The Divorce

Roger and Margene have been going through a divorce of sorts lately, very bizarre, trust me.

Margene caught a mouse somewhere int he house the other day and in true amateur style she kept putting it down and re-catching it. Well, Roger got annoyed with that I guess because he made a very Male Lion move and snatched the mouse from Margene. A stand off commenced where Roger, with the mouse's back end dangling from his mouth, postured and growled and gargled. Margene had a serious Spook Cat moment with hair raised and back arched, hissing violently.

Roger made a dash to get under a bookcase and Margene lept intot he air, tackling him in a fury of claws and spitting. Roger dropped the mouse from his lips and growled back and they fought like cats and dogs, or cats and cats to be more exact. Matt and I darted around trying to break them up, but mostly trying to figure out what had happened to the mouse. I found the mouse hiding, mostly unharmed, and put him outside.

Roger & Margene have been fighting ever since (its been well over a week) and its just terrible. Hopefully they make up soon!

Margene is happy the holidays are over. Its been a long winter so far!

How to Get a Wild Cat Into a Carrier

When I say wild cat, I'm not talking about a tiger or a cougar, I'm talking about a nice little housecat with multiple personalities. Years ago, I had a kitten delivered from a NC farm to my apartment. She was a runt, she was a spitfire, and she was intent on running my life. The ticket from the farm was one-way and so we learned to cohabitate despite her best efforts.

Rayna can be sweet, docile and even submissive at times. If you happen to miss the flick of her tail just so, or the spark in her eye that signifies she's switching to her alternate personality, then you are in for a beating of great proportions. If you do happen to notice that flick or that spark, then you have about 3 seconds before the purring and rubbing gives way to thrashing and growling.

To get Rayna into a cat carrier is a great and dangerous feat. Many methods have been tried, and very few have been true. The worst experiments have ended with me trapped in the kitchen, my arms bleeding and stinging, and Rayna pacing back and forth in front of the kitchen doorway, refusing my escape. She is nowhere near her carrier. Less disastrous experiments have entailed my throwing Q-tips (one of Rayna's favorite treats) into the carrier to get her to chase them, which she did not. In the morning, all the Q-tips had been retrieved from the carrier and chewed up and strewn about the house. This proved to me that she was aware that the "danger" was in the carrier with the human, and that the carrier was okay without the human component.

Here is the best way to try to get a wild kitty to go in the cat carrier:
Tools needed:
Long pot-holder mittens
2 thick bath towels
first aid kit
bowl of warm soapy water (or a sink if available)
cat carrier
cosmic catnip
cat's favorite treats

Most of these tools will not be necessary if Plan A proceeds as intended. If not, the additional tools will facilitate a Plan B or C if needed. It should be obvious that several of the tools are for the protection of humans involved, or for the medical treatment of that human when/if the need arises.

Try to remember that cats in this situation are scared and no matter how skilled their posturing may be, they just want to get away, and are not going to kill you. Unless they hit a major artery.

***Plan A***
Bring the carrier from storage into a corner of the central living space quietly and without the cat noticing. Leave it there. Pay no attention to it until the cat notices it. You can wake the cat up and bring it into the room with treats, but sit in your usual space and do not look at the carrier.

When the cat notices the carrier, he/she will most likely smell and rub the corners and the sides. If the door is not ajar, then calmly approach and prop the door open. If the cat gets scared as you approach, do not touch it and go back to ignoring it. When the cat has left it alone again, go and prop the door open, using a towel or piece of paper that is easy to remove later.

The cat will most likely go in to check out the carrier when you open it. She/he will be cautious, but you must resist the desire to squish the cat in because the tail will get caught and the scene that will ensue will be ugly. Instead, wait patiently. Once the cat has entered, he/she will probably turn around, which will pull the tail into the carrier, and you can simply shut the door and secure it.

Plan A takes planning ahead, patience, and manipulation on your part, to make sure the cat does not link you to the carrier when it arrives, to make sure there's no event surrounding the entry of the carrier, and that you do not show that you care one way or the other that the cat enters the carrier.

***Use the soapy water for cleaning scratch or bite wounds if a sink is not nearby. Do not throw soapy water on your cat or you will be paying the price in more ways than one for years to come...

Good luck!

What's With Rawhide?

Rawhide is purported to be a terrible risk for dogs. I have to admit I haven't seen any confirmed sources for this rumor, but unfortunately it sounds very likely that its true, given the current state of human food and pet food manufacturing.

Formaldehyde, arsenic, BHA/BHT, and many other dangerous preservatives used in tanning leather are supposedly used in the making of raw hide chews for dogs. Some pet sites say that US-made rawhide is likely to contain lower levels of toxins than those made in China, Mexico and other countries.

If any readers find original sources, I'd like to see it. Until then, I'll seek out the clean brands, I heard there's one with a red fire hydrant on the label. Let's put it this way, I seek out nail polish without formaldehyde, why would I let my dog put it in his mouth?

Dominance Swap

Cats have a way of figuring out who is dominant in specific situations. They get a routine going. Hissing, spitting, wobbly-gargling, severe fluffing of the tail... these are all signs of posturing in the ritual of deciding dominance. Normally the other cat's head and ears will get low, tail fluffs out, and then he/she will generally slink away.

So goes the almost-daily ritual of many housecat partners. It seems that for periods of time, a cat couple will work out a less note-worthy exchange to decide dominance. Then, one day, seemingly for no reason at all, they'll launch into another stand-off. Funny animals.

Yesterday, my girl kitty, Margene, shot into an attic closet that opens into the eaves of our house. She was up there for at least an hour, running around and exploring before she came out again. Not more than an hour later, my boy kitty, Roger, sneaked past me down the basement steps. Our downstairs roommate brought him upstairs but Roger leaped out of his arms and crashed down the stairs in an unexpected panic.

When I was finally able to get Roger upstairs again, after quite a commotion, he and Margene had a huge face-off. She took the dominant stance, which I had never seen from her. Ever. She yowled, spit, hiss, fluffed, the whole nine yards. He sneaked away. This is quite something considering she is less than a year old and quite petite, and he is a 8-year-old, 14-pound huge orange fluff ball of a cat.

Anyway, the rituals have reemerged and since that face-off, they seem determined to re-assess each situation they encounter: who gets to sit in the open window, who eats first, who uses which litterbox, who gets to sleep in the favorite sleeping spot, and so on.

I suppose they'll work it all out again and eventually we'll have peace in our household once again. Too bad they can't just talk it out...!

Finicky Cats

I'm sure all cat owners have been through the "finicky cat" scenario, and some dog owners too. The cat is apparently hungry: curling around your legs meowing and whining, trying to get your attention in all the pesky ways they develop. One of my childhood cats mastered a technique where he would run from under the couch and veer my course from wherever I was going towards the kitchen by throwing his body against my legs in the direction of the kitchen. This ended in several bruised knees and at least one bruised tail that I remember.

So, the cat is hungry. You dutifully pull out the food, fill the bowl and present the culinary delights only to find her throwing her nose in the air and walking away, uninterested. I even had a cat once that would smell the food, and then scratch around the food as if he was covering up poo in the litterbox. Talk about an insult!

Some cat owners find they have trouble switching their finicky cats from commercial pet food to natural, or just to any new diet. Other times, the cat may be sick and losing weight from lack of appetite.

Here are some helpful hints: add bonito flakes, aka kitty kaviar, to the food. These stinky dried fish shreds can be purchased in any health food stores that have a macrobiotic section, or an Asian grocer, or specialty pet shops under the kitty kaviar moniker.

Some owners have luck adding tuna to the cat's food, but beware of allowing the cat to eat tuna as its main protein - not a good move.

A trick I have learned that works for both cats and dogs is to add some oil, like a teaspoon of olive oil right on top of the food, don't even mix it up, just dump it on top. They seem to like that and its good for them.

In general, any funky, stinky, fishy rotting food would "enhance" the appeal of regular pet food for your cat or dog. Gross stuff is far more attractive to them than delicious steaks and fresh burgers actually.

One more tip, is if you are adding vitamins to the food, try holding off for a meal or two and introduce them back slowly. Vitamins in specific are bitter and smell terrible to cats and some dogs.

Lastly, I cannot emphasize enough that its okay if your cat or dog goes without food for a day or even two, due to rejection. Place the food down, and if they don't eat it, remove it after 20 minutes and repeat at the next mealtime. I guarantee by meal 4 or 5, they'll be eating that food right away!
Good luck!

Roger's Own Furniture

Roger kitty has his own furniture, good for scratchin'!

Dracula Kitties

Garlic is a wonder-food. It holds numerous beneficial properties for humans, felines, and canines. You will see numerous garlic snacks and supplements for cats on the shelves at your nearest pet food store. Your natural pet care books will suggest adding fresh garlic to your cat's diet to ward off pests and parasites, and for general immune and cardiovascular health.

But did you know that TOO MUCH garlic, or onion, in a cat's diet (or even in a dog's diet, to a lesser degree) can cause a dangerous condition called Heinz body anemia, which damages the liver and red blood cells? An overdose of onion or garlic can cause the usual flu-like symptoms along with discolored urine, allergies, and/or asthma.

Small amounts of these tasty ingredients in food and snacks are fine and may have some benefit to the system, but regular, fresh doses added to food should be avoided unless you're very confident in your dosage research and recipe. Certain treatments might call for such doses, but beware if your pet seems weak and unusually tired, discontinue the regimen asap, and make a trip to the vet to check vitals & blood count.

Topical applications, like the one below for ear issues, seem to be fine, but if your cat seems obsessed with the oil, you may want to brew weaker batches.

Remember cats and dogs do not appear to have Dracula's syndrome (repelled by garlic, right?) and so they are often happy to gorge themselves on these sulfur-y ingredients and then suffer later, so as owners, let's save ourselves from another pet crisis, and just 86 onions and garlic on the daily.

Bad Behavior - Cats Hunting Owners

Any cat owner who has experienced violent behavior from their cat, knows this can be quite cute and quirky. Or, it can be annoying and painful. Case in point, my Margene, has gotten into the habit of attacking me through my sofa throw when I'm on the laptop for too long.

She is making a valid point through her clawing, gnarling violence, though, because I haven't played with her for more than about 10 minutes total in the past 2 days. Many cat owners don't realize cats need to spend a certain amount of time hunting. This isn't helped by the fact that house cats tend to get fat and lazy. Still, the tracking aspect of hunting seems to be one of the more fulfilling exercises a cat enjoys.

I suggest that you play with your cat daily, and try to be patient. Often, their annoying or violent habits will subside with just a half hour of running a shoestring around the couch and floor. If your cat is lazy and just "watches the show" you should make sure you run the shoestring behind something or underneath something, like a pillow. They seem to enjoy it when the prey starts to hide. If you just keep it up for several minutes for underactive cats, and 30 minutes for an overactive cat, you can give them a great predator outlet, and they'll snuggle up later.

Stinky, Waxy Ears

If your cat has stinky or shiny, dark-waxy ears, then your cat may have a food allergy or yeast reaction in the ears. Any minor weirdness in the ears immediately calls for a regimen of probiotics, or acidophilus, in the cat's food for a month. This will provide friendly bacteria to the cat's gut to help fight yeast and (bad) bacteria overgrowth.

It is best if your cat is on dry food to convert her/him to a mostly-meat wet food for a couple weeks to see if the ears get a little better from the simpler diet with fewer carbs. Chances are, you'll have to go to the next step of a more strict fresh cooked or raw meat diet to fully correct the issue. You can use the ol' olive oil and garlic ear combo to help clear things out.

Be sure to see your vet if symptoms persist or if they are severe. For some cats, this is part of how their bodies' manage with the modern world and try as you might, they may just have to remain stinky, waxy ears! Any improvements in the diet will benefit in many other ways, and it may just clear up those ears.

Itchy & Crusty Ears Cont'd..

It is the action of the olive oil that is most important, as it just smothers the mites. Since the smothering can cause the mite to irritate the cat's ear more, make sure to let the ear breathe for a day between applications and change your solution if irritations persist. To make the ear oil, take a few tablespoons of olive oil and add to a cool/room temp saucepan. You can add a few slices of fresh garlic, lavender, or rue herb. If you don't have any of these ingredients, skip the next paragraph, and don't heat the olive oil...

Barely heat the burner on the lowest temperature it will allow for no more than 1 minute. The goal is to not cook the oil, but to flash-heat it just enough to stimulate the herbs to release their magic into the oil. Let sit for 5-10 minutes cooling before straining out the herbs. Throw out the oil if it smokes and start again.

Once completely cooled, you can add other oils, like a drop of lavender essential oil, a drop of tea tree oil, a drop of grapefruit seed extract or 2 drops of vitamin E oil, and stir gently and thoroughly. Lavender and vitamin E oil will soothe and aid in healing, and are best for highly sensitive cats. Tea tree oil and grapefruit seed oil help ward off infections of several types but are a bit stronger so don't use too much or it could make your cat uncomfortable (but either one is great for stubborn problems).

Use about 3 drops of oil for each application. Make sure oil is not cool to touch when you use it, body temperature is best. If your cat freaks out, get a bath towel and wrap the cat like its wearing a cape, crossing it over the chest with legs pinned underneath. Keep it tight around neck, but ***obviously do not choke the cat***, so he/she can't squeeze his paw through the neck and scratch you when he/she freaks out. Then apply oil. After oil is applied, fold ear flap over and down towards the chin and rub it semi-vigorously until it makes squishing sound, about 30 seconds. Cat will Shake Head Vigorously when ear is released, so watch out. Also beware, cat will look and act annoyed and oily.

The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care by Puotinen, says to apply the oil every other day for a week, then rest for 3 days, and then every 3 days for a month to be sure all generations of mites are killed and reinfection does not occur. I have applied too often in the past and the poor kitty's ears became seriously irritated from the dying mites' desperate digging. Don't forget the schedule and stay persistent. I've never had to do the regimen twice, even with terrible cases, because it always works. Consult a vet if symptoms worsen even after the first 5 days, or if they persist after the treatment period, or if the symptoms are severe.

More on ears next time...

Back to Ears and Their Problems...

Crusty, waxy, yeasty, stinky, oily ears... These are the pesky ear problems that can be really frustrating for cat owners. If you've noticed these conditions in your cat's ears, then you are one of those cat owners who is perceptive and close with your cat, and for that I applaud you.

I've heard numerous explanations for stubborn ear problems, and I'll try to run through some of those for you, but please remember that there is no substitute for the diagnosis of an experienced veterinarian. [And you may save yourself from some seriously ugly scenes - like one where I was treating my kitty, and I ended up bleeding, and I had one hand in an oven mitt and my cat decided to do the Super Head Shake the way they tend when fluid gets in the ear, and sprayed olive oil, cayenne and garlic ear solution all over my face.]

That being said, if your cat has dark, dry, crusty crumbles in the ear that could be described as looking like coffee grinds, then he/she may have a case of ear mites. Affected cats may scratch and twitch the ear often, and crumbles may spill onto the forehead. Ear mites usually need to be treated with daily applications (or more) of medicine to the ears. In natural medicine, ear mites are often treated with a variety of herbs infused in an olive oil base, and repeated persistently for weeks to months. I have found this to work quite well, and have never had to go the vet route. Now, how to....

When Your Cat Eats Better Than You

The other night my finace and I came home to the usual Screaming Cat Greeting and proceeded directly to the fridge. I pulled out a lovely, manicured turkey breast and placed it lovingly in the oven on a low temp. The roasting turkey created a delicious aroma that spread through the house. My finace and I started to get hungry.

We went to the fridge and failed to procure any items suitable for dinner. We checked the freezer. Frozen pizza. Microwave frozen pizza (the oven was in use). We cooked it and sat gobbling down the disgusting lot.

Ding! The oven timer went off. The turkey was roasted perfectly, the skin crispy and juicy. Since my cats cannot easily eat the skin, we removed it, sprinkled it with salt and savored every last bit while the cats feasted on turkey breast right out of the oven. Do I sound jealous?

This may be the main reason I switched the cats to a mostly-raw diet, because I was sick and tired of them eating this delicious food while I was starving and eating fast food!
Okay, next post.. back to normal :)

Cats Need Bull

Don't forget when you're happily stuffing raw turkey (or cooked turkey for that matter) in your cat's bowl that all kitties need taurine, the amino acid obviously named after Taurus (bull), in order to survive because they do not manufacture taurine in their bodies. In fact, processed pet food makers add copious amounts of it to their recipes because some original catastrophes with original taurine-less foods caused heart failure in cats.

Buy a bottle of taurine in capsules (about $6) and open the capsule to sprinkle on the food. Add about 100mg everyday.

Miss Margene Flips You Off:Ears and Their Problems

Miss Margene tends to flip her ear inside out when she's playing. I've never had a cat with this habit but it does not seem to bother her whatsoever.


It is a good opportunity for me to check out her ears and make sure things are looking healthy and normal. Whenever I see redness, swelling, dark crusty crumbs, or lots of waxy mess, I make my way to the light to take a better look.

If your cat's ear appears to be irritated, look for scratches and wounds that need to be cleaned and watched. Never forget that infections in the ear are near the brain and should they show signs of worsening, or if the cat seems feverish, thirsty, or lethargic, you should make your way quickly to a vet.

Swelling, pain, pus, and oozing are symptoms for the vet. Use hydrogen peroxide, or soap and water if possible, to clean lesser wounds. You may dress an ear wound with a natural herbal salve to speed healing and reduce infection. Look for salves that contain goldenseal, myrrh, and other mild antimicrobial herbs since the cat may consume small amounts of this salve, don't use tea tree oil or strong oils. Do not use bandages or wraps on the ear unless your vet recommends it.

I have also used low-dosage colloidal silver with great results. Try to warm it up by resting the bottle inside a mug of hot water before applying to sensitive ears.

Tomorrow: crusty, yeasty, waxy ears...

Vegetarian Dogs

I used to date a guy that grew up in Hungary. He would always remark about how weird he thought "pet food" was since in Hungary they would feed the dogs the leftovers of the family meals. Granted, his family's meals were probably fresh and fairly simple.

American families eat as much processed foods as our dogs do. High salt, high fat, high-preservative foods do not make a good foundation for humans or canines as far as I know. However, it does bring us to today's topic - can dogs be vegetarian? My experience tells me that yes, many dogs can be vegetarians, unlike their feline friends. It is important to monitor the protein and fat intake of your pet and help make sure they are getting a good, balanced food supply.

If your family does eat meat, I recommend that your try to eat organic, fresh meats as much as possible, and its a good idea to hand some raw bones over to your dog now and then and let them chew, chew away. This will help scrape plaque from their teeth as well as get them the nuggets of hidden minerals and cartilage that can keep their joints and bones strong as they age.

Don't forget that fresh veggies and fruits contain antioxidants and vitamins that will benefit the health of your dog, so toss a few those in the old bowl as well. Steaming is the best way to make the veggies more palatable. Bon Appetit!

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

So, a beagle has taken the crown. I don't know what anyone else is thinking, but I'm thinking that beagle is pretty adorable. Do you think the dogs know when they are winning, or are they just having fun in general?

I would love to know.

Vegetarian Cats

My understanding of cats brings me to the reality that cats do not make good vegetarians. Cats need more protein and fat than other pets. It may be that there are very skilled vegetarian owners out there that manage to balance these components and still feed only a vegetarian diet. I've never really heard of someone accomplishing this and raising a totally healthy cat, so I apologize if I'm overlooking someone.

In fact, my own experience leads me to believe that cats need very little besides meat, organs, and bones to survive healthily. Carbohydrates or greens of any sort make my male cat immediately sick, and my female kitten stinks up the whole house when she consumes carbs and vegs. In nature, cats may chew on grass, and they certainly eat the contents of the stomach & intestines of their prey, which would account for a small amount of predigested vegetable matter.

Don't forget that most commercial dry pet foods are mostly carbs which makes for an unhealthy balance for a cat. Commonly, this is apparent in the urinary health or skin & coat of the animal, and sometimes in other ways like obesity or smelly breath. Some cats remain largely unaffected by a dry diet for years, but kidney issues do seem to creep up later on.

If you are currently giving your cat a dry-only diet, consider adding a couple spoons of natural canned food per day, and cut back slightly on the dry. It may just be a small step in the right direction.

Cats on Raw Food

Cats are natural predators. We forget that from time to time. If you're like me, your cat represents a member of the family. .. well, one that purrs, but still... and its hard to imagine that they could harm another helpless living animal. One hour outside in the yard is all it takes to turn your sweet snuggle-bunny into an intestine-ripping, beak-chewing terrorist to wildlife. I'll never forget the image of my childhood cat batting a bloody baby mouse body around the driveway, trying to get it to get up and run again so he could play some more. I should have known then that dried up little chunks of cat food pellets isn't an appropriate diet for such an animal.

Now, I'm not saying I'm going to set up a caged hunt with some pigeons or mice just to satiate the evil needs of my house cat, but there must be some better answer than commercial cat foods, which I've read are mostly made of by-products of the meat industries, like tumors, deformed limbs, and even euthanized cattle. Dry foods have no where near the high moisture (water and oil) level that cats need to consume in their food since drinking water is not sufficient for them. Wet foods tend to have moisture, but the fat-to-water balance is off.

Our pets manifest the effects of such deficient food sources differently over time, some with food allergies, skin reactions, diarrhea, premature aging, obesity, kidney strain, dental cavities, urinary tract problems, and the more important and common effect may be that the cat's general immune system may be compromised and left vulnerable to all disease.

Can a cat eat raw meat and not get sick? Yes. I have always heard that cats have acidic saliva and stomach fluids that allow it to neutralize more bacteria during digestion. Maybe that is true: I'm not a veterinarian but my cat has been eating raw, organic turkey and chicken for over a year and he gets much less sick than when he eats processed foods, even the natural ones.

It took him a while to figure out how to eat raw meat but he mows through it now like its caviar on Fancy Feast. I can throw a small chicken wing or drum down and he will start at one end and eat the whole thing, bone and all, right down to the tip. [I don't think you're supposed to feed cats cooked bones because they can splinter and be dangerous in the throat but raw bones are supposed to be okay. I have to confess, I supervise him every time, just in case!]

Anyway, he is a happier, more fit, more handsome cat now at 7 1/2 years old than he's been since he was one year old. He is a poster child for a raw diet! I'll be posting more tips on how to start your raw diet for cats or dogs (plus resources for birds and horse diets) and some time- and money-saving tricks to help you get through it. Please comment and share your experiences anytime. I'll try to help answer questions you may have or help you find the resources. Long live the pets.

Help for Pet Owners

I have created this blog to help share and receive info on natural health care for pets like dogs, cats, birds, and horses. Many owners spend years and tons of money at the vet or on conventional medications for their animals but never see the benefit in the health of the animal. Often times, there is no resource that can point out some simple and time-tested regimens that can curb the effects of the pet's chronic disease and symptoms.

It is important, as loving pet owners, that we recognize the needs of the animal and address basic supportive lifestyle requirements for the pet. For instance, a hyper beagle may need more rigorous walks and sniffing/searching games more than sedating drugs, to correct the hyperactivity. Another commonly overlooked need might be for replenishment of beneficial bacteria in the gut of a cat with chronic diarrhea.

Hopefully, we can use this blog to share helpful information about natural remedies and regimens that can support our pets (and us!) in happier lives.