Your Pet Guide

Protein is one of the basic building blocks of any body, whether it's a cat's or a human's. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. It's used to build and repair tissues as well as make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals.

Along with fat and carbohydrate, protein is a "macronutrient," meaning that both animals and humans need relatively large amounts of it to provide the bulk of their energy. Vitamins and minerals, which are needed in smaller quantities, are called "micronutrients."

But unlike fat and carbohydrate, the body does not have a store of protein that is readily available, and therefore has no reservoir to draw on when it needs a new supply.

As carnivores, cats have developed dietary needs that are different from other species. They require a high-protein diet to maintain lean muscle mass, bright and healthy eyes, stronger immunity, a healthy skin and coat, high energy levels and overall healthy weight.

Proteins consist of amino acids, most of which are essential nutrients that the body cannot create. Therefore cats are only able to create the amino acids that they need by consuming a high protein diet.

In fact, a diet high in protein and lower in carbohydrate is one of the best ways to prevent obesity and can even help overweight cats slim down.

So, you can keep your cat healthy by feeding them a premium pet food rich in essential nutrients and the optimal balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate.

3. Fats, Oils and Preservatives

LOOK FOR: Named fats from quality sources like--chicken fat, lamb fat, sunflower oil, herring oil, etc. Natural preservatives like mixed tocopeherols and Vitamin E from whole foods are preferable.

WHY?

Fats and oils from named, nutritious animals and plants provide a rich source of essential fatty acids that help produce healthy skin and lustrous coats. The natural quality preservatives in proper balance to your cat's foods ensure they get all the necessary nutrients for life and good health every day.

AVOID:

Fats from non-specific sources like--animal fat, poultry fat, vegetable oil. Also stay away from synthetic preservatives like BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.

REASON:

Because the standards for pet foods are much less than for human food, pet food manufacturers are allowed to use rendered animal fat, vegetable fats and oils that have been rejected as inedible for humans. They can include rancid oils and fats or used restaurant grease, which have been disguised with flavor enhancers made from processed by-products.

Plus synthetic preservatives like butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and ethoxyquin can cause liver and kidney damage or even cancer. They are used solely for a longer shelf life, not nutrition.

4. Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements

LOOK FOR:

Antioxidants from natural sources like fruits and vegetables. Vitamins like Ascorbic Acid, Beta Carotene, Biotin, etc. Chelated minerals may also be added like iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, etc.

WHY?

These are all natural or food sources of quality nutrition and supplements ensuring your cat stays healthy and lives longer.

AVOID:

Artificial flavors and colors. Another common additive is propylene glycol, a less toxic version of antifreeze used in cars.

REASON:

The flavors and colors are added by the manufacturers to make them look more appealing to pet owners and taste more appealing to cats (and dogs). While propylene glycol adds a sweet taste to the food, it should NOT be part of your cat's daily food fare.

If you've ever felt confused about how to choose the healthiest cat food for your feline companion, you're not alone. The pet food recall sent many spinning.

Most pet owners are aware that pet food manufacturers are required by law to list all of the product ingredients in order of weight. While that is helpful, an organized checklist is more useful when shopping. Here are some guidelines from top animal food experts.


Cat Food Ingredients in Order of Importance

1. Proteins

LOOK FOR: Meat or fish named on the label with words like--chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, herring, salmon, etc. Also acceptable are concentrated named meat proteins like--chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, herring meal, etc.

WHY? Cats are what scientists call "obligate carnivores". This means that they are designed to eat a meat diet. When you're choosing a food for your cat, you want it to have all the available nutrients to provide for good energy, strong muscle tone and a
stable immune system so the meat protein source should be primary.

AVOID: Unnamed food ingredients with words like--poultry by products, meat and bone meal, meat meal, poultry meal, animal digest, etc. Also avoid protein fillers like--corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, egg product meal, soybean meal, wheat germ meal.

TIP: If you look at a cat food label and group all the grain ingredients together, they are often more primary than the meat pictured by manufacturers. This disguises protein ingredients that are inferior, portraying them as nutritious.

REASON: Cat foods containing by-products, meat and bone meal or non-specific, generic meat meals are often rejected leftovers from the human food chain. That means they can contain "4-D" nutrient-deficient animal protein sources such as:

* Dead animals (including meat with sodium pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug though industry sources deny they use dead dogs and cats, however there are no laws or regulations against it).

* Dying animals (including those that FDA meat inspectors reject for the human food chain plus dying animals from zoos and pet farms).

* Diseased animals (according to federal meat inspection regulations, fuel oil, kerosene, crude carbolic acid, and citronella can be used to denature diseased meat before rendering).

* Disabled animals (including those who are too weak to walk due to disease or malnutrition).

2. Carbohydrates and Vegetables

LOOK FOR: Whole grains like brown rice and barley or starches like whole potatoes or sweet potatoes. Whole fruits and vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, alfalfa, apples, cranberries, etc.

WHY? These whole grains and starches are actually digestible by cats providing a good source of energy. The whole fruits and veggies provide an excellent source of fiber plus natural occurring vitamins and minerals.

AVOID: Vegetable proteins and gluten, which are indigestible and cause allergies for cats, are made from refined flours, wheat, mill runs, brewer's rice, etc. Also watch out for processed fruits and vegetables like dehydrated potatoes, tomato pumice and alfalfa meal.

REASON: Vegetable proteins, especially soybean meal protein, have become favorites of pet food manufacturers because they are cheap sources of protein, giving them bigger profits and making it appear that cats are getting good protein. Glutens made from flours are merely cheap binders or "glue" in pet foods. Both sources can result in severe nutritional deficiencies.

You may not know it but nutrition is a very important factor when it comes to keeping your puss healthy. Their complex bodies require certain things to be able to perform general everyday tasks. Just like us, cats need plenty of food and water but it's what is in their food that counts.

The most part of a cat's diet is protein. Protein supplies them with amino acids. Amino acids are needed in order for the body to manufacture antibodies, enzymes, tissues and a proper PH balance.

Protein is found in foods such as meat and fish, so it is ideal to give your cat meals that contain ingredients such as these. Fat is also required in your cats diet as it gives them an energy source for all that climbing and running around they do!

Along with fat and protein, minerals and vitamins also play a big part in their diet. Minerals and vitamins go hand in hand with having a healthy body so make sure that you pick out a good quality cat food that has all of the nutrients your cat requires.

It's also a great idea to feed dry food as it keeps their teeth healthy and hopefully gets rid of any built up tartar! If you have any concerns or questions regarding nutritional requirements for cats, make an appointment with your vet to obtain a greater insight on this topic.

The other day I was walking my dog in our favourite off-leash beach, and I noticed a strange-looking baby stroller go by. It was completely covered and had a window screen at the front to allow its occupant a view. Not quite.

To my surprise, it turned out the occupant wasn’t Bubble Boy, but a large tabby cat.

I’d seen elderly dogs wheeled around, but a cat? For cat owners, there is no controversy more ongoing than the question of whether or not to allow one’s favourite feline outdoors. Some will go to great lengths to make up for indoor confinement, such as the owner of this tabby did, wheeling her big guy around in a covered stroller to get his fresh air and entertainment for the day.

It doesn’t stop there.

The owner of an indoor cat can purchase cat-proof fencing, outdoor cages, runs, pens and harnesses to keep their little prowler properly contained while outside. The belief is that an indoor cat is kept safe from getting lost, stolen, or killed by another animal, or becoming the target of cruelty or an accident, as well as health hazards such as poison, disease and parasites.

The Humane Society of the U.S. estimates the average life expectancy of an outdoor, roaming cat to be 3 to 5 years, while the indoor kitty averages 17-plus years. Though my cat, Mrs. Peel, lived to the ripe old age of 20 and enjoyed moseying around the great outdoors, I can understand the fear.

If anyone has ever seen an animal suffer from ingesting anti-freeze fluid, you’d probably quite happily push your pet around in a stroller for the rest of its life.

Some people even keep their cat indoors to protect other living creatures from their cat, such as the estimated millions of birds that become kitty bait each year. In her wild youth, Mrs. Peel was also a rather skilled and relentless menace to the bird population.

The reasons for denying one’s cat the not-so-great outdoors are therefore plenty. The only argument against it, really, is that it’s worth the risk if kitty’s happiness is at stake. In other words, an indoor life is not a life worth having for a cat, or so goes my own logic. It’s also something of a hassle, especially in summer months when you’d like to leave your doors and windows open.

But let’s say you want to wean your cat off the roaming life and keep her happy indoors? Make the inside of your home appealing, for starters. Create inviting places to lie in the window and bask in the sun; ensure there are scratching posts and clean litter boxes (one per cat) available; keep toys and cat nip around.

And if it becomes impossible for your cat to adapt to the shut-in life, consider all the outdoor options out there for runs, pens, fencing — and of course, the stroller.