When it comes to human health, few people would argue that a healthy diet plays an important role in longevity and overall quality of life. The same can be said for the health of our companion animals. A surge in organic and natural consumer goods has started to spill over into pet products. And while feeding organic food may not guarantee your pet lives happy and healthy forever, it certainly can help increase the overall quality of their life.
Organic pet foods/treats are made with ingredients that have no pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no antibiotics, no growth hormones, no bioengineering (no GMO's), and no by-products. Each ingredient is reviewed by an organic certifying agency that operates under the federal USDA National Organic Program.
Not everyone can afford buying organic food for their human family members, let alone for their pets. If that's the case, all you can do is educate yourself on pet food labeling and select the highest quality food you can afford for your pets.
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services.
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While going organic is a good choice, even more important especially for cats is NOT ever feeding them any kibble, only canned and higher quality canned and preferrably without grains. Cats must exist with a PH of 6.00 - 6.50 or they will produce calcium or struvite crystals... Most vets charge $600 - 1200 to correct this life threatening situation. Buy feeding them the proper foods, high quality canned foods, this will be avoided. Males are far more prone to having crystals that won't pass... Higher quality foods will have meat ingredients as the first 3 or 4 ingredients and preferrably no or very low grains. Meats have a Ph of 6:00 - 6:50, grains are much more alkaline and will produce struvite crystals if too much is consumed. It is also important to ensure cats have a high fluid intake, they seldom will go to the water bowl for this. Struvite crystals are caused by too alkaline of a diet and urine concentration. Kibble has 10% water content, far to low, canned food has 60 - 80% water content and this is a must for cats.
You won't find higher quality cat foods at the supermarket or even a pet supermarkets, they are typically found by online sellers such as (PetFoodDirect.com)
I would also opt for high meat ingredients for dog foods as the first ingredients. They are more adaptable to kibble as they will find and use the water bowl.
I would not ever feed my dogs and cats anything with "meat-by-products in it as this can consist of beaks, nails, road kill, etc and this is what the pet food companies call protein and they never tell us what's in the meat-by-products... The only kind of protein should come from whole meats.
Invest in quality foods for your pets and they will live longer healthier lives and will spend much less time at the vets office.
Jim in Jax
I make my dog's food every day! Not too hard just a little time and love. I feel so much better this way knowing what he is eating.
I feed my cats organic holistic cat food, even when we don't have much money we buy it as it's really preventative healthcare for them. One of my cats is almost 14 years old and still VERY playful and full of energy. My cats are never sick and their fur is soft, they look/are very healthy. I could never go back to feeding them Whiskas or any of the other brands, it's like feeding them junk food. I would opt to make them homemade food, but cats are carnivores and I can't bring myself to be around meat or have it in my house...so holistic food is perfect! Dogs are herbivores so if I ever get a dog I will make them their own veggie food! :)
I buy Innova dog food for our dogs and also feed them meat often. We had deer meat and I cooked it with rice and green beans and they loved it and there was plenty for another serving the next day.
I've also made salmon pattie cookies for my dog's birthday and they too were enjoyed. Their fur is soft and shiny and both are in excellent heatlh and vitality.
You can't afford to NOT go organic
www.eatwild.com will take you to grass fed meat in your state!
Our furry old geezers have been eating homemade raw meat since they were babies - their vet can't believe how spunky they are. Lot's of recipes are out there, just remember you don't need to be perfect about - do your best, it will pay off
After yet another poison food problem with dog kibble (my dog suddenly developed convulsions at night) I swore I would never buy dog food again. Instead I shopped around and found a store that sold chicken for 39 cents per pound. I then purchase 20 lbs of rice or $10, fresh vegetables, yogurt & vitamins. When eggs are on sale he gets those once a week.
My dog came alive - like I had never seen him before. He suddenly had a sense of humor and for the first time ever he eats all the food i give him. He's much healthier and I don't even give him organic foods - there's a lot of false confidence in that too.
i was interested in your post because my sisters dog had a couple of fit/convulsion type of thing-frightened her to death!we live in england,ive just told her about your experience.i cant remember what food alfie was on,but now hes on a good food called butternut box_its too expensive for me,but im starting to cook for my border collie-shes been raw fed all her life but when i lost my 14 year old from lymph cancer 2 months ago,during treatment the vet found out i was raw feeding,she told me to stop as there were germs in it.i half didnt,agree(she d been nearly 14 years on raw and never an ill day)but i was so desperate to keep her for a bit longer,i changed her diet.but she only lived 2 weeks after diagnosis,and its left me in a bit of a quandary.i like your home made food idea-thankyou!,pamxx
When my girls started having skin issues, my vet recommended Hills Science Diet, but when I read the ingredients, it contains corn among other questionable ingredients. Needless to say I am still looking for a decent dog food, and they see the new vet in a week. I wanted to check out the list you mentioned, but the FDA link is not valid?
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