If turkey & chicken thighs bother her, lamb may also. They are all higher in fat. I didn't check the nutrient levels of lamb versus the chicken or turkey though. If its any help ,Remy who does well on chicken breast, can't eat beef , lamb, or bison. He does seem to be ok with a little pork , salmon or mahi mahi .

I would check the fat amount in the foods she does well with & try to find another protein source with similar fat content. I've never looked at Emu,Ostrich or elk so don't know about them. Have you tried rabbit ? You can usually find some of them at a local butcher. They will cost more , but if its just for an occasional change of protein it shouldn't be too bad. Have you tried venison ? That worries me a little with the wasting disease though. Remy does ok with both rabbit & venison as long as its only once in a while. Most game meats are high in fat though.

Hi Spartycats,

My rule with my CRF girl is give her whatever she wants to eat if she is not eating well. Having said that, not everyone has that philosophy, so here are some facts about the meats in question (from the Canadian Nutrient Database):

Lamb, lean, cooked 100g:

Protein     g      28.22
Total Fat    g    9.52
Phosphorus     mg      210
Potassium     mg      344
Energy (kcal)     kCal      206

Turkey leg, no skin, cooked 100g:

Protein     g      29.19
Total Fat     g      3.77
Phosphorus     mg      204
Potassium     mg      258
Energy (kcal)     kCal      159

Bison sirloin, cooked, 100g:

Protein     g      28.05
Total Fat     g      5.65
Phosphorus     mg      253
Potassium     mg      387
Energy (kcal)     kCal      171

Elk, tenderloin lean only, 100g:

Protein     g      30.76
Total Fat     g      3.41
Phosphorus     mg      285
Potassium     mg      392
Energy (kcal)     kCal      162

Rabbit, domestic, composite cuts, stewed, 100g:

Protein     g      30.38
Total Fat     g      8.41
Phosphorus     mg      226
Potassium     mg      300
Energy (kcal)     kCal      206

Ostrich, ground, cooked, panbroiled 100g:

Protein     g      26.15
Total Fat     g      7.07
Phosphorus     mg      224
Potassium     mg      323
nergy (kcal)     kCal      175

So, lamb seems like a good option as it is higher in fat (provides calories) and comparable to turkey leg in phosphorus. Bison, elk and rabbit cuts are higher in phosphorus. All have good protein and fairly comparable potassium.

Rabbit is notoriously low in taurine, so make sure you add it to your recipe.

As long as elk is farmed and USDA stamped, there is little risk of CWD.

If you decide to try bison, unless you will be purchasing a cut such as New York, tenderloin or ribeye, you will have to stew it for at least 8 hours in a slow cooker. If you opt for a steak, the meat cooks very quickly as it does not have marbled fat like a beef steak (about 1/2 the time in a frying pan). Anything beyond medium-rare will be tough and chewy. Ground bison can be dry and chewy if not prepared properly.

Hope this helps with a decision.

I hope this is a viable option for your kitty, SpartyCats.  Maybe Cato has some input on this, too.

That's a very helpful breakdown, bug.