What to Feed your Kitty

Popoki, after a tasty snack

Food, playtime/snuggletime and naps - these are generally the events your kitty looks forward to in his or her day. Some felines are incredibly food oriented while others simply eat to survive, just like people. Some cats do fine with free-feeding while others become grossly overweight. Even cats with regular mealtimes can become overweight if they are being offered too much at each meal and being given lots of treats. Over 50% of American "pet" cats are overweight. This is sad since it's their caregivers who are literally loving their companion animals to death. I believe that two set mealtimes (or three if you are regularly at home for lunch with your cat) are the best way to avoid weight issues. A cuddle, a pinch of catnip, or a short session of DA BIRD toy could take the place of extra portions when your kitty persists at the food cupboard.

It's very different with kittens and elderly kitties, who do benefit from many fresh meals a day; and having different generations of kitties or for instance one cat who eats slowly and one who gobbles his chow creates the need to separate them for 1/2 an hour or longer at mealtimes. Bully cats who steal food from their more timid sibling must also be separated at mealtimes. Cats must never be "disciplined" or yelled at when they attempt to overtake someone else's food; this merely creates stress in the household. It is more complicated to feed cats separately but the routine quickly becomes a habit for everyone. Cats will learn to go into their room and wait by their place mat for mealtimes. (Just make sure they also have a water bowl and a litter box in the room.) This is also ideal when cats may need supplements or medications as they are already used to the routine. This brings us to what to feed your kitty...

Personally I've had fabulous results feeding mainly a raw diet to my kitties for the last 22 years. My cats LOVE Rad Cat! I usually top it off with a tiny bit of canned food for added flavor and aroma. Since incorporating acupuncture into the care regime of all my kitties as they've aged, I've also added in fish "soup" that I make simply by poaching wild caught salmon, snapper or whiting in water, sometimes with a little sweet potato or winter squash. Chinese medicine usually focuses on cooked and warming food rather than raw and cold, especially when the weather is cold and wet. I've also been offering Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried, softened with hot water for 10 minutes before feeding. I use dry food only as a treat, as well as freeze dried chicken and salmon and bonita flakes. Most of my cats enjoy a bowl of organic, while milk plain yogurt too. If someone needs extra calories I open a jar of meat baby food (100 calories a jar). I am not a veterinarian of course but my opinion is that feeding the same food every meal makes for a boring diet, plus it may contribute to food allergies.

Lots of people believe kibble is beneficial to dental health. From the research I've done, poultry necks are actually the best at scrubbing a cats' teeth as he gnaws at it. Obviously you would need to supervise this meal, just as dogs should be supervised when given large "knuckle" bones. Genetics more than likely play the biggest factor in whether your cat will need dental extractions as he gets older. Many of my kitties were trapped as feral kittens and who knows what their poor mother ate while she was gestating. Consequently, dental surgeries are a major expense in our household. However, I can happily report that UTIs, crystals and other chronic urinary issues are a non-occurrence. We also have never had IBD, another pretty frequent ailment amongst house cats. Again, this is my anecdotal experience and lots of veterinarians would probably disagree me. I once sat for a cat who ate nothing but Meow Mix dry food and lived to be over 20!

 Remember to add new foods to your cat's diet in small increments if they are used to something different. It's easy to tell if they've enjoyed it but it's up to you to keep track of how well they've digested it. (This is why not having an automatic litter box is best.) Mud Bay offers lots of samples and helpful information on good food that is made in the U.S. You can also consult the guide below (you may be surprised about some brands - I was):
reviews.com/ cat food

Here's to your kitty's good health and happy life!

Another Great Catio

    Lucky kitty clients of mine have a new catio space to enjoy! This "bump-out" off the house is accessed via a slider and screened with claw-resistant mesh that also prevents flying insects from entering the space, making it a pleasant space for humans too. It's attached to the south side of the house and has a clear ceiling to take full advantage of sunny days. So why aren't there any kitties in the pictures below? It was a freezing morning in January when I took these shots and the resident felines were wisely inside enjoying breakfast and central heating. 

Catios increase feline real estate, especially if you add cat walks and perches for younger cats who like to climb up high. This in turns reduces tension in a multi-cat family, keeping everyone happier and healthier. Direct sunlight is, in my opinion, essential for feline mental and physical health and catios help fill that need. Start planning a catio of you own for Spring!

This is a shot of the screen door out to the garden. A pretty glass wind chime catches breezes. 

Check out the catwalk!

Here's a cozy chaise for lounging and steps leading up to a high spot.

Steps and a platform for bird and squirrel viewing, plus another soft blanket/chair combo for snoozing.

Happy New Year!

Here are a few photos of some the kitties I spent the holidays with. (I saw many more wonderful kitties but lighting and timing, especially with playful kittens often prevent good camera shots.) 

Abby, adopted from MEOW several years ago. Abby is a beautiful long-haired kitty 

whose favorite toy is a boot lace! In this picture she was waiting for me to play with it with her.

Seamus (large tabby boy) and Coconut (torti girl), enjoying the sunshine on the stairs. These precious kitties are long-time clients.

Sweet Hannah kicking back with her catnip toy.

Jeremy, whose stunning good looks are matched by his affectionate disposition.

Jordy, an adorable youngster adopted with his sister Maisey from PAWS. These lucky kittens have tons of toys, tunnels and scratchers, as well as several humans to play with.

Holiday Cat Food Drive

Remember kitties in shelters awaiting homes this holiday season. Purchase some special treats or food for felines and I will deliver everything to Cats Exclusive Veterinary Center by the end of the year. They will match donations pound for pound! They will donating the goods to Seattle Area Feline Rescue. I can pick up your donations when I sit for your kitties or feel free to contact me for another arrangement, or you can drop off items at Cats Exclusive. Cats Exclusive Cat Food Drive

Book review: Baker & Taylor

To distract yourself from current events (AKA the election), I suggest reading a good cat story. The True Tails of Baker and Taylor is not just cute anecdotes about the two kitties who lived at the public library in a small town in Nevada. It also illustrates how societal norms have evolved to include companion animals in our daily lives and how we view them as having individual personalities and not just as a species. In 1982 the librarian, Jan Louch, and her co-worker decided that they would purchase two Scottish fold cats to live at the library. Now I think there is a greater awareness of adopting rather than buying cats but at that time many cats in the area were outdoor/feral cats kept on ranches simply for controlling rodents. Douglas County, Nevada grew in size and changed in demographics as Californians moved into the area, as well as libraries changed in the wake of the Internet and home computers. Baker and Taylor did not have a Facebook page, photo-shopped website pictures or selfies being tweeted, yet they became famous via library conventions and at trade shows where the company after which they were named used their images on posters and shopping bags.

There are many reasons Baker and Taylor were so renowned and loved by people, many of whom lived out of town and had never even met the boys. Cats make many people feel relaxed and comfortable, just like therapy animals. Many shelters now have reading programs where school age kids come in and read to cats and dogs; this provides the animals some one-on-one time and helps children become more confident in their reading skills.Consider cat cafes, which have become "a thing" in many countries. Many skilled nursing/senior homes have a resident feline. I've also read about yoga classes with adoptable cats "helping" in the studio. Kitties in public places help us remember to take a moment, pet the kitty and just be.

If you enjoyed Dewey, the Library Cat check out The True Tails of Baker and Taylor. Highlights include short bios of other library cats around the U.S.

Taylor strikes a pose

Let's celebrate ALL cats

Why is October 16th National Feral Cat Day? Because that's the day Alley Cat Allies officially became a non-profit 25 years ago. This group has done incredible work for cats, from hands-on rescue after Hurricane Katrina to challenging laws and government policies that are deadly to cats. They offer a National Cat Help Desk hotline: (240) 482-1980, ext. 330. ACA hosts an online Veterinary Resource Center so that veterinarians themselves can then help community cats and the folks who care for them. By providing grant money and education on how to implement low cost/high volume spay/neuter, they partner with shelters across the country to stop the killing of cats turned into county shelters. 

I think ACA is not only helping how our systems in place handle stray and community cats but how many people view them. The vast majority of animal welfare and animal protection groups have embraced trap/neuter/return as the proven and humane method of allowing community cats to live out their natural lives without suffering endless breeding cycles and all the issues Tomcats bring to the table. In my experience however, it's usually one special animal who acts as the catalyst for people who have a shift in their thinking. My client Beth has been a devoted kitty mom her whole adult life, and while all her kitties were rescues they were usually indoor cats. Here is her story of BK, a feline on his way to being feral after being abandoned outside to fend for himself. BK is still a bit of a wild child and he is loved just the way he is! 

In the spring of 2010 a bedraggled little black long-haired kitten wandered into my yard. He was matted, dirty, had “stud tail”, & was scared & hungry. So of course I started feeding him. In the beginning, he wouldn’t come anywhere near me. I was patient & talked to him in soothing tones telling him it was OK to come eat. At first he would only eat in the yard & watch me. Then after months went by, I managed to get him to come closer & closer until he came on the porch where I made him a bed. I named him BK.

Our first breakthrough happened when BK sniffed my hand, then finally allowed me to pet him a little. It took lots of food & kind words to finally get him to trust me. As soon as I thought he wouldn’t freak out, I got him into a cat carrier & off to the Vet we went! Pronounced healthy, he was neutered & got all his shots. As I like to say, “$367 later he was “mine.” I honestly thought he might take off but he didn’t & still lives with me & my other cat. He’s still a bit wild & is the only allowed outside during the day because he was “homeless” for the first year of his life & screams to go out. Little by little he’s staying inside more & always stays in at night where he sleeps on the bed next to my head unless he’s on one of the kitty perches or on top of the armoire (his favorite spot!)

I think BK came from ”down the street” as I know there’s another cat who looks just like him who lives with some neighbors who rescued her around the same time. She’s also named “BK” (Black Kitty). Even though he can be a handful sometimes & is a bit of a bully, he also has turned into a very affectionate cat with a big, rumbling purr. He’s still afraid of anyone he doesn’t know but he seems to love me & I love him.

National Feral Cat Day is coming soon!

Wondering what's going on in your community for National Feral Cat Day this coming Sunday, October 16th? Check out :National Feral Cat Day and stay tuned to my blog for another "formerly feral" story about a kitty client of mine!

Gigi,  one of the first feral kitties who came into my life and helped educate me. She came from one of the first TNR sites I worked on, in a south Seattle area called Hillman City.