Homemade Pet Food - Why You Really Want to Cook For Your Pet

In March 2007, most pet owners grew very concerned about the food they were feeding their dogs and cats with the announced melamine-poisoned foods on the market. Being "mom" to my adorable and, I thought, very well-cared for King Charles Spaniel, I watched the lists daily with worry. I had believed the food I was feeding him was high quality and safe, yet I visited their website daily for reassurance. And daily I read that the food was safe, they didn't use products from China, trust them.

My dog started to experience diarrhea the day we moved to a new home. Being a sensitive soul for whom stress has this effect, I didn't worry much until day 3 when it not only continued but seemed to worsen. Again, I checked the websites to see if his food was on any of the recall lists. It wasn't. That night I had the news on in the background, sitting straight up when the latest list was announced  - his food, the food that "had never used products from China", was on the list. They lied.

I had been poisoning my beloved best friend.

Of course, I immediately disposed of the poisoned garbage and the next day, started cooking for my dog, thinking it would be temporary until the problems were resolved. I began to research what my dog needed nutritionally to make sure I was giving him everything he required to be healthy and happy.

It was that research that shocked me, then just made me furious beyond description. I found out what was really in dog food (and cat food and other pet foods), and it is disgusting, dangerous and poison garbage even without the melamine. I was sickened by what I learned, knowing I had been feeding this to my pets for years, thinking I was doing right by them with the "high-quality" foods I paid premium price for. Not any more. Never again.

Here are some of the "quality" ingredients in your pet's food:

* "Meat and poultry by-products" is material that comes from the slaughterhouse and dead animals, such as road kill and euthanized companion animals, classified as condemned and unfit for human consumption. It includes lungs (even when filled with pneumonia), spleen, brains, livers (including those infested with worms), bone, beaks, feet, heads, cancerous tissues... the list goes on. Be assured, if it is remotely fit for human consumption, it isn't in your pet's food.

* "Meat and bone meal" is the ground refuse from restaurants and grocery stores, dead stock, road kill, euthanized animals, including stomach contents, blood and hooves, cooked until the grease from it rises where it is removed and the moisture squeezed out. It also may contain foreign materials such as metals, hair, glass, mold, pesticide contamination and more.

* Fat is usually listed high on the ingredients in pet foods that give off an appealing odor so that our pets will eat the garbage. They are made up of rancid restaurant grease and rendered refuse often filled with impurities such as hair, hide, bone, dirt or polyethylene.

* Corn flour, corn bran, corn gluten meal are the corn products left when all the nutritious ingredients, used in human products, are removed.

* Wheat flour, wheat germ meals, are nothing more than what is swept off the mill floors after everything has been processed.

* Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives, including those believed to be carcinogenic and are banned from human foods like BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate.

If you can read that and then open a can or bag of food for your pet and feed it tonight, you have a stronger stomach than I do!

That's why I now cook for my dog. I know exactly what he's eating and that it is good quality, nutritious and safe (as safe as any of our food is these days). The added benefit is that it's even less expensive! I watch for specials, especially for meats, and stock up the freezer when I find them, which is often. A lot of meat and chicken is greatly reduced in price when its shelf life is nearing its end, and fine if its cooked or frozen immediately.

I only spend a couple of hours or so once a month cooking up a big batch of food, placing it in small containers with about 3 - 4 meals in each one (he eats twice a day), freezing it until I need it. I add a couple of tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt to a serving, mix it up and "nuke" it for about a minute to get it warm and delicious for him. He loves it!

Best, he looks terrific, better than he ever did before, his coat gleaming, his eyes sparkling, endless energy, perfect weight and a healthy, happy glow.

This is not a difficult thing to do! There are many excellent recipes available and now there are cookbooks dedicated to pet food recipes, including good quality treats and biscuits that your pet will adore and that you can feel great about giving them. I do highly recommend doing some research to make sure you're giving your dog everything he requires.

Visit my website at [http://www.4FurPeople.com] for training courses, books, pet nutrition and health information and much more. Please also visit Pat's pet blog at http://petpassionparadise.blogspot.com

Concerned About What's in Your Commercial Pet Food? Try These Homemade Cat Food and Treats

Every day lately, it seems there is another pet food recall, warning dog and cat owners not to feed their pets different brands of foods. This is getting scary. Who knows which pet food will be recalled next. Though I am still using the kibble my cats normally eat, I am now supplementing my pets with a few homemade recipes. These are not meant for feeding your pets forever, since I"m not a vet or nutritionist but they are good for filling their furry tummies while we wait out the lowdown on the canned foods, which seem most affected by these pet food recalls. Here are the basic recipes I am using, don't add other ingredients unless you know for sure that they don't hurt your pets. We all know chocolate is off-limits to pets, as are other foods such as onions. Stick with these ingredients, which seem to be pet safe, according to pet experts I've read about.

Homemade Cat Food

2 cups ground chicken, lean beef or turkey, thoroughly cooked and diced;

4 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth;

1/2 cup potatoes, ground;

1/4 cup spinach or carrots, ground;

1/4 cup green beans, ground;

2 tbsp melted butter;

dash of garlic powder

Mix everything together in large pot or bowl. Make sure it is completely cool before feeding to your cat. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Homemade Cat Treats

1 1/2 cup oats, ground;

1/4 cup butter;

1/2 cup flour;

1/2 cup chicken broth;

1/4 cup cubed or shredded American or mild cheddar cheese -or- shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together, form small cookies and bake on greased cookie sheet until done at 350 degrees. Roughly 25 minutes but check as ovens vary. Do not overcook.

Our pets deserve food that is safe, so hopefully, this current pet food crisis will alert the authorities to make sure they buy quality products and be more careful of what they put in their pet food recipes. Cats have specific nutritional needs so don't feed them any of these recipes on a long term basis, as I do not know the breakdown of nutritional value for them. But, by using fresh, healthful ingredients, cooking the meat thoroughly and storing the food you make in the refrigerator, it can help to tie your kitty over until it is safe to go buy food at the store again. Enjoy.

Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio, which can be seen at: http://www.zazzle.com/twopurringcats. Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist, writer and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues.

Homemade Pet Food is the Best Way to Feed Your Pets

Homemade Pet Food can be a life saver for cats and dogs! Whether its Homemade Dog Food or Homemade Cat Food you need to learn what ingredients best suit your pets needs.

Some cat and dog owners prefer raw food for their pets, especially for their cats.

Dogs are pretty much carnivores as they do have the teeth to prove this debate, and cats are complete carnivores that require a special diet to help avoid common pet food allergies.

Pet Food Allergies are just as common as human food allergies and just as human beings do not do well on highly processed and totally cooked food diets - Well guess what neither do our pets!

Dog Food Allergies can be created from a dog food intolerance and can resemble other dog allergies.

Dog Allergy Symptoms:

Excessive scratching
Itchy face, feet, ears, anus
Biting and chewing of paws
Leg and tail chewing
Dry and flaky skin
Bodily sores and rashes
Poor coat and hair Loss
Vomiting
Increased bowel movements
Gas or flatulence
Diarrhea
Recurring ear infections
Sneezing
Behavioral changes
Seizures
Breathing difficulties

You will have to use common sense and start to rule other causes out. Although, one of the main symptoms of a dog food allergy is itchy skin.

When your cat has a cat food allergy, there will be a lot of cat itching and scratching especially in the front part of its body.

Allergies to food can show up at any time, but the vast majority of cases occur between 3 to 6 years of age. The symptoms of food allergies are similar to those of most other allergies seen in cats.

Cat Allergy Symptoms:

Itchy Skin
Hair Loss
Excessive Scratching
Sores and Crusty Skin
Rashes around Face and Ears
Excessive Licking
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Feeding your animals homemade pet food not only gives you more control over your pets health, but you can avoid toxic chemicals and ingredients.

There are many options on how to properly feed cats and dogs. Some people truly believe that these animals require a primarily raw diet while others prefer to feed their animals cooked foods.

You can experiment to see what works best for your pet.

Homemade Pet Food Ingredients:

*Grass-fed animal meats

*Wild caught fish

*Free range eggs & poultry

*Vegetables

*Fermented Vegetables

*Essential Fatty Acids

*Spirulina

*Organ Meats

*Raw Bones

Think of all the money you will save on vet bills and think about how much happier your pets will be when they are feed a better diet.

For great ideas on how to make your own pet food, visit Homemade Pet Food.

If you're looking for healthy food ideas for yourself and your family, go to Destination Healthy Foods.

Homemade Pet Food - Important Factors to Consider Before Feeding

Many pet owners are thinking about feeding their dog or cat a homemade diet. This can be for numerous reasons, whether they are concerned about the safety of commercial pet food or they simply want to offer their pet a variety at mealtime.

Feeding a homemade diet is only for the most dedicated of pet owners. Some people say that cooking for your pet is a "no-brainer". Other people say that cooking for your pet is a very complicated and labor-intensive process.

No matter who you listen to, there's some important factors to take into consideration before embarking on this path. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before getting started.

Am I willing to invest the time and money necessary to prepare my pet's meals?

The bottom line is: cooking for your pet requires more time and money on your part. Think about how much time and money you spend preparing meals for yourself and your human family. Are you willing to do this for your pet too?

Careful consideration must be made when selecting recipes, shopping for ingredients, and choosing supplements. It's not as easy as searching online for a recipe. The majority of recipes you find for free on the Internet are inadequate when fed for long periods of time and are not formulated by someone trained in veterinary nutrition.

A pet owner should only consider recipes that have been formulated and balanced by veterinarians trained specifically in the field of animal nutrition. Spending a little extra money to have recipes formulated for your pet's unique nutritional requirements is beneficial and provides peace of mind.

A group of veterinarians at http://www.petdiets.com offer such a service.

Do I understand that if for some reason I'm no longer able to prepare my pet's meals that he will have a difficult time switching back to commercial pet food?

Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD, author of Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets--The Healthful Alternative, states that many pets develop an intolerance for commercial pet food after being fed a home-prepared diet.

Am I willing to make additional visits to the veterinarian to ensure that my pet remains in good health?

Pets that eat a homemade diet should be brought in for regular veterinary exams at least two to three times per year to ensure they are not experiencing any nutrient deficiencies or excesses. These visits may involve the cost of routine blood and urine tests or x-rays.

Am I willing to accept the risks involved in feeding my pet a homemade diet?

There are potential short-term and long-term risks involved with feeding pets a homemade diet, especially if the owner decides to omit ingredients that supply the pet with essential levels of vitamins and minerals. Clinical signs may not occur until the pet has been fed the inadequate diet for an extended period of time--several months or in some cases several years later.

Remember that certain table scraps should never be feed to pets. Gravy, meat fats, and poultry skin can cause serious digestive upset. There is also the potential for pancreatitis, a life-threatening disease, to occur. Bones can also splinter when chewed and have the potential to cause intestinal blockages and perforations.

Other ingredients that should not be fed to pets include chocolate, raisins, grapes, onions, garlic, avocados, coffee, macadamia nuts, salt, tea leaves, raw yeast dough, and xylitol, a common sweetener found in baked goods, gum and candy.

Who will prepare meals for my pet should I become ill or go on vacation?

Pet owners should instruct a friend or family member on how to properly prepare the pet's diets.

Many pets do very well eating homemade pet food, and some do not. But then again, the same can be said for commercial pet food. Owners who are considering feeding their pet a homemade diet should always consider the validity and nutritional training of those recommending a particular diet or recipe.

If you're certain you want to cook for your pet, consult first with your veterinarian and do plenty of research on the topic, both online and offline.

Amanda K. Jones is a licensed veterinary technician and e-book author. She has had several articles published in professional veterinary journals and is a Tails, Inc. Magazine Furry Forum Expert.

If you're a pet owner interested in feeding your pet a homemade diet or are looking for more information on basic pet food nutrition, you may be interested in Amanda's FREE 8-Week Course on Dog and Cat Nutrition.

For more information or to sign-up please visit http://www.petfoodbible.com