Cat Talk | AnimalTalk Blog, Val Heart & Friends, Animal Communication Tips & Animal Care

25 Q&A Sites About Pet Food

Jul 282011

When you have a pet, you want to make sure that he or she has the best care available. From making sure that vaccinations are up to date, to providing the best meals, you want to be sure that your pet is as healthy as possible. Being able to take good care of your pet is important; it can mean more companionship for you, and it shows your affection for your pet.

Because your pet can’t choose the best pet food, it’s up to you to make the right choices in pet nutrition. It is essential that you take the time to learn about what’s available in pet nutrition for this member of your family. Even if you aren’t a vet tech, you can choose pet food like one. There is plenty of good information online to help you out. Here are 25 Q&A sites that can help you learn more about pet food:

Food for Specific Pets

From bird food to cat food to ferret food, you can find what you are looking for on these web sites. These sites will help you figure out what is the best nutritional course of action for your pet.Give your pet the right start with guidance from these informative web sites.

Pet Food :Learn about the regulation of pet food, as well as how it is labeled. The FDA provides plenty of reliable answers to questions you have about food for your pets. Authoritative and interesting.
The Pet Food List: Great site for answering questions about various pet food brands. You can get information on cats and dogs, as well as information on pet food for exotic pets. Great information, including news on pet food recalls.
The Dog Food Project: Compares different types of dog food, and answers questions about various options. A great resource for understanding nutrition for your dog.
Dog Food Analysis: Great Q&A site that reviews different dog food options. Answers questions about formulas in various dog food brands. A helpful resource for the dog lover.
The Pet Food Report: You can learn all about pet food for dogs and cats. A great resource that also includes information homemade pet food.
Truth About Pet Food: Great site aimed at helping consumers find safe pet food for cats and dogs. Get the information you need for providing your furry friends with the right nutrition. Includes reviews, and news, about pet food.
Cat Food: Full Report: This great resource from Consumer Search offers answers to questions about cat food. Learn how to choose cat food, and learn more about dry and canned food, as well as diet options for cats.
The Feed Room: If you have questions about feeding your pet horse, this web site has answers. Learn about pet food for horses, and the best way to ensure proper nutrition for your horse.
National Alternative Pet Association: Find out about nutrition for your exotic pet. This site includes answers to questions on various aspects of caring for “alternative” pets, including how to properly feed them.
Pet Food Ingredients: All Natural Pet Food vs. Other Pet Food Options

Many pet foods feature a number of questionable preservatives and ingredients. If you are interested in providing as natural a diet as possible, you can consider all natural options. You can also look at these Q&A web sites for information on the benefits of natural pet food options, as well as ingredient information for your pet food options.

The Honest Kitchen: Information about all natural pet food. You can learn more about dehydrated pet food designed to retain natural nutrients.
Pet Food Ingredients Revealed: This report from Natural News offers information about what’s really in pet food. Learn about pet food ingredients, including the most common ingredients, and see which pet foods are healthiest.
What’s Really in Pet Food: Born Free provides this resource that can help you pinpoint different ingredients. Find out what you’re really feeding your pets. A great overview of what you will find in pet food.
Petfood Ingredients: Find out about natural ingredients in pet food, and how to choose the right food for your pet. A great resource aimed especially at dog food, and answer questions about pet food ingredients.
Pet Food Ingredients Wizard: Find out more about what is in your pet’s food. Look for natural ingredients, or rule out foods with too many unnatural ingredients. This site aims to answer questions about pet food for dogs, cats and ferrets.
Petfood Industry: Get the inside scoop on the pet food industry, learn about ingredients and find out more about pet nutrition. A helpful site that can answer many of your questions about pet food.
Precious Pets: Learn how to find better, all natural pet food for your animals. A great site that answers questions about keeping your pet healthy, and offering insights into better pet food options.
Ingredient Glossary: Pet Food Ratings offers this helpful glossary of ingredients. Find out what’s in your pet food — and what it can do for your pet.
All Natural Pet Food Directory: Answers questions about where you can find all natural and organic pet food.
Vegetarian and Organic Pet Food Options

If you want your pet to be a vegetarian, or if you want to make sure that your pet is getting only the best in organic nutrition, you can check out these web sites. Find out more about helping your pet live the same sustainable lifestyle that you enjoy.

Vegan Pets: Vegan Peace offers a look at ways that you can provide good nutrition for your pet –while living a vegan lifestyle.
VeganCats: This site can also answer questions about vegan dog food. Plenty of information on what’s available for vegan pets.
Veg Dogs & Cats: Get answers to your questions about how you can encourage veg practices for your pets.
Top Five Benefits of Natural Organic Pet Food for Your Dog: Organic Authority answers questions you have about organic pet food.
Organic Pet Food: Find out more about what’s in pet food, and learn more about organic pet food for better health and nutrition.
Our Happy Cat: Includes information about organic cat food, and its benefits.
Healthy Pet Food Guide: Reviews and information about organic pet food

By: Tina Marconi, http://tinyurl.com/3d65eo4

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Fun Facts About Feline Physiology

Cat Talk No Responses »

Jul 272011

by Dr. Ko Arman, DVM

Did you know?

Cats prefer acidic and bitter tastes and are unable to perceive sweetness due to an inherited mutation that affects their taste buds; since cats are meat eaters, being able to detect sweet flavors would not provide them with any survival advantage as predators.

Cats’ ability to hear low frequencies is approximately the same as ours, but they can hear frequencies than both humans and dogs which allows them to detect rodent communication, including ultrasonic calls: an essential trait for nocturnal rodent hunters!

Cats’ greatest visual acuity is at a distance of 75 cm, which is perfect for hunting (except from the perspective of mice!) because this is the approximate distance across which cats pounce when catching their meals!

Cats have poorly developed color vision: they can distinguish blue and green but are frequently unable to distinguish between green and red.

Since cats are mostly nocturnal predators they have excellent night vision. A large portion of a cat’s retina has a special characteristic called the tapetum lucidum which is an iridescent reflective surface that causes constructive interference and increases the quantity of light passing through the retina. In other words, a cat’s eye is like a small house of mirrors that amplifies the amount of light the eye perceives. Light passes through the retina and is then reflected back into the eye again, decreasing the actual amount of light required for them to see.

Cats have an excellent sense of smell, and they rely on smell more than they do on their sense of taste. At the base of their nasal cavities, cats also possess a special sensory organ called the vomeronasal organ (VNO), also referred to as Jacobson’s organ. The VNO detects pheromones, chemical molecules which carry information – pheromones are an important mode of inter-cat communication.

Adult cats have poor temperature perception along their body coreswhich means that they can accidentally sustain burn injuries if humans are not careful about restricting their access to heating pads, stove tops, and other thermal devices. However, in general, cats are capable of withstanding much higher ambient temperatures than humans. Their heat tolerance is likely a result of their desert origins.

Cats are obligate carnivores which means that they belong to the order Carnivora and must eat the flesh of animals in order to survive. They are poorly able to digest vegetation and utilize vegetation derived nutrients; they are not equipped with the appropriate digestive enzymes and absorptive mechanisms to do so.

Cats have retractile claws and are digitigrades (they walk on their toes). These traits enable them to be agile tree climbers and silent stalkers; cats are generally ambush predators, or stalk-and-ambush predators.

Cats’ vibrissae (whiskers) provide sensory information to them and can detect very slight air movements caused by the movements of their prey: yet another handy feature for the feline predator to possess!

Have you ever wondered how your kitty can get into impossibly tiny nooks and crannies? Cats have free-floating clavicles (collar bones) which enable them to squeeze through very small spaces!

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To read more articles written by Veterinarian Dr. Ko please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat’s health should be discussed with your veterinarian. © 2011 K & J Ventures Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website. catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat’s quality of life! All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit her website and set up a membership – it’s fast and free!

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Top 20 Pet Food Forums and Message Boards

Cat Talk, Dog Talk No Responses »

Jun 282011

By Ashley Porter, http://tinyurl.com/3egyxvw

Finding the right food for your pet can be tough. Recalls and dangerous ingredients are revealed often, making it essential to take the time to read the label to find out what exactly is in your pet’s food.

These websites and forums make it easy to decipher the ingredients found in pet food, so read on for tips and ideas to have your pet eating healthy.

Pet Food Forums

There’s nothing like reviews from those who feed their pets themselves. To get the dirt on the best pet foods and which brands or types to avoid depending your pet’s needs, check out these pet food forums.

Dog Food Chat Reviews straight from dog experts and real pet owners is what you’ll find at this site. From raw food to pet food ingredients and even pet food you can whip up yourself at home.

Pet Food Industry This site talks about nutrition, safety regulations and everything you need to know about pet food.

We love this site because you can sign up for the monthly newsletter that gives you recall notices, so you can be sure your pet food selections are on the up-and-up.

Petfood Connection Peruse this site for tips on choosing the right pet food for your animal and to learn of any adjustments that can me made to their diets. It also has an interesting section over pet food trends.

The Pet Food List For all of your recall news, this is the pet food message board to bookmark. Check it weekly because there’s news that’s posted on a regular basis. There’s also a forum over pet foods that the site deems “safe” for your pets, but be sure to do your own research too to ensure your pet’s welfare.

Pets This Canada-based message board is for pet lovers to chat about your pet’s dietary needs. There’s a sizable thread dedicated to raw foods and home-cooking for pets, plus recipes for homemade dog treats.
PETCO Scoop Blog This pet blog goes over pet foods of all varieties, including bird, cat and dog food. There are also posts over feeding fish and reptiles, which have specific dietary needs depending on the type.

Truth About Pet Food This blog gets down and dirty when it comes to exposing the truth about pet food ingredients.

Not all companies out there are honest about what’s in their food and buzzwords like “all-natural” are as abused in the pet food industry as they are in other industries, so it’s important to do your homework when choosing pet food.

DogSmithBlog Learn how to choose food for your pup and how much to feed him or her depending on the type of dog and their size. All of these things are important for a dog’s health, as most with overeat if you let them.

Pet Food Forum At this message board, members go over the appropriate portions and food for many different species, from birds to dogs. They also discuss getting you know your pet’s likes and dislikes when it comes to their meals.
Pet Food Sites

If you need more insight on pet food and how to choose the right one for your pet, opt for these pet food sites to give you the breakdown in terms you can understand.

Humane Society The Human Society takes a serious stand on the regulations of pet food safety and talks about FDA regulations and standards on their site. There are also directions on what to do if you’ve been feeding your pet a brand that gets recalled .

Pet Food Products Safety Alliance This site is one to bookmark to keep up with any regulation changes and recalls in the pet food industry. It reminds us of essential things to keep in mind when choosing and educating ourselves on pet food, like the fact that the FDA has nothing to do with recalls.

The Pet Food List This site discusses the proper diet needs of many animals, including birds, cats and even some exotic pets. There is also a lively forum in case you have questions on how much or how often to feed your animal.

Petsit USA Keep up with this site for all of your recall news, including how to get your money back once a retailer or manufacturer pulls a product from the shelves.

Pet Food Warehouse Blog This online pet food retailer is smart enough to offer a blog that explains the difference in ingredients and food. It also talks about dog chews and what foods should be avoided for domestic animals (essential knowledge for the newbie pet owner).

Eating Well This blog is primarily aimed at the health of people, but there’s a hefty section over watching out what your pet eats. It also discusses pet food politics, which involved a melamine scare a few years ago.

Whole Dog News This blog focuses on raising your dog the natural way. This means raw foods and natural ingredients that will aide their digestion, an integral element for aging pups. It also shows you how to read a nutrition label and judge whether it’s comprised of things you want to put in your dog’s system.

Connected By Pets Pet lovers unite at this pet message board that posts articles on caring for your pets with the best quality foods and how to care for sick animals. Think of it as a social networking site for those who can’t get enough of their animal companions.

Dog Food Analysis This site has been active since 2005 and there are loads of dog food reviews to cruise and peruse.

They regularly post any ingredient or formula alterations made to some of the more popular dog foods on the market.

Dog Food Chat At this dog food site, you’ll find reviews and ratings for everything from at-home dog food recipes to mass produced products. There’s also a guide to what leftovers from your own fridge are OK for Fido to consume.

Dog Food Project This site has loads of information over the latest dog and cat foods being pulled from shelves. We love it because it’s updated often and goes into depth on pet food ingredients and what to stay away from to keep your pet in tip-top shape.

Pet food may seem like a trivial matter, but if your best friend is a pup or cat, you know choosing the right one is essential to their health and well being. Pet food forums and websites will help you choose pet food that does your pet’s body good and gives you peace of mind when making a purchase.

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Cats and Dolphins at Play

Cat Talk No Responses »

Jun 032011

Watch this cute clip here!

http://tiny.ly/bT79

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Yummy Cookie Recipe for Cats

Cat Talk No Responses »

May 172011

Recipe for Tasty Tuna Cookies (For Your Cat)

Ingredients:

1 six-ounce can of tuna

1/4 cup liquid drained from tuna

3 tablespoons chopped cooked egg-white

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the tuna, liquid and egg white together, adding in the flour and cornmeal to form dough. Knead the dough into a ball and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Slice into one inch pieces. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Makes 12 cookies.

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Grace and Beauty In Motion

Cat Talk No Responses »

May 172011

This is so sweet. Turn up the volume, just sit back, and enjoy.

Click here to watch: http://tinyurl.com/6dpssaq

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The Cat From Hell

Cat Talk, Personal Note From Val No Responses »

May 132011

For my Mother’s Day last week, my dog Einstein gave me a bone.

That may not sound like much, but believe me, it was his most prized new possession. And we’d had some serious, ongoing tussles about it for several days.

Since the moment I’d presented it to him, he started channeling his inner primal wolf. Just my looking at his bone made him tense. He’d move quickly into guard position, and give me with a warning growl.

He’d hide it all over the house so I wouldn’t find it. And he certainly wouldn’t give it to me if I asked him to without a lot of sassy backtalk and reluctance…

All this acting out, from my sweet, good natured, loveable, happy, canine best friend? I confess, it hurt my feelings.

Fortunately, I knew exactly what he was doing and why (because I can communicate with him). And I knew exactly what to do to address and correct this dangerous, unwanted behavior.

Left unchecked, like so many other aggressive and dangerous dogs, it could have escalated into a red zone case and someone would have gotten hurt. I know how easy it can be to let things get quickly out of control, especially when we animal parents don’t know how to handle things properly.

I see this happen all the time because I specialize in rehabilitating dogs (and horses and cats too).

They say that’s when good dogs go bad, and that’s when I say, good dog parenting goes bad.

I used my Leadership Skills, the same ones I’ll be teaching about in the new class for dog parents coming soon.

After a few days of working with him on the issue, I went in to check on him and his bone was laying there beside him. This time, instead of going into wolf guard mode, he happily leaped over to his bone, picked it up, brought it directly to me and laid it in my hand as a gift!

It was all his own idea because he did it without my asking him for it or directing him in any way. It was a remarkable display of trust, confidence, love and joy, and it touched my heart. The experience made him a better dog, and me a better dog parent.

Congratulations are in order for our friend and feline behaviorist, Jackson Galaxy, on the launch of his new Animal Planet Show: The Cat From Hell!

I’ve know and admired his work for a long time now (we even co-taught a class together for cat lovers). So I interviewed Jackson for The Real Dr Doolittle Show when he was in the trenches preparing for this, and am so pleased his dream has come true. If you missed our interview, be sure to check it out.

How To Be Your Own Pack Leader: Important Lessons Your Dog Can Teach You About Leadership

The fun thing about the class I’ve been preparing for you is that the Universe apparently has a grander plan that I was aware of.

I interviewed a new podcast guest this week and we are now collaborating on creating an even better course for you. Stay tuned! Look for the announcement coming soon, ok?

Much love to you and your furrkids,

Val

P.S. Oh! And Thank You SO much for your referrals! They are much appreciated…

Val Heart is called The Real Dr Doolittle™, and teaches animal lovers how to connect and communicate from the heart. She specializes in resolving behavior, training, performance, health problems, euthanasia decisions.Free AnimalTalk QuickStart Course (value $79), The Real Dr Doolittle™ Show (free podcast) now on iTunes! (210) 863-7928, email:contactval@valheart.com visit http://www.valheart.com

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A Great Message of Peace from a Dog, a Cat and a Rat

Cat Talk, Dog Talk 2 Responses »

May 052011

Click to watch the video here: http://tinyurl.com/3poq5da

If dogs hate cats, and cats hate rats, then what are the odds of all three getting along simultaneously? This week’s video suggests that if this unlikely animal team can live in peace and harmony and actually love one another, it shouldn’t be so hard for humans to do the same. Watch this heartwarming trio and see how you can apply their lesson to your own life.

Did you enjoy this video? Do you think we, as humans, will ever be able to look past our differences and live in peace? After watching the video be sure to share your comments below, and feel free to pass this video on to friends and family.

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Help! My Cats Keep Fighting!

Cat Talk No Responses »

Apr 272011

By Jenny Jackson, http://tinyurl.com/3u7jsb8

Cat-to-cat aggression is a common problem and there are a range of reasons why it can happen. Fortunately, there are also some things you can do to bring peace into your home.

Dominance
If you have numerous cats in your home, it is important to understand the “pecking order”. Cats don’t have the usual linear arrangement. There is always a top cat, then middle cats who share the same rank, and a bottom cat if you have that many. The middle cats tend to squabble the most. A good way to reduce bullying is to provide separate spaces and hiding holes for each cat and to feed them separately. You might also need to separate the bully from its targets sometimes to give them a break. If the problem is severe, your vet can give the dominant cat medication to calm it down. If one or more cats has become extremely fearful, your vet may be able to help with that too.

Play aggression
Kittens are most likely to play fight. Theories suggest that it helps kittens to strengthen their muscles, develop eye-muscle coordination and learn gentle social play. Then about the time they reach 6 to 10 months, the interactive play with litter-mates becomes rougher and often ends with aggression. Over time the aggression becomes more intense and longer. Eventually, the litter disperses. This is natural behavior and often upsets owners to see their darlings getting rough with each other. Eventually they should learn to tolerate each other. As above, ensure they each have their own spaces and places to sleep.

Retaliation
When a new kitten is introduced to a mature, resident cat, the older cat may react aggressively. In general, the older the cat, the more likely it will show this behavior when another cat is introduced. The social kitten often continues to approach the older cat and it responds with frequent hissing, growling and swatting at the youngster.

When you introduce a new cat into a household, you should aim for mutual tolerance, rather than great friendship. The retaliatory aggression can be minimized by putting the new cat in a room by itself for a few days. You can use a towel to rub the resident cat first, then the new cat, then the resident cat, then the new cat, to help transfer odors. Eventually you open the door and allow the two cats to find each other. The room should now be a territory for the introduced cat and can serve as a safe haven when needed. If the new cat is still a kitten, it can take several months for it to stop approaching the older cat, so opportunities for interaction should be kept to a minimum.

It’s a good idea to check if your cat is in pain, particularly if he or she has only recently become aggressive. We can all get grumpy when we have a headache or backache. This should be checked by your vet. It’s also worth speaking to your vet if cat fighting is ongoing and getting out of hand.

Jenny is a cat lover and webmaster of http://www.great-pictures-of-cats.com. You are welcome to reproduce this article on your pet or family related web site, as long as you reproduce the article in full, including this resource box and link to her website featuring photo and video galleries of beautiful cats.

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Flea Management

Cat Talk, Dog Talk, Horse Talk No Responses »

Apr 272011

By Beverly Meyer, Clinical and Holistic Nutritionist

It’s that time of year again when fleas begin to make their presence known.

In general, the healthier the animal, the less the fleas will bother them. One way to ensure this is to stop feeding pet foods containing CORN. There are many other elements in poor quality pet food, but if corn (and by-products) are near the top of the list of your pet’s food, get rid of it and purchase better food right away.

I find that PetCo, Pet’s Plus and Pet Works carry a few better brands, in general. Read the labels however!

For outdoor pets that don’t come inside, better food and daily flea combing may be all that’s needed to keep them comfortable. My cats love to be flea-combed around their face, ears and chin, and around the top of the tail. Comb them all over if they’ll let you. Just comb with a specific flea comb (pictured below) and drop the fleas into soapy water. Do the same for indoor pets and for dogs too.
If you do get an indoor flea invasion, here are some tips on managing it.

1). Vacuum vigorously and frequently, including hard floors, the sofa and other upholstered items. Place the vacuum cleaner outside (not in the garage) in case any of the fleas escape, or replace the bag daily. Purchase flea nightlights that have a sticky trap by a night light. Put on the floor and the fleas jump on it at night, looking for the warmth. You can do this with a bowl of soapy water under a night light at floor level too. You can put these all over the house and they work well.

2). If this is not enough, call FleaBusters. The San Antonio number is (210) 490-6414, or find local providers on the web at www.fleabusters.com. They sell a patented boric acid derivative that can be applied by homeowners, BUT I highly recommend paying them to do it for you. You have to move furniture and apply it
exactly right. And, they will give you a one-year guarantee.
The fleas will disappear over a few weeks time. You can follow number 1). above in the meantime.

3). A local San Antonio company called Earthwise Organic Pest Control, with a web address of the same name, will also come treat with non-toxic powders. They can treat for scorpions, silverfish and other pests too.

4). I generally don’t use Advantage unless there is a serious situation. I don’t want to systemically poison my animal so that a flea doesn’t find her tasty. BUT, you can use it once while waiting for the FleaBusters to work, if needed. Earthwise’s product may work a bit faster. Both companies will treat the main yard areas as well.

5). Try a soothing, healing topical oil such as our Neem Oil on irritated areas. A benefit of Neem is that it tastes terrible and will help to prevent licking. Apply several times daily as desired.

Anything you can do to improve your pet’s health will help them repel fleas naturally. There are special garlic supplements that are said to work, but I have never used them.

Change to a better food, and give them filtered or Spring water – not tap water. Play with them and use the flea comb. I generally don’t recommend bathing dogs with special shampoos, as most products change the pH of the pet’s skin and make them MORE susceptible to itching and inflammation. You can try using Ecover or other simple chemical-free soaps, but NOT regular dish soaps like Dawn.
Give your cat or dog a pasture-raised organic raw egg yolk several times a week to nourish the skin and fur.

For dogs, also give them a RAW meaty bone several times a week.

I don’t use flea collars as I feel they are toxic, potentially dangerous, and are irritating to the skin. There are now electronic flea collars that emit an electromagnetic pulse or squeal to repel fleas. I don’t use that either as I figure it would drive my animals crazy!

Don’t ever use flea bombs in the home – those are poisons you are spreading everywhere you’ll touch for a long time!

Finally, NEVER spray your home or yard with systemic, commercial pest control. These products are extremely dangerous to your health and to your pet’s health. There is irrefutable evidence linking pesticides (in water, food, and pest treatment) with Parkinson’s, MS, Alzheimer, cancer and more.

Diet & Health Center has been assisting clients with their health since 1989.
We are located in the Center For Life at 12915 Jones Maltsberger Rd. #600 in San Antonio, Texas, 78247. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 5:30.
Call us at (210) 826-0034 anytime or visit us at www.dietandhealthcenter.info.

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