depending on where you live in the country and if you have the A/C running while your cat is eating, 30 minutes really
doesn’t need to be the limit. I certainly wouldn’t leave the food out all day but a couple of hours in a cool temperature
shouldn’t cause any problems with a good quality food that’s been frozen for at least three days first. If it’s a pre-made,
frozen raw food, it’s been in the freezer since it was put in the bag at the manufacturing plant. If you have to travel longer
than 30 minutes to pick up the food, bring a cooler with a freezer pack and/or some ice with you for the ride back just to be
safe, especially in summer months.
Eventually switching up the raw food is as important as when you fed canned or kibble. Give them different options of meats
and organs to ensure they don’t become allergic. I’d even recommend switching up the raw food supplements occasionally.
Any time you use a product continuously, you run the risk of their flora becoming too accustomed to it.
There’s a lot of different information regarding a raw food diet on the web and some sites suggest that when feeding whole
prey, you don’t need to supplement. That statement is in question by many experts and some people I know who own a
couple of holistic pet food stores say it’s nice in theory but can’t be 100% proven. They use supplements no matter what just
to be safe. When they use whole prey, they lessen the supplemental ratio per meal. They’ve been doing this for many years
and have never had a problem. Just make sure to read your supplement labels and if you’re going to prepare raw food
yourself, figure out your ratios for organs, bone, meat and supplements accordingly. And be careful when adding liver as too
much can cause an overload of vitamin A and it can be toxic.
The use of bones is also in question and information on this subject varies as well. Small chicken wings with bones seem to be
the safe choice but it still doesn’t guarantee there won’t be any obstructions, though it's rare. Ground bone for an IBD kitty
especially is probably best but be aware of acidic backup or constipation.
A very good explanation of feeding options for your cat according to weight, diet which includes canned and/or kibble with
raw or raw alone is given here at this site: www.rawadvantagepetfood.com. Some of the material used in this article was
written and provided by: www.rawadvantagepetfood.com.
This is the website of a holistic veterinarian who has some excellent reading on these subjects:
Grains and Raw Foods, Understanding Dog & Cat Nutrition, Understanding The Pet Food Industry, and Raw Food Diets: Go
to this link and you'll see the grains article. For the rest of them, click on the links to the left. Very, very good reading.
www.drkarenbecker.com.
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There are many websites that make the claim that a raw food diet will “cure” your cat of IBD
and other associated conditions. While there is no disputing the fact that raw food will greatly
improve your cat’s condition and even alleviate symptoms, there simply isn’t a one-stop cure
for Feline IBD. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to state that raw is the
complete, once and for all answer. For some kitties it can do wonders for controlling this
disease. But recently we’ve seen a few of our case studies on this site have setbacks while
being fed a completely raw diet.
First, let me state that no one, including myself, is saying that the raw diet complicated or
aggravated the cat’s IBD. In fact, I believe if it weren’t for the raw diet, these cats would be in
far more serious trouble. In Merlin’s case, he had a very minor setback and with a slight
increase in his medication he was able to stay on raw and he continues to improve every day.
In contrast, another kitty I used to know was on a raw diet already when he was diagnosed
with IBD and pancreatitis. So there’s no telling for sure yet how this disease actually gets
started and what the answer is for eradicating it. So far we only have leads on what the
triggers are and how to treat those triggers and avoid further complications.
and other associated conditions. While there is no disputing the fact that raw food will greatly
improve your cat’s condition and even alleviate symptoms, there simply isn’t a one-stop cure
for Feline IBD. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to state that raw is the
complete, once and for all answer. For some kitties it can do wonders for controlling this
disease. But recently we’ve seen a few of our case studies on this site have setbacks while
being fed a completely raw diet.
First, let me state that no one, including myself, is saying that the raw diet complicated or
aggravated the cat’s IBD. In fact, I believe if it weren’t for the raw diet, these cats would be in
far more serious trouble. In Merlin’s case, he had a very minor setback and with a slight
increase in his medication he was able to stay on raw and he continues to improve every day.
In contrast, another kitty I used to know was on a raw diet already when he was diagnosed
with IBD and pancreatitis. So there’s no telling for sure yet how this disease actually gets
started and what the answer is for eradicating it. So far we only have leads on what the
triggers are and how to treat those triggers and avoid further complications.
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