Homemade Cat Food
How Balanced is your Recipe?From Marta Kaspar, for About.com
Marta writes:
I have been feeding home-prepared food to our cats for several years and during that time I have come across a lot of recipes on the internet or in different books. Most of them claimed to be balanced diets. One day I grabbed my calculator, did the math and discovered that many of those recipes were incredibly out of balance.
Why should it matter if the cat food recipes are balanced or not?
Unbalanced nutrition could harm our pets over a long-term period. Animals (especially cats) have unique dietary needs. In the wild they would instinctively seek and find all the nutrients they need. However, our indoor pets depend entirely on us to give them the proper diet. . .learn more about balanced nutrition for cats
Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy
More on Cats' Nutritional Needs
Food Fit for a Cat
Raising Cats Naturally
Should I try a Vegan Diet for my Cats?
Fans' Choice Poll: 2008 Cat Olympics Synchronized Sleeping Team
Kit & Molly
Kirby & Hoover
Gus & Bird
Tam Tam, Suki & Orange
Take a look at their form, then post your choice. The winning team will be announced a week from today.
Nutro Pet Food Concerns Mount
First, thank you for such a wonderful resource. It's nice to see the results of some research already done, so I don't have to reinvent the wheel in choosing a canned food for my kitten.
Second, I just wanted to suggest that #6 (Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Kitten Food) be removed from the list, as all Nutro Natural Choice kitten foods have been recalled for potential safety issues. More information is available here:
http://www.nutroproducts.com/mfproductlist.shtml
http://www.nutroproducts.com/mfproductlist.shtml
As far as I know, the Nutro Natural Choice Adult canned food is still safe, but then the kitten food was considered safe before we were notified otherwise, so buyer beware.
*hugs* and good luck everyone.
thanks!
-sean
My Reply
Hi Sean and welcome to our forum. You've given us all some food for thought.
OTOH, did you notice the date on that Nutro recall notice you referenced? That was during the height of the pet food recall which started in March of 2007. As I recall, somewhere in the scope of 7,000 different brands and formulas of pet foods were recalled at that time. (This is off the top of my head, it actually could be more or less.)
Like many other manufacturers, Nutro reformulated its pet food after the recall, and many people continue to feed their cats and dogs Nutro foods.
In the interest of full disclosure, however, I must mention that there have been a number of allegations of (mostly dogs) and cats becoming sick after eating the reformulated Nutro products. ConsumerAffairs.com has posted a number of articles about these complaints, which to my knowledge, are so far all anecdotal. You can do a search on their site for "Nutro complaints" to read more of their blogs. For the other side, here is Nutro's press release about these complaints.
In fairness, I have to say that I have not seen one documented complaint where the Nutro food in question has been analyzed by an independent lab. When I first blogged about the Nutro Concerns, I asked for my readers' comments. To date, the vast majority of them have been related to dogs, and a number of people commented that their pets eat Nutro with no ill effect. An equal number of people commented that their pets had become very sick after eating the reformulated Nutro. However, none of these had had the food analyzed, although one woman went to the trouble to contact the FDA.
Over the weekend, a good friend called me to ask about cat food. Her cat had been throwing up periodically, and a couple of days before had refused to eat his food. She had given him cooked chicken breast and he seemed to be much better. Sensing a potential red flag, I asked her what brand of food she had been feeding him. Nutro.
Although I always try to be completely objective about my recommendations for all cat products, and there is still no documented proof that Nutro is harmful, I have to go with my gut reactions, under the premise that "where there is smoke, there is fire." Or as an ex-military reader posted, “The first occurrence is of no consequence. The second occurrence is coincidence. But the third occurrence is enemy action!”
Therefore, I have removed Nutro products from my top picks lists until this situation can be completely resolved.
Join the Discussion, or post your comments here.
My Top Picks for Cat and Kitten Foods:
Premium Canned Cat Food
Premium Dry Cat Foods
Premium Canned Kitten Foods
Premium Dry Kitten Foods
2008 Domestic Cats Picture Gallery
While many cat breeds are popular among their aficionados, my favorite "breed," and that of many of my readers, is the so-called domestic cat, also known affectionately as moggie, alley-cat, house cat, or what is called in cat shows that include them, "household pet." Here are the latest cat pictures for the 2008 August Domestic Cats Picture Gallery, added just today.
You may submit your own photos of your domestic cat for future additions to this gallery. Please follow the Photo Submittal Guidelines, or I will not be able to legally use your photos. Also, please write at least two paragraphs about your cat: how s/he came into your life, unique characteristics that make him special to you, and other information you care to share with other readers. Some exquisite cat pictures have failed to make the cut as Cat of the Week choices because they lacked compelling stories.
Phoebe, Photo Credit: © Kim Cokley
Cats' Health Quiz
How extensive is your knowledge about cats' health matters? Do you know common symptoms of health problems in cats and what they might mean? Take this javascript-based cats health quiz to test your knowledge and learn more about your cat's health.
This quiz contains 15 multiple choice questions, and there are no "trick" questions. A correct answer will send you to the next question in the quiz. An incorrect answer will divert you to a page with the correct answer and links to articles you can peruse later on the question topic, as well as a link to the next question. The quiz questions cover a wide variety of cat health matters, and are of varying degrees of difficulty. There is no final grade, but if you make it through to the end, you will possibly have learned more about cats' health, if you have not qualified as an expert. Enjoy!
YouTube Video: Mouse Chase
Watch this funny YouTube video of cute kitten Tink chasing the remote-controlled mechanical mouse. Or is the mouse chasing Tink?
Cute Kitten Photo Albums:
Cat Picture of the Week: Rocky
I found my kitten on the back porch of a home I was living in, where I used to feed all the stray cats. One day, they brought a tiny newborn up on my porch...I heard him screaming. I went out and tried to get one of the female cats to nurse him, but to no avail.
So, after a day and a half, I could no longer stand it, and I brought him in my house. I fed him with an eye dropper, then a baby bottle with kitten formula. He didn't even have his teeth yet, but he was so grateful to have a warm arm to lay in and warm milk.Even though I put him in a foam rubber cat bed, he would crawl out at night, and over to me, climb up my pillow by my head, urinate, and go to sleep! It was so tiny I hardly noticed, but he did grow into my loving little boy. I named him "Rocky" because he fought so hard for his life.
Today, he just turned 11 years old at the end of July, and he's the best friend I've ever had. I guess to him, I'm the only 'mom' he's ever know. I am so blessed and so happy.
© Judy R. Sexton
Rocky's picture will also appear in the 2008 August Domestic Cats Picture Gallery, and probably again in the 2008 December Red Cats gallery, when the time comes. Who can resist his breathtaking beauty, or the touching story of his rescue as an infant?
My cat pictures of the week are selected from photos submitted for the various other galleries on my site. I do not consider photos submitted directly for the cat of the week gallery, not do I accept photos without the information requested in the Photo Submittal Guidelines.
Tribute to a Great Cat: Butch
Butch has played an important role on this site, since I first chose him as Cat of the Week in April of last year. He had been confined in a shelter cage for two years. Linda Wade, a shelter volunteer who had submitted his photo, wrote, "Butch is not just a pretty face. He’s an absolute charmer and loves to be picked up and held. He is too, too cute! He loves people and deserves a good, loving 'forever' home."
Butch's photo and story touched the hearts of many of my readers and he was subsequently voted Cat of the Month for April, 2007. Although many people posted that they wished they could adopt him if he were closer, in July Cheryl C., who lived halfway across the country, accepted the challeng. She flew from Ohio to New Jersey, where she adopted Butch as her forever cat.
Sadly, in May of this year, Cheryl contacted me to tell me about Butch's diagnosis of cancer. His veterinary oncologist thought he might have a chance of remission through chemotherapy, and Butch's treatment began. Cheryl and I exchanged frequent emails during the past few months. She went through the normal roller coaster of emotions: joy when Butch responded positively, and sorrow and self-doubts when he had setbacks. I posted here and our readers rallied behind Butch, with prayers of support coming from around the world.
Cheryl wrote yesterday that Butch had told her that he was ready to leave for yet a new life. Today he is at peace, waiting for the woman who loved him best at the Rainbow Bridge. Butch's story is not over. His spirit remains as a reminder to all of us of the strength of courage, serenity of acceptance, and the unconditional love cats honor us with.
In an early email from Cheryl to Linda Wade, she said, "The gentlemen at the airport said to Butch when we transferred him to my carrier "Have a good life Butch" ............. I assure you that he will!"
You know what? Butch did have a very good life. In the short year he lived with Cheryl, they packed in a lifetime of love. No cat could want for more.
Cheryl wrote, "We did not have much time together but it was filled with love. I have found solace in one of your reader's comments with a saying by Abraham Lincoln: 'It's not the years in your life but the life in your years.'" She asked me to thank you for all of your support, and I am confident that your support will continue in the days to come.
August 16, 2008 Update: Cheryl asked me to post a special note to all the people who have so kindly posted their condolences here. She writes:
Their comments mean so much to me and the poems and sayings and personal experiences are so moving. They have all in their own special way helped me to grieve for my big, beautiful boy Butch. Please thank them for me. It means so much to me that people who have never even met Butch or I can be so compassionate, caring and loving. I am overwhelmed by their support. Bless them all and hugs to each and every one of them. They need to know how much their comments have helped me. I am so overwhelmed by their love and want them to know it.
Food Fit for a Cat
So, what's the big deal about cat food? Why does it have such a huge influence on a cat's health? Well, simply put, food is body-fuel for cats. It nourishes each and every cell in the body and creates the energy necessary for life to happen. It's an overly simplified analogy, but cat food is to cats like gas is to cars. If you put the wrong type of gas in a car, it won't run well. But if you put in the correct fuel for that car, it runs better.Read more by Kymythy R. Schultze about the obligatory carnivores that we call cats, and why it is important to feed them species-appropriate foods.
More From Kymythy Schultze
Substances Unsafe for Cats
Cats' Nutritional Requirements
Natural Nutrition for Dog and Cats: The Ultimate Diet
Why is Cat Food so Important?
Why All the Fuss About Cat Food?
Food Pets Die For by Ann N. Martin
Mad Cow Disease - Are Cats at Risk?
Cats Photo Caption Contest Winner
A few weeks ago I challenged my readers to come up with a caption for this photo. About of about 25 total entries, I narrowed my choices down to a dozen and my expert judges whittled the list down to six, which were posted in a poll. The voting is now complete, and the winner is "Is the doggie gone?" which was originally suggested by Liz. There are no prizes for these polls, but Liz has "bragging rights," for whatever that is worth. "No one can see me, can they?" was a very close runner-up, by only two votes. Thanks so much to our judges, Anne Asher, About.com Guide to Back and Neck Pain, and David Sweet, our Guide to Camping, for all their hard work.
Photo Credit: © Eowyn Burchell