Cats are Carnivores Not Vegetarians

 My veterinarian told me to feed my cats high-protein food that had meat as the number one ingredient. That cats were carnivores, not vegetarians.  He used the example that you never see stray cats eating an ear of corn but you will see them eating a mouse. 

So whenever I shop for cat food I remember what my veterinarian told me and look for foods that have animal protein, chicken, fish, beef, or lamb as a primary ingredient. 

Lately, I have been finding a lot of food with corn, in fact, many of the foods have corn as the primary ingredient.   I feed the outdoor cats a kibble that was said to be Complete Essentials but that food has filler foods including corn gluten, grain, and soy.  

Corn, soy, peas, potatoes, and wheat are filler foods to make the bag heavier I guess.  These filler foods are substituted for protein and they are high in carbohydrates. 

Cat food that is high in carbohydrates usually makes my cats fat and causes them to have digestion issues. Some cats are allergic to corn and grains, and cat food high in carbs may cause some cats to become obese or get diabetes.  

Remember my veterinarian said that carnivore cats need to eat animal protein and that it should be the number one ingredient. 

I know it's hard to find cat food that has high animal protein so I would recommend shopping for limited ingredients. Shop for cat food that has no fillers’ corn, wheat, soy, peas, and potatoes.  Remember that less expensive cat food has corn that is the first ingredient and that corn is flavored to taste like chicken.   

PRESCRIPTION PET FOOD SCAM

PRESCRIPTION PET FOOD IS not any better than the food you buy off the shelf and without a prescription from your local pet store. There is no medication, or herbs for natural healing in the food that would make it warrant a prescription and I learned that prescription pet food is a scam or in other words consumer fraud.

Rescued cat "Shadie" 

My story; Know that male cats in multiple cat homes or strays that are rescued are susceptible to getting a painful bladder condition that causes the cat to strain to pee and have crystals, bladder infection with blood in their urine.

This cat health condition affected 6 male cats that I had rescued, brought indoors to socialize before finding them forever homes. Each cat developed this condition and my veterinarian recommended that I feed them HILLS prescription C/D cat for the rest of their lives.

Rescued cat Frankie

I was told that this veterinarian prescription food would heal them and prevent them from having a re-occurrence. It was a long-term food treatment that I had to feed the cats for the rest of their life. I was told that veterinarians had developed the food and it was formulated to heal my cat, but I could not feed them any other cat food because if I did the cats would get sick.

From my experience the HILLS prescription C/D pet food did not heal my cats. The cats got worse, and we had made many trips to the veterinarian. The cats suffered, and my husband and I suffered the stress you feel when you see that your cats are not getting better and that they are still in pain and suffering. The food was not curing or healing the cats, 

Rescued cat Leo

There is so much sadness, that you feel inside like you are going to cry..when nothing you are doing is helping your cat. The cats were nervous, straining to pee, blood in their urine, in pain and the medicated / healing prescription food “was not curing them”

My husband and I were doing everything right but the cats were not getting better. At one point a normal cat (no health concerns ate the prescription medicated food) and I was distraught because or the medicine...that is when the veterinarian said 

"no worries" the food will prevent your cat from getting cystitis or other urinary conditions followed by all of my cats could eat the prescription food and it would help them by preventing any urinary or bladder conditions".

From that day forward and for the next year we were buying cases of canned food along with dry kibble weekly because the food was now a preventative a healing prescription diet to help all of my cats be healthy.

Note the food never helped the cats and three of the cat's health got worse and we had to put them down. The other three. I could not adopt them into forever homes because nobody wanted a “sick cat” who had to eat very expensive prescription food for the rest of their lives. So we kept the 3 cats because if we surrounded a sick cat to a shelter they would be euthanized. 

Rescued cat Louie

 We continued to feed them the prescription food, we added more litter boxes and kept them very clean we added the Feliway plug-in diffusers to calm the cats and to eliminate any stress. We also allow the remaining 3 cats to go out in the garden daily and this activity has been beneficial to their health. They seem happier but still seem to have periodic urinary problems where the urine is cloudy with a pink cast. Which means the prescription pet food never cured them.

Rescued cat Buddy

Know I was led to believe that the prescription cat food would heal my cats. I was a victim of consumer fraud. Scammed just like so many other pet owners who followed the recommendation by their veterinarians to feed their pets prescription diet food.

Rescued cat Sam

The problem with the Hills Prescription C/D multi-care food is there is no medication in it. In fact, the ingredients are poor quality in comparison to foods found off the shelf at your local pet store.  For one thing, the prescription C/D food has corn and soy, both are GMO foods because there is no mention of an organic source on the label. I did a food ingredient comparison and the food that does not require a prescription had better ingredients and costs less and you could buy it off the shelf at your local pet supply store.

Learn more at perscriptionpet food article How lab tests show pet food ingredients are no better or cleaner than off-shelf brands with interview of Dr. Karen Becker and see prescription pet food analysis here

Read another article by author “Prescription Pet Food Product Review”

Maintaining Cats Health with Evolve Cat Food

Many people are feeding their cats Evolve food because the maintenance formula has real slow roasted chicken and is made from wholesome ingredients; brown rice, dried kelp, fish meal, dried egg, dried cheese cranberries, and blueberries. A healthy food for your cats that does not contain corn, wheat or soy yet cost less than other cat food in this category.

Feral cat Bob eats Evolve cat food

When you feed your cats the evolve maintenance formula you will notice that your cats are healthier. This cat food provides your cat with protein and natural antioxidants as well as carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics which promotes a healthy digestive tract and immune system.

Feral cat in Winter at feeding station

I would recommend this cat food for FIV cats as the products are quality and sourced from the USA. All natural products with no preservatives added sugars or by-products. A healthy food for cats with immune disorder condition. My FIV cat eats this food mixed with the can food and he is doing great, We rescued him when he was two years old and is now age ten. Has a shiny coat and teeth are good, no sickness.

Senior rescue cat has shiny coat thanks to Evolve cat food

If you are interested in this cat food then I would recommend that you shop for evolve cat food at Chewy.com. Sign up for their auto-ship program and get a discount. You can cancel your order anytime. Know that this is a product that you can trust as it is made in the USA.

Feed adult and senior cats Evolve cat food. This food is not recommended for kittens. Follow the average food portion for an adult cat and do not overfeed. A six-pound cat should be fed 3/4 to 1/2 cup of food daily. A ten-pound cat should be fed 1/2 to 3/4 cup of food daily. A fourteen-pound cat should be fed 3/4 to 1 cup of food daily.

Introduce new evolve cat food to your cat by mixing it with their food. Mixing the new food with the old food will help the cats to adjust to the new food flavor, texture, and kibble. Mixing will also prevent upsetting the cat’s digestive tract.

Reduce your cat's other food daily by adding more evolve. Within a week your cat will be eating evolve cat food only.

Evolve may be an acquired taste especially if your cat has been eating the same food for years. If your cat does not like evolve food they will not eat. You can entice your cat to eat the cat food by adding a little evolve canned food and then mix the kibble into the soft food.

Evolve Cat Food Ingredients:

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavors, Fish Meal, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Taurine, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Dl-Methionine, Dried Skim Milk, Dried Kelp, Dried Cheese Product, Cranberries, Blueberries, Lactobacillus Casei , Lactobacillus Acidophilus Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement) Minerals (Zinc Polysaccharide Complex, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex and Copper Polysaccharide Complex,Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite).

You will love evolve pet foods

Cat Diets are NO FUN

Baby my rescued socialized Manx cat is obese and needs to go on a diet. Know that the Manx cat breed is generally a bigger cat. But when you cannot locate their ribs due to the layer of fat then it is time for a diet.

This is not Baby but is a good photo of Manx cat...see there is NO tail 

So Baby has to shed some pounds and we can no longer feed him Rachel Ray grain free food, because it is dry kibble and high in carbohydrates, plus there is not enough fluid in dry foods. So I am feeding all of our cats Friskees Special diet turkey and giblets canned food, because this food provides a balanced died that is low in carbs.

So the cat diet started today and it is not a FUN day for Baby.

My obese cat ate a half a can of the turkey food this morning and I will feed him the other half tonight. Know that this cat likes to eat and is acting like he is starving to death.  Today my cat had more activity due to the pacing and begging for food.

That  first day will be the hardest since my cat is used to getting temptations catnip treats in the afternoon and well he cannot have treats.  My veterinarian thinks that my cat is eating out of habit, and not because he is hungry. I will let you know in a week how Baby does with his diet.

Learn more about Manx cats here

Shopped Tractor Supply Co for Cat Products

After getting an email today from a fellow cat caretaker I searched for Tractorsupplycom and found that there was a store on the other side of town so instead of getting into my car and driving there I did call and found that the small store in my area did offer a variety of pet supplies, including bed, outdoor shelters, cat collars, Frontline flea and tick preventative and discounted cat food.

I told the salesperson on the phone that I was a feral cat caretaker and was in the market for cat beds for my shelters and quality cat food that was high in animal protein, low carbohydrates with no soy, corn or grain and she told me that tractor supply carried their own brand that was equivalent to blue buffalo but cost less.

Then I was told that there were Wag Bag Pet beds that were comfortable and warm that were available online. These pets were .36 inches in length and 27 inches in width and were filled with polyester fiber fill that was soft and cedar. In a word perfect for our outdoor cat shelters and for the cats that spend the night in our shed.

Cat in warm bed

The phone salesperson also told me that I could shop online and have the products shipped to the store for pickup. 

 So that is exactly what I did I bought two of the Wags bag pet beds for $9.99 from their online store and then I read about the 4 health canned cat food and liked what I read; 

“ 4health™ Turkey & Salmon Cat Food contains added antioxidants, Omega fatty acids to support healthy skin and coat, no wheat, corn or soy.

Ingredients: 
Turkey, Turkey Broth, Liver, Salmon, Dried Egg Product, Brewer's Rice, Dried Potatoes, Barley, Peas, Guar Gum, Flaxseed Meal, Carrageenan, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Apples, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Salt, Dried Parsley, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid.”  Quote by tractor supply Co  

This canned cat food is only available at the store.  Know that the asking price of this food was .59 cents which is unbelievable for a quality food with no wheat, corn or soy. I am not sure it this is a sale price with limited time offer. I plan to buy as many as I can.

If you have not checked out the tractorsupply.com store then I would recommend that you do so because they do have a good assortment of pet products that are priced less than petSmart.com and Walmart.com. 

Cats Get Grumpy if NOT Fed on Time

When it comes to feeding your cats it is best to keep on schedule because if cats are hungry and no food is available then they will get grumpy, grouchy and pick fights with other cats.   In short a hungry cat is not a patient cat.

Feral Cat eating cat food

Many of the rescued cats and kitten that I have taken in had gone without meals and were starving.  These cats seemed overly anxious, and their behavior was aggressive with each other as well as destructive behavior; scratching on sofa wood baseboards and or rug and not their cat scratching post.   In addition cats will vomit when they are hungry.  If you provide the cat with food then this will calm them.

Happy feral cat eating cat food

I recommend feeding cats two meals a day.  My schedule is every 12 hours for my cats.  Basically I will mix Friskies special diet canned food with Goodlife chicken recipe kibble. This food is made by Mars and contains no corn, soy or wheat.  I will then add two tablespoons of water and mix the food well.   I will put the portions for each cat in their food bowls and allow them all to eat.  If any food is left over after a half hour I will remove the food to prevent snacking as this is how cats tend to put on weight.

When I stick to my feeding schedule then the cats all get along and do not become grumpy or frantic.

Cats get along well when they are fed on time

**I found the cat food Goodlife “a thoughtful recipe by Mars” at Walmart and in comparison to other wheat, corn and soy food this cat food is moderately priced.   My cats love this food and I also feed the feral cats this food.  Unlike the other brands this food is priced right.  Mycats eat less, and food does control hairballs.

Feral Cat Released to Colony

Feral cat Lucy in Woods

On August 9th the feral cat named Lucy was released from medical care. Her attending veterinarian said she was healed and could be returned to the feral cat colony.  

The cat was released where I trapped her, inside the shelter. I assumed Lucy would bolt out the door and run into the woods but  Lucy was not ready to go outside and she hid in the back of the shelter.

During her stay in the shelter I treated her with a homeopathic healing.  My friend in Atlanta who is a gifted healer helped me with the treatments.  I also fed her a raw diet of lean meat, vegetables, sweet potatoes, and liquid vitamins.  Lucy grew healthy and strong and within two weeks Lucy the feral cat was ready to return to the woods.  

Released feral cat

Today Lucy walked outdoors and laid by my pond and then she slowly walked into the woods. I did not see her for several days and then one day I saw her go into the shelter.  I brought her some evolve maintenance formula natural cat food and fresh water. 

Lucy looks great, her fur has grown in and her coat is healthy and shinny.  She limps on the front paw that was injured and I suppose she always will.  She visited with me for an hour.

Feral cat Lucy resting on deck

I spoke softly to Lucy and told her of her kittens. Charlie the yellow kitten who was wounded was socialized and he was adopted.

Her other kittens Boris and Natasha were still under medical care, but would be coming home soon.  They would be socialized too and would be adopted.  

Lucy the feral cat need not worry because her kittens would have a better life than she.  Lucy was a good listener as she did not turn her head nor did she walk away. 

Lucy was reunited with the feral cats at the Oak Ridge colony on August 26th, 2010.  She will live the rest of her life in a wooded tract of land that is privately owned. My husband and I will watch over her with the help of the civic minded volunteers..