Pets Need Wholesome Food Also
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Healthy Food — Healthy Pets

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Dogs and cats deserve a wholesome raw meat diet

Cats Need To Scratch

If you have a cat or if you are thinking about getting a cat, the reality is they will scratch. In fact, cats need to scratch — it's really that simple.

Scratching is a behavior that is instinctive for cats much in the same way that using a kitty litter box is. You don't need to teach a cat to use the kitty litter box, they just will. When it comes to scratching, while you don't need to teach them to do this, you certainly cannot teach them *not* to do this. Cats will scratch.

Cats scratch, like many other animals, to mark their territory. Obviously, scratch marks are a visual sign but beyond what your eyes can see, there are also scents that are left when the cats scratch. Unless you have a very strong sense of smell, which we humans don't have, you won't be able to smell the scent left by the cats but other animals can and do. Below the cat's paws are some superficial glands, which secrete the pheromones.

In addition to leaving a scent or marking their territory, scratching also acts like a nail file removing the dead cells from the claws. More than likely, scratching also helps to strengthen the paws and forearms. It seems to me that cats ultimately just enjoying scratching.

Cats usually scratch around important areas that mark their territory such as near windows, sleeping areas, the kitty litter, etc. As a result, it's always a good idea to put scratch pads near important areas. In fact, recently, I noticed one of my cats scratching the table where I work. I didn't realize the significance of why my cat why was scratching the table until I really thought about it — it's an important location to my cat.

Flehmen Response

The Flehmen Response is a method in which many animals, including cats, will curl their upper lip which allows the transfer of pheromones and other scents into the vomeronasal organ, also called the Jacobson's Organ. Ultimately, the vomeronasal organ is an auxiliary organ that specifically senses smells.

When an animal is using the Flehmen Response, the animal draws back their lips in a manner that makes them appear to be grimacing. The drawing back of the lip helps expose the vomeronasal organ, which then draws scent molecules back toward it. This behavior allows animals to detect scents, for example from urine, of other members of their species or clues to the presence of prey. Flehming allows the animals to determine several factors, including the presence or absence of estrus, the physiological state of the animal, and how long ago the animal passed by. This particular response is recognizable, for example, in stallions when smelling the urine of a mare in heat.

Below is an example of a Sumatra Tiger exhibiting the Flehming Response.

Flehmen Response

Before a cat scratches to mark its territory, a cat will usually exhibit the Flehmen Response.

Destructive Scratching

When your cat does destructive scratching, it can usually be a result of either not enough scratch pads in the house or the scratch pads are in the wrong location. Putting the scratch pads in areas where your cat will want to mark its territory will help reduce the destructive scratching.

Just because a cat is an outdoor cat as well as an indoor cat does not mean the cat will not want to scratch inside. Some cats, which do scratching outdoors, will not scratch indoors while others will. Therefore, regardless of whether you have an indoor or outdoor cat, it's always a good idea to have some scratch pads inside the house.

Indoor cats will definitely need scratch pads.

Having scratch pads does not or will not stop your cats from totally scratching the things you don't want them to scratch like furniture, but having scratch pads will definitely reduce the need for your cat to scratch furniture, etc.

While scratch pads or scratching posts are a good idea, having cat furniture, which allows them to jump, scratch, rest and even play will also make a tremendous difference in preventing destructive scratching.

Cat toys are helpful as they help encourage your cat to exercise, scratch the toy, chase the toy, etc. This helps reduce destructive scratching as does playing with your cat. A simple piece of string is one of the best cat toys although there are many others.

Say No To Cat Declawing

If you have a cat, of course, it would be easy to declaw your cat and then you no longer need to worry about your cat destroying your furniture, etc. But the reality is, a cat needs its claw whether it be for hunting, protection, for climbing, etc. Cats need their claws. You can declaw your cat but it's not the answer.

If you accept cats into your life then you must also accept their claws.

Instead of declawing your cat, look to find a solution. Buy cat trees, cat toys, scratching pads and scratching posts.

When provided the correct tools, a cat will scratch the things they are meant to scratch and not the items you don't want them to scratch.

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Testimonials

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The following are testimonials shown in random order. In addition to reading these testimonials, you may also want to read The Sick Pet Project.

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I Like Your Products – And The Bonuses Too!

2008-06-12

SharonHi Jesse, I am so delighted with your products. I really appreciate your sending the extra gift of the enzymes the past 2 orders. They are really good and I can see that they are extremely beneficial. Many thanks for making these products available. My dogs send you many wet kisses.

– Sharon

One Word — Fantastic

2005-08-15

We thought we would write to let you know how our cats are doing on the fresh food diet. In a word — fantastic! We have four feline companions in total, ranging in ages from 5 months to 9 years. All are healthy & full of vigour now. When they were eating canned and dry food they often had diarrhea (we fed vet recommended food), would throw up regularly after meals and had constant problems with hairballs (we brushed them a lot). All that is stopped now. One of our males, part Russian Blue, had recurring FUS (feline urological syndrome). With this natural way of feeding it has completely cleared up. Another remarkable thing is they almost never drink water now (we always leave fresh water out), all they need is provided in their food. We feel a lot better about feeding fresh meat and such rather than man made food with preservatives and chemical additives, etc. We want our cats with us for a long time and feel with this diet they will enjoy lengthy and healthy lives.

Thank you for introducing us to the feeding of fresh wholesome food the way Mother Nature intended. It did take a little while for them (and us) to get used to it, like asking kids not to eat junk food, but now they attack their meals with gusto! Thanks again.

— Lori and Russ

The Wonders of A Wholesome Meal!

2010-03-10

Hello everyone,

We are two Pomeranian brothers Dolce & Gabbana.

We were born on the 18th of November, 2009 in Malta, Europe (near the southern part of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea).

We have been struggling with allergies since we started eating at 4 weeks of age.

When our mother took us home for the first time she immediately realised that there was something wrong with us, Big possibility it was allergies. Mummy took us to the vet with no delay. Our vet changed our food, yet another garbage dry food perhaps even worse from what we where having. It was full of corn, maize, corn, maize. Mummy thought this food was more appropriate for chicken and not puppies. This food only made us feel worse with watery eyes, itchy skin and it just irritated much. So Mummy thought ok I will feed them what I believe is nutritional and healthy – nothing can beat natural food.

So mummy started cooking for us fresh cooked food – 2 parts meat and 1 part vegetables and some boiled apples, pears and raw bananas instead of vegetables for breakfast. Our skin and itching had improved in the first week but our eye irritations and watering got worse. To the vet again. This time the same brand food but a veterinary diet and still with corn plus some supplements such Omega 3, Omega 6, taurine, minerals and vitamins. Since Mummy did not know much about these sources she did not trust it and believed this was another commercial crap. She bought it and the food also but never gave it to us. Now Mummy came to the conclusion that we were allergic to wheat – so no treats, allergic to corn – so no commercial food. Mummy had to find what was harming us in her fresh food diet that she believed in so much.

Mummy began to believe that we had protein allergy. So our diet had been adjusted to boiled duck breast and sweet potatoes. At this point Mummy was worried sick about us and our health at this very crucial time while we are growing from babies to young boys. She was worried that we are going to be weak for the rest of our lives just because she did not know what was the proper food for us. She was feeling irresponsible that she had brought us to her without knowing how to take care of us properly. The love she gave us was not enough for our needs. She hesitated to go to the vet again as she felt that he was not understanding her when she explained natural food was her choice to feed us.

Meanwhile Mummy kept on searching on the internet for a remedy, day and night of course this was how she learned to detect our allergies to wheat, corn and also protein – from the internet. Mummy was worried sick, Saying to her self, but if I don’t feed them protein from meat what can I feed them to make them grow strong and healthy? Vegetables were not enough! Dogs are not vegetarians! It is against their nature. Mummy’s head was spinning now feeling down and sick of not eating herself. Spending nights not sleeping, staying on the internet searching for a remedy for our proper intake and praying to mighty God to help her find a solution to make us healthy and happy. On Friday night or early Saturday morning on March 5th, 2010, Mummy came across Pets Need Wholesome Food Also. She thought, here I am, this is the answer to my prayers!

Mummy kept reading till morning – her eyes filled with tears of joy. She knew this was it. Same diet as she was giving us, which she believed in so much except uncooked! So Mummy has found the key. At least, that was what she was hoping.

After she read and understood all which was very plain and easy for her to understand, she went to the freezer, got the fresh meat which she had bought and packed in portions the previous day for us. Mummy thought she would start off with chicken breast minced, although, there was a time that she was beginning to think that we where allergic to chicken meat but after she read the story of the The Sick Pet Project, it encouraged her to give it to us. She thought this is for sure more wholesome than the poor meal of 2 parts sweet potatoes and 1 part cooked duck breast which we have been eating for 3 days now.

So Mummy prepared the well blended vegetables which consisted of carrots and peas and defrosted the chicken mince by putting it in a plastic bag and soaking it in warm water: For this time she had learned not to use a microwave for our food. Than she broke some eggs, washed the shell and removed the white lining inside and also removed the parts which where printed with ink for date of consumption, then she crushed them as fine as possible by putting them in a plastic bag and crushed them further with the rolling pen several times. Unfortunately, in Malta we do not have a homeopathic veterinarian, let alone a place where to buy the homeopathic remedies for pets.

By now it was 6 o’clock in the morning. Mummy had realised that we where hearing her all the time so we were not sleeping in our playpen. While Mummy always gave us breakfast at around 7:30 AM or 8:00 AM, she could not wait to start giving us this wholesome meal and start us fresh on this what she called miraculous raw diet. We where so starving that we ate double the portion we normally eat. Mummy started crying and showered us with kisses and cuddles and telling us that now we were on the road to recovery, good health and happiness. We had a very nice sleep afterword and Mummy was very much concerned about our reaction to the new diet so she kept watching us constantly while we where sleeping like two little angels.

When we got up we where rather upset because it was our digestive system. Mummy thinks we needed some FloraZyme LP according to what she understood in her reading but unfortunately Mummy did not have any on hand, neither could she go buy it nor make it her self for us like she did the calcium. So Mummy decided to rub our tummy and stomach with warm hands after some time one of us went to the washroom on the nappy to get relieved, that was me Dolce, and immediately I started playing and running with my toys. Gabbana was still upset looking up at Mummy with mercy. He did urinate quit a few times, not only on the nappy but wherever. His urine was very clear like water. Meanwhile, five hours has passed and Gabbana had no sign of apatite.

This time we were not so keen on the food both of us. Not much of a nice taste like the food we are use to. So Mummy decided to mash some peanut butter in it because that is our favourite treat. We ate it all from Mummy’s hands, given with love.

My brother Gabbana still has not been relieved and he was sleeping again when Gabbana got up went to the nappy pad and got relieved. Seeing us happy playing and full of life was a great relief for Mummy! We have been fed 4 times a day as usual but much bigger amount, almost double of what we normally ate. Although we are very small, we still have managed to take big meals until this morning. I, Dolce, weigh 1.6 Kg and my brother Gabbana weighs 2.1 kg. Today is our fifth day on the wholesome meal raw diet. At our first meal of the day we ate the usual big meal and after some small pieces of pear and bananas. At our second meal we ate a little less and our third meal was less for Gabbana. Gabbana always seemed to be the strongest.

In these 5 days, we had become two complete different puppies – no excessive itching, no eye irritations and the rough hair patch on the lower part of our back and tail begin to get smoother. Mummy had helped it a little by messaging some olive oil on it too. It is unbelievable how much benefit we have had from the wholesome raw diet in just 5 days. We are already feeling and looking healthier – and much more playful, relaxed and obedient. And all this was not possible without the help and amazing educational information to our Mummy of how to feed and make wholesome meals for us (http://www.pet-grub.com/).

We have no words to thank you enough Jesse. You are a God sent gift to us and those like us. May God be with you and bless you always!

– Dolce & Gabanna


Dolce and Gabbana