Is your cat eco-friendly?
By gmakesmoney
@gmakesmoney (2923)
United States
January 4, 2008 4:39pm CST
How Green is your kitty? With all these new "green" products on the market for people and pets, it makes me wonder how many pets are doing their part to save the earth?
Do you think all these new all natural and organic products are safter for not just the planet but your furry friend too?
We've switched our cats litter to pine pellets on the bottom and then an organic pine litter on top. We're slowly (we've got a 28lb bag of her former food to go through still) switching her to an organic all natural dry food as well as treats. I've always used organic catnip with her and most of her toys are wool or cotton. Oh and her vitamins are all natural. Already in the maybe 2 weeks since we've started to introduce the organic dry food we've noticed improved energy and temperment in her. The food she's on now is Iams indoor and we're going to another brand we found at PetSmart for about the same price range.
1 person likes this
7 responses
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
5 Jan 08
Actually, the most eco-friendly cat food is one that you make yourself. Then there is no "packaging" and you knnow the quality of the food.
After the pet food recall, I did some research and found a couple of sites that have "vet approved" cat food recipes. I also started questioning why we are feeding wheat, rice, and other GRAINS to a carnivore.
I switched to a raw food diet and both of my cats's are very happy and healthy even though it is now 10 months later. Also, their litter box no longer smells! If you are interested here is a link to my earlier article listing with the links to the cat food recipes - http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/952556.aspx
Also, if you want your cats to be eco-friendly; be sure you keep them inside. Cats are directly responsible for endangering several species of birds and other small animals. Even a well-fed cat will hunt and by raising them as "pets" they are far more numerous than they would have been if they were left in a "natural state".
1 person likes this
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
5 Jan 08
Actually, that diet was origianlly made for cats who had problems with allergies to prepackaged cat foots.
Most vets will not even tell you about this type diet unless your cat has food allergies. But, just about every vet's office SELLS prepackaged food and they would rather sell you something they can make money off of than tell you what is really best for your cat. So, to me, the very fact that they sell pet food makes any discussion of diet a "conflict of interest".
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@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
6 Jan 08
You're right, I've never had a vet not try and sell me something. The vet that pushed for the expensive food works out of a big chain pet store... go figure. I was telling my mother about your response and she thought it was interesting and something that might be worth trying.
Our cat has post traumatic stress and was put on prozac which I stopped because at night it sounded like she was having horrible nightmares or something and it was causing her a lot of ear discomfort as it was a paste, off the meds she sleeps fine. I also noticed that simply giving her a vitamin daily had the same effect as the prozac without the sleeping issues. Which lead me to believe that it really wasn't so much her past trauma that had her misbehaving but a problem in her diet. Have you noticed any change in how your cats act on the raw diet?
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I've heard of that diet and thought about it but I really don't think it's for my cat. She's very picky and uncat like and has food allergies plus a sensative tummy so I would be afraid to give her the wrong thing and make her sick.
She is an indoor cat, she goes outside when it's warm out but just on the patio for about 3-5 minutes and I stay with her so she can get some fresh air. She'll go as far as the sidewalk if something interest her but she hates grass and all things dirty so she gets highly annoyed if placed on grass or dirt. I don't believe that cats should be outdoor pets and get annoyed to no end at my neighboors who have turned their indoor cats into outdoor cats no matter the weather.
@nichole1983 (1187)
• Canada
5 Jan 08
our cat would not be going to organics at all.. shes too fussy of an eater.. she only eats friskies (chicken chunks in gravy) and hard food which is alley cat.. shes a cheap cat to say the least... she gets things like sandwich meat, steak, chicken etc when we have a meal cause thats what we had to start her on when we got her... so she pretty easily taken care of with no special things.. same thing with her toys we will buy her toys like little bunnies etc. but she is more entertained by the drink tabs from 4 litre jugs of milk, and money... yes you heard correct she plays with money...
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
6 Jan 08
My cat is the same way with toys, she loves those milk tabs. I even bought her something similar but she still prefers her old milk tabs. We've only caught her with money a few times, if my purse is open and there are any loose dollars she'll take them and them. Cheap toys and money? Sounds like I should take budget lessons from these cats, lol.
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
7 Jan 08
Candian money confuses me to no end, lol. I dated someone who lived in SK and everytime I'd go up there I'd get so confused, I'm used to plain green money. I think the colors threw me off, lol.
@nichole1983 (1187)
• Canada
7 Jan 08
LOL you know that is a good point. Take lessons from the cat. We only have 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 dollar bills here in Canada. I'm sure we could make a good killing on our cats.
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@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
4 Jan 08
I use "The Worlds Best Cat Litter" which is made from corn (maize). It's bio degradable of course and it's a clumping litter (works very well) which can be disposed of by flushing down the toilet. It is a little on the expensive side, but I would not use anything else now.
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@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
5 Jan 08
FYI: I found it at PetSmart for a lot less then I'd seen it anywhere else.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Jan 08
Ekkkk! You bought Iams food??? That was one of the pet foods that was recalled back last year as it was tainted....naturally it might not be now, but I wouldn't trust that company with a ten foot pole...If you want to get a great brand of dry cat food, buy Purina Naturals. As far as moist food, I always get Fancy Feast or Sheba
I would love to buy those more organic natural litters too, but they are sure expensive and when one is on a budget I just can't get it...I do use Johnny Cat though..and that's what my kitties like to use...I don't even think they would like the natural stuff, as they are REAL picky
1 person likes this
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
5 Jan 08
Iams wet was recalled not the dry, I made sure before feeding it to her. I can't use Purina, she's allergic to it because they use cheap proteins and so it makes her vomit everywhere. I have to be very careful with her food because of allergies which always ends up meaning the most expensive ones out there. But even Iams and the newer food is cheaper than the $17.00 per 8lb bag I used to pay for her prescription food.
Between the pellets and the pine litter I spent 1/2 of what I do on Tidy Cats, at PetSmart it's way cheaper. So between the new food and the litter, we're actually saving about $10+ dollars a month and it's healthier for her as when she gets nervous she eats any pebbles from the litter that are on the floor and since I buy clumping that can mean a trip to the OR.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Jan 08
The Purina Naturals and Purina One are the more expensive Purina dry foods. Each 3-lb bag cost about $9.00, and my pet rescuer friend swears by it--I just don't care for Iams in general...know why? Read these
http://www.iamskills.com/investigation.html
http://www.iamskills.com/learn_more.shtml
http://www.iamscruelty.com/
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@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I've tried the Purina Naturals, I got a free bag from a friend of a friend who works for the company. The cheap protiens made her sick, according to my vet. This friend of a friend (undocumented worker in fact) works for the company making sure that none of the chicken parts (I mean none including feathers, beaks, feet) go to waste and make their way into the dry foods. That kind of protein can cause an allergy to some cats. Personally I think Purina makes good products overall but my cat has allergies and a sensetive tummy so she hasn't been able to eat their food though she does eat some of their treats and does ok with them. I wish she could eat it, it would cut my food cost in half but she's "special", lol.
She's getting weaned from the Iams now slowly so as not to upset her tummy onto something organic that has extra vitamins and things in it.
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
5 Jan 08
I must say this discussion surprised me... My cats are the most eco-friendly creatures. I thought all cats are. Why, they are more part of nature than we are. We have heaps to learn from them. I guess we treat cats a bit differently here. No kitty litter in my house. They go out into the garden, dig little holes, and do their bit in the holes, and then pull the soil over the poop. I never buy food from pet stores for them. They drink milk, raw fish heads, and rice mixed with curd and minced meat. They love gnawing on small bones too.
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@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
7 Jan 08
They sure are healthy :) and very happy too. My two little sweethearts love rolling on the grass and on the sun baked stones. The female enjoys hunting too. Yesterday, she caught a frog. She didn't eat it though. I think the frog fooled her by pretending to be lifeless LOL... Today, she caught a garden lizard. The thing must be digesting inside her right now. Life is really great fun with these two cats and two dogs around. :)
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@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
6 Jan 08
Wow I wish my cat would go poop outside but she hates the feel of grass or dirt on her paws. She'll happily sit outside on the patio on the concrete but I've rarely been able to go out on the grass for longer than a couple of seconds. Your cats are pretty eco-friendly, it sounds like they live a pretty natural life. I bet they are very healthy.
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@leanneg (178)
• Canada
4 Jan 08
No matter how eco-friendly your pet is just make sure she's getting fed good food for her health and well being. I feed my 2 cats Nutrience and it has done wonders. Their fur, eyes, body and activity have grown. This brand is sold at petsmart and who knows it could be the brand you've just bought. Like I said no matter how eco-friendly you animal is we've got to do are job to! The vitamins and organic cat nip is also I very good choice!
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@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I think that maybe the brand, lol. Yes major difference and she's just getting it mixed in with the other food right now. I can just imagine when she's eating it by itself!
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
6 Jan 08
That's a good idea, I have about 20 pounds of the Iams left, lol. We buy the huge bags to save money.
@leanneg (178)
• Canada
5 Jan 08
My cats like the Nutrience brand I tried putting them back over to another brand to see what happens and they won't eat it. I don't think you'll have much of a problem getting her settled on a different food but for a treat once in a while try her in the old brand once a week, since you already have a some of that left anyways. My cats go crazy for the stuffed morsals in Whiskas but we're trying to slowly get them off it again and on to nutrience. They had no problem and are eating Nutrience again but they like to have the other as a treat for now.
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@KingPiccolo (95)
•
5 Jan 08
How many pets are doing their part to save the Earth, ok WTF? that's really not their problem to think about it really comes down to the Government in most cases I believe as hell they are the ones supervising the laws it's their job to enforce the law as much as it is for us to keep inline.
