Hey everyone,
Like many others, I didn't expect to be selected this early, so here's something I learned from Bruce and Sophie. Who are they, you ask? Well, they're my cats. And before you file me under "Crazy Cat Guy" I want to share a couple things that I didn't
know before I adopted them.
- Cats are obligate carnivores. - Cats are desert animals, and as such, they don't have a high thirst drive. - Cats on an all kibble diet do not drink enough water and are
more prone to being dehydrated. - Dry food is has a really high percentage of carbs that cats dont really need.
How did I learn this from them? Well Sophie had some stomach issues that wouldn't go away, regardless of the brand of food I fed her, so I went into research mode and read about cat nutrition and such. As a result of all this, I moved them both to a strict canned food diet and then I started making their food at home. Yes, homemade cat food. Raw chicken with extra additives that they need. The net result of this? Her stomach problems vanished pretty much overnight. Not only that but both her and Bruce's coat is super soft and shiny,
there's not a person who pets them that doesn't comment on it.
I don't expect everyone to start making their own cat food because that's just unrealistic, but for all of you cat lovers out there, think about switching them to an all wet food diet, at least. Its not as convenient and is a bit more expensive than dry, but it's way better
better for them. Canned food has a far higher protein content than dry, as well as having a lot more water to it which will help keep them hydrated, this in turn will help keep urinary tract diseases at bay. Not only that but most canned food has about 4% carbohydrates in it, as opposed to 30% or more on dry food.
So please, look into it. Wet food is the way to go. Don't take my word for it either, google "cat info" and the first hit will have lots of info on the subject, read up on it, the site is maintained by Dr. Lisa Pierson and is an invaluable resource.
Your kitties will thank you for it. You wouldn't eat junk food your entire life, and neither should your cats.
Carlos Anicama
[email protected]
Tacoma, Wa.