Thank You! 5/23/2016

Today is Cookies Day! You can read about 

Cookie on her page here:Cookie

Below are the gifts from wonderful people that sent the kitties 

gifts last week from our 

Amazon Smile wish list

Thank you Carol Miller for the food!

Thank you Rosalyn Green for the Amazon Gift Card!

Thank you Gayle Blackham for the food!

Thank you Heidi Lepisto for the food!

Thank you Carolyn Masini for the litter and toys!

Thank you Sylvia Bales for the litter and food!

Thank you Sheila Bassett for the gas drops!

Thank you unnamed for the litter, food and gas drops!

Thank you Anita Dewease for the foods, syringes and gas drops!

Thank you Welday Family for the gas drops!

Thank you Gayle Blackham for the food!

Thank you Linda for all the litter, diabetic strips, nutrcalls and nose drops!

Thank you Andrea White for the litter!

Thank you Michelle Sirnio for the litter in memory of Majah!

Thank you Kristine McAllister for the chocolate!

Thank you Barbara Orloff for the cat nip toys!

Thank you Lisa Alcock for the food!

Thank you Kathleen Lapinski for the Amazon Gift card!

Thank you Sheryl Powell for all the chocolate!

Thank you Lisa Mikula for the diabetic strips!

Thank you Miss R. Cullinan for the cats litters and bleaches!

Thank you unnamed for the food & litter!

Thank you Terry Medvick for the chocolate collars and toys

Thank you  Audri and Tucker for the food!

Thank you Eric Shulze for the litter!

Thank you Suzan for the Amazon gift cards!

Thank you Donald Scherzi for the scratchers!!

Thank you Carrie for all the food!

Thank you Michelle for the food!

Thank you Marlene for the medical supplies!

Thank you Linda for the crystal litter!

Thank you unnamed for all the food and litter!

We appreciate all your support and everything you send to the kitties. 

We are sorry if  we did not have your name. Amazon does not always

 send packing slips with the boxes. 

I ask Fiona if she could put together a article explaining cat nutrition and

 ingredients in cat foods. The reason I ask her

 is because she just completed her class at college

 on this very subject. I know that we all want to feed 

out pets the best we can. It's so confusing with all the

 different foods that do this and do that. I think

 that she did a great job of explaining it so that we all can 

understand the basics of a good diet for our furkitties.

Cat Nutrition and Understanding Food Labels

As cat lovers, we all know that cats are “different” and that’s why we love them. Cats are very different from most other animals when it comes to their nutrition too. Here are a few important things to know, plus some help on how to decipher the ingredients on your kitty’s food labels.

Please note that this information is not intended to be advice, medically or otherwise. Every individual animal is different! If you have further questions, or any concerns about your cat’s nutrition and health, it’s always best to talk to a veterinarian. The information I’m providing assumes your cat is in general good health.

The Basics

Most cat lovers know this, but it bears repeating. Cats are directly descended from wild desert cats who live on rodents, lizards, birds, and maybe the occasional bug. Cats have unique nutritional needs that are based on this diet of animal protein, fat, and the water in the prey they eat.

There are also many essential nutrients cats cannot live without, and can only get from animal sources. For example, taurine and most of the vitamins they need.

The basics to consider are actually pretty simple then – good meat, animal fat, and water!

Wet Food vs. Dry

Cat kidneys are desert-adapted and are very very good at extracting the water they need from their food, and conserving water by concentrating their urine. That’s why a wet food that is about 80% water is considered better than dry food. Your average mouse is 70% - 80% water. Even so, make sure you always have at least one (if not several) sources of clean fresh water for your cat at all times. This is doubly important if your cat is fussy and just plain likes dry food better.

The “Zone”

This is the percentage of nutrients and calories that should come from the three basic food sources: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. For you, me, and the dog, the zone is about 30% protein, 30% fat (animal or plant) and 40% carbohydrate (plants).

For cats, the ideal zone is 50% protein, 45% fat, and 5% or less of carbohydrates. That’s quite a difference, isn’t it!

  

Choosing Cat Foods

There are only four ingredients that are required to be listed on pet foods:

Minimum Protein, Minimum Fat, Maximum Moisture (water), and Maximum Fiber.

However, this doesn’t really tell us much, does it?

When it comes to preparing commercial pet foods, the manufacturers can juggle three things: the protein (expensive), the fat (cheaper) and plant-based carbs (a LOT cheaper).

So – we have to take a look at the actual ingredients in the food. Look at the first five or six ingredients. You want the first one to three to be meat and to be defined as what kind of meat! If the label says “meat” without saying what animal it came from, then it is mystery meat – it could be anything, literally.  

There is some debate about whether to avoid “meat by-products” and “meat meal”. They are not necessarily bad – for example, hearts and other organs could be part of the by-products and heart muscle is actually an excellent source of protein for cats. The problem is, by-products and meals are poorly defined. It’s almost impossible to know what’s in them and their nutritional value. But if you are on a budget and can’t afford the $2.50 a can types of foods, by-products and meals are better than the “mystery meat”. Just be sure it says something like “chicken meal” or “beef by-products”.

So – what about the next few ingredients? 

Since cats do not digest plant proteins or carbs, all the corn, grains, rice, flaxseed, potatoes, peas, carrots, and similar ingredients are basically bulk. 

There are two points to consider with these ingredients:

1) Do they make up far more of the volume of the food than the animal-based nutrients your cat needs? Just do the best you can and realize even some of the premium foods out there might be grain-free but still have potatoes, carrots, or peas.

2) Is there a possibility your cat develops a digestive problem by eating corn, grains, and other plant ingredients? Some cats have no problems at all, and other cats do develop food “allergies” and digestive problems. Please consult your vet if you have any concerns. Especially watch out for refusing to eat, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, but that’s by no means a complete list.

Never Ever Starve A Cat.

It’s very important to know that if a cat gets much less food than they need or stops eating completely, this is a serious problem. Cats can go into liver failure within 24 hours of fasting. This is a condition called Hepatic Lipidosis that if not treated, can result in permanent liver failure. The “cure” for it is – food - now! Even if your cat is overweight, take weight loss very slowly! Always consult your vet about how to diet a cat.

If your cat suddenly stops eating on their own, consult a vet immediately. As always consult your vet before you make a drastic change in your cats diet. 

Thank you so much Fiona.
Thank you Cheryl for the pics as always. 

Thank you to our great supporters for all you do for the cats.