These photos document the effects of a change to a raw meat diet on
our 3 cats, one of whom had IBD and the other two "apparently" healthy.
I say "apparently"
because despite expensive premium cat food and wonderful care, and normal
blood tests every year, you can clearly see how much healthier they are
on this species-appropriate diet. And as for Tristan, the formerly-IBD
cat, he is now normal and very healthy!
| Tristan Before |
Tristan
After |
Tristan is a 13 year old male.
Diet: Premium grain-free canned food and the occasional
stolen snack of premium grain-free dry food.
Problem: IBD - Chronic soft stools, terrible
foul-smelling stools, occasional bright blood and/or mucus in
stool, slowly wasting away.
Vet History: Tested for all parasites, x-rays,
ultrasound, blood tests all normal.
Notice in the photos how thin his hips are and how large his
head appears because he's about 2 lbs underweight. His coat
was also dull and coarse.
Photos taken the day we started conversion to raw diet (weight 9.4
lbs)
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Tristan was 13 years
old at the time of the diet change.
Diet: Home-made
raw food, almost exclusively rabbit. He is sometimes offered
turkey, elk, venison or quail. He can't eat chicken or chicken
eggs. Snack a few times a week of goat milk.
Care Notes: Tristan received 1000mcg/day of
vitamin B12 via sublingual tablet for the month of February,
in case he was B12 deficient as many IBD cats are. We then continued
the B12 twice a week for March and have stopped giving it now.
Tristan has never received any medication for IBD.
Observations: Tristan has is now at his ideal
body weight. He has a noticeably better coat and muscles now
cover his previously-protruding spine and ribs. He has more energy
and his stools are well formed and have no noticeable odor
Photos taken 4 months after conversion to raw diet (weight 11.3lbs)
Photos taken 6 months after conversion to raw diet (weight 11.8lbs)
Photo taken 18 months after conversion to raw diet (weight 12lbs). COmpare
the shine on his coat to the before photos and see the muscles in his shoulders
and back.
|
| Emma Before |
Emma After |
Emma is a 7 year old female.
Diet: Carefully rationed premium grain-free dry food.
Problem: Too fat! Otherwise she's very healthy.
Photos taken the day we started conversion to raw diet.
|
Emma was 7 years old at the time
of the diet change.
Diet: Home-made raw - mostly rabbit but turkey, quail, elk and venison
offered in rotation.
Observations: Emma has lost 2.2 lbs and feels
much more muscular, her coat is softer and brighter. She has more
energy.
Photo taken 4 months after conversion to raw diet.
Photo taken 18 months after conversion to raw diet. I'm a terrible
cat photographer but you can see her sleek shiny coat and slimmer
outline.
|
| Lister Before |
Lister After |
Lister is a 12 year old male.
Diet: Carefully rationed premium grain-free dry food.
Problem: Frequent vomiting - about once per week of undigested
food, poor coat, waxy black stuff in ears, slightly too fat (hanging belly)
Vet History: Otherwise apparently healthy, blood
tests all normal.
Photos taken the day we started conversion to raw diet.
|
Lister was 12 years old at the
time of diet change.
Diet: Home-made raw - mostly rabbit but turkey,
quail, elk and venison offered in rotation.
Observations: Lister is now svelte and velvety
soft, no more dandruff, the black stuff is gone from his
ears and he has not vomited once since the food change!
Photo taken 4 months after conversion to raw diet.
Photo taken 18 months after conversion to raw diet. Look at that
beautiful coat and svelte figure!
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