Why Wet Food May Be Best for Your Cat

In the 35+ years that I have been involved with rescuing, owning and raising cats and kittens, the biggest issue for me was proper nutrition at a reasonable price. Vet bills are hard on the budget when you have a multiple cat household, as was premium commercial cat foods, and keeping my cats healthy was top priority!

Most people in the US consider a dog old at 12 and a cat ancient at 15. Our last dog lived to be 21, and several of our cats lived into their 20's . Diet is very important...so is adequate water intake, especially for cats.

It is sad how many people end up seeing their vet to treat cats for urinary and bladder infections each year (& other complications), when much of it could be avoidable. Could your cats' diet be shortening his/her lifespan? One expert calls dry cat food kitty crack-once they get used to it, it's hard to get them to eat healthy again. While some dry foods are better than others, the better ones are far too expensive and still are not "good" for your cat. Wild cats and our pets' ancestors' meals consisted of raw meat , their preys' bodies contained a large amount of water, they often ate stomach contents first ,which consisted of digested grains and vegetation, so their need for drinking water was not as dire as our domestic cats, and indeed, many lived in areas where water was not readily available. Often times domestic cats do not like to drink water, they dislike judging depth or chancing a wet nose, so do not consume enough. Inadequate water consumption often leads to health issues. Good wet foods do not have to stink, cause bad breath, smelly stools, or be expensive, especially if you make it yourself!
Here is a very SIMPLE recipe (page 2)

Kittykat Stew

-1 lb. ground meat (choice beef, game, turkey, chicken)
OR-may substitute 1 lb. wild caught tuna, salmon, other boneless fish or 1 lb. chicken livers
-1/2 c. uncooked brown rice, quinoa, or millet
-1 grated carrot or 1/2 c. squash or pumpkin raw/grated
-1 t. parsley flakes or choice dehydrated greens
-2 T. olive oil
-2 T. flaxseed meal (omega 3 fatty acids)
-1 1/2 c. water
-1 teaspoon salt substitute
(optional: 2 egg yolks to add natural lecithin and boost protein, weight gain)

Directions:
Mix all 8 ingredients in 2 qt. saucepan over med high heat till it boils, cover, turn heat down to low, simmer 30 minutes or until rice is tender if this is used. Allow to cool covered. After cool you may process in a food processor, or mash according to your own cat's texture preferences.

* a daily, complete cat vitamin/mineral supplement with taurine is very important to your cat's health when feeding a homemade diet. Chewable is the best, one your cat will enjoy. For my fussy cats that won't eat ANYTHING different, I may wrap 1/2 the vitamin in a small piece of raw ground beef twice a day or crush and mix into his food.
* I often add other fresh ingredients on a daily basis as listed below, to keep kitty's diet variable and interesting.
* when starting out with my new, homemade diet, I feed as usual, the dry, then put a teaspoon of new wet food along side regular food, this I do each meal for 3 days before I begin replacing one meal with my homemade diet. What won't be consumed in 3 days, I freeze in 1-meal snack bags that are placed into a freezer bag. I thaw in frig each night, warming to room temp by placing bag into hot water in morning.

If making your own cat food simply does NOT appeal to you, here are some fresh ideas you may wish to add to kitty's daily commercial meals that will help with your effort towards a healthier cat!

* yogurt alone or mixed into wet food(1 teaspoon full daily or 3X week-plain not non-fat if possible)

* 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil or 100 IU A & D capsule (every other day)

* 1/2 -1 teaspoon flaxseed meal or 1/4 teaspoon flaxseed oil-(every other day)

* I add vitamin C (abt. 100 mg.) daily during winter to indoor and outdoor cats' food or water-liquid C or finely crushed piece of tab

* 1/2 teaspoon chlorophyll liquid per cup water -plain-though some cats like the mint- it is an internal cleanser for people and animals- helps with dental problems as well as freshening breath. When offering two bowls of water - the green and the clear- they always choose the green -but I do give them choice!

*parsley or other dehydrated greens such as swiss chard-1/4 t. to wet foods if you don't have fresh oat grass or rye growing in pots for them to *graze* or don't use chlorophyll

*Note: using either the chlorophyll OR the dehydrated greens, do not use both.

*teaspoon grated white cheese-for a treat-some cats like- others don't.

Note: Do NOT hesitate to seek help from your veterinarian at first sign of your cat straining to urinate, going outside the litterbox or displaying other signs of illness or unusual behaviors symptomatic of urinary/bladder problems or crystal formation that may restrict urinary functions-time is of the utmost importrance, do not wait!