Is Cat Food Making Your Cat Sick? by Julia Sage

Are you concerned that what you are feeding your cat is making him/her sick? Are you worried with all the pet food recalls that have happened in the last year? More and more animals today are getting sick, and some of the causes are directly linked to the commercial pet food that we are feeding them.

If your cat has symptoms such as: bad breath, itchy skin, dull dry coats, and intestinal gas, then chances are it is coming from the food they eat. A common disease that can be attributed to diet is diabetes in cats.

Not all commercial pet food provides all of the nutrients our pets need to be healthy at different times in their lives. Some pet food has ingredients that our pets do not need and can cause them to be extremely ill. A common ingredient found in pet food is a preservative called propylene glycol. It is used to keep pet foods moist. This preservative has been linked to anemia and bloat in animals, as well as other conditions.

What is propylene glycol? A petroleum derivative acts as a wetting agent. Propylene glycol is a colorless, vicious, hygroscopic liquid, CH3CHOHCH2OH, which is used in anti-freeze, laundry detergent, deodorant, floor wax, processed foods, and Pet Food.

Factory workers are warned by the FDA to avoid direct skin contact with propylene glycol because it penetrates the skin quickly and can cause brain damage, skin irritation, and kidney malfunction. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for propylene glycol says that it may be harmful by ingestion or skin contact.

The philosophy here is that if used in small amounts, and with other chemicals, that it will not produce harm to our bodies or our pets. Perhaps a small teaspoon or a quarter of a teaspoon will not produce serious side effects if given once. What is ignored is that it is not given once. In addition, most preservatives that are ingested DO NOT pass their way through the body. It is a foreign substance that builds up and stays in the body. Each teaspoon that may remain in the body is added by another -teaspoon, and another, and so on.

If you are using commercial cat food, check the ingredients. If propylene glycol is listed, do yourself and your pet a favor and stop giving it to them.

If this toxic substance is not present, other things to consider to determine if your commercial pet food is quality food are how the ingredients are listed. The ingredients will always be listed in descending order. That means what is listed first, is the primary ingredient.

A whole animal-based protein should be listed first. Stay away from by-products, these are left over's from processing human foods. Avoid other ingredients that are fraction of a whole; wheat middlings, corn gluten, anything that is not a whole grain.

You will want natural preservatives like ascorbic acid, Vitamin E or mixed tocopherols. Cats do not need artificial food coloring or flavors to be healthy. Essential fatty acids are a must; they help to prevent cancer, skin problems, and allergies. Taking these out, as is done in some special formulas will actually harm our pets in the long run.

We as humans are beginning to be more cautious about our own diets and what we ingest. Isn't it time we start considering the same for our furry friends?

About the Author

If this concerns you and you want to learn healthier alternatives that will prolong your cats life, visit:
http://healthycat.blogspot.com

When Cats Play Nasty: Protect Your Garden

Wouldn't life be more splendid if your cat will stop creating havoc in your garden? First step is to fix your fence at once. The gaps in your fences gives your cats the chance to enter it. Your cat is also lithe and agile so it can jump over fences. Mounting a taut wire on top of your fence is practical since this will stop them from jumping over.

In case your cat slipped through your garden, making it move out may be hard. But do not give up. There are still ways to make it move out of your garden. Since you are a cat owner, you must know that cats dislike dogs. Dobermans and pit bulls are indeed some of the dog breeds that can truly scare away cats.

Dogs are great but if you don't have them, you can try another method: squirting water on the cat. What you need for this method is a bucket of water or a water hose. If one squirt of water is not enough, do it again and again until it takes the hint. Aside from a pail and a garden hose, you may utilize a sprinkler. If you plan to purchase a sprinkler, look for a motion activated one from your local hardware store. This type of sprinkler can immediately perceive if there is someone or something in your lawn. The sprinkler will be able to target your cat, squirt water at it and drive it away. When the cat is hit with water a couple of times, it will recognize that the garden is not the place for it.

Your cat may also try to harm your plants. Your plants may be utilized by your cat as its litter box. Putting moth balls around the area may help keep your cat away from your plants. Moth balls are quite successful as the scent of it drives away not only cats but other pests as well. Things with strong odor such as moth balls, cayenne, citronella, lavender, and lemon grass are irritating for cats. Theodor of tobacco is also effective in driving out cats.

To frighten away cats off your lawn, you could try using ultrasonic devices. Humans do not hear the high frequency sounds that these devices are producing; however, cats are sensitive to these sounds and they get irritated by them. This kind of cat repellent has varieties such as the cordless type, the one with infrared motion sensor and the like. You have to take into consideration the size of your garden when buying ultrasonic devices. Make sure that it can cover your entire garden to guard your plants from cats.

Another method to use is commercial repellents. These repellents have a scent that cats hate. They are even effective to drive away other animals. In using this method, always exercise caution because commercial repellents may have chemicals that are damaging to one's health. If your garden contains vegetable crops, it is wise to refrain from using commercial repellents.

To prevent your cat from ruining your garden, select from one of the following: Fences, water, sprinklers, dogs, ultrasonic devices and commercial repellents. Cats and gardens do not mix well together especially if the cats near you are destructive. Let your cat know that you are the one in charge.

Train your kitty how to walk with a cat leash [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/using-a-cat-leash/]. For problems on cats urinating [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/dealing-with-cats-urinating-inappropriately/] inappropriately, check out toilet training a cat [http://www.kittybehaviour.com/challenges-and-benefits-of-toilet-training-a-cat/].

About the Author

Kitty Bee is the owner of two adorable cats.