[Bobby dog]

That’s funny. Someone dropped off a rooster in my neighborhood the end of last summer at an empty house next to mine. The house was being renovated and one of the workers wanted to take the chicken home and have him for dinner. Luckily he couldn’t catch him. I of course had to rescue him. I know nothing about chickens. I coaxed him through the woods (it took a week) with tomatos from my garden. At the end of the week he moved into my tool/garden shed. I tried my best to come up with a name for him. It never worked, I always ended up calling him Chicken. He answered to it too! When I called out to him he would come running to me then follow me around wherever I went in my yard.

[Bobby dog]

Hi BCnut:
Thanks for the tip on thawing out the kibble. I did open the bag I removed from the freezer right away, but I didn’t have any problems thank goodness. Next time I will plan ahead rather than pulling it out of the freezer at the last minute; someday I will be more organized! 🙂

[Bobby dog]

Hi Jakes mom:
If you get any recommendations for feeding raw to your kitties, would you mind posting it on this thread? I won’t be switching to a complete raw diet since I don’t have the freezer space, but I have enough freezer space to accomodate a dog and five cats for a few meals each per week if they like it. I honestly haven’t taken the time to look into feeding raw to my kitties, but I always like reading about everyone’s experiences as well as any suggestions someone might have.

I am going to see if Bobby likes turkey necks. He has beautiful teeth at four, but I would like to try and interest him in chewing bones. When I give him a bone the first thing he does is run off to bury it. He doesn’t even eat the fresh meat on it, he’s more interested in burying the bone than eating it. Maybe a turkey neck will be more appealing, who knows.

C4c let me know about a website earlier this week, catsadored.com. We were discussing litter boxes earlier in this thread, don’t know if you read any of it. Anyway, this guy has an interesting suggestion for litter that he feels is comparable to “The World’s Best Cat Litter,” which I have never used so IDK. I think I am going to give it a try this summer just to try it. Check it out if you have time.

Akari:
I have been referring to your cat by Gary and Roger, sorry. Which one is it again?

[Bobby dog]

Well regardless of how his teeth looked when you got him, dry food would not have cleaned his teeth. How you are feeding him, which he needs particularily since he had a UTI, has done nothing but help him. If hard food cleaned teeth I would be in heaven eating pretzels every night before bed! lol He was probably was busy catching birds and mice before he moved in to your house. I hear they’re good for teeth! 😉

Let me know how the chicken wings and gizzards go if you give it a try. I am going to look into feeding my cats some raw food soon in particular for dental health.

[Bobby dog]

Oh, I forgot to add, it sounds like whatever you are watching on the Food Channel is just another way to accomplish the same thing and will work just fine.

I boil chicken (with the bone or without) to have around too. It’s another affordable option to have in the freezer for emergencies or treats. I usually put it in a crockpot on low for about six hours with just enough H2O to cover whatever I am cooking, no seasonings. I feed it to my cats as one of their meals a few times a week. The only thing to keep in mind is to skim off any fat when your concoction cools down.

When I make my broth I put it in a ice tea pitcher and put it in the fridge over night. The fat is really easy to remove after that and then I pour into ice cube trays.

[Bobby dog]

I have to write that I am very cautious as to the treats I feed my guys. That was part of Bobby’s skin problem. Along with feeding canned Pedigree I was feeding bad treats. As soon as I stopped feeding them, his skin quickly improved. No more itchiness, redness, or foul odors! lol Poor little guy. I have been making bisquits here and there for Bobby, other than that I freeze the meat that comes off of the bones when I make the bone broth and use that for treats.

As far as cleaning a cats teeth, I have been lucky and never had any issues. I gently remove any tarter with my finger nails when I do see it.

I asked Shasta a question a few days ago about the raw food she wrote that she fed her cats. She mentioned it on one of the threads recently. We need to track her down and find out what she feeds and how it is working out for her. I wouldn’t mind trying raw meat with the bone, but I am also interested in a cut of meat for teeth cleaning without bone for my older kitty who’s teeth are a little questionable; he just lost one recently. Maybe she would have some recommendations for us.

[Bobby dog]

As far as the concentration goes, how long it should sit, I think it will depend on Roger’s taste. You could always separate the meat into smaller bowls and let it sit for different times and play around with how much H2O you add.

I do think you will be able to ween him off of it.

I would not use liver just because of the info below from catinfo.org:
“I like to see liver in the diet but not as the first ingredient. Liver is high in vitamin A and D which can be overdosed. Liver only represents ~5% of a cat’s natural diet. Liver is cheap which is why it often appears first on the list in some diets.”

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition

Here’s the tuna H2O recipe from catinfo:
Tricks used to increase water consumption:

water fountain

flavored waters such as tuna water, chicken or beef broth, clam juice, lactose-free cat milk (CatSip), etc. – can be kept in covered (to prolong fresh smell and taste) ice cube trays

add plain water to canned food – ~1 TBS per meal – or whatever amount your cat likes

You can make your own tuna water by taking a can of tuna and adding 3 cups of water. Break up the tuna and let it sit for awhile (~15 minutes, give or take) and then pour the tuna water into covered ice cube trays.

3 cups of water fills two 16-cube trays.

After warming the flavored ice cubes to ‘mouse body’ temperature you can:

add to canned food

set out as a separate drink of water

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition

I forgot about clam juice, thats another easy option.

In case your interested, have a crock pot laying around, and can be home while it’s cooking, here’s a bone broth recipe for dogs you might be interested in. I make mine plain because most of my cats are finicky. I only add organic ACV with the mother, (you can buy it at Wal-Mart, some grocery stores, and of course healthfood stores) to it and a little, very little, salt.
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/reasons-your-dog-love-bone-broth/

[Bobby dog]

For canned meats avoid MSG, soy oil, and lots of sodium. You would want it to be packed in H2O with minimal ingredients listed on the label. And you would not need alot of canned meat. I know I listed a tuna water recipe for you on this thread somewhere (from catinfo) and I believe she used one can of tuna mixed with H2O.

If you want to buy fresh meat what kind do you think you will use? Ground or whole? If you are looking for something simple I would get ground meat (you won’t need much) and lightly cook it in a frying pan.

Let’s say lightly fry a 1/4 lb of lean ground meat. No other ingredients needed. When it is just cooked (maybe a little pink in color) take it off the burner and let it cool. When the meat is cool enough to touch, dab it with a paper towel to remove as much excess fat as possible. Then put it in a bowl big enough to add H2O to. At this point I would say how much water you add depends on how concentrated you want it to be.

Lightly baking chicken or turkey (bone in or boneless) would be another option. You could also give canned wild caught Mackeral or Salmon (packed in H2O) a try. I know you don’t want to use fish (and good job steering clear of any fish by the way), but if it is temporary I don’t think it would hurt him.

These are all just some ideas for you. I haven’t made kitty meat H2O, but I would make it for my kitties if I needed to quickly. As I wrote in the other reply I make a bone broth which takes 24 hours. I always have some in the freezer. Sometimes I make flavored H2O out of it, sometimes I give it to them full strength, and sometimes I just mix it in their food.

[Bobby dog]

It might be in his best interest just to switch back to the clumping litter. If he is holding it and going to the bathroom at the last minute possible because he doesn’t like it, it will just make him sick which will end up being another Vet visit.

My best advice to give you is to watch him with an eagle eye. Keep adding H2O to his food and figure out a way to make some flavored H2O out of ingredients that you feel good feeding him. Maybe the litter (I’ve never used it) clumps differently, more compact, than clay litter also making it appear smaller.

Trust your gut, take him to the Vet if you feel it is necessary. Catching a UTI early is the best for both of you.

What’s the temp where you live?

[Bobby dog]

On making the flavored H2O, I would try making flavored H2O out of anything that is good for cats, but I wouldn’t feed my cat a canned broth due to the ingredients or broth made from a boullion cube for example.

I would and do make bone broths for my animals out of whatever meat goes on sale at the grocery store. I brew my recipe for 24 hours in a crock-pot which my family gets mad about because I am cooking for my pets not them. lol

I am not sure if you like to cook, but you could get some meat (ground, boneless, or with bones), bake it or fry it lightly, and make some flavored H2O from that. I freeze the extra broth I make in icecube trays then put the frozen cubes in a zip lock bag for later.

I would imagine you could also find canned meat like chicken (in the aisle with canned tuna) to make flavored H2O as well. Just read the labels to make sure there isn’t any bad ingredients inside!

[Bobby dog]

Other than observing smaller amounts, does he show signs of a UTI such as straining during urination, pain, meowing during urination, blood in urine, not urinating as often such as going once aday instead of usual amount of times?

[Bobby dog]

Hi Jakes Mom:
I feed about as much kibble as you do per day. I have placed two different kibbles in the freezer; I still have an opened one in the freezer now to use. The food I froze was fresh and not close to expiring.

When I decided I wanted to do a faster rotation by using smaller bags, I had two medium bags already opened. I kept one frozen for about two months and it was fine. I expect the one that is in there now (going on four months) will be fine; I will be feeding it soon.

Since the bags I froze were opened I just rolled them up tightly, secured them with moving tape, then placed each bag separately in a large zip-lock bag. It seemed to keep it fresh and Bobby ate it and did fine. If I was freezing an un-opened bag I would place the bag in a zip-lock bag or depending on the size of the dog food bag, some type of plastic bag for freezer storage.

If I found a good sale I wouldn’t hesitate to stock up and freeze some if I couldn’t use it right away! lol

[Bobby dog]

It’s always an individual choice as to what brand to feed, but I always like to pass on info I feel is nice to know as a consumer.

5.5 oz is 49 cents and they have the large can 12 or 13 oz??? for $1.00. Here’s some of the ingredients for Chic & Beef is: chic, chic broth, liver, beef, dried egg product, brewer’s rice, dried potatoes, barley, guar gum, flaxseed meal, carrots, cranberries, blueberries, apples dried chicory root, dried kelp, parsley, carrageenan, minerals are chelated as well. I have used all flavors and the cats liked them. But as with all the food I buy for them, they get tired of it so I do have to rotate or mix it in with the better canned food I buy for them.

I forgot to mention, but the 4Health canned dog food is excellent as well. It is 99 cents/can for 13.2 oz. Bobby loves all flavors. Come to think of it, I am not sure Bobby has met a meal he didn’t like! lol The lamb & salmon are pate styles and the others are a stew style with huge chunks of meat. They are canned by Simmons.

I mainly buy Pure Balance stews $1 and PB 95% $1.25, all 4Health varieties 13.2/99 cents or 22 oz/$1.59, and Earth’s Pride from BJ’s 8.99/6 pack for Bobby’s canned food. Anything else is from the 50% off rack or on sale. lol I scored 6 cans of Weruva dog food for $1.30 each last week that I was pretty happy with.

[Bobby dog]

I always like to hear how people’s dogs do on new food so I can bank it. You never know when you need to tweek what your feeding your dog or maybe be able to help someone else out when they need suggestions. Any review (only if you have time) is welcomed by me.

Just an FYI if you are ever by a TSC, here’s some info for you. We were having discussions on the review side about the two new GF formulas, pork and duck. Anyway, after a few of the regular contributors did some sleuthing, they found out Diamond manufactures the two new GF duck and pork. Diamond still makes all the grain inclusive 4Health and Ainsworth is still manufacturing the original GF flavors beef, turkey & whitefish as well as the GF cat food.

I don’t know if you purchase Diamond products or not. I have not bought a Diamond product (intentionally) since 2005.

And I always recommend the 4Health canned cat food; at 49 cents you can’t beat it. I ran them through the carb calculator and they are 5% carbs, if I did it correctly. lol 4Health really helps me keep the pet food expenses down and I feel they are a good product, at least all my furry friends do well on 4Health. You never know, maybe you’ll have a reason to be near a TSC in the future!

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
I love it when the packages arrive, don’t care what they are just love getting deliveries. lol If you’re able to, give us an update on how your guys liked and did on the Pet Botanics and Nutrisource!

I just finished Avoderm Trout & Pea (Bobby did awsome & loved it), right now he’s eating 4H GF Beef, had it b 4 & does well on it. Next month I will be feeding Nutrisource Chic & Rice or Nutrisource GF Lamb haven’t decided yet.

[Bobby dog]

Hello C4c:
Too bad you didn’t see the post, lol, it would have saved you a little time! Hey, either way you get to see how a homemade litter box works out. And if it does, maybe the larger wheeled tote will fit nicely in one of the other locations you use litter boxes. I am going to Google homemade litter boxes sometime this weekend. Maybe I can get some ideas to make the one on the porch more aesthetically pleasing.

Did you happen to search the Sterelite site just to see if they do make smaller totes w/wheels? Or even maybe another company that makes totes? Just a thought…

Have fun with your “art project” this weekend!

[Bobby dog]

Walmart has these listed as packages of four and possibly sold individually at your “local Wal-Mart” on their site:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-45-Gallon-Wheeled-Latch-Tote/17270361

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-45-Gallon-180-Quart-Wheeled-Latch-Storage-Box-Set-of-4/20699659

Sterilite 45 gal. Wheeled Latch Tote – @ Home Depot, (couldn’t paste the url for some reason) copy and paste this into their search bar and it will come up. This one supposedly has four wheels but it looks just like the one I have.

Sterilite’s website also has it but I couldn’t copy & paste the url for some reason either. Google “sterilite 45 gallon tote with wheels.”

Anyway, at least you can see what it looks like. Cheers

[Bobby dog]

Yeah, I was just thinking about that, is it possible he likes my dog more than he likes me? lol. What about leftovers for me? He does adore Bobby and he’s one of Bobby’s favorite people; he has four favorites. Every morning he trots over to his house and returns with a bisquit. I am lucky to live next door to a neighbor that loves Bobby probably almost as much as I do. My mother was ill and hospitalized for five days just before New Year’s eve this year. I called him from the hospital late in the evening to ask if he could feed and let Bobby out because I didn’t know when or if I would be getting home. He didn’t hesitate to say yes and even kept him at his house until I got home.

I like his litter box designs. Some of the openings looked narrow and long to me, but I understand his thought behind the opening shapes. I think I like the size of the opening on catinfo’s better (it’s worked well for my cats). But, his are good to keep in mind because you never know when a design might need to be tweeked for some reason. I also like leaving the top rim of the box intact (catinfos design). My thought would be for better support to keep the box square. Idk Also, I know on catinfo she mentions different theories on where you might want to put an opening (long or short side). I put the opening on the short side of the first box because of where I was putting it and it hasn’t caused any problems, such as litter getting scattered. On the second one I put the opening on the long side. My cats don’t seem to have a preference. I really feel they are just in awe of all the space they have inside. They actually look more interested in using the litter box. lol It’s funny to watch them the first few times because they almost seem overwhelmed by all the possibilities of where they can dig their hole.

I am going to look into the mats he suggested. I just put an old car mat outside of the one in the basement.

I also checked out the prices of the litter he suggested, the chicken layer feed, very interesting. I can still get clumping unscented TSC litter a few pennies cheaper/lbs, but I might give it a try this summer on the porch just to see how it works. I already planned on trying corn pellets from TSC as litter; it is 40 lbs/$7.00. I started using corn pellets for my horses this winter. I don’t use stalls but during inclimate weather they do urinate in a specific spot in their run-in. I previously used wood shavings which was a pain because I couldn’t put it in the regular manure pile. The people that pick up my manure for composting won’t take it if there is anything other than straw, hay, or manure in it.

Later on tonight I am going to look at the website again to see what other info I can find. It looks like a handy site. Thanks again. Oh, and the tote box from Wal-Mart is a Sterilite and was $20, maybe a little more. So, if your Wal-Mart doesn’t have it, maybe you can track one down from their website.

[Bobby dog]

Hello C4c:
I have not seen that website so thanks for sharing, I always love when people let me know about websites they found! I am going there after I send this message.

So, I guess I am not as brilliant as I think I am for coming up with the soldering iron idea!!! lol I had to make a little adjustment to my box (make the entrance a little lower so my older kitty can step in easier) and found the sticker with the info about the tote still on the bottom. It is a 45 gallon tote, blue, with two wheels, and it was the only tote at my Wal-Marts with wheels; I would think all Wal-Marts carry the same totes. For the new box I just made, since it is for my porch, I will be using a lid so I melted some holes in the lid for ventilation.

I still love the convenience of the litter box being on wheels. I do have to warn you, I used a 40 lb box of litter initially to fill it.

My neighbor just stopped by with about 20 tiny burgers he made out of left over filet mignon for Bobby; he is a caterer. I think Bobby just lost his mind. He smelled them and I don’t think he appreciated me putting the bag in the freezer. I did leave one out for him for later! Thanks again for the website.

[Bobby dog]

C4c:
I am posting this info on this thread since we discussed the subject here, hopefully you will see it.

I am not sure if you decided to try making a litter box out of a tote, but I just made another one and found an easier way (at least for me) to cut an entrance into the tote. On catinfo she writes that she used a box cutter to make an entrance. I found it a little more difficult to do this than what she stated. I ended up using a soldering iron to create an entrance this time. I used a pencil to make an outline of the entrance and then used the soldering iron to melt away an opening. I found it much easier than using a box cutter or even sharp scissors. My hand was a little sore after I made the first litter box. lol

[Bobby dog]

Hi Akari:
I’m glad you are against de-clawing, I am strictly against it too!!! Just keep an extra eye on the two when they are in the same room (I know it’s not easy) to avoid another incident. They will eventually get used to each other.

What’s the temp where you live? I forget there are actually places that are warm right now. I am still wearing my barn jacket outside. lol Good job rehydrating him the way you did.

Do you have any kind of a green thumb? You don’t need much of one to grow some catnip or kitty grass for him to knaw on. The seeds are cheap too. If you do grow some only give him access to it when your home though. I made the mistake of leaving a catnip plant out when my cats were indoor only in one of my old apartments. Well the kitties discovered it on top of a shelf one day and there was a huge pile of dirt and green pieces everywhere along with everything else they knocked over to get to it! Too funny, I still laugh to myself when I think about it. After that incident I planted some seeds in a large, old plastic container I had; it made it heavy, but was easy to move and if they did knock it over, it wouldn’t break. I put it outside of my window when I wasn’t home. They loved their catnip plant! I would also break off pieces for them, but it was funnier to watch them paw at the plant and knaw on it when I let them have access to it. When I eventually moved to my house I planted a row of catnip (about a 25 ft length) in my garden that grows every year. My cats spend alot of time down there playing in the patch. Sometimes other cats in the neighborhood stop by too. I do have to chase them away if my cats are there to avoid any cat fights. lol

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
I missed reading your mom paid for the food but you shopped for it. lol

Anyway, I would give Pet Botanics a try especially since the other dogs could eat it if he didn’t do well on it. It looks comparible to PB.

Since Bentley might or might not have intolerances to some food I would always try a new food as long as it met your criteria for pet food regardless if it were similar to another food’s recipe or not. Another brand will at least have a different vitamin mix, protein/fat ratios, and may or may not have a different carb if nothing else providing more variety for him. That’s the only way you will find more options for him. At least you have two other dogs to give food to if it doesn’t work out. You already have a few to fall back on so whenever you have an opportunity for a new food I say go for it. 🙂

I checked out the PB Bison when I was at Wal-Mart this past week; it’s DFA rated 4.5. I will give it a try within the next few months. I picked up RR’s new zero grain flavor; the coupon was about to expire so I will save the PB Bison for another month!

I just finished up Avoderm Trout & Pea GF and Bobby did really well on it. His head and the black spots on his body were very shiny. Check that out for Bentley if your store carries it.

Just started 4Health Beef GF (he’s had that before so it is part of his regular rotation) and after that it will be Nutrisource’s Chic & Rice or GF Lamb Meal to start the summer with (two of my many coupon/sale deals from this weeks couponing!)

[Bobby dog]

Betsy:
What nice Christmas gifts!!! How do I get on your list? lol I don’t know what I am going to do at 9 p.m. on a Sunday with no WD to watch. I guess I’ll give Turn a watch…

[Bobby dog]

That is a great idea Shasta, would your mom go for that? Sweet talk her and sell her on the great deals you find and how it will hopefully keep Bentley healthier through the summer month’s!!!!!! 😉

[Bobby dog]

Hey Shasta:
What bone-in raw do you give your kitties? I would like to try that on my kitties.
Thanks!

[Bobby dog]

Hi Mary W:
I have not had furry friend with this ailment, but I thought I would list a website for you to look into in the mean time while the posters with experience in this illness provide more feedback for you.

Balanceit.com has been suggested by regular posters on DFA. I have it bookmarked in case I ever find a need for this resource.

I have not used their service, but I believe that they will work with your Vet to come up with a meal plan for your pup. They also sell products on the website as well.

It looks like dchassett has asked Aimee to elaborate on her initial post so you should be getting more feedback in the near future. Good luck!!!!

[Bobby dog]

Awwwwwww! Mom’s worried about the kitty she gave a trial month to getting lost and now wants him microchipped? Sounds like someone has a permanent home! lol I have a feeling Bentley and Gary are going to become good friends, especially because they are close in age and probably will be partners in crime.

I know I wrote this before, but Bentley is absolutely adorable!!!!

How is walking Gary on a leash coming along?

Did you get your HW/flea meds? I had one idea for you if you didn’t get them yet. Maybe the Vet that you like, the one that doesn’t sell monthy supplies of these meds, will fax a prescription to the Vet that will sell monthy doses. Let your Vet know it is due to your budget. Hopefully, your Vet will understand your dilema; after all he is in the business to make sure everyones pets’ are happy and healthy. You never know, maybe your Vet will change their office policy and sell monthly doses to you after you explain your issue.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Are the only kibbles Bently did well on are the Pure Balance GF Salmon and Purina One? Was that Purina One Beyond?

How’s Gary?

I have been a couponing queen this last week. I bought $140.00 worth of pet food for $100.00 and scored tons of samples from one of the Managers at a pet store I frequent that loves Bobby!

[Bobby dog]

Hi Akari:
FYI, Purina added a few new coupons to their website, one being a BOGO Pro Plan canned catfood coupon:

Here’s my Pro Plan catfood list:
1. Finesse – K3, artificial flavors, meat by-products:
Chic & Liver Entree Classic
2. Savor – K3, artificial flavors, fish, meat by-products:
Beef & Carrots Entrée Classic, Chic & Spinach Entrée Classic, Salmon & Wild Rice
Entrée Classic, and Turkey & Veg Entrée Classic
3. Focus – K3, added color, artificial flavor, fish, meat by-products:
Chic & Beef Entrée Classic (salmon) and Kitten Chic & Liver Entrée Classic

This list is just based on which recipe has the least amount of ingredients I don’t like to see in pet food. I did not check the carbs, but they are probably on the low side since these are pate styles.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Here’s my Fancy Feast list if it’s any help to you. This is from the grocery store list of food I have been slowly working on. It’s my typical list, no glutens, wheat, corn, soy, and a named meat first etc, etc. Yes, there is fish in some or all (I forget), and some artificial color and flavors, but what are you gonna do. And I believe the carbs should be 5 and under according to the catinfo.org food spreadsheet.

 Fancy Feast:
• Fish & Shrimp Feast Flaked
• Kitten Tender Turkey Feast
• Kitten Tender Ocean Whitefish Feast
• Tender Liver & Chicken Feast Classic
• Turkey and Giblets Feast Classic
Gotta go make a snack for the Walking Dead finale 🙂

[Bobby dog]

I hate when they kill off father/mother figures. I hated Dale’s death too! 🙁

[Bobby dog]

Betsy:
Can’t wait for the WD finale!!!! 😮 I don’t feel like doing anything else today but watching the marathon. I really need to get some dog food, but I have enough to last until tomorrow. lol I just can’t help myself.

[Bobby dog]

I believe they do; not sure on the specifics (GF or grain inclusive). I don’t feed their GF cat food because it includes fish meal so I never investigated it further.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Akari:
What a great Goodwill find!!!! It sounds like he is learning how to walk in his harness well. I used to work with a guy that took his cat out for a walk on a harness daily.

I love Bently and Gary together. They are sooooo cute! Bently is really a cute dog.

I don’t use the meds you mentioned above so this may be a silly question, but will your Vet sell you a months supply of flea & heartworm meds? My vet will sell heartworm and flea meds by the month if needed; it helps if you are short on funds or for any other reason. She will also sell weekly supplies of other meds that she dispenses if she is able to. Also, have you checked online to see if you can get a better price? You would just have to get your Vet to write a prescription and fax it to them. One other thing to check into is the companies that make these meds sometimes offer rebates on their websites.

[Bobby dog]

Awwwwww! Too cute.

He was probably uncomfortable from the time you got him considering he had a UTI and now he’s uncomfortable from the operation. It sounds like he is feeling better now so maybe he will start leaving the incision alone and continue with playing and keeping himself busy with other things. I have never had to cone anyone, but I came close with one of my female kitties. She did end up removing a few of her stitches, but it was a day before I was going to have them removed so she ended up being okay.

I did get my coupons, I just didn’t check the right e-mail.

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
I didn’t get my Wellness coupons! Natura Pet is sending me some coupons/promo items. They said I should receive them in 14-21 days.

Is there an easy way to clear the carb calculator or is clearing out each area manually the only way to do it?

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Sounds like Gary is doing well!

I like Roger, is it Roger from American Dad? He’s one of my favorite cartoon characters.

You would be wise to let your mom name the cat. It’s hard not to keep an animal you named!

Jakes Mom:
You have me beat, the most I have ever had is nine! But the ninth cat was my neighbor’s cat who decided to move in after they got a Boxer puppy. We felt bad for the kitty so we made room for her to live with us. They would buy food and take her to the Vets when needed. Gotta love them cats.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Akari:
Sending positive “we got to keep this adorable, sweet, furry, kitty” thoughts your way!

I am not sure if the pet stores near me sell Eagle pack cans either. Only two out of the three pet boutiques/chains near me are listed on their site as selling Eagle Pack but that could just be the dry food. One of the chains I go to is Pet Supplies Plus so I’ll see at the end of the month when I make the pet food run. Petco and Petsmart are about 7 – 10 miles in a direction I never travel anymore so that is why I only order over the Internet from them. I printed the EP coupons just in case.

The Sheba is $1.00 off 24 cans or multipack and a b10 g2 coupons. I printed several of each. They expire 4/24/14.

[Bobby dog]

Hi C4c:
I was thinking about it, but I haven’t looked into it yet. I have never tried any garlic supplement or fresh garlic for them. I suppose since flea season is just around the corner I better get on it!

Have you ever given garlic to your kitties?

I know the cat that will eat anything will probably eat fresh garlic. He likes the meatballs I make for Bobby and they have a good amount of garlic (and tumeric) in them. I am just not sure about the other kitties.

[Bobby dog]

I am using 2 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced about 10 minutes before feeding, three days a week.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/

I used to feed Bug Off from Springtime to my horses years ago when I boarded them. When I moved them to my home, I stopped feeding it. Two years of having the opportunity to be around them 24/7, I never saw any difference with bugs and ticks. I use fly predators for the barn area, groom them daily to check for ticks and use an herbal bug repellant spray now.

Last summer I used the Bug Off tablets for Bobby with no success. However, I still want to give fresh garlic a try especially since I changed his diet. I am hoping since he is healthier and does not have that yeasty smell the fleas might not be so attracted to him and the garlic might have a chance to work. If I could get away without a chemical flea preventative I would be a happy person.

I still will be giving Bobby his Ivermectin for HW prevention. I usually use Frontline Plus during flea season only. So I guess I will see how a fresh and healthy Bobby that smells like garlic does during flea season this year. If he starts showing signs of attracting fleas, I will have Frontline on hand to use.

That was a good deal on the Purina One canned! FYI, I was on your coupon website last night and they have a link to Eagle Pack coupons posted under pets. That is a sister company to Wellness. It is a $1.00 off two cans of Eagle Pack canned dog food and $3.00 off dry dog or cat food. They also had Sheba cat food coupons.
http://printablecouponsanddeals.com/Category/pet-products

Poor kitty. Sedated cats only ever went two ways for me. They either have slept it off with no problems or were freaked out and needed my complete attention until the seditive wore off. Good luck tomorrow!!

[Bobby dog]

The pic is adorable. I love when they help out and lie on top of or get into things we are working on! He looks very happy and content. Very nice stash by the way!

I saw that Pedigree peaking out of your stash. Pedigree is actually what brought me to this site. My Vet sent an e-mail to all her clients about illnesses she had been treating that could have been avoided with better nutrition. She made up lists of suggested foods and what to look for in foods. I saw I was feeding my cats poorly. Then I looked into Bobby’s food and found I fed a good kibble, but not good canned; I was feeding Pedigree. So I went on a search and found DFA.

Bobby was yeasty, smelled like a bag of fish flavored Fritos, was scratching all the time, and had a red groin and tail area. I always put organic coconut oil on him, gave him baths once a week during flea season, and used a flea med but was fighting a losing battle. It never dawned on me to look into his diet. A month after I stopped feeding Pedigree his skin problems were almost gone. He is sensitive to fleas and still had small red bumps from bites, but his skin condition was 200% improved in my eyes. I mostly feed 4Health and Pure Balance canned now, you can’t beat the quality for a $1.00!

I just started a fresh garlic regimen for Bobby trying to stay ahead of flea season. Since he is not a smelly and itchy mess I am hoping he will not attract the fleas like he has the past two years. Fingers crossed!

I also saw the Purina One for dogs in your cabinet. I have been slowly putting together a grocery store list of canned foods based on ingredients alone from Purina (like the Pro Plan and One list I made for cat food). The only “One” variety that made my list was the Classic recipes. The Tender Cuts in Gravy contain meat by-products, wheat gluten, corn starch modified, soy flour, and added color. The ingredients I don’t like in the Classic Round Recipes are meat by-products and carrageenan. Neither line contains chelated minerals (I look for that in food) but the Classics would work for me if they have coupons or good deals on them. Here’s my Purina One canned dog food list if you’re interested:

Purina One Smart Blend Classic Round Recipes canned – non-chelated minerals, meat by-products, and carrageenan in each recipe:
Beef & Brown Rice
Chic & Brown Rice
Lamb & Long Grain Brown Rice
Turkey & Barley

My mom knows I have been changing my dog and cats diets so she started picking up Purina food for me with her coupons. At this time in her life the only outing she makes is to the grocery store; she is a coupon queen in her own right. She could not remember what I look for in pet food so I decided to work on a grocery store list for her. I do love and appreciate that she is thinking of us so the least I could do is make it simple for her!

[Bobby dog]

I am the other way around, if the other four won’t eat the food I know at least one cat will! lol Petco doesn’t carry Tiki or Against the Grain. But I am sure you won’t have any problem finding at least Tiki. Pet Supplies Plus by me sells Tiki, not sure about Against the Grain. Weruva is another brand that might prepare the chicken like these two but I have only fed a few of their seafood recipes so I am not certain.

Petco’s Soulistic is just another option to look into, they just use a heavier “sauce” than Tiki and Against the Grain, but the chicken is prepared the same. I have fed all three and all my kitties endorse them. Good luck with her menu!

[Bobby dog]

You’re welcome! I’ve been in your shoes and know how it feels. I only have one cat who will eat anything, the other four are ridiculous. You never know, a canned cat food that is processed differently than what she has had before might do the trick; even if it’s temporary it’s better than nothing.

I haven’t stepped into a Petco in a few years. I have had great luck ordering on line from them and they still let you use the pal rewards. I signed up for their e-mail offers so I would suggest you do that if you are ever interested in ordering from them. They also offer on-line coupons and free shipping on $49.00+ orders.

I always order when they have the no minimum purchase required specials. They do it about every other month it seems. That’s how I happened across their Soulistic brand, they had the no minimum free shipping special so I just ordered a case (eight cans) to try. That special also gives me the opportunity to buy small bags of dog food to try that my other pet stores don’t carry. They are not bad to order from!

[Bobby dog]

I think you will find success with that approach! That’s what worked for me when I was crazy enough to have the JRT pup and two kittens. When I started keeping them active when I was home, they eventually started seeking out my attention. Then it was just a matter of tiring them out until I was ready to sleep.

I agree about the animal digest too that’s why IMO I think the Beyond One is a simpler and better recipe. I think they will buy the Beyond One. They either belong to Costco or BJ’s but I didn’t even think to tell them to look at those places for it; I will next time I talk to them. At least they can get a small bag from the grocery store or Wal-Mart start.

I fed the PB GF and had great results. At some point I will feed it again but I will probably try their new GF flavor. I don’t worry too much with calories, Bobby has endless energy on everything I have fed him so far. But, in the future if I need to consider calories, I will keep that in mind about the lamb.

[Bobby dog]

Gotta love kitty love! Thanks for the Purina info. I didn’t check out the “One” for my neighbor just the One Beyond and I probably won’t considering they are more corn based. I don’t really keep up on Purina except for canned cat food. Years ago I fed my JRT Pro Plan then switched to Blue Buffalo when they began marketing their food nationally. She did very well on both, but I am sure the recipes were very different from what they are now.

I always had Pro Plan Select in the back of my mind as a choice I would throw out there if they were ever interested in upgrading. I had a feeling they would only be open to Purina. I recommended both to them but I would just rather see them choose One Beyond since it is a simpler recipe and I feel the switch from Dog Chow to One Beyond will have a better chance of success. I think they will choose Beyond One anyway for both convenience and price.

I actually think I will get a small bag of One Beyond for Bobby to try; I saw a coupon for it. I like the idea of being able to feed a kibble that could easily be bought from a grocery store in case I was not able to take care of Bobby in an emergency. Some of my friends and family are not dog people let alone know how to feed one!

[Bobby dog]

Well good luck Thursday! I don’t see anything wrong with Purina in a rotation, that’s one of the good things about rotation, you get a variety that hopefully balances out the diet of our fur babies. I was just commenting on what I see as a better recipe in One as opposed to the Pro Plans and the price point of Pro Plan food.

When I was on Purina’s site the other day, I was looking up dog food for my neighbor who asked for suggestions on Purina (they are only open to Purina right now). They feed straight Dog Chow so at this point just about anything is better for their dog. Anyway, I saw they have several different varieties under the Pro Plan Select like GF, puppy, different flavors, and other options. I thought they only offered one Select variety. They make so many selections under each variety it’s hard to keep up. Thanks for the coupon info again!

[Bobby dog]

Glad I asked, thank you!

[Bobby dog]

Good deal! How did you get the coupons? Did you sign up for anything?

[Bobby dog]

I would feed One Beyond over any of the Pro Plans; especially for the price they charge for Pro Plan. Canned or fresh meat can always be added to up the protein % if needed. Here’s the link for the new One Beyond cat food products:
http://www.purinaonebeyond.com/learn-more/introducing-the-new-beyond-cat-food-line

They look like they might be decent, but I am sure they are going to include my favorite ingredient (not) regardless, K3.

[Bobby dog]

These are a little different than the shreds you normally get in other brands. The shredded chicken looks like the chicken we would eat. They are canned in a broth but just enough to keep the shredded chicken moist. I know exactly what you mean about shredded meat in cat food, my cats do the same! At least they make 3 oz cans so you can try it and if it doesn’t work not a big deal.

I also buy Soulistic canned chic recipes from Petco, they are less pricey. It is made by Weruva for Petco. It is shredded chicken like Tiki and Against the Grain but it comes in a gelee or gravy. Most of my cats lick the gelee or gravy off of Soulistic but they do eat the chicken afterwards. Good luck!

[Author]

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