Wednesday 17 October 2012

you are what you eat

Now that's kind of a silly statement, don't you think?  I eat all sorts of stuff.  I eat turkey and chicken and tuna and...  well...  the list goes on and on.  But do you know what?  I'm still a cat.  I mean, even though I eat turkey for breakfast most mornings, I've never turned into one.  Never, in my whole life have I ever said, "gobble, gobble, gobble..."  Well, sometimes I do say gobbley-goop - mainly when I'm talkin' about something that ol' peep of mine has said - but that's a totally different kind of gobble, I think.  So you see...  I'm really not what I eat.

But eating right, is important.  Everyone says so.  They can't all be wrong.  Right?  Cat nutrition is of the utmost importance. 

I'm a cat and that makes me a carnivore.  Sometimes peeps say they're carnivores but that's not really true.  Peeps are never carnivores.  In fact, I think tryin' to be one might even make them sick.  Most peeps are omnivores but my purrsonal peeps are veggies.  Neither one of 'em ever eats meat.

So you see, my peeps have to rely totally upon tins and bags and pouches and whatnot to supply me with my dietary requirements.  The only meat in the house is for us cats and it comes from the pet food aisle at the grocery store.  At least that's what I've been told.  I've never actually been inside the grocery store, myself.  Don't know why.  I'd make an excellent customer for sure.

I live with eleven other cats and the twelve of us all have various likes and dislikes.  We all enjoy the soft stuff for brekkies and dinner but quite often we'll snack on dry in between meals.  I always have turkey for brekkie but I really enjoy a little chicken.  Salmon is a favourite with some of my sibs.  Not one of us likes trout or duck.  Nope.  Not a single one.  And my brother Rushy will eat pretty much anything 'cept for the aforementioned trout and duck.  Peeps say this makes him a good eater.  I say it's just 'cause he's a big boy and likes his food!  Who knows...  maybe they're one in the same.

But whether we like chicken or salmon or even that duck stuff, what's important to remember is that we cats are really and truly carnivores.  That's a super-duper important part of cat nutrition.  That makes us different from peeps.  We have different biologies, I think.  We cats need our protein.  And we need lots of calcium, too, I've heard.  Very important for us cats, you know.  That's why my peeps always, always, ALWAYS give us food that's specially formulated for cats.  Bet you didn't know a cat would know such a long word as formulated, huh?  Well, I do.  I know lots of things like...  hmmm....  well like, how important it is that peeps feed us cat food and not dog or bird or hamster food or something like that.  No sirree...  cat food is the only way to go for us cats!

But did you know that almost as important as nutrition is taste?  I've known this all my life, I think.  Taste is really important 'cause if the food doesn't taste good, we cats won't eat it.  Sure, I've heard peeps - never mine, of course! - say stuff like, "Oh, they'll eat it if they're hungry enough!" but you know...  we cats could teach peeps a thing or two about holding out.  Truth is, when a cat doesn't wanna eat something, a cat won't eat that something.  It's just the way we are.  When we need it, we have patience in spades...  and hearts and diamonds and whatnot.

And just what good is nutritious food if the cats of the house won't eat it?  That's not gonna work at all.

Not that long ago, my Auntie Primrose wasn't feeling very well.  She didn't want to eat anything and the peeps were super worried.  When my peeps worry 'bout us cats, they worry like you've never seen worry before.  They were tryin' to entice Primrose to eat with all sorts of stuff.  They were even goin' to go to the store and get her chicken breast from the peep counter instead of our regular aisle.  They thought she might eat that.

But as luck would have, just about this time, I was in the process of doin' some research for this very blog post.  Yeah, the one you're readin' right now.  And sitting on the kitchen counter was a big bag filled with little trays of the most wonderful things.  There was tender beef and some chicken and salmon and whitefish with tuna and even one with turkey & giblets.  I told my peeps they should try givin' my Auntie Primrose some of the stuff they bought for my research and my peeps agreed that this was an excellent idea.

And do you know what?  She loved it!  Yup.  Especially that whitefish & tuna tray.  Auntie Prim said it was yummy, yummy in her tummy.  And that's exactly where it was 'cause she ate it all.  That plate was licked so clean it didn't even need washin' although the peeps did wash it, anyway.  Silly peeps.

You know, if any of you cats out there are havin' a hard time deciding what your peeps should be gettin' you for dinner....  you could try lookin' here.  http://www.whiskas.com/meal_time/   I know this stuff sure did help my Auntie Primrose 'cause, like I said, it got her eating again.  My friends, taste is extremely important.  Nutrition means nothin' less you can get it your tummy.  Know what I mean?



Please note that although I will receive remuneration for the writin' of this post, all thoughts expressed in it are mine.  All mine.  Not even the peep's.  No sirree....  I write my own blog, I do.  Nobody - and I mean nobody - tells me how I should think or what I should write.  I speak my own mind...  my mind.  Or, in this case, I write it!  purrs


34 comments:

  1. Thank you for this informative post. We have made The Mum read it, because nutrition is important.

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  2. I looks forward to your posts efury time u posts 'em

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  3. You are certainly right, if we won't eat it, no use in our mom's and dad's saying we'll eat it if we get hungry enough, That does not work with we cats. And it's cruel besides a bad mind set.

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  4. say it iznt sew nerissa...KNOT BURD...knot stoooooooopid chikn N turkee BURD.......N ewe haz knot eated a grate trout if ya dont like trout.... coz ya gotta seer it just rite.....we seer ours R selves coz R purrson iz a veggie tarian and a snak a tarian two....put that trout on sum coals for like bout 17 minits.....

    YUM !!

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    1. I suspect that trout that comes out of the tins is not as good as the stuff you catch and grill yourself. purrs

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  5. WE are so very glad that you don't turn into a turkey or a chicken. That would be funny looking to see a chicken with a cat tail. But all of you keep on eating that good food. Take care.

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  6. We haz some sick kittehs at our home, me included wif chronic fire pee. So mom has had to trade up to the special made foods. Expensive but worth it for future vet vists which are always expensive. Today mom got a powder from vet to help with dental decay. Sprinkle a half teaspoon on food, mix it in...once a day. Supposed to mix with our saliva in tummy, and when it comes back up as spit, it helps to harden tartar on teeth, which then chips away. As long as it tastes okay, I don't care what it does. Great post, Niss, as always! Informative too! Yay!

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    1. You're right, Herman. Some cats have 'very' special dietary requirements. Certain conditions demand very special foods. Sometimes even just the opposite of what most cats need like those cats who actually require a 'low' protein diet. But at my house, the main problem we have is pickiness. We like what we like and we know what that is! purrs

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  7. You are so right about food needing to taste good for us kitties to eat it! Of course, in my case, my taste seems to change on a daily basis...

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  8. Nutrition and cats, there can never be enough posts about it. The lesson I get from your post? never give up - try new things with a cat that has no appetite.

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  9. As recently as a month ago, I would have been bored by this column. BUT NOT ANYMORE! As you may know, I have recently discovered the may delights of FOOD--suddenly, I will eat with gusto just about any flavor or brand of fudz that is set before me. Before, I was as picky as your Aunt Prim. The Human was DESPERATE sometimes to get me to eat.

    But now, well I LOVED reading all about the foodz. New flavors and textures. New Brands! A world of foodz just WAITING out there for me to try them. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

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    1. Oh Spitty... you have just GOT to try the stuff in the trays. Delishious never tasted so good!!! purrs

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  10. Nutrition is very impawtant and we enjoyed reading this post.

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  11. Good post pal. I keep changing my mind on what I like to eat. M says I drive her crazy. he he - I say it's my job as a cat.

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  12. You're so right, Nerissa. It doesn't matter how good the food is if us kitties won't eat it. But we've found some good-for-you foods that taste great!

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  13. Austin usually eats Felix. he is so fussy. H e will only eat fish type food. But this morning I got him some whiskas just to see if he might be duped into eating another brand mol xx

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  14. Heh ... would HOOMANS eat something THEY didn't want "if they got hungry enough"? Well, maybe, MomKatt says but ... personally? I know her: she'd barf it up if she was forced to eat something she didn't like/want. (Ask her about her one childhood experience w/liver sometime .... all I can say is EWWW!)

    And we blog our own, yes we do! XOXO

    Love & purrs,
    Selina

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    1. Thanks so much. Oops! That's gone and done it. My ears have gone all bright pink from blushing. purrs

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  16. Hi Nerissa--
    Nice to meet you!

    A lot of good information in this post. Good work!

    You look a lot like my old pal and cat brother Elvis Pussley. I don't know if you saw his picture when you visited my blog; it is near the bottom of the right column. As soon as the lady saw your photo she thought of him.

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  17. My Angel Bobo ate Whiskas for years and years...he lived til age 18....

    One important thing with male cats though....turkey is NOT good for them. Only in moderation. It causes urinary problems in male cats.

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  18. I've been a little bit picky lately. Glogirly is still trying to find the magic formula for me. Really, I just like to keep her on her toes. heh heh

    Wonderful post, Nissy!
    xo Katie

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  19. Here we have lots of finicky kitties too, but Jen finally found a food they can all agree on. Now if only they would do the same with the treats. *sigh*

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  20. Our mom feeds us high quality kitty foods cause the cheaper ones can lead to problems like urinary crystals. She learned that one the hard way when she was much younger.

    We had no idea you lived with so many cats! We'd love to see all their pictures one day.

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  21. Great post my friend! You're right - if we won't eat it - doesn't matter how "good" it is for us. I'm a VERY picky eater myself. Took Mom furrrrever to find something I would eat. I'm glad your peep found something to get Auntie Primrose out of her food slump!

    Kitty Hugs, Sammy

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  22. We always love our food until Mum finds some at a discount - alas it never tastes as good as when it's more expensive!
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

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  23. Younsure nailed it, it has good taste good and be good! For some reason I am really, really hungry now!

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  24. Hey Nerissa, Hey Rushy, Hey Auntie Primrose, Jet here.

    So lovely to make your acquaintance! Yes, Mom feeds Puffy, our feline very specific food, he's down to a special ingredient formula because he "you know what's" his food all the time.

    Mom supplies JJ and I quite well, no complaints!

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  25. We love this article on food. HH has determined that when she feeds us with a higher protein content we act much more satisfied. She figured that out without us telling her. Isn't she smart?

    Have a great weekend.

    hugs, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles

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  26. We allus thought that was a funny statement too. But if we could learn to fly, we would be glad to eat birds. Not iffen we BECAME birds, though...

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  27. We are really glad Primrose liked the noms! They does sound awfully nummy! :)

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  28. Ah, yes. Food. I liked your post, Nerissa and you know what? I've eaten turkey and I've been called a turkey, but I think that's different, hehe

    Glad Auntie Primrose liked the yummy stuff. Me, if it's in my dish, I'm all over it (usually)

    Hugs,
    Tom

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  29. I am sending my Human to PetSmart this very week. The Food in Trays will be at the very tippy-top of my quite extensive list!

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I love hearin' from my pals. I really, REALLY do. PURRS.