Forbidden Foods For The Pet Cats

We must take into account the type of food we give our cats, as there are a number of foods that are extremely dangerous for them. Below we will list the main toxic foods or discouraged for the cat.

Chocolate
Chocolate is highly toxic to cats and dogs, contains the bromine which is a toxic substance taken in excess, (80 - 100 gr. Of chocolate consumed per kilo of animal, the consequences can be fatal) causes rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, vomiting, systemic failure, coma and death can result. In animals the bromine very slowly eliminated from your body so if the animal ingests chocolate continuously, even small amounts, never remove the substance and when it comes to the amount that is toxic to your body would cause intoxication. The black chocolate contains much more amount of the bromine.

Milk
it is often said that the cat is to give milk, but is another of the old myths about cats. The cat's digestive system after being weaned, start not tolerates lactose. So never give cat milk can cause diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive problems.

Bone and bones
the bones, especially poultry, splinter very easily and that can cause tears and esophageal and intestinal obstruction, as happens with fish bones.

Salted meats and sausages
Salted meats have a higher salt concentration than the cat's body can accept and can cause severe hypertension and systemic problems. The addition of salt meats contains a high amount of fat that could provoke pancreatitis.

Alcohol
Alcohol causes a lot of toxicity in animals, urinary incontinence and more problems. A large amount of alcohol can cause death of the animal.

Onions, shallots, leeks and garlic
it is very toxic to dogs and cats. Contains substances that remove the red cells of the blood and cause hemolytic anemia and the results can be fatal.

Avocados
it contains much fat, especially pulp, could cause serious stomach problems and pancreatitis.

Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant of the nervous system in an animal's reaction is much higher and, like chocolate, it causes serious nervous system disorders and heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea and even death.

Tuna human consumption
the tuna itself is not a toxic product for the cat, what happens that lacks turbine, an essential amino acid necessary for the proper functioning of the heart, sight and many more organs. If tuna is given routinely to provide this essential amino acid not ultimately has serious heart problems. In the cat there are cans of tuna that were previously added turbine.

Raisins and grapes
they can cause kidney failure.
Products sweetened with xylitol sugar and
Sweetened products are harmful to animal health and xylitol products are toxic.

Nuts
containing salt or not, are totally discouraged in animals, causing kidney failure, vomiting, diarrhea and digestive problems.

Raw fish
In addition to containing the parasite called Anisakis, which only removes cooking it or very low temperatures; it also contains an enzyme that causes vitamin B in the body.

The Best Dog Food

Karma Organic Dry Dog Food (made by Natura Pet Products)

The best, ultra premium organic dog food is Karma Organic Dry Dog Food, as they use over 95% organic ingredients in their dry dog kibble. Although they do not have a line of canned dog food, and just sell Karma Organic Dry Dog Food, it is the best choice if you want to eliminate chemicals, artificial preservatives, unnecessary additives, meat that is not fit for consumption, unhealthy fillers and in some cheap brands - road kill.

Organic Dog Food

Karma Organic Dry Dog Food is the only dog food manufacturing company that can boast the over 95% organic ingredients. It also contains 18 certified organic ingredients and is made with organic whole fruits and vegetables - not dried. And just to add the perfect touch to their all natural organic environmentally friendly philosophy, they use packaging made with 100% recyclable material. Did you know that 95% organic ingredients are considered human grade food?

They provide 100% complete nutrition, and the ingredients list starts with number one being Organic Free Range Chicken, and continues like a menu in a health food restaurant. Changing your dog from the cheap grocery store brand to this highly organic dog food can be nothing but good, and will eliminate many of the health problems, allergies and illnesses caused by the food containing fillers, pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMO grains and all the nasty artificial preservatives and additives.

Although this is pricier than most, money saved by reducing health problems, and just the fact that you will be extending your dogs life seem to be worth the extra few dollars.

Newman's Own Organics Pet Food

This pet food has more than 70% of all ingredients being organic. They use human grade all natural chicken and organic brown rice, and it is supplemented with high levels of antioxidants, Ester-C and probiotics.

Newman's Own Organics pet foods do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilizers and is not irradiated, and do not contain chemical additives or preservatives. The ingredients are handled according to strict organic standards.

Newman's Own Organics come in a variety of sizes of dry dog and cat food, and they also offer canned dog and cat food, as well as Newman's Own Organics Dog Treats.

The 30% of ingredients that are non organic are still high grade ingredients that are completely safe, nutritious, all natural, and free of unnecessary fillers or harmful additives.

Natural Planet Organics Dry Dog Food

Natural Planet Organics does not list the percentage of organic to non organic ingredients, but its main ingredients are organic, and the rest are all natural.

Natural Planet Organics is certified organic dog food and classified by the company as Ultra Premium. Organic free range chicken is the first ingredient listed.

They also use organic grains, organic vegetables and organic fruits.

Additionally natural antioxidants are added, along with pre and probiotics, and an excellent combination of important supplemental vitamins and minerals for optimum health. Also glucosamine and chondroitin and high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and taurine, which are essential, are also included.

You will find there are no harmful preservatives, added chemicals or fillers, that are invariably found listed as ingredients of lesser quality brand kibble. The ingredients consist of a list that includes foods that we recognize and eat,and not a long list of chemicals. I always believe if I can't pronounce it, I wouldn't want to eat it. This also goes for my pets, and this organic food meets "my rule."

This organic food is offered as dry kibble only, for dogs and cats, and well worth the few extra dollars it may cost over less natural dog food.

Choosing any of the above mentioned three best certified, organic dog foods for your pet will give you peace of mind, and you can be confident that you are feeding your pet the best that is available. You will not have to worry about compromising your pet's health, just as you don't compromise your own family. After all, our pets are a very important part of our family, and giving them the best advantages of health and longer lives is up to us.

Feed Natural Cat Food For Better Health

Food is an integral part of overall development. The composition and nutritional value of the food you serve to your pets matter a lot. Taste is something that appeals everyone, including your pets. If you own a cat, you must be aware how finicky cats can be towards food. Cats are strict meat eaters compared to other omnivorous pets, such as dogs. Hence, their nutritional composition mainly comprises of animal protein and amino acid called taurine. The deficiency of these two elements in the food can cause diseases, such as deterioration of the retina, deprivation of vision, and cardiac harm.

Natural Cat Food Health

Hence, you need to choose cat food with utmost care. The food should be high in protein and less in carbohydrates. However, many cat foods have artificial flavors and preservatives which may not provide adequate nutrition as promised. It is here when you should actively think about natural cat food. Natural cat food has the required composition which is of utmost importance for the overall well being of your cat.

These foods are made from natural ingredients and have no fillers, genetically modified ingredients, artificial colours, flavors or preservatives. It tries to retain as much natural taste and ingredients as possible. This allows your cat to get natural vitamins and proteins for absorption. When you are looking for natural ingredients look for human grade cat food. Human grade cat food ensures that the food that you feed your cat is made out of the best natural ingredients of human edible quality. These foods offer superior nutritional benefits.

The advantages of carefully picking up the graded food include your pet's longevity and agility. Some foods may make your pet overly obese and inactive. This is largely because of increased fat ingredients and less of the proteins in the food. This can lead to many diseases and decrease your pet's age too.

However, human grade cat food has natural ingredients, which ensures that your pet gets essential fatty acids and proteins. This helps your cat get healthy coat, it increases immunity against skin ailments and allergies as these foods are free from artificial color enhancers and flavors which may induce a reaction on your pet's skin.

Because natural foods have no fillers, your pets will eat what is required and will also enjoy better taste. This also gives them more energy and helps them in maintaining a healthy weight. Natural foods are easy to digest, so your cat will stay away from digestive disorders. Give a healthy and more natural diet and avoid any health hassles in your cat.

How to Address Cat Health Problems

Cat health problems are some of the most common health problems that veterinarians have been trying to address for years. These animals have been around since ancient times and have become popular household pets. They have been known to be very playful at times and very energetic. But sometimes, they can succumb to disease and illness. There are many cat health problems and it may be hard to identify the specific health problem that the cat may be suffering from.

 Cat Health Problems

Cat health problems are known to severely affect the cat if not treated immediately, so what are common cat health problems? First, we must address the symptoms of an unhealthy cat. Some well known symptoms of an unhealthy cat are loss of appetite, a dull coat, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea. There are many other symptoms and most of them usually depend on any suspicious behavior that the cat may be exhibiting.

The next step would be trying to figure out what the symptoms may mean. Most of these symptoms are indicators of minor conditions such as an upset stomach and colds. Other symptoms may be indicators of serious conditions such as feline diabetes, leukemia, urinary tract infection and respiratory tract infection. Diabetes in cats is just like diabetes in humans. This is usually evident when the cat exhibits such behavior like frequent urination, insatiable thirst and irritability. Feline diabetes is an indicator that the cat's body can no longer process the carbohydrates that it intakes. Feline leukemia is a sickness suffered by cats that affects their immune system. If this disease is not addressed immediately, this can cause cats to develop conditions such as cancer and blood disorders.
Feline UTI or urinary tract infection is also very common in cats. Cats tend to eat a lot of strange and dirty food. This food contains bacteria that can cause tract infections and stomach problems for your cat. They can also cause other conditions such as diarrhea and stomach ache. The symptoms that your cat may be suffering from urinary tract infection are unresponsiveness, prolonged illness and a difficulty in breathing for the cat. In order to address these problems, it is best to take the cat to a veterinarian.

There are many other cat health problems out there and these are just some of the more well known conditions that they may suffer from. Cats can suffer from illnesses and conditions such as allergic dermatitis, parasites, bacterial infection, cancer, constipation and blood clots. Majority of cats suffer from common diseases such as allergies and hormonal imbalances. This can cause the cat to exhibit symptoms such as irritability and suspicious behavior. There are many prescription medicines that are available in pharmacies that may help address these problems, but it is best to take the cat to a veterinarian.

A veterinarian is an expert on the different kinds of animal conditions and there remedies. Majority of veterinarians will examine the cat and give prescription drugs or other remedies to address the problem. If the problem is not curable through prescription, veterinarians can address the problem through other methods and techniques.

Dog Illnesses

All pet dogs should be treated as members of our family and adequate attention must be paid to the canine's health. Sometimes dogs become sick but may not look so. It is very important to recognize and understand dog illnesses symptoms.

Dog Illnesses

 Since prevention is a better cure, we must learn something about dog illnesses and symptoms so we can better understand their conditions. This will help us recognize some common dog illnesses. If appropriate and adequate vaccinations are administered to the puppies, most of the common dog illnesses can be easily prevented.

Dog Illnesses

Some elementary observations are useful to recognize certain common dog illnesses. Dogs take a lot of sleep but their sleep is marked by alertness. If a dog is sluggish then there may be various causes contributing to it, right from anemia to old age. If the dog is limping then you should check for prospective painful areas using a firm and yet gentile hand. Check out for any signs indicating lameness from time to time.

The appetite of the dog is bound to be affected by ill health. Look for any signs of loss of appetite. An important sign of dog health problems is excessive thirst. A pronounced weight loss is also an indicator of ill health. Check the eyes for any ulcers, discharges, veins or sores.

The mouth of a healthy dog is pink. There should not be any discoloring or cavities in the teeth. Look for signs of discharge from ears. It is advisable to clean the ears from time to time. The dog's head should be regularly checked for sore patches, hair loss, or deep wounds.

Investigate the limbs and trunk for the same signs. If the dog is vomiting, there may be various underlying problems. If the body temperature of your dog is not between the range 38 to 39 Celsius it is an indication of some kind of illness. Check the female dogs for any kind of foul smelling vaginal discharge, which needs attention of a vet.

The symptoms of pain and discomfort experienced by a dog can give us many clues about the possible underlying illness. If the dog is suffering any abdominal pain, it may be due to canine hepatitis, enteritis or it can be a simple case of constipation. The abdominal swelling dogs indicate canine bloat and roundworms in puppies. Aggression of the dog may be caused by rabies. Roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms my cause anemia in dogs. Any behavioral changes in dog can be an indicator of hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, canine arthritis, heart disease, canine, or parvovirus.

Kidney diseases sometimes cause blood in urine. Eye infections and entropion cause bloodshot eyes in dogs. A ruptured diaphragm, obstructed airway, lungworm, bronchitis, pneumonia, food poisoning, heatstroke, allergies can cause respiratory problems in dogs.

There are various reasons of sudden change in weight of dogs like heart disease to heartworms. Hernia might be caused due to long term constipation in dogs. Allergies, parvovirus, hepatitis, lungworm, TB, pneumonia or distemper may be one of the reasons of coughing in dogs. Cannine parvovirus can also cause dehydration in dogs. Any pancreatic disorder, food poisoning can give rise to diarrhea in dogs. The dog may suffer from hair loss due to mange, red mange demodectic, scabies, cheyletiella mange, or cushings syndrome.

If dog indicates any signs of failing genital bleeding, persistent constipation, projectile vomiting, fainting, hair loss, seizure, stumbling, trauma, trembling, mouth bleeding, rectal bleeding, lethargy, shaking, urinating problems contact a dog care specialist.

How to Introduce a Cat and a Dog

Can cats and dogs really live together in harmony? In many households this is just the case. Of course, if one species has been brought up with the other from a young age, they will likely be completely accustomed to each other, although they may not tolerate other 'strangers' from the species in the same way. Some pet owners have even reported that a dog raised around a cat displays feline behaviours and vice versa. When considering whether your pet will adapt to a new family member of the opposite species, think about any prior encounters they have. Has your cat had a traumatic incident with a dog? Perhaps your dog has a history of chasing after cats? On the other hand, no previous interaction at all will mean that this new animal is completely strange and unfamiliar to your pet and may be treated with fear. 

Introduce a Cat and a Dog

 Before allowing the animals to meet, it is recommended that you familiarize them with each other's scent. Try rubbing a blanket or sweater against yourself as well as one of the animals before letting the other pet smell it. This will let an animal get used to the new scent, as well as view it as friendly, since their smell is associated with yours. After a day or so, swap the blankets to allow their scents to mingle. When introducing a new animal into your home, always make sure that early encounters are supervised and that the dog is firmly held, while the cat has a safe place to retreat to if they feel too threatened. It is easier and kinder to the animals to control the dog than the cat. 

You should only introduce a new animal to your home when your dog is well behaved and responds to you as the alpha male of the home. If your dog does not see you as the ultimate authority in his home he will not take kindly to you bringing in addition 'members' to his pack. Having a dog that responds to your voice and commands will also make it safer for both animals during the transition period as you can easily let him know what behaviour is acceptable, and what is not. Keep the first few meetings brief, of 5 - 10 minutes, and gradually increase this time over a period of days. Hopefully you should see both animals become calmer after a few meetings although they shouldn't be left alone unsupervised until they can both be loose in the same room without being over excited or scared. Have patience with these meetings - some cats and dogs adapt quickly to each other in just a few hours, while others may take several weeks to become comfortable in each other's company. Let the cat decide on their own level of comfort around your dog. If he wants to run and hide, do not force him to stay exposed, and certainly never take the cat closer to the dog than he is comfortable with. Some cats may be quite brave, and wander up to your dog for closer inspection. If this happens, try to keep your dog calm, and in a sitting or lying position while the cat approaches and sniffs him. 

Make sure that your cat has a safe place where they can retreat to to be away from the dog and feel calm and secure. When caring for a cat and dog in the same home, there are a few things that you will need to watch out for. Don't feed your cat and dog in the same place, as this can cause some dogs to become territorial and aggressive around their food dish. You might want to place your cat's food dish in a place where it can't be reached by the dog. Cat food tends to be richer than dog food, and while it may be a tasty gourmet meal for a dog, chomping down too much of kitty's dinner will lead to weight gain, and of course, a hungry cat! Another temptation for dogs is the cat's litter box. As disgusting as it sounds, it is common for dogs to find cat droppings to be irresistible as they are full of protein and partially digested cat food. Buying a covered or domed litter tray should fix this problem, and also ensure your dog does not disturb your cat while he is using the litter tray. Lastly, when you have a cat and dog in the same home pay special attention to their health. 

Cats and dogs can spread fleas, worms, parasites and other diseases to one another, so make sure that both animals are up to date with their medications and vaccinations at all times. Always read the labels of their medications carefully, as some dog medicines, such as topical flea treatments, can be highly toxic to cats and the animals should be kept apart until it is safe.

One Story of Cat and Dog Friendship

JJ the cat and Rocky the dog

JJ was an immense cat. His father was a big Manx, that we nicknamed "refrigerator." After JJ's father died, he became the king of the jungle on our farm. Our Great Pyrenees dogs of course were about as big as any dog gets, but JJ still ruled the small farm we live on.

One Story of Cat and Dog Friendship

He didn't associate with cats or kittens, and he insisted that the dogs treat him as an equal, if not superior. His favorite friend was our big male called Rocky. Rocky was also JJ's bed. When all was calm on the farm and it was nap time, Rocky slept under a tree with JJ parting the long white mane on his neck or fur on his back to make a bed. Heavy as JJ was, Rocky didn't mind letting him sleep where he wanted.
In appreciation, JJ brought his best friend the first portion of most meals. Rabbits were thinned out from our field and on the other side of the road in front of our house. JJ could be heard uttering a guttural growl as he carried a rabbit to drop at Rocky's feet. Sometimes JJ sat as Rocky ate it all and sometimes, JJ allowed Rocky to get the first bite before carrying it away to finish it off.

Once I as I carried scraps out to Rocky, I heard JJ coming home with his growl. "Well, boy," I said, "I hope you are still hungry."
I almost screamed as I noticed JJ dropping a very large rat at Rocky's feet. Purring and rubbing up to Rocky, JJ was obviously very proud of his gift, but Rocky tried to look the other way.
Picking up the rat, JJ moved it closer to Rocky and then moved away to watch Rocky dine on his gift. It didn't happen. I watched several minutes as JJ kept moving the rat closer and Rocky kept moving further away. JJ was plainly getting upset and insisting that his gift be accepted.
Finally I returned outside carrying a small trash can, and when JJ walked around the backside of the dog, I scooped up the rat and carried it out to the burning trash.

The sight of JJ when he walked around and discovered the rat was totally gone was worth watching. He looked down at the spot where he had dropped it last and finally looked up at Rocky.
JJ and started purring loudly. He was so proud that Rocky had finally eaten his gift that he meowed and rubbed all over him until long after I returned to the house. They were bonded from that moment on for life and Rocky seemed grateful that I had removed the rat that he just couldn't sink his teeth into.

Sandy writes humorous columns for her local newspaper. Her stories are taken from children and animals all of which seem to teach us lessons on a daily basis. In addition Sandy who has raised Missouri Foxtrotters for 25 years is now rescuing unwanted horses and seeks financial help. Her farm would support more but lack of funds prevents her from taking more than the four needy horses she has. So far she has turned down one mule and 3 horses needing a 'forever home' due to lack of funds for feed and vet care.