Anyone that has a kitten from me can tell you one thing is true…. they don’t just eat, they LIVE TO EAT! I raise my babies to have healthy appetites; after all, we want them to have that great, well-padded body or well muscled body. Some carry this a bit far - helping themselves to food if at all possilbe.  My dogs are all raised on a RAW diet. I would love to do that for my cats, but I realize that not everyone is willing to put in the time & effort to do this, so I supplement them with the raw & feed a variety of “premium” kibble & canned. I feed a mixture of foods for a couple of reasons. 

First, a lot of my babies go to homes with other kitties & this means they aren’t particular & more easily adjust to various foods with less stomach upset.  Second, since the food manufactures have had problems causing deaths & recalls they aren't "stuck" on any one brand if you need or want to change diets. Third, by mixing foods & feeding a variety, I know that the kittens are getting  all the nutrients they need.

I truly do love raw for my babies and it is actually the first “real” food they eat. Once they are big enough to climb out of the nursing box, they are given raw ground beef, rabbit or poultry. By the time you offer them the second or third piece of it, they are grabbing it out of your hands. While dry food is available at all times, they also receive raw daily & thrive on it. This is NO surprise, after all Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have evolved to EAT MEAT! 

Since I started feeding this way over 20 years ago, I have seen a wonderful change in my kittens. I have larger litters & the kittens are bigger at birth then when I had smaller litters. I have less URI’s & health issues & my moms always have more then enough milk. I truly feel that the raw diet  is the reason for this improvement in health. 

I guess this really isn’t a shock, since cats are carnivores & this is how they were meant to eat. Even my older cats readily took to the new diet & now have clean teeth, better coats & are more fit & active (well…OK, as active as folds get). Another benefit is because cat's bodies are meant for raw, there is less "waste" produced when feeding this way. It truly is a benefit to your pet, not just giving them the nutrients to "survive" but giving them what they need to be their healthiest.  Some people have concerns about a raw diet, but these concerns are unfounded. 

There are some wonderful group on Yahoo and Facebook about feeding Raw & I am happy to offer adivce as well. as I've fed raw for over 25 years & have helped convert many breeders, groomers & pet owners.   While it may seem daunting, it really isn't all that difficult & the health benefits are incredible.  While kibble may be convienant, it is devoid of enzymes & the stuff needed to provide your pet with good health. I've personally seen health issues, like allergies, skin issues, stomach & urinary problems, disappear after starting raw diet. If you don’t want to make your own raw diet there are now companies that provide premade frozen mixed diets & or ground meats including Hare Today Gone Tomorrow & Blue Ridge Beef, My Pet Carnivore, G&C pet food