History of Cat Food

The idea of preparing specialized food for cats came later than for dogs (see dog biscuits and dog food). This was very probably due to the idea that cats could readily fend for themselves.

In 1837, a French writer critiqued this idea:

It is... thought wrongly that the cat, ill-fed, hunts better and takes more mice; this too is a grave error. The cat who is not given food is feeble and malingering; as soon as he has bitten into a mouse, he lies down to rest and sleep; while well fed, he is wide awake and satisfies his natural taste in chasing all that belongs to the rat family.

In 1844, another French writer expanded on this idea:

Normally in the country no care is taken of a cat's food, and he is left to live, it is said, from his hunting, but when he is hungry, he hunts the pantry's provisions far more than the mouse; because he does not pursue them and never watches them by need, but by instinct and attraction. And so, to neglect feeding a cat, is to render him at the same time useless and harmful, while with a few scraps regularly and properly given, the cat will never do any damage, and will render much service.

He goes on to say that it is all the more unreasonable to expect a cat to live from hunting in that cats take mice more for amusement than to eat: "A good cat takes many and eats few".

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By 1876, Gordon Stables emphasized the need to give cats particular food:

If then, only for the sake of making (a cat) more valuable as a vermin-killer, she ought to have regular and sufficient food. A cat ought to be fed at least twice a day. Let her have a dish to herself, put down to her, and removed when the meal is finished. Experience is the best teacher as regards the quantity of a cat's food, and in quality let it be varied. Oatmeal porridge and milk, or white bread steeped in warm milk, to which a little sugar has been added, are both excellent breakfasts for puss; and for dinner she must have an allowance of flesh. Boiled lights are better for her than horse-meat, and occasionally let her have fish.

Teach your cat to wait patiently till she is served—a spoiled cat is nearly as disagreeable as a spoiled child. If you want to have your cat nice and clean, treat her now and then to a square inch of fresh butter. It not only acts as a gentle laxative, but, the grease, combining in her mouth, with the alkalinity of her saliva, forms a kind of natural cat-soap, and you will see she will immediately commence washing herself, and become beautifully clean. 

(N.B.—If you wish to have a cat nicely done up for showing, touch her all over with a sponge dipped in fresh cream, when she licks herself the effect is wonderful.) Remember that too much flesh-meat, especially liver,—which ought only to be given occasionally,—is very apt to induce a troublesome diarrhoea (looseness). Do not give your pet too many tit-bits at table; but whatever else you give her, never neglect to let her have her two regular meals.

In the same year, an ad for Spratt (better known for making dog food) said that their cat food entirely superseded "the unwholesome practice of feeding on boiled horse flesh; keeps the cat in perfect health." 

And in another book on cats Stables recommended the company's food:

Attend to the feeding, and, at a more than one-day show, cats ought to have water as well as milk. I think boiled lights, cut into small pieces, with a very small portion of bullock's liver and bread soaked, is the best food; but I have tried Spratt's Patent Cat Food with a great number of cats, both of my own and those of friends, and have nearly always found it agree; and at a cat show it would, I believe, be both handy and cleanly.

Spratt, which began by making dog biscuits, appears to also have been the first commercial producer of cat food.

For more information on Cat traits, types and Cat foods, visit the all pets supplies shop to choose your needed resources today. 

How to buy Commercial Cat Food

Most store-bought cat food comes in either dry form, also known in the US as kibble, or wet canned form. Some manufacturers sell frozen raw diets and premix products to cater to owners who feed raw. 

Dry Food

Dry food (8-10% moisture) is generally made by extrusion cooking under high heat and pressure. Fat may then be sprayed on the food to increase palatability, and other minor ingredients, such as heat-sensitive vitamins, which would be destroyed in the extrusion process, may be added. 

Wet Food

Wet (Canned) cat food example (Fish flakes in jelly)

Canned or wet food (75-78% moisture) generally comes in common can sizes of 3 oz (85 g), 5.5 oz (156 g), and 13 oz (369 g). It is also sold in foil pouch form by some manufacturers. 

Dry vs Wet Food

Cats generally do not chew their food and usually only crunch once or twice before it is swallowed.  

Visit the All Pet Supplies shop to check out the type of food Pet foods available.  

Vegetarian or Vegan Food

There are vegetarian and vegan cat foods available. Vegetarian cat food usually is fortified with nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid.^[10] Some vegetarian cat food brands are labeled by their manufacturers as meeting AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profile. 

Labeling

In the United States, cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were established in 1992 and updated in 1995 by the AAFCO's Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee. The updated profiles replaced the previous recommendations set by the National Research Council (NRC). Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra-premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no legal definitions.

You can get more information on how to buy commercial cat food by ordering for your copy here.

How to Select A Child-Friendly Dog in 5 Steps

The common question that most parents or guardians asked is “What is the best dog for kids?” however, there is no definite answer. In theory, almost any dog has the potential to get along well with kids. One can think about which breeds might be best for kids, but you just never know how each individual dog will turn out. There are many factors that affect a dog’s ability to get along well with kids. Here are five (5) things that you will need to consider before you get a family dog.

Training

Obedience Training is absolutely essential! Make sure someone in the home can spend a lot of time training the new dog, especially if it is a puppy. If a child wishes to participate in training, it should be done under the supervision of an adult. In addition, the children in the household will need to be taught how to conduct themselves around dogs.

Age and Size

Think about the ages and activity levels of your children. Toddlers can be knocked over by an awkward, gangly puppy who does not know his own size. Bigger kids could crush a small dog if they are not always careful. You may wish to consider getting an adult dog that has been around children - a puppy needs a lot of extra attention.

Personality

A family with kids ideally needs an intelligent dog with a good temperament and moderate energy level. Certain breeds may be naturally good with kids.

Finding the Family Dog

When it is time to look for a dog, try visiting local rescue groups. Ask about dogs that have been in foster care. Their foster "parents" know and love them. Since they want the dogs to go to the right homes, they tend to be very honest about the dogs' personalities and temperaments. You can ask the rescue workers to guide you towards dogs that fit your kids' lifestyles. If you want a purebred dog, go to a reputable breed-specific rescue. Otherwise, you can go to a general rescue group with a good reputation.

If you choose to get a purebred dog from a breeder, thoroughly research the reputations of multiple breeders. Ask for references and talk to fellow dog lovers in your community. Your veterinary may also be able to advise you. Once you choose a breeder, spend a lot of time talking about the temperament and socialization history of the pups. A good breeder will know the pups and parents well and share information freely.

Home at Last

Congratulations, you have found a new dog for your family. Having a dog is a wonderful way to enrich your child’s development and create beautiful memories to be treasured for years to come. The bond between dogs and kids can be wonderful. Remember, though - your work is not done. In fact, it will never be. Training your dog and your children together is a life-long project. Responsible Dog Ownership goes hand-in-hand with Responsible Parenting. 

Armed with these five (5) steps you can now get your family a wonderful dog that suits both the kids and their needs.

Take Care!!!

How to Use Dogs

In modern times, dogs are kept as pets, however, there are still a tremendous number of ways in which dogs can and do assist humans, and more uses are found for them every year. 

The following list provides ideas of the versatility of dogs and we will look at the eight (8) roles of dogs: 

Turnspit Dogs were used as a Source of Power, they turned a treadmill connected to a roasting spit. Similar arrangements were used for household duties such as churning butter.

Service Or Assistance Dogs help people with various disabilities in everyday tasks. Some examples include mobility assistance dogs for the physically handicapped, guide dogs for the visually impaired, and hearing dogs for the hearing impaired. 

Therapy Dogs visit people who are incapacitated or prevented in some way from having freedom of movement; these dogs provide cheer and entertainment for the elderly in retirement facilities, the ill and injured in hospitals, and so on. The very act of training dogs can also act as a therapy for human handlers, as in a prisoner rehabilitation project.

Rescue Dogs assist people who are in difficult situations, such as in the water after a boat disaster. 

Search Dogs locate people who are missing; lost in the wilderness, escaped from nursing homes, covered in snow avalanches, buried under collapsed buildings, etc. 

Herding Dogs are still invaluable to sheep and cattle handlers (stockmen) around the world for mustering; different breeds are used for the different jobs involved in stock work and for guarding the flocks and herds. Modern herding dogs help to control cattle and wild geese in parks or goats used for weed control. A well trained dog can adapt to control any sort of domestic and many wild animals.

Sled Dogs, although today primarily used in sporting events, still can assist in transporting people and supplies in rugged, snowy terrain. 

Performing Dogs such as Circus dogs and dog actors are trained to perform acts that are not intrinsically useful, but instead provide entertainment to their audience or enable human artistic performances. 

I hope that after we have read and learnt about the various roles of dog, it will motivate us to care for our dogs well, train our dogs well and feed our dogs well.  Visit the all pet supplies shop to order for your dog products today. 

How to find out Food Allergies and Intolerance in Cats

Today, we continue with the food allergies and intolerance in Cats from the previous post, http://careforpetsandanimals.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-know-food-allergies-and.html.  

Food Trials and Elimination Diets

A food trial consists of feeding a cat a novel food source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks. A novel food source would be a protein and carbohydrate that the animal had never eaten before. Examples would include duck and potato, or venison and potato. There are a number of such commercial diets available on the market.  

In addition, there are specialized diets that have the proteins and carbohydrates broken down into such small molecular sizes that they no longer would trigger an allergic response. These are termed 'limited antigen' or 'hydrolyzed protein' diets. Homemade diets are often used, as the ingredients can be carefully restricted. Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only thing the animal eats for 12 weeks. This means no treats, no flavored medications; absolutely nothing but the special food and water. In addition, the cat should not be allowed to roam, which may result in him having access to food or garbage. 

Visit the all pet supplies shop to get more information on food allergies and treatment guides for your pets today. 

Veterinarians used to recommend that a pet only needed to be placed on a special diet for 3 weeks but new studies show that in dogs, only 26% of those with food allergies responded by day 21. However, the vast majority of the animals responded by 12 weeks. The same may be true in cats, therefore, it is very important to keep the cat on the diet for the entire 12 weeks.  

If the cat shows a marked reduction or elimination of the symptoms, then the animal is placed back on the original food. This is called 'provocative testing' and is essential to confirm the diagnosis. If the symptoms return after going back on the original diet, the diagnosis of a food allergy is confirmed. If there has been no change in symptoms but a food allergy is still strongly suspected, then another food trial using a different novel food source could be tried. 

Blood Testing

There is no evidence that blood tests are accurate for the diagnosis of food allergies. Veterinary dermatologists insist that there is no merit in these tests whatsoever in the diagnosis of food allergies. The only way to accurately diagnose food allergies is with a food trial as detailed above. While the intradermal skin testing is excellent for diagnosing atopy (inhalant allergies) it is ineffective for food allergies. While specialized blood tests can be used to help in the diagnosis of atopy, they have no benefit in diagnosing food allergies. In our review of all the current books and articles on veterinary dermatology and allergies, we could not find a single dermatologist that endorsed anything other than the food trial as an effective diagnostic aid. If you want to diagnose and treat food allergies you must do a food trial. 

Treatment

The treatment for food allergies is avoidance. Once the offending ingredients have been identified through a food trial, then they are eliminated from the diet. Short-term relief may be gained with fatty acids, antihistamines, and steroids, but elimination of the products from the diet is the only long-term solution. The owner of the animal has two choices. They can choose to feed the animal a special commercially prepared diet or a homemade diet. 

Visit the all pet supplies shop to get more information on food allergies and treatment guides for your pets today. 

If the owner chooses to feed the homemade diet, then they can periodically challenge the pet with new ingredients and determine which ingredients are causing the food allergy. For example, if the animal's symptoms subsided on a diet of rabbit and potatoes, then the owner could add chicken to the diet for two weeks. If the animal showed no symptoms, then they could then add beef for two weeks. If the animal began to show symptoms, then it could be assumed that beef was one of the things the pet was allergic to. The beef could be withdrawn and after the symptoms cleared up, a different ingredient could be added and so on, until all of the offending ingredients were identified. A diet could then be formulated that was free of the offending food sources. 

If homemade diets are used, it is essential that they be balanced, with correct amount of ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. Homemade diets for such long term use should be developed by a veterinary nutritionist. 

Be aware that some pets with food allergies may develop allergies to new foods if they are fed those foods long enough. If you see signs of food allergies returning, consult your veterinarian. (Courtesy - Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.) 

Armed with this information, I hope you will now visit this pet store to get the right food for your cats and other pets at home. 

How to know Food Allergies and Intolerance in Cats

Food allergies account for about 10% of all the allergies seen in cats and dogs. It is the third most common cause after flea bite allergies and atopy (inhalant allergies) Food allergies account for 57% of the causes of itching and scratching in cats.  

The entire process of a pet being sensitized to a particular agent in food and the complicated antibody response that occurs in the intestinal tract in pets with food allergies are not very well understood.  

Despite our lack of understanding of the actual disease process, there are many things that we do know including the symptoms, how to diagnose food allergies, and also how to treat them. 

Food allergies affect both cats and dogs. Unlike atopy, there is no strong link between specific breeds and food allergies. Food allergies affect both males and females and neutered and intact animals equally. They can show up as early as five months and as late as 12 years of age, though the vast majority of cases occur between 2 and 6 years. Many animals with food allergies also have concurrent inhalant or contact allergies. 

Visit the all pet supplies store to order for your special food for your pets and animals at home. 

The Difference between Food Allergy Or Intolerance

There is a distinction that needs to be made between food allergies and food intolerances. Food allergies are true allergies and show the characteristic symptoms of itching and skin problems associated with feline and canine allergies. Food intolerances can result in diarrhoea or vomiting and do not create a typical allergic response. Food intolerances in pets would be similar to people who get diarrhoea or an upset stomach from eating spicy or fried foods. Fortunately, both food intolerances and allergies can be eliminated with a diet free from offending agents. 

Common Food Culprits

Several studies have shown that some ingredients are more likely to cause food allergies than others. In cats, the most common offenders are beef, lamb, seafood, corn, soy, dairy products and wheat gluten. As you may have noticed, the most common offenders are the most common ingredients in both cat and dog foods. This correlation is not a coincidence. While some proteins might be slightly more antigenic than others, many proteins are similar in form and the incidence of allergic reactions is probably associated with the amount of exposure. 

Symptoms

The symptoms of food allergies are similar to those of most other allergies seen in cats. The primary symptom is itchy skin. Symptoms may also include hair loss, excessive scratching, and miliary dermatitis. 

It is difficult to distinguish an animal suffering from food allergies from an animal suffering from atopy or other allergies based on physical signs. However, there are a few ssigns that increase the suspicion that food allergies may be present. If a cat suffers from allergies year-round or if symptoms begin in the winter, I suspect a food allergy. With food allergies, cats may develop very itchy skin which does not respond to steroid treatment. 

Diagnosis

The diagnosis for food allergies is very straightforward. But due to the fact that many other problems can cause similar symptoms and that many times animals are suffering from more problems than just food allergies, it is very important that all other problems are properly identified and treated prior to undergoing diagnosis for food allergies. Atopy, flea bite allergies, intestinal parasite hypersensitivities, notoedric mange, yeast or bacterial infections, or seborrhoea can all cause similar symptoms as food allergies. Once all other causes have been ruled out or treated, then it is time to perform a food trial. 

This is part one (1) of the food allergies and intolerance in cats, we will continue in our next post on food trials and elimination diets and others which causes intolerance in cats. Visit this site to order for your special food for your pets and animals at home. 

How to know which Foods are Dangerous to your Pet

Some foods which are edible for humans, and even dogs, can pose hazards for cats because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following common food items should not be fed (intentionally or unintentionally) to cats. This list is, of course, incomplete because we cannot possibly list everything your cat should not eat.  

Items to avoid	Reasons to avoid
Alcoholic beverages	Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
Baby food	Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to cats fed baby food for an extended period of time. (Please see onion below.) Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Canned tuna (for human consumption)	Large amounts can cause malnutrition, since it lacks proper levels of vitamins and minerals. It can also lead to thiamine deficiency (see 'Fish' below).
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine	Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous system.
Citrus oil extracts	Can cause vomiting.
Dog food	If accidental ingestion, will not cause a problem; if fed repeatedly, may result in malnutrition and diseases affecting the heart.
Fat trimmings	Can cause pancreatitis.
Fish (raw, canned or cooked)	If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.
Grapes, raisins and currants	Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Macadamia nuts	Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.
Marijuana	Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult cats and dogs may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)	Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
Persimmons	Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
Raw eggs	Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw meat	May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Rhubarb leaves	Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
String	Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Table scraps (in large amounts)	Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
Tobacco	Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Yeast dough	Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

To get more information on pet foods, visit the all pet supplies store. You will find other useful resources that will help in keeping your pets healthy and beautiful.