New Series: Staff Recommendations on What to Feed your Dog and Cat
The question we get asked the most is what to feed your dog and cat! Often customers come into the store, and they just brought home a puppy or have a cat that won’t eat. We spend hours every day talking to people about the food brands best suited for their animals and supplements. So, we thought we should introduce a new series that looks at our staff’s animals as we struggle with this same question. Our pets need help too as they have allergies, irritable bowel issues and some are seniors! Fang! Pet and Garden Pet Supply’s new manager, Alyx Winek, shares a story about her cats, Kevin and Steve. Here we go!
Q & A with Alyx
- What is/are your pet’s name(s)?
- Kevin and Steve
- What is their breed and how old?
- Kevin is a Domestic Long Hair Black cat that is six years old, and Steve is a three-year-old, orange, marble tabby
- Do they have any dietary restrictions or health ailments?
- Steve has an iron stomach. Nothing upsets him. Kevin, on the other hand, cannot have any proteins that have feathers
- How did you diagnose this?
- I noticed that he had dandruff but simultaneously oily skin and coat He also had a lot of hairballs and would vomit about every 7-10 days. I started trying to single out a protein that was causing it and turns out; it’s just about every bird.
- What do you feed and why?
- I chose to start feeding my cats a raw diet because it was much easier to find a raw food formula that was a single protein and didn’t have chicken in it. He was reluctant at first, but after a few days, he came around to Rad Cat’s Pork flavor. Within a week I noticed less dandruff, healthier skin, and no vomiting. He also was shedding less and had more energy to play with his brother. Now, I rotate between flavors of Rad Cat with both of them as they have Beef, Venison and Pork flavors that my boys just They get the moisture that they need, as cats are carnivorous and get most of their moisture from what they eat VS. what they drink, have smaller stools and have better teeth! Bonus: Rad Cat is made in Portland! I also supplement their food with Stella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried Salmon and Cod food, just to mix it up. Boy, do they love their fish! Other Bonus: Stella & Chewy’s is made in Wisconsin (where Kevin, Steve and I hail).
- Do you give supplements to your animal? Which ones and why?
- Steve is my anxious boy and benefits from CBD oil when I’m away. Otherwise, he howls for me and disturbs my roommates. He also has a 7-foot tall cat tree right in a window so that he can yell at birds from up high. Kevin has a history of urinary issues, so I add extra water to his raw food as well as incorporate Earth Animal’s Tinkle Tonic into his food for extra urinary tract support.
