Natural Living Is NOT Just For Humans

The following article was reprinted from the Summer-Fall 1995 issue of New York Naturally with permission of the author. All rights reserved. No part of this article shall be reprinted without the express permission of Cyberpet.

We as human beings, enjoy a wonderful and blessed freedom of choice. We choose what we wear, where we live, how we occupy our time and what we put inside our bodies. In contrast, our pets live in a state of total dependence upon us. We dictate when they go out, where they sleep and of course, what and when they eat. For this reason, it is vital that we who are concerned about healthful living give the care and feeding of our four-legged friends the same thoughtful attention we give to our own health and well-being. Sadly, for most of us, the dietary decisions we make for our nonhuman loved ones are largely determined by television commercials and/or what happens to be on sale at a given moment. They deserve better.

What Should We Feed Our Pets?
Before we tackle the question of exactly what we should be feeding our animals, let’s take a few steps back and examine the issue of basic nutritional need. The forebears of Fluffy and Bowser were hunters. However, this does not mean that their diet consisted entirely of animal muscle tissue we normally call meat. When a wild dog has killed a rabbit, it goes directly for the belly, devouring the contents of the stomach, as well as the other internal organs, such as the heart, liver and kidneys. Hard meats from shoulder or haunch may get eaten, but are clearly secondary in nutritional importance. The primary components of this all-organic diet are organ meats and half digested greens and grains, "borrowed" from the herbivorous prey. Using this framework, it is clear that an all-meat diet for dogs and cats would be equally misguided as an entirely meatless one. It is also apparent that our pets are perhaps even less adapted than we are to assimilate a diet laden with chemical preservatives and coloring agents and other additives.

So what’s so bad about those colorful cans and boxes sitting on the supermarket shelves? First of all, it is important to note that the pet food industry is regulated not by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA’s focus is, quite understandably, promoting the interests of farmers, not looking after the health of furry creatures. It should not be surprising then that pet food quite commonly and quite legally, contains ingredients which are deemed unfit for human consumption, such as moldy grain, rancid animal fat and tissue from animals that are dead, dying, disabled or diseased (known as 4-D sources).

We have all been alarmed in recent years by reports of the widespread agricultural use of pesticides and herbicides, as well as the growing presence of hormones, antibiotics, preservatives and other dangerous substances in the meat and poultry industries. Such practices have encouraged millions to do at least some of their shopping at health food stores and to adopt a more vegetarian diet. We are at least mildly comforted that the danger of such abuses is kept to a minimum by the laws and regulations governing the manufacture of food intended for people. Unfortunately, we can take no such comfort regarding food produced for animal consumption. Because of the virtual absence of meaningful health or nutrition standards for the manufacture of pet food, marketing gimmickry and profit maximization reign unchecked. As a result, mass marketed pet foods represent the very worst that American agriculture and industry have to offer.

What is "Natural?"
So what about natural pet food? Unfortunately, just because a can or a bag says it’s "natural" doesn’t mean it has no "bad stuff" in it. To get a complete picture, we much scrutinize further, but reading pet food labels can be extremely confusing and often mislead. The ingredients you most want to avoid, like antibiotics or the preservative Ethoxyquin, may or may not be listed in foods which contain them. On the other hand, some of the most awful sounding ingredients like pyridoxine hydrochloride (a B-vitamin) and ferrous gluconate (an excellent form of iron) are natural and quite beneficial. Furthermore, the manufacturer of a "completely natural" pet food may have quite genuinely added no chemical preservatives. To really determine if a pet food is all natural or organic, you have to go to the source of the material used in its manufacture.

Following is a list of reputable manufacturers whose foods (both dog & cat, canned or dry) when supplemented with fresh, raw or steamed vegetables, can be the basis for an excellent, healthy, nutritious and immune system-supportive diet:
Wysong (about 85%-90% organic), Pet Guard (largely organic), Solid Gold (large percentage organic, dry only), Abady, Cornucopia, Langs, Pro Plan (Turkey & Barley), Precise, Nature’s Recipe and Natural Life.

You can find these foods in pet specialty stores and mail order companies like Whiskers. For the most part, these foods should not be more expensive than those touted by the major manufacturers as "Premium" or "Super Premium." As you can see, there are quite a number of brands that will satisfy your desire to provide only the best for your beloved companion.

The Transition
The most important aspect of introducing any new food is to do so gradually. Do not just plop down a new bowl of food and expect your pet to dig right in. It’s pretty much a given that the sicker an animal is, the more "finicky" it is. A truly healthy pet will eat just about anything you put in front of it. The sick and/or potentially sick won’t eat at all or will only eat one flavor from one maker. If you are trying to introduce a healthier food, completely getting rid of the old food can do more harm than the food itself. You are going to need about a week’s worth of the old food and a like amount of the new food for the first 9 to 12 days.

The weaning process is a simple weaning. Take the total amount of food you would feed in a day. Of that total, physically mix together 75% "old" food and 25% new food. Give this 75-25 ratio for three meals a day for four days. If your pet simply refuses to eat the new food, you may need to start with less of it. As long as your pet is still eating and you see no signs of discomfort or changes in bowel movements, go on to the next step.

Change to 50% old, 50% new for four days and finally 75% new, 25% old for four days. It’s just a crossover process. Once your pet is on the new food for a week or two, start to add in the really good stuff. Using a good old-fashioned "knuckle buster" vegetable grater, grate just about a teaspoon of carrot, broccoli or chopped up sprouts. Do that every meal for four days, then increase to two teaspoons every meal for four days and so on. Add beans or steamed cauliflower, baked yams, rice (brown only), raw egg (organic only), zucchini, potato and legumes. Physically mix your selection into the combined wet and dry food. Continue that volume every meal, every day for three-four days. Observe the results. Does you pet eat the veggies or eat around the "veggies?" If he/she is not eating them, substitute veggies he/she will eat and build up to 40% to 50% raw or steamed veggies plus cooked grains to the balance of top quality processed foods.

When adding vitamins (designed for cats/dogs), supplements, etc., again, add them slowly and in small amounts. Do not overpower the smell and taste of the familiar food with the vitamins. Follow the suggested guidelines for amounts. If using products without labels, ask your retail consultant for suggested amounts. If changes in stool, vomiting or any other unusual problem persists when changing foods, consult your veterinarian. Although changing gradually should avoid problems, it is not uncommon for an animal to vomit or have diarrhea when changing foods. Wait a day or two to see if the problem persists. Don’t automatically change back to the old food.

When to Feed Your Animals
The digestive enzymes of both cats and dogs need time to act on the food they consume. Constant access to food stops that important enzymatic production. Moreover, the food already in their short (6-8 inches) digestive tracts waiting to be digested, gets pushed down and away from the digestive area so it is never fully broken down into its component nutrients. Rather than entering the blood stream as life giving nutrition, it is simply processed as bulk and shoved out of the system with only the outer material broken down.

For this reason, it is vital not to leave food down all day or all night. Fat, starving cats are almost always the result of well-intentioned care-givers riddled with guilt because they had to go to work all day and maybe part of the night too. A cat that hunts for a living can go days without a meal. All it does is sharpen the appetite and reflexes. As a matter of fact, most holistic vets recommend that you fast your animals one day a week and one weekend a month. Whether you fast them or not, do not leave food down even though you’ll be out from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. Here is a workable feeding method for those who work or are out of the house for protracted periods:

Put a sufficient amount down for Fluffy/Bowser to have for a good-sized breakfast. Whatever is leftover after 15 to 30 minutes, pick up and put in a wide-mouthed glass jar, close the lid tightly, wipe the spot on the floor where the food was and go to work, secure in the knowledge that Fluffy/Bowser won’t starve to death in your absence. By the way, don’t refrigerate the food in the glass jar. Cats especially don’t like refrigerated food and what is in the jar won’t go bad in 12 hours or so if it’s processed food. Raw meat should be refrigerated immediately. <{P>When you come home, feed Fluffy/Bowser the second meal right away. Don’t get sidetracked here because your pet has been patient all day. Remember, even though it’s 6:00 or 7:00 pm, this is their lunch. Once again if anything is left over, pick it up and wipe the spot.

The last meal is a small one and should be put down about an hour before you go to sleep. This way slightly hungry animals won’t bite your toes in the middle of the night to tell you they are hungry. And that’s how you feed your pets three times a day even though you work or go to school or anything else that keeps you out o the house.

Veterinary Care
"My dog wouldn’t stop chewing and scratching the base of her tail and all the vet could do was shoot her with Cortisone but now (4-6 weeks later), since I’m feeding her the recommended food and the veggies and vitamins/supplements, all that has stopped and she is happy and running around like a puppy again."

"It cost me a pile of money at the vet and all they did was drug the cat and he still scratched himself to pieces, but since I changed foods and added those veggies and stuff, he seems to be fine again."

These are typical of the stories our customers relate to us day in and day out. It is an unfortunate fact that veterinarians typically receive not more than four to six hours of nutrition training in their four years of vet school. Ironically, their nutrition courses are often taught by representatives of the pet food manufacturers. Veterinarians are as good as their schooling and belief systems allow them to be. The good news is that there is a growing number of veterinarians who are adopting a more holistic approach to their practice. You can check under Veterinarians in this directory for a holistic vet in your area or give us a call at 212-979-2532 and we’ll be happy to provide you with a list of holistic vets in your state. If there are no holistic vets in your immediate area, you can still work with one by phone, in conjunction with your local vet. In such a situation, it is obviously imperative that you find a local vet with a least an open mind, one who will be willing to work under the direction of your long distance holistic vet. This kind of long distance relationship works very well for thousands and thousands of caregivers.

When symptoms of scratching and other aberrant behavior arise, always have your pets checked by a vet. Any vet is better than none. Ask a lot of questions. And if the vet gives you the old "who are you to question me?" attitude, find another vet. The life and health of your pet is at stake and you are entitled to good, sensible, practical answers. When problems do come up, a phone call to your holistic vet is often all that’s needed to get things back on track.

We offer an open invitation to any and all concerned and loving pet caregivers. If you have a [question, we will be happy to help you] any way we can.

Recommended Reading
Following is a short list of the many excellent books which cover in detail the topics presented here. They are available in your bookstore, library or from the Whiskers Holistic Pet Products catalog and several other sources.

Cats Naturally by Juliette de Bairacle Levy, Publ. Faber & Faber Ltd.
Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats by Richard H. Pitcairn, D.V.M., Ph.D. & Susan Hubble Pitcairn, Publ. Rodale Press.
Keep Your Pet Healthy the Natural Way by Pat Lazarus, Publ. Keats Publishing
Reigning Cats and Dogs by Pat McKay, Publ. Oscar Publications
The New Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier with Norma Eckroate, Penguin Books
The Natural Remedy Book for Dogs & Cats by Diane Stein, The Crossing Press.

Randy Klein and her husband Phil are owners of Whiskers, an international mail order company and retail health food store for pets. Following 8 months of antibiotics, medications, x-rays and office visits totaling over $2000 to cure their dog, Tiffany-Anne, of a "rare" bladder infection, the Kleins changed vets. By changing her diet and putting her on the right mix of vitamins, Tiffany’s "rare" condition was completely cured within 3 weeks. Through Whiskers, the Kleins are committed to helping others find better ways to care for their companion animal friends. For a free catalog, call 1-800-944-7537.