Posts tagged "food"

You want to keep your feline healthy and frisky and you know that good nutrition is essential.

But what makes a healthy cat food? What type of cat food is best for your pet? And do you need to know anything special about storing it? Our friends WebMD Healthy Pets found out what we need to know.

1. What is cat food made of?
In general, cat food consists of water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. But how close your cat's diet comes to that of its feral cousins depends on what formula the cat food manufacturer uses.

Proteins are the basic building blocks for cells, tissues, and organs. They can be either animal-based or plant-based, and either type may show up in cat food. Soy, vegetables, and cereals are examples of plant-based proteins. Chicken, lamb, turkey, and fish are examples of animal-based proteins. In addition, cat food often contains byproducts of animals or plants, the parts that people don't normally eat.

Cats are meat eaters. They require two to three times the protein that omnivores, such as dogs or humans, do.

As strict carnivores, cats rely mainly on nutrients found in animals -- high protein, moderate fat, and minimal carbohydrates -- to meet their nutritional needs. Cats' bodies are adapted for metabolizing animal protein and fats. And animal-based proteins also contain complete amino acids -- such as taurine, arginine, cysteine, and methionine. These are essential for cats, whose bodies don't make them in adequate amounts.

What a good dog! She's so well-trained, making eye contact and giving a high five on cue! Well done, friend!

She's also really hungry and would very much appreciate it if you could save the high fives for later, as the dish of food sitting in front of her is incredibly tantalizing. But, look, she doesn't want to be rude. She will politely wait until you give her the OK -- and until then, the torturous high fives will have to do.

But, pleeeaaase, she really doesn't want to wait any longer, so if you would just ...

Yes! Food! Thank you! Food! Nourishment! Delicious! High fives all around!

One day your cat is minding her own business, sleeping peacefully atop the laundry basket or terrorizing the dog. The next, it's scratching like mad. Fleas are an obvious suspect, but not the only one. Food allergy is "quite common in cats," Christine Bellezza, a veterinarian and the co-director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell University, tells Paw Nation.

Itching is the number-one symptom of food allergies, especially around the face, paws and ears, according to PetPlace.com. Other signs include ear infections, hair loss, and small bumps on the skin. Less commonly, food allergies can also upset a cat's stomach, causing diarrhea or vomiting, says Bellezza.

A food allergy can strike cats of any age, though they're rare in very young kittens, according to Bellezza. "Usually they develop an allergy to a food that they've been eating for a long period of time," she says.

And that food can be just about anything. "What we see most commonly are allergies to fish, beef, dairy products, wheat, corn, and soy," Bellezza tells Paw Nation. According to PetPlace.com, beef, dairy products and wheat account for two-thirds of all cat food allergies.

Diagnosing food allergies can be tricky. Allergic reactions to fleas trigger similar symptoms. "By far, flea allergies are much more common," Bellezza says. Other infections such as ringworm and mites also cause itchiness. Even medical conditions like urinary tract problems can cause cats to lick and itch at their backsides. But if you and your vet can rule out fleas and other conditions, food allergies are a reasonable suspect.

Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren't extremely common in dogs, but they aren't uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. "We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues," she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they've happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. "The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial," she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog's diet, and see what happens.

Choose a dog food with novel ingredients the dog hasn't had before. The new food should have a single source of protein, such as fish, duck or lamb, and a single source of carbohydrates, like rice or potatoes. (And don't give him any treats or table scraps during the feeding trial!) If the allergy symptoms go away on the new diet, you can then try adding back the suspected allergens, one by one. If the symptoms come back, she explains, you'll know what ingredient (or ingredients) to avoid from now on.

Ah, Italian food. Fresh pasta, sweet basil, fine cheeses and apparently... cat stew.

That last horrific item has landed an Italian cooking-show host in his own pot of boiling hot water. Beppe Bigazzi, a well-known food writer, was fired from the cooking show "La Prova del Cuoco" after telling viewers that stewed cat is a "succulent dish," the Times of London reports.

"I've eaten it myself and it's a lot better than many other animals. Better than chicken, rabbit or pigeon," the 77-year-old Bigazzi told viewers.

The show's presenter Elisa Isoardi, who mentioned her own cat Othello in protest, looked awkwardly horrified as Bigazzi explained that cat meat should be soaked in spring water for three days before cooking.

Bigazzi was suspended indefinitely from the show as critics around Italy spoke out against the idea of eating cats.

"Cats are pets protected by law," from "cruelty, maltreatment and abandonment," said Health Ministry Undersecretary Francesca Martini, according to the Associated Press. Bigazzi's stunt, she said, "hurts sensibility, which is fortunately steadily growing, of citizens toward animals."

Martini also called for the show's producers to be investigated for criminal offenses for inciting the mistreatment of animals, the Times reported.

Bigazzi is off the air (for now). With all that extra free time on his hands, though, we just hope he's not planning any dinner parties.

There are several benefits to natural pet products. Natural pet foods and treats are made from organic ingredients of human-grade quality, meaning your pet won't be eating anything you wouldn't eat. Natural grooming products are made from organic materials that are safe to use, and will keep pets from getting rashes and irritations. Natural toys, collars, and leashes are biodegradable, recyclable, and have a low impact on the environment. These five natural pet products are tested and approved by pet owners and animal experts for their high-quality ingredients, safety, and enjoyability.

Wellness Pet Food
Wellness offers lines of all-natural dog and cat foods that are made to human-grade standard. Their dog food includes dry and canned formulas that have no artificial ingredients. The Wellness dog food lines are high in protein and low calories. The cat food lines include dry and canned formulas. Wellness cat food limits the risk of urinary tract problems -- one of the biggest reason cats end up in veterinary offices.

Dr. Harvey's Herbal Protection Shampoo
Made specifically for dogs, Dr. Harvey's Herbal Protection Shampoo is sulfate-free and made from organic ingredients. The Herbal Protection Shampoo is safe to use even on dogs with sensitive skin or allergy problems because it contains no artificial coloring or fragrance. Dr. Harvey's natural pet products are cruelty-free and come in biodegradable packaging.

Wherein I try to get my pets to a healthy cat weight. Catch up on past posts here.

The cats have been dieting for over a month, which is a quite a milestone for them. They celebrated this week with another milestone: Tino (I'm assuming) caught his first mouse. He alerted me to this by placing his prize in the doorway to my bedroom, which I suppose is better than if he'd brought it to me in bed.

I have several theories about the timing of this. Let me know what you think:

1. My previously spoiled pets were so starving on their new canned-food diet that they were forced to turn to the wild to eat. Sad stuff.

2. The somewhat skinnified cats now have the energy to play and pounce on things that they otherwise would have let walk all over them. DeeDee's shed approximately 0.4 pounds, while Tino is down a whole pound -- the equivalent of almost nine human pounds!

3. The unfortunate rodent was woozy and disoriented on its own and wandered into my room, where DeeDee unwittingly laid down on top of it.

Wherein I try to get my pets to a healthy cat weight. Catch up on past posts here.

Previously on DeeDee and Tino's Weight Loss Blog: I realized that my cats weren't judging me for staying out late and not feeding them at the same time every night; I was judging me... and they didn't need six tons of food to compensate for it.

The cats seem fine with their new regimen of twice-a-day wet food, but every now and then I'll serve them a flavor that they don't quite love. I learn this when they retaliate by letting me know at 5 a.m. that they're hungry and they'd like some food.

DeeDee and Tino may not be able to see very well -- a respiratory infection when they were kittens left DeeDee with just one cloudy eye and Tino with scarring on one of his -- but they aren't blind to the fact that I hate being woken up. So when they get hungry, they begin a series of antics including but not limited to: jumping on my head, growling and hissing at one another, and loudly sharpening their claws on my new couch. They know that I lack the motor skills at that hour to use a can opener and will likely just reward them with scoops of food.

In the past, that meant 8 ounces, but since their weight loss is now a priority, I've adjusted. I switched the stash of dry food to kitten food, since it's supposed to be more protein-rich and satisfying. I give them about an ounce of dry food, just enough to shut them up until I can prepare a proper breakfast for them. And on my next trip to the pet store, I'll replace their morning 5.5-ounce can with the smaller can to make sure I'm not overfeeding.

The craziest thing yet? They really are losing weight. Maybe it's my imagination (like the way you can feel like a slob but then after one workout feel ripped), but I swear I can see Tino's neck and hipbones again.

Portland, Oregon, is a dog-crazy town. "It's more dog-friendly than any place I've ever lived," Andrea Schneider told Paw Nation. Schneider should know. She's a resident of Portland's hip Pearl District and founder of a Portland social networking site for dog owners, pdxdog.com.

This year, as Paw Nation reported, Portland made Rent.com's top-ten list of pet-friendly cities. But the hip hub of the Pacific Northwest might get a little less dog-crazy, reports the New York Times.

In the last year, the Oregon Agriculture Department has gotten 600 complaints about pets traipsing through food stores. In response, the NY Times reported, the state is waging a controversial anti-dog campaign, plastering posters inside some 4,500 stores that sell food. The posters will remind pet owners that, aside from animals are trained to assist the disabled, their four-legged friends aren't welcome in the deli section (or even in the soda aisle).

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Nutro Products is recalling some of its dry cat food.

The voluntary recall includes several varieties of Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care and Nutro Max dry cat foods with "best If used by" dates between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. It does not include canned cat food or any Nutro dog food.

Click here for a complete list of affected Nutro Products.

The cat foods were distributed to stores in all 50 states, as well as in Canada, Mexico, and elsewhere.

Nutro Products, one of the largest pet food manufacturers in the U.S., announced the recall on Thursday after finding a mistake made by its U.S. supplier of mineral premixes. Apparently, two premix batches didn't have enough potassium, and one of those batches had too much zinc.

If you're using one of the recalled products, Nutro advises you stop immediately. While the company says it hasn't received any complaints, it asks that cat owners monitor their cats for symptoms including loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea.

Unused dry food portions may be returned to your retailer for a full refund or exchange.

For more information on this recall, contact Nutro Products at 1-800-833-5330, or visit www.nutroproducts.com.

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