In a recent conversation with a friend we got to talking about pet food and why we choose to feed our pets all-natural foods. For me, I feed my cats the best possible diet for the same reasons I feed my family the best possible meals. I do not trust the chemicals used to process foods. So, I avoid them. Also, because my domestic cats remain biologically wild, I buy foods that replicate their natural diet. Which means I deal with a lot of raw meat in my kitchen when feeding three cats.
OUR PETS NEVER HAD ANY CHOICE ...
My friend had a much more thoughtful response to our musings about pet foods. As he explained, our pets never had any choice about their owners and their homes. Cats and dogs rely entirely upon their owners and the community for their wellbeing. We are responsible for their care. And because we have created a toxic environment for them to live in, we need to do as much as we can to protect our animals from pollution and preserve their good health.
When I was growing up with my dog, Honey, there were very few options available for feeding pets. Honey was raised on a blend of Purina and Alpo, and we never stopped to consider other options but we didn't know of any. Honey, lived a long, happy life, but she struggled mightily with hip and kidney pain in her last days, pain that might have been avoided had she been provided with a better diet.
THE MATURING PET FOOD INDUSTRY
As the pet food industry has matured and consumers have become more aware of the effects of fillers and preservatives on their pets' health, healthy options for feeding our pets have become available. In fact, the questions and information can be quite dizzying.
Can my cats digest grains, or will it give them allergies? How much protein does my dog need? If I feed her a raw diet, will she get the vitamins she needs? What's Taurine? Cats like sweet potato?! Really?! The list goes on.
NATURAL PET FOOD TO THE RESCUE
Fortunately for us pet lovers we can get help from pet stores who supply a variety of healthy, natural foods for the animals we love. And knowledgeable pet food suppliers can really help guide your decisions to address any special concerns you may have. For example, when I complained that my cat was drooling all over everything (it was bad!), my pet food supplier steered me away from foods that contained common allergens. The drooling stopped within a couple of weeks. And her coat shined luxuriously!
So keep in mind as you are walking your dog and he stops to drink from a puddle of rainwater, there are toxins in that water your dog was never meant to drink. As your cat sits by your open window watching the cars drive by, there are toxins in the air that your cat was never meant to breath. As a pet owner, you are responsible for giving your animals as much protection from the very environment you have placed them in. You may want to start by feeding them the healthiest possible diet. They will love you for it!