It is crucial to educate ourselves, to be attentive to our pets state of health
and to provide them with a human grade and quality ingredient pet food. To do
so, is actually less expensive than the many diseased, euthanized options that
are being promoted as "premium" foods.
"Holistic &
Natural" does not necessarily mean that a pet food is made from quality
ingredients or free of toxic protein sources.. Today, most manufacturers' are using this
terminology, whether it be the truth or not. I have learned the hard way that none
of the pet food manufacturers have our pet's best interests in mind. Do not
blindly accept the advertising hype or what the pet store tells you. Instead,
let the pet tell you if the food you are feeding is ok...please listen
to what they have to say always....
because foods that are safe today, may not be safe tomorrow. Current pet food regulations
allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to
your pet. A pet food manufacturer can use an ingredient mix from a
supplier but does not have to list on their bag of pet food what is in those
ingredients. GMO ingredients and high grain content in pet food bring about poor
health and ultimately immune system failure. Skin
problems, greasy matting hair, excessive shedding or loss of hair, itching and bald spots are
all signs of
serious inflammatory issues which, if not dealt with, will eventually lead to major organ failure
and premature death.
You will be shocked to learn what is in some pet foods. For
example, please read:
Below are links to the websites of companies that make the food and litter that
Villaroyal kittens are accustomed to. These are foods that have proven safe in
the cattery. It is not necessary to order all the items below. At Villaroyal, each cat's diet is tailored to individual
preferences and needs. I will provide information to adoptive parents
regarding necessary products for each
particular kitten at the time of purchase. Please do not buy food until
it is known what the kitten is eating.
Quality is important but the kitten must also enjoy it's food. Be attentive to their preferences in order to ensure optimum
health. Some cats
will starve before eating a food that they find distasteful. Cats can also
develop a sensitivity to a particular ingredient and by instinct will try to
avoid that ingredient. Be watchful for signs of a cat in dietary distress.
Tremendous health
benefits are provided by making simple, right choices that will put the adopted
kitten/cat on the right path to a non-eventful adjustment and a long healthy
life. Please don't risk a cat's life by thinking any cat food is
good enough. Many times the harm being done goes undetected, the cat
suffers in silence until it's too late. Toxic pet food damage is
irreversible..
The
safest diet is homemade. I
can help you get started if you wish. However, since a busy life style does not
always allow enough time for most people to make pet food, my kittens are also
accustomed to a partial commercial diet.
If you prefer home delivery, Pet
Best often has coupons, promos, free shipping, no tax and
10% discount if you go on auto ship. Fast, friendly service.
Offered
as the main food in the cattery. most
kittens prefer and will be eating this food at adoption time.
Crude
Protein 36% min. Fat 18%
min. Fiber 3% max.
Calories 409 kcal/cup
Complete feeding instructions will be given at the time of
purchase. Please ask before purchasing food.
ACANA Wild Prairie Formula
Offered
as an alternate food in the cattery. At adoption time
instructions will be provided as to which food is preferred by
each individual kitten.
Crude
Protein 35% min.
Fat 20% min.
Fiber 3% max.
Calories
485 kcal/cup
Made in Alberta, Canada from fresh, regional ingredients. No
grain, high protein, low carbohydrates. Contains friendly
bacteria which benefits the intestinal system and in turn the immune
system.
Complete feeding instructions will be given at the time of
purchase.
Please ask before purchasing food.
If
you prefer home delivery, Pet
Best often has coupons, promos, free shipping, no
tax and 10% discount if you go on auto ship. Fast,
friendly service.
Made
by The Honest Kitchen, a private, family owned company. Only
human grade ingredients are used and production occurs in a FDA
inspected human food facility in the USA, alongside
products such as breakfast cereals for human consumption.This
food can be used as a stand alone diet but I prefer at this time to
use it in place of canned food, as a supplement to a dry food diet.
A
dehydrated product, high protein, grain-free. Servings are made
fresh at each feeding, solving the problem of the cat refusing to
eat leftover canned food that has been refrigerated. After
hydration, Prowl is the perfect food for cats since it provides them
with plenty of fluid which is vital for their urinary and excretory
systems.
Outstanding
product to feed in combination with dry food and homemade. Serve only
what the cat will eat, there is never any waste. Safe to feed as
much as the cat wants.
"Complete & Balanced
for All Life Stages".
I
prefer that you use prowl to make home made meals
in addition to the Instinct FROZEN Raw Bites
But
if you don't have time this canned food is the next best option
Natures Variety INSTINCT Chicken or Duck Formula Available at
Petco or find
a store near you
If
you prefer home delivery, Pet
Best often has coupons, promos, free shipping, no tax
and 10% discount if you go on auto ship. Fast, friendly
service.
Water Bowl or
Fountain
The filters in all fountains are at best
very inadequate. Filters must be changed at least once a week.
Best NOT to use the filter.
Drinkwell
360: Great for one cat or multiple cat households.
Interchangeable spout rings; up to five cats can have their own fresh
flowing stream of water at the same time as their friends. Much easier to
clean than other fountains - holds one gallon of water.
Most
cats will drink more when they have running water
In nature cats get most of their water from their
food as they are not forced to eat dry kibble. As a result most
house cats do not normally drink enough water which predisposes many of
them to urinary tract infections and crystals. The fountain provides
running water which attracts cats and encourages them to drink more.
Please consider this worthwhile investment in your cat's health.
If you use a standard water bowl, it is necessary to have one that is at least 5"
in diameter, made of ceramic or glass. If a cat is not drinking enough
sometimes a larger diameter bowl will solve the problem. Some cats
don't like their whiskers to touch the side of the bowl. For individual cats, I use the 16
ounce Corning Ware French White "Pop-Ins Bake and Serve"
bowls. They are non-porous stoneware, wash easily by hand or in the
dishwasher and are not easy to tip over. They can be purchased almost
anywhere but if you like to shop online they are available at Amazon. Clean water bowls daily
with vinegar and rinse well. Do not use soaps or detergents unless
rinsed well with soft water or in a dishwasher..
Cats love fresh water. In addition, most cats will not drink enough if it's chemically
treated, tastes or smells bad to them. In such cases, it is a good
idea to provide Poland Spring water or distilled water for your cat to avoid the risk of dehydration
and urinary health issues. The belief that distilled water leaches
minerals from the body is not correct. Cats do not need minerals or other
additives in their water; in fact most are harmful. Adequate minerals are
supplied by feeding a high quality diet. Water serves to flush the
system, so cats need to be provided with pure water to ensure optimum health.
Litter
Please use environmentally
friendly products. Each year billions of pounds of clay-based
litter enters our landfills.
Clay litter products are not only unhealthy for the cat, but they
also damage the environment.
Wood Pellets make a safe, clean litter
Villaroyal kittens are trained to use wood pellet litter.
Feline Pine or wood pellet horse beddingcan be used. Wood pellets are clean,
cat safe, environment friendly and can be scooped.
Some people experience difficulty scooping wood
pellet litter and become discouraged. However, a new litter box
specifically designed for pellets is now available. I have tested
this box in the cattery and am more than impressed. This system is
totally dust free, offers perfect odor control and makes cleaning the
litter box a "BREEZE". Although initial
expenditure may be considered a bit high, the maintenance is low and in the long run
you will save money on litter. An added bonus
over traditional clay litter, is that lifting heavy bags, breathing
toxic dust and having to deal with disposal issues will be avoided. I highly recommend
pellet litter and the "Breeze" litter system. Click here to learn more about how the "Breeze" litter system works.
Please
note: I do NOT use the system as intended. I use WOOD
PELLETS in this system w/o the pads. I dump and wash the pull out
pan daily.
Should you choose to use a
different type of litter, please tell me ahead of time and I will send enough wood
pellets to help the kitten make a satisfactory adjustment.
Note: I cannot recommend the
homemade food section of this book
Definitive how-to for a
healthier,
more natural and holistic
approach to animal health
Last Updated -
March 02, 2013
Copyright
1998 - 2012 Villaroyal Ragdolls - Eileen M Pickett
This web site design and text are the property of Villaroyal Ragdolls and
may
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