If you feed raw, does your cat get enough taurine?

[admin]

I met the woman who runs Feline's Pride today at the NJ show and she is super knowledgeable! really nice woman - her name is Jen...she actually picks up the phone when you call Feline's Pride and is willing to talk to and help anyone who calls. I picked up some Feline's Pride to see if I can get Taj to eat it. They have rabbit, duck, chicken and cornish hen. They also have a starter pack, where you can grind the raw and then add the starter pack, which has all the nutrients that may be slightly lacking, if you freeze any of your raw.

So today I learned that if you freeze raw or even whole prey, taurine degrades and your cat/kitten is not getting enough of this vital amino acid...she gave me the idea of using liquid taurine and putting it inside the whole prey...so I will do that..or you can just use it with your ground for the day. You don't need to use liquid, but jen gave me the name and website...it is Dynamite and the liquid taurine is actually vitamins, minerals and aminos: https://www.securedcontent.net/dynamite/liquidpurrr.html

Jen also suggested using a small fish type of oil, such as krill oil, since there is not alot of that going on in whole prey.

Hope this was useful info!

 

[Lori Greer]

Great i

I met the woman who runs Feline's Pride today at the NJ show and she is super knowledgeable! really nice woman - her name is Jen...she actually picks up the phone when you call Feline's Pride and is willing to talk to and help anyone who calls. I picked up some Feline's Pride to see if I can get Taj to eat it. They have rabbit, duck, chicken and cornish hen. They also have a starter pack, where you can grind the raw and then add the starter pack, which has all the nutrients that may be slightly lacking, if you freeze any of your raw.

So today I learned that if you freeze raw or even whole prey, taurine degrades and your cat/kitten is not getting enough of this vital amino acid...she gave me the idea of using liquid taurine and putting it inside the whole prey...so I will do that..or you can just use it with your ground for the day. You don't need to use liquid, but jen gave me the name and website...it is Dynamite and the liquid taurine is actually vitamins, minerals and aminos: https://www.securedcontent.net/dynamite/liquidpurrr.html

Jen also suggested using a small fish type of oil, such as krill oil, since there is not alot of that going on in whole prey.

Hope this was useful info!

Great info and yes, taurine deficiency is always a concern, especially with breeding females as taurine deficiency seems to cause any number of birth defects, most notably flat chested kitten syndrome.

 

[admin]

Thanks Lori...Jen also told me that breeding females, especially, need more copper during pregnancy and that a deficiency in copper causes smaller litters, stilllborn litters and birth defects. She said many breeders do not know this...I have to say, she was wonderful!!!

I think she is going to contribute on this forum...she is a wealth of info.

 

[MK Anderson]

Yes, I always add taurine, krill oil, and total-bontics and total=zymes fresh too my raw food...I put my raw in 2 cup freezer cups, so I know exactly how much to add. this is the website for the total-bontics and total=zymes http://ultrapetproducts.com/products.html

She gave awesome advice!!!

 

[admin]

Yes, I always add taurine, krill oil, and total-bontics and total=zymes fresh too my raw food...I put my raw in 2 cup freezer cups, so I know exactly how much to add. this is the website for the total-bontics and total=zymes http://ultrapetproducts.com/products.html

She gave awesome advice!!!

Thanks for the link, MK...she also said to add it to the thawed raw and whole prey. is that what you do?

 

[MK Anderson]

Yes, I only add it when it's thawed. I always try to use hearts and try not to have to supplement for that. I've only had to supplement a couple times which I don't like to do!! But a few times they have not had hearts....So, I do feel it degrades in freezing and because taurine is water soluble(and most important for cats) it is always safe to do so.. I add krill oil only to thawed.

 

[admin]

Ok - that is what I thought - thanks! I'll use the liquid taurine and krill oil as well for zuri since she eats whole prey ;-]

 

[MK Anderson]

I've never heard of liquid taurine I'm going to check that out as well

 

[admin]

it's actually part of the dynavites from the link above.

 

[Lori Greer]

So what are good sources of copper? I hadn't heard that before.

Thanks Lori...Jen also told me that breeding females, especially, need more copper during pregnancy and that a deficiency in copper causes smaller litters, stilllborn litters and birth defects. She said many breeders do not know this...I have to say, she was wonderful!!!

I think she is going to contribute on this forum...she is a wealth of info.