feline diet
At Somnolentia we are strong believers in the benefits of raw feeding our cats, and this page is dedicated to education and information on how we do that in a safe, healthy, and cost-efficient way. Most of our education regarding raw feeding comes from Hare Today, but below we have included a list of sites that are also helpful in raw feeding education.
The Proteins.
Our Maine Coons are fed a diet of raw meat consisting of chicken, duck, quail, rabbit, goose, and (sometimes) turkey. Their food is supplemented with a vitamin slurry of vitamin B, vitamin E, Taurine, and fish oil. While chicken is the most cost-efficient, pound for pound the raw meat diet is going to be cheaper than trying to find a quality dry food brand. Quail and geese are fed as novelty proteins, but turkey stinks too much for us to use it often.
The Supplier.
The raw meat is procured from Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow which offers a blend of ground raw meat, bones, and organs in an 80/10/10 ratio, which is ideal for cats. They offer every one of the proteins we look for, and in a variety of cuts as well.
Enthusiastic Eaters.
Our Maine Coons love the raw diet, and our kittens are often referred to affectionately as the “meat babies”. The kittens are easily switched over to dry food depending on what is best for the buyer, but they are healthier when fed fresh meat.
Reluctant Eaters.
Reluctant cats can be enticed with tidbits such as crushed treats, a sprinkle of Fortiflora Probiotics, or even parmesan cheese. While our older rescues have taken much longer to come around to a new diet, they can be found from time to time licking up the trays after the other cats have eaten. Our reluctant rescues (and one troublemaking Maine Coon) enjoy Orijen Dry Cat food and Acana Dry Cat food. Remember—some cats take longer than others to adjust, and its important to take your time transitioning so that your cat’s health is never in danger.
References and Helpful Sites
“A few hours in the kitchen 4-6 times a year is a very small price to pay for having complete control over what goes into your cat’s food bowl.”
—Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition – Common Sense. Healthy Cats. (catinfo.org)
“Immerse yourself into our free raw feeding articles to guide you on your journey to create a home prepared raw diet for your pet; or work with one of our certified canine nutritionist to create a diet complete and balanced with all essential nutrients for optimal health!”
— Perfectly Rawsome, Raw Feeding Resource for Raw Feeders
“There are a range of problems with commercial dog and cat foods.
The truth about most commercial dog and cat foods is that they are loaded with additives and harmful chemicals that harm your dog or cat over time.
Many dogs and cats are suffering from many elements that can be avoided when the right food is fed to them.”
