Desperate to find a solution for Indy’s loose stool problem, I joined an FB group of raw feeders for cats and was advised to give Indy some bone broth as it is supposed to be very healing for the gut. It is also good for the liver and for the joints.
And it’s also good for humans, of course.
Recipe:
- Chicken carcass or any bones
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Boil for more than 24 hours (slow cook)
The apple cider vinegar is needed to extract the collagen and nutrients from the bone.
I started giving it to Indy yesterday and he absolutely LOVES it. So do Cow, Bunny, Pole, Cleo, Ginger and Heidi. But Tabs would not touch it. I followed the recipe above and brewed it for 24 hours using a slow cooker. Initially I thought the apple cider vinegar would put the cats off, but after about 4 hours, there was no more vinegar smell. Apparently, the vinegar is needed to get the minerals and nutrients out into the broth.
Dr Karen Becker’s youtube on how she makes bone broth for her pets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI-vo8td7ME
She says that bone broth is a tradition that has been used for “hundreds and hundreds of years”. It is very nourishing for the body, especially for pets who aren’t feeling too well. Humans, too.
Will it work for Indy? I really don’t know, but it’s definitely worth a try.
I stored the remaining broth in the freezer to be used over a few days.
I am not sure how much to give Indy, but I suppose moderation is wise.
Last night, instead of their usual supper snack, everyone had bone broth and everyone seemed happy and satiated. Well, everyone except for Tabs who wasn’t convinced that bone broth was food.
I did ask the raw feeding FB group if bone broth is okay since it’s cooked food, and they said it’s okay to be included into their diet. Dr Karen Becker is also a strong advocate of raw feeding for dogs and cats, and she uses bone broth for her pets too. I suppose if there is a need, it’s okay.
Meanwhile, life goes on for Indy.
P.S. Ginger sleeps in the patio every night, but a window was left open so he came up to our bedroom at 4am to wake me up. And why? He just wanted me to let him out to the patio again! So, I’ve been up since 4am and I’m going to be a zombie for the rest of the day. Since I was already up, I went to check at the sandpit and there was no stools (loose or otherwise) at Indy’s poop-spot. Cleo and Cow had stools (very well-formed) in their respective spots. Bunny had well-formed stools at his spot too. I haven’t quite identified where Pole’s poop-spot is. I know she does it in the middle of the garden.
It’s 6.40am now and Indy is sleeping on his chair. He has not been to the sandpit yet. The last stools I discovered at his spot was at 12.15pm yesterday but it was raining very heavily at that time. The stools looked pasty and there were hairballs in it too.
The vet advised that I should continue with the Alpteses for a few days and see if Indy still passes out liquid stools, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I stopped giving it to him.
The liquid stools just totally freaked me out. His stools were soft, even pasty, but liquid? That really frightened me. Of course it could be a healing crisis or a detoxification process, but I decided not to continue with the Alpteses. At least not for now.