Smitten With Kitten...
This blog was originally posted on 5/27/11
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Earlier this week I had to put my cat to sleep. She was sixteen years old, and had developed a tumor between her shoulder blades that seriously hindered the use of her front left leg, and - I imagine - caused terrible pain and discomfort. Being elderly and frail, her chances of making it through surgery were very slim, so we decided the best course was to just... let her go. So, I dedicate these reviews to my Gracie, and I hope she's in a better place...
For starters, I'd like to cover cat food. Cats are strictly carnivores, so check the ingredients on the food you buy... the first ingredient should be some kind of meat. You'll find that most of your inexpensive kibble uses corn meal or other corn-based fillers to cut the cost of the food for both the manufacturer and the consumer, but ultimately, it's your cat that eats it. My suggestion for those who buy food at the grocery store, go with Iams brand cat food (a large bag - about 6 lbs. - cost me about 14 dollars, but lasts me about a month)... yes, more expensive, but the difference is relatively small when it comes to your cats' health. Just think about what your kitty would eat in the wild... a couple mice here and there, maybe a small bird or lizard... And, yes, sometimes cats eat grass, but not as a part of their diet. So, when feeding your cat, it's best to not leave a food bowl for them to graze all day (something I've learned from my vet)... instead, feed them a couple small meals a day, with fasting in between. Cats can get serious health issues from too much "filler" like heart disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections, etc. etc. For example, twice a day mine get 1/8 cup scoop of dry food, mixed with (roughly) 2 tablespoons of canned food. Since they've adopted this diet, my severely overweight kitty Alice has dropped a couple pounds, and once again is playfully romping through the garden... also, I've noticed a significant (and much improved) difference in the litter box.....
Which leads me to cat litter. I've tried numerous types over the years, and find that the scoopable clay and pine work best. The best pine type I've come across is made by the fine folks at Disney, called Aristocats scoopable pine litter... however, the only place I've been able to purchase it is at Kroger's (if you've seen it somewhere else, please let me know). So, when I can't get the lovely biodegradable stuff, I use Tidy Cats Small Spaces/ Multiple cats... I may be down one cat, but still have 3 more. 'Nuff said.
And, last, my favorite kitty cat movie... "The Aristocats"... a favorite since I was a child, and now my kids enjoy it... a lot.... over and over and over.... But, hey... everybody wants to be a cat...
(oh, and for those who want to know why cats eat grass... it's because after they catch little critters, there are certain parts that they can't digest, like hair, bones, feathers, etc. So, the grass is... well... to help them barf it up... and there you have it)
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Earlier this week I had to put my cat to sleep. She was sixteen years old, and had developed a tumor between her shoulder blades that seriously hindered the use of her front left leg, and - I imagine - caused terrible pain and discomfort. Being elderly and frail, her chances of making it through surgery were very slim, so we decided the best course was to just... let her go. So, I dedicate these reviews to my Gracie, and I hope she's in a better place...
For starters, I'd like to cover cat food. Cats are strictly carnivores, so check the ingredients on the food you buy... the first ingredient should be some kind of meat. You'll find that most of your inexpensive kibble uses corn meal or other corn-based fillers to cut the cost of the food for both the manufacturer and the consumer, but ultimately, it's your cat that eats it. My suggestion for those who buy food at the grocery store, go with Iams brand cat food (a large bag - about 6 lbs. - cost me about 14 dollars, but lasts me about a month)... yes, more expensive, but the difference is relatively small when it comes to your cats' health. Just think about what your kitty would eat in the wild... a couple mice here and there, maybe a small bird or lizard... And, yes, sometimes cats eat grass, but not as a part of their diet. So, when feeding your cat, it's best to not leave a food bowl for them to graze all day (something I've learned from my vet)... instead, feed them a couple small meals a day, with fasting in between. Cats can get serious health issues from too much "filler" like heart disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections, etc. etc. For example, twice a day mine get 1/8 cup scoop of dry food, mixed with (roughly) 2 tablespoons of canned food. Since they've adopted this diet, my severely overweight kitty Alice has dropped a couple pounds, and once again is playfully romping through the garden... also, I've noticed a significant (and much improved) difference in the litter box.....
Which leads me to cat litter. I've tried numerous types over the years, and find that the scoopable clay and pine work best. The best pine type I've come across is made by the fine folks at Disney, called Aristocats scoopable pine litter... however, the only place I've been able to purchase it is at Kroger's (if you've seen it somewhere else, please let me know). So, when I can't get the lovely biodegradable stuff, I use Tidy Cats Small Spaces/ Multiple cats... I may be down one cat, but still have 3 more. 'Nuff said.
And, last, my favorite kitty cat movie... "The Aristocats"... a favorite since I was a child, and now my kids enjoy it... a lot.... over and over and over.... But, hey... everybody wants to be a cat...
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