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
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
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
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
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