Some of the ingredients that end up in commercial pet foods are truly shocking. What's more, many of these will not appear on the label and others are hidden under umbrella terms such as ‘meat meal' and ‘meat by-products'. How can this happen? The pet food industry is highly unregulated. As Ann Martin, author of Foods Pets Die For, writes in her article The Pet Food Industry and its Questionable Practices, ‘Governments in the USA and Canada regulate the labeling of the food, the name and address of the company, the weight of the product, and whether it is made for a dog or cat - nothing more.'
The meats used in pet food can be extremely low grade and unfit for human consumption. Summarized as the ‘4 D's' (dead, diseased, disabled and dying), these can include roadkill, zoo animals and infected and cancerous meats.
At the rendering plants ingredients are highly heated and processed, destroying nutrients and enzymes, with strong preservatives added which do not appear on the labels. These include fat stabilizers such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytolulene), both of which are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and Ethoxyquin, a suspected cancer-causing agent. Semi-moist dog foods may also contain propylene glycol, a relation to ethylene glycol (anti-freeze), which can destroy red blood cells.
Pets in your pet food
Though reportedly not the case today, it is well recorded that dogs and cats have ended up in dog and cat food. In his 1990 article How Dogs and Cats Get Recycled Into Pet Food, John Eckhouse, an investigative reporter, wrote: ‘Each year, millions of dead American dogs and cats are processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials by companies known as renderers. The finished products -- tallow and meat meals -- serve as raw materials for thousands of items that include cosmetics and pet food.'
Doctor of weterianry medicine Wendell Belfield in Foods Not Fit For a Pet (Earth Island Journal, 1996), reports that ‘federal and state agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and medical groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Association, confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health authorities, and the end product frequently finds its way into pet food.'
Toxic Grains
The very use of grains in pet food is questionable as grains are ill-suited to the digestive physiology of carnivores. This is especially so for cats who are obligatory carnivores and meet their glucose requirements through amino acids in their diet. Further, the grains used in dog and cat foods may contain mycotoxins, fungi that can cause chronic conditions and even death in both humans and animals. As the grains used in pet food are low grade, they are dealt with last in the handling process and because of this are often left in storage where insects, mites and mycotoxic molds can grow.
The consumption of dead mites can cause skin allergies. If your pet has skin allergies, change their diet first before turning to steroids which can be seriously detrimental to your pets health.
Alfatoxin poisoning, a common mycotoxin that grows on corn as well as other foods, has been reported for over 50 years. Vomotoxin is another mycotoxin found in wheat products. Where large doses of mycotoxins can cause cancer and even rapid death, small continuous amounts may suppress the immune system and damage organs over time, leading to long-term chronic health conditions.
Just recently at the end of 2005, over 100 dogs were killed in the United States because of alfatoxin found in pet food, with some 19 brands of Diamond dog food being recalled. It is likely there were many more deaths than those reported, and as alfatoxin attacks the liver it is likely surviving dogs may develop chronic liver disease or liver cancer in the future.
Toxic Chemicals
The toxin sodium pentobarbital, a chemical is used to euthanize animals and pets, has been found in commercial pet foods. The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine performed two studies (1998 and 2000) to test for pentobarbital. Of the 74 samples analysed, over half were found to contain pentobarbital. What's more, none of the 43 brands and product lines that tested positive warned of its presence on their labels.
The FDA researchers also tested the food for the presence of dogs or cats but reported none present. It was believed the pentobarbital residues were entering pet foods from euthanized, rendered cattle or even horses.
The FDA say the small amounts of the drug found in these foods were harmless, but not all veterinarians agree. Long-term continual doses, even at small levels may be increase the onset of chronic and degenerative diseases.
Aside from the toxins and base ingredients of commercial pet foods, these harshly processed and high-carbohydrate products in no way match the natural diets dogs and cats would have eaten in the wild. They are species-inappropriate and ill-suited to canine and feline physiology. I recommend healthy, homemade, raw diets or optimum natural, holistic alternatives for the health and well-being of your dog and cat. Before embarking on a raw food diet (otherwise known as BARF - ‘biologically adequate raw food'), thoroughly research the area first as nutritional balance is essential.
Taking Care of Cats
Cats are proving to be one of the most popular pets you can own. They are a domesticated animal that date back around 8,000 years and beyond. There are several different breeds of this animal with the most popular being Siamese and Persian. Like any other pet, including dogs, cats can cost money to take care of properly.
You need to think about the costs associated with keeping a cat. Obviously you will need food and
you will need to consider the costs of a veterinarian. You will also need litter for the litter box, which can get quite expensive as the years go by. Your cat will need a food dish and a water dish. You should also get your cat some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, pet carrier and a bed. An ID collar is a good idea also, just in case your cat gets lost.
The age of your cat will influence the feeding of your pet. Older cats require two small meals or one large meal for the day. Kittens, on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks old. At three to six months of age, cats need to be fed three times a day. Canned food is good for cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes needs to be thrown out. Canned food gets expensive very fast and you should always keep in mind that some may need to be thrown away when you buy it. Cats love canned food, although it doesn't have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.
An alternative to canned food is dry food. You can leave a supply out for your pet. When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that he has enough water. Dry food costs less than canned food, and it can also help to prevent the buildup of tartar on the cat's teeth. When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits and stay away from generic food. Even though generic food may be cheaper, it may not offer the nutrients your cat needs.
If you have a kitten, you should only give him food designed for kittens. you will also need to clean and refill his water dish every day. You should avoid giving kittens and cats cows milk, even though they really like it. It can cause diarrhea. Treats are fine on occasions, but too many of them can cause your cat to get fat. Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it with cat food.
Cats stay fairly clean by themselves. You will need to give them a brushing at least once a day. You don't need to bathe them very often. Brushing reduces the risk of hairballs and keeps your cat's coat nice and clean. If you keep your cat indoors, you will need to have a litter box in the area that is easy for the cat to access. You should scoop it on a daily basis and clean it out once a week. Cats do not like to use dirty litter and will scratch it out onto your floor. They want it nice and clean.
Cats do require some work, but they are great pets that will provide you years and years of
companionship. As long as you take car of your pet, take them to the vet for checkups and generally love them, they should remain healthy and happy pets. A healthy and happy pet makes for a healthy and happy owner. They will get sick from time to time and knowing how to care for them will make a lot of difference.
You need to think about the costs associated with keeping a cat. Obviously you will need food and
you will need to consider the costs of a veterinarian. You will also need litter for the litter box, which can get quite expensive as the years go by. Your cat will need a food dish and a water dish. You should also get your cat some toys as well, such as a scratching post, cat toys, pet carrier and a bed. An ID collar is a good idea also, just in case your cat gets lost.
The age of your cat will influence the feeding of your pet. Older cats require two small meals or one large meal for the day. Kittens, on the other hand, require several feedings a day until they get around the age of 12 weeks old. At three to six months of age, cats need to be fed three times a day. Canned food is good for cats, although any food that has been left out longer than 30 minutes needs to be thrown out. Canned food gets expensive very fast and you should always keep in mind that some may need to be thrown away when you buy it. Cats love canned food, although it doesn't have any benefits to their dental health like dry food does.
An alternative to canned food is dry food. You can leave a supply out for your pet. When you give your cat dry food, you should always make sure that he has enough water. Dry food costs less than canned food, and it can also help to prevent the buildup of tartar on the cat's teeth. When you buy dry food, you should always look in terms of health and benefits and stay away from generic food. Even though generic food may be cheaper, it may not offer the nutrients your cat needs.
If you have a kitten, you should only give him food designed for kittens. you will also need to clean and refill his water dish every day. You should avoid giving kittens and cats cows milk, even though they really like it. It can cause diarrhea. Treats are fine on occasions, but too many of them can cause your cat to get fat. Feeding your kitten human food is good on occasion, although you may have to mix it with cat food.
Cats stay fairly clean by themselves. You will need to give them a brushing at least once a day. You don't need to bathe them very often. Brushing reduces the risk of hairballs and keeps your cat's coat nice and clean. If you keep your cat indoors, you will need to have a litter box in the area that is easy for the cat to access. You should scoop it on a daily basis and clean it out once a week. Cats do not like to use dirty litter and will scratch it out onto your floor. They want it nice and clean.
Cats do require some work, but they are great pets that will provide you years and years of
companionship. As long as you take car of your pet, take them to the vet for checkups and generally love them, they should remain healthy and happy pets. A healthy and happy pet makes for a healthy and happy owner. They will get sick from time to time and knowing how to care for them will make a lot of difference.
Cat Food Allergy Symptoms - What Symptoms To Watch Out For
Most of the time, people may think that they are the only ones who have problems when it comes to allergies. The truth is even pets have their own problems with these reactions and show cat food allergy symptoms.
Just like humans, there are some foods that are not meant to be eaten by your pet cat or that doesn't meet their nutritional needs. Hence, they would give out these allergic reactions as a way to show that they have this problem. The good thing about this problem is you can solve this problem given that you know the symptoms to watch out for. Here are several of the symptoms you have to notice and treat your pet immediately.
Excessive scratching can be related to possible allergic reactions among cats. Humans also experience itchiness in eating foods that have allergens for them so cats may also be the same when they eat foods that are not suitable for them. Too much scratching will now result to the next symptom.
The second among the cat food allergy symptoms is absence of hair on certain skin areas. With continuous scratching, their skin will also fall out excessively and leave these spots. Therefore, even if you don't see your cat scratching that much, hairless spots can be enough to tell you that they've been scratching that much within the body. Depending on the extremity of their symptoms, these hairless spots may also have wounds since they've been scratching it for some time.
Third, you may also notice that your pet has an odour on these hairless spots. Wounds are open lesions on the skin and they can also be infected especially if they have them for some time. This odour would indicate that the wound is already infected or also known as active infection for them.
Once you've seen that these symptoms are present on your pet then it's time for you to get it treated to avoid more serious problems for them. Make sure to bring them to your physician to get them treated especially at instances of active infections. At this point, be sure to remember the foods that your cat ate and tell them to the veterinarian. They may advise you to do elimination among the foods they eat to know what they're allergic to.In conclusion, cats also experience cat food allergy symptoms but as long as you know them, you can get them treated immediately and keep them from these symptoms that prevent them from being active pets.
Just like humans, there are some foods that are not meant to be eaten by your pet cat or that doesn't meet their nutritional needs. Hence, they would give out these allergic reactions as a way to show that they have this problem. The good thing about this problem is you can solve this problem given that you know the symptoms to watch out for. Here are several of the symptoms you have to notice and treat your pet immediately.
Excessive scratching can be related to possible allergic reactions among cats. Humans also experience itchiness in eating foods that have allergens for them so cats may also be the same when they eat foods that are not suitable for them. Too much scratching will now result to the next symptom.
The second among the cat food allergy symptoms is absence of hair on certain skin areas. With continuous scratching, their skin will also fall out excessively and leave these spots. Therefore, even if you don't see your cat scratching that much, hairless spots can be enough to tell you that they've been scratching that much within the body. Depending on the extremity of their symptoms, these hairless spots may also have wounds since they've been scratching it for some time.
Third, you may also notice that your pet has an odour on these hairless spots. Wounds are open lesions on the skin and they can also be infected especially if they have them for some time. This odour would indicate that the wound is already infected or also known as active infection for them.
Once you've seen that these symptoms are present on your pet then it's time for you to get it treated to avoid more serious problems for them. Make sure to bring them to your physician to get them treated especially at instances of active infections. At this point, be sure to remember the foods that your cat ate and tell them to the veterinarian. They may advise you to do elimination among the foods they eat to know what they're allergic to.In conclusion, cats also experience cat food allergy symptoms but as long as you know them, you can get them treated immediately and keep them from these symptoms that prevent them from being active pets.
Dry Cat Food
Dry cat food is an important part of any pet cats diet. As you know, feeding your cat correctly can affect their mood in a positive or negative way. If you fail to accommodate the needs of your cats diet you will make the cat cranky and probably find yourself in a bad mood as well.Dry food comes in a bag and can be purchased at most any store. Though dry food in and of itself is not enough, it is an important component of the diet. Do not overlook the nutritional value that dry cat food plays when you are purchasing it. Simply reaching for the cheapest bag may put your cats overall health in danger. Take the time to read the nutritional facts on each different brand of food. Purchase the food that makes the most sense for your cat considering age and current health. Some brands of dry food are specifically formulated for older cats while some brands are formulated for younger cats. Whatever the case may be, the best food for your cat can be found by doing a bit of consumer research.Remember to try a few different kinds of food that have good nutritional value. Odds are your cat is going to like one more than another. Just like humans, each cat has different likes and dislikes. If you find a healthy dry food that your cat likes stick with it until they get tired of it. Over the course of a lifetime your cats taste will probably change a few times. Understand when it does and try a few new dry foods until you find one that fits.
Cat Food Analysis
Since the pet food recalls several years ago, cat owners are more interested in high quality cat food. High quality ingredients especially proteins and few preservatives and artificial ingredients are most desirable.A cat is a carnivore and meat should be its primary source of protein. If the food label says beef, 95% of its ingredients should be beef. If labeled chicken or lamb, only 25% is recommended. If labeled chicken or beef flavored, it may not contain any meat. Food containing meat byproducts, grains and glutens are a less healthy diet.A cat needs more protein than carbohydrates in its diet. Besides meat, protein is added to the food using meat byproducts, animal digest, meat meal and bone meal. With chicken, necks, feet and intestines are used. Although these provide some protein, they are not as healthy as meat. Carbohydrate fillers require a cat to eat more food to get the necessary protein. This can lead to obesity and health problems.Artificial preservatives may have a long term effect on a cat's health. The more common chemicals use are BHA/BHT, ethoxyquin and propyl gallate. Vitamin C or E is a much better alternative as a preservative.Dry cat food stores easier, is more cost effective and makes litter box cleaning easier. Canned food is more like raw food, usually has less filler and carbohydrates and contains water which aids in hydration. Experts recommend that wet food be the primary diet.Another alternative is a raw food diet reflecting what a cat eats in the wild. This can be messy, expensive and time consuming to prepare. It is believed that the food has better nutrients leading to better health and more energy. The right amount of food and supplements is required to insure the cat is getting a balance diet.Some owners use a vegetarian diet for their cats. This can be effective if the diet contains enough protein. There is some concern that a cat's lifespan must be impacted by this diet.There are many types of dry and wet food on the market. From the commercial grade to the premium or natural, the impact on a cat's health will vary. The premium or natural foods cost more but a cat usually eats less making it as cost effective as the commercial grades. The label describes what is in the food and a veterinarian can recommend the best diet.
Cat Nutrition - The Top 3 Reasons Why Canned Food is Better For Your Cat Than Dry
There has been an ongoing discussion among cat owners about whether dry or canned food is better. Do you feed your cat canned food? Should you? The answer is a big YES, and here are the top 3 reasons why.1. Water Content.In canned cat food, the main ingredient is water. This means that canned food is closer to what your cat would eat in his natural habitat. When a cat kills and eats prey, the animal flesh contains the water required to meet the cat's nutritional needs. This is not the case with dry food.Because cats have evolved to get most of their water from the prey they hunt and eat, they are not well accustomed to drinking water from a bowl. Many cats do not get enough water if they are on a dry food diet, and easily become dehydrated. This can contribute to common feline diseases such as Urinary Tract Crystals, which often lead to kidney and liver problems.2. Animal ProteinMost canned cat foods contain significant amounts of animal protein, and this is generally the second ingredient, after water, and before any carbohydrate content. Canned cat foods do not generally contain much carbohydrate, while dry foods usually contain a great deal.Is this important? Very much so! Too much carbohydrate for a cat can cause all sorts of problems, including a higher chance of developing Diabetes, more likelihood of becoming obese, and greater risk of Pancreatitis. A better understanding of cat nutrition tells us that lower carbohydrate and higher animal protein is a much healthier diet.3. DigestionCanned food is already partially broken down when the cat eats it. This makes it much easier to digest in the cat's stomach and intestines. What this can mean for your cat is reduced incidents of vomiting and intestinal gas, and less risk of Bloat.I know it can seem inconvenient to deal with canned food, when with dry all you need to do is pour a little into a bowl each day. Maybe you dislike the smell of canned food. The tins and bowls are messy and they need to be cleaned or recycled. But once you know what your cat really needs for optimum health, you understand that it's worth it. And think how much more inconvenient it would be if your cat develops diabetes or kidney problems, and you need to give him insulin injections or subcutaneous fluids each day! Not to mention how this would affect your cat's happiness and sense of well being.So keep your cat's health in mind, and consider making the switch if you have not already!
Feeding Your Cat - What You Should Know
You would think that feeding your cat would be the one part of act pet care that would be easy, but there are so many choices of food out there, that it can be downright confusing. You want to feed your cat the best food, the food that can provide the most vitamins and nutrients so that you can stays healthy and happy for a long time to come. So, how do you know what type of food to feed your cat? How much food should you allow your cat to eat at one time? How many times a day do you need to feed your cat? If you make the wrong choice, you could severely impact your cat's health, so as you can see, feeding your cat may not be as simple a task as you first thought it would be.The majority of the cat food that you can purchase today has been specially formulated specifically for your cat's health. It has the correct amount of vitamins and nutrients, with just the right number of calories, to ensure that your cat stays healthy, and doesn't become overweight. Your veterinarian should be able to suggest the best brand of cat food for your cat, as well as help answer any cat feeding questions that you may have. If your cat has health problems, or is overweight, he may require special food.When purchasing cat food, you shouldn't grab the cheapest bag that you can find and think that it is okay for your cat. When it comes to cat food, you really do get what you pay for. If you can't afford the most expensive brands, that is okay, but you should try to mix it up, maybe buy a more expensive, higher-quality brand one week, and then go for a cheaper brand the next week.Your veterinarian will also be able to tell you how much your cat should weigh, and make suggestions to help you get your cat to that weight. Obesity is a major problem for cats just as it is for people, and significantly raises their risk for developing serious health problems as they grow older.Try not to feed your cat the same type or brand of food all the time. Just as you would get bored and tired of eating the same thing everyday, so does your cat. Feed your cat a mixture of dry and canned cat food, and change flavors often. Most veterinarian's will suggest that you give your cat canned food as much as possible, as it has higher nutrient content than the dry food, and is easier for your cat to digest.You should never, ever give your cat or allow anyone else to give your cat table food or scraps. The food that you eat could cause serious problems with your cat's delicate digestive system, damaging her health, and costing you major money in veterinary bills.You should, however give your cat fresh water each time you feed it. Water is crucial in keeping your cat hydrated, and in helping her digest her food. If your cat doesn't get enough water, it could develop bladder and kidney problems, again detrimental to your cat's health and your wallet.Feeding your cat the right foods isn't really all that difficult, just do your homework and follow your veterinarian's advice.