I recently read about dogs who had died from eating rawhide and pigs ears containing high levels of Arsenic.  I was appalled to hear that the companies who manufactured these hides, were US based and produced in China. Obviously, pet food and treats do not have the same regulations that human food/treats do…although, I’m sure our food isn’t regulated to the extreme it should be either.

I have always known that a good diet helps optimize our body – now, do I always eat what is right for me…anyone who knows me well, knows I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas, but I have always tried to watch what I feed Charlie and Benny, and have switched foods based on re-calls and what I’ve read in periodicals like the Whole Dog Journal, and on Susan Thixtons site, www.truethaboutpetfood.com.

While attending the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters Conference this January, I sat in on a seminar hosted by Kim Solsti, A pioneer in the holistic pet nutrition realm. She informed us that natural foods and a healthy lifestyle aren’t just for human, and that our four-legged friends need a more organic diet, and one that is based on the animals DNA.
Cats are designated as Obligate Carnivores, which mean they need to eat meat. Cats are predators and have small, long sharp teeth that are designed to puncture their prey, not necessarily chew on kibble.  Cats are not designated to drink water like dogs and humans and their kidneys can’t process large quantities of water.  The moisture they require should come from the meats and fats they consume.
Dogs are classified as Carnivores or Carrion Feeders, aka scavengers, aka, natures clean up crew. Like cats, dogs are also predators and in the wild, hunt in packs. Their molar teeth are used for crushing objects (like bones) and like cats, need time to digest their food.  Dogs have a more tolerant stomach than cats do and are able to eat things like fruit, meat and food that has rotten with little side effects…unless they’ve ingested GMO grains and other things that are not suited to their DNA.
Solsti gave a mental visual stating, “have you ever seen a cat or a dog running through a wheat or corn field and eating grains?”  Most of the ingredients in cat and dog food are fillers and grains or meat that has been swept up off the floor at a processing facility and sold to the pet food manufacturer.
Essentially, raw or partial raw food is best for cats but try telling that to your 12 year-old Maincoon…I tired feeding Benny raw about two years ago, but he just wasn’t having it, and let me know by peeing all over my basement… Thus, I feed him wet food in the AM, mix about 1/4 of the can with some warm water and he just eats it up…he then grazes on his dry food. I don’t want to say which kind, because I don’t want to sway you to one brand or another as there are some wonderful foods out there, but I really suggest reading labels, and then picking the one that best fits your financial perimeters. I feed Charlie, my Schnauzer/Terrier a mixture of wet/dry and on occasion, things like poached chicken.  Treats are carefully monitored and based on the rawhide debacle, I only give treats with limited ingredients, or bones that come from the butcher.

Choosing wholesome and nutritious foods is not easy and likely, more expensive.  The ingredients in pet foods vary dramatically!  Do not fall for advertising hype and phrases like “all natural,” as these products can still have chemicals added for flavor.  Become a label reader, especially if seeing something like “meat by-product,” no one really knows what that means, yuk!

If you would like more information or suggestions on what to feed your pet, please e-mail me.