Dog and Cat Nutrition: The Optimum Natural Healthy Diet
rawdiet4pets.com
A growing number of vets are stating that processed pet food is the main cause of illness and
premature death in the modern dog and cat. In December 1995, the British Journal of Small
Animal Practice published a paper contending that processed pet food suppresses the immune
system and leads to liver, kidney, heart, and other diseases. This research, initially conducted by
Dr Tom Lonsdale, was researched further by the Australian Veterinary Association and proven to
be correct.
Dr. Francis M. Pottenger's nutritional studies have shown that a regular diet of cooked or canned
foods causes the development of chronic degenerative diseases and premature mortality.
Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM- "My own cats eat ONLY raw meat. It is a very good way to
provide some of the natural, unprocessed nutrition the cat evolved to utilize best."
Dr. T.J. Dunn D.V.M."There is ample proof that today's pet dogs and cats do not thrive on cheap,
packaged, corn-based pet foods. Dogs and cats are primarily meat eaters; to fill them up with
grain-based processed dry foods that barely meet minimum daily nutrient requirements has proven
to be a mistake."
Dr. Kollath, of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, headed a study done on animals. When
young animals were fed cooked and processed foods they initially appeared to be healthy.
However, as the animals reached adulthood, they began to age more quickly than normal and also
developed chronic degenerative disease symptoms. A control group of animals raised on raw foods
aged less quickly and were free of
degenerative disease. In nature, we see
another example of wild animals eating
entirely enzyme-rich raw foods being free
of the degenerative diseases that afflict
humans.
Make the BARF (Bones and Raw Foods) Switch easy on you and your dog with ( this ebook
guideline and instructions (http://www.deliciousdogdiet.com/?hop=wellcafe). The dangers associated with
a commercial dog food diet is overwhelming – from immediate effects like a dull coat and foul
smelling dog’s breath, to longer term effects like increasing the risk for canine cancers and a
shorter life span. And that’s the sad truth that the commercial pet food companies don’t want you
to know. The amount of processing and additives that go into the preparation of the commercial
dog food contain chemicals that are not optimal for your dog and may even make them sickly and
die early. Meet Your Dog's Nutritional Needs The Natural Way with the B.A.R.F Diet Ebook
(http://www.deliciousdogdiet.com/?hop=wellcafe)
Dr. Alfred Plechner, D.V.M "The most common and most visible symptoms of nutritionally
caused deficiencies are allergies (http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petallergies.htm) of one kind or
another. Because many commercial foods are woefully deficient in key nutrients, the long-term
effect of these foods makes the dog hypersensitive to its environment. . . . [It's a dinosaur effect.
Animals are being programmed for disaster, for extinction. Many of them are biochemical cripples
with defective adrenal glands unable to manufacture adequate Cortisol, a hormone vital for health
and resistance to disease." Allergies can be, and often are, unrecognized deficiency diseases.
Dr. William Pollak D.V.M. "Recent studies have shown processed foods to be a factor in increasing the
numbers of pets suffering from cancer, arthritis, obesity, dental disease, and heart disease. Dull or
unhealthy coats are a common problem with cats and dogs, and poor diet is usually the cause, according to
many veterinarians and breeders. "Dogs, cats, and other animals live for years on foods that come out
of bags, cans and boxes. But do these foods promote health? If they did, our companion animals
would enjoy long, happy lives free of arthritis, hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear problems, fleas
and other parasites, gum disease, lick granulomas, thyroid imbalances, skin and coat problems,
personality disorders, birth defects, breeding problems, diabetes, cancer and other major and minor
illnesses. Before World War II, most North Americans fed their pets raw bones and table scraps.
Today, everyone uses convenience foods, and pet food companies are industry giants. Diet isn't the
only thing that has changed. So has life expectancy, with the life span of many breeds now less
than half what it was two or three decades ago. Skin and coat problems are so common that we
accept them as unavoidable, and today's vets routinely treat conditions that used to be unusual or
even rare." Learn more: The Poisons in Pet Food (http://www.shirleys-wellnesscafe.com/jesse.htm)
May, 07 The number of cases of kidney failure among dogs and cats that ate poisoned pet food could
total in the tens of thousands says Dr. Paul Pion, president of the Veterinary Information Network. He said
the final number for pets suffering from kidney failure could be in the tens of thousands. more on the
recall ( http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petfood.htm#recall) ---
A Fresh Look at the Optimum Diet for Animals
"The food your animal eats should provide all of the nutritional
components which are necessary for all organs and systems of a
healthy body to perform in harmonious unison. A properly
functioning body does an amazing job at preventing disease and
healing itself, and to do this it requires the energies and nutrients
of a well-balanced diet.
"Finding the proper diet for our companions means learning to
look beyond our own needs, opinions, and agendas to address the
natural needs of the animals that we caretake. The business of
selling pet food at times seems to be focused more on what
appeals to animal guardians than on the dietary needs of pets. The market success of most
commercial foods is judged by how convenient it they are, and how good they looks, smell, feel,
or even taste to pet owners. The natural reality is this: what is good for our animals may be
appalling to us, but if we really wish to provide them with the nutrition they truly need, we must
learn to look beyond standards of human acceptance to consider what our pets might eat if we
weren't around.
"Dogs, for instance, wouldn't be eating sirloin-like chunks of meat with a rich gravy , or seafood
buffet from a can--- they would be eating berries, grasses, rodents, and the rotting flesh of dead
animals. This of course, doesn't appeal to us, so most dogs and cats eat dried kibbles or sterilized
canned foods which lack live enzymes and dozens of other important nutrients that were destroyed
by cooking."Mary L. Wulff-Tilford author of All You Ever Wanted To Know About Herbs For Pets. More
William Pollak D.V.M. - "In the wild, no one cooks for the coyote or wolf; no one brushes their
teeth. Their foods are raw and unprocessed."
"Processed foods and drugs have seriously depleted the natural vitality and immune systems of
many pets. Whereas large amounts of red meat can cause cancer in humans, a lack of RAW red
meat in an animal's diet can lead to serious health problems. Animals require the enzymes, amino
acids and other nutrients in the raw meat in order to stay healthy.
"Many skin and coat problems are a direct result of a lack of raw animal fat in the diet - fat which
humans often believe is bad for their pet. Animals need at least 30% raw fat, and their systems are
not designed to handle cooked meat or cooked fat. Restaurant grease has become a major
component of feed-grade animal fat over the last 15 years. Often held in 50-gallon drums for
weeks or months in extreme temperatures, this grease is usually kelp outside with no regard for its
safety or further use. The rancid grease is then picked up by fat blenders who mix the animal and
vegetable fats together, stabilize them with powerful antioxidants to prevent further spoilage, and
then sell the blended products to pet food companies.
Rancid, heavily preserved fats are extremely difficult to digest and can lead to a host of animal
health problems, including digestive upsets, diarrhea, gas, and bad breath. In the wild, a panther or
jackal does not barbecue, grill or smoke its prey. It definitely does not walk to the local
supermarket to buy dry food either. Yet most pet owners recoil at the thought of feeding raw meat
to their dog or cat, concerned about bacteria or parasites. Dog and cat digestive systems have
evolved over millions of years to consume a raw diet, and they can tolerate foods containing a
wide range of naturally occurring bacteria. You've probably seen your dog enjoy eating something
you consider disgusting and wondered why he doesn't get sick.
Concerned about salmonella and other bugs? The digestive systems of dogs and
cats are short, acidic, and handle bacteria well. This is why they are not susceptible to
salmonella, parasites, or e-coli from tainted meat as humans are. Humans have very
long digestive tracks which allow food to 'linger' for 24 hours or more, thus allowing more time
for parasites to get into their bloodstreams.
Dr. Marty Goldstein DVM, author of The Nature of Animal Healing : The Definitive Holistic
Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat talks about making the healthiest food and
lifestyle choices for our furry friends. To listen click here (it may take 20 seconds to
download) http://staff.hummingbirddistribution.com/kathleenshow/interviews/Marty_Goldstein.mp3
I add Fulvic acids to Shasta's raw food diet. According to research, Fulvicneutralizes toxins and can
eliminate food poisoning within minutes. When it encounters free radicals with unpaired positive or
negative electrons, and it supplies an equal and opposite charge to neutralize the free radical. fulvic acid
acts as a refiner and transporter of organic materials and cell nutrients. According to A. Szalay, fulvic
acid has the ability to dramatically detoxify herbicides, pesticides, and other poisons that it interacts with
– this includes many radioactive elements. This detoxification process may extend to animals and
humans. Dr. Cohen also uses Calcium Montmorillonite Clay as a potent detoxifier. Shirley
(http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/fulvic.htm)
William Pollak D.V.M. - "The results of a clinical trial suggest that 74.7% of common diseases in
dogs and 63% of common diseases in cats can be eliminated without medical intervention over a
period of one year with proper diet modifications and an understanding of the healing process as
exhibited through healing episodes. Approaching disease from the perspective of health is the most
powerful means of eliminating disease."
Read what animal nutrition expert Pat McKay says about cooked/processed/commercial pet food:
Reigning Cats and Dogs : Good Nutrition Healthy Happy Animals
"Cooked food is dead. Everything in a can or a bag is cooked. All processed foods for people or animals have
been cooked, sterilized, or pasteurized, which means all the enzymes that are needed to digest and utilize the
food are destroyed. The saying "We are what we
eat" is not exactly correct. We are what we utilize.
"Live food is essential for health. It is the ultimate
source of life. There is no other way to be disease
free. No matter who tells you that a certain brand of
commercial food or home-cooked food is healthy,
it is not. It is dead – no enzymes, no friendly
bacteria. Veterinarians, animal nutritionists, pet
store owners, store clerks, authors of nutrition
books, or anyone else suggesting cooked foods are
not familiar with which foods and supplements are necessary for health. If they were, they would not be
prescribing, suggesting, and selling cooked foods for carnivores. ALL canines and felines were designed to eat
RAW food.
Dr. Alicia McWatters, Ph.D. - "Fresh, raw foods contain the highest level of enzymes, and these
enzymes assist in digestion. Cooked foods and dry convenient diets have been denatured and are
devoid of enzymes: life-promoting elements. While they may maintain life, they do not promote
optimum health or longevity!"
"The key to health is keeping live foods in the body. Live foods have enzymes; little protein molecules, which
are essential for digesting food, for stimulating the brain, for providing cellular energy, for repairing all tissues,
organs, and cells, and functions so diverse that it is impossible to name them all.
"Animals and people cannot exist without enzymes. It is a myth that you can take supplements and make up
for enzymes. Supplemental enzymes,vitamins, and minerals can be very helpful, but they do not make up for
RAW food."
"Pat tells us why our pets need wholesome, raw foods. The book is large type, simple to read and
includes a simple raw food diet that can be easily prepared. As a 'health food store for pets'
owner, I highly recommend this book to all interested in a more natural, healthier way of life for
their companion animals." -- An Amazon.com reviewer on Reigning Cats and Dogs : Good Nutrition Healthy Happy
Animals by Pat McKay
"The best diet is a raw food diet" --
Dr. Charles E Loops D.V.M
Additional Testimonials: Feeding Raw Pet Food
Don E. Lundholm, D.V.M. - "We are seeing disease conditions in animals that we did not see years ago. Many of these
may be traced to nutrition as the source."
William Pollak D.V.M - "Eating supermarket pet foods is like eating cardboard. Our pets just get by on them and the
foods lack any real vitality for the flourishing of health. Life is designed to be lived in vitality; surviving is living a slow
death even before departure from the body"
Dr. Pitcairn D.V.M.- "...When I began to suggest the feeding of raw meat, I found animals becoming more healthy even
without other treatment. Indeed, I have frequently had the report that people find their animals become healthy when they
make this change and diseases for which they were hoping to have treatment (on a waiting list) have disappeared. Since
that time, other veterinarians have told me similar things about the use of raw meat. I do not have numbers but I think the
veterinarians recommending raw meat in the U.S. are in the hundreds. My experience, albeit clinical and not based on
studies, is that my patients have improved health on a raw diet. Furthermore, I have not seen significant parasite
problems. Dogs and cats, being carnivores by nature, are meant to eat raw meat and do not have a problem doing so."
Raw Food and Enzymes
The tiny and enormous difference between raw and cooked foods
Edward Howell MD - "Among the many thousands of species of creatures living on this earth,
only humans and some of their domesticated animals try to live without enzymes. And only these
transgressors of nature’s law are penalized with defective health. It is not surprising that dogs (and
cats) have many human diseases since they are given only canned or packaged, heat-treated,
enzyme-free food."
Dr. Edward Howell, author of Enzyme Nutrition
"Each of us receives a supply of enzymes at birth. The supply is not limitless; it must supply the
organism with life-sustaining enzymes for the duration of its existence. When the enzyme supply
is exhausted, it signals the breakdown of the organism (the animal). Enzymes are needed to run all
body systems. Metabolic enzymes are used by the heart, lungs, kidneys, immune system, and for
brain functions; digestive enzymes convert protein, carbohydrates, and fat into fuel to maintain the
organism. Over-taxing the body to supply digestive enzymes can reduce the supply of metabolic
enzymes. Eventually, the body becomes enzyme-deficient, making it vulnerable to disease. Not
suprisingly, glands and major organs suffer most from enzyme deficiency."
How can one prevent the body from depleting its own supply of enzymes?
Nature solved the problem for us by providing those enzymes in RAW FOODS. Food enzymes begin
the process of digestion in the stomach. If there are no food enzymes,
the body must produce additional digestive enzymes resulting in fewer
metabolic enzymes. If you feed your dog a diet containing at least 70%
raw foods, you're providing these vital enzymes. Congratulations!
Cooking or processing food above 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys all
food enzymes. If your dog's diet consists mainly of cooked or
processed foods, the animals store of metabolic enzymes will be
converted into digestive enzymes. The lack of food enzymes puts a
heavier burden on the body to generate adequate enzymes to complete
digestion.
In nature, animals know to seek out those foods that satisfy their nutritional needs. For example;
free-roaming wolves hunt grazing animals whenever possible. Before eating muscle or bone, the
wolves feast on stomach contents, the liver, pancreas, and intestines -- in other words, they are
gorging on enzyme-laden tissues. Wolf pups are weaned and maintained on regurgitated food, also
heavily laced with digestive enzymes. Unless we provide the same food a wolf enjoys in the wild,
adding a digestive enzyme supplement to each meal may be essential for optimum digestion and
overall good health. A multiple digestive enzyme should contain pancreatin, lipase, oxbile, pepsin,
betain, hydrochloric acid (HCL), bromelain, papain, amylase, and protease.
Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics helps promote a healthy balance of bacteria and protect the body against harmful
invading microorganisms.
More about nature's enzyme therapy
William Pollak D.V.M. - "Malnutrition and the toxic condition of the animal fed commercial
diets can result in the inability to digest and assimilate basic food components of the fresher, more
wholesome types of food such as raw food."
If you are transitioning your pet to a raw-food diet, or if raw food is not the way you choose to
feed your pet, you may want to consider adding enzymes to your pet's diet. When pet foods are
heat processed, as most are, enzyme concentration is significantly reduced. For this reason, adding
digestive enzymes to your pet's food will enhance absorption of nutrients. Enzymes are destroyed
during the heat processing of your pet's food, yet are required for proper digestion. Shake'N'Zyme
from Dancing Paws ensures optimum digestion, assimilation, and absorption of
nutrients.
Some breeders and trainers prefer to feed their dog twice a day to avoid stressing their digestive system. I
have been feeding Shasta strictly raw foods once a day to give her digestive tract a chance to rest, which
kept her healthy and never overweight. No two dogs are alike or have the same feeding requirement.
Improving Your Animal's Immune System and Overall Health with Nutritional Support
Charles W. Brown D.V.M. "My colleagues and I have found this product (Transfer Factor) to be very effective in
modulating the immune system. Transfer Factor is a "soup" of immune-modulating factors, and contains a leukocyte-type
molecule that can passively transfer immunity from one mammal to another by stimulating cell-mediated immunity and is
antigen specific. Richard Bennett, Ph.D., an Infectious Disease Microbiologist and Immunologist from the University of
California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, believes this could be the most significant development in animal
healthcare in decades. We have a great number of veterinarians and clients who are experiencing very positive results in
a broad area of disorders, including periodontal. " More
Dr. Pat Bradley, DVM, Conway, USA - "The most common problems I see that are directly related to vaccines on a
day to day basis are ear or skin conditions, such as chronic discharges and itching. I also see behaviour problems such
as fearfulness or aggression. Often guardians will report that these begin shortly after vaccination, and are exacerbated
with every vaccine. In a more general and frightening context, I see the overall health and longevity of animals
deteriorating. The bodies of most animals have a tremendous capacity to detoxify poisons, but they do have a limit. I
think we often exceed that limit and over-whelm the body's immune system function with toxins from vaccines, poor
quality foods, insecticides, environmental toxins, etc. This is why we've seen such a dramatic increase in allergies, organ
failures, andbehaviour problems." (NOTE: a growing number of holistic veterinarians use Transfer Factor before and
after vaccination to support the immune system and help the animal recover)
Dr. Blanco, D.V.M - "You take healthy animals and often very quickly after you vaccinate, you can see simple things
like itching of the skin or excessive licking of the paws, sometimes even with no eruptions. We see a lot of epilepsy, often
after a rabies vaccination. Or dogs or cats can become aggressive for several days. Frequently, you'll see urinary tract
infections in cats, often within three months after their [annual] vaccination. If you step back, open your mind and heart,
you'll start to see patterns of illness post-vaccination." more about vaccinosis
Raw Meaty Bones - Tom Lonsdale, a graduate of the
Royal Veterinary College in London, admits he was
slow to recognize problems associated with feeding
canned and dry pet foods. 'The truth is rarely pure,
and never simple' said Oscar Wilde, but this book lets
the truth speak for itself as it lifts the lid on the pet
food industry/veterinary profession alliance. You owe
it to your pet to read this book to find out what
happens to dogs and cats if their diet is inadequate.
Some topics covered:
* Mouth rot and dog breath.
* Raw vs. cooked food.
* What's in the can?
* The right diet.
* The bite on veterinary dentistry.
Note: Not all pets tolerate 100% raw food - read Let Food be Thy Medicine" by Catherine
O’Driscoll
Raw - Ready-To-Eat Safe, Healthy RAW Pet Food
The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking Recent research shows that microwave ovencooked food suffers severe molecular damage. When eaten, it causes abnormal changes in human
blood and immune systems. Not surprisingly, the public has been denied details on these
significant health dangers.
Do Dogs or Cats Require Grains in Their Diet?
To Feed or Not to Feed...Grains
T.J. Dunn D.V.M. "Modern man has modified a number of characteristics of the canine. But
there's one thing man has not altered... the basic nutrient requirements of the dog. Dogs need
today essentially the same nutrients that their predecessors required eons ago. That is precisely
why there has been so much notice given to the practice of feeding dogs (and cats, too!) raw meat
and other unprocessed foods. There is ample proof that today's pet dogs and cats DO NOT thrive
on cheap, packaged, corn-based pet foods.
"Dogs and cats are primarily meat eaters; to fill them up with grain-based processed dry foods that
barely meets minimum daily nutrient requirements has proven to be a mistake. And the fact that
some pet foods have artificial colors and flavors added simply reveals the trickery needed to coax
dogs and cats into consuming such material."
Russell Swift, D.V.M. "Grains
are NOT part of the natural diet of wild dogs and cats. Carnivores
cannot maintain long term production of the quantity of amylase enzyme necessary to properly
digest and utilize the carbohydrates." read on
Raw Bones versus Cooked Bones
Wild carnivores have always consumed the raw bones of their prey. Their teeth are adapted for
this function, and their short, acidic digestive tract quickly dissolves and digests these bones,
which are packed with essential nutrients. Our
domesticated companions have teeth and digestive
systems that are nearly identical to those of their
wild counterparts. While it is possible for dogs or
humans, to choke on whatever they are eating or
drinking, consuming a fresh, raw diet greatly
reduces the risk of choking in dogs or cats.
Cooking bones makes them brittle and prone to
splintering, as well as more difficult to digest.
Dr.
Billinghurst,
an
Australian
vet,
recommends raw bones as the foundation of a
balanced diet. His book "Give Your Dog a Bone" describes the rapidly deteriorating health of
Australian dogs and cats after the nation adopted commercial pet foods in mid-1960s. The canine
mouth has sharp pointed teeth and strong jaws designed to tear flesh and crush bones. The stomach
acid of the canine has strong acids to digest bones and flesh. Raw bones have been a part of
canines' diets for as long as they have been tracking,
attacking, and killing their prey.
Many holistic veterinarians say that raw bones are NOT
harmful to carnivores. Only cooked bones can splinter and
pose a threat. I have seen documentaries of tiny white foxes
catching doves and swallowing the birds whole, with feathers,
claws, beak, and all. Their stomach juices are very acidic and
and loaded with natural enzymes that dissolve and digest bone material. Chewing on raw bones
helps to strengthen the jaw bones, massage the gums while stimulating the salivary and digestive
glands, help reduce plaques and calculus accumulation on the tooth surfaces, clean teeth, and
reduce occurrence of gingivitis. Bones are a good source of calcium and other important minerals.
"The common practice of feeding meat without bones (or bone meal) is nutritionally disastrous for
dogs and cats. There are far too many people giving eggs and meat to their pets without providing
a balance to all the phosphorus they contain. Meat contains no calcium, and lots of phosphorus;
bones contain lots of calcium. Eggs contain lots of phosphorus; the shells contain calcium. That is
nature's balance. If we feed meat without bones or eggs without shells, or aren't sure of the correct
ratios of those things to feed, we must use something to replace them. It is a common and tragic
mistake to give a diet far too high in phosphorus to cats and dogs." Christie Keith from Natural
Diet.... What is it?
(http://www.caberfeidh.com/NaturalDiet.htm)
Give your Dog a Bone and See Your Vet bills Fall!
by Ian Billinghurst B.V.Sc(Hons), B.Sc.Agr.,Dip.Ed.
Give Your Dog a Bone is about feeding dogs using the Bones and Raw Food
(BARF) diet. Dr. Ian Billinghurst has spent 18 years as a practicing veterinarian
in Australia. "Most of the disease problems we vets see are caused by only one
thing - poor nutrition. Most modern dog owners are taught to believe that feeding
dogs is such a difficult task. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you can get hold of a
regular supply of raw meaty bones, you will have no problems whatsoever."
Click here to read an excerpt from Dr. Ian Billinghurst's book
BARF FAQ (BARF = Bones and Raw Food) Ready-To-Eat Healthy Raw Pet Food
If you don't have the time or the inclination to prepare homemade RAW meals for your animal,
you can purchase ready-to-eat frozen or freeze dried RAW meals.
Raw Bones and Canine Dental Hygiene
Can RAW bones help reduce plaques, calculus accumulation on the tooth surfaces,
Transitioning to a New Diet William Pollak D.V.M.
Upon switching to a more nutritious diet, physical and behavioral improvements can be dramatic
or gradual depending on the state of the animal’s health. Severe nutritional deficiencies and toxic
states have been known to mimic almost every known disease in veterinary medicine. In chronic
conditions, some developing over several generations, improvement in health can take months or
years. Feline transitioning to a raw diet
(http://felinespride.com/instructions/transitioning.aspx?a_aid=ba96960f&a_bid=c316b055)
TRANSITIONING YOUR CAT TO:
Make sure you have first removed all dry food from your house. If your cat is used to eating wet
(canned/pouched) food, please use a low carbohydrate variety such as Fancy Feast gourmet
chicken or turkey feast. Low carbohydrate canned/pouched cat foods do NOT contain gravy, corn,
wheat, gluten, fruits, vegetables or grains of any kind. This is important as many cats can be allergic
to these additives, & a cat as an obligate carnivore does not have the gastro-intestinal system to
digest grains & other carbohydrates. You can partially thaw a 2.5lb container of Feline's Pride on
your kitchen counter or the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. Scoop out only what you need for the
next few days into baggies or small containers, & return the rest to the freezer.
Yes, it’s OK to re-freeze partially thawed FP. There is NO Salmonella in FP! We often test it at New Jersey Feed Labs,
Trenton, New Jersey (New York State Agriculture and Markets approved lab) just to make sure!!
However, use common sense when handling raw meat. Use clean utensils, not your hands, & always wash your hands
before & after contact. Prior to each feeding, float the baggie or small container (whatever your choice), in a bowl of hot
tap water for about 5 minutes, until it is warm or roughly “dead mouse temperature”.
DO NOT MICROWAVE. “Nuking” will destroy its nutrients.
Cats do NOT like to eat cold food. (Ehh…some do and some don’t.) If your cat does not eat all his meal at once, that’s
OK. Leave the FP where he can get it when he wants it. It’s OK to leave Feline's Pride down until the next mealtime, it
won’t “go bad”. Your cat’s nose is the best judge of that.
IF YOUR CAT HAS NEVER EATEN RAW FOOD BEFORE:
You can try a small amount to see if he likes it, but don’t be surprised if he looks at you in horror! Start by mixing a small
amount into a can of low-carb wet food. Be sure to mix it in well, & ensure it’s warmed first. When your cat is used to
this, start adding a little more Feline's Pride to the mix, until over a period of several weeks, you have a mix that is
approximately 50% canned & 50% Feline Pride. Once you have reached this point (it can take up to 8 weeks), try your cat
on Feline Pride alone. He’ll probably be ready to accept his all natural formula organic cat food with gusto. Should your
cat still like something to “crunch”, there are several 100% chicken freeze-dried treats available (like jerky) on the market,
which are suitable for treats, but not as a whole food.
Malnutrition and the toxic condition of the animal fed commercial diets can result in the inability
to digest and assimilate basic food components of the fresher, more wholesome type we are
describing here. The body will sometimes expel these accumulated poisons during periods of
diarrhea, hair loss, scaling of skin. These periods are known as Healing Episodes/Healing Crisis.
Though these situations are not necessary, they are not uncommon. The body will cleanse itself of
these toxic agents before it can assimilate more healthful nutrients to regain a higher state of
balanced health. more on healing crisis
Dr. Christina Chambreau offers guidelines for nutrition,
quality of ingredients in your pet food, supplements, and general healthcare
guidelines. (http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/achambreau.htm)
THE HEALTHY PATH -- FOR EVERY ANIMAL
Diarrhea Usually Not Disease -- Just Cleaning House
Diarrhea can be a normal part of transitioning to a healthier diet. Changing the food to the natural raw meat
diet can sometimes cause diarrhea as the energy content is too rich for the current digestive ability of the
animal. With slow transitioning on to the new diet, the pet’s digestive system can acclimate to the higher flow
of nourishment.
Fasting for Health in Holistic Veterinary Medicine
A powerful healing practice
William Pollak, D.V.M,. on fasting: "Many experts on canine nutrition recommend occasional
fasting, such as one day without solid food per week or month, to simulate the natural conditions
in which these animals evolved. Fasting gives the digestive organs an opportunity to rest and helps
the body repair itself. In the wild, predators alternate between gorging themselves and going for
one or several days without food, so a once-a-week or once-a-month fast is both beneficial and
easy for most dogs to adjust to."
Bill Winter D.V.M on fasting: "To this day I do not believe that I have ever discovered a healing
technique quite as powerful. I have recommended fasting for 10,000 to 20,000 animals, and have
seen true miracles over these years of practice. Juliette de Bairacli Levy says that the two most
important aspects of natural animal rearing are: fasting and a raw diet." More on fasting your animal for
health (http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/ahealth.htm#fasting)
F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. - "Every function inside the body is regulated by and depends on water. Water must be available
to carry vital elements, oxygen, hormones, and chemical messengers to all parts of the body. Without sufficient water to
wet all parts equally, some more remote parts of the body will not receive the vital elements that water supplies. Water is
also needed to carry toxic waste away from the cells. In fact, there are at least 50 reasons why the body needs sufficient
water on a regular, everyday basis. Without sufficient water to constantly wet all parts, your body's drought-management
system kicks into action. The histamine-directed chemical messenger systems are activated to arrange a new, lower
quota of water for the drought-stricken areas. When histamine and its subordinate "drought managers" come across
pain-sensing nerves, they cause pain. This is what I discovered in my research that I mentioned earlier."
Feline Natural Diet
Dr. Pottenger discovered quite by accident that cats degenerated
unless they were fed raw food. In his 10-year study of 900 cats,
he found the optimal diet for his cats was 2/3 raw meat and 1/3
raw milk plus a little cod liver oil. If either the meat or the milk
was cooked, the cats degenerated. And if both were cooked, the
degeneration was much worse, and the cats could no longer
reproduce by the third generation.
Some of the problems Pottenger found in the cats fed cooked
food were: heart problems; nearsightedness and farsightedness;
underactivity and inflammation of the thyroid; infections of the
kidney, liver, testes, ovaries and bladder; arthritis and inflammation of the joints; inflammation of
the nervous system with paralysis and meningitis. And in the third generation, some of the cats'
bones became as soft as rubber. Lung problems, and bronchitis and pneumonia were also frequent.
Moreover, the females became irritable and even dangerous, and the males became passive and
lacked sex interest.
Natural Diet for Pet Birds
Bird owners are beginning to question the value of commercial diets, realizing that they are a far
cry from resembling anything our birds are accustomed to eating in the wild.
Nutrition in Small Mammals
by Susan A. Brown, D.V.M
A variety of small mammals such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, rats, rabbits, chinchillas,
and ferrets are commonly kept as household pets for adults and children alike. These pets have
been bred in captivity for years and are ideal for a variety of pet owners because of their small
space requirements, quiet nature, ease of handling, and relatively simple husbandry requirements.
Diet is an important part of the care of these pets, and each species should have its own specific
nutritional needs met. A rabbit is not a rodent is not a ferret, and so on.