What’s In Your Cat Food?
When you feed your cat the brand of cat food you usually do, do you ever give a thought as to what’s in it? You should, especially if you love your cat as much as you say you do. Your pet loves you unconditionally and you should offer the same. Just like with your kids, you care what goes into their bodies, you should do the same for your beloved pet. So make sure you read the ingredients on your cat food label and don’t just buy the first brand you see or the one that costs less than all the others.
Talk To Your Vet
Different cats need different types of cat food. If you have a new cat, make sure you take that cat into the vet to get a check up. Make sure all the vaccinations are current and make sure you ask your vet which cat food you should feed it. Your vet may recommend a certain brand of cat food. Listen to your vet. Don’t just blow him or her off because the cat food recommended costs more than all the others. Chances are, it doesn’t cost that much more and your cat is well worth it.
Pet Food Recalls
Another thing you’ll want to watch out for are pet food recalls. Recently there was a pet food recall because there were harmful substances found in some dog and cat food packages. You should be able to check fairly quickly online to see if your cat food is affected. If you’ve been feeding your cat the food from the recall list, take it to the vet immediately for a check up. If everything’s fine, make sure you change the food right away. Your cat may get stomach upset from the drastic change in diet but it’s worth it to save your cat’s life.
If you care about your cat as much as you say you do, you should want to feed it the best cat food money can buy. That means food with actual vitamins, minerals and everything else your cat needs to grow big and strong. When you feed your cat food that is actually healthy, you’ll see a difference in the way your cat acts. It will act happy and that should make you happy as a loving cat owner. So start researching the various brands of cat food today to see if you’re hurting or helping your beloved friend.
Awareness after Cat Food Recalls
A cat food recall came in response to reports of renal failure in pets. It was apparent for the first time in March 2007, when cats and other pets died of kidney failure and the reason was traced to wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company. There have been several cases after that, but in spite of extensive government and private testing and forensic research, no cause has yet been isolated.
Sources of Cat Food
Pet food is a billion dollar industry in America. As a result of the cat food recall, the cat food was traced mainly from one company called Menu Foods having nearly 100 brands of cat food. In the United States there has been good media coverage of the cat food recall. There has been public outrage in many places and people have asked for a government regulation of pet food. Pet foods are self-regulated by pet food manufacturers and the government has been asked to step in.
There are about 40 products manufactured by Menu Foods. The favorites which are listed as “cuts and gravy” style products have been removed due to the cat food recall. The ingredient that is the root of the problem is a protein source which is used to thicken the pet food gravy. These products sold in cans and pouches are available in all the supermarkets in the country. Consumers are advised to stop buying these products with immediate effect. All customers have been advised to remain calm and follow the advice of the veterinary doctors.
Symptoms Causing Alarm
There has been a 30 per cent increase in kidney failure in cats and this is definitely the main reason of the cat food recall. Pet owners have been asked to take their cats to a veterinary doctor as soon as they show any symptoms like loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, vomiting or diarrhea associated with the unknown toxicant. If the cat is excessively thirsty or urinates more than usual, they could be the symptoms for kidney failure as a result of consuming harmful cat food.
New Cat Food
Due to the sudden cat food recall, the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has recommended that the cats be fed products which contain U.S.–sourced protein supplements till the crisis is resolved. The ASPCA is keeping a close watch on any new developments in this crisis. Pet owners can call them or email them regarding all queries. Their website provides the necessary advice and answers all questions regarding the cat food recall. The information is up-to-date and fully supported by a team of doctors who have been handling cats with problems after consuming toxic cat food.
Cat Food Recipes – Ingredients to Consider
If you have a finicky cat or you just can’t find cat food available on the market that meets your quality standards perhaps you have been considering making your own cat food. There are plenty of recipes to choose from. Make sure you focus on cat food recipes that are healthy for your cat and not just the recipes that sound tasty.
Food Items That Might be Harmful for Cats
Check with your veterinarian to find out which food items might be harmful to your cat or too fattening. There does seem to be different thoughts concerning what food items can be harmful to your cat. Some experts, for example, believe chocolate, onions, raw eggs and pork products should not be given to your cat. Also, most experts recommend that you do not provide dog food to your cat. For one reason, cats need approximately five times more protein than dogs. It is recommended that you search for recipes that include high levels of protein and do not feed your cat a vegetarian diet.
Liver is popular in cat food recipes but some experts suggest you limit the amount of liver you provide to your cat. If you are supplying your cat a supplement of vitamin A you should avoid giving him liver because too much vitamin A is considered to be toxic to cats. Your cat may love eating tuna but you might want to limit the quantity of tuna you feed your cat due to tuna containing mercury. Also it is recommended that you cook all meats that you provide to your cat. Some experts suggest you add some flavor to the recipes by adding kelp powder to them.
Tasty and Healthy Cat Food Recipes
Add about four ounces of cook meat such as chicken, add two whole eggs that have been cooked, one tablespoon of carrots, toss in a table spoon of cottage cheese and add one tablespoon of sunflower oil.
See if your cat will enjoy a meal consisting of one tablespoon of nonfat dry milk, three tablespoons of cottage cheese, three cooked eggs and toss in two tablespoons of grated vegetables. You will want to mix the nonfat dry milk with some water.
If you want to make something a little fancy for your cat you might want to try a cat food recipe that includes a whole chicken, that does not include hormones or antibiotics, two cups of brown rice, about six celery stalks, one small broccoli crown, about a handful of green beans, eight carrots and leave the peel on them, three yellow squash and three zucchinis. Cook all the ingredients in a large pot. Make sure you eliminate all the chicken bones. After the cooking process is finished put the stew into a blender and turn the stew into a course substance.
There is a wide variety of cat food recipes available for free on the internet and there are numerous books available that will provide you with tasty cat food recipes too.