Today's Special: The Cat Food Conundrum

As many of you know, recently Wellness had a voluntary recall for less than adequate amounts of thiamine in some of their canned foods.  This was very upsetting to peeps b/c Wellness is a highly respected food and is one of the foods we ate. We had many cans in our pantry with the "bad dates" on them. Thankfully none of us got sick.  Peeps (and our vet) think it's because we eat a variety of canned foods at each meal, not just one type.  While we were eating Wellness, we were also eating two other brands so they probably provided us the thiamine the Wellness was lacking.  Peeps are more determined than ever now, to never feed us just one brand of food.

With the recall of Wellness, peeps were on the hunt for some new canned food for us.  In the past, peeps have always fed whatever foods the vet recommended...never really knowing why certain brands were considered better than others.  When the Wellness recall happened, peeps went out on their own and researched exactly what makes a certain cat food a chomp above the rest. They thought maybe I'd want to share their findings here with you and I said sure.  If there's one thing I enjoy writing about, it's food!  

First and foremost, the information I'm giving here is information peeps found during their research. They are not veterinarians or cat food experts. As they researched, they felt that they learned a lot and wanted to share some of that knowledge with other cat lovers.  

Secondly, all the information they're sharing is about canned (moist) cat food. Dry cat food is another beast all together. Basically, the overall consensus is that it should be kept to a low percentage of the overall diet.  Most dry foods are very high in carbs and very low in moisture which means they aren't really good for us kitties.  Try to think of what a kitty would eat if it were out in the wild.  Ultimately, something as close as possible to that should show up in the bowl come meal time.  Last time I checked, you won't find a cat chasing down a herd of kibble on the African savanna! ;) Personally, we all love dry food in my house and we do get it sometimes. Just like with canned food, peeps try to make an informed decision and pick a brand that they feel is as healthy as possible. 

And finally, peeps believe that as long as a pet owner gives their pet the very best that they can, then that's all anyone can ask.  Generally, the more you spend, the better quality, healthier food you'll get, but that doesn't mean that you can't make informed decisions with lesser-priced brands.  Here are some basic rules to follow when choosing a canned food:

1. Make sure some form of meat-based protein is listed first in the list of ingredients.  When choosing a meat, look for a muscle meat (chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, etc) as the first ingredient rather than a by-product, liver, fish, or beef.

2. Keep moisture high...although not so high that there's no room left for the important ingredients.  Most good brands will have ~78% moisture.  

3. Keeps carbs and fat low.  

So...overall you want to keep protein high (make sure it's from animals, not plants), water high and carbs/fats low. Try to stay away from foods having corn (maize), wheat and/or soy if you can.  These grains have absolutely no logical place in your cat's diet and high quantities can even be detrimental to their health.  And let's not forget that the huge pet food recall in 2007 was due to contaminated wheat gluten - something that shouldn't even be in cat food to begin with!

The first thing that peeps learned on their journey was that a "raw diet" was the very best thing.  Some people make their own, but after peeps learned more about this, they didn't think it was for them. Trying to get all the vitamins and minerals just right so that we would all have a nutritionally complete diet scared them.  So next they checked out the commercially available raw diets. Peeps really didn't do a lot of research on these because financially, this just wasn't a feasible choice for us. 

So...now we move on to the canned cat foods. The "meat" of this blog so to speak. ;)  Peeps found that there were basically three categories of canned food. Ultra-Premium, Premium and Supermarket.  If you look at the labels and follow the basic rules above, you should be able to tell which category a specific brand best fits into. Sometimes it's not black and white though. There are shades of grey...

For example, some of the grain-free brands end up being pretty high in fat.  Is it better to have grains or better to have higher fat?  Based on all the research peeps have done, higher fat would be the choice. Fat is normally a much better source of calories for a cat than carbs.  But, for someone like me (of the rotund variety), peeps want to be careful of too much fat in my diet so...that particular brand might not be the best choice for me all the time.  I need something without carbs/low in carbs but also lower in fat.  It's a cat food conundrum!  It goes without saying that peeps are still researching and trying to come up with just the right combination for all of us.  

Dinner time at my house

Ultra-Premium Foods
These brands can be found at specialty pet stores in your area and online and they provide the highest quality, healthiest, and most nutritious ingredients. They contain nutrient-rich ingredients such as real meat as the primary protein source, whole, fresh fruits and vegetables, and (if not grain-free) fiber-rich whole grains like brown rice. They don't contain artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. They also don't contain wheat, corn or soy. They are usually fortified with additional vitamins and minerals and will use the best natural sources for fatty acids to support the immune system and help build healthy skin and a beautiful coat. You should expect to pay a little more for these brands than you would for other types of pet food, but remember, with healthier foods you can often feed less since they are more nutrient-dense.

Premium Foods
These brands are often found in high-end grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinarian offices and they contain higher-grade ingredients.  They contain real meat as the primary protein source, but may still include some elements of "supermarket" foods, such as artificial colors, artificial flavors, and chemical preservatives. They will also normally included a higher level of carbohydrates than "ultra-premium" foods with grains.  It's especially important to read the label when buying this category of canned cat food because there is a lot of variation.  These foods are usually more expensive than "supermarket" foods because their ingredients are of a higher quality.

Supermarket Foods
These brands are found in grocery stores and mass-market retailers and are typically made with lower-quality, less-digestible, inexpensive ingredients and, therefore, are a cheaper alternative. While easy on the pocketbook, these foods normally do not provide your cat with the healthiest, most nutrient-dense ingredients.

So there you have it.  I didn't feel comfortable throwing out brand names for each category because as I stated above...this is all just based on some research peeps did for us. If you follow the basic rules as much as possible then you'll find a good cat food that works for you.  I don't think there's any brand out there that is 100% perfect in every way.  If there is, peeps haven't found it yet!  Right now we're eating 3 different brands and peeps will probably be adding a 4th sometime soon.  Most of us will eat just about anything, but Louie and Max can make changing foods very challenging. Louie is just a picky eater, but before Max came to live with us, he ate one of the "supermarket" foods that tasted great, but offered little in nutritional value. Changing this diet was akin to feeding a child fast food for awhile and then trying to convince them that broccoli tastes just as good! ;) Mmm hmmm.  Not easy!! So...trying to find something more healthy that Max actually

likes...well...it's always been a challenge and it probably always will be. And when you add in the big sad eyes that Max gives peeps when his food bowl isn't to his liking...it's scary stuff!  But so far, so good. He's slowly but surely starting to clean his bowl again with our new foods. :) 

And, just one last note...if you decide to change your cat's food, make sure to do it slowly - mixing in a little of the new food with a lot of the old food at first.  Then, sloooooowly, over time, give more new food and less old food until the old food is gone from the diet completely.  Obviously, in our case, we couldn't do this as slowly as peeps would have liked because of the recall, but we've all survived the injustice!  I don't mean to tattle on my siblings (ok...fine...I love doing it), but Polly's tail had to be...ummm...washed a few times, but that's the worst there was. She's a diva though, so what do you expect? ;)

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Nothing But Trouble

Last night my extra fav peep put on an old shirt and noticed there was a jagged hole in the side.  After looking at it for a moment, the light bulb went off and they remembered where they'd gotten that hole...

The Joy of a Good Window

It was, for all intents and purposes, a normal Friday morning in August. The year was 2009.  Peeps were getting ready to eat breakfast and my sibs and I were all lying around the family room waiting for morsels.  It was hazy and rainy, but a bit cooler than normal. Peeps had even opened a window for us to enjoy a little fresh air (not really possible in August, but I digress) before the oppressive heat and humidity returned.  I, being a bit of a bully, had pushed everyone else out of the way so that I could actually sit in the window.  It was sublime.

As the daily activity went on around me, I was mesmerized by what was going on in the tree directly in front of me.  There was a birdie.  A pretty birdie. Hopping around in the tree. I knew I could reach out and touch it...if it weren't for the window screen.  But then the birdie started flitting around. Flit. Flitflit. Flit. Flitflitflit.  Little wings flapping. Chirping. It was more than any self-respecting cat could stand for! I decided then and there that I wanted to get up close and personal with the birdie.  You know...just to say "Hi. How ya doin'?"...that sort of thing.  Well, the next several seconds are all a blur to me, but here's what I remember:

I lunged for flitting birdie.
I heard a very strange sound - like a loud rip.
I was in the tree with the birdie.

I was sliding down the tree and the birdie had flown away.
I heard a scream.
I hit the ground.

The ground. Not the floor. Not the safe family room carpet. But the wet ground of...OUTSIDE.  I heard footsteps rushing down the front steps and got really scared so I ran. Ran fast. Very fast. Faster than peeps thought I could.  Thankfully I ran around to the back of the house, but I was out of sight before peeps even knew what hit them.  I was gone and peeps had no idea where I was. They were frantic!  As they ran around looking for me in the pouring rain, extra fav peep got in a fight with a fence (and from the look of things, the fence won), got a big scratch on their side and a jagged hole in their shirt.  They didn't even realize it at the time.

Naturally, I knew I was hiding under a bush several houses away, but peeps didn't.  I could hear them yelling for me. "Heeeeerbie. Heeeeerbie where are you?"  I was too scared to go out and find them so I just started meowing. I was soaking wet from the rain and absolutely miserable. I was thinking many things as I lay there.  My home that I loved so much was gone. I was on my own again...like before I lived at the shelter.  Was there somewhere out here that I could get my whipped cream?  What about my canned dinner at 6pm?  Would someone deliver my bedtime snacks?  And where did I line up for hugs and kisses and warm blankets?  And what if...wait...hands.  There were hands coming thru the bush I was hiding under.  Familiar hands.  And a familiar voice was saying "Come here Herbie. It's ok. Come on."  And then I was out from under the bush.  And I was getting hugs and kisses and all sorts of good things.  And peeps were quickly carrying me back to my house. Oh boy! My house!  I didn't move a muscle while they carried me.  And if you know me, you know that I don't like to be picked up so this wasn't normal behavior for me.  I was so glad to be found. And when we got inside, peeps dried me off, all my sibs welcomed me home and I got...you guessed it...a little dish of whipped cream!  All was right with the world.

"The Window" (you can see the rip where I fell thru in the bottom right corner above Max)

And so you see...that's what peep was thinking about last night when they saw the jagged hole in their shirt. They looked at me and said "Herbie, you're nothing but trouble" and they're right...but they love me anyway.

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Honors and Accolades At Such A Young Age

This is a very special post because I'm celebrating my very first award! Honors and accolades at such a young age! And I have the stunning one herself, Cathy Keisha (www.stunningkeisha.com) to thank for it.  I'm afraid I haven't had time to write up an acceptance speech so I'll just have to speak from the heart.  First and foremost I'd like to thank Cathy Keisha of course. I'd like to thank my peeps for FINALLY listening to me and giving me my own blog about 10 months ago.  It took me ages to convince them that a blog was a good idea.  They are very headstrong and...well...I suppose now isn't the time to complain about them (I'll be back to talk about this later...)  Anyway, where was I?  Oh right, yes, I'd like to thank my siblings for being such easy marks - I mean for being so cute - and giving me so much material for this blog. And I'd like to thank you, my readers, for sticking with me over these past months.  It means a lot to me.

Ok, now, enough of that syrupy stuff.  I want to get to the important stuff.  My award...and my image.  I know the paparazzi will be out in droves when they hear about this so...I've decided to go with the  "relaxed, laid back and ready for fame" look.  What do you think?  

Winner of Stylish Blogger Award

Yes, I think that's just right. It really captures my "cool cat" attitude.

Now let's see, from what I understand, I'm supposed to tell you several things abt myself that you might not know.  Hmmm...  I'm thinking.  I'm thinking.  This isn't as easy as it might seem.  I'm not one to give away all my secrets you see, but here are what I consider my important selling points...
 
Backwards Tail: When I get really happy, my tail lays on my back and shakes. I did this the first time I met the peeps at the shelter. It's my secret weapon.  It reeled them right in!  From that day forward they've always sworn my tail's on backwards. 

Embarrassing Meow: Looking at me, you see a big (I have a lot of muscles) cat.  However, my meow is very high-pitched.  And when I meow I scrunch my face up and close my eyes.

Don't Play Well With Others:  I like my space. If I'm laying on the couch for example, and a sibling gets on the couch, even if it's all the way at the other end, I'll growl at them.  And if they get too close, I'll swat them.  Peeps nicknamed me "grumpy pants" for just this reason. 

Bossy Lap Cat: I love laying with my peeps.  When I'm ready to get settled (which is usually as soon as they sit down) I stare them down until I get just the spot I want.

Not a Picker-Upper: I hate being picked up. Only my extra fav peep can do it without me screaming bloody murder, but ultimately I like my feet firmly planted on the ground.

Did You Smell That? I Didn't: I have the worst sense of smell of any cat peeps have ever known. Having said that...if something is amiss somewhere in the house, I will lead my peeps right to it every time!

Obsessive Kneader: Peeps always try to keep my nails short because when I'm happy (which is just about anytime I'm around the peeps), I pat down (and purr and drool) like you wouldn't believe. Sometimes with all 4 legs and a tail thrown in for the fun of it!

Overactive Paw: I use my paw for everything. Hitting my siblings, tapping my extra fav peep's face to wake them up, knocking food out of peep's hand, pulling food off peep's plate...the list goes on and on.

Stuffed Mouser Extraordinaire: I have 3 stuffed mice that I love. I carry these mice all over the house...meowing as I go...often bringing them to peeps and then waiting for my praise.  On Christmas morning this year I brought one down to peeps and put it right between them as they were opening gifts.

There you have it.  That's me in a nutshell.  If you ask me, with a list like that, I'm not sure why people aren't beating down the front door to claim me as their own!  It really is a mystery isn't it? Ah well...there's no accounting for good taste when it comes to humans.

xoxo

Today's Special: Firebathing

I've always considered myself a cat with his paw on the cusp of the latest popular thing. I'm not saying I necessarily like said thing, just that I'm aware of it. However, having said that, my newest obsession, firebathing (similar to sunbathing yet obviously different), seems to be a well kept secret.  Mark my words, within weeks I think this craze will be sweeping the world!

As most of you know, we moved into a new house over the summer.  This house is great!  We all love it so much.  One thing that peeps were looking for in a new house was this new-fangled mechanism called a  fireplace. They wanted this in the family room.  I didn't really understand why they were so set on it, but now that we have it...I'm not sure how I lived without it. It's a simple little thing really.  Box in the wall, switch above it. Nothing really to write home about until...peeps flip that switch.  These beautiful orange flames jump up and this delightful warmth pours out.  Like all good things though, firebathing has, as I've learned, its own set of rules and regulations. I will try and relay those here, through my own experiences, so that when it takes the world by storm you will all be in the know!

Strategic Planning

As you can see in my picture entitled "Strategic Planning", when the switch is flipped, I am immediately enthralled. I gaze longingly into the fire, calculating my next move. It's obvious that, in this particular case, a certain 3-legged sibling needs to vacate the firebathing area for me to choose the spot I would like. The tricky part is...my peeps. If I forcibly remove 3-legged sibling (my plan of choice), then I will get in trouble. What to do, what to do?  Ultimately, I didn't have to make the decision because 3-legged sibling moved on his own. Kudos to him for doing the right thing!  My plan of action is to get to the fire as quickly as possible. With 3-legged sibling out of the way, one would think my journey to the fire would be easy right?  Well, with 7 other siblings to contend with (many also interested in the art of firebathing), I find that nothing is ever easy.  If, for example, one of them were to have the unfortunate notion of being in my way when I make my move toward the fire, I would have no choice but to run them down. If one (hypothetically speaking of course), were to choose a spot that I wanted, I would be inclined  to slap, hiss, growl or (my favorite), simply lay on silly sibling until they opt for a different spot. The important thing to remember is that my spot is where ever I choose...most often closest to the fire but it depends on my mood at the time.

Lazy Firebather

Now I'd like to direct you to my next photo entitled "Lazy Firebather." As you can see, I have chosen my spot and settled in quite nicely. I have put my front legs up and stretched my back legs out for maximum fire exposure of course. However, in this photo, I really must direct your attention to my sister Polly.  She has really outdone herself don't you think? She has found actual firebathing lounging equipment in which to use...to more fully enhance her firebathing experience.  Assuming firebathing takes off as I think it will, I'm sure that similar lounging equipment will be available soon, in a store near you.

Firebathing With A Friend

In my final photo, "Firebathing With A Friend," I'd like to point out not only a different position (this one optimizing back exposure), but also the fact that I have brought a tiny red and green friend along with me. Sharing your firebathing experience with a friend is an excellent idea. This particular friend smelled of catnip and I was more than happy to share my spot with him. Also, my brother Louie has joined me for this session. As long as I'm able to have the spot of my choice, I have no issues if my siblings wish to take part as well.

I sincerely hope these tips and suggestions will help to improve your future firebathing experiences. If, as you begin your journey, you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask. There's nothing better than knowing that all my friends are enjoying the wonderful art of firebathing as much as I am.

Until next time...
xoxo

Today's Special: Christmas Brings a Treat Ball

That's right. A treat ball! What an amazing invention! We were given so many great toys for Christmas, but without a doubt the treat ball is my favorite. If you think about it, it's the perfect gift for me. It involves food. Anything that involves food is on the top of my list.

Here's how it works: Peeps fill the ball up with treats. It only holds about 10 at a time. I hear the crinkle of the treat bag and come running. Once filled with treats, peeps place it on the floor. And...I begin chasing it all over the house hoping that a treat will fall out. Every now and again one will hit the floor and I get so excited I nearly trip over myself to get to it! Ultimately it's a win/win situation for peeps and me. They've managed to get me a little more active and I've managed  to get a toy that actually dispenses food!

So...to quote Cousin Eddie from one of our favorite Christmas movies, Christmas Vacation, my treat ball is truly "the gift that keeps on givin' the whole year."

Happy Holidays everyone!
xoxo

Today's Special: Herbie Potter and the Catly Hallows

As many of you already know, my peeps and I love the Harry Potter books and movies. Today was opening day for the seventh movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1- or, as I like to think of it (after my friend Da Puttytats G suggested it) - Herbie Potter and the Catly Hallows. That has a nice ring to it don't you think?

Because I've been so excited about the new movie, I've been talking about it quite a bit on Twitter and Facebook and I've found that there are still many animals and peeps out there who haven't given the series a chance yet.  Believe me, I understand.  We weren't fans from the beginning. Neither peep had ever read anything in the fantasy genre - witches, wizards, magic...no way!  Also, since the HP series is officially considered a children's series, peeps really didn't give it a second thought. But finally, several different friends and co-workers convinced them to just give the first book a try. At the time, the sixth book, Half-Blood Prince was hitting the stands. So grudgingly peeps bought the first book, swore they wouldn't like it...and never looked back. They were hooked.  And the funny thing is, as often as we hear people say "I don't think I'd like it," we've never heard anyone who's given it a chance say "I really didn't like it."

It's pretty obvious that the books are a classic tale of good vs evil, right vs wrong.  But there's so much more. They're steeped in mythology and history.  Not only is there a running storyline throughout the whole series that progresses with each new installment, but each book offers it's own mysteries and secrets. The characters are extremely well-developed and as you travel thru each book you discover that they're more than just fictional characters...they're friends and enemies that you genuinely love or hate.

The movies, as a whole, are absolutely brilliant. Again, my feelings hearken back to what I mentioned above.  It's amazing to see these characters and places that you've come to love so much, on the big screen in front of you.  The movies compliment the books in so many ways while still adding a whole new dimension to the story.  Personally, we would choose to read the books before seeing the corresponding movie because the books allow your imagination free reign, but the movies can stand alone as well.

So, I encourage all of you that haven't yet started this incredible journey, to pick up the very first book, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the US) and give it a try. If you do, I'm almost certain that before long you'll be grabbing a ride on the Knightbus to Diagon Alley to share a butterbeer with me while we discuss the magic of Harry Potter.

xoxo

Today's Special: Along Came Polly

This blog post begs a certain question. Whose blog is this? Last time I checked, it was mine. Herbie. Me. But yet here I am again, taking up my time to write something about one of my sibs.  It wouldn't be so bad if I just had one or two sibs, but with eight...this could go on forever!  Forgive me for what some may think are just my paranoid delusions, but I feel there may be a conspiracy involved. And I'm going to point my paw at the usual suspect. I'm not going to mention any names here but...he has three legs.  You get me right?  It's just a little suspicious that ever since "suspect" has taken up residence here, "suspect" has been the topic of two blogs and now another sib, Polly (who could easily be in cahoots with "suspect") gets to be featured in a blog...

Cue flashback music:

Polly is the oldest of the 9 of us.  She was born in Feb 1999 and came to peeps in May of 1999 at 12 weeks of age.  She's pure Turkish Van (and a DIVA - wait - who said that?).  As a general rule, peeps don't normally adopt pure breed cats. Nothing against them or people who adopt them, but peeps just prefer to adopt cats from shelters. But...many years ago, peeps had a very good friend who was a breeder of Turkish Vans so...along came Polly.

Yesterday peeps noticed that Polly didn't seem to be feeling like herself...again.  A few weeks ago she'd been feeling under the weather too. The vet decided it was a virus that simply needed to work itself out.  Sure enough, a few days later, Polly was back to her old (Diva) self.  But yesterday Polly was once again showing similar symptoms, so peeps called the vet this morning and took Polly in for a check-up and some fluids.  Peeps try to act quickly because Polly loves to get sick on the weekends. I think she does it b/c she's jealous that I got to go to the "special vet" when I had my "boarding incident" back in June.

You see, we're very lucky that we have a very special veterinary clinic just down the road from us.  They work in conjunction with various regular vet clinics throughout the country.  People come from all over to have their pet taken care of  at this "special vet."  You can only go there if your regular vet refers you or in cases of emergency...like when I was so sick back in June or when peeps had a cat treated for cancer many years ago.  They're open 24 hours and they do just about everything there (emergency medicine, surgery, cancer treatment etc) and they do it extremely well. It's an amazing place! But...they have a very simple fee structure that frightens peeps. This is how peeps explained it to me: when you walk in the door, that's $1000. After that, just figure on an additional $1000 per day.MOL  So when peeps see any of us getting sick near a weekend, they quickly call our regular vet and try to get us taken care of so that we don't have to visit the "special vet" on Saturday night or Sunday when our regular vet is closed.  Now don't get me wrong, peeps will do anything they have to do for us to be happy and healthy, but they'd rather avoid the "special vet" when we really only need to see the regular vet.

So back to the diva...I mean Polly...she's hilarious in her own way. Her bark is much worse then her bite.  She loves to growl and hiss at just about everything, but it's all just for show. Underneath it, she's a very sweet cat who loves to snuggle and be held.  One thing I've always really admired about Polly (aside from her color and markings) is her ability to open just about any door or drawer in the house. This has often proved quite valuable for me if peeps happen to be hiding treats or food behind said door or drawer.  Mind you, I thought her talents were limited to the house, but after seeing the video my peeps showed me, obviously her talents are far reaching!  Thankfully peeps were able to extract her from the drawer (three times!) and the vet was able to take a look at her. Seems that Polly is indeed dealing with the virus yet again.  According to the vet, many cats have been coming in with similar symptoms recently.  Polly was given some fluids and is now happily resting in a cabinet upstairs.  Vet will check in on Monday and if Polly is still feeling bad, then we'll go from there.  Hopefully she'll be back to herself before we know it!

Until next time...
xoxo