tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post8726489886789208640..comments2024-01-27T01:29:47.634-05:00Comments on ~Tails from the Foster Kittens~: My Impressions of the PNC tourConnie - Tails from the Foster Kittenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01127077337743262149noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-52558128445077458812012-08-25T21:51:05.916-04:002012-08-25T21:51:05.916-04:00We're species appropriate feeders here, too, b...We're species appropriate feeders here, too, but I completely agree with what you said here: <br /><br />"But easy and convenient are two requirements for a lot of pet parents and I would much prefer that pets live in homes and eat "complete and balanced' food and know love then live on the street and eat mouse."<br /><br />It's similar to the shelter situation. Is it better for the cat to remain in a kennel for months and months until the PERFECT person comes in who will (1)feed raw, (2)install vertical spaces, (3)clean the litterbox EVERY DAY and (4)never let a cat out? (and that's just the short list, LOL!)<br /><br />Or is it better that they be in a home where they are given much love - even if it's not up to our exacting standards...?<br /><br />I'll never feed science diet again, but I did once upon a time, til I learned.<br /><br />And for some people, the only way they can have a cat might be if there are more convenient ways to feed. Who am I to judge?<br />A Tonk's Tailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14276448224888065025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-1535912083500387982012-08-24T19:49:55.718-04:002012-08-24T19:49:55.718-04:00@The Cat Guy & Amyfibre
This is interesting i...@The Cat Guy & Amyfibre<br /><br />This is interesting in that they lend to the exact same answer.<br /><br />Cats learn at their mom's side what food items are food. So if mom was fed/ate dry food so will the kittens. Dry food is often corn based or wheat based, so as they grow up they continue to have a taste for these foodstuffs. Jack is notorious for that, he has chewed through a bag of corn based litter and a bag or two of wheat based litter (I bring them home for foster kittens and forget to hide them away) <br /><br />So yes, kitties that learned it will run to corn, or broccoli etc.<br /><br />As to trying to transition them to a more species appropriate diet when they are older, it can be very difficult. The longer they are on one type of food the less open they are to new food items, even if they are healthier and better for them and more inline with their natural instincts. If you ever find yourself in the situation again you need to transtion very slowly. How strongly they reject the new food will determine how slowly you need to go. try a 1 to 4 ration of new to old. If that doesn't work then 1/10 to 9 etc. You need to help them learn the new smell and texture is food. Don't force it, don't punish, just give up and try again at the next meal. Praise no matter what they do, find the good in their eating it, find the good in their not eating it (it's good that you dont eat what you don't understand to be food) but then ask them to try it. Try transitioning to healthier snacks like freeze dried chicken or pieces of chicken.<br /><br />Some cats will fight you every step of the way. When I first went raw for my Em, she ate it like a champ then stopped. I did everything to entice her but she wouldn't eat it and the sneakier I got the less she ate. <br /><br />I believe in the quality of life as much as quantity. If something is going to not add to both, then it is often not worth doing.. Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127077337743262149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-70209721601891211992012-08-24T18:22:03.104-04:002012-08-24T18:22:03.104-04:00Thanks for the informative post. I imagine such a ...Thanks for the informative post. I imagine such a tour would be difficult because they are obviously going to be trying to influence you as to how great their products are. <br /><br />Regarding Maine Kitties question, yes, my Theo will chase after and eat an ear of corn any day - he loves corn in any form! He once made off with a fresh corn cob and was chowing down before we figured out what happened to the corn!The Cat Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17862401517530290759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-33652161660882780882012-08-24T18:01:29.769-04:002012-08-24T18:01:29.769-04:00Well I guess they are in it to make money and thus...Well I guess they are in it to make money and thus questions raised which they didn’t like were sidestepped as the bottom line is profits and anything extra they might have to do would mean they would cut into them or have to raise prices! Thank you for the comprehensive write up, Connie x<br /><br />Sorry am a bit jumbled as I am using Austin as an ipad rest!!!CATachresishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10227422179439047735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-12378888533466784412012-08-24T15:53:38.421-04:002012-08-24T15:53:38.421-04:00I so wanted one of those fancy cat chip systems th...I so wanted one of those fancy cat chip systems that only feeds the correct cat the correct amount of food, but I know that tubby Simba would be the first one to figure out how to get a paw in there (and always starving Norman would rip the top completely off in his desperation to get that food).<br /><br />I'm more confused than ever. Your reaction to Dr. Schoenherr is the same as mine... he KNOWS it's important, why is it only important for humans? If healthy animal nutrition is your business, you should have no reason to sidestep questions. The answers should be simple and straightforward. The only reason to hide something is to protect yourself... what are they protecting?Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770791685503482106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-19650762064732643142012-08-24T14:03:26.150-04:002012-08-24T14:03:26.150-04:00I really DO wonder why they had you and Robin on t...I really DO wonder why they had you and Robin on this trip because it was clear you two were not going to drink their nicely-presented Kool-Aid and were going to ask some tough questions! The both of you have pretty much summed up why my human does not feed us Hills food and nothing you saw at the plant and nothing anybody said at corporate did a thing to change her (or your) mind. I would like to think that maybe you guys were invited because they WERE thinking of creating more wholesome, grain-free products, but apparently not! Well, whatever the motivation, thanks for the comprehensive report!Sparklehttp://www.sparklecat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-68716142317263481252012-08-24T11:46:34.468-04:002012-08-24T11:46:34.468-04:00First of all, thank you for taking the time to put...First of all, thank you for taking the time to put your experience in writing. Personally, I am not impressed with Hills. I find it sad that people buy "normal" food (Hill's) because they are told it's complete and balance, only to find that 5 years down the road, their cat has kidney disease and WHALLA! There we have Hill's again, with a prescription diet for Renal Failure. Doesn't it make you wonder?The Furries of Whisppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16732972758512775677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-81575253078514926742012-08-24T11:23:40.344-04:002012-08-24T11:23:40.344-04:00Thank you for taking the time to share your Hills ...Thank you for taking the time to share your Hills experience with us.<br /><br />I came to your blog for the cute, but have appreciated the education (on cat nutrition and health) as well.<br /><br />A couple of questions re: raw for cats. I had a cat (who we unfortunately had to put down in Feb) with IBS. We tried raw with him and he absolutely refused to eat any of the brands (four) that we were able to find locally. I also tried making his own food with no luck. I understand that cats are obligate carnivores, but what do you do if *they* don't understand and refuse to eat.<br /><br />Also, at the same time we were struggling with Tucker's diet, my vet expressed her concern with the raw foods available for cats because the preparation/processing isn't as well regulated as human meat processing. Do you have any info/comment on that?<br /><br />Thanks again for your fun and educational blog!amyfibrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01089380287307928974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-40251131865358517882012-08-24T09:36:43.307-04:002012-08-24T09:36:43.307-04:00I have read yours and Robin's posts and it is ...I have read yours and Robin's posts and it is interesting. I have no doubt that the bottom line and other things factor into all their decisions. But more telling for me was the side-stepping they seemed to do with questions. I guess I don't understand inviting bloggers to a presentation, knowing their views don't match that of the company, and then avoid questions and the tough issues. Sounds like a sale pitch not an effort to explain their theories. Random Felineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02591546634183113556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-52667309630155589442012-08-24T09:08:31.474-04:002012-08-24T09:08:31.474-04:00Thank you for taking the time to type all of this ...Thank you for taking the time to type all of this out. What a disappointment that you could not share the materials you were given.<br /><br />While I find the science they use fascinating (cats wearing chips?), I still am leery of using their food, especially for cats. Dogs are another story and maybe they fare better on Hill's food.Renehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10832643923158222775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-6643355951718139802012-08-24T08:52:37.867-04:002012-08-24T08:52:37.867-04:00I'm sure they're quite sincere, but nothin...I'm sure they're quite sincere, but nothing ever will change the fact that Hills started as a cattle feed company and that *cats* are obligate carnivores. Grains are used as fillers, bottom line, to keep the costs down. They can come up with studies and science till the cows come home (ha), but that's the reality. And it's the same, IMO, for any company. Even many of the grain-free premium canned foods are filled with fat, rather than protein--I've opened some of the cans and tossed them all away, being too disgusted to attempt to feed it to the boys. It all comes down to balancing "nutrition" with costs and how much profit you rake in.<br /><br />When public demand for more species-appropriate diet eats into their profits--IF that ever happens--THEN they'll be forced to shift their cat food production. But until it affects their bottom line, it is was it is.<br /><br />Cynical? Nope. Realistic. Business is business, and ALL businesses are in it to make money, period.Fuzzy Taleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09505853082591216696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-52036961180782030542012-08-24T06:53:16.097-04:002012-08-24T06:53:16.097-04:00Well, if Hills is reading your blog, I just want t...Well, if Hills is reading your blog, I just want to take the opportunity to thumb my nose at them and say.... "I still think your diabetic cat food choices SUCK! and will never EVER buy it and I will always tell others NEVER to buy it".... so there!<br /><br />LOL.... but anyway, it sounds like they were trying to use "their" science to convince people, but I just think they were trying to put a high polish on a low quality item. Cats are not grain eaters...sorry. It doesn't take a PhD to figure that one out..... you ever see a lion, tiger or even a HOUSECAT run after an ear of corn???? Well, not one that isn't being pulled along as a toy anyway....Maine Kittieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05813501266938509291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3859669.post-9919118606284881622012-08-24T06:30:37.951-04:002012-08-24T06:30:37.951-04:00It's pretty cool that you got to attend this s...It's pretty cool that you got to attend this session, it's a shame that the presentations weren't as comprehensive (or as open!) as you might have liked - do you think they'll put the presentations online?dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292794968160988264noreply@blogger.com