Beth & Atlas
Member Since 2010
Dear AVMA,
Hi! I finally was able to get to the computer without my “mom” hanging around, my name is Atlas and I am a diabetic cat with IBD. My mom is all upset about this new policy you are all going to be voting on. And looking at all these write-ups here many already point out the benefits of feeding raw. So I guess my story isn’t going to mean much more to you than what has already been said. But, I’ll give the low down anyway.
About 3 years ago I just couldn’t help myself anymore. I was drinking and peeing and pooping everywhere! And the old owner decided enough was enough and tossed me away in the park. At first it was a grand adventure for me, but soon I realized I was always hungry, thirsty, cold, and just pooping myself everywhere. Ugh...how undignified for an orange Maine Coon cat. Soon it turned to winter time and well I thought I was going to die. Thankfully animal control found me and through the care of a great foster and several great rescue organizations I am here today to write to you.
They tell me my diabetes came from needing all those steroids to treat my IBD. And I guess my previous owner didn’t know what the symptoms of diabetes were...so I got tossed away. So the new owner, mom, started treating me for diabetes. But the constant inflammation in my tummy wouldn’t let me get regulated right. Like my previous owner, the Dr. tried everything over the course of 9 months. He finally relented to trying raw food. Guess what? In 3 days my tummy started to heal and then I got real nice solid poops and even better my diabetes came into regulation. I went from needing 8 units down to only needing 0.5 units! That is right, just half a unit of insulin! Sure it took awhile, but I’m here to tell my story! To this very day I can’t eat any kind of processed foods. Even the canned foods made by the raw food company upsets my tummy. Uh? Go figure, but it is true.
But, I think you all smart vets already know in your hearts that this fuss you want to make over feeding raw is unfounded, right? I mean all those diseases can be found on regular kibble and even in the human food chain too. Didn’t they recall a bunch of spinach and lettuce for one of them bacterias?
Now I am gonna say something here that might get you vets all upset, but I didn’t get here because somebody was educated about carnivore diets. You see, I know you all are having a hard time getting the cat folks in for regular cat care. You need to realize a policy position like this is just going to drive your clients away and maybe some will be like my previous owner and just throw us cats away. I don’t think that is the fallout you want this policy to have. So if chasing clients away from uneducated vets about raw feeding, causing more pets to be dumped or surrendered to shelters is not your goal, I urge you to vote no on this misguided policy.
I don’t think you’ve gone about this “study” of yours quite the right way. The question you are looking to answer is, “What is the real risk to the human food chain,” right? So none of them studies you cite discuss this as a real Risk Assessment and Threat Assessment. You see the threat is from big companies. A company that ships thousands of lots of food all over the country. Just look at what the FDA said about the Diamond Dog Food Recall. These little guys working on developing dog and cat raw food, well they are spending lots of attention to the details and I bet you won’t find a cardboard repair in one of their plants. Plus if it is on a small scale the risk to the general population is smaller too.
So, there I had most of my say. I am here to say it thanks to a mom who was willing to try and feed a raw diet. Don’t let them big ole pet food companies scare you either. Use your common sense. The big pet food companies won’t, can’t, and don’t do raw food because it is too difficult for them on a large scale. And ya’ know, that might just be a good thing.
What is Atlas talking about? http://atwork.avma.org/2012/07/18/the-f ... ood-diets/
Hi! I finally was able to get to the computer without my “mom” hanging around, my name is Atlas and I am a diabetic cat with IBD. My mom is all upset about this new policy you are all going to be voting on. And looking at all these write-ups here many already point out the benefits of feeding raw. So I guess my story isn’t going to mean much more to you than what has already been said. But, I’ll give the low down anyway.
About 3 years ago I just couldn’t help myself anymore. I was drinking and peeing and pooping everywhere! And the old owner decided enough was enough and tossed me away in the park. At first it was a grand adventure for me, but soon I realized I was always hungry, thirsty, cold, and just pooping myself everywhere. Ugh...how undignified for an orange Maine Coon cat. Soon it turned to winter time and well I thought I was going to die. Thankfully animal control found me and through the care of a great foster and several great rescue organizations I am here today to write to you.
They tell me my diabetes came from needing all those steroids to treat my IBD. And I guess my previous owner didn’t know what the symptoms of diabetes were...so I got tossed away. So the new owner, mom, started treating me for diabetes. But the constant inflammation in my tummy wouldn’t let me get regulated right. Like my previous owner, the Dr. tried everything over the course of 9 months. He finally relented to trying raw food. Guess what? In 3 days my tummy started to heal and then I got real nice solid poops and even better my diabetes came into regulation. I went from needing 8 units down to only needing 0.5 units! That is right, just half a unit of insulin! Sure it took awhile, but I’m here to tell my story! To this very day I can’t eat any kind of processed foods. Even the canned foods made by the raw food company upsets my tummy. Uh? Go figure, but it is true.
But, I think you all smart vets already know in your hearts that this fuss you want to make over feeding raw is unfounded, right? I mean all those diseases can be found on regular kibble and even in the human food chain too. Didn’t they recall a bunch of spinach and lettuce for one of them bacterias?
Now I am gonna say something here that might get you vets all upset, but I didn’t get here because somebody was educated about carnivore diets. You see, I know you all are having a hard time getting the cat folks in for regular cat care. You need to realize a policy position like this is just going to drive your clients away and maybe some will be like my previous owner and just throw us cats away. I don’t think that is the fallout you want this policy to have. So if chasing clients away from uneducated vets about raw feeding, causing more pets to be dumped or surrendered to shelters is not your goal, I urge you to vote no on this misguided policy.
I don’t think you’ve gone about this “study” of yours quite the right way. The question you are looking to answer is, “What is the real risk to the human food chain,” right? So none of them studies you cite discuss this as a real Risk Assessment and Threat Assessment. You see the threat is from big companies. A company that ships thousands of lots of food all over the country. Just look at what the FDA said about the Diamond Dog Food Recall. These little guys working on developing dog and cat raw food, well they are spending lots of attention to the details and I bet you won’t find a cardboard repair in one of their plants. Plus if it is on a small scale the risk to the general population is smaller too.
So, there I had most of my say. I am here to say it thanks to a mom who was willing to try and feed a raw diet. Don’t let them big ole pet food companies scare you either. Use your common sense. The big pet food companies won’t, can’t, and don’t do raw food because it is too difficult for them on a large scale. And ya’ know, that might just be a good thing.
What is Atlas talking about? http://atwork.avma.org/2012/07/18/the-f ... ood-diets/
