Why Does My Pet Eat Grass?

Are you concerned when your dog or cat eats grass, then throws up afterwards? You'll probably feel relieved to know that pets eat grass because their bodies need it.

Dogs and cats have been eating grass for a long time. In fact, grass is so popular among dogs that one species, dog grass, is named after them. Dog grass is also known as couch grass and quackweed, and it grows in all but the southern-most states.

You can think of grass as an herbal medicine. It acts as an internal cleanser, expelling excess mucus, bile, and other impurities. It also cleanses the bowels and expels worms. Cereal grasses contain enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Grass also contains chlorophyll, which was used for relieving pain, treating infections, ulcers, skin diseases, and anemia prior to the use of antibiotics.

Some pet owners grow grass specifically to give to their pets to prevent or treat diarrhea, anemia, cataracts, fleas, tumors excessive shedding, and other pet health problems. Pets that are fed grass on a regular basis are less likely to crave outdoor grass. So, if you don't feel comfortable with your pet eating the grass in your lawn, you may want to grow your own grass for them to eat.

Try growing rye or barley sprouts. These sprouts are preferred over wheat grass because some animals are sensitive to wheat.

Follow these instructions to grow rye or barley grass. Soak one cup organically grown grain in one quart water for 8 to 10 hours. Then drain the container and leave it on its side in a warm place, away from direct sunlight. A tiny white rootlet will sprout from each grain within 24 to 48 hours. Caution: If you don't see these rootlets, your grain isn't viable and should be thrown away.

Next, spread the sprouting grain on one inch of moist potting soil or top soil in a plastic garden tray. For drainage create a one inch channel around the soil.

For two days, cover the tray. Then uncover it, and water thoroughly. Place the tray in direct sunlight or under grow lights. Keep the soil moist by watering when needed.

When the grass is 6-8" tall, cut it with scissors or a sharp knife. Place grasses in a ziploc bag, along with a damp paper towel. Be sure to expel air from the bag before sealing. Then store the grass in the refrigerator.

When feeding the grass to your pet, cut or mince it into tiny pieces, or place a small amount in a blender or food processor with other foods. To be sure your cat or dog will accept the grass, begin feeding just a fraction of a teaspoon. Increase the amount gradually to approximately one tablespoon per 50 lbs. of body weight.

Once your pet is given the amount of grass his body needs, you probably won't be seeing him eating the grass in your lawn. And you can feel relieved knowing that you're feeding him something that he craves and that his body needs.

The #1 Thing You Can Do For Your Pet’s Health: Learn to Read a Pet Food Label

While attractive packaging and seals of approval on the front of a bag or can of pet food are what attract most people, the real information you need is found on the back… on the nutrition label. As a savvy pet parent, you also need to be aware of what’s NOT listed on the label. But let’s start with the label itself. If you pick up any bag or can of pet food, you should see two key things:

1 The ingredients list 
2 The guaranteed analysis

1 An ingredient list is required to display all ingredients in decreasing amounts (by weight) used in the product. The biggest contributors are first on the list and the smallest are last. While you’re reading the ingredients list, pay most attention to the first 10 ingredients. These are the major ingredients that make up the bulk of the food. The very first ingredient you want to see is a specific named source of meat (beef, lamb, chicken, etc.) – especially for cats.

Other Things to Pay Attention  to in the Ingredients List Are:

Ø Do you see mostly real food names that you recognize? (i.e. pork, pumpkin, rice, barley)

Ø Are corn, wheat, soy, white potato, powdered cellulose, or their byproducts listed in the first few ingredients? These are common allergens. Grains such as oats, barley, quinoa, and millet are much better options.

Ø Does the food contain fresh sources of fruits and vegetables? Bonus points if they’re organic.

Ø Are there a lot of chemical names listed? BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, Glycerol Monostearate, and Propylene Glycol are chemical preservatives that are toxic to pets, but are often added to pet foods.

Ø Be aware of vegetables and grains being used as a source of protein. The majority of the protein in the food should come from real meat sources, not peas, soy, corn, gluten, or grains.

Ø Avoid foods that use byproducts such as “chicken byproduct meal,” or “beef byproduct meal.”

Ø If you can, it’s best to stay away from protein “meals” in general. If you’re purchasing a product that contains “meal,” it’s better for it to specify the animal (i.e. “lamb meal”) than for the more generic “meat meal” or “poultry meal.”

Ø Stay away from foods with MSG, artificial colors, and added sugars such as high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients aren’t healthy for your precious pet… or you.

2 The guaranteed analysis section of the label lists by percentage the breakdown of the food. You’ll almost always see a percentage for protein, fat, fiber, and moisture. Other things will also often be listed such as ash and different nutrients.

How Many Carbs is Your Pet Consuming?

What you usually won’t find in the guaranteed analysis is the percentage of carbohydrates. This is a critical number that you can roughly gauge by subtracting the percentages of protein, fat, moisture, crude fiber (an indigestible part of carbohydrates), and ash listed on the label from 100. The number you have left over will be a rough estimate of the percentage of carbs the food contains. Why does knowing the percentage of carbs in your cat or dog’s food matter? Because in the wild, dogs and cats naturally consume very few carbohydrates. Feeding them high-carb foods is a surefire recipe for chronic health problems to develop.

An Uncomfortable Truth About Pet Foods 

There’s an ingredient in pet food that sounds innocent, but has a dark side that most consumers aren’t aware of. According to the National Renderers Association, “Rendered protein meals such as meat and bone meal, poultry byproduct meal, and fish meal are almost universally used in pet foods.” Rendering is basically a process where a whole lot of animal parts that can’t be used for human food are thrown into large vats and cooked into a “sludge” that is then sold to pet food companies and used to make pet food. Included in this sludge can be road kill and euthanized animals (including cats & dogs!). While you as a loving pet parent may find this disturbing, it’s not illegal. Look at how the FDA defines “rendered animal feed ingredients”: “Rendering of poultry and other animal tissues has been practiced for over a hundred years as a means of salvaging valuable protein and fat content from otherwise waste material. For many years end products from rendering have been used to feed animals. The rendering industry utilizes packinghouse offal, meat processing waste, restaurant waste and animal tissues from other sources including animals that have died otherwise than by slaughter.”

What should Dogs & Cats be eating?

Aside from what they can steal off the table and any wild animals they might happen to catch and consume, your pet’s nutrition is your total responsibility. You determine both the quality and the quantity of what they are fed. Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that they must eat meat to survive. According to veterinarian Dr. Gary Richter, “The vast majority of a feline diet should be meat based, and all the protein should be sourced from meat.” Depending on who you ask, dogs are either carnivores or omnivores. Ultimately this just means that dogs have a bit more flexibility in their diet in that they’ll eat non-meat food. That being said, most dogs do best on a meat-based diet.

The Trouble With Kibble 

What do we mean by “kibble”? It’s those hard, dry pellets that come in bags and boxes that people purchase to feed their pets. It’s so common that when many people think of “pet food,” kibble is what immediately comes to mind. But this wasn’t always the case… Only 100 or so years ago most dogs were being fed table scraps. House and barn cats caught mice, birds, and other small animals and were given saucers of milk to drink. As more people moved from the country to the city, however, the demand for convenient pet foods increased. People were eating canned foods themselves and thus the natural evolution was canned foods for pets. But during WWII this became a problem when metal was being rationed and cans were no longer available for pet food. This was the advent of dry food for pets. Then in the 1950s, the Ralston Purina company (now Purina) innovated a new process for creating dry pet food called “extrusion.” Extrusion is when ingredients are mixed together to create a soft, dough-like substance that is heated and extruded (pushed) through a small hole. The dough expands and cools and becomes a uniform piece of pet food known as kibble. The same basic process for creating kibble pioneered by Purina is still used today. Along with the rise of pet food manufacturing, an organization called the Pet Food Institute was formed in the 1960s. The Institute started a campaign warning pet owners that feeding table scraps was dangerous. Instead, pet owners should only feed “complete” foods. In other words, they should only feed processed pet foods that they purchased.

The Pet Food Institute still operates today and states on its “About Us” page that its members “make 98% of all U.S. pet food products.” As an industry association it’s primary purpose is to promote and protect the pet food industry. By the way, according to the website Statistica.com, the pet food market in the United States alone was valued at 24.6 billion dollars in 2016.

Do Pet Food Standards Provide a False Sense of Security?

Most commercially-produced foods you’ll find on store shelves will proudly display an AAFCO stamp on their packaging. You’ll often see claims such as “our pet food meets or exceeds AAFCO guidelines” and “this food provides complete and balanced nutrition.” But what do these claims really mean, if anything? And what is the AAFCO? According to their website, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is “an independent membership association of local, state and federal agencies charged by law to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remedies.” AAFCO doesn’t have any regulatory authority itself, but its guidelines are used by government agencies. As it turns out, the phrase “complete and balanced” is actually a legally-protected term which can only be used on foods that meet AAFCO standards. In other words, a pet food manufacturer can’t make the claim unless their food passes the AAFCO testing process.

This all sounds great, and it must mean that any food bearing this claim must be healthy for your pet, right? Well… maybe not. When it comes down to it, the AAFCO testing isn’t all that rigorous when it comes to ensuring the quality of pet food. The basic testing process goes something like this:

1 Ingredients are reviewed to make sure they are not overly toxic and include some representation from the basic food groups.

2 The food is then tested on a minimum of eight (8) healthy animals.

3 Blood samples are taken and the average group number for each test is determined. The results are considered “normal” if the average blood test values shows no anemia and there are normal values for liver enzymes, protein levels, and hemoglobin.

4 As long as the animals don’t die of “nutritional causes” and the blood test values are satisfactory, the food passes. It doesn’t matter if the animals are itchy, lame, sickly, gain or lose weight, or dislike the food. This seems like a pretty low bar for a product that an animal can potentially be eating for its entire life. Hence it comes back to you as a good pet parent to take a closer look at what’s actually in those packages and cans you’re giving your precious pet.

Why Should You Opt For The Best Stroller For Cats?

Cats that have been brought up indoors are exposed to nasty animals and uncontrollable traffic on the roads when they head outside. An unaware cat walking on the roads can face a life threat because of these outside dangers and they need to be protected at all times, but then how can they venture outdoors and experience the glory of nature.

1) Provide stimulating outdoors to pets:

Indoor cats, when they venture outside, love to find a cozy spot under a brush or shrub to protect them from peering eyes. They love to wallow in the beauty of the calm green surroundings. You can broaden and stimulate the sights for your cats by putting them comfortably inside a double cat stroller and keep them closeted inside warmly.

2) Safety and security of cats:

A cat stroller for two cats will definitely aid you in taking your feline pair outdoors for a picnic. In the safety and security of the double cat stroller, you can broaden the horizons for your cat pair and enjoy the outdoor sun. The best stroller for cats is very relaxing for your feline beauties because they can safely peep outside from behind a mesh while they lazily watch everything move around them.

3) Improve the quality of life:

While you lie back and read a book at the poolside your cats can sit snugly in a double cat stroller. The quality of life you spend is going to improve drastically. You can safely carry your pets to the store, mall, garden, and workplace. Just strap them in and start pushing them in the direction you want to take them in an efficient manner.

4) Relaxing atmosphere:

Your cats can now make their "mewing" trips to the vet comfortably and securely in the cat stroller for two cats. The protective and warm atmosphere will let the cats lie back and relax. No more mad chases after the odd mice or small animals which are moving around the park.

5) Best transportation for cats:

Just choose a stroller size and shape that suits you for transport purposes. A collapsible stroller is even better because you can store them easily and fix them into shape only when needed. We promise you are not going to skip that evening walk anymore. Your precious cats are going to be safe from other aggressive animals. Elderly cats who find it tough to move around can also be taken out in the strollers.

6) Balanced, safe and stable ride:

Cats love to relax in the fresh air and the stroller permits free passage of air. The carriage can be parked and transported anywhere. Your back will remain protected and unstrained because you don't have to carry the catty twins anywhere; the stroller is going to do the needful. The balanced and stable ride in the carriage will not disturb your walk rather the soothing movement will lull them to sleep comfortably. Your indoor cat can get harmed by moving transport on the road and it can stay happy and safeguarded inside the stroller.

Keeping Aquarian Fish Healthy

My first aquarium was set up in my teens and comprised the normal cold water gold-fish. They didn't survive long for some reason and the exercise of keeping fish as pets was soon abandoned. Years later, however, when my shop opened it was the tropical fish that took my fancy. They made a great addition to the flowers and other things that were retailed as part of my landscaping designing and florist business.

As an importer of these gorgeous creatures it wasn't long before my keen mind had learned enough about them to be able to advise purchasers of their needs. With all the accessories they require on hand the display units made a wonderful display at the rear of the plants and other outdoor products.

With the lights on most of the time and the tanks decorated with weeds and rocks it was a lovely experience. The fish were lively and colourful. Along with the bubbles floating to the surface it could not help but draw people's eyes.

As the large boxes arrived fresh off the aircraft the trick was to help them adjust to the new environment. That meant leaving their bags on the surface of the water for some time until the temperature inside the bag was the same as that of the tank. Even then other things had to be checked out.

The pH of the water is important and as most tap water contains chemicals, such as chlorine and, in Australia, fluorine the tanks have to be left for some time before the fish can be placed in them. As they had come from Asia and the water they were used to does not contain chemicals of this nature they could get sick if introduced too quickly.

It is these factors that make the keeping of tropical species a risky business. It takes time, effort, and a lot of money to set up a home aquarium and, unless one knows the correct procedure, the chances of survival is decreased. It took a lot of research before my knowledge was sufficient to deal with the many problems and anyone contemplating taking on keeping an aquarium needs to know how to keep the fish healthy.

How to Handle Nervous Cats

A few cats are extremely calm. But not all cats are tolerant and silent, you'll often face cats having aggressive and eager behavior. Such cats may cause some worry or disappointment for their masters despite the fact that their owners are willing to do everything to make their pets happy. If you consider yourself to be such a cat master, then you need to focus on increasing your knowledge regarding cats and their behaviors in order to keep your cat calmer and relax.

What is Behind Your Cat's Nervousness?

There are a lot of factors which can make your pet cat confuse and nervous. The most common cause for such nervousness is fear. You need to make sure that nothing in your home or surroundings is making the cat nervous or afraid. Also, if your cat has an unforgettable negative experience during the childhood, then such an incident or experience can lead to uncomfortable attitude. These negative childhood experiences can be of various types such as facing homelessness, improper treatment, bad social life experience related to cats, humans, dogs or even other species.

Similarly, change in environment can also make the cat feel nervous. For example, if you just purchased your cat and bring him/her home, then this change in environment can also make the cat feel confused or uncomfortable. But such situations can easily be improved with the passage of time, once your pet spent some time with you and your family provided no major trouble exists in the environment.

If you see your cat is trying to hide from others, don't panic. Keep in mind that if you'll provide her proper environment, she will soon overcome her nervousness. Hopefully, after some time, she will prefer to play with you instead of preferring to live in isolation.

This is a fact that most cats have an instinct for survival. This trait can lead to fight or flight reaction in particular situation which may cause the cat to run away or hide somewhere. Also, the presence of other cats in the surroundings can make the cat more nervous and it is observed that new cats often show defensive behavior in such situations. But such a situation keeps getting better day by day, all you need to do is to show some patience and wait.

There are times when your cat will be ill and like everybody else, cats consider illness as a scary situation. Therefore, you need to keep in mind that during the time of illness, your cat can show anxious behavior. Try to take your cat to doctor as soon as possible in order to get her out of discomfort and illness. This will surely help to make the cat healthy and relaxed in a minimal amount of time.

The presence of other pets especially dogs can also be a source of nervousness among cats. But no need to worry here as well, with the passage of time, your cat will adjust with dogs or other pets.

Conclusion

The main thing you must understand is that cats are basically sensitive species and needs proper love, care and safe environment to live happily and comfortably. Just provide the proper environment to your pet cats and surely, you'll get rid of all the problems related to your pet's behavior. However, this may take some time, so be patient.

All You Need to Know About Lucy's Law

The more advanced we are getting, the crueler we are turning out to be. The increased atrocities on animals firmly establishing this fact. In order to combat the animal atrocities, Lucy's Law has been introduced. As a human being, all have a responsibility to protect wildlife and making this planet a better place to live for everyone. Strong initiatives need to be taken to stop any sort of atrocities on animals and as dogs are our favorite among all other animals, we must try to immune people from harming these faithful cute little animals.

How can dog lovers support the initiative?

From framing a law to its implementation, the entire process is not only complicated but also time-taking. As a dog lover, you simply can't wait till the Lucy's Law gets recognition. There are few things you can do until Lucy's Law gain its legal confirmation.

This highly cruel and barbaric business flourished because there are people who buy puppies from the third party dealers. Be a responsible pet lover and stay away from buying dogs instead consider adopting a puppy. And you could also encourage others not to go for puppy shopping when they can easily adopt a dog from a shelter house.

Carry on the crusade against the treatment of dogs as a commodity and a breeding machine in the puppy farm by using your personal contacts, social media and other popular channels.

Show your support for the organizations that are battling for the rights and good causes of the dogs. You don't need to give them financial support but at least you can show your verbal support to them. Share their posts and like their pages and prompt others to do the same.

Make everyone around you aware and well-informed about the atrocities suffered by dogs in the puppy farms and try to generate a social awareness. The more information people will have, the more effective the campaign will become.

Lucy is a representative of thousands of dogs that are going through brutal torture, heartless treatment and malicious handling every day in a puppy house by a group of men who can stoop lower than a beast just for making money. Raise your voice and show your support are the best way to be a part of this movement. Just like Lucy was rescued and spent her last few years in the loving care of her owner, we wish every dog will find a home where he can be treated utmost care, love and affection.