I agree. I actually wrote before that the only meat consumption that I am all for is with my cats. Holistic vets tend to have recipes on their Web sites to make your own perfectly proportioned, fresh meals for cats and dogs.

"In order to be healthy we should eat a balanced diet, but that includes both meat and vegetables."

Many dogs can (and do) thrive on a vegetarian diet, so a balanced diet for dogs does not need to include both meat and vegetables. A vegetarian diet, whether we are talking about humans or animals is the best choice for the environment. (Of course, such a diet should only be considered when the animal in question can thrive on such a diet. Dogs can, even though cats generally cannot.)

One thing to remember is that in wild the only source of grains and veggies that wolves would have gotten was from their preys stomachs. This means that dogs diets should mostly be comprised of meats--their digestive systems are nothing like a humans. Please make sure that the first ingredient in your dogs food is meat--there are many other things to watch out for as well but if rice, corn ect are the first ingredient walk--no run--away!

I couldn't agree more. Our pet's food is too important for their health to trust it to the commercial pet food industry and their greed. They add a lot of garbage fillers to the food to increase their profits, to our pet's deterement. We all need to watch labels very carefully. Thanks for posting about this important topic. I solved my dog's lifelong allergies and ear infections by changing her diet from the praised Eukanuba, to an all natural kibble, along with a raw food mix I make myself for her treats. I then changed all my pet's over to all natural and raw, and the cats no longer have hair balls or shed much at all. It's amazing what a difference good food can make in their health.

Does anyone here have recommendations on brands of dry cat food? I'd love to have some specific names in mind.

I have one of those 18.5 lb. red male tabbies, a real love, but he can't clean his down-there's - so he's licking his tail to pieces.The vet told us that we had to put Rojo on a diet -and suggested dried Science Diet MD. (We had fed him dry Science Diet for years.) Nothing happened, of course, until we put him on the canned equivalent - and other cans as well. I also now give him a teaspoon twice a day of the vege-mix from the New Natural Cat in his wet food. Now a few months later - he's lost only a lb but his coat is glossier, he looks less bloated and his running eyes are much cleaner. I don't expect him to lose much more weight - he doesn't get a lot of exercise. But on the whole, I'd recommend from experience canned wet food...less filler and more meat.
Mary

I have gone a step further and switched my three cats to a raw meat diet. I started with the frozen stuff, but was too grossed out being vegan myself. I like the dehydrated powdered stuff made by The Honest Kitchen because I can keep it in my pantry and just mix it up with water when it's time to feed them. The first thing I noticed was their coats getting softer and shinier, and the overweight cat (who was on Prescription Diet r/d for years) has been slowly and steadily slimming down. They all have more energy and are happier and more playful, so I don't think I'll ever go back to the grain-based kibble. To the person looking for brands, start on the internet. You can find the dehydrated stuff I use, or there are a couple of brands that make the raw frozen stuff (some also have canned and kibble versions like Nature's Variety). Good luck!

At a three-hour cat health presentation by vets, I learned that chicken and lamb and rice are good for kitties and dogs. Boil chicken neck bones til soft enough to chop; they won't splinter. Because prey would have grains in the tummy, your pets' diets should include more meat than grains. Veggies count too -- I'm sure you've seen both cats and dogs eating grass.

You don't want to know how pet food companies determine what nutrients go into their products.

For flea control, pick some tender, green (not woody) eucalyptus branches, then step on them to release the oils. Place them underneath rugs, between box spring and mattress, behind furniture and under couch and chair cushions. There is a risk of oil stains if you get the branches too bruised and oozy. This is a proven, natural way to ward off fleas. The odor doesn't kill them -- it just makes them leave. I got rid of fleas by doing this. My condo was next to a field with big trees and lots of squirrels, who ran all over our building day and night. The building had a real problem but I was able to keep the fleas out of my living space.

Another important thing to consider with flea control is flooring and floor care. Flea eggs can live for several seasons without hatching. Contrary to popular belief, having hardwood floors does not mean you're home free, because the eggs are so tiny they get lodged in cracks we don't even see. When you vacuum, the warmth from the motor makes the eggs hatch inside the bag, so you need a vacuum with disposable bags. Before vacuuming, if you like, you can spray flea killer or shake powder inside the bag so when the eggs hatch, the fleas will die. Otherwise, just remove the bag and dispose of it as far away from the house as possible, immediately after turning off the vacuum cleaner. Never put a vacuum cleaner away in the house or garage without disposing of the bag.