Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 06, 2008, 19:06:48 PM

Title: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 06, 2008, 19:06:48 PM
I have seen where some of you feed your cats whole chicken.  This may be a dumb question but I am new to owning cats so I'm still learning.  When you feed your cats this whole chicken, is it cooked?  Do you boil it or feed it raw?  Do you de-bone it too?  Can cats have chicken bones?
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: hOrZa on September 06, 2008, 19:12:10 PM
I feed mine raw chicken wings for something to chew on but have served them cooked chicken but not cooked bones :)


Someone will be along shortly with a better explantion though
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 06, 2008, 19:34:57 PM
Thank you.  When you say you don't feed cooked bones, do you mean you debone the wings before you feed, or do you mean you only feed raw bones?
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: hOrZa on September 06, 2008, 20:04:02 PM
yes raw bones, cooked bones splinter too much

hth
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: Millys Mum on September 06, 2008, 21:52:39 PM
If your cooking the chicken remove the meat from the bones when it comes out the oven, if your feeding raw the bones are ok but if your cats are new to raw feeding they may need to start off with small chunks of meat first  ;D
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 07, 2008, 17:41:01 PM
Thank you.  I must admit I feel a little bit uncomfortable feeding my cats raw chicken.  I've always thought that raw meat could give tum problems?  Are cats different than us? 
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: Christine (Blip) on September 07, 2008, 17:45:46 PM
I am the first to admit I know nothing about this  :shy: but I think (no, I know  ;)) that Gillian Ambercats and Susanne Urbantigers will be able to give you a full briefing  ;D  I hope one of them will be along in a while - hold on!
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: Gillian Harvey on September 07, 2008, 19:45:15 PM
Quote from: HunterHarleyMum on September 07, 2008, 17:41:01 PM
Thank you.  I must admit I feel a little bit uncomfortable feeding my cats raw chicken.  I've always thought that raw meat could give tum problems?  Are cats different than us? 

Yes, very different! cats are designed to eat raw meat - thats what they eat in the wild after all. Their stomach acids are capable of dealing with any bacteria and they have much shorter intenstines than us which means food has a fast transit time through the gut (doesnt hang around long enough to cause any problems!)
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on September 07, 2008, 20:08:17 PM
I feed raw meat and raw chicken bones to my cats.  I dont feed full meals of raw meat, just snacks, so dont' worry too  much about it not being a complete diet.  They get beef, chicken and lamb (whatever I'm eating mainly!) and both love it.  I give Jaffa raw chicken wings about twice a week and he loves them.  The bones are good for their teeth (it's how they'd keep their teeth clean in the wild).  Jaffa has gone from being a bit tentative about large pieces to crunching up whole chicken wings.  Mosi will not eat bones or large pieces of raw meat but he is gradually eating bigger pieces now.  If you want to get into raw feeding in a bigger way, you need to make sure you supplement meat with bones and organ (either by feeding whole animals or by following a reliable recipe including parts of the animal or supplements).

Cats have a shorter digestive tract than humans and it is more acidic too, so they are less prone to problems from raw meat than humans.  It still makes sense to make sure the meat is fresh and from a reliable source though.  I keep the wings frozen and just take one out of the freezer (defrost in fridge) when I want to feed one.
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 07, 2008, 22:16:18 PM
Gillian (Ambercat) & Susanne (urbantigers),

Thank you so much for explaining it to me better.  Now I understand.

I think I now feel comfortable enough to give it a try.  Next trip to the grocery store I will buy some chicken wings and start off slow.

It's kind of exciting to see how my cats will react to getting raw chicken/meat.

Hope they don't turn in to crazy Wild Beasts of the Jungle! lol :rofl:
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on September 07, 2008, 22:28:43 PM
Jaffa was introduced to raw chicken wings for the first time at the age of 10 and he has really taken to them  ;D

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,9780.0.html

He didn't have raw meat until 2-3 years ago but he's proved his carnivore credentials by loving it.  He is funny with his chicken wings as he runs off to his special corner with them and growls in case anyone is thinking of taking them off him.  He eats everything except for about an inch of the largest bone.  The first time I gave him wings, I broke them into 3 smaller pieces at the joints.  Mosi is less sure about raw meat, despite being a youngster, but he's getting the hang of it and will now eat pieces about an inch square (and also realising that if he doesn't eat it up quick, Jaffa will steal it).
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken?
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 07, 2008, 23:44:21 PM
Aw, that sounds so cute and so much fun too.  I do know what you mean about Jaffa stealing any leftovers.  I have two Chihuahua's also and when I give them dog treats, my one little girl Pearl, always likes to "hide" hers for later snacking but then Ruby always finds it first.  It is all very funny to watch.  Oooh I can't wait to try out the chicken wings for my 3 kitties! 
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 17, 2008, 21:07:00 PM
Today is my Hunter's first birthday!  Yippee!!  So I wanted to do something special for him.  I went and bought a whole rotisserie chicken, which he has shown very little interest in eating.  However, his BIG surprise is that I also bought him some fresh raw chicken wings too!  Now, before I feed them to him, I will washing them, but is that all I need to do?  Just give it to him raw and see what happens?

I'm really excited about giving him this...aw my wild beast of a cat! lol :rofl: :rofl:
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on September 17, 2008, 21:19:07 PM
Quote from: HunterHarleyMum (Val) on September 17, 2008, 21:07:00 PM
Today is my Hunter's first birthday!  Yippee!!  So I wanted to do something special for him.  I went and bought a whole rotisserie chicken, which he has shown very little interest in eating.  However, his BIG surprise is that I also bought him some fresh raw chicken wings too!  Now, before I feed them to him, I will washing them, but is that all I need to do?  Just give it to him raw and see what happens?

I'm really excited about giving him this...aw my wild beast of a cat! lol :rofl: :rofl:

Some people cut them into 3 (at the joints) if it's his first time with raw, I gave the boys whole ones and they were not impressed to say the least.  Cooked chicken is a different matter entirely!  Some people freeze the wings first then defrost them to kill any bugs but too late to do that for his Birthday treat.

Hope Hunter enjoys it  ;D

:birthday:

Hunter  :wow:

Hope you have a great day with lots of extra treats and cuddles  :) The boys insisted on throwing a mini party held in your honour  :)

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z202/Lucas_Riley/15062007.jpg)
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 17, 2008, 22:04:13 PM
Aw Thanks Tiggy's Mum - Helen and the boys!  How sweet! Hunter loves a party!  He said he will send you a chicken wing too if you like?  lol :rofl: :rofl:
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: swampmaxmum on September 18, 2008, 10:02:51 AM
Very happy birthday to Hunter! With a name like that, he should have gobbled up a rotisserie chicken! My chicken muncher, Max, loves plain boiled chicken (no garlic or anything as not good for puddytats), cooled and broken into little bits. I overcook it horribly to make it soft. Then again, some cats don't like fresh chicken or aren't quite sure about it if they normally eat tinned food.
Hope Hunter had a lovely birthday anyhow.
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 29, 2008, 23:39:02 PM
Just thought I would update.  Hunter did not like fresh raw chicken wings at all.  Neither did my other two cats.  It's roasted chicken here. :rofl: 
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on September 29, 2008, 23:54:55 PM
Mine wont touch raw meat either, they prefer Kentucky  :rofl: :rofl:
Title: Re: Feeding Chicken? Bought some today for Hunter's 1st Birthday!
Post by: HaneyHarperIndyMum (Val) on September 30, 2008, 02:02:00 AM
Heck, I even like Kentucky! Yummy!