"I'm not FAT, I'm FLUFFY!
Posted on 01/05/2008 12:30:40 PM PST by JACKRUSSELL
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) -- ......While there is not full agreement as to the causes, in general experts say the soaring rates of diabetes in the pet population -- and cats in particular -- mimic the reasons that it has become epidemic in the people population: increasingly sedentary lifestyles coupled with copious consumption of highly refined foods.
......While there is a debate on the cause of the rising numbers of cats with diabetes, one theory gaining traction is that much of the dry cat food is too high in carbohydrates and too low in protein.
......people and cats have vastly different physiologies. People (and dogs) are omnivores -- they'll eat animals and plants. Cats are carnivores, and, left to their own devices, eat other animals.
......Hodgkins, who worked eight years in the pet food industry, thinks feeding cats dry kibbles is analogous to filling children's cereal bowls with sugarfrosted flakes.
She is trying to change attitudes among her colleagues, who she thinks are compassionate pet lovers but fall prey to habits. She contends that treating diabetic cats without making a switch in diets defeats the purpose.
"It's akin to treating a child for lead poisoning while continuing to feed them paint chips," Hodgkins said.
......Kallfelz "wholeheartedly and respectfully" disagrees with the premise that high-carb dry food is the culprit.
"I have seen no published evidence to the effect that feeding cats dry foods is a risk factor for diabetes. To make the leap of faith ... that dry food is causing the problem is not a rational leap of faith," said Kallfelz, a member of the National Pet Food Commission. The commission was formed this year by the trade association, the Pet Food Institute, after the widespread recall of pet food thought to be tainted by ingredients imported from China......
(Excerpt) Read more at postbulletin.com ...
Is there high fructose corn syrup in the dry cat food?
I would tie a catnip ball on a string to a doornob and watch her knock herself out!!
Then there's always "catch the laser light". That produces a lot of crashes.
“Bloggers & Personal” or “General Chat”, please! There are so many tempting openings for cat jokes in this piece. Please, please, lead me not into temptation, JR.
GARFIELD: The Exercise Video!
"I'm not FAT, I'm FLUFFY!
My cats love that one.
BTW, my older cat (who has never been fat) has diabetes. He's almost fifteen years old and has had the problem since early summer.
All of my cats are “seasoned kitty citizens”, but I swear my oldest, he is really thin, has always been thin, has diabetes, because he is always at the sink wanting a drink.
My cat played with it until she put her paw on and figured that no way ccould she ever catch it. She then gave me a dirty look and never played laser light again.
I knew a girl that would set her cat on a chair next to her, unwrap a Sugar Daddy and feed it to the cat. Down to the stick .Very nasty kitty as well from the poor diet.
He gets two shots per day (one after breakfast and one after dinner). The standing joke around our house is, "Well, I guess it's time to shoot the cat."
Visitors who are not in the know about him can give some very strange looks when they hear that. ;-)
This takes a little practice, but I learned that just as they put their paw down on it, I turn off the laser. They think it's under their paw. When they lift it to take a look, I switch it back on and make it "take off" again. Another trick is to let them chase it right over to a closed door, or piece of furniture that has an opening they can't get under and right as it "goes under" shut it off. They will stick their arm in up to their little kitty armpits trying to reach around and find it.
(I know, I probably have too much time to think these things up.)
LOL. That looks just like Wilfred.
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