Different Options for Cat Food

We as cat parents need and want to provide our feline friends with the best that we can, along with health care, a home, exercise, and love, a proper diet is among these things. In order to do this you'll need to have a basic understanding on the types of foods available and whats good about each one, as well as their down sides.

The most cost effective is dry cat food. This is also the one form where kitten formulas are seen, but you really shouldn't use that as a criteria when selecting a food, and ill tell you more about that later. You can buy a 4 pound bag of dry cat food for as cheap as three dollars for the store brand, or spend as much as 19 dollars for the highest brand of holistic, corn free, no by-products food there is. The problem is that dry forms of cat food have had every last bit of moisture pulled from them and will provide you cat with no water whatsoever. This becomes a problem because cats in general will not drink enough water to stay as hydrated as needed, so not only are they at risk for dehydration but the foods will soak up any water that they may have just recently drank in the stomach. This also causes another problem associated with dry foods. Some cats have a tendency to eat until they are full, but that leaves no room for the food to expand. This causes most cats to throw up at least some of what they just ate, and since cats tend to be private about this you may not even realize its happening. These also will contain the highest amounts of grains and corn unless they specifically state no corn, grain free, or both.

Canned or pouched cat food is next, and a bit higher on the good scale than dry food. The only real reason for this is because they will all contain higher amounts of liquid than dry. Both in the liquid, gravy, broth, or sauce that it's packed in as well as the actual food itself. This prevents two things from happening. The chances of dehydration are lowered greatly and the cat more than likely will not throw it up again, because it will not expand in the stomach. If your cat does throw up on wet food then you need to watch it closely for the next day or two. If it happens every time with the same formula (say brand x chicken and veggies) but not another formula (say brand A fish and rice) then its more than likely an allergy and should be checked with a vet. If it happened every time no matter the formula then it could be caused by a blockage somewhere and will need immediate vet care.

Homemade foods are becoming more popular today with all the pet food recalls we have seen in the past years. This is really the only way to be absolutely certain you know everything that's in your cats food. This is also a good way to provide a healthy diet for your cat if they have multiple allergies or digestive and health problems. There are however some things to be vary careful about with home made foods. The first being that you don't accidentally poison your cat. And I don't mean with windex or bleach. There are many foods that we as humans can eat that are toxic to cats, among them being onions, chocolate, garlic and others. One of the other things that could be deadly to your cat is the lack of taurine. Unlike dogs and other animals, cats are unable to produce it with their bodies, and therefore get it from what they eat. The main source for cats being certain organ meats such as hearts. If you feel grossed out by feeding your cats chicken hearts or such then this is not a very safe route for you, and your cats could suffer.

When it comes to the different formula types, you need to understand that unlike larger and more omnivore type animals, cats need about the same amount of protein in their diet from kitten hood well into senior life. Cats need very little vegetation to live and are able to get most of their nutrition from meat. This brings us to kitten food versus cat food. As a comparison, puppies need a higher amount of protein than a full grown dog, but in cats this amount barely changes. And since cats usually gain only 10 pounds in their growth from kitten to cat and they do so over a year, they are growing at a slower rate. Unlike dogs who can gain as little as 3 pounds in a year to as much as 100 pounds in a year. This is the reason that kitten food is no different than cat food, and if you look closely on most all manufactured cat food it will say "approved by affco for growth and maintenance" . This means kittens through adult life.

When looking for a cat food there are a few more points that will make some choices better for your cat than others. Look at the ingredients and see if it has corn, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, brewers yeast, or ANIMAL by-product meal in it. If so then try to avoid this one. Understand though that animal by-product is different than say chicken by-product, because it has no standard to which the by-products have to come from. They could be chicken, beef, fish, horse, pig, ....... the list goes on. But by law the chicken by-products have to be just chicken. If it says "without feathers" or "without hides" then this makes it better because even to cats these parts have no nutritional value. When it comes to by-products though the best form is if it has "organ meats included" because these add even more needed nutrients for animals.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2191055/different_options_for_cat_food.html

Dog and Cat Food - Limerick

Beef lamb and chicken flavored dog food

Fitting for a dog no it is not crude

That said here's a ponder

Just something I wonder

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2029692/dog_and_cat_food_limerick.html

With the recent scares about tainted pet foods, many cat owners are looking for a way to feed their favorite feline homemade food. This is practical, much healthier for your cat, and can provide you with a better understanding of your cat's dietary needs. You may still wish to purchase dry cat food to feed sparingly. Dry cat food helps prevent a build up of tarter on the teeth and prevents gum disease by keeping the cat's teeth and gums polished. Be sure that plenty of fresh water is always available to your cat, especially when they are consuming dry cat food.

A cat needs protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins and minerals just like humans do. Cats require meat-based protein for growth, tissue growth and renewal, and the production of blood, antibodies, and enzymes. Cats require large amounts of protein in their diets, and this is reflected in what they leave in the litter box. This explains why dogs sometimes will find litter box contents so enticing. Cats need fats in their diet, they cannot produce fats on their own. Carbohydrates are needed sparingly, and vitamins and minerals are essential to a cat's health, especially so for kittens

For your cat to receive the proper amount of vitamins and minerals for it's age and activity level, buy supplements at your local pet store or veterinarian's office. Supplements come in many forms that may be mixed with homemade cat food, but the liquid "sauces" are very convenient. You can add fats to your homemade cat food by adding very small amounts of butter, oil of corn germ, oil of wheat germ or oil of sunflower germ. These are easily digestible by felines.

You can insure that your cat receives a small bit of carbohydrates with each meal by adding a small amount of cooked rice or cooked potatoes to their food. The main ingredient of homemade cat food should always be meat or fish. You may wish to offer steamed and de-boned fish only 1-2 times per week to avoid your cat smelling fishy. Meat is an easy to prepare option. Organ meats such as hearts and liver should be cooked, avoid liver more than 3 times a week, it contains too much vitamin A for your cat. Any other meats are fine, cook as you normally do, avoiding bones and seasonings.

Homemade can food can be frozen in meal sized portions. Most cats prefer room temperate foods, so take out well in advance. Always keep clean fresh water available at all times and serve your feline friend food in a clean bowl each time. Do not be disheartened if you cat turns it's nose up at your homemade dishes at first. It is always advisable to keep some prepared cat food handy to ease you cat into it's new healthy diet.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2116509/homemade_cat_foodfresh_tasty_and_healthy.html

Special Kitty Premium Gourmet Cat Food

We all try to cut corners as much as possible these days. Money seems to be tight for everyone. So, I tried cutting corners on my cat food. We have seven cats and they plow through the food like there is no tomorrow. I wanted to share what I discovered about Special Kitty Gourmet Cat Food.

For starters, I bought it in an 18 pound bag for about $7 at my local Wal-Mart. When I pulled it up on their website to get more information, it says that price varies from store to store. So, I guess it depends on location as to how much the store will charge for this product.

They offer several different flavors of Special Kitty food, the one I recently purchased was the Gourmet. They also offer kitten food and senior food. The company claims that the food offers the cat all of the nutrition it needs for whatever stage of life it is at. It also comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not happy with it.

I thought that the food for my cats would be just fine, but I started to notice little changes. My cats coats started to become more dry and brittle while shedding increased. To me, that's not a very good sign. It concerned me because our cats range in age from three months to 15 years. The change occurred in all of them, not just a certain age.

The worst change for me was in their waste. It began to stink up the whole house. I have two litter pans and I scoop them everyday. But the smell was just unbearable. It didn't matter if I had candles lit or not, I could tell the minute one of them went to the bathroom - it stank up the entire house. My litter pans are kept in an extra bedroom, so they are not out in the main living part of the house. This disturbed me that the odor was so strong. Then came the gas. A house with seven cats with gas is not a pleasant place to be. Now, several of the cats come and go as they please and are not always inside, but they all end up using the litter pan at one point during the day.

I'm not sure why the Special Kitty Cat Food affected them in this way, but it did. I looked at the ingredients to see what was in it. There are about 36 different ingredients, which includes food coloring. I won't list them all, but to give you an idea of some of them: corn meal, chicken by product meal, ground wheat, phosphoric acid, animal digest, and folic acid. Reading the ingredients, I thought that maybe it was all okay, but when I get to some that I am not sure what they mean by it, like the animal digest, it concerns me. I've never looked at the ingredients on other cat food, but I will from now on.

I'm sure that Special Kitty is a good product for some cats, and I suggest you try it for yourself before you make a final decision on it. But for mine, it just doesn't seem to be enough. If it's all you can afford to get, then I would suggest you use it. But if you can go up a step, I would. I might be able to put up with the bad coats and shedding, even though that's a sign that they aren't getting something they need. But I can't put up with the gas and stinky waste. So I really don't recommend this product for your cats.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2125755/special_kitty_premium_gourmet_cat_food.html

Homemade Cat Food Discover the Benefits of Homemade Cat Food

Homemade cat food has many benefits that people have found to be a very enjoyable experience for them and their cats. I know that for some people they do not realize that they are able to even have homemade cat food. I know that I did not know that it was possible to do this and often purchased my cats the normal commercial cat food. Once I discovered that homemade cat food is possible to do I know that my cats will enjoy a wonderful feast each day that they eat their homemade cat food.

The first benefit that you can have with homemade cat food is that you will be able to enjoy the pleasure of seeing your cats face each time that she or he experiences a different food. I know that my cats do not get homemade cat food each time, but they do love it when I share a special treat with them of the food that I am cooking that is healthy for both of us. I know that my cat really loves it when I share a little bit of my tuna with her or even my bacon which for some odd reason she absolutely loves.

The second benefit that you can discover with homemade cat food is that you will be able to save some money on your purchases of commercial cat food. I know that for me when I make my homemade cat food on a regular basis I do not need to purchase as much commercial cat food which is very nice and saves me quite a bit of money each month.

The third benefit of homemade cat food is that you are able to know what exactly goes into your cats food. Now you can read some of the ingredient list and be able to tell what exactly is in your cats food, but at times you will not know what is going in your cats food. So with a homemade cat food you will be able to know exactly what is going in your cats food and in what quantity it is going in as well.

The fourth benefit with homemade cat food is that you will be able to help any of your cats out that have allergies. I know that one of my mother-in-laws cats was allergic to of all things seafood so he could not have any sea food. However, if you are having some homemade cat food you will be able to control what exactly you are putting in your cats bowl.

While homemade cat food is something that you can do very easily you will want to purchase some books that can help you with the recipes to ensure that your cat gets the proper nutrition requirements for their age. However, even by following a book with recipes you will have some great benefits with homemade cat food.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2131081/homemade_cat_food_discover_the_benefits.html

What is in the Commercial Pet Food You are Feeding Your Cat?

Have you ever been to a slaughter house? What about a chicken or sheep farm? If you have then you know what it is like after animals are butchered, if you haven’t then here is what happens. The animal is butchered for what is called “useable product”, what is left is shoved to the side for other uses. We are talking about brains and guts, things that you wouldn’t think of eating. The problem is not that anyone would feed it to you but they are feeding it to you pet. These are a few of the “nutritionally balanced” ingredients found in most commercial pet food. 

Most people feed their beloved pet cat or dog with traditional pet food, the type you purchase in a bag or can from the grocery story, the problem is that most people have no idea what is actually in those pet foods that are created by large pet food companies. 

Most people think that the pet food they are buying is nothing but the best, well balanced nutrition with pieces of whole chickens, choice cuts of beef, fresh grains, and all the good stuff that a dog or cat needs. In fact, many companies even make those claims in their commercials. The reality is that chicken parts such as heads and feet as well as cow intestines tongues, esophagi and fetal tissue are used instead. 

As for whole grains they are more often then not hulls and other remnants from the milling process. These are “grains” that are fit for human consumption. 

When it comes to feeding your pet with what you believe is the best in pet food, you have to take a moment and look at the label. Is what you are feeding your pet really the best? Chances are it is not the best but instead a tangled mess of bi-products and leftovers not fit to feed a human. Normally your dog or cat would not eat the items that pet food is made with however it has become a multi-million dollar industry to discover just how to mask those items so that your pet will not only eat it but enjoy it. 

What about the standards you may be asking? There are standards established by the Center for Veterinary Medicine for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and they are monitored by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The problem is that the AAFCO standards be deceptive because the product names are confusing. Most people don’t know what the definitions for the listed ingredients mean. 

Ground-up slaughterhouse discards often containing disease-ridden tissue and high levels of hormones and pesticides are masked with scientific sounding names on labels. 

The bones, blood, pus, intestines, ligaments, subcutaneous fat, hooves, horns, beaks, and any other parts that are not normally consumed by humans that is left in a slaughterhouse is, according to the pet food industry, is perfectly fit as a protein source for cat and dog food. Bi-products are what ends up in your dog or cat food and are animal parts leftover after the meat has been stripped from the bone. Chicken bi-products include heads, feet, entrails, lungs, spleens, kidneys, brains, livers, stomachs, noses, blood, and intestines free of their contents. These are all items that end up in your pets’ food. 

So is this an issue with dry food or just canned food. The answer is both. The most nutritious dry pet food is no better than the worst canned pet food. So how do they get your otherwise finicky pet to eat this mess? They spray the food with grease or animal fat while it is process. Animals love the taste fat. Many pet food manufacturers use it as a flavor enhancer. The problem with this practice is that some times the way in which this grease or fat is stored is part of the issue. The fat becomes rancid and rancid or heavily preserved fats are difficult to digest thus causing your animals’ stomach problems. 

So what about the claim that today’s pet food is nutritional? The bottom line is that if it meets the AAFCO minimum standards a pet food manufacturer can make that claim true or not. In the early 1990’s tests conducted showed that a fair percentage of all pet foods analyzed failed chemical analyses for nutrients. Manufacturers continue to claim that pets can live well on a diet consisting of commercial pet food but research and veterinarians say otherwise. There has been a rise in kidney disease for animals and many veterinarians are attributing it to commercial pet foods. 

No matter what you feed your pet there are several rules of thumb to follow if you want to raise a healthy pet. First and foremost, read the label to the pet food you have chosen. Even though many commercial pet foods are questionable in regards to content there are some others that are ok for your pets. These pet foods are going to be more expensive but well worth the price when you consider the alternative.



Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/37217/what_is_in_the_commercial_pet_food.html

Ways to Save Money on Cat Food

Cat owners are special people. They understand just how precious felines are. And part of their routine care of their furry friends is providing them with quality food.

During a tough time economy, though, people are looking to save money. If you have a cat, you likely have found that cat food can get expensive.

How can you save money without sacrificing the quality of your cat's nutrition? Below are a few tips on how to save money on cat food.

* Buy cat food in larger bags.

Whether you are at a pet store or supermarket, you will do better to buy larger bags of food. You will get more food per dollar spent.

While it may be more challenging to manage a 20-pound bag of dry cat food, it will be worth it when it comes to saving money. At any pet store, you can buy a storage container for the food.

This container will snap shut, and it will keep the food from going stale. If you get a 4-pound sized container, then you can simply pour food from the large bag into this container. It will make it easier to deal with the food on a daily basis.

* Enroll in loyalty programs or use coupons.

Retailers such as PetSmart offer both loyalty programs. Since you know you are going to be purchasing cat food on a regular basis, enroll in such a program to gain perks and savings opportunities.

Also look for coupons online or in weekly newspaper circulars. Brands such as Iam's often offer coupons. Your supermarket will run specials on cat food as well.

Stay aware of what is going on in your area. And when your brand of cat food goes on sale, be sure to stock up so that you are buying this item at a lower price point.

* Make homemade cat treats.

Did you know you could make your kitty homemade treats? By using regular kitchen staples such as flour, cornmeal and chicken, you can make some wonderful snacks or meals for your cat.

Consider finding recipes online, such as the ones found here for savory cheese treats and chick n'biscuits. There are all kinds of neat things you can concoct for your feline friend.

It is probably wise to consult with your vet when making some of your own kitty food. You want to make sure that you keep your cat's diet balanced, and your vet can better advise you on what to do.

* Serve reasonable portions of cat food.

A final way to save on cat food is to serve reasonable portions of dry cat food. You will want to talk to your vet about portion size.

You will likely find that your cat needs less food than you realized, or than what is advertised on the food bags. There are many overweight cats, and more than likely, their owners are inadvertently feeding them far more than what is necessary.

If you are on a budget, you can save on cat food. It just requires some planning and a strategy. And you can find ways to spend less without sacrificing quality.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2006972/ways_to_save_money_on_cat_food.html

Choosing the Right Food for Your Cat

Forget the fancy commercials. Pay attention to the label. After all, just because a pretty talking bird tells you its brand of cat food is the taste cats crave, doesn't mean it's true. After all, when is the last time you saw a cat tear across an open pasture to take down a cow? Today's pet food market is fraught with over marketing, but thankfully for animal caregivers, the government is very strict about what words can and cannot be used on a pet food label. Here are some things to look for when choosing a cat food.

1) Your cat is a carnivore. Unlike a dog or a human, both omnivores, cats simply cannot process vegetable matter other than to break it down and expel it. The first ingredient listed should always be "animal protein". If an animal protein, such as beef, chicken or fish is not listed as the primary ingredient, move on. Otherwise you are paying or poop, rather than nutrition.

2) While cats of course love wet cat food from cans, dry food is typically less fatty and better for your cat's teeth, and therefore overall health. If you feed wet food, do so as a treat, but keep the primary diet of the cat, dry food. Cats need fresh water. If your cat is hesitant to drink water, then it may be necessary to give the cat a higher percentage of wet food. Cats that don't get enough hydration run a higher chance of developing urinary tract infections and crystals.

3) Pet food from reputable manufacturers is made to be nutritionally balanced. In fact, the government regulates which foods are allowed to display the words "complete and balanced". Of course, that's the sort of food you want to feed your cat. While cats love treats, human treats should not feature in their diets. Instead, when feeding treats to a cat choose treats made for cats from cat food experts.

4) Lastly, while milk is technically not a food product, it's important to know that most cats are lactose intolerant. In other words, no matter how much your feline companion likes the creamy taste of milk, it is not good for the cat and should be avoided. Cats will never associate a stomach ache with the milk they drank, but caregivers should avoid the choice to thrill the cat, and instead choose only water with which to hydrate cats.

Feeding a cat is an easy proposition once you understand the basics. Carnivores need meat and there is no way around that fact. There is a difference between chosen carnivorous activities, such as is often the case among omnivorous humans, and a cat whose body is simply created to eat animal proteins. Keep in mind that your cat needs meat and your cat needs water, and that other than some love, the cat needs precious little else, and you will do just fine. May you and your feline companion spend many joyful years together.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1990492/choosing_the_right_food_for_your_cat.html

Cat Food, Cat Meds, and Hairball Treatments to Keep Your Healthy Cat in Shape

There is a fine line between a healthy cat and an unfit cat. Feed your cat the wrong food (or too much food) and they can become sick or obese. Then there's the problem of fleas, and the issue of hairballs. If that's not enough, Whiskers is just determined to keep peeing outside the litter box. What can you do to keep your cat healthy and behaved without feeling like you have to get rid of your pet?

There's three products I use for my cats all year round, and we get told time and again they are the sweetest, most well-behaved cats. Their sweet nature is due in part to how we treat them, but it also has to do with what we feed them and what supplements they take. These three healthy cat products are certain to work for your cat if you are having difficulty determining where to start.

One: C/D Prescription Cat Food from Hill's Prescription Diet

One of our cats cannot eat IAM's cat food on a regular basis. She likes the taste enough, but she misbehaves when she eats it every day. When we asked our vet about it, he prescribed we put her on C/D Multicare Feline cat food. It is available only through veterinarian clinics, and at about $30 per bag, it runs a little more expensive than regular cat food, but it's worth every penny.

Before my cat took this food, she would pee outside the litter box every day, in addition to occasionally peeing other places in the house. She got very crabby if we picked her up, and she would fight with her sister on a regular basis.

Once we put her on the C/D cat food, however, she no longer pees outside the litter box, and she's much more docile. She doesn't nip at us so much anymore, either. I would recommend it for any cat who is misbehaving like this. This healthy cat food lasts a long time (about six months at least), so it's well worth the investment.

Two: Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Medicine

Even if you don't live near ticks, fleas are always an issue with cats. Make sure you keep your house flea-free by using Frontline Plus Flea and Tick medicine, which kills eggs, larvae, and adult bugs.

You can purchase this product more cheaply online at 1800PetMeds.com or by calling their number than you can if you buy them at the vet clinic. Your vet might give you a speech about the medicine from Pet Meds being subpar or factory defects, but they're not. They work fine on my cats and my dog.

A six-dose package of Flea and Tick medicine for cats costs around $80 online. If you have two or more cats, you can share the dose and only give it to them every other month in the winter; this cuts down on the cost drastically.

Three: Laxatone for Hairballs

Our cats spit out the most undesirable looking hairballs, and typically during dinnertime. The way we've taken care of this problem is by giving them tuna-flavored Laxatone, also available at 1800PetMeds.com. It runs about $7.00 per bottle; simply give a half-teaspoon or so to your cat a couple times a week, and they'll reduce the amount of hairballs they produce.

Using these tips, you will be able to turn your defiant cat into a healthy cat in less than a week.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1976688/cat_food_cat_meds_and_hairball_treatments.html

Top 3 Cat Food Brands for Cats with Allergies

Cat Food Brands for Cats with Allergies #1: Natural Balance

Natural Balance brand cat food offers a number of choices in cat food for cats with allergies. Their focus is "limited ingredients" to help you avoid allergic reactions in your cat due to the commonly used additives and preservatives in most cat foods.

You can find Natural Balance cat food for cats with allergies in both wet and dry versions; flavors include Venison & Green Pea and Green Pea & Duck. Cans come in 3 oz and 6 oz and you can buy them in bulk to cut down on costs at some of the suppliers below. The dry food comes in 5 lb and 10 lb bags. Prices range between $13.49 and $28.69 depending upon the flavor, supplier, size and version you choose.

Cat Food Brands for Cats with Allergies #2: Nature's Variety

Another top brand of cat food for cats with allergies is Nature's Variety. They are unique in that not only do they have dry versions of food made with formulas that exclude preservatives, certain proteins and other additives, but they are grain-free as well. They also have a frozen organic variety for kitties on raw food diets. The frozen raw food comes in chicken, beef or lamb and the dry food comes in chicken or salmon. The dry food comes in 4 lb or 14 lb bags and the frozen raw food comes in a 3 lb bag of medallions or a 6 lb bag of patties. The dry food prices range from $14 to $34 depending upon the size and the frozen food ranges in price between $69 to $129 depending upon the size.

Cat Food for Cats with Allergies #3: Fromm

If your cat is allergic to wheat or corn or intolerant of chicken, then Fromm's line of cat food may be the right one for your cat. They have a Duck and a Salmon version that they mix with a combination of fresh produce, including sweet potatoes, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, green beans, carrots, apples, blueberries and cranberries. Both flavors comes in 2.5 lb, 5 lb, and 15 lb bags, and range in price from $10 to $37 depending upon the size.

Other Sources of Cat Food for Cats With Allergies

You can find these and other cat food brands for cats with allergies at Only Natural Pet Store, Petco, Urban Leash & Treat, Adams Horse and Pet Supply, Vet Depot, Entirely Pets.com, Luke's All Natural Pet Food, West Coast Pet Supply, Natertot Bakery, TSC Pets, Natural Pet Pharmacy, Pet Food Direct, Village Pet Outfitters, Phydeaux, Care A Lot Pet Supply, and Southern Agriculture.

Sources

Only Natural Pet Store

Petco

Urban Leash & Treat

Adams Horse and Pet Supply

Vet Depot

Entirely Pets.com

Luke's All Natural Pet Food

West Coast Pet Supply

Natertot Bakery

TSC Pets

Natural Pet Pharmacy

Pet Food Direct

Village Pet Outfitters

Phydeaux

Care A Lot Pet Supply

Southern Agriculture

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1952298/top_3_cat_food_brands_for_cats_with.html

Best Cat Food for Cats with Allergies

Food allergies in cats aren't very common, but they can happen. Some of the symptoms of a food allergy can be itchy skin around the face, ears or paws, skin odor, red bumps or rash, ear infections, diarrhea, or vomiting. Most symptoms occur as skin problems.

The first cat food stated to be healthier for cats with food allergies is one that is available only by a prescription from your Vet. It is called Royal Canin Veterinary Diet for felines. It contains green peas and venison. Venison is a meat that some cats can tolerate without having adverse side effects , and show a smaller tendency to be allergic to.The venison in this food provides the protein that your cat needs for a healthy diet, and the peas provide carbohydrates. If after speaking with your Vet and receiving a prescription for this food, you can order from the company by faxing the prescription to 215-513-1254. This company also offers to contact your Vet for you, if you provide the information needed for them to do that. A six pound bag is available for $33.99.

Another brand of cat food for cats with allergies is called Dick Van Paten's Natural Balance. This company produces foods specifically for dogs and cats that have have allergies. They sell dry and canned varieties. One canned variety is the chicken and green pea type. It is Grain-Free, and contains no wheat, barley, rice or corn. It is a complete and balanced food for all stages of a cat's life. It is available by writing to Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Food's, Inc.. The address is 12924 Pierce St. Pacoima, California, 91331 or by calling 1-800-829-4493.

Some Vets recommend Nature's Best chicken and brown rice cat food for cats with allergies. It is made with real fruits, real vegetables and whole grains. There are no artificial preservatives, no artificial colors, and no fillers in this brand.Most Vet's office's carry this brand for their customers, but if yours doesn't, you can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777, from 8 am until 5 pm, CST. The address for this company is Hill's Pet Nutrition, P.O. Box 148, Topeka, Kansas. 66601

Lastly there is the Viand Feline food brand. It is a meat-rich, dry food.It is available for the Price of $27.50 for an 8 pound bag.You can contact the company at their email address, which is questions@viandpet.com

This company states that their brand of cat food is superior to typical brands found in stores, because it offers a diet that is balanced and nutritious, with all the nutrients your cat needs.

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance® Limited Ingredient Diets® Chicken & Green P

Viand pet food by PHD

Where to Buy Science Diet Dog & Cat Food Online | Hill's Pet Nutrition

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1927232/best_cat_food_for_cats_with_allergies.html

Wholesome Goodness Cat Food by Meow Mix

If you own a cat or any pet, I'm sure that you want to make sure that it lives satisfyingly and healthy. Factors such as proper exercise, tender loving care, and most of all food, all play big roles in making sure that your cat is well. Now these days, it has become more difficult to find a cat food that will not only sure the well-being of you cat, but will also be kind to your economical situation. I have tried several different kinds of cat food, both what would be considered "high end" or average brands, and I had never found a particular cat food that seemed to suit my cat or my own satisfaction. I recently discovered "Wholesome Goodness" by Meow Mix. Now, I have tried other cat food products by Meow Mix, and they came off mediocre to me, and seemed to have they same standards as other leading cat food brands. However, the labeling on the package is what caught my attention. The labeling states that this cat food is "a delicious blend of simple natural ingredients plus vitamins and minerals for a happy healthy cat" and that it contains no artificial preservatives or colors. The price was a good sign too. For a five pound bag, it only cost around $5-$6 which is the same as other popular brands or even less for that size. A five pound bag usually lasts my cat for a couple of months. There is a also a smaller version bag (around three pounds) and a larger portion bag (around twenty pounds) and wet cat food versions available for your preference. These are available at mass-market stores such as Wal-Mart and Target and also at specialty pet stores.

The ingredients contain the following: chicken, tuna, rice and barley, and vegetables. The vegetables include green beans, carrots, tomatoes, and beets. There is also several vitamins and minerals that make up a part of the ingredients and they use turmeric and natural colorant to color the food. The cat food is naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid. The best plus about this food is that it does not contain meat by-products which most average brand cat food contain (even high-end ones!) and are known for functioning as a temporary filler and is less healthy for your cat. I have seen a dramatic difference since giving my cat this particular cat food. She is more satisfied in between meals and does not throw up as often. Her coat of fur is even more shiner and softer to the touch. She also appears to have more energy to play which is also essential to her overall health.

You really don't lose anything by trying out this food. It's healthy for your cat, and you get a high quality cat food that would normally cost more, but with this you end up only pay the price as that of an average brand cat food.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1886446/wholesome_goodness_cat_food_by_meow.html

Hairball Control Adult Cat Food by Meow Mix: Does it Really Work?

Recently, I went to my local Target and noticed that the regular cat food that I normally buy for my cat was out of stock. Since I was in a rush, I decided that I would try another brand instead of running to another store to see if they had stock. I quickly scanned over the aisle and I noticed the Hairball Control Adult Cat Food by Meow Mix. This immediately intrigued me since I had never purchased a type of cat food geared toward a specific problem. My cat has had some problems in the past with hairballs and also, since this food was generally very inexpensive compared to other similar products, I thought I would give this a try.

The packaging states that this cat food contains chicken, turkey, salmon, and ocean fish flavors, and that it has 100% complete nutrition for adult cats. The negative part of the ingredients is that I noticed that it contained artificial food coloring and chicken and turkey by-product meal. I have heard that cat food that contains any form of by-product meal is cheaper and is not as healthy for your cat. It also only temporarily fills up your cat's stomach and thus, your cat's appetite will not be content for long and he/she will be hungry soon again.

Luckily, my cat is not too picky about change so when I offered her the new food, she had no problem adjusting. The food comes in cutesy shapes and smells like it would be appetizing for my cat. My cat seemed to like it and so I thought I was good to go. However, I noticed that after she started eating it, she started throwing up more frequently and more heavily. At first I thought it was because of the zinc level because a pet expert once told me that if certain cat foods have higher levels of zinc it could cause your cat to throw up. However, the zinc levels in this food appeared to be normal, so I did not think that was the root cause. Also, I noticed that she didn't seem to be satisfied with her meals and a few minutes later she would come back asking for more. Even when I gave her treats in between she still always appeared hungry and looking for things to eat. This I obviously blamed on the fact that the food was mainly comprised of by-product meal. Also, my cat has always been on the larger end in size, but after switching to this food she has put on a lot more weight than usual.

Overall, I would have to say that I am not pleased with this cat food. Although, my cat has thrown up much less, she still is hungrier between feedings, and has still put on more weight. Next time I know just to pay the extra money and purchase a food that has better ingredients to offer for my cat even if it is not the usually brand that I buy, but has the same benefits. In this case, I really got what I paid for - cheap price, cheap quality.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1863679/hairball_control_adult_cat_food_by.html

Top 5 Flavors of Friskies Canned Cat Food, According to My Cats

My Cats love Friskies Canned Cat Food. For 20 years it has been their primary canned cat food choice. Presently, 8 cats are on the Friskies canned cat food test team. Over the years, 8 other cats made cat food testing their life's work. Buddy was also a member of the toy mouse testing team and all 16 are or were certified catnip experts.

Unlike dogs (who will eat anything) cats have standards. Friskies canned cat food measures up in a way store brand canned cat food clearly does not. The style of Friskies canned cat food that is required is the pate style. This ground up, moist canned cat food is the style of choice and my cats will not eat other types.

Friskies makes very nice looking canned cat foods that have shredded meat with gravy and they have a filet style that is chucks of meat in gravy. Both look fine to me, but apparently my cats are too lazy to chew. I occasionally grab a can by mistake and serve it to them. They will lick the gravy off, but leave the meat. Friskies Pate style canned cat food is the only canned cat food that makes the cats clean their plate and eat every bite. It is therefore the best value in canned cat food and they have made it clear that this is what they want.

Here are the top 5 flavors

5. Friskies Mixed Grill - this is the number 5 choice in canned cat food for my cats. The younger boys seem to like it the most. I find it a bit of a mystery as I can't tell exactly what animal was grilled and mixed but it apparently very tasty.

4. Friskies Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Dinner - number four on the canned cat food countdown. This flavor is one of the fishy ones. This is the canned cat food of choice for my middle aged girls. For whatever reason, this flavor brings them running.

3. Friskies Sea Captains Choice - a big hit with all the cats, this is a canned cat food to always have on hand. It is pretty smelly by my standards, but the cats love it.

2. Friskies Mariners Catch - This is a huge favorite. Another fishy canned cat food we look for the turquoise can and make sure we have cans of Mariners Catch on hand. The 3 fishy flavors that have made the top 5 are quite different. Even I can tell that they have distinct flavors (and I make it a habit not to smell or touch stinky canned cat food any more than I have to.)

1. Friskies Turkey & Giblets Dinner - This is the number one Friskies canned cat food determined by 16 cats over a 20 year period. Turkey rocks. Friskies Turkey & Giblets Dinner is gobbled up by each and every one of my cats. It is a special favorite of older cats and was the only thing several of my cats would eat in the latter years. Harley would eat nothing else for the last 4 of her 18 years.

I have purchased other brands of canned cat food, but they often end up dried out and sitting on the plate. Friskies is the only canned cat food my cats want. I buy many other flavors of Friskies canned cat food in the pate style in the name of variety, however I only stock up great quantities of the top 5. Friskies canned cat food in the pate style is the best. The team has spoken.

Credits: Canned Cat food test team members Punkin, Boo, Harley, Buddy, Gilley, Garth, Katie, Patches, Mickey, Baby, Emma, Maggs, Sunny, George, Kalamazoo & Skeeter.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1838797/top_5_flavors_of_friskies_canned_cat.html

Choosing a Food or Water Bowl for Your Dog or Cat

Food and water is very important for your pet. A pet should have water available at all times and since it is so important the bowl you choose for your pet is a very important decision to make. The bowl should be the right size for the pet. A bowl that is too large can be hard for your pet to reach into and a bowl that is too small may not be able to hold enough water for your pet's size and you may find that you need to refill to bowl more then you want to. A large dog should have a large bowl and a small dog or cat should have a smaller bowl for water.

For a food bowl you should have a bowl that is safe. If your pet likes to throw their bowl around you may want to have a bowl that will not break when it is tossed about. Plastic is a good choice for a bowl if your pet likes to move the bowl around by themselves. The problem with a plastic bowl is that the bowl can get scratched and the more scratches the bowl has the more likely it is that bacteria will grow in the bowl.

A metal bowl is also a good choice for a pet that likes to toss their bowl around. Metal bowls can also be disinfected with hot soapy water. But the problem with using a metal bowl is that if your pet likes to toss the bowl around they may hurt themselves or someone else who happens to be standing too close to the bowl toss.

A pet that does not toss a bowl around can have a bowl that is ceramic. A ceramic bowl is nice because they are pretty and you can clean them in really hot water to clean off the bacteria. A ceramic bowl is very bad if your pet tosses their bowl since the bowl can break and hurt the pet.

A pets bowl is a very important decision and the type of bowl you choose depends on your pet and how the bowl is used. A wild pet should have a bowl that will not break and a quiet pet can have a ceramic bowl that is pretty. You can get a bowl that has your pets name on it or you can have a bowl that is plain.

What ever bowl you get it should be a bowl that your pet likes since they are the ones that are going to have to use it everyday.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1750070/choosing_a_food_or_water_bowl_for_your.html

Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat: Organic Pet Food

Trying to find organic kitty treats for our kitties can be hard to come by in pet stores, but recently I have come across some. These organic kitty treats are called, "Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat." They are made from 100-percent organic ingredients that are good for your kitties.

Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat is made with 100% Alaskan Salmon. This means there a no unnatural harmful ingredients in these wonderful kitty treats at all. A matter a fact Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat promise they are made from 100% Alaskan Salmon, which equals 80% Crude Protein, 5% Crude Fat, 1 % Crude Fiber, and 3% Moisture. This also means these kitty treats are moist and should stay moist in a cool dry area so they don't go bad before you treat your kitties with a delicious all natural Alaskan Salmon treat they will love.

Now I use the Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat when my kitties need a little snack during the day or simply when they are being good. I will say they did help me train my kitty and help my kitty with his behavioral issues so I could get him to be friendlier. Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat even helped me train my kitties to use the litter box, and sit by certain rooms they weren't allowed into while I had to put laundry or something away in a pacific room. Kitties really do love the Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat.

You can buy the Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat in a one ounce box for around five dollars at Petco, Pet Smart, and possibly even your local pet stores in your area. Other stores I have been able to find these organic kitty treats at is Drugstore.com online and Rite Aid. You might even be able to find the Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat in your local grocery store in the pet food isle, but they are sometimes hard to find.

I hope all the kitties who receive the Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat really like them. I know my kitties do! Plus these kitty treats are again organic and good for them when they need a little snack or a little help being good. If you would like more information on Three Dog Bakery We Pity the Kitties Cat Treat check out the links attached to this article. Have fun with your kitties!

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1695628/three_dog_bakery_we_pity_the_kitties.html

Pet Food Banks Across the United States Offer Free Pet Food and Cat Litter to Those in Need

PET FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

OFFER FREE PET FOOD AND CAT LITTER TO THOSE IN NEED



Most of us have heard about the food banks and food pantries that are cropping up all across the United States to feed hungry people as the recession deepens but how many of you are aware of food pantries for pets? That's right... pet food pantries and pet food banks are opening up state by state to help pet owners keep their beloved "furries" and "purries" home with them and out of the animal shelters and Humane Societies.

Authorities across the U.S. are reporting an increase in abandonment of pets as people leave their homes due to a variety of reasons ranging anywhere from foreclosure to moving in search of jobs.

These people just leave the dogs and cats in the house to die, they're broke and desperate. According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, dogs have been found in empty houses several weeks after a person has moved away.

These dogs survive by drinking toilet water. Other dogs are left chained outside, while still others are turned loose. These are the lucky ones...all too many are found dead.

Some people give their pets to friends who later decide to take them to either the Humane Society or Animal Control because they don't really want the animal.

Too many people are taking their beloved pets to shelters because they can no longer afford to feed them due to the recession. In 2008 the Humane Society of Kent County, Michigan reported taking in an alarming 8,000 to 10,000 animals.

In 2007 Atlanta shelters euthanized over 3 million healthy pets, while in 2008 Los Angeles euthanized 15,000.

According to Allie Phillips, director of public policy at the American Humane Association, "Abandoned pets have become a national issue. This has really become an epidemic."

According to Phillips 8000 houses go into foreclosure everyday which puts 15,000 to 26,000 more pets in danger of losing their homes each and every day across the United States.

"Many of them will be euthanized." She concluded.

According to the Humane Society between 3 and 4 million pets are euthanized across the U.S. annually.

Volunteers of pet food pantries say that they no longer see just lower income people coming in for free pet food. They are also seeing middle class white- collar workers, elderly -whose family members were helping with expenses but due to the recession can no longer afford to do so, military spouses who cannot find jobs, students who've lost part-time jobs and high earners with high bills.

Some people are embarrassed. It's hard to lose your job and have to ask for help.

I've composed a short list of a few pet food pantries across the United States and I encourage you to go online to find one in your area if you are in need of help for your pet.

Frederick County, Maryland has a food bank run by the Humane Society at 217 W. Patrick St. Frederick, Md. Phone Number 301-694-8300

Charlotte-Mecklinberg Police Department Animal Care and Control 601 E. Trade St. Charlotte, N.C. Phone Number 704-376-1785

The Kibble Konnection is a pet food pantry run by the Humane Society of Kent County, Michigan Phone Number 616-791-8066

The Salvation Army of Kenosha, Wi. 3116 75th St. Kenosha, Wi. Phone Number 262-564-0286

Blooming Cookies 150 Ottley Dr. Atlanta, Georgia Phone Number 800-435-6877

Save Our Pets Food Bank Phone Number 404-872-7708 Atlanta, Georgia

Daffy's Pet Soup 2160 Oakland Industrial Ct. Suite 100 Lawrenceville, Georgia Phone Number 404-345-6821

Meals Fur Pets 431 Latimer St. Atlanta, Georgia Phone Number 678-520-2236

The Humane Society of Moab Valley, Utah at 765 Main St. #5 Phone Number 435-259-4089

Pet food pantry in West Union, West Virginia Phone Number 304-873-3500

Pet Pantry in Mt. Vernon, Ohio Phone Number 740-397-4825

The Southborough Police Pet Food Pantry in Southborough, Massachusetts Contact Officer Meredith Lobur at 508-485-2147

Pet Pals Of Texas in Converse, Texas Phone Number 210-658-8821

Animal Welfare League 10305 Southwest Hwy, Chicago Ridge, Il Phone Number 708-636-8586

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2685 Chanticleer Ave. Santa Cruz, Ca. Phone Number 831-465-5000

Pet Pantry LLC, 4455 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington D.C. Phone Number 202-363-6644

Lincoln County, Maine contact Betsy Pratt 207-882-9677

Hancock/Washington Counties, Maine Call 207-422-6282

Westbrook, Maine call 207-854-9771

Portland, Maine call 207-541-9247

Bangor, Maine call 207-941-2865

Houlton, Maine call 207-532-2862 or 1-800-781-8550

Somerset County, Maine call Del Pomerleau 465-2906

York County, Maine call 324-1137 or 324-8811

The Pooch Pantry in Mundelein, Il Phone Number 847-566-1960

Pike's Peak Pet Pantry in Colorado Springs, Co. Phone Number 719-217-9528

Oklahoma City Pet Food Pantry, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Phone Number 405-297-3100

St. Charles Humane Society 1099 Pralle Lane, St. Charles, Mo. Phone Number 636-949-9918

Yorkville Common Pantry E. 109th St. Manhattan, New York City, New York Daniel Reyes Program Director Phone Number 212-288-3233

St. Joseph Animal Rescue Fund Pet Food Pantry St. Joseph, Michigan Phone Number 269-279-6251

Grand Haven family owned pet pantry Grand Haven, Michigan Phone Number 616-607-8921

Pet Pantry of Spring Lake, Michigan email: petpantry2009@yahoo.com

Armada Pet Food Pantry Armada, Michigan Phone Number 586-784-8940

Ellie's Pet Pantry @ Western Pennsylvania Humane Society contact Donna Bucek Phone Number 412-321-4625 x222

Humane Society of Huron Valley 3100 Cherry Hill Rd. Ann Arbor, Michigan Phone Number 734-661-3525

Pet Food Pantry @ Cascades Humane Society 1515 Carmen Dr. Jackson, Michigan Phone Number 517-787-Pets

Coheco Valley Humane Society, Dover, NH Phone Number 603-749-5322 x105

Actors and Others for Animals: Pet Food Distribution 11523 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, California Phone Number 818-755-6045

Central Florida Animal Pantry info@animalpantry.org

Community Pet Pantry Fort Meyers, Florida Phone Number 239-533-9292

Pet Food Pantry of Knoxville, Tennessee Phone Number 865-215-6599

People United for Animals, Inc. P.O. Box 1882, Bristol, Tennessee Phone Number 423-989-7832

To find a more complete list of pet food pantries nationwide go to: network.bestfriends.org/foreverhome Then click on Resources, then click on pet food banks nationwide-listed alphabetically by state, then city

If you are in need of help with pet food or cat litter, I urge you to look around your area...make phone calls to your local Humane Society and animal control, local veterinarians might also be able to advise you where to locate help. Don't give up and don't take your pet in to be euthanized...they have so much love to give you...they haven't given up on you...please don't give up on them...

Also, if you are weathering the recession financially and would like to help, you can, all of the pet food banks and pet food pantries are in dire need of financial assistance and food donations.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1704219/pet_food_banks_across_the_united_states.html

Purina Deli-Cat Food Review

Last week my cat destroyed his bag of Meow Mix by clawing open the bag and spilling the cat food down the basement stairs, because I store it in the landing area that leads to the basement. As I had no desire to make a trip into Kroger's grocery store or into Wal-Mart, I stopped by my local Family Dollar store and picked up a small box of Purina Deli-Cat cat food for a decent price of $1 per box. In this review I will focus on the Purina Deli-Cat brand of cat food in an effort to help other consumers find a decent cat food at a decent price.

When I brought the box of Purina Deli-Cat home I kept it separate from the remaining Meow Mix brand cat food so I could gradually switch my cat over to this brand, by feeding him a mixture of the two cat foods. As almost every pet owner knows that switching brands of food can cause an upset tummy in most animals.

This cat food has been a hit with my cat, he likes the variety of deli flavors in each box. I like that this is a nutritionally complete and balanced cat food that is suitable for kittens and adult cats alike. This cat food contains turkey, liver and fish flavors in each box. This cat food is guaranteed to be fresh when you open the box. I personally trust in the Purina brand of pet food.

I think that $1 per one pound box of cat food is a pretty great deal, I like that the cat food was available in a small box, because bags of cat food obviously won't withstand my cat, who believes in helping himself if you don't jump to feed him when he wants you to.

Purina Deli-Cat is fortified with vitamin k, b-12, d-3, vitamin a, calcium, folic acid and many other healthy nutrients. There are of course healthier brands of cat food but for the price Purina Deli-Cat is a good quality of food and it is afford ably priced. I am considering switching to this brand because it is a hit with my cat, and the price and availability is what I am looking for. I would recommend this brand of cat food to other consumers as long as your cat is not on a special diet, your cat will like the variety of flavors and you will like the price.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1659051/purina_delicat_food_review.html

What You Shouldn't Feed Your Cat: Give Your Cat Better Food

If you have looked at the cat food packaging in supermarkets, you will find really attractive packages with some heavy sounding words. If you look at the list of ingredients in the kibble, you can see a list of items that is always good enough to convince you that those are all the things that should be there in your cat's diet. Generally most cat foods contain meat as they are one of the healthiest foods they can have. But there are some things that do not belong in cat food. Some ingredients are actually ineffective or sometimes harmful for your cat. Here we tell you about the three main types of food you should not feed your cat - Corn, Wheat and Soy.

The use of corn is very harmful in your pet cat's or dog's food. Unlike us, their digestive systems are different. Corn does not add enough fiber to their diet causing irritation in their bowels. Processed corn that is sometimes used with this food often has a very high glycemic index. This would cause an increase in the level of blood sugar in the cat. In our digestive systems insulin is secreted to handle a rise in the blood sugar level. In case of cats, insulin is secreted when they eat meat. If the blood sugar level in your pet increases, then it could suffer from various allergic reactions and diseases.

Wheat and Soy also have effects similar to Corn. They cause high blood sugar levels apart from damaging the cat's kidney, liver and its endocrine system. The result of this is usually feline diabetes. Some times cats also suffer from auto immune diseases, bowel diseases and internal inflammations. These additives in some modern day kibble are usually the result of feline obesity. Currently this is an epidemic. According to current statistics one out of every 230 cats has insulin dependent diabetes.

When your pet is suffering from any of these, then its effects are usually seen when the cat is drinking and urinating a lot and seems to be weak. You should take an appointment with your vet as soon as possible if you see this. This could be the result of diabetes of kidney failure. Sometimes, changing your cat's diet to a grain-less food usually reverses the diabetic symptoms. But of course, you should not do this without consulting a doctor.

It is very important to get your cat on a diet that does not contain Corn, Wheat and Soy. One of the best foods your cat can have is home made raw food. Processed kibble is often the result of feline diseases when you are not sure of the ingredients in the package. Avoid food that contains grains and try to use canned food as much as possible.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1660234/what_you_shouldnt_feed_your_cat_give.html

Meow Mix Moist Cat Food Pouches

I normally feed my cat Meow Mix dry cat food and he is content with this routine. My cat likes wet cat food, but he is a large cat and feeding him pouches of moist cat food just isn't an economical option. I indulge him with moist cat food for good behavior and a special treat from time to time. When I saw Meow Mix pouches in On A Wing And A Prawn flavor at my local grocery store on sale for less than 40 cents per pouch I could not pass that price up. Normally I pay 80 cents for pouches of Meow mix, and I had never seen this flavor before. I bought ten pouches of this food, which I will feed to my cat every now and then.

This is a product for cats of all ages, it has been found to meet the criteria set by the AAFCO to meet or exceed the nutritional levels they have established. By the recommended feeding instructions for every four and a half pounds of weight, a cat should be fed 3 pouches of Meow Mix moist cat food per day. I would end up feeding around six pouches per day if I exclusively fed this cat food. Do the math: At 80 cents per pouch it is easy to understand why I feed my cat Meow Mix pouches as a special treat.

On A Wing and A Prawn is a shrimp and chicken mixture that is nutritionally complete for cats, kittens and seniors alike. It contains less than 5% crude fat and it is fortified with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin e, b6, d3, b12, zinc, calcium vitamin k and many other essential nutrients.

I have a lot of faith in the Meow Mix company because I have had the pleasure of talking to their customer service department about a cat food issue. I was so impressed with the high level of concern, knowledge and customer service I received that I am now brand loyal to this product. I will continue to purchase Meow Mix On a Wing and a Pawn moist cat food when I want to indulge my feline friends taste buds. I think that based on my cats reaction to Meow Mix On a wing and a pawn moist cat food this must be a pretty fantastic tasting cat food. My cat will go to extreme lengths to get to his cat food once he gets a whiff of Meow Mix On A Wing and a Pawn moist cat food. I would recommend this cat food to other pet owners who are looking for a great cat food. It is more affordable than other brands and it is a good cat food. I think your cats will like it as much as my cat does.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1677999/meow_mix_moist_cat_food_pouches.html

Review of Nine Lives Daily Essentials Cat Food

I have owned cats all of my life, and I know that the kind of food you feed them really does make a difference in their general health and happiness. Different kinds of cats like - and need - different kinds of dry food. Some cats prefer Iams but turn up their noses at Purina; others adore Meow Mix but could take or leave off brand fare. My cat Smokey is no exception; at seven years old, he is a true cat food veteran; he is an incredibly smart cat, and is very good at making his opinions known.

Generally, I purchase large bags of cat food based on his preference and whether or not it is on sale. Smokey is finicky in some ways, but likes a broad enough variety that it is not very difficult finding a brand that he likes on sale. Recently, though, the only cat food on sale at the local dollar store was Nine Lives Daily Essentials brand cat foot. Although Smokey had never tried this kind out before, I figured that since it was such a good deal at $7.00 a bag, it was worth a shot.

Touted as being "100% Complete & Balanced for all Life Stages", Nine Lives Daily Essentials seemed like a pretty safe bet. After all, all different stages of cat - from kitten to middle aged to senior cats - are billed as being the target felines. It also proclaims to be made with "Real Salmon, Chicken & Beef"; it would seem that a cat would find one of those ingredients palatable. Overall, the bag described a promising sounding and nourishing meal for cats of all ages.

Within minutes of pouring this food into Smokey's bowl, however, I could see that there was a problem. Usually, when I refill his food bowl, Smokey eats contentedly for at least five minutes. He looks over at me happily and wags his tail in appreciation. Upon filling his bowl with Nine Lives Daily Essentials, though, he did none of these things. Instead, he began pacing the kitchen floor nervously, emitting a jittery and complaining meow.

The food sat in Smokey's bowl untouched for the remainder of the day; I saw him making a feeble attempt at eating it late in the evening. Feeling sorry for him, I found a spare bag of Meow Mix and mixed it in with the Nine Lives food. Later, I saw Smokey eating from the bowl, only he was carefully picking out and eating only the Meow Mix morsels; he wanted nothing to do with the Nine Lives food.

It is safe to say that Nine Lives Daily Essentials receive an emphatic "paws down" from my feline critic. I will make sure to steer clear from this variety in the future, but will try other Nine Lives offerings instead.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1621789/review_of_nine_lives_daily_essentials.html

Is Vegetarian Cat Food Healthy for Your Cat?

Most of us want to reduce our impact on the planet as much as possible, and part of the shift toward "Going Green" includes raising greener pets. Not surprisingly, many cat owners consider giving their pets a vegan or vegetarian diet to help reduce the cat's ecological paw-print and minimize the amount of cruelty involved in feeding their pet. While this transition is healthy for the planet, it probably is not healthy for your cat.

In the wild, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they will starve without meat in their diets and do not require plant matter to remain healthy. Unlike other members of the Carnivora order-- such as dogs and bears-- cats do not eat plant matter for nutrition and are unable to derive nutritional value from unprocessed plant foods. While house cats may occasionally eat plant matter to aid in digestion or induce vomiting, they lack the biological adaptations necessary to derive nutrition from a natural vegetarian diet.

Fortunately for cats whose owners are very determined to feed them an earth-friendly diet, science has enabled some cat food manufacturers, like Vegecat and Evolution, to create vegan and vegetarian cat foods that contain most of the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutriients necessary for survival. These soy-, egg-, or yeast-based cat foods are created using extensive processing and synthetic nutrients. According to anecdotal reports, some cats are able to live for several years on a diet composed entirely of these processed alternative cat foods.

After such extensive processing-- which, necessarily, requires extensive amounts of energy for manufacturing and transport-- vegetarian cat foods may not be as earth-friendly as cat owners would like to hope. Additionally, even with massive amounts of processing and fortification, cats fed a vegan or vegetarian diet can easily become deficient in key essential nutrients like vitamin B-12 and taurine, leading to blindness, weight problems, and even death. The ASPCA, though recommending a balanced vegetarian diet for dogs, strongly cautions against vegan cat food for this very reason, citing multiple case reports of deficiencies in vegetarian-fed cats.

Cats fed only vegan or vegetarian cat food can also develop urinary problems, owing to differences between the pH of plant matter and animal tissue after they have been digested. While a vegetarian cat food might adequately address many of a cat's nutritional needs, it can not be buffered to exactly mimic the chemical composition of natural meat. Some advocates of a vegetarian diet for cats argue that all processed cat food-- not just earth-friendly varieties-- are also very different from natural meat, and no more appropriate for a cat than any vegan variety.

Like practicing a vegan lifestyle, the choice to raise a vegan cat-- or not-- is deeply personal, and is likely to be met with criticism regardless of which route you choose. While cruelty and unsustainable practices are almost mandatory in creating conventional cat foods, most cat owners view them as a "necessary evil" in raising a healthy cat. While some cats can survive several years on vegetarian cat food alone, his life may be shorter and less healthy. Just as infant formula can never exactly replicate a mothers' milk, vegan cat food can not perfectly fill the role that meat plays in a cat's diet.

Source Used: ASPCA (August 9, 2007). "Nutrition Q & A: Vegetarian Diets for Cats". ASPCA blog. ASPCA. http://www.aspca.org/aspcablog/2007/08/pet-nutrition-q-vegan-diet-for-cats.html.

You might also be interested in these articles, by the same author:

Raising a Green Cat

Composting Cat Litter

How You Can Stop Animal Cruelty

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1638422/is_vegetarian_cat_food_healthy_for.html

Fancy Feast Moist Cat Food: Product Revie

Many years ago, when I used to have a lot more cats, buying a canned moist pet food product such as Fancy Feast was way out of the question due to it's expense as it is one of the more expensive canned cat food products. During those years when I had so many more cats, I have to confess that I often resorted and bought the cheapest brands including the store label brand of cat food. To further stretch the cat food budget even more to make sure my cats were adequately fed, I resorted to cooking up a lot of their foods, and even made a cat's version of chicken soup, that had the chicken, broth, rice and mixed vegetables, and they loved it.

All that changed when three years ago when my cat population went down to only two cats, that is Pyewacket, my rather spoiled, attention getter black cat, and Kissy, a beautiful tiger-striped cat. With only two cats I decided to pamper them by getting Fancy Feast cat food, and to be honest, I think I made a big mistake. I say mistake, since now my two cats are highly addicted to the Fancy Feast brand, and will turn up their noses at any other moist canned cat food product, even the pricer Sheba Preminum Cat Food. Oh, and forget homemade foods for them. When there was that major pet food recall back in March of 2007, I decided to be on the safe side and I went back to cooking up their foods, even making that chicken soup for them again. Well, all I can say, is that I would give my two cats the homemade foods, in which they would politely sniff at it, look up at me, with an expression that I swear said, "You expect me to eat this?" and then walk away from the food. That is how much my two cats love Fancy Feast cat foods, they simply won't eat anything else now. Gee, do you think I've spoiled them?

One of the great things about the Fancy Feast Gourmet line of moist cat food is the sheer variety. There are over fifty, yes that's right fifty flavors of food and come in a great variety of types that include the Gourmet Entrées, Chunky, Grilled, Sliced, Marinated, Minced, Roasted and Flaked. I include a full listing of flavors here that can also be viewed at the Fancy Feast website itself, along with other products manufactured by the Fancy Feast line, including the Elegant Medleys, Fancy Feast For Kittens and Fancy Feast Dry Food. I've marked with an asterisk the flavors my two cats seem to like the most.

Gourmet Entrées:

*Chopped Grill Feast, *Gourmet Chicken Feast, *Gourmet Seafood Feast, *Savory Salmon Feast, *Cod, Sole & Shrimp Feast, *Gourmet Salmon & Shrimp Feast, *Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Feast, Tender Beef & Chicken Feast, Tender Beef & Liver Feast, Tender Liver & Chicken Feast, *Tender Beef Feast, *Turkey & Giblet Feast

Chunky Entrées:

* Chunky Chicken Feast, Chunky Turkey Feast, Chunky Chopped Grill Feast

Grilled Entrées:

*Grilled Beef Feast In Gravy, *Grilled Chicken Feast In Gravy, Grilled Ocean Whitefish & Tuna Feast In Gravy, Grilled Chicken & Beef Feast In Gravy, Grilled Liver & Chicken Feast In Gravy, Grilled Salmon & Shrimp Feast In Gravy, Grilled Salmon Feast In Gravy, Grilled Tender Beef & Liver Feast In Gravy, Grilled Turkey Feast In Gravy, Grilled Seafood Feast In Gravy, Grilled Tuna Feast In Gravy

Sliced Entrées:

*Sliced Beef & Giblets Feast In Gravy, Sliced Chicken Feast In Gravy, Sliced Ocean Fish Feast In Gravy, Sliced Turkey & Giblets Feast In Gravy, Sliced Beef Feast In Gravy, Sliced Chicken Hearts & Liver Feast In Gravy, Sliced Salmon & Chicken Feast In Gravy, Sliced Turkey Feast In Gravy

Marinated Entrées:

Marinated Morsels Beef Feast In Gravy, *Marinated Morsels Salmon Feast In Gravy, *Marinated Morsels Turkey Feast In Gravy, Marinated Morsels Chicken Feast In Gravy, Marinated Morsels Tuna Feast In Gravy

Minced Entrées:

Minced Beef Feast In Sauce, Minced Turkey Feast In Sauce

Roasted Entrées:

Roasted Beef Feast, Roasted Turkey Feast, Roasted Chicken Feast

Flaked Entrées:

Flaked Chicken & Tuna Feast, Flaked Ocean Fish Feast, Flaked Trout Feast, Flaked Tuna Feast, Flaked Fish & Shrimp Feast, Flaked Salmon & Ocean Whitefish Feast, Flaked Tuna & Mackerel Feast

Now for the downside of Fancy Feast which is both the size of the can and the average price. Fancy Feast comes in very small 3-oz. cans as opposed to the normal sized 5.5-oz cans. With such small cans, if you have more than two cats you're going to have to be buying a lot more cans to equal the larger cans, about two of the Fancy Feast cans for every one of the larger cans. Then there is the price. The average price ranges from 79¢ to 99¢ a can in most supermarket,s however, one can usually get them cheaper, about $56 per can at a place such as Petsmart. If your supermarket or local pet food store carries the 24 pack it can save one a considerable amount of money as one can get a single flavor or Variety 24 Pack from $14.16 (Petland) to $18.96 (Ace Hardware), while once again it's the cheapest at Petsmart at only $13.29 per pack.

During my research into Fancy Feast pet food in general, I did come across one rather alarming fact. I don't know if this problem has since been rectified, but at this one website I came across the experience of one pet owner and a warning about the Fancy Feast Flaked Fish & Shrimp Feast flavor and can be seen here. The author mentions how his cat began choking on this particular flavor, and upon examination, the pet owner noticed tiny fish bones, not enough to cause a human harm, but most certainly a cat. Now I've never gotten this particular flavor so have never experienced this problem, but I thought I'd let you know just to be aware of the possible problems this flavor of Fancy Feast may pose to your cat.

Just a quick mentioning of Fancy Feast's other line of moist canned cat food, that is the Elegant Medleys brand. Once again, there is a great variety, and the cans are the same size, that is 3-oz. and cost the same as the regular Fancy Feast Gourmet brand. I've gotten only a few of the flavors to try them out on my cats. The Elegant Medleys indeed look so good, that they look like food a human could eat, such as the White Meat Chicken and Egg Souffle with Garden Greens. However, for some reason, when I gave it to my cats they just plain didn't care for it. You might have better luck though with this cat food as I sure didn't.

All in all though, if you wish to pamper your cat with one of the best cat foods around I highly recommend the Fancy Feast brand label. As I've mentioned, my two cats refuse to eat anything else now, so it must be good. I include photos of my two cats so you can see how healthy looking they are from eating Fancy Feast.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1638085/fancy_feast_moist_cat_food_product.html

The Best Cat Food to Feed Your Cat

A question that many cat owners ask is "What's the best cat food for my cat?" Although there are many different brands and types available, the important thing are the ingredients and nutrients which it provides. Many include fillers, preservatives and other things which provide nothing nutritionally and could possibly be harmful to your cat.

So where do you start? It's essential to know what nutrients your cats need. Cats are of course carnivores, so they need a food which has plenty of protein in to satisfy their needs. A good quality cat food will always have a higher percentage of animal protein than vegetable protein, so this is a good thing to check.

The next thing to check would be to make sure the food in question includes taurine. This is an amino-acid which is vital to the health of the cat. Without this, a variety of health problems can occur to your cat, so it is essential to check for the inclusion of it.

Always avoid any cat food that contains chemical preservatives or artificial colors. These are obviously as bad for your cat as they would be for humans.

A lot of cat food comes with fillers or by-products that the manufacturers include so that they can create the food at a lesser price. These are certainly not healthy or nutritional to your cat and can even contribute to them developing allergies, so avoiding these is certainly advisable.

Good natural cat food will typically come with so-called 'good bacteria'. These help the digestive system of the cat and are something you should look for in the ingredients.

The next question would perhaps be "Moist cat food or dry cat food?" This can perhaps be answered with a little common sense. A mixture of both is advisable as the moist food provides additional water to the cat's diet, while the dry food can be kept out during the day for your cat to graze on. This also prevents your cat from getting bored of the same food all the time. Cats which are exclusively on a moist cat food diet have the potential to get bored of it; while a cat which is on a dry food diet do not get enough water which can cause a urinary tract infection. A balance between the two insures that none of these problems arise and keeps your cat happy with its food.

So, with all that in mind, it is of course always essential to look at the list of ingredients, instead of the brand name when buying your cat food and wondering "What is the best cat food?"

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1481086/the_best_cat_food_to_feed_your_cat.html

Felidae All Natural Cat Food: Product Review

My three felines have been eating Felidae natural cat food for many years. Although I don't believe in touting one brand as the "best" cat food, I do feel confident enough in Felidae to recommend it. If you have cats or kittens, and want to feed them a high quality, natural cat food, Felidae is a great choice.

Felidae cat food is made by the Canidae Food Corporation headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California. They are a well-known company whose dog food is quite popular. All Canidae food is made from high-quality human grade meat and all natural ingredients, and contains no corn, wheat, soy, fillers, by-products or chemical preservatives. In addition, the natural ingredients used in Canidae food are grown and raised in the United States, and manufactured with strict testing and quality control procedures.

Besides human-grade meat, Felidae natural cat food includes wholesome brown rice, essential vitamins and minerals, skin and coat conditioners, and taurine (a must for feline good health). Felidae is also formulated with balanced omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids: flax seed oil provides omega 3 while sunflower oil provides omega 6.

If you have male cats prone to urinary tract infections, Felidae natural cat food is a great choice. Felidae has cranberries for urinary tract health, and the ph balanced formulas were designed to help prevent both urinary crystals and calcium oxylate stones.

Felidae cat food is highly palatable to even the most finicky felines (I know, because I have one). My cats are all healthy, they have nice, shiny coats, lots of energy and no digestion issues, which I attribute to the high quality of this natural cat food.

Felidae natural cat food comes in three formulations. I primarily feed my cats the Chicken and Rice because I prefer a cat food with a single source of meat. The Felidae Cat & Kitten food and the Felidae Platinum food for senior and overweight cats are made from four different meats (chicken, turkey, herring and lamb).

The Felidae Platinum formula is lower in protein, fat and calories, which makes it a good choice for older cats or inactive cats who are battling the feline bulge. All three formulas are available in small cans (5.5 oz.), large cans (13 oz.) and 4 lb., 8 lb. and 15 lb. bags of dry kibble.

Here are the Felidae Chicken & Rice canned food ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Brown Rice, Eggs, Sunflower Oil, Dicalcium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Guar Gum, Flax Seed Oil (Source of Omega 3) Choline Chloride, Salt, Kelp, Cranberries, Rosemary Extract, Carrageenan, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin, Lecithin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Selenite.

Felidae natural cat food is not sold in grocery stores or large chains, but can be found in feed stores, independent pet food stores, and online, primarily at sites that carry natural cat food. At my feed store, I pay $34.95 for a case of 24 large cans, which equals about $1.46 per can. However, Felidae participates in a frequent buyer program, so every 13th case I buy is free. This brings the price down, and gives me a lift every time I get to bring home my free case of cat food!

****

Canidae.com

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1510991/felidae_all_natural_cat_food_product.html

Cat Food and Nutrition: Raw Meat and Live Prey

Most pet cats today are fed commercial cat food, either as dry pellets or in canned form, or a diet of mostly canned tuna and other fish. While commercially available cat foods are often touted as being specifically enhanced for your cat's health, this is a misleading claim. Enhancing cat food is akin to enhancing junk foods for humans.

Dry cat food is often composed primarily of grains and cereals and other sources of refined carbohydrates. Even a cursory look at the natural diet of the domestic cat's wild ancestors will show that grains and plant matter played a minor role. Wild cats are carnivores, hunting mostly small rodents and eating them raw and whole. Most animals contain a large percentage of water in their bodies, so it is through a wild cat's prey that it meets its water needs. Commercial dry cat food is just that, dry, and often contains much less than 10% water.

In addition, dry cat food contains too many carbohydrates for a cat. Again, wild cats sustain themselves on live prey, and these prey animals do not contain a lot of carbohydrates. What this amounts to is that the cat body is not used to having as easy an energy source as carbohydrates, and converts much of this energy into body fat. Feeding dry cat food to cats can in fact lead to obesity.

Canned fish, on the other hand, while not quite as bad as dry cat foods, also has its problems as a cat's exclusive diet. Fish meat is a poor source of vitamin E, and canned tuna packed in vegetable oils contains polyunsaturated fatty acids that can further deplete vitamin E. Vitamin E deficiencies in cats can cause Yellow Fat Disease, where the body's fatty tissues become inflamed. Tuna and fish, while high in protein, do not contain certain amino acids found in other animal meat which are essential for cat health.

Indeed, the best diet for a cat is the one closest to its natural diet. Raw meat and live prey are the mainstays of a wild cat's diet, and would provide domestic cats with far better nutrition than currently popular pet diets. Cats consume their small prey whole and raw. It is important to note that cooking, particularly heat processing, can destroy or alter vital nutrients such as amino acids and enzymes found in the raw meat.

This diet might seem lacking, but usually it is because we insist on looking at things from the perspective of what is good for a human. Cats are carnivores and not omnivores like us humans, and as such they are not made to digest some foods that are good for humans, like vegetables and fruits. Cats can and will survive, even flourish, on a diet of raw meat. This diet will provide them with the food that their bodies are most adapted to digesting and acquiring nutrients from.

A diet of live prey can be too time-consuming for the casual cat owner to implement, and a carefully implemented diet of raw meat can be the next best alternative. While this comes with its own precautions and considerations, your cat will be sure to grow healthy and strong if you feed it what is natural for a carnivore.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1512437/cat_food_and_nutrition_raw_meat_and.html

How to Make Homemade, Healthy Cat Food

Following are just two, variable, healthy recipes you can make at home to insure your cat(s) are eating healthy. It is always best to obtain vitamins and minerals from fresh, natural sources, but if you are not inclined to purchase health and vitamin ingredients (which really go a long way), it is OK to use a complete vitamin/mineral with taurine daily feline supplement tablet, crushed in food, or eaten by itself, if your pet is willing. Either way, you know what your pet is eating, and more importantly, what he's not eating!

Meow Meal



(wet version recipe)

6 cups water

3 cups rolled oats or 2 cups uncooked brown rice (not instant)

2 cloves garlic, chopped or teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup yellow squash, carrots, or pumpkin, raw, chopped

2-3 egg yolks (optional- some cats do not like eggs)

3/4 c. dry lentils or dried split peas

2 lbs. (4 cups) boneless meat or poultry-

Meat may be beefheart, liver, game heart or liver such as venison, or ground beef, ground game

Poultry may be Turkey, chicken, or hearts, livers of chicken, turkey( organ meats best for feline- do NOT use pork) May combine meats or meat and poultry as desired

NOTE- while chicken livers do not need chopping before cooking, your tougher meats should prefferably be ground or chopped small before or after cooking

1c. powdered milk

( Add 2 T. olive oil if using daily vitamin tabs and not vitamin ingredients listed below)

Ingredients below may be omitted if using daily COMPLETE vitamin/mineral supplement for cats

4 tablespoons Health Powder (recipe below)

2 tablespoons Bonemeal (or 4,000 milligrams calcium or 2¼ teaspoons Eggshell Powder)

3 tablespoons cod liver oil

500 milligrams Taurine supplement 1000 IU Vitamin E capsule(pierced and emptied)

Directions:

Bring water to a boil. Add the meat, rice if using rice, vegetable, or, if using millet, add at this time also, cover and simmer,( after bringing to boil), 1/2 hr. -45 minutes-till rice is tender if using.

Add oats, if using oats, at this time, dry milk, stir,remove from heat, add beaten yolks while stirring.

Cover tightly till Cool, after cool, add remaining ingredients (cod liver oil, vitamins, calcium, health powder, taurine). *If using daily complete vitamin/mineral + taurine pet tablet, omit vitamins/ health powder,etc., add 3 T. olive oil.

Mix everything together,

in 4 or five parts, blend or process in food Processor till fairly smooth. Or- if your cat likes more texture (most of mine don't), simply mash well with a potato masher. Stir all processed food together well, bag in 3-day rations in freezer bags. Do not store thawed food longer than 3 days in frig. Always warm to room temperature when serving. Tip:-take out frozen food packets night before needed to thaw in fridge..



Health Powder



This mixture of nutrients is used in this recipe, and can be used in others, (be careful not to "double" any ingredients!) It contains many important food supplements, which are available at most natural food stores: nutritional yeast (rich in B vitamins, iron and other nutrients); lecithin (for linoleic acid, choline and inositol, which help your animal emulsify and absorb fats, improving the condition of its coat and digestion); powdered kelp (for iodine and trace minerals); enough calcium to balance the high phosphorus levels in yeast and lecithin (this enables you to add this powder in any reasonable quantity to any recipe or other diet) and vitamin C (not officially required for dogs or cats because they synthesize their own, but clinical studies have found it to have value).

1 cup Nutritional Yeast (torula or brewer's yeast)

1/2 cup Lecithin granules

1/4 cup Kelp powder

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup Bonemeal (or 9,000 milligrams calcium or 5 teaspoons Eggshell Powder-recipe below)

*1,000 milligrams Vitamin C (ground) or ¼ teaspoon sodium ascorbate (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a 2-quart container, cover or place in zip-lock bag and refrigerate. Add to recipes as instructed. You may also add this mixture to commercial food as follows: 1 to 2 teaspoons per day for cats or small dogs; 2 to 3 teaspoons per day for medium-size dogs; 1 to 2 tablespoons per day for large dogs. Alternatively, you can use a complete Pet (one for cats with taurine, one for dogs) multi-vitamin-mineral supplement as instructed on the label.

Eggshell Powder

You can make this calcium supplement yourself from egg shells, which are very high in calcium carbonate.

To make eggshell powder, wash the eggshells right after cracking and let them dry until you have a dozen or so. (Each whole eggshell makes about a teaspoon of powder, which equals about 1,800 mg of calcium.) Then bake at 300°F for about ten minutes. This removes a mineral-oil coating sometimes added to keep eggs from drying out. It also makes the shells dry and brittle enough to grind to a fine powder with a nut and seed grinder, blender or mortar and pestle, a good coffee bean grinder will work also. Grind well enough that there are no sharp, gritty pieces.

Kitty Kiss Kibble

2 1/2 c. chicken livers ( 1 1/2 lbs.)

1/4 c. water

1 carrot chopped or shredded

-cook on med. high till boil, then cover, turn to med. cook 15 minutes

next-

-In food processor:

add 3 eggs (two if x-tra large)

1 c. powdered milk

1 1/2 c. rolled oats

1 T. cod liver oil

1 T. chicken flavor powder (boulion or soup base)

2 T. health powder (omit if using complete daily cat vitamin/mineral)

2 pinches taurine powder or 250ml tab crushed (omit if using complete

daily cat vitamin/mineral with taurine)

add cooked livers & carrots

Directions:

Process in processor or blender till smooth

using( 2) 9 x 13" pans or very large cookie sheet sprayed well with no stick-

Drop by large spoonsful into pan(s) evenly. Next spray a large piece of waxed paper with no-stick and place on top of dogh in pan. With glass or rolling pin spread evenly to ends of pan -(should be no more than 1/4" thick)

Bake in pre-heated 250 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, score into desired size pieces, then return to oven another 35 minutes. cool, place, with spatula into sealable bag, break up, if needed, inside bag, refrigerate what isn't served immediately.

NOTE: This will make a fairly chewy, moist kibble, if you desire crunchy and dry, score into tiny pieces, break up after baking and return to oven for 15 minutes, then turn off oven and allow to sit for 15 additional minutes. Cool on paper towels, store in sealable bags

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1430711/how_to_make_homemade_healthy_cat_food.html

Cat Food Reviews: Friskies Dry

Cats in general can be difficult to please, but Friskies Dry Cat Food does a pretty good job in keeping out 2 cats well-fed and healthy. Comparable to most other similarly priced cat food, Friskies does well in the area of nutrition as applied to a well balanced diet. The individual pieces are hard enough to remove most plaque on a cats teeth, but soft enough to digest well without and not cause any dental problems. One of the great things about Friskies Dry Cat Food is the price - a month's supply for an average cat is only about $10 to $13, and they love the taste.

Unlike many other cat food brands, Friskies Dry Cat Food is available in sizes ranging from a small box to a large 20 pound bag and many sizes in between. The number of places to find coupons for Friskies Dry Cat food is staggering - everywhere from your Sunday Newspaper to magazines to the internet. Friskies Dry Cat Food also seems to store better than most other brands, so if it is not used quickly it does not absorb moisture or go stale.

What is the most appealing aspect of Friskies Dry Cat Food is the number of varieties and flavors it is available in, 6 in all. Also, Friskies is kind of unique in the fact that their dry cat food are not singular flavors, each product is a mixture of blended tastes that cats seem to enjoy greatly. From a nutritional standpoint, Friskies Dry Cat Food is as good as any on the market and is very nutritionally sound.

Friskies Seafood Sensation is a mixture of Albacore Tuna, Salmon, Yellowfish Tuna, and Crab, that is good for cats of all ages. Friskies Indoor Delight has a poultry flavor with garden greens that is specially formulated for indoor cats. Friskies Feline Favorites is a mix of poultry, milk and seafood flavors for adult cats. Friskies Signature Blend is a mix of 7 different flavors, like beef, poultry and seafood flavors good for most cats.

In addition to the regular Friskies Dry Cat Food, there are 2 special formula's. Friskies Dental Diet is designed to help maintain the dental health of adult cats and prevent problems. Friskies Special Diet Cat Food is for adult cats to maintain good urinary tract health. It works in lowering the urinary Ph balance because it has less magnesium that most regular cat foods.

Overall, Friskies Dry Cat Food is good nutritionally and is available at an excellent price. With the variety of flavors and uses, there is certain to be one that will meet your individual cat's needs. I have personally fed all of these products to our cats, and they enjoy the variety and taste.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1452219/cat_food_reviews_friskies_dry.html