Are ceramic bowls best for cats?

Cats...There are many products availabe to buy for them. One very important purchase is the correct feeding bowl. Who would have ever thought there would be an issue with the type of feeding bowl for them to use.
Well there are health issues regarding the proper object used to feed them. Plastic bowls are cheaper, non breakable and colorful. All great attributes one can say. However, they can cause allergic reactions in your pet. Such as, rashes, itchiness, scratching,swollen lip, and general lethargy.

They can harbor harmful bacteria from old food particles not removed properly. Additionally, the material used to produce them can cause serious illnesses when continually licked by the cat's tongue.

The surface can get easily scratched. These scratches can hold harmful bacteria and germs that may breed in those tiny crevices, which again can make your cat sick. Plastic bowls requires more maintenance and should be changed frequently when the surface becomes scratched.

What should be used instead? Stainless steel, porcelain or ceramic bowls. My personal preference is ceramic bowls. They are affordable, easy to clean and safe for your pet to lick as it eats. After all we don't want to cause our cats any harm or create unnecessary vet bills for ourselves.

The wrong cat bowls can be harmful. Protect your cat from getting sick.

Is Your Cat Food Actually Table Scraps? Is This Healthy?

There are many foods that should never be given to your cat. They can be extremely dangerous to its health and /or make it extremely sick.

A few of these foods are listed below and are not considered to be proper cat health care:

Dog Food… If you have a dog and a cat, and the cat eats the dog’s food this is surely a no-no. This type of food is formulated for the body of a canine. It does not have ample protein or taurine that is essential for proper nutrition in cats. If a cat eats dog food consistently it will get sick.

Table Scraps… This is healthy for us, but not good for our cats. The same facts apply to this category. What we eat is not properly formulated for the cat’s nutritional health, especially the lack of taurine. No taurine and ample protein indicates physical disaster for our beloved feline.

Chocolate, in any form… This is extremely toxic to cats and dogs. The pet can become very sick and die. Be really careful not to leave it around in an open container, or bowl where they may ingest it.

Bones and string (even though not a food)… Bones can crack and the little pieces can get lodged in their gums, throat or intestines causing irreparable damage. Cat food should never contain bones of any kind.

I know there are lots of photos showing cats with balls of string and some pet stores sell them for cats, but it should never be given to a cat as a toy. It too, can get lodged in the throat, as well as, causing blockages in the stomach, intestines and anus.

The best food that should be given to a cat is a homemade cooked variety.

Dry foods may be easy for us to administer because it is quick to pour. However, it is very high in carbohydrates that contribute to feline obesity and diabetes.

Canned food with a high content of protein, low content of ash is preferable if one can’t provide the homemade cooked cat food.

There are recipes that take 15 minutes or less to prepare and can be done in a large quantity during the weekend or whenever you have a few spare moments.This will surely go a long way in assisting your cat to stay healthier without eating preservatives and fillers.

So in conclusion, table scraps, bones, chocolate and dog food are not healthy cat food alternatives for your beloved feline.

Check out a quick and easy 15 minutes or less homemade cat food recipe.

Methods for alternative cat health, care and feeding can be viewed at www.allthingscat.com/homemade_cat_food.html

How the Largest Beef Recall In History Effects Pet Owners

by Susan Thixton

The U.S. is experiencing the largest beef recall in history. Major television networks and social websites on the Internet have provided a hidden camera video provided by the Humane Society showing downer cattle - animals that are sick or diseased and unable to stand - being prodded with forklifts and beaten in attempts to move them to the slaughter area. If you can stomach it, the link to the video is below. The video is very difficult to view and alarming to know that any meat processor would disregard the safety of U.S. citizens and process diseased animals into human food. Pet owners should be aware that even though it is illegal toprocess downer cattle into human food, it is legal and common to process these downer animals into pet food.

The FDA and the USDA classify downer cattle as SRMs -Specified Risk Materials. Meat products known to be a specified risk of spreading mad cow disease. According to federal law, it is illegal to process SRM animals for use in human food AND to be processed into ruminant (cattle, sheep,pig) feed in order to protect U.S. citizens from mad cow disease. Unfortunately, it is legal and common practice to process SRM animals into pet food. Sick or diseased animals that are known risks to humans - are processed into pet food. Mad cow disease has already crossed species into cats in Europe and mink worldwide. Are U.S. pets next?

When the FDA was considering a change in the pet food regulations, members of the cattle industry, rendering industry, pet food industry, and various other organizations lobbied the FDA either for stricter/safer regulations to protect pets - or lobbied against it.

A letter dated August 13, 2004 from the Humane Society ofthe United States wrote in favor of a ban of all SRM material in all foods - human, ruminant, or pet foods."As the country's largest animal protection organization we are deeply concerned about the potential impact of transmissiblespongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) on animal health.The removal from animal feed of downers, dead stock (animals that have died on the farm), cattle showing signs of a CNS disorder, and cattle who appear rabies-suspect but test negative would add another important layer of protection since these animals have a greater incidence of BSE than the general population.There is strong evidence that cats are susceptible to BSE and we therefore urge the FDA to prohibit immediately the use in pet food of any SRMs, downers, deadstock, or cattle showing signs of a CNS disorder or testing negative for rabies.There have been confirmed cases of Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy in approximately 100 cats in Europe. Since the FDA is charged with ensuring the safety of the food cats consume, we feel it would be reckless not to prohibit the inclusion of the high risk materials enumerated above in pet food."

Opposing the proposed ban was Garth Merrick (Merrick PetFood). Quoting his letter to the FDA dated July 28, 2004"ANPR's proposed rule to prohibit SRM's from all animal food including pet food and prohibiting materials from non ambulatory cattle and dead stock from all animal feed creates the below listed consequences of disposal of pounds that previously could be manufactured into animal feed. SRM's in cattle under 30 months of age have been estimated to be 20 pounds per head. In Texas there are four packing houses processing approximately 100,000 head per week times 20 pounds equals 2,000,000 times 52 weeks equals 104,000,000 of product that no one has discussed what to do with. If you cannot render it for feed to be fed to chickens, swine or pet food, then you have destroyed a system that currently works. We are the original recyclers. These numbers are only for Texas; when you consider the other lower 47 states, the consequences are inconceivable as to what the health hazards could be if these products are not processed the way they are currently being done."

No decision has been made by the FDA to ban SRM materialsfrom use in pet food or pet treats.

Do you think SRM cattle - diseased or dying animals should be processed into dog food or cat food? The HumaneSociety's hidden camera video of downer cattle - available for the not so weak to view at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmAJlwLnQI shows the health conditions of these SRM animals.

Even if you are a non pet owner reading this article, I'm doubtful you would think sick and dying animals are safe to feed pets.Personally if a livestock animal has been declared a Specified Risk Material - I don't care who has the expense of disposing of the material - just don't usepet food as the 'disposal method'.Pet food becomes theprofitable disposal method.SRMs are sold to pet foodmanufacturers providing revenue for a product that is otherwise un-sellable.Those pet food manufacturers that purchase SRM materials obtain 'meat' at hugely discountedprices. By no means could SRMs be profitable to the pet or the pet owner.

By products, meat and bone meal, meat meal, animal digest,and animal fat are all ingredients that could be processed SRM animals.Please read your pet food and pet treat labels!

Before you put your pet at risk, learn the Truth About PetFood. Register for the Truth About Pet Food free newsletterand stay updated on the latest pet food news. (http://www.petsumerreport.com/)

Feeding Your Cat Only Dry Food? Is This a Problem?

Too many people feed their cats only dry food because it is convenient and they know their cats generally like to eat it.

While this might be easy, convenient and a relatively economical way to feed the cat it is certainly not good for it's health.

Most dry foods are nutritionally deficient no matter what the manufacturers might say, and contrary to the list of nutrients that they list on the back of these packs the best diet that you can give your cat is one that most closely resembles the type of food that they would eat in the wild.

The food that the cat eats in the wild is considerably higher in protein than any of the dry foods on the market.

Another problem with dry food is the lack of moisture in the food and it becomes necessary for the cat to have sufficient fresh water at all times.

While there are formulations for young and old cats, fur ball formulas, and many of the different combinations that are supposed to be healthly for your pet, a diet high in fresh meat, and poultry, will do a lot more for your cat's health than any of these processed foods.

There are some high quality canned cat foods on the market that have both high protein and sufficient moisture to keep your cat healthy.

Once again you need to consider the ingredients that are put into these canned cat foods as some of them are still quite high in carbohydrates and ash which can cause your cat to become diabetic due to the imbalance, and trigger FLUTD.

There are also a lot of by products used in pet foods and most of these are not very high in nutritional value.

Many cat foods also contain wheat products, garlic and onion, corn and other ingredients that are not only wrong for your cat, but they can cause it to become quite sick.

Good nutrition for your pet is as important as offering it a safe environment to ensure that you will have the pleasure of enjoying it for many years.

Cat Food Recall..Save Your Cat's Life!!!

Cat Food Recall Shows Homemade Cat Food Important !!!

Do you know what's in your cat's food?

Should we always depend upon governmental powers regarding what we

feed our cat?

As a new cat owner many years ago, I thought all one must do is buy pet food and protect your pet from harm, and of course give it love.

As is always the case with any new undertaking, there is a lot more to be done than what appears on the surface.

I went merrily on my way purchasing canned cat food and fed my two cats. One became very ill and in attempting to do the absolute best for its well being, I began asking around, searching on the web, asking homeopathic friends for information. I was made aware of the controversy regarding canned cat food vs. homemade cat food.

How silly, I thought...the governmental powers that be would never allow our pets to "eat" food that was not healthy. Was I mistaken when I learned pet food does not have the same high standards as human food.

My sick cat was not responding well to several medications and he began refusing the canned cat food. I made the decision to prepare his food myself, after all, he had to eat in order to get well and perhaps he would tolerate the medications, if he were better nourished.

I was correct. He began to eat the turkey, veggies, potatoes and supplements I gave him. I had not realized that the canned cat foods are "allowed" to contain by-products which can be animal hair, diseased and cancerous tissue, and a host of other unsavory parts. A sick pet whom otherwise would eat it, may refuse it.

I realized there is some merit to the homemade cat food idea. My sick pet began tolerating the medication and a recovery ensued. I began home cooking their food, and providing supplements for a balanced meal. They do not like the raw food diet for cats,they totally refuse it.

I tried many recipes during the trial and error period and finally came up with one homemade cat food recipe that my cats enjoy the most.

My summation...homemade cat food is equivalent to what we humans eat when eating a home cooked meal vs. eating fast food totally.

Visit http://www.allthingscat.com/homemade_cat_food.html for alternative views on cat health care. Which includes correct feeding, homemade cat food recipe, health problems, harmful cat litter, hairball resolution and cat lover gifts.