What to feed pets

Unlike humans, cats and dogs were designed (internally) to eat meat. Unfortunately the pets account for a dramatic portion of the meat industry and are contributing to the demise of rain forests, topsoil and cows. Alicia Silverstone's dogs are vegan, but I haven't done the research to jump into that idea. Until I can find a better option, I feed my animals dry food and wet canned food where meat is the very first ingredient and there are no "fillers" like grain or eggs. I did my homework and sat in two different pet stores for a few hours comparing the nutrition labels on every bag of food before I picked a few that were perfect. I really like two different brands for my cats and tend to switch it up. One is Solid Gold Katz-n-flocken, which comes in a glittery purple bag and has lamb and herring. Solid Gold was the first U.S. company to use all natural ingredients in their pet food. The second is Taste of the Wild "Rocky Mountain" feline formula, made with purified water, with roasted venison and smoked salmon (but chicken is the first ingredient. I pick a protein content over 15%, a fiber content over 3%, and a fat content under 20%. I make sure it has taurine, which is essential for cats, and other amino acids, vitamins and minerals, the same as if I were feeding my child. The thing I like about the Rocky Mountain flavor dry food is that it utilizes pea protein and other vegetable and fruit sources of protein, nutrients and antioxidants. It's like a super-food for cats.

I suggest anyone read the nutrition labels on the food to make sure the word "byproduct" does not appear, there should never be any straight-up sugar, and try to avoid suspicious amounts of vitamin D. When you move from something cheap and highly commercialized like Meow Mix to something quality, it will be more expensive. Mine are $25 and $28 for the big 15 pound bag, they last about a month (give or take) with 6 cats. I did it because my cats didn't seem to be at their best, and when I switched I could see dramatic differences in their overall health after a month. For example, the better source/amount of protein could be seen in my youngest, Reese, before she was even a year old. She was a tiny, squishy little kitten around 4 months when we got here from the shelter, and by the time she was 8 months she had turned into a total powerhouse, pure muscle, full of energy.

Another thing I do to insure their internal health is grow wheat grass for them to munch on. Also, for my sanity, the safety of my furniture, and their mental health, I have decided to make them a giant realistic cat tree. I already have cardboard scratching boxes for them and a three foot cat tree, but there really isn't a space for everyone to call their own, so they fight over territory. Here's what my cat tree should end up looking: