Pets, and Foods for Pets Menu

Charlie Cat

Photo, right, by Catherine Haug 

Page is too long; need to redo: Create separate articles for the categories below, then turn this page into a menu with links to those articles.

This menu includes the following categories: 

NOTE: Cats are obligatory carnivores (they eat primarily meats, and can be harmed by a diet comprised mainly of plants/herbs; exceptions include catnip, pumpkin, and slippery elm syrup). Dogs are also carnivores, but not obligatory, and can tolerate more plant foods.

 

Menu

  1. Food Cautions for Pets
  2. Nurture a Long-Lived Pet
  3. Good Foods for Pets:
    1. For Cats (several categories)
    2. For Dogs
  4. Pet Health
    1. Vaccines, and How to Protect Your Pet from Vaccine Damage
    2. Caring for Pets: Homemade Remedies for Pets
      1. Choking
      2. Constipation
      3. UTI Health
    3. Risks and Other Issues for Pets
  5. Other Topics

Food, Drug, Health Cautions for Pets:

  1. Food Cautions

    1. Do not feed dogs/cats:
      1. Raisins as snacks. Symptoms of raisin poisoning: vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness, lethargy, dehydration, and tremors. [see Mercola-Pets: petfoodfacts.mercola.com/fruits/raisins.html
      2. Chocolate [see PetCareRx: petcarerx.com/article/why-chocolate-is-bad-for-dogs-and-cats/1343].
      3. Xylitol (sugar substitute) [see Bark & Whiskers: barkandwhiskers.com/2023-06-25-xylitol-poisoning/. From Story At-A-Glance: “Xylitol poisoning in pets increased an astounding 108% from 2015 to 2020. …Keep all products with xylitol out of reach of your pets.”
      4. Toxic Plants for cats & dogs: barkandwhiskers.com/2023-07-16-toxic-plants/. From the article, toxic
        1. Outdoor plants that cause poisoning in dogs and cats include the sago palm, lilies, plants containing cardiac glycosides, and blue-green algae;
        2. Indoors, common toxic plants include plants from spring flowers, kalanchoe, plants from the Araceae family, plants containing either soluble or insoluble calcium oxalates, and the corn plant/dragon tree.
      5. Grain-free kibble: “The highest concentrations of [toxic] glyphosate have been found in grain-free kibble, followed by regular kibble, then canned food; dogs fed raw food had no detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine” (from Bark and Whiskers article: barkandwhiskers.com/2023-08-13-carcinogenic-pet-foods/. That article also encourages periodic detoxification for pets.
    2. Do not feed cats:
      1. Kibble; see interesting artcle on Bark and Wiskers: Carbohydrate-Dense Meals [Like Kibble] Contribute to Obesity and Diabetes
      2. Most packaged pet food, because the packaging is contaminated with toxic PFAS. See Mercola-Pets article: The Alarming Toxic Chemicals Lurking Inside Pet Food Bags, which I have saved as pdf: Mercola-Pets > Toxic-PFAs-in-PetFood_HowToAvoidTheHarm_MCL-Pets_032623
      3. Most kibble foods contain mycotoxins that can kill your cat; one such toxin is “potato flakes.” See a “Bark and Whiskers” article by veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker: barkandwhiskers.com/mycotoxins-contamination/
      4. Onions, chives, chocolate, grapes, raisins, and xylitol (a type of sweetener). Certain nuts like macadamia nuts are toxic to pets as well and large amounts of citrus fruits can be bad for cats as well [see cats.com/safe-fruit-and-vegetables-for-cats]
      5. Food that contains grains and/or other carb-based cat food; and don’t add most carbs to your homemade cat food). Cats’ bodies aren’t designed to digest carbohydrates efficiently. [see article: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/11/08/cats-and-carbs.aspx].
      6. Exceptions are cantaloupe and winter squash
      7. Any form of milk other than milk from a female cat, even tho they like it. [see article: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/12/06/cats-and-milk.aspx].
        1. From Story At-A-Glance:
          • “The idea that cats should drink milk is simply a myth; the only milk very young kittens should drink is their mother’s, or if motherless, a commercial kitten formula or in a pinch, a homemade milk formula recipe
          • Like adults of any species, adult cats typically have trouble digesting the milk of another species, and like humans, many cats are also lactose intolerant
          • Cow’s milk offers inadequate nutrition for cats, can create bowel issues, and it also contains phosphate, which can exacerbate chronic feline kidney disease”
        2. From the article:
          • “Motherless kittens who must be hand-fed should be given either a commercial kitten formula available at pet stores or online (KMR is a popular kitten milk replacer), or a homemade milk formula recipe.“
          • “In an emergency, you can mix 3 ounces of condensed milk, 3 ounces of water, 4 ounces of plain yogurt (not low fat), and 3-4 egg yolks (no whites).”
          • “Raw, unpasteurized goat’s milk [can be used] in a pinch, for a feeding or two, with good success.” [Cat’s note: my young kitty loves my local, raw goat’s milk, but I only give them a few drops at a time. He also sneaks a bit of locally-produced plain yogurt when I’m making my daily smoothie…]
          • See also Risks section, below (near bottom of page).
    3. Specific Diseases in Cats:
      1. Arthritis: Cats keep this hidden, for their safety. How to recognize and treat it? See Merccola Pets (Bark and Whiskers) article: A Third of Cats Have This by Age 6, but You Likely Don’t Know; saved as MERCOLA-PETS > Arthritis_CommonToCatsByAge-6_HowToRecognizeIt.pdf
    4. Do not feed your dogs:
      1. grapes, raisins, sultanas, and currants [see Mercola-Pets: barkandwhiskers.com/fruits-toxic-to-dogs/]. The article does not say if cats should also avoid these fruits, but its best to avoid them.
    5. Beware of toxic ingredients in household cleaners, such as limonene (a compound with a lemon, orange or pine scent) [see article: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/06/19/secondary-organic-aerosols-toxicity.aspx]

  2. Overweight Cautions:

    1. Overweight cats:
      1. See Bark and Whiskers article: Affects Nearly 2 in 3 Cats, yet Owners Can’t See It . The article addresses how to tell if a cat is overweight, and the risks associated with this problem. Also suggests diet timing and changes. Article saved as pdf: OverweightCats_HowToDetermine_HowToHeal_MCL-Pets_072923.pdf
      2. My young cat, Teddy has been overweight ever since he was less than a year-old. I’ve tried limiting when, what, and how much I feed him, but I also have an elderly cat (21 years old) who is underweight. Neither are allowed outside so it’s hard to maintain the proper diet for the overweight one, while also ensuring the underweight one gets enough food.

  3. Drug Cautions:

    1. Mercola-Pets: barkandwhiskers.com/nsaids-dogs/, from Story-At-A-Glance:
      1. If you’re a pet parent, play it safe and take steps to store all medications and supplements out of your animal companion’s reach;
      2. If you suspect your pet has ingested a human over-the-counter or prescription medication call your veterinarian, a local emergency animal hospital, or a pet poison hotline immediately;
      3. NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and antidepressants are among the most common medications involved in pet poisonings.
    2. Mercola Pets: barkandwhiskers.com/2023-07-24-flea-tick-products. Beware of prescribed flea/tick medicines containing isoxazonline. From Story-At-A-Glance:
      1. In 2018, the FDA issued an alert (updated in 2019 and again in 2021) for flea/tick products containing the chemical insecticide isoxazoline due to the potential for neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats
      2. Project Jake, a large-scale survey of veterinarians and pet owners regarding the use of isoxazoline-containing flea/tick products, wrapped up around the same time; the survey results were published in June 2020
      3. According to the Project Jake survey results, of 1,594 dogs given a flea treatment (1,325 of which contained isoxazoline), 66.6% were reported to have experienced an adverse event, including muscle tremors, ataxia (loss of muscle control), seizures and death
      4. Whenever possible, consider using safe, nontoxic alternatives to protect your pet from pests.

Nurture a Long-Lived Cat (late teens, early 20s)

NOTE: I save many articles as a pdf in this file sequence: CATS PERSONAL / HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / MERCOLA-PETS > (name of pdf)

See a great Mercola-Pets article on Nurture a Long-Lived Cat. I’ve save a pdf version: HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / MERCOLA-PETS > NurtureLongLivedCats_MCL-Pets_062222.pdf. The article includes 5 ways:

  1. Feed a nutritionally optimal, species-specific diet: high-moisture diet with human grade meat, moderate amounts of high-quality animal fat, and very low percentage of carbs.
  2. Keep cat lean and well-conditioned.
  3. Don’t over-vaccinate (see also “Vaccine” section, below)
  4. Don’t let your cat outdoors without supervision.
  5. Consider a detoxification protocol; includes using filtered water and avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals. A regular detox program is recommended. Also use natural home-cleaning and pest-control products.

Importance of Hydration for a Long-Lived Pet

See Bark & Whiskers article: One Tip That Could Radically Change Your Pet’s Health (barkandwhiskers.com/2023-08-15-dr-gerald-buchoff-integrative-veterinarian/). Dr. Buchoff discusses several things you can do to improve your pet’s health and longevity; adequate hydration is the most important.

Shrinking Kitty Syndrome (Elderly Cats)

See Mercola-Pets article: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/10/25/shrinking-kitty-syndrome.aspx; Here’s Story At-A-Glance (bold text is mine):

    • “Many kitties become “the incredible shrinking cat” as they get up in years; both stress and underlying disease can be factors, but often the problem is diet
    • Older cats, especially those fed a lifetime of ultraprocessed cat food, often lose their ability to digest dietary fats and protein efficiently, which is a major contributor to weight loss
    • The dietary answer for most aging cats isn’t to reduce protein intake to decrease organ stress; the answer is to feed a moisture-rich diet of high-quality animal protein, along with appropriate supplements
    • Older cats whose appetites have dropped off can and should be enticed to eat more”
    • There are many ways to entice older cats whose appetites have diminished to eat more (this bullet is from an updated version (2/21/23): https:www.barkandwhiskers.com/older-cat-feeding-mistakes/

My elderly cat, Charlie, has shrunk so much (his photo at top of page was taken when he was  8-years old!). Now he’s 19 years old as of this writing (Oct 2022). I’ve thought the problem is due to his kidney disease. He eats a little bit, mostly Friskies canned paté foods and Orijen kibble (when I’m away from home for more than an hour). I’ve tried making fresh cat food for him, using good quality meats, not-cooked or lightly cooked (rare): ground beef or lamb, flaked salmon/cod, but he doesn’t seem to like much of that. He does like the lightly cooked fat from pork chops, but not the meat. I wish I knew how to get him to eat more!

Good Foods for Cats

NOTE: I save many articles as a pdf in this file sequence: CATS PERSONAL / HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / MERCOLA-PETS > (name of pdf)

These are the categories, in order from most healthful to least healthful, as below:

  • Raw or Homemade Wet Foods for Cats; see also Homemade Cat-Food (about)
  • Commercial Frozen, Raw-Foods for Cats
  • Commercial Freeze-Dried Foods for Cats
  • Canned Human Foods Recommended for Cats
  • Canned Cat Foods
  • Kibble for Cats
  • Fresh fruits for cats: most are not good for cats, but the following are, as long as it is occasionally: strawberries, winter squash, ground pumpkin
  • Foods rich in Omega-3 fats are essential for both cats and dogs; see 1/23/24 Mercola-Pets article “This Vilified Substance Could Actually Be a Godsend for Your Pet’s Health” (Dietary fats in Pet Food)
  • Pecans for Pets; see Mercola Pets (now called Bark & Whiskers) article: An Ancient Nut That Packs a Nutritional Punch; most nuts are not recommended but give pecans a try. I’ve saved it as a pdf: HEALTH-NUTRITION / MERCOLA PETS > Pecans-GoodForPets_Bark-Whiskers_113023a.pdf
  • NOTE: I don’t include recipes here; see Homemade Cat-Food (About), tho I’ve not yet added recipes as of 9/5/22

See also Mercola-Pets article on best foods for cats: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/12/13/house-cats-nutritional-requirements.aspx

Other sites: 

NOTE: I save many articles as a pdf in this file sequence: CATS PERSONAL / HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / MERCOLA-PETS > (name of pdf)

    • Mercola-Pets: Thiamin (Vitamin B1): 10-SignsYourCatMay Be Suffering From Deficiency (Saved as pdf: MercolaPets > VitaminB1_10SignsYourCatMayBeSufferingFromDeadlyDeficiency_MCL-PETS_032223.pdf)
    • Mercola-Pets: Quail meat or eggs is an excellent option to more traditional meats for pets.
    • Mercola-Pets: “The 3 Biggest Mistakes Pet Parents Make With Homemade Food,” by Dr. Becker. [NOTE: I’ve saved a pdf version of this article: CATSFORK / PDF Files / PETS > “3-BiggestMistakes_HomemadePetFood_MCL.pdf”]. The 3 Mistakes to Avoid are:
      1. Feeding only Meat
      2. Forgetting Fiber; “A good rule of thumb is to keep produce content less than 25% of diets for dogs and 15% for cats.”
      3. Skipping Supplements (like probiotics, Omega-3 fats
    • Mercola-Pets: Can You Feed Sweet Potatoes to your Pets?; the answer is yes – as a snack, but they need to be cooked well, as raw sweet potatoes are difficult to digest. Also, while they are often called yams, they are not the same. Be sure to use “sweet potatoes.” Cat’s note: If you make your own pet food, you can also add the cooked sweet potatoes to the mix.
    • Mercola-Pets: Good, Quality Cat Food (especially the last section: “The Cat Food I Recommend: A Nutritionally Balanced Raw Homemade Diet”)

Commercial Foods

NOTE: I save many articles as a pdf in this file sequence: CATS PERSONAL / HEALTH-NUTRITION / PODCASTS-ARTICLES / MERCOLA-PETS > (name of pdf)

More and more people are discovering that most commercial pet foods are not good for their pets’ health. Check out “The List” (The 2021 List of pet foods the writer trusts to give to her own pets): truthaboutpetfood.com/the-list/. 

See a great article by Dr. Becker (Mercola-Pets): Organ Meats: The Best and Worst Ways to Feed Your Pet Organ Meats

Ingredients to avoid in pet foods:

  • Xylitol, a type of sugar, and one of the worst ingredients in some pet foods. See Mercola Pets article for more info: “Healthy for Humans but Enticing and Deadly for Dogs.”
  • Chocolate is another toxic ingredient for pets.
  • Sodium selenite: While the mineral “selenium” is essential for pets (and human) health, many cat foods contain a toxic form as a salt: sodium selenite. Dog foods typically use a healthful chelated form of selenium, known as “selenium yeast,” but that is banned from cat foods by the US Government… probably because they believe there are too many cats in our country.

Homemade Foods: Best ingredients for pets

I believe the best thing you can do for cats and dogs is:

  • Give them raw meat, organ meat, and fat from pasture-raised chicken, beef, lamb, goat, etc.;
  • Also meet, organ meat and fat from wild deer, elk, bison, rabbit, birds (see list: “Raw or Homemade Wet Foods for Cats,” below).
  • Wild-caught fish and seafood can also be given, but not as frequently because the high amounts of iodine in fish/seafood can cause hypothyroid issues in pets.
  • Krill oil from a very small ocean-fish called krill is a highly recommended food, but not whole krill.  

You can also add a bit of certain plant-foods such as carrots, pumpkin, and winter squash such as Hubbard, etc., but remember that dogs are carnivores and cats are obligatory carnivores, so avoid high-carb plant foods.

Good Foods for Cats

These are the categories, in order from most healthful to least healthful, as below:

  • Raw or Homemade Wet Foods for Cats
  • Fresh fruits, Organic (as treats, not as regular meals)
  • Commercial Frozen, Raw-Foods for Cats
  • Commercial Freeze-Dried Foods for Cats
  • Canned Human Foods Recommended for Cats
  • Canned Cat Foods
  • Kibble for Cats
  • NOTE: I don’t include recipes here; see Homemade Cat-Food (About), tho I’ve not yet added recipes as of 9/5/22

See also Mercola-Pets article on best foods for cats: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/12/13/house-cats-nutritional-requirements.aspx

Other sites: 

    • Mercola-Pets: Quail meat or eggs is an excellent option to more traditional meats for pets.
    • Mercola-Pets: “The 3 Biggest Mistakes Pet Parents Make With Homemade Food,” by Dr. Becker. [NOTE: I’ve saved a pdf version of this article: CATSFORK / PDF Files / PETS > “3-BiggestMistakes_HomemadePetFood_MCL.pdf”]. The 3 Mistakes to Avoid are:
      1. Feeding only Meat
      2. Forgetting Fiber; “A good rule of thumb is to keep produce content less than 25% of diets for dogs and 15% for cats.”
      3. Skipping Supplements (like probiotics, Omega-3 fats
    • Mercola-Pets: Can You Feed Sweet Potatoes to your Pets?; the answer is yes – as a snack, but they need to be cooked well, as raw sweet potatoes are difficult to digest. Also, while they are often called yams, they are not the same. Be sure to use “sweet potatoes.” Cat’s note: If you make your own pet food, you can also add the cooked sweet potatoes to the mix.
    • Mercola-Pets: Good, Quality Cat Food (especially the last section: “The Cat Food I Recommend: A Nutritionally Balanced Raw Homemade Diet”)

Raw or Homemade Wet Foods for Cats

See my article: Homemade Cat-food (About); includes discussion of added ingredients: oils, fiber/starches, amino acids and selenium.

The foods in the following list can also be lightly cooked (as “rare.”) NOTE: I’m still experimenting.

  1. Red meats:
    • Beef: best raw or cooked rare (per Mercola-Pets article on beef); that article has a couple recipes. Use beef that is from pasture-raised and finished cows.
    • Bison is one of the best red meat for pets, as it is rich in Omega-3s. Like beef, it is best raw or cooked rare (per Mercola-Pets article on bison meat); article includes a “treats” recipe.
    • Elk meat is an excellent food (per Mercola-Pets article on elk meat)
    • Goat meat is another one the best red meat for both cats and dogs (per Mercola-Pets article on goat meat)
    • Lamb: best raw or lightly cooked (similar to beef). Use lamb-meat that is from pasture-raised and finished lambs.
  2. Chicken and turkey: Free-range chicken is great for cats, but remove the bones. Should be fed in balance with foods rich in Omega-3s (EPA and DHA), such as krill oil (per Mercola-Pets articles on chicken and turkey.
  3. Eggs: These are another excellent food for pets – provided they are from pasture-raised chicken. Eggs can be scrambled, sunny-side up or used as a binder for other ingredients (per Mercola-Pets article on eggs). [Re: as a binder, such as mixing with beef and carrots]. 
  4. Fish: best not to feed fish to cats daily – instead, use only as a special treat (per Mercola-Pets article on salmon) as fish are rich in iodine which can cause hyperthyroid issues in cats.
    • Cod: I love wild-caught true cod, and share a few bites with my cats 1-2 times a week.
    • Krill: These are very tiny fish rich in Omega-3s (EPA and DHA); I’ve never seen fresh krill for sale, so I give them a daily bite of Mercola’s “Omega-3 Krill Soft Chews,” or his “Krill Oil Pump.”
    • Salmon: When I have a dinner with wild-caught Coho or Sockeye salmon, I give a couple tiny bites to my cats. And for a treat about once a week, I give them a tiny bite of freeze-dried, wild-caught Alaska Salmon (Life Essential’s brand).
    • Tuna: while it could offer a wealth of nutrients, most tuna is also loaded with toxic pollutants including flame retardants, pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and toxic heavy metals. So it is best to feed your pets tuna much less frequently than other meats.
  5. Fruits:
    • Cantaloupe: while most fruits are not good for cats, cantaloupe is an exception, and my cats love it. Give it to them raw, and cut up to the right size for your pet(s). It is “low in calories and high in water content, which makes it a great treat for rehydrating your pet” (per Mercola Pets). My young cat won’t drink water, so he gets his water from cantaloupe.
    • Pumpkin, mashed; especially good for constipation
    • Strawberries (fresh), as a treat. See Mercola-Pets article (sorry, I’m having trouble getting this set as a link, so copy and paste link to your computer): barkandwhiskers.com/can-you-feed-strawberries-to-your-pets/
    • Watermelon is good for both cats & dogs during summer season, per Mercola Pets
  6. Grains: Generally, grains are not good for pets, but there is one that will not harm them: White rice. See Mercola-Pets article by Dr. Becker (now Bark and Whiskers site, as of Jan 2023): barkandwhiskers.com/can-you-feed-white-rice-to-your-pets/
  7. Oils: Coconut oil is good for dogs, both externally (on their skin) and part of their diet. See Mercola-Pets article: Coconut Oil Benefits for Dogs. Regarding for cats, see Pet MD article: Coconut Oil for Cats: Is it a Good Idea? The answer is yes, but in proper balance.
  8. Organ meats (preferably from pastured or wild-caught animals). For example, my cats love giblets: liver, etc. (raw or lightly cook, then cut-up before serving). Whenever I buy a whole chicken, I remove all the giblets, and cut them up, then feed some to my cats, and freeze portions for future use.
  9. Pork: pasture-raised pork is rich in Omega-3s and is good for cats (per Mercola-pets article on pork meat); that article has a couple interesting recipes using pork. However, best to use locally-raised pork that is raised on pasture; most commercial pork is fed food that contains bad fats/oils such as from GMO corn, soy and canola. I buy pork from pigs raised by children who participate in 4-H.
  10. Fruits & Veggies: For great info, see petfoodfacts.mercola.com/vegetables.html. For example:
    1. “Romaine lettuce contains polyphenols that may support pet’s health in different ways, such as helping manage inflammation and immune system health …[It] also contains dietary fiber that may help keep your pet’s digestive health in top shape. [Caution:] Don’t feed too much romaine lettuce to your pet, as it may cause gastrointestinal upset due to excess fiber. … You can easily add 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup of pet food. ” (from Mercola Pets: petfoodfacts.mercola.com/vegetables/lettuce.html).
    2. Strawberries; see Mercola-Pets (now Bark and Whiskers) article about strawberries:  (sorry, copy the link – I can’t make it into a link on its own) https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/can-you-feed-strawberries-to-your-pets/ 
    3. Pumpkin and winter squash; see Mercola-Pets article about Hubbard squash: petfoodfacts.mercola.com/fruits/hubbard-squash.html
    4. Grains: Generally, grains are not good for pets, but there is one that will not harm them: White rice. See Mercola-Pets article by Dr. Becker (now Bark and Whiskers site): barkandwhiskers.com/can-you-feed-white-rice-to-your-pets/

Commercial Frozen, Raw Foods for Cats

A new, locally-owned pet-food store (Happy Hounds) recently opened in my small community, and they carry frozen raw foods for cats and dogs, so I will start introducing my two cats to this option that is far better than canned or kibble foods. See The Spruce Pets for the 8 Best Brands of Raw-Frozen or Freeze-Dried foods.

I’ve tried various versions of the frozen and/or free-dried cat foods, but my kitties don’t like it. Sadly, their favorite food is kibble, so I feed them Origen brand (several options), as it is mostly meat and no weird ingredients. I also feed them some Friskies or Fancy Feast canned foods (those don’t contain sodium selenite, a toxic heavy metal form of essential selenium; see my article: Beware: Sodium selenite in pet food is toxic for more.

Commercial Freeze-Dried Foods for Cats

Most brands suggest using these dried bits as snacks. Unfortunately my cats don’t like the ones I’ve tried, except for Cat-Man-Doo, Life Essentials brand of Freeze-Dried Wild-caught Alaskan Salmon which they LOVE. But as mentioned above, one should not feed fish like salmon every day, even if it is freeze-dried, because it is high in iodine which could cause hyperthyroid issues in cats. See The Spruce Pets for the 8 Best Brands of Raw-Frozen or Freeze-Dried foods.

Canned Human Foods recommended for Cats

Canned Cat Foods

For canned food, I’ve been using Friskies (5.5 oz cans) and Fancy Feast (3 oz cans) brands because they do not contain toxic sodium selenite; see my article Beware: Sodium selenite in pet food is toxic for more about this. Canned foods offer more needed moisture than dry kibble offers. However, they are still low on the “good” list of foods for cats.

Daily amount of canned foods for adult cats

(from Purina, re their Friskies brand): 

“Feed adult cats 1 to 1-1/4 oz per pound of body weight daily. Divide into two or more meals. Adjust as needed to maintain ideal body condition. Kittens need up to twice as much food as adult cats and should be fed all they will eat two or three times daily.”

  • My new 1-year old Teddy (he’s now 2½ as of my August ’22 update):
    I got him from our local animal shelter in Oct ’20; at that time, he weighed about 8 lbs, and was very skinny because he didn’t like the kibble they fed him. When I started giving him canned or homemade food, he ate it up and wanted more, eating 8 – 10 oz daily (up to two 5.5 oz cans). By Christmas ’20, he had gained a lot of weight and has quite a round belly.
  • My 16+ year-old Charlie (he’s now 19 as of my August ’22 update) has kidney disease and other health issues. (In early 2020, he was about 11 lbs, but as of Oct ’20, he had lost weight (to just skin and bones) because he didn’t eat much, only ½ – 1 can of Fancy Feast (1.5 – 3 oz) daily. But in Nov ’20, I learned he had a sick tooth which is why he wasn’t eating much; it finally fell out and his gums are healing and he started to eat a bit more canned or homemade cat food (sodium-selenite-free). Hooray! But he could still eat more, as he is still very skinny.
  • May ’21: I’m starting to feed both cats raw or lightly-cooked wild-caught salmon or cod. They both prefer the lightly cooked version, so I’ll slowly add in a bit of the raw to get them used to it. But I should only do this 1-2 times per week to avoid thyroid trouble.

Kibble for Cats

For your pet’s health, kibble should NOT be their primary food. This is definitely not the best food for obligatory carnivores like cats because they are usually primarily grains, tho some brands are better than others.

I use Orijen-brand cat kibble (a sodium-selenite-free food) as a treat for my cats, or if I’m going to be away from home for several hours, as it doesn’t spoil as fast as fresh or canned at foods, and it is grain- and soy-free. Origen brand does not use grains – the primary ingredients are meats. Acana-brand is produced by the same company as Orijen (Champion Pet Foods), and also is sodium-selenite-free. [Cats 2023 note: These brands are being bought by Mars, so their ingredients may be changing, and may no longer be as good as the original brand.]

The first ingredients in Orijen’s Cat and Kitten’s kibble are: “Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, cage-free eggs, Atlantic flounder, whole Atlantic mackerel, chicken liver, turkey liver, whole Atlantic herring, chicken heart, turkey heart.” It also contains some fruits and veggies, including: “whole pumpkin, whole butternut squash…kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, whole carrots, apples, pears,” as well as various seeds and herbs.

For a comparison of Orijen and Acana, see petfoodreviewer.com/acana-vs-orijen-dog-food-brand-comparison/ and Paw Diet: Acana Cat Food Ingredients site. For more about the difference between Origen and Acana, see mrdogfood.com/orijen-vs-acana-dog-food-pros-cons-of-each-brand.

June 2021 update: I am slowly replacing the canned food with raw or lightly-cooked meats. I serve them:

  • very rare-cooked pastured chicken, lamb or beef on most days; plus, I recently learned the LOVE raw chicken livers!
  • raw wild-caught salmon, halibut or cod, about once a week

Good Foods for Dogs

I’ve not done much research on food for dogs, as I don’t have a dog. But I hope to start studying this topic soon.

    • Raw and Homemade Foods for Dogs: I don’t have a dog, so I’ve not been able to do any experimentation of homemade dog foods. However, when I was a child in the 50’s, our dog, Mikki, mostly ate ground beef, lamb or chicken, and she loved it!

      Just as for cats, kibble should be your last choice, and it should be quality kibble such as Origen brand.

    • Fresh Veggies for Dogs: See Mercola-Pets article:  saved as pdf: Podcasts-Artciles / Mercola-Pets > Veggies-Fresh_NeededByPets_MCL_050723.pdf  (barkandwhiskers.com/vegetables-for-dogs/)

Homemade Wet Foods for Dogs

  • (not yet

Pet Health

How to Protect your Pet from Vaccine Damage:

From Mercola Pets article (by Dr. Becker): What is Vaccinosis? Here’s the “Story At-A-Glance:”

    • “Establishing protective immunity in pets through vaccination is important for preventing infectious diseases, but many pet parents don’t realize that more vaccines do not deliver more or better immunity
    • Many conventional veterinarians are of the opinion that adverse vaccine reactions in pets — no matter their severity — are for some reason worth the risk
    • This dangerous perspective is evidenced by the fact that most veterinarians continue to promote automatic revaccinations instead of titer tests to measure an animal’s existing immunity
    • They also don’t recognize vaccinosis, defined as a chronic reaction to not only the altered virus contained in vaccines, but also to the chemicals, adjuvants, and other components of tissue culture cell lines — as well as possible genetic changes — that can be induced by vaccines
    • There are things you can do as your pet’s primary advocate to ensure your dog’s or cat’s risk of adverse vaccine reactions is minimal”

Diet, Homemade Remedies, Treatments for Cats, Dogs 

  • Slippery elm gruel (syrup) for gut (especially constipation) and kidney issues; see Slippery Elm Syrup to Treat Kidney Failure and Constipation in Cats (and Humans);

  • Cancer: Best foods/supplements: bark&whiskers (Dr. Becker) article: The Best Tumor-Fighting Foods for Pets (https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/tumor-fighting-foods-for-pets/), saved as pdf: MERCOLA_PETS > Tumor-FightingFoodsForPets_DrBecker_021923.pdf

Risks and Other Info For/About Pets Health

  • Sodium Selenite in Pet Foods is Toxic
  • The Problem of Tap and Distilled Water for Cats
  • Carcinogenic Glyphosate in Pet Foods
  • Plants (indoors, outdoors) that can Kill your Pet
  • Other Risks, Info (several links to articles

For canned food, I’ve been using Friskies (5.5 oz cans) and Fancy Feast (3 oz cans) brands because they do not contain toxic sodium selenite; see my article Beware: Sodium selenite in pet food is toxic for more about this. Canned foods offer more needed moisture than dry kibble offers. However, they are still low on the “good” list of foods for cats.

Other Topics for Pets

Why do cats LOVE boxes?

From Mercola Pets article: Why do Cats Love Boxes. Here’s their Story at-a-Glance:

    • “Earlier in the year, zoo officials in Providence, RI put out a call on social media for empty boxes for their big cats, since all cats, no matter their size, wild or domesticated, have a thing for boxes
    • Part of the magic of cardboard boxes and other small spaces is that they help cats stay warm in environments that are typically cooler than they like it
    • Research also shows that newly arrived shelter cats with access to hiding boxes adapt more quickly to their environment than those without boxes, are less stressed and more interactive with humans
    • When it comes to boxes cats, like humans, can be fooled by optical illusions; a small citizen science study showed that cats will sit inside 2D shapes that only look squares with about the same frequency as they’ll sit inside real squares
    • Cats may be attracted to squares (and illusions of squares) as an extension of their love for boxes and other tight spaces”

Caring for Pets

See also Pet Food Consultants (Directory)

Cancer: Best foods/supplements

bark&whiskers (Dr. Becker) article: The Best Tumor-Fighting Foods for Pets (https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/tumor-fighting-foods-for-pets/), saved as pdf: MERCOLA_PETS > Tumor-FightingFoodsForPets_DrBecker_021923.pdf

Choking

Choking Hazards (from Mercola-Pets; see article for more detail)

  1. Toys
  2. Bones and chews
  3. Collapsing trachea
  4. Too-tight collars
  5. Sticks and stones

What to do if your pet is chocking: watch the 1:19 minute video on the site or on YouTube: (about the Heimlich Maneuver for Pets)

Constipation (Cats and Dogs)

Re: Pumpkin for Both Cats and Dogs

DO NOT use pumpkin-pie filling, nor any form of pumpkin that includes added sugar.

Cats: My vet recommended canned pumpkin as a remedy for my elderly cat’s severe constipation. Typical dosage (per PetMD) is ½-4 tsp, 1-2 times daily. Start with the lower dose to be sure your cat can tolerate it (many cats love it). 

See also: dutch.com/blogs/cats/can-cats-eat-pumpkin

Kitty Cat Tips writes:

“[For] an adult cat, you’ll need to give your cat ½ to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin a day. Kittens should have no more than ½ a teaspoon of pumpkin per day. 

If your cat’s bowel movements aren’t normal within 24 to 48 hours, you can increase the amount of pumpkin. Give them 1 teaspoon of pumpkin twice a day. If necessary, you can double this to two teaspoons twice a day.”

What I use:

The first time I gave my elderly cat some pumpkin, he at it, and it helped. However, the next time I gave him some, he refused to eat it. So I looked up “slipper elm gruel,” which I used to use to help with his urinary tract problems, and I learned it is also good for constipation. It really helped, and he LOVES it and always wants more. See my article: Slippery Elm Syrup to treat kidney failure and constipation in cats (and humans).

Dogs: Per PetMD, it is also good for dogs with constipation. Pet Dog Owner suggests:

“The recommendation for constipation is usually one tablespoon for every 10 pounds.”

Pain in Cats

See Dr. Becker (Mercola-Pets) for article on “The Biggest Mistake You Can Make if Your Cat Is in Pain.” Her first recommendation: “Do not give human medications to your cat,” not even aspirin nor acetaminophen (Tylenol). She also provides signs of pain in cats. Read her article for more.

UTI Health

D-mannose for a cat’s urinary tract health.

My cat Charlie is 18 years old and was diagnosed with early-stage kidney failure when he was 14. I use D-mannose in my morning smoothie every day, for my own health. So on 3/24/21, I looked it up online:

  • vetinfo.com (check out Carollynn Rohr’s comment on that page). They recommend 1 tsp of D-mannose powder/day, mixed in water which can then be added to the cat food. (I use NOW brand of D-Mannose powder which provides 2 g/tsp).  Carollynn’s cat had some type of blockage in his urinary tract, so she mixed 1 tsp D-mannose powder with 1 Tbsp water and mixed that into her cat’s wet food, hourly, 4-times that day. It resolved the blockage.
  • SweetCures recommends a daily dosage roughly based on 1g ½ tsp) per 10kg (22 pounds) of the animal’s weight. My cat’s weight is about half that, so his dose would be about 0.5 g/day (or about ¼ tsp/day). 

My digital scale doesn’t measure less than 1 g, which is about 1 tsp of D-mannose powder, so the two recommendations (above) match. Here’s what I will test: Dissolve ½ tsp (1g) in 2 tsp water, and mix 1 tsp of that mix with 1-day’s worth of cat food; this equates to about ½ g/day. I will test this for a week or so, and update this posting with my findings. June ’22 update: I never tested it, but I will now because his kidney problem has gotten worse. 

My test, 6/18/22: Dissolve ½ tsp D-Mannose in 2 tsp water, to mix with Charlie’s daily food (or ½ tsp of the mix/serving)

Slippery Elm Gruel

See my article: Slippery Elm Gruel (Syrup) to treat kidney failure and constipation in cats (and humans) for instructions on how to make the gruel, how to use it, and its benefits.

HomeoPet for UTI health

This is a liquid homeopathic remedy that you can add to your pet’s water and/or food; for adult cat weighing 20 lbs or less, the recommended dose is 15 drops, 3-times/day. See Amazon code B00EOOQCJG for a 15 ml bottle to give it a try.

Jun 2021: I am gonna give this a try; my elderly cat, Charlie, has kidney disease, and I want to make his last days/years as pleasant as possible.

My articles on other health issues for cats:

Articles on Other Sites:

 Risks and Other Info for/about Pets

Sodium Selenite:

Xylitol for dogs:

While xylitol is safe for humans, it is very toxic for dogs – right after chocolate. This includes any food or treat that contains xylitol. See Mercola-Pets article for more. The article says it is toxic for pets, but only discusses dogs, not cats, but I’ll bet it’s bad for cats, too. 

The problem of tap and distilled water:

See VetWater (vetwater.com): I found this site when looking for water filters for my cats’ water dispenser; I’ve not yet tried it (3/16/21), as I use water from my reverse-osmosis filter; however, its pH is not slightly acidic, so I will figure out how to correct that.

VetWater’s product, “CATWATER,”  is available on Amazon (code: B08BJ85RMV), and is intended to help your cat’s urinary tract health. From their site:

  • “Helps increase water consumption in cats. CATWATER is ozonated and chlorine-free with a light rate of acidity which encourages cats to drink more.
  • Helps promote an ideal urinary pH; CATWATER has a perfectly balanced pH between 6.2 and 6.4 that suits cats need [Cat’s note: this pH is slightly acidic – less acidic than distilled water]
  • Helps minimize the presence of the minerals responsible for causing crystals and stones in the bladder…. CATWATER contains no minerals associated to urinary problems.”

Carcinogenic Glyphosate in Pet Foods

See Mercola-Health Pets article: Carcinogenic-Glyphosate in Pet Foods for more detail. From the article [or my notes in square brackets], the following foods are in order from best-to-worst:

    • The best food for cats and dogs is fresh raw meat;
    • Next is freeze-dried raw meat;
    • [Lightly-cooked fresh meat];
    • Mostly-raw homemade pet food; however, avoid cooking oils that contain corn or soy products, even if they’re organic;
    • Certified Organic canned pet food [choose sodium-selenite-free, menadione-free];
    • Non-organic canned pet food [choose sodium-selenite-free, menadione-free];
    • Regular dried kibble;
    • The worst is grain-free kibble (especially if contains oats or legumes such as pea-protein, chickpeas, and/or lentils)

Plants (In- and out-doors) that Can Kill your Pet

See Mercola-pets article: 4 Plants That Can Kill your Pet for more information. The plant that concerns me most for my cats is “lilies:”

“Lilies from the lilium and Hemerocallis species (called “true” lilies) are deadly to kitties. These include the Easter, tiger, Japanese show, stargazer, rubrum, and day lily. Just two to three leaves or petals, or even the pollen or water from a vase holding the lilies, can result in severe acute kidney failure and death.

Signs of poisoning include vomiting, lack of appetite, abnormal urination, lethargy, and progressive kidney damage. Treatment typically involves a 48-hour hospital stay, aggressive decontamination, anti-vomiting meds, and intravenous (IV) fluids. With immediate treatment, most cats can survive this type of poisoning.”

Other Risks, Info

    • Pet Health Secrets Most Vets Won’t Tell You (From TTAC for Pets) discusses 4 main topics:
        1. Do Pet food Standards Provide a False Sense of Security?
        2. The #1 Thing You Can Do: Read a Pet Food Label
        3. Are Your Pets Drinking Enough Water?
        4. Pet Obesity and Health: The Problem with Overweight Pets
    • How to Help your Cat Live a Longer Life (Mercola article); here’s highlights of the top 8 ways:
      1. Species-specific diet: Cats need a high moisture, high protein, low carb diet;
      2. Maintain a healthy weight – don’t overfeed, especially with carbs. “Calculate calorie requirements for your cat’s ideal weight, measure his food portions using a measuring cup or scale.” [link goes to another Mercola article].
      3. Consistent daily exercise: “includes at least 20 minutes of high-intensity activity such as playing and chasing will help your cat burn fat and increase muscle tone.”
      4. Indoor living: even tho it is not their native habitat, cats have evolved, and an indoor life has far fewer health risks.
      5. Environmental enrichment: The more comfortable your feline family member feels in your home, the lower her stress level.
      6. Crate training isn’t just for dogs; being crate-trained helps when you have to take your cat to a vet, for example.
      7. Grooming: while your cat is naturally a good groomer, “it’s a good idea to teach your kitty to accept regular gentle brushing or combing.”
      8. Veterinary health checkups: most young healthy cats only need a checkup once a year, cats 7-years or older, or those with chronic health issues should have two visits annually.
    • Supplements “Potentially Lifesaving for You, Poison to Your Pet” (Mercola’s Health Pets site)
    • Synthetic vitamin K (Menadione or K3) may be Toxic to your Cat’s Liver (Mercola’s Health Pets site); from the article: Menadione (synthetic vitamin K), widely used in all types of pet food, has been identified as a liver toxin, even in very small amounts. Check labels, even in raw pet foods, for presence of this nutrient; look for menadione, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (MSBC), or vitamin K3. I just checked the 2 canned cat foods I use (Friskies and Fancy Feast); both use MSBC. Fortunately, the 2 kibble brands I use (Orijen and Acana) do NOT contain either form of menadione.
    • Many cat and dog foods contain grains or soy as a first or second ingredient; yet cats are obligatory carnivores, meaning their diet must be primarily animal-foods (meats, organs, etc; though some plants can be used medicinally, such as catnip, pumpkin puree, and slippery elm) and  dogs are regular carnivores, meaning they can utilize a small amount of carbs, but rely mainly on animal foods. One brand that breaks those rules is Hill’s Science Diet, which they tout as “Veterinarian Recommended.” Their foods also contain sodium selenite, a toxic form of the essential mineral, selenium (see my article: Beware: Sodium selenite in pet food is toxic for more). See Hill’s Science Diet website for list of ingredients in each of their pet foods
    • Beware of toxic ingredients in household cleaners, such as limonene (a compound with a lemon, orange or pine scent) [see article: healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2022/06/19/secondary-organic-aerosols-toxicity.aspx]
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