We know from human nutrition that the less processed our foods are, the healthier they are for us. This is no different when it comes to feline nutrition. Cats are obligate carnivores and as such need animal-based proteins to thrive. They cannot get enough nutritional support from plant-based proteins such as grains and vegetables, because, unlike humans and dogs, they lack the specific enzyme that processes plant-based proteins metabolically.
Commercial pet foods are highly processed and most are too high in carbohydrates for cats, leading to all kinds of health problems. Dry food in particular can be the source of many of the degenerative diseases we see in cats, ranging from allergies to intestinal problems to diabetes and urinary tract issues. While a quality grain-free canned diet may be a better choice, the meat in those diets has to be cooked. Cooking degrades the nutrients, leading to loss of enzymes, vitamins and minerals. To make up for this, pet food manufacturers must add in supplements to make up for these losses. Supplementation is not always exact, and depending on the manufacturer, may be done with synthetic rather than natural supplements.
There are numerous benefits from feeding a raw diet to your cat, including improved digestion, reduced stool odor and volume, increased energy, ability to maintain ideal weight, better dental health, and better urinary tract health. With the numerous pet food recalls over the past several years, raw feeding has gained wider attention. Embraced for decades by holistically oriented pet parents and holistic veterinarians, it is becoming more mainstream as pet parents look for alternatives to feeding commercial pet foods. But many pet owners are still leery of the idea of feeding raw meat to their pets, and myths about raw feeding abound. This article will help sort through the myths and facts surrounding raw feeding.
Feeding Cat Raw Food - Separating Myth From Fact
Myth: Cats need dry food to keep their teeth clean.
Fact: Dry kibble does not clean your cat's teeth. Most cats don't chew their kibble long enough for any of the scraping action that is the theory behind this myth to kick in. Some pet food manufacturers offer a "dental diet" that is made up of larger than normal sized kibble to encourage chewing, but in my years at veterinary practices, I've seen many cats swallow even those larger size pieces whole. Additionally, dry food leaves a carbohydrate residue in the cat's mouth that actually encourages growth of tartar and plaque.
Feeding Cat Raw Food - Separating Myth From Fact
Myth: It's dangerous to feed raw meat because it contains bacteria.
Fact: Cats have highly acidic digestive tracts, which makes them pathogen resistant. Their digestive tracts are also much shorter than humans - food passes through their digestive system in about 12 hours, compared to two or three times as much for humans. This doesn't give bacteria enough time to proliferate in their system. As long as you use safe handling procedures with raw meat, the risk to your cat is minimal. In fact, the emphasis on safe handling that you'll hear from most proponents of raw feeding is for the humans in the household, not for the cat.
One caution: this applies to healthy cats. Bacterial resistance in cats with an already compromised immune system may be diminished.
Feeding Cat Raw Food - Separating Myth From Fact
Myth: Raw feeding is complicated and requires grinding of meat, bones and a lot of preparation time.
Fact: Raw feeding doesn't have to be complicated. While some cat owners want to make their own raw foods, there are many companies that offer frozen raw food that is already nutritionally balanced. Two that I like are Feline's Pride and Nature's Variety. It really comes down to thaw and feed - no more effort than opening a can!
Feeding Cat Raw Food - Separating Myth From Fact
Myth: It's dangerous to feed raw meet because it may contain parasites.
Fact: The companies I mentioned above, and I'm sure there are many others as well, source their meat from reputable farmers and test for pathogens and parasites. Of course, there is no way to be 100% sure, but then, neither is there a 100% guarantee that commercially prepared foods are going to be free of toxins, pathogens or other contamination, as the 2007 pet food recall showed us in such tragic proportions. Do your research and find out where the company you're buying from sources their ingredients. Reputable manufacturers will be happy to answer your questions.
Feeding Cat Raw Food - Separating Myth From Fact
Myth: Raw diets are not complete and balanced.
Fact: That depends on the diet you choose to feed. Some raw diets are balanced and include proper levels of supplements, others will require adding a good vitamin and mineral supplement. The reality is that no one food can be nutritionally complete. True nutrition comes from a varied, whole foods diet. This is why it's a good idea to mix and rotate different meats and maybe even different manufacturers.
The idea of raw feeding has initially been a big leap for me. For starters, I'm semi-vegetarian and don't eat red meat or poultry, so I wasn't crazy about having to handle raw meat, even if it was best for my cats. The twelve years I spent in the veterinary profession taught me a lot about animal health, but initially, not a lot about nutrition. Traditionally, veterinarians don't receive a lot of training in nutrition, and what training they do receive in veterinary schools is funded by major pet food manufacturers. I was fortunate that I eventually worked with several holistically oriented vets, and I began studying feline nutrition on my own as well.
Monday, 15 March 2010
Cat Litter - Choices For Today's Discriminating Cat
In the beginning, there was dirt. Cats roamed freely, scratching a "cat hole" wherever they pleased, then covering their business to avoid detection by predators. The really lucky ones roamed near a house with children, where there was often a sandbox for the tykes to play in. This sand was the luxury dirt of the early days -- dirt that was easy to dig in, easy to scratch over, and easy to shake from the paws.
Then cats moved indoors, and it was people who decided where they should do their digging and dumping, and what they should do that digging and dumping in. The first litterboxes held the familiar dirt or sand. The cats were happy enough with the familiar materials, but people tended not to like the odor or mess. It just didn't absorb very well and had to be completely changed every day.
In 1948 Ed Lowe, a dealer in industrial absorbents gave his neighbor some absorbent clay material for use in her cat's litterbox. It worked much better than sand, and soon more people wanted to try it. Lowe developed and refined the product, selling it as Kitty Litter, a brand name that has become a generic reference to any cat box product. The commercial cat litter industry was born.
Clay Cat Litter
Clay litters have been the standard for many years. They are very absorbent and offer moderate odor control. Clumping types form a consolidated mass when wet, and are easily scooped out of the box for disposal, leaving the remaining litter for further use. Some people worry that clumping litters could cause digestive problems if a cat, especially a kitten, were to ingest it, as the particles would swell and form a mass in the digestive tract.
Clay cat litters are heavy and can be dusty. Disposal of the used litter can be a problem. Most people just bag it up and send it out with the trash, but that adds tons of material to already over-stressed landfills each year. Criticisms of clay litters are that it is a strip-mined product, and that it contains silica dust, which is treated as a carcinogen in California.
Crystal Cat Litter
The new kid on the cat litter block is silica gel crystals, made from silicon dioxide sand. Crystal litter is very lightweight, highly absorbent, and dust-free. It's more expensive than other litters, but it can last a long time; with a daily stirring to expose more of the porous granules to the urine, it can soak up wetness for up to a month before needing to be replaced.
Crystal litters control odors well, but do not form good clumps. Many cats don't like the texture of crystal cat litter, and owners worry that as a super-absorbent, it could be a health hazard if ingested. And again, disposal of the used crystals comes down to the landfill.
Biodegradable Cat Litter
The problems of clay and crystal cat litters are overcome with natural, biodegradable cat litters. The natural litters control odors well and are non-toxic, absorbent, and mostly dust-free. Best of all, the degradable nature of natural litters means they can be composted in the backyard to produce a soil enrichment for ornamental plants in the landscape. If space for composting isn't available, these cat litters are safe to flush into the septic system, so there is no disposal issue. This is a type of cat litter that won't stack up in the landfill.
Biodegradable litters are made from renewable plant resources, such as grain, wood, or paper, usually recycled or produced from a by-product of other plant uses. They are completely safe for both cats and humans.
Then cats moved indoors, and it was people who decided where they should do their digging and dumping, and what they should do that digging and dumping in. The first litterboxes held the familiar dirt or sand. The cats were happy enough with the familiar materials, but people tended not to like the odor or mess. It just didn't absorb very well and had to be completely changed every day.
In 1948 Ed Lowe, a dealer in industrial absorbents gave his neighbor some absorbent clay material for use in her cat's litterbox. It worked much better than sand, and soon more people wanted to try it. Lowe developed and refined the product, selling it as Kitty Litter, a brand name that has become a generic reference to any cat box product. The commercial cat litter industry was born.
Clay Cat Litter
Clay litters have been the standard for many years. They are very absorbent and offer moderate odor control. Clumping types form a consolidated mass when wet, and are easily scooped out of the box for disposal, leaving the remaining litter for further use. Some people worry that clumping litters could cause digestive problems if a cat, especially a kitten, were to ingest it, as the particles would swell and form a mass in the digestive tract.
Clay cat litters are heavy and can be dusty. Disposal of the used litter can be a problem. Most people just bag it up and send it out with the trash, but that adds tons of material to already over-stressed landfills each year. Criticisms of clay litters are that it is a strip-mined product, and that it contains silica dust, which is treated as a carcinogen in California.
Crystal Cat Litter
The new kid on the cat litter block is silica gel crystals, made from silicon dioxide sand. Crystal litter is very lightweight, highly absorbent, and dust-free. It's more expensive than other litters, but it can last a long time; with a daily stirring to expose more of the porous granules to the urine, it can soak up wetness for up to a month before needing to be replaced.
Crystal litters control odors well, but do not form good clumps. Many cats don't like the texture of crystal cat litter, and owners worry that as a super-absorbent, it could be a health hazard if ingested. And again, disposal of the used crystals comes down to the landfill.
Biodegradable Cat Litter
The problems of clay and crystal cat litters are overcome with natural, biodegradable cat litters. The natural litters control odors well and are non-toxic, absorbent, and mostly dust-free. Best of all, the degradable nature of natural litters means they can be composted in the backyard to produce a soil enrichment for ornamental plants in the landscape. If space for composting isn't available, these cat litters are safe to flush into the septic system, so there is no disposal issue. This is a type of cat litter that won't stack up in the landfill.
Biodegradable litters are made from renewable plant resources, such as grain, wood, or paper, usually recycled or produced from a by-product of other plant uses. They are completely safe for both cats and humans.
Cat Health Help is Most Effective When Natural
When looking for appropriate cat health help, you can be forgiven for being overwhelmed by the different advice given by the so-called 'experts'.
There are many animal health experts both on and off-line, all clamouring for your attention. And many of them have conflicting advice. How on earth do you sort through the chaff, to find the gold?
Are professional veterinarians the best people to ask for your cat health help? Or are other, less qualified people more able to help?
I feel it is best to focus on how your cat evolved. After all, cats have evolved as wild animals for millions of years. They have become domesticated only recently, in comparison. And humans have started tampering with their health and their diet only in the last 100 years. Probably less.
Cat Health So, by reverting to a diet that reflects their evolutionary history, you stand a chance of reversing any health disorder. Holistic veterinarians around the world are finding just this. When they can convert the people to feed a natural diet, the animal recovers, even from serious illnesses.
Humans have become so distant from nature, that they no longer feel comfortable relying on such an easy way. But it is nature who has perfected the diet of animals. Nature has had plenty of time to get this right. Humans haven't.
What is noteworthy is that those people advocating a return to a natural diet generally don't profit by any food sales. And those who recommend a processed food for your cat, usually sell it.
Cat Health - So maybe you need to wonder who profits by what they say, to find your best cat health help. Does the processed food or veterinary care profit your vet, the drug company or the food manufacturer more than your cat?
There are many animal health experts both on and off-line, all clamouring for your attention. And many of them have conflicting advice. How on earth do you sort through the chaff, to find the gold?
Are professional veterinarians the best people to ask for your cat health help? Or are other, less qualified people more able to help?
I feel it is best to focus on how your cat evolved. After all, cats have evolved as wild animals for millions of years. They have become domesticated only recently, in comparison. And humans have started tampering with their health and their diet only in the last 100 years. Probably less.
Cat Health So, by reverting to a diet that reflects their evolutionary history, you stand a chance of reversing any health disorder. Holistic veterinarians around the world are finding just this. When they can convert the people to feed a natural diet, the animal recovers, even from serious illnesses.
Humans have become so distant from nature, that they no longer feel comfortable relying on such an easy way. But it is nature who has perfected the diet of animals. Nature has had plenty of time to get this right. Humans haven't.
What is noteworthy is that those people advocating a return to a natural diet generally don't profit by any food sales. And those who recommend a processed food for your cat, usually sell it.
Cat Health - So maybe you need to wonder who profits by what they say, to find your best cat health help. Does the processed food or veterinary care profit your vet, the drug company or the food manufacturer more than your cat?
Feline Life Stage Guidelines
The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association released the Feline Life Stage Guidelines, a 12-page document designed to promote important information regarding wellness care for cats. The guidelines have been developed in response to statistics that show that while cats outnumber dogs as pets, they receive significantly less veterinary care. Studies have also shown that many cat owners are unaware of their cats' medical needs, citing an inability to recognize signs of illness or injury.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines The guidelines addresses wellness exams, recommending annual visits for healthy cats under 7 years of age, and twice yearly visits for cats 7 or older. They address a lenghty list of items that should be covered in an annual or bi-annual exam, including looking at behavior and environment, medical and surgical history, elimination, nutrition and weight management, dental health, parasite control, diagnostic testing, and vaccinations.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines The guidelines also address how to overcome barriers to veterinary visits. Many pet owners perceive cats as being self-sufficient because they hide any discomfort, pain or illness so well. There can also be a lot of stress associated with getting kitty to the vet - many pet parents don't want to be the "bad guy" by putting their cat in a carrier and taking him to the vet's. Recommendations include ways to reduce the stress of transport, making cat and cat parent comfortable at the clinic, and keeping the clinic environment as calm and stress free as possible.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines There is only one area where the guidelines fall short, and that's nutrition. I would have liked to have seen a firmer stand on what constitutes good nutrition for cats. With statements such as "both canned and dry foods have been found to support health during all life stages", "satisfactory diets for cats contain all the required nutrients in proper balance, are palatable and digestible, and are free of spoilage and contaminants. The specific source of nutrients in feline diets is irrelevant when these criteria are satisfied" do not make me feel comfortable that there has been much progress when it comes to educating veterinarians about nutrition. The guidelines cite evidence-based studies for the effects of feeding canned vs. dry food (including contribution to dental health) and state that based on the available data, specific recommendations in favor of any of these practices cannot be made. I suspect that most of these studies have been funded by major pet food manufacturers. Thankfully, many veterinarians are starting to see evidence that their feline patients who are fed grain-free, canned diets or raw diets have fewer degenerative health issues, maintain their weight, have healthier teeth and gums and fewer allergies and intestinal problems, and are recommending these diets to their patients.
However, aside from the section about nutrition, the Feline Lifestage Guidelines are an important step towards getting cats the care they deserve. Ultimately, cats and their guardians will benefit from these guidelines.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines The guidelines addresses wellness exams, recommending annual visits for healthy cats under 7 years of age, and twice yearly visits for cats 7 or older. They address a lenghty list of items that should be covered in an annual or bi-annual exam, including looking at behavior and environment, medical and surgical history, elimination, nutrition and weight management, dental health, parasite control, diagnostic testing, and vaccinations.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines The guidelines also address how to overcome barriers to veterinary visits. Many pet owners perceive cats as being self-sufficient because they hide any discomfort, pain or illness so well. There can also be a lot of stress associated with getting kitty to the vet - many pet parents don't want to be the "bad guy" by putting their cat in a carrier and taking him to the vet's. Recommendations include ways to reduce the stress of transport, making cat and cat parent comfortable at the clinic, and keeping the clinic environment as calm and stress free as possible.
Feline Lifestage Guidelines There is only one area where the guidelines fall short, and that's nutrition. I would have liked to have seen a firmer stand on what constitutes good nutrition for cats. With statements such as "both canned and dry foods have been found to support health during all life stages", "satisfactory diets for cats contain all the required nutrients in proper balance, are palatable and digestible, and are free of spoilage and contaminants. The specific source of nutrients in feline diets is irrelevant when these criteria are satisfied" do not make me feel comfortable that there has been much progress when it comes to educating veterinarians about nutrition. The guidelines cite evidence-based studies for the effects of feeding canned vs. dry food (including contribution to dental health) and state that based on the available data, specific recommendations in favor of any of these practices cannot be made. I suspect that most of these studies have been funded by major pet food manufacturers. Thankfully, many veterinarians are starting to see evidence that their feline patients who are fed grain-free, canned diets or raw diets have fewer degenerative health issues, maintain their weight, have healthier teeth and gums and fewer allergies and intestinal problems, and are recommending these diets to their patients.
However, aside from the section about nutrition, the Feline Lifestage Guidelines are an important step towards getting cats the care they deserve. Ultimately, cats and their guardians will benefit from these guidelines.
Cat Biting Behavior - Are You the Reason That Your Cat Bites?
Cat Biting Behavior If you have a cat that bites, did you know that the reason that he may be biting is because of you? I did not know this either until it was too late and I wish that I had known it sooner or I never would have done what I did. Yes I'll admit it, I am guilty of teaching my cat to bite. It was of course accidental and I was just doing what I thought I should be doing, but who knew? It's true, your cat biting behavior could have been caused by you.
Here is my story on Cat Biting Behavior. Two years ago I was driving down Main Street in town when I saw a barely weaned kitten dodging traffic while running across the street. I immediately pulled my vehicle over in a no parking zone and grabbed the poor little scared thing before he could get run over. I asked around to see if this kitten belonged to anyone and all I got were blank stares. I took the kitten home, fed him, took care of him and loved him.
Now this is where I messed up. As you know, kittens love to play, so we played and played and played. His favorite game was chasing my fingers as I moved my hand around and around and up and down. What fun that was, until he got older. He then decided that chasing my fingers and hand around was so much fun that jumping up my leg would be funner. I had so many scratches on my legs it looked like I had been attacked by a mountain lion and lost.
After he grew up and thankfully grew out of that, he then decided that every time I was going to pet him, it would be time to bite me. I absolutely could not touch that cat anywhere without being bitten. I tried petting him in different areas of his body, I tried talking nice to him before I pet him and nothing worked. I just could not figure out why he did not want to be petted. I had always been nice to him and he never wants for anything, so I just figured he was strange and did not like to be petted.
However with him being such the gentleman that he is, when I would start to pet him he would actually warn me first. Sometimes I would heed his warning and other times I didn't. His warning would be to put his paw on my hand which meant, don't even go there. The next warning would be to put his mouth on my hand, but not actually bite it. The third time if I was brave enough, was to actually bite me.
It wasn't until many months and many bites later that I learned that you are not supposed to ever use your hands and fingers as playthings with your kitten. Oh, so now I find this out and it hits me that I am the one that caused this cat biting behavior. So as a word of caution, do not ever use your hands and fingers to play with your kitten. You are supposed to use something like a dangling toy instead.
So how did my story Cat Biting Behavior end? Well I am happy to say that I can now pet my cat, but if he gets enough he will tell me and I will stop. It's a little bit of give and take but he is one hundred times better than he used to be. He really is a loving cat and loves to be on my lap and purr. I have learned a lot about cats through him and that can only benefit us both.
Here is my story on Cat Biting Behavior. Two years ago I was driving down Main Street in town when I saw a barely weaned kitten dodging traffic while running across the street. I immediately pulled my vehicle over in a no parking zone and grabbed the poor little scared thing before he could get run over. I asked around to see if this kitten belonged to anyone and all I got were blank stares. I took the kitten home, fed him, took care of him and loved him.
Now this is where I messed up. As you know, kittens love to play, so we played and played and played. His favorite game was chasing my fingers as I moved my hand around and around and up and down. What fun that was, until he got older. He then decided that chasing my fingers and hand around was so much fun that jumping up my leg would be funner. I had so many scratches on my legs it looked like I had been attacked by a mountain lion and lost.
After he grew up and thankfully grew out of that, he then decided that every time I was going to pet him, it would be time to bite me. I absolutely could not touch that cat anywhere without being bitten. I tried petting him in different areas of his body, I tried talking nice to him before I pet him and nothing worked. I just could not figure out why he did not want to be petted. I had always been nice to him and he never wants for anything, so I just figured he was strange and did not like to be petted.
However with him being such the gentleman that he is, when I would start to pet him he would actually warn me first. Sometimes I would heed his warning and other times I didn't. His warning would be to put his paw on my hand which meant, don't even go there. The next warning would be to put his mouth on my hand, but not actually bite it. The third time if I was brave enough, was to actually bite me.
It wasn't until many months and many bites later that I learned that you are not supposed to ever use your hands and fingers as playthings with your kitten. Oh, so now I find this out and it hits me that I am the one that caused this cat biting behavior. So as a word of caution, do not ever use your hands and fingers to play with your kitten. You are supposed to use something like a dangling toy instead.
So how did my story Cat Biting Behavior end? Well I am happy to say that I can now pet my cat, but if he gets enough he will tell me and I will stop. It's a little bit of give and take but he is one hundred times better than he used to be. He really is a loving cat and loves to be on my lap and purr. I have learned a lot about cats through him and that can only benefit us both.
Choosing the Right Cat For Your Way of Life
There is more to picking a cat than just finding the first one that you see that appeals to you. You have to consider whether you want an older cat that would benefit from an indoor life or if you live in a high-rise flat with no garden. If you are like myself and have a long term illness and also live in a rough neighbourhood then rescuing an older cat would be a perfect idea.
Choosing the Right Cat For Your Way of Life If you have rambling garden then you could give a perfect home to a younger cat or kittens. If you have one cat on their own then you need to spend time with them and just give them lots of attention if they have no play mate. If you get one cat first like in my case and you decide to introduce another cat it is best to find one that is younger so that the existing cat does not feel that they are down the pecking order, and still feels as if they rule the roost and the new cat hasn't taken over the living space.
Pedigree long-haired cats as a rule have very placid temperaments and prefer home life but pedigree shorthairs are more outgoing especially the oriental breeds. You must be prepared to spend a lot of time grooming these cats. Cats such as the Siamese and Burmese love company but they are quite independent too. The kittens of these breeds need a lot of extra care and are pretty demanding at times. If the females and males are neutered they are just as sociable.
The domestic cat non pedigree, is very sturdy and will fit well into your family life and make a loving pet.
Choosing the Right Cat For Your Way of Life - The less common breeds such as the Abyssinian cat has a lot of endless energy and is very beautiful and the American breed Maine coon has a lovely temperament and will grow to a large cat.
Choosing the Right Cat For Your Way of Life If you have rambling garden then you could give a perfect home to a younger cat or kittens. If you have one cat on their own then you need to spend time with them and just give them lots of attention if they have no play mate. If you get one cat first like in my case and you decide to introduce another cat it is best to find one that is younger so that the existing cat does not feel that they are down the pecking order, and still feels as if they rule the roost and the new cat hasn't taken over the living space.
Pedigree long-haired cats as a rule have very placid temperaments and prefer home life but pedigree shorthairs are more outgoing especially the oriental breeds. You must be prepared to spend a lot of time grooming these cats. Cats such as the Siamese and Burmese love company but they are quite independent too. The kittens of these breeds need a lot of extra care and are pretty demanding at times. If the females and males are neutered they are just as sociable.
The domestic cat non pedigree, is very sturdy and will fit well into your family life and make a loving pet.
Choosing the Right Cat For Your Way of Life - The less common breeds such as the Abyssinian cat has a lot of endless energy and is very beautiful and the American breed Maine coon has a lovely temperament and will grow to a large cat.
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