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Green Living: Pets Are People, Too
June 22, 2008 - 12:23pm — Kelly McCartneyWe've talked a bit about eating local, organic food and the vast benefits of doing so for our health and the planet's. Chances are, though, we're not the only food consumers in our household. It's great to feed ourselves well, but what are we feeding our pets? Surely we want our BFFs to be as healthy and happy as they can be, right?
Kelly's boxweiler, Jalla, eats California Natural.
According to Ideal Bite: “After accidents, the #1 killer of cats is kidney failure, which may be related to bacteria, fungi, and chemical residues that get by pet food inspection.” We don't want to be killing our kitties by our neglectful behavior, now do we? They also say “Many pet foods are actually made from factory-farm byproducts, and even carrion (aka: road kill).” On top of that, some pet food manufacturers force-feed animals to test their products. By going with better food, we also get better companies - humane and healthy, all in one.
The first step to choosing a high-quality product is to pick one with human-grade ingredients that you can pronounce the names of. Here are a couple of helpful websites to research different companies, one for dog food and one for cat food. Another handy dandy resource is the Only Natural Pet Store where you can compare and purchase different brands. Beyond that, here are some pretty good choices:
Natura claims to be “the healthiest pet food in the world” right at the top of their website. Their brands include California Natural, Innova, Karma, Evo, Mother Nature and Healthwise. California Natural offers one protein/one carbohydrate formulas for the sensitive critters, while Karma is organic. (Note: My local pet store stopped carrying Karma because the lack of preservatives meant they often received rancid bags of food.)
Pet Promise has no animal by-products, no growth hormones, no antibiotic-fed protein sources and more. They also support sustainable farming and agriculture. Dr. Andrew Weil supports the company claiming “For me, Pet Promise is the first commercial pet food that helps me keep my promise to my family pets.”
Newman's Own Organics includes no wheat or corn, no antibiotics or steroids, no artificial flavors, colors or dyes, no fertilizers or other icky things. They do toss in some probiotics to help digestion and lots of whole, organic ingredients such as free-range beef.
Timberwolf Organics offers some grain-free dry dog foods, several other dog formulas and a cat food that “actually simulates a natural diet of a wild cat but in a dry form.” Herbs are big at Timberwolf because of their medicinal and aromatic qualities. (Note: They recently issued a voluntary recall of two of their formulas due to inconsistencies in a couple of specific batches.)
Solid Gold's Hund-n-Flocken was developed for pups with allergies. It has no GMO ingredients but does contain immune-boosting things like flax, zinc, B12 and more. The company boasts that they have “been a pioneer of natural, holistic animal nutrition since 1974” and that they “specialize in the development of 'low allergen' products, which work together to enhance total health, boost up the immune system, and protect against disease.”
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32 Comments
well...
i live in central IL. i don't have much of a selection as far as stores and shops go. i'm not a big fan of wal*mart either, but it helps me and everyone else survive..those who shop there, anyway.
Eagle Pack Holistic.
I'm EXTREMELY PICKY about what foods I feed our animals. We are the blessed parents of 2 small dogs, and 2 cats (one being a fat piggy kitten!)
We used to feed our dogs the most expensive store bought food you could get, thinking "WOW, we're good owners". HA. crock.
Then we got our puppy (who'se now nearly 3) - and at the vet's for her shots, we thought "Let's be REALLY good owners, let's feed her Science Diet - or any food the vet recommends"......... what a crock of SHIT! Anyone who feeds their animals a food because the 'vet recommends them' is under false pretences.
Foods like Eukanuba, Iams, Royal Canin, Science Diet etc are bad for your animals. Google the hundreds of reasons why..... but mainly is the ingredient list! One of the websites Kelly included above has a really good run down on ingredients to avoid - http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients
If you look at the food you're feeding your dog, are any/many of those ingredients listed on the pack?
In my humble opinion, veterinary recommended foods are glorified supermarket foods. the same crappy ingredients, but in fancier packaging, with a fancy 'important' name, and with about $20 added onto the price!
Once we found this out, we stopped them immediately off the Science Diet, and started them on the principles of BARF - raw feeding. It's the most natural diet for a dog, which who'se ancestors were once wild. Our dogs love chicken wings, chicken thighs, Kangaroo backstrap, lamb knuckles, beef bones, fish, hamburger meat and ofal.
Recently, one of our cats was hit by a car, and sustained facial fractures, but was otherwise ok. She required $3500 of surgery with her jaw wired shut, and a PEG feeding tube inserted for 6 weeks. This made me re-think our cat's diets.... if I'm willing to spend that much money on a cat's life, then why am I feeding them crappy food? (I'd always put the cats at a lower level than the dogs until this point, shame on me).
After some research I found EAGLE PACK HOLISTIC food - it's a US based food (making it $50 for a 3kg bag, as opposed to the $9 I was paying before!). (not to be confused with regular Eagle Pack food, which does have corn) Our local store had them on a half off sale for 1 week, so I bought them and trialed them - they loved it, so I bought up big! lol
http://www.eaglepack.com/Pages/HS_Ingredients.html
• Meat meals from real meat
• We don't dilute our meat meals with water
• No generic "Whitefish"
• Organic Quinoa
• Brown Rice
• White Rice
• Oatmeal
• Spelt
• Alfalfa (sun-cured)
• Apples, Cranberries and Blueberries
• Carrots & Peas
• Human-Grade Whole Egg
• Chicken Fat
• Fish Oils
• Flaxseed
• Beet Pulp
• Inulin (Chicory Extract)
• Oat Fiber
• Tomato Pomace
So now our cats love their new holistic wet and dry food diet, and their coats are loving it too! My older cat's skin condition has disappeared, and the younger cat's coat feels softer than rabbit fur.
We've added in 1 kibble meal for the dogs too, and they love it!
PS....... if you have cats, KEEP THEM INSIDE! it's not cruel to the cats, it's SO much safer for them. And you save yourself a whole lot of heartache, because it was one of the most traumatic times for us when ours went missing and came home hurt. Our 2 are now inside cats ONLY - and all of them are microchipped!
PPS. I have read a lot about pet foods over the last month online, and do realise that Eagle Pack is not THE BEST food out there, so if anyone has other ideas that are available in Australia, (very important, as I'm not able to pay for shipping of large heavy bags of food lol), I'm all ears and willing to listen :)
All this said, I'd rather see a dog fed a lower quality food than not fed at all..
Leigh
I think this really depends on the animal...I tried out various foods on my dog and I even tried cooking her plain foods. It's suffice to say that she has a delicate stomach because the results were uhh messy to say the least...Then I started her on the vet recommended food and she has been happy and healthy ever since.
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
My guy has a sensitive belly
My guy has a sensitive belly too. Wellness didn't work, neither did Pinnacle's allergy formula. I used Natural Balance allergy formula for a few years but that stopped being good a few months ago so we switched to California Natural. The one protein/one carb mix is good for the sensitive bellies.
I've heard mixed reviews about
Natural Balance, so perhaps I'll look into the California Natural. Its good to know about a healthy alternative for those with sensitivities. Bonus if it is at a lower price point than what I'm currently paying.
PS - any tips on treats would also be appreciated. :) Even finding healthy, plain treats can be a bit of a challenge.
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
My guy loves the Trader
My guy loves the Trader Joe's beef strips and chicken sticks. Never seem to be problematic and he's not a big fan of treats, in general. Natural Balance runs in the mid -$40 range for the big bag. It's actually cheaper than the Cali Nat.
We don't have
no Trader Joe's 'round these here parts, but thank you...
I should make a point of stopping by one the next time I'm in Seattle. I've heard it is a place that sells a lot of interesting things...
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
Mis-reading
Kelly, you startled me for a minute because when I saw the subject line, "My guy loves the trader" I thought maybe you had turned. Thank goodness you meant your dog.
did you change the foods
did you change the foods over gradually, over a period of weeks/months, mixing the new food in with the old at different percentages, or did you just switch diets quickly? If a diet is changed too quickly it results in upset stomachs, runny stools etc. I ask this because a lot of my friends have told me their dogs didn't tolerate a new food... yet they switched them too quickly, not giving the pet time to adjust.
Did you read the articles that Kelly linked to - and the "what ingredients shouldn't be in food" link from Kelly's link that I added? What are your thoughts on that, given that they are in vet foods? I'm not having a go at you, just want to know what your thoughts are, if you've read and researched the vet products thoroughly, instead of just going off a vet's biased word (most vets get paid commission to sell foods in their practice)
:)
PS I'm in Australia also, vet products and ingredients may be different in other countries - I'm keen to learn :)
Absolutely!
It's a valid question. I wouldn't expect everyone to know they had to gradually wean, but I have always done it.
I did read the ingredients of what shouldn't be in food. In fact, I remember being so concerned when she was struggling that I was researching everything at the time. I'm not the 'type' of person to simply do everything a vet or even a doctor suggests without a lot of questions and some research. It wouldn't surprise me if the vets did get some sort of kick-back from food sales. Also, I wouldn't be shocked if some of the foods from the vet are over-priced bags of junk-food. I'm not familiar with all the different brands of vet food on the market and of course some will differ from country to country, same as standard foods. Perhaps different countries have different food standardizations. That's the only thing I can think of a the moment.
After reading Kelly's blog, I read the list again and compared it to the ingredients in her food. Her food ingredients are very specific and natural. There aren't any vague terms or crap. Another pretty good indication to me that the ingredients are healthy is that there isn't a lot of smelly flatus... :) I have no doubt that my pooch definitely has a delicate constitution.
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
Indoor cats
I agree with your comment about keeping cats indoors. I had already decided to do it when I discovered that one of my kittens was blind from birth, but that just reinforced it for me. We have foxes in Denver, and I'd be a wreck whenever one of them was outside if I allowed my boys out there.
~paz y amor siempre
Homemade food?
I've had some patients whose parents made their baby food once they started taking solids (for that matter, so did my parents, but the driving force then was poverty, I think). Do you know anyone who does this with their pets? Not raw food - I sometimes eat meat, and can cook it when entertaining, but also hate handling it. Where to get recipes?
~paz y amor siempre
home made food is made w love - good 4 everything, esp souls!
my parents feed a mix of home made food and kibble. their home made food is cooked hamburger meat, cooked peas and carrots, and cooked pasta.
you can find many recipes just by googling them:
http://www.healthrecipes.com/pet_supply.htm
http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/home-cooked-dog-food-recipe-chicken-di...
http://healthierdogs.com/dog_food/home-made-dog-food-raw-dog-food-recipe... (raw recipe, sorry)
http://homemade-dog-food-recipes.askaboutdogs.com/ (website which shows/advertises a book with 180 recipes)
hope that helps a bit!
Thanks!
I'll try the first link, since my boys are cats.
home made food is made w love
That's what my girlfriend says when I cook for her, even on boring nights when I think dinner is nothing special :)
~paz y amor siempre
That's really sweet. :)
That's really sweet. :) Your girlfriend is a lucky girl.
oh my bad, I have never made
oh my bad, I have never made cat food.... haven't actually ever thought about it! However, when reading about it just now online, it appears that raw food is better than cooked food for cats.
Here's some websites for cat food:
http://www.catinfo.org/makingcatfood.htm - raw food, although you may be able to cook the hamburger?
http://www.mousabilities.com/cats/food/haretoday.html#HareToday_complete - again, raw - but here you can buy the bags of meat and bones online?!!!!
http://www.catnutrition.org/pictorial.php
hmmmmmmmm you may decide after looking at those websites that it's easier to feed them canned food, coz that all looks gross!! haha.
My cats love raw kangaroo meat, they get it about 3 nights a week.
OOH OOH OOH, I found a cooked food recipe for cats!
Cat Food Recipe
Finicky Feline Diet
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped broccoli, cooked until tender
1/4 cup chopped carrot, cooked until tender
Chicken broth
Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender with enough chicken broth to hold together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. --------
CHICKEN & RICE DELIGHT
1 whole cooked chicken (I assume boiled??)
1/2 bag wild brown rice (cooked in with the chicken)
1 C Quick Oats
small can of sweet peas or cooked fresh peas. *optional
Oats are added when chicken is done. Pour oats in and remove from heat. Serve as is or over dry kibble.
(remove all cooked chicken bones)
Thanks again!
No prob - there was cat info on the first link you gave me before. Thanks for all your legwork, though. I'm sure my cats would say thank you, too. They are such food hounds, and will eat anything they can get at. I have no children, but all cupboards and the garbage are child-proofed!
~paz y amor siempre
pov
Or just not a food snob! Either way, I win, because she rocks my world...
PS Though I liked the kitty, it's good to see your avatar back. It's a great pic.
~paz y amor siempre
A raw food diet
I fed my dobie a raw food diet for a huge chunk of his life. He lived to be sixteen years old. I bought the meat from local farmers as well as the herbs and veggies. He loved it to say the least. He also had a holistic vet that he loved. They are sometimes hard to find(I had to drive an hour and a half each way for mine) but well worth it. He passed about a month ago but he was happy and very healthy right up until the end.
I know a number of raw food
I know a number of raw food diet fans. I can't imagine it being a bad thing, by any means. But being a vegetarian, I can't deal with handling raw meat. Also I've heard how good the dry kibble is for helping to clean their teeth. So sorry you lost your pal.
Thanks
Thanks he was a great dog. I miss him more than I thought I would. Sixteen years is a long time to spend with someone.
I know how you feel about the food though. I used to be a vegetarian and thinking back I wouldnt of been able to do it back then.
I fed him bones to keep his teeth clean.
Jalla!
Does the big good looking pooch not move fast enough for ya, Hon?
Don't have a pet, but I'm thankin' ya for the info nonetheless!
Nothing but love
Tex
Such a loyal stalker reader
Such a loyal
stalkerreader you are, Tex. Thanks for the support!ok, before i even read this
ok, before i even read this article, i'd just like to point out how cute that boxweiler is. not as cute as my staffy X rottie though. but that is looking through a mother's eyes...
Why thank you.
He is a handsome lad. Not to brag, but we almost always get stopped on the street.
lol people have always
lol people have always crossed the street whenever i have walked my dogs (rottweilers)! except when they were puppies...
Yep...
Only vet food for my pooch. It's heavy on the wallet, but I was grateful for it last year when the whole food scare happened!!
BTW-Jalla is a cutie. :)
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
Que es "vet food"... do you
Que es "vet food"... do you mean like Science Diet or something?
Actually...
She used to be on Science Diet, then I switched her to Medi-Cal.
*** ***
"It matters not Who you love, Where you love, Why you love, When you love, Or how you love, It matters only that you love." - Lennon
thanks for the useful info!
though i don't recall seeing these brands at wal*mart, it sounds like these companies are doing a good job with the pet food. pets are people, too, that's true!
No Wal-Mart.
That's true. You probably won't ever find anything I write about at Wal-Mart. I'm highly - HIGHLY - opposed to that store. Sorry. If it's the only place you shop, be sure to look for an ultra premium food with human-grade ingredients and no filler.
Hooray for refusing to shop
Hooray for refusing to shop at Wal-Mart! I just had to reply to that comment. For anyone who hasn't see this movie:
http://www.walmartmovie.com/
go watch it!
Wal-Mart sucks!!!