Your Best Friend Is Counting On You!

Pets On A Budget!

Last year I went grocery shopping and as I went up the pet isle to get my cat  food I remember seeing a small crowd in front of the canned goods shelf. By crowd, I mean two obviously senior citizens. They were standing right in front of the brand I always buy. I quickly understood why they were looking so upset, the price had gone up! Previously it had been 50 cents a can and it had gone up to 70 cents. Twenty cents may not seem like a lot to some folks but, depending on how much you buy and your budget, especially if it’s on a fixed  income, it does make a difference.

With all of us having to watch our spending these days, our pet expenses definitely factor in as well. However, with some creative thinking we can find some ways to cut some of our costs without sacrificing quality of life.

Food plays a large and constant part in pet care costs. Have you ever checked out the many websites where you can download printable coupons for pet food? Here are a few:

• http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/10/pet-coupons.html
• http://www.purina.com/petlover/index.aspx
• http://www.mahalo.com/pet-food-coupons

You may not get hundreds of dollars off but remember that 20 cents increase? If you know someone who does not have access to a computer, print some out for them too. Of course, be sure to check your local weekly newspaper and the fliers that come to your home for coupons.

Medical bills are also a big factor in pet costs. Now is the time to put aside feelings of pride. Hopefully you already have a veterinarian you have come to trust with your pet. Talk to him or her and let them know if money is tight for you right now. If your pet needs medication, they may be able to prescribe a more generic brand or lower cost alternative. At my vets office they have a sign saying Payment Due Upon Service, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask. Maybe your vet would be willing to take payments especially if you have been going to them for years. Today’s economy is not isolated to one group or one region of the country, just be honest and maybe he or she will work with you.

Be sure to pick up a pet newspaper that you might find at the vets office or pet stores, they have a wealth of ongoing information that might help you save some money. Local shelters offer free or no-cost vaccinations as well as spaying and neutering.

Every little bit counts, the money you save will not only help you and your family monetarily but lessens stress and concern.

Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisper suggested in a recent newsletter that if you really can’t afford a pet at this time, consider volunteering at places such as shelters and rescues. Keep “adopting a dog or cat” on your wish list for the time when things turn around for you.

Get a Free Pet Emergency Preparedness Report at www.WhiskerFeathers.com

The Fat Cat Store

When I got my first cat Martin Luther Kitty, I swore that I’d feed him cat food only; no people food which might make him a finicky cat! I believed then, and still do that good quality commercial pet foods provide all the nutrients he would need to have a healthy diet. A lot of research has been done to make sure that today’s pet food is well balanced and nutritional. Of course, those pet food recalls of last year are whole other discussion for another day.

Others, particularly holistic veterinarians and other alternative health care experts believe that because many of the original nutrients and enzymes in pet food are destroyed by processing. They believe that the addition of healthful people food to a pet’s diet won’t hurt and may even provide the cat with fresher, more available nutrients than those in processed pet food. Now I know that has its good points also.

An occasional healthy snack for your pet is probably fine in moderation, but certain foods humans eat are dangerous for cats. Food like potato chips and ice cream may not be toxic but they can cause gastrointestinal upset and causes obesity with no particular nutritional benefits.

When giving your cat treats or a homemade diet avoid the following foods:

• Chocolate: Chocolate contains two sub-stances harmful to pets: Theobronjaine and Caffeine. Both of these substances occur in only a small amount in mill chocolate but are much more concentrated in dark chocolate and baking chocolate. The darker and less sweet the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for cats. A little milk chocolate may result in diarrhea and offers no nutritional benefit. A lot of dark chocolate affects the nervous system ant could cause hyperexcitability, restlessness, frequent urination, tremors, and vomiting. Severe cases can result in seizures and cardiac arrest, or even death.
• Onions and garlic: Large quantities of onions and garlic can cause hemolytic anemia. Eating a small amount of garlic powder is harmless; fresh garlic should be avoided. Onions are more potent. While your cat may tolerate eating hits of meat cooked in onion, don’t feed your pet the onion pieces or onion-infused broth.
• Raisins and grapes: According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, grapes and raisins have caused numerous poisoning cases for as yet unknown reasons. Cats typically experience lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and eventually kidney failure. While many pets eat the occasional grape without a problem, keep your cat away from grape vines and from eating an entire bunch of grapes. Never feed raisins to your cat; even small servings of raisins have been linked to toxic reactions. Raisins aren’t good for pet dental health, either.
• Alcohol: Cats absorb alcohol quickly and are prone to toxic reactions such as inebriation, seizures, heart arrhythmias, low body temperature, kidney damage, and even coma or death. Never give any form of alcohol to your cat.

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) recommends that you never feed these foods to your cat:

1.      Avocado

2.      Chocolate (all forms)

3.      Coffee (all forms)

4.      Fatty foods

5.      Macadamia nuts

6.      Moldy or spoiled foods

7.      Onions, onion powder

8.      Raisins and grapes

9.      Salt

10.  Whole, chopped, or minced garlic

11.  Yeast dough

12.  Xylitol-sweetened products

With this guideline you should be able to find a happy medium; of course feed your cat good quality cat food but an occasional treat of harmless people food doesn’t hurt eitherand they’ll love the treat!

Get a Free Pet Emergency Preparedness Report at  www.WhiskerFeathers.com

Since people  and dogs have been hanging out together they have been big on sharing. We’ve been sharing housing, sharing work, sharing hunting and also sharing food. Cat domestication has also brought about a lot of sharing. Cats have shared the fire and the hearth since they were gods back in Egypt, made so because they were such great mousers. All this sharing has a good news/bad news component. The good news is the wonderful bond we have with our pets. I recently heard someone say that they, the animals could probably do nicely without us but we surely could not do without them!  The bad news is that we share many of the same afflictions such as arthritis, cancer, and kidney problems just to name a few.

We’ve been talking about the problem of pets being overweight. That’s a fact that can’t be denied, proper feeding and exercise is the remedy for that. The question is what should we be feeding them? Let’s look at our own eating issues first and we might get a clue. Back a few generations, Mom stayed home and cooked hardy home-made meals. People had three squares a day plus desert but weight was not such a problem as it is today. People ate healthy food probably grown locally and they moved a lot more and by doing so got more exercise. Pets were fed table scraps from the same healthy food the family was eating and were out running around with the kids.

During WWII a phenomenon called K-rations came about. K-rations were canned foods that the soldiers could eat while in the field. When Mom went to work by necessity during WWII she had less time for cooking. In order to feed the family she started turning to fast, convenient foods that came in a can from the grocery store. Before canned goods people used to “can” fresh fruits and vegetables in Mason jars.

Since that time we have been relying on and eating more and more convenience foods. Today it has been recognized that there is a necessity to take the time and eat healthier. We saved a lot of time in the past but at a great expense to our bodies. The true damage has yet to be determined. Today we have choices such natural food and organic food to add to the menu.

Organic foods are foods which are grown without the use of pesticides and chemicals is taking us back to those days of healthy eating. Recently my favorite grocery store did a remodel and they are now prominently displaying organic food.

Unfortunately we took our pets on that fast food ride with us. Commercial pet foods today are as full of preservatives as ours. In 2007 there was a widespread pet food recall, quite a few dogs and cats died as a result of food they had been fed. Trusted brands like Eubanka, Iams, Nutro Ultra and Master Choice were quickly taken off the shelves and people were understandably worried. This was a time for us to step back and take a close look at what’s out there. There are basically three choices:

•    Regular pet food: You get it at the grocery store or pet store. It’s readily available and convenient.
•    Natural Food: The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) defines natural food. Natural foods are basically foods which contain vitamins C and E as preservatives not chemicals such as BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin and propyl gallate. They also have in them meats such as chicken, lamb or beef instead of unspecified by-products of various animals.
•    Organic Pet Food: The National Organic Program of the US Department of Agriculture Organic (NOPA) defined organic pet food in 2002. It is defined as pet foods manufactured by “certified organic” companies. These are free of pesticides, synthetic chemicals, antibiotics and additives. “All Natural” pet food usually embodies these traits, but are not regulated by this certification. Meats found in organic pet food are grown free range, or are considered “organic” given their lack of antibiotics.

The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) is an independent, third party agency. Their label assures you that a product is organic and has passed specific labeling and manufacturing requirements, this takes the guess work out of it.

What are the benefits of feeding your dog or cat organic food?

•    Healthier coats
•    Allergy Protection
•    Reduced skin ailments
•    Better health
•    Improved physical condition
•    Longer lifespan

You can just look at a healthy person and see their skin glow, their eyes bright and pep in their step. You can also look at a healthy cat or dog and see their coats shine, a gleam in their eyes and their tails wagging. They are more active and full of life because their bodies aren’t at war with all the junk in their bodies.

Here is a challenge for you, take the organic test for yourself. After eating organic food and adopting an overall healthy lifestyle for a while see if you don’t feel better. Next do the same for your pet and watch them enjoy life too!

Photo by alfonso benayas Released under Creative Commons

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