Seven Secrets To Choosing A Safe & Healthy Cat Food

Can you choose tinned goods or dry food? What is the bestcat food brands? There are numerous different brands, all size and shapes of pet-food to select from and pet owners are provided with almost no information to base your decisions on (aside from advertising) - it may get so confusing! Well, buckle your seatbelt depending on how much you recognize with the pet food industry, this might be a bumpy ride! You're going to learn seven secrets - well kept secrets - of pet food. Take it easy, brace yourself, and read on.

Beneful says it's 'Premium Canine for a Happy, Healthy Dog' and costs around $18.00 for any 31 lb. bag, Science Diet "promises" 'precisely balanced nutrition through continuous research along with the finest quality food backed because of your Vets endorsement' and sells for around $21.00 for less than a 20 lb bag. There are also numerous pet foods that produce the identical statements - 'Premium Commercial dog food, Best quality' - that cost $30.00 or even more to get a 20 lb bag. Along with the same is for cat owners...Will you choose Whiskas that states 'Everything we do is about making cats happy!' or can you find out of the people high-end cat foods that leave the very same claim of any happy, healthy cat but cost 3 x all the?

Now with the on-going pet-food recall pet owners have questions including 'Has this food been recalled?' or 'Are these claims food the next being recalled?'...'Is my pet safe?' Wow this is confusing! And scary too! What exactly is a dog owner to perform? How about learning some secrets! Furnished with the ability of some tricks of pet-food, it may not be nearly as confusing.

Secret #1...

All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though a couple of them actually use premium or choice ingredients in their food. The 'secret' is always that per the policies on the petfood industry, no pet food could make any claims or references on the label or advertising for the quality or grade of ingredients. You observe, the term 'premium' if it is in connection with pet-food Doesn't mean that this ingredients in the food are premium. With pet foods, premium isn't going to (are unable to) describe thier food nor should it (manages to do it) describe the grade of thier food. It's a marketing term and that is all. Per your pet food industries own foibles, "There aren't any references to ingredient quality or grade" (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are simply just marketing or sales terms. They ought to not interpreted as terms describing the quality of the meal.

Now why wouldn't a petfood label be allowed to tell a prospective customer the quality of their ingredients? Doesn't a pet owner deserve to understand what they're buying? This leads me to another secret...

Secret#2...

Basically can compare 'people' food to pet food for under another, everybody knows you will discover different qualities of folks food. There is White Castle (I'm guilty here, I enjoy the miscroscopic guys!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for just $3.00 you can get a few hamburgers and an order of fries. While at Outback you can find a steak and baked potato between $16.00. Both serve beef and potato - yet you already understand that you can find huge nutritional differences from a fast food hamburger and also a steak...right?

The challenge inside petfood industry - is the fact most pet owners don't believe inside the same terms on the subject of petfood. They do not think in terms there are take out types of pet foods there are take a seat restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. In fact, in the past an adolescent man tried this very try out his own diet - eating just fastfood for 1 month. In just a month of eating takeaway food three meals per day, he gained a lot of weight, hypertension and blood choleseterol levels sky-rocketed. Now, imagine your canine friend eating this sort of food its' entire lifetime.

OK, so to our two meals...in case a qualitative analysis of this meal at White Castle was in comparison with a qualitative analysis of one's meal at Outback - both would analyze having a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Regardless whether you concentrate on a steak at Outback a better quality of protein versus the burger - it will still analyze as protein. The analysis doesn't measure quality of protein.

Here could be the secret...All pet foods feature a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture inside food. The genuine secret is based on the products the percentages of protein, fat, and many others.

Inside a qualitative analysis of the pet food - chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides hardly any nutrition. As well as, a cow that has been euthanized (put away) because of a disease that got unfit for human consumption - would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those ideas - chicken feet as well as a euthanized cow - are allowable ingredients and popular in pet food. The thing is that the trick within the petfood information mill manufacturers have a very Open up door to where they obtain their ingredients. The one strict rule the doctor has to follow is definitely an adult canine must analyze with 18% protein and a adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to accumulate those particular percentages range from a 'human grade' meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations between.

Petfood labels don't need to tell - will not be permitted to tell - the sources they will use for getting that required 18% or 26% protein. And also to complicate matters...quality minded petfood manufacturers - the companies which use 100% human grade ingredients - are not allowed to tell customers or prospects that some are quality, human grade ingredients.

Now how is it possible to know if your pet's food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or whether it contains human grade ingredients?

Continue reading Seven Secrets To Choosing A Safe & Healthy Cat Food - PART 2

Seven Secrets To Choosing A Safe & Healthy Cat Food - PART 2

Secret #3...

When the words premium and choice mean basically nothing according to the quality of petfood, and when some pet foods use chicken feet and euthanized animals within their food - how do a pet owner know what they are getting back in their pets' food?

This big secret can be found in ingredient definitions. Unlike 'people' food which you could just about look at the food to discover the quality, pet food is far different. All 'people' food must meet particular USDA (Usa Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. A similar isn't true for petfood. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are certainly not allowed in people food for obvious reasons - they've got no nutritional value or they are often dangerous to use. A similar just isn't true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet's foods are to be aware what ingredients they might be used in.

The common pet food ingredient 'Meat and Bone Meal' is essentially a combination of many different discarded left-overs through the human food industry. Aspects of 'meat and bone meal' is usually anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and monkeys and horses from veterinarian offices, pet shelters, and farms. And in conjunction with those euthanized animals the pet food also offers the drug pentabarbitol that's utilized to euthanize your pet. 'Meat and bone meal' may contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut faraway from slaughtered animals. To put it differently, this widely used ingredient is really a combination of highly inferior and very dangerous left-overs through the human food industry.

Your pet food ingredient 'Meat By-Product' or 'Meat By-Product Meal' is in fact a similar thing as 'meat and bone meal'. It is a highly inferior petfood ingredient containing literally who-knows-what.

Another similar ingredient for the above is 'Animal Digest'.

Towards the chicken feet I discussed earlier - this item can be found in the constituents 'Chicken By-Product' or 'Poultry By-Product' or 'Chicken By-Product Meal' or 'Poultry By-Product Meal'. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division - including although not limited by chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are only during these ingredients. It is not important regarding health of the bird - sick, healthy, dead, dying...all is roofed in these ingredients.

Out of your tender 's what you need to do...Prior to you buying any petfood, flip the bag over and pay attention to the list of ingredients. All these ingredients could well be listed inside first five or ten ingredients. If you notice ANY of those ingredients - it is my suggestion not to ever purchase that food. Remember - chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That's all of that is needed in petfood - only the correct analysis.

Another little trick some petfood manufacturers use in this category is definitely grains and chemical additives to grain products to further improve the protein percentages. Which can be exactly the source of the pet food recall that began in March 2007 - chemical proteins. Two different chemical additives - which have NO vitamins and minerals to pets, but that analyzed as protein - were included in a grain product (wheat gluten, corn gluten, or rice gluten) solely to provide a cheap protein. Thousands of pets died and countless others became ill because not a soul counted on the issue with the blend of both of these chemicals would cause kidney and urinary blockage. Again, their secret will be the product has to analyze as developing a particular volume of protein - we're not required to provide a quality meat protein.

While you are studying the ingredient listing - it's also advisable to be aware of the quantity of grains (corn, wheat, rice) and/or the number of grain products (corn gluten, whole corn, ground corn, whole wheat grains, ground wheat, wheat gluten, rice, brown rice, brewers rice, soy, as well as on and also on) are listed from the first five possibly even ingredients. If you learn several grain placed in the very first five ingredients - that is indicating this pet food is acquiring a few of its protein from grains.

How come protein obtained from grains essential for someone to know? Several reasons - first science proves that dogs and cats alike require and thrive on a meat protein. When a pet food is obtaining protein from grain sources, the pet seriously isn't obtaining the meat that it has to thrive. Second, in the event the grain goods are a corn gluten, wheat gluten, or rice gluten you are taking risking potential chemicals for example melamime included in it used strictly to further improve the protein analysis. Mind you, melamime is just about the chemicals discovered to be explanation for the March 2007 pet-food recall. And there is yet another nervous about grains - aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a deadly mold that is present with corn, wheat, and soy and accountable for a number of other pet-food recalls it is likely you never found out about. In December 2005, Diamond Petfood contained moldy grains that killed over 100 pets prior to the product was recalled - all on account of aflatoxin.

It is my recommendation to prevent any pet food which contains corn, wheat, or soy in a variation. The chance is simply too high.

Secret #4...

I have more recommendations for you to look for in the ingredient listings...preservative chemicals. An extremely well kept secret in the pet-food market is their common use of preservative chemicals. BHA/BHT are extremely popular additives found in pet-food and science has linked those to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin that has known risks to cancer. Ethoxyquin is just allowed in human food in most spices with the microscopic proportions. Nonetheless it is allowed in greater proportions in petfood.

Should you scan the ingredient listings, you will be looking for BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin listed anywhere. Commonly BHA/BHT can be used to preserve body fat inside food which in turn is found higher on the list. And also hunt for all of these chemicals towards the end in the ingredient listing. Personally, I wouldn't touch a pet food that contained these preservative chemicals. You will want pet-food that may be preserved naturally - common natural preservatives are 'natural mixed tocopherols' or 'vitamin E'.

Secret #5...

The most beneficial food to provide for your pet can be a well-crafted food using human grade ingredients. That ought to be not so difficult...Tips on how to discover that? You realize that petfood manufacturers aren't allowed to make any statement about quality or grade of ingredients, the only method you could find the grade or quality of your pets' meals are to call the producer and enquire of them.

Now, let's imagine you call the ABC petfood company and enquire the question "Will be your Premium commercial dog food and Premium cat food made using human grade ingredients?" It could be that you will get the response yes, we use human grade ingredients - when actually a couple of ingredients are human grade. Here's the to asking...question them if they're APHIS European certified.

Pet food manufacturers which might be APHIS European certified assures you that each one ingredients inside their pet food are human grade. APHIS - Animal Plant Health Inspection Services - is often a division on the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet-food manufacturer while using the possiblity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods in the US, Countries in europe demand that each one ingredients are human grade thereby require this certification. Most petfood manufacturers that have APHIS European certification will not ship some to Europe - physical exercises make use of this as a means to assure their clientele towards the good quality of the ingredients.

Again, you simply won't see this in label - it isn't allowed. You need to call the maker and have. Sometimes the associated with the pet food won't know what you will be dealing with after you question APHIS certification - in that case, it is possible to assume they may not be APHIS European certified. APHIS European certification is usually a bonus to pet owners - it isn't mandatory or maybe suggested that any pet food manufacturer glance at the extra steps to obtain this. This is a special effort some pet foods follow through to express to their customers they Worry about the quality of their items. Personally, I might Not purchase a pet-food which doesn't contain it.

One more thing, if you cannot get to the pet-food manufacturer, or they can't return your call with a short period of time frame, lose their number! Any organization that doesn't place a high priority on answering customers questions - doesn't deserve your small business!

Continue reading Seven Secrets To Choosing A Safe & Healthy Cat Food - PART 3

Seven Secrets To Choosing A Safe & Healthy Cat Food - PART 3

Secret #6... 

Minerals really are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for the pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are typical minerals found in pet foods. In the same way there're - copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very hard for anyone or any pet to make use of. Science is promoting a number of ways show them minerals to the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the average person a lot more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it is existed for years. With the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% greater than precisely the minerals alone.

This secret is seeing the minerals inside your petfood to discover when chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet-food label, way documented on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read 'copper proteinate' or 'chelated copper'. Possibly precisely the mineral listed, your canine friend is like Charlie Brown at Halloween saying 'I managed to get a rock'. If you want your four-legged friend to offer the best, chelated or proteinated minerals are perhaps the best foods!

Secret #7...

This secret is referred to as 'friendly bacteria'. Although 'friendly bacteria' sounds slightly scary, the real reason for it is based on your pets' intestinal system. A huge percentage of your pets' defense mechanisms can be found in the intestinal system. Keeping the immune system healthy keeps the pet itself healthy. This friendly bacteria is comparable to what's found in yogurt, employing pet-food it can be introduced in the fashion in order that the cooking process doesn't destroy it. Looking at the manual on your own petfood label, now you are interested in lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. Unless you see these words or some similar, that pet-food isn't addressing the concern of the pets' immune system. And again, if you need your pet to give the best, you need 'friendly bacteria' of their food.

You can find your seven very secrets to support you in finding the healthiest and finest pet food on your four-legged friend. Armed with those secrets - you have the information to get your four-legged friend the most beneficial food possible! A pet food that will extend their life and prevent early aging and disease. Unless you would like to bother doing the homework involved, I urge one to register for my monthly magazine Petsumer Report(TM). Through Petsumer Report(TM) I've done every one of the homework for you personally - on a monthly basis I review and rate over 40 different pet foods, treats, toys, and many other pet supplies. Oahu is the ONLY publication of their' kind providing owners while using information they should be know regarding their pet product purchases.

I want to share just a couple more things...

You need to feed a grownup dog or adult cat two meals each day. The nutrition they consume with two meals is better utilized than with just one meal each day. In case you are currently feeding your four-legged friend one meal per day, split that same amount into two meals and feed in the AM and PM.

To consider that each one canned or moist pet foods are anywhere between 70% to 85% moisture. Which means that 70% to 85% of the can or pouch of meals is useless nutrition - its water. Granted our pets need water, cats especially tend not to drink enough water. Consider all canned or moist foods are mainly water, they just don't provide adequate nutrition to get fed strictly a canned or moist diet. Make use of a canned or moist product to supplement your parrot's diet - not as really the only food.

The most effective pet foods are preserved naturally (secret #4) - but there is however very important with naturally preserved pet foods...freshness. Rate the expiration date in your pets food label - typically with naturally preserved dry pet foods (much less of your anxiety about soft foods due to canning - little or no demand for preservatives) the expiration date is a year to 1 . 5 years in the date it absolutely was manufactured. Let's say your pet food you need to get on July 1, 2007 features a 'Best if Used by' date of January 1, 2008. This could tell you that this type of bag of pet food is half a year old. Though it may be still 'good' a fresher food - a bag which reaches just 2-3 months old - is more preferable. Naturally preserved pet foods lose nutritional potency as time passes. Always try to find an incredibly fresh bag.

In case you are considering altering your pets food, ALWAYS seek advice from the vet first. You should always maintain your veterinarian advised of any changes you are making together with your pet. Job chances. If you choose to do switch petfood, result in the convert very slowly. It's my job to recommend to pet owners ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to one week, ½ to ½ for the next 4 to 1 week, and many others. Switching food quickly might cause intestinal disorder! Its temporary, but for no reason want intestinal disorder!!!

One last thing, when already aware animals have a greater olfactory modality than humans. Their food bowl can be quite a useful smells - both negative and positive. Some times a pet will won't eat for the reason that he / she smells a previous food in their bowl. Plastic food and water bowls retain odors the worst. And surprisingly so does chromium steel bowls. The top type of food and water bowl is often a ceramic one. They retain odors the smallest amount of.

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." George Eliot.

I completely agree!