Food

It should come as no surprise that Mother Nature is on the verge of taking a permanent sick day. After all, harmful climate changes due to greenhouse gases, air and water pollution, and the destruction of natural habitats are putting our planet and its inhabitants - both two- and four-legged - in peril. Hopefully, many of us have begun to make some changes in our daily lives to help reverse the damage done to, well, everything. But what role can our cats play in being good stewards of our beleaguered planet? There are many practical ways to reduce your felines carbon pawprint, which include switching to a corn or wheat-based cat litter and recycling cat food containers instead of throwing them in the trash. Get a jump start on Earth Day (April 22) by incorporating the following tips into your daily routine. Start out slowly if you wish by trying one or two new tips each week. Encourage your friends, family members and co-workers to join in your quest for a sustainable future. Youll find that its not only fun and easy to "go green," but youll see that you can make a positive and lasting impact on our world, which will please Mother Nature.

What a year it was for pet food recalls. Who would have thought, in January 2008, that by years end more than 100 brands of dry cat food and dog food from just one plant in Pennsylvania would be recalled - not for making pets sick, but for a possible link to human cases of infection with Salmonella enterica? So how can the average cat owner make sure not to miss an important food recall? One way is to periodically check the "Recalls & Safety Alerts" section of the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations Web site: www.fda.gov. While youre there, sign up for Email updates. Theres no telling what 2009 will bring.

Its no secret that gas prices are on the rise. So is just about everything else, including pet food. The U.S. Bureau of Labors Consumer Price Index reports that pet food prices for the second quarter of 2008 rose by eight to nine percent. While thats not as much of an increase as milk or gasoline, consumers are still seeing the most significant price increase in pet food in years. What gives?"If you look at the rising cost of pet foods, its all because of the cost of grains," says Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of Clinical Nutrition at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. "All of the grains such as corn and rice that are used to make pet food have gone up in price, so pet food prices had to rise as well. And that cost has to be passed on to the consumer." Pet owners like Teri Grohl have noticed. Grohl, an administrative assistant for a high-tech company, spent a portion of her $600 stimulus check on food and cat litter for her three cats, ages 12, six and two.

In March 16, 2007, Menu Foods, Inc. initiated a recall of pet food processed at two of its facilities and sold under multiple brand names. By early April 2007, more than 40 cat food products were included in the recall. As a result of this widespread recall of pet food, many pet owners are concerned with the safety of their cats food and have turned to their own kitchens for alternatives.

Life has gotten hard for Beth since her car accident. She is still confined to a wheelchair following multiple surgeries and a series [IMGCAP(1)]of skin grafts. Her children (whom she raised on her own) are all grown and gone, so Beth has only her beloved gray and white cat, Charity, to help her get through daily life at home. …

Diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite are the major signs of trouble if your cat is suffering from digestive tract problems.

A very clean litter box can be useful in prevention. But once diagnosed, your cat will likely need a specific dietary regimen.

When vomiting lasts more than a week, it's considered chronic, and the culprit needs to be discovered. Here's why.

One thing is certain: Cats lack a gene that enable them to taste sweetness. Here are other neat facts.

Incessant scratching is annoying for your cat and troublesome to you. But how can you tell if its her food thats the main culprit?

Here are some common-sense rules for storing your cats food so that it remains fresh and healthful.

Its better to tailor your aging cats nutrition to her individual needs and not her age. Heres why.