While I had heard that juicing wheatgrass is very healthy for us, I did not realize that it would be so beneficial for my cat, Spaz, or that he would simply love it so much. I started to realize that he was missing something from his diet when on walks around our backyard (yes, I walk my cat on a leash sometimes!), he would always try to eat grass and weeds. Unfortunately, though, this would sometimes cause him to throw up later so I always tried to stop him.

I asked our vet at Spaz’s next appointment about the grass fetish and she stated that outdoor cats simply have that as part of their diet and that some cats just like the taste. Unfortunately, most indoor cats don’t really get this type of living food anymore as most of their food is meat-based, cooked, and dry.

After further research, I learned that providing cats wheatgrass can actually improve their digestion and that this need or desire that they have for greens can be why they sometimes enjoy chewing on houseplants- much to any owners dismay! I am currently testing to see if keeping the tasty wheatgrass out where Spaz can reach it will keep him out of my apparently very tempting spider plant.

Now, if you don’t have a cat, no worries, wheatgrass is also a healthy treat for dogs, rabbits, and even birds. Wheatgrass is considered a complete food and actually retains 92/102 minerals from the soil. It is also loaded with amino acids and vitamins including C, A, E, K, and B-complex.

While I’ve purchased small containers of wheatgrass from my local store and Spaz loved it (not getting sick at all!), I finally I decided that I wanted to grow it myself, which is actually much more economical in the long run anyway.

I found that my local health store carries the berries, but if you stop at a pet store, they should have kits or fresh grass that you can purchase if you prefer. Also, there are kits on Amazon that also include everything you need including berries, soil, trays, and instruction.

Now, if you are thinking that wheatgrass requires a green thumb to grow- that is entirely not true! I am normally terrible with plants, but simply filled a vegetable crisper (this worked great because of the drainage holes in the bottom) with container mix suitable for growing veggies and planted the soaked (about 12 hours) and drained (about 12 more hours) organic wheatberries on top. I sprinkled a little more soil on them, added some water, and placed them in front of an open window.

The next day the berries were already starting to sprout and over the next couple of days (to my extreme surprise and amazement!) the wheat grass shot up like crazy and there was even a plethora of roots visible. I was thrilled that I had used a clear container my first time growing so I could see all this!

And now Spaz is extremely happy as he grazes in his own personal field of wheatgrass. And when he’s not eating it throughout the day, he often rolls around relaxed on the floor by it. I really do believe that sometimes animals have better instincts about healthy foods than we do as humans!

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/wheatgrassinformation.html

Although I don’t have a dog myself, I came across an interesting article by Richard Pitcairn, doctor of veterinary medicine, who has natural treatment options for bites, bumps, or burns that could happen to your dog (especially with time spent outdoors in the summer). He even recommends carrying along first-aid treatments, such as those noted below, in case they ever become necessary.

As a quick fix for insect bites from spiders and centipedes or a sting from bees, hornets, or wasps, rub a drop of nettle extract onto the sting. Hold a dull knife perpendicular to the skin and scrape it across the sting a few times. This will pull the stinger out without pain. If you try to pull out the stinger with tweezers or your fingers, this will only squeeze additional poison into the wound.

If your dog gets a chemical, electrical, or campfire burn (showing burnt fur or white skin), dip gauze into Urtica urens or stinging nettle (combine six drops per ounce of water). Add more solution if it dries and bandage as needed.

In the case of poison (such as from ingesting toxic plants, water, or dead animals), your dog may have symptoms such as vomiting, trembling, extreme salivation, and urinate or defecate frequently. In this instance, combine one cup of water with five teaspoons of activated charcoal granules. Also call 888-426-4435 for the National Animal Poison Control Center.

If you notice that your dog is panting excessively, passes out, or has a very fast heart rate, he or she may be suffering from heat stroke. A quick fix is to get to a shady area with good air flow and give the dog water. Also, pour water on it’s body (including the head) and then place ice packs around him or her as you head to the veterinarian.

Although I hope your dog does not run into any of these problems, it’s always better to be prepared. If you have any other natural solutions that you use to help your dog, please feel free share them!

“Trail Fixes: How to Treat Your Buddy’s Bumps, Bites and Burns” by Richard H. Pit cairn. Natural Awakenings magazine June 2009

Have you ever looked at the small print of ingredients listed on your kitty’s favorite treats? If not, pull them out and glance at the delicious, nutritious ingredients- wait a minute- delicious and nutritious ingredients? Are we referring to the poultry by-product meal listed as number one or perhaps the animal digest a few more down? Yikes-what have I been feeding my cat?!?

If you are starting to feel wary of this cat treats you have trusted for your pet, you are not alone. In fact, a great deal of information on specific ingredients is available, although not widespread. These details can help you make decisions on purchasing wholesome, nutritious food for your kitty while avoiding cheap fillers.

The ingredients in my cat treats were so alarming that I decided to give homemade ones a try. I can assure you that the treats I made were safe for me to consume (although baked tuna isn’t my normal craving) and my cats, both a small kitten and adult cat enjoyed them. The recipe I tried is called “Tuna Tidbits” and is very easy to make.

Simply mix in a medium-sized bowl a 6 or 7 oz can of undrained tuna, 2 cooked egg whites, 1/4 cup corn meal, and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. Form a ball with the mixed dough (adding additional water if necessary) and then press it to about 1/4″ thickness on a cutting board. Then cut the treats into small pieces (I ended up having to break my down after baking because 1″ was much too large) and spread them out onto a baking sheet.

Bake the treats for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and remove them onto a cooling rack soon after they are finished. Once they are cooled, break them into pieces small enough for your cat’s particular enjoyment (I broke the pieces much smaller for my kitten) and store extra treats in a sealed container for later.

I hope that this alternative treat is enjoyable for your kitty and also helps to provide you a better piece of mind when spoiling him or her.

Strange find. Finally, I thought I’d found a solution that would allow us to get a cat for the garage (and ok, in the basement occasionally to hunt) without Justin dying – Allerpet C.

This product is found all over the Internet by the way, at a range of prices. The first time I found it, I was absolutely giddy and ready to buy, when a voice of reason asked me “what are the ingredients?”

(thanks : j )

Well, there wasn’t an ingredients list, but a U.S. Department of Labor MSDS sheet was available, and it succinctly stated ‘Product contains no hazardous components’.

That actually raised a flag. I decided to look a little further.

The second site I found selling Allerpet actually listed the ingredients, and I googled a long one – methylisothiazolinone – and, surprisingly enough, even Wikipedia had to report this ingredient is actually a neurotoxin, shown to be allergenic and cytotoxic, and linked to nerve cell death and DNA damage in humans.

Wait – I’m supposed to apply this to my cat’s fur every day, indefinitely, and then it’s safe for him to be in my house?

Oh, ok. It does say ‘non-toxic’ on the website, so the answer must be ‘yes’.

Well, no. One of the greatest secrets I’ve learned from working in marketing is that the only label that matters is the boring, non-descript, shrunken and unpronounceable list on the side: the ingredients label. Yes, that’s what the product actually is. Yes, that’s what’s going into your body, pets, and home.

Not the pretty face on the front of the package. Not the swirly graphics or the shiny letters. Not even necessarily ‘all-natural’ or ‘non-toxic’, even especially if a bureaucratic agency is involved. It’s methylisothiazolinone. Did you know that methylisothiazolinone is found in many shampoos and bath products? Maybe you’ll want to check yours out for yourself. And hey, if it’s not meth, it’s one of a thousand other toxic chemicals found in every-day products.

Eek. So I found an alternative – I think – at PetSmart – Dander Free for cats. The ingredients were vaguely described on the bottle, including that ominous phrase ‘Contains no known hazardous ingredients.’

See, it’s the word ‘known’ that caused me to email them for a specific ingredient list. I’m not content to blindly trust corporations to make health decisions for me, which is also (partly) why I’m kicking and screaming against the socialist takeover of this country.

Buyer beware! At least do it for the kittens.

Update: Len from Earth’s Balance kindly explained to me that Dander Free for Cats is a completely natural product, free from chemicals and preservatives. If the product works I will post a review.  Thanks for the comments!