Natural Pet Health

For those that feed the raw diet to your pets and claim that they do not need vegetables and fruits in their diets, I beg to differ. Let’s examine the actual “diet” of the wild canines and felines.

They do, indeed, hunt their meat “on the hoof,” as it were, but they do not, I suspect, empty the stomach contents of their prey, nor the bowels of their prey, before consuming it. At least, not entirely.

That is one of their sources of vegetable matter. You think they don’t need it? Have your dogs ever eaten the feces of other animals? Why do you suppose that might be? Because they crave the vegetable matter, perhaps?

Many years ago, we had a beagle-terrier mix that ran loose. She was free to eat the kibble dog food we provided, or hunt. We know that she hunted rabbits, squirrels and other wild prey. But, I was amazed to see her, one day, laying in the field in front of our house eating something.

I got closer and she was eating a windfall apple. This was in a time before mankind was filling all our foods with hormones and preservatives; when wild and domestic meats were more ‘organic.’

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Vegetables in your dog’s diet, and minor amounts in your cat’s diet, can enhance their health and provide a rich and diverse supply of nutrients, enzymes, healthy fibre and antioxidants. In the wild, dogs and cats would have acquired plant foods through the semi-digested remnants in the stomachs of their prey; vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Canines possess a greater ability to break down plant matter and synthesize relevant nutrients therein. Because of this, although classified as carnivores, they are in fact omnivorous and are not solely reliant on animal meat for sustenance. Wolves can be observed eating fallen fruit and berries, and first consume the stomach and intestines of their prey where plant foods can be found.

Felines on the other hand are obligate carnivores and are unable to manufacture essential nutrients from plant matter. These include the amino acids taurine and arginine, and the fatty acid arachidonic acid. Unlike omnivores cats also cannot convert vitamin A from beta-carotene in plants and need animal-derived sources of vitamin A such as liver. Accept for smaller prey which cats eat whole, in the wild the stomach and intestines tend to be avoided, yet organs such as heart, liver and lungs are enjoyed.

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

You can take the easy option and throw some discount cat feed into a bowl for your feline friend, but will she remain your friend for long if you don’t give a bit more thought into what you feed her? Here is some advice that will have her purring with delight at feeding time, and keep her healthy at the same time.

In order to keep your cat or kitten healthy, you need to choose quality foods that will provide him with nutrients he needs. But, what are they? You can’t just give your cat any type of food that is available. There are several things you should do to improve your cat’s nutrition.

Kitten Food

During the first few weeks, the food will come from mom cat. But, when he begins to reach the age of four to six weeks, he needs to supplement his foods with canned kitten food or you can provide him with dry cat food that is softened with water.

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Whenever you use eggs, save shells. Wash shells out right after using the eggs and save them up for about a week or so until you have a “batch” worth processing.

Bake shells at 350F for about 8-10 minutes to remove the mineral oil coating and make them brittle enough to grind. Grind to a fine powder in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder (I use a coffee grinder). Make sure there are no sharp, gritty pieces.

1 tsp. of powder supplies about 1800mg - 2000mg of calcium.

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

1 ounce each alfalfa; marshmallow root; comfrey; mullein leaves; dandelion root; nettles; parsley
2 ounces each: burdock root or seed; chamomile; horsetail; oatstraw; red clover; rose hips; rosemary; slippery elm bark; thyme
1/4 ounce each catnip; fennel seeds; garlic powder
1 dash cayenne pepper

If using cut and sifted herbs, blenderize to a coarse powder. Mix with already-powdered herbs, and store in a dark jar in refrigerator or cool place.

To use for cats: give 1 to 3 teaspoons per day.

To use for dogs: give 1 tablespoon to 1 cup per day, depending on the size of the dog.

Mix herb powder with food or sprinkle it on top. This is only a mineral and preventive medicinal supplement. For pregnant or nursing pets, add to the above:

1/2 ounce each: chickweed; comfrey; milk thistle; raspberry leaf

The Comfrey is in addition to the amount used in the basic recipe.

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Before you start using supplements, discuss your cat’s specific needs with a holistic veterinarian.

Here are some popular supplements that can keep your cat in optimal health

* Acidophilus. This “good” bacteria detoxifies and fortifies the digestive tract and aids in the absorption of nutrients. Count on this supplement to treat diarrhea, gas, bad breath, and foul-smelling feces.

* Amino acids. It may surprise you, but the biggest deficiencies in cat diets are amino acids. If you remember your high school science class, amino acids are the building blocks of protein that enhance hormone production, maintain healthy muscles and tissues, and keep the metabolism in harmony.

* Antioxidants. To help you remember the to antioxidants available, think ACES: vitamins A, C, and E plus the mineral selenium. Antioxidants hel fend off environmental toxins, lessen the risk for developing certain cncers, and bolster the immune system.

* B-vitamin Complex: Many cats come up short in the B vitamins, which are used to treat stress and cancer. In addition, B vitamins, specifically biotin and folic acid, provide energy for your cat. B vitamins convert carbohydrates into glucose, or blood sugar, and speed up metabolism. They also boost the immune system and help promote a healthy coat.

---

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

Spring Fever Unleashed: Managing Your Pet's Seasonal Woes

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

---

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!