What Cat Bowls and Cat Food Dishes are Safe for Cat to use?

Cat Food dishes are a very common and easily found cat food item. Yet sometimes, if there isn’t a shop in your near you might have to go online to find the right cat food dish. In which case you should first compare a few different cat food dishes and cat food bowls before deciding for one specific cat food bowl.

You can also compare prices for your cat food dish in a few different shops, but mostly the prices for cat food dishes will be the same, since it’s such a low priced item any way…..

All cats need to eat from something and of course if you have a cat you will need to have a cat food dish or food bowl. There are the most common kinds of cat food dishes such as plastic food dish for cats, stainless steal cat food dish and a ceramic or porcelain cat food bowl.

Compare these three most common cat food dishes and cat food bowls to find which one is the right one for your cat!

There are three common kinds of cat food bowls and cat food dishes:

A ceramic or porcelain cat food dish, A plastic cat food bowl, A stainless steel cat food dish

A Ceramic or Porcelain Cat Food Dish

A lot of ceramic and porcelan cat food dishes are very beautifully decorated. Ceramic Cat food dishes are heavier then other cat food dishes and won't fall over if thrown around.

However if you buy a fancy painted cat food bowl, make sure that it is marked “safe for food”. Some fancy, decorated and beautiful cat food dishes contain lead in the paint or glaze (or other things), which is poisonous when eaten by humans or pets.

Usually if the food dishes are safe for people to use, then they will probably be safe for your cat. Just check to make sure!

Plastic Cat Food Bowl

Plastic cat food bowls are commonly sold in pet supply stores and are easy to clean, can not be broken and are usually very cheap too.

Nevertheless, plastic cat food dishes are not highly recommended.

They tend to get scratched easily and Plastic can accumulate bacteria, which sometimes causes "cat acne" around the cat's mouth and chin.

The plastic cat food dishes also get slime on the sides and that can cause serious problems for your cat and for you too.

WARNING: Sometimes, a very cheap plastic cat food dish might come with a very sharp edge that could perhaps cut your cats lips or skin. Therefor check any plastic cat food dishes before buying any cat food dish or bowl.

Stainless Steel Cat Food Bowls

Stainless steel bowls are sold almost everywhere. Stainless steal cat food bowls are dishwasher safe and sturdy. However there are some minuses to consider before buying any stainless steal cat food dish.

Some people think that stainless steel cat food bowls are not a good choice either since they give the cat food a bad metallic taste. 

Cat Food Bowl Tips:

1. Whatever type of dishes you purchase, make sure they are washed out and refilled every day with clean fresh water.

2. Use a wet sponge to rub the sides and corners of the cat food dish to make sure that no bacteria and slime are growing there.

Yoga meditation music helps cats relax

A study shows that when they are unwell,

cats became less stressed when they listen to relaxing music.

Student veterinary nurse Sian Barr carried out the research on cats being treated at a vet's surgery.

She found that those who were played yoga meditation music and Om Shanti tunes calmed down and began to breathe more slowly while in cages at the practice in Powys, Wales.

Miss Barr, who has just graduated from veterinary school with a first class honours degree thanks to her research, said: "Stress in small doses can be a good thing, such as if a cat is under stress to eat, then it can perform better.

"But otherwise, it will have a negative effect, such as in a veterinary practice.

"This is because a cat is in a cage and isn't able to do what it would like to do, so stress levels will increase and it will become wound up and angry.

"This is bad for not only its behaviour, becoming difficult for staff to handle, but also for its immune system and ability to heal."

Miss Barr, of Waterlooville, Hants, studied cats when they were first admitted by assessing their ear and eye activity, how they were communicating and respiration levels.

The 21 year old then split them into two groups, only one of which was played the relaxation CDs.

She added: "I then repeated the test after 40 minutes and was able to assign each cat a cat stress score.

"By comparing the scores, I found the music had a dramatic effect on respiration rates, with those exposed to the music decreasing to a relaxed rate much quicker than those not exposed."

Start to read ingredients before you buy Food for your cats

Do you know some ingredients in Commercial Cat Food are harmful to your cat if fed over time, and will result in poor health and a shorter life span.

Ingredients to avoid.

The word by-product in any form

such as meat by-product, or chicken by-product. This is always very bad news.

by-products contain little, if any, meat. These are the parts of the animal left over after the meat has been stripped away from the bone. " Chicken by-products include head, feet, entrails, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, stomach, bones, blood, intestines, and any other part of the carcass not fit for human consumption ,"

Wheat gluten.

This is what was contaminated and killed thousands of pets in 2007, Wheat gluten into its cat. It is highly allergenic for cats and can cause irritable bowels, just like it does in humans. It is used as a very cheap filler and very poor source of protein. It is used to boost the protein content of the food, so that it appears to be healthier than it is.

Any type of carbs is not good.

Wheat, rice, soy or corn flour. All bad for cats

Cats are obligate carnivores, their level of carbs should be kept to a minimum, ideally less than 6 per cent. Kibble will have a higher percentage of carbs and many cats will have no problem eating these. Carbs are required to make gravy so it's not good to feed their cats canned foods containing gravy.

Corn isn't digested by our carnivorous cats and can be very allergenic and may can cause much stress to the cat's system.

Ground rice or brewers rice.

May lead to an increase in heart rate, temperature, seizures, and in large quantities, even death.

BHA, and BHT

are both known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction

Ethoxyquin, a known Carcinogen

is bad for liver, kidney and bladder

And why they put all these ingredients in our cat food,

Because it's cheap !

Just have to remember one thing,

The very top notch quality cat foods are always Grain Free

How Cats Uptake Water by Lapping

How Cats Uptake Water by Lapping

Foods Your Cat Should Never Eat

Human Tuna

The reasons vets say tuna is bad are:

1. Human Tuna is high in poly-unsaturated fatty acids. If a cat is fed this as their main diet, these fatty acids oxidize and destroy vitamin E, which can lead to a disease called “steatitis” otherwise known as “yellow fat disease”. This disease is very painful for cats. It causes lumps in the fatty tissue which harden, and the cat feels pain when moving.

2. Human Tuna contains mercury. Mercury is toxic and can cause brain and neurological damage. If a cat is fed canned tuna as their primary food, mercury can build up in their systems. 

3. Human Tuna lacks the proper nutrients for cats such as taurine. Taurine is an amino acid which is normally added to cat food (dry and canned). Cats can’t manufacture it from themselves – but it is needed for their heart, digestion, eyes and reproductive systems.

In the wild, cats get taurine from birds and mice (it is found in muscle tissue and it is abundant in brains). Human Tuna also lacks copper, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin E.

4. If you think raw tuna is better – think again. Raw fish contains thiaminase – an enzyme that destroys the thiamine vitamin (B1). Be aware that cooking destroys the thiaminase enzyme so canned tuna doesn’t contain it.

Onions, Garlic, Chives

Onion in all forms - powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated - can break down a cat's red blood cells, leading to anemia. That's true even for the onion powder that's found in some baby foods. An occasional small dose probably won’t hurt. But eating a large quantity once or eating smaller amounts regularly can cause onion poisoning. Along with onions, garlic and chives can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Milk and Other Dairy Products

What could be wrong with offering your cat a saucer of milk, or a piece of cheese? Although kittens, with their undeveloped digestive system, are able to tolerate milk, most adult cats cannot. Their digestive system is simply not designed to process rich dairy foods, and the result can be digestive upset, and can lead to food allergies (which often manifest as itchiness).

Alcohol

Beer, liquor, wine, foods containing alcohol -- none of it is good for your cat. That's because alcohol has the same effect on a cat's liver and brain that it has on humans. But it takes far less to do its damage. Just two teaspoons of whisky can cause a coma in a 5-pound cat, and one more teaspoon could kill it. The higher the proof, the worse the symptoms.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins have often been used as treats for pets. But it's not a good idea. Although it isn't clear why, grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in cats. And, a small amount can make a cat ill. Repeated vomiting and hyperactivity are early signs. Although some cats show no ill effects, it's best not to give your cat any grapes and to keep grapes and raisins off countertops and other places accessible to your cat.

Coffee, Tea, and Other Caffeine

Caffeine in large enough quantities can be fatal for a cat. And, there is no antidote. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscle tremors, fits, and bleeding. In addition to tea and coffee -- including beans and grounds -- caffeine can be found in cocoa, chocolate, colas, and stimulant drinks such as Red Bull. It's also in some cold medicines and pain killers.

Chocolate

Chocolate can be lethal for cats. Although most cats won't eat it on their own, they can be coaxed to eat it by owners and others who think they are giving the cat a treat. The toxic agent in chocolate is theobromine. It's in all kinds of chocolate, even white chocolate. The most dangerous kinds, though, are dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate. Eating chocolate can cause abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and death.

Candy and Gum

Candy, gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and some diet foods are sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol can cause an increase in the insulin circulating through your cat's body. That can cause the cat's blood sugar to drop and lead to liver failure. Initial symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, and loss of coordination. Eventually, the cat may have seizures, and liver failure can occur within just a few days.

Fat Trimmings and Bones

Table scraps often contain fat trimmed off of meat and bones. Both are dangerous for cats. Fat trimmed from meat, both cooked and uncooked, can cause pancreatitis. And, a cat can choke on a bone. Bones can also splinter and cause an obstruction or lacerations of your cat's digestive system.

Raw Eggs

There are two problems with giving your cat raw eggs. The first is the possibility of food poisoning from bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli. The second is that an enzyme in raw eggs, avidin, interferes with the absorption of the B vitamin biotin. This can cause skin problems as well as problems with your cat's coat.

Raw Meat and Fish

Raw meat and raw fish, like raw eggs, can contain bacteria that cause food poisoning. In addition, an enzyme in raw fish destroys thiamine, which is an essential B vitamin for your cat. A lack of thiamine can cause serious neurological problems and lead to convulsions and coma.

Dog Food

An occasional bite of dog food won't hurt your cat. But dog food is not a substitute for cat food. They do have many of the same ingredients. But cat food is specially formulated for a cat's needs, which include more protein as well as certain vitamins and fatty acids. A steady diet of dog food can cause your cat to be severely malnourished.

Liver

Liver can be healthy for a cat if the cat doesn't get too much. But eating too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity. This is a serious condition that can affect your cat's bones. Symptoms include deformed bones, bone growths on the elbows and spine, and osteoporosis. Vitamin A toxicity can also cause death.

Sugary Foods and Drinks

Too much sugar can do the same thing to cats that it does to humans. It can lead to obesity, dental problems, and even diabetes.

Yeast Dough

Before it's baked, bread dough needs to rise. And, that's exactly what it would do in your cat's stomach if your cat ate it. As it swells inside, the dough can stretch the abdomen and cause severe pain. In addition, when the yeast ferments the dough to make it rise, it produces alcohol that can lead to alcohol poisoning.

Human Medicine

Reacting to a drug commonly prescribed for humans is one of the most common causes of poisoning in cats. Just as you would do for your children, put all medicines where your cat can't get to them. And, never give your cat any over-the-counter medicine unless advised to do so by your vet. Ingredients such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are common in pain relievers and cold medicine. And, they can be deadly for your cat.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Almonds and nuts in general

Large quantities can lead to stomach upset. Limit salted nuts. Just like with babies, whole nuts can pose a choking hazard.

Avocados

There are some worries that avocados contain a toxic principle known as Persin. There have not been any clinical tests on what consititutes a toxic dosage and it may be best to avoid avocado completely.

Spices

Mace, nutmeg, paprika and turmeric should be avoided completely.

Tomatoes and tomato plants

Tomatoes of all kinds are toxic to cats, as are parts of the tomato plant. Ingesting as little as a cherry tomato can cause severe gastrointestinal upset.

We Cats are Meat Lover !

Why CAT should eat mostly MEAT instead of WHEATS, GRAINS, and GREENS

First things, I know it's so obvious, but not many actually know that our cats and dogs are CARNIVORES. ( Not OMNIVORES or HERBIVORES, which are evolved to eat both plant and animal substances or just greens.) They are EASILY put under this category for a few simple reasons as follows:

1. SHORT DIGESTIVE TRACT

" Animals, Just like people, are still using digestive systems that evolved thousands of year ago, system designed to provide them with nutrients derived from the whole food. You need only look at the digestive system of an organism to determine it's appropriate food." Bruce Cauble, D.V.M.

Animals that eat mostly grains and greens have LONG digestive tracts to help digest the complex plant foods. CARNIVORES such as CATS have SHORT digestive tracts because fat and animal proteins are quickly and easily able to digest, hence not needing as long of a tract to do so. The CECUM is larger in a HERBIVORES body due to it having more of a variety to process, versus just meat.

2. SHARP TRIANGULAR SERRATED TEETH

The teeth of a CARNIVORE explain it all. They are unique in being triangular, serrated, and short (similar to scissors cutting). This then helps to quickly grasp, rip, shred, and swallow the meat. They lack the flatter teeth that OMNIVORES and HERBIVORES need to grind, chew, and crush the plant and grain materials ingested. 

3. VERTICALLY MOVING JAW

The jaw of meat eating animals is vertical. It is like this to smoothly slice down into the meat of the animal there consuming while opening the jaw widely to swallow larger chunks. Unlike this, HERBIVORES and OMNIVORES have horizontal moving jaws that help to grind and chew the food there about to swallow. 

4. NO AMYLASE SALIVA

This is an enzyme that is present in OMNIVORES and HERBIVORES saliva. The enzyme helps to predigest the food while the animal is chewing and grinding the grains or greens. Now are best friends ( CARNIVORES ) lack this enzyme in there mouth to help out when they eat grains or greens.

Meaning when it comes time to digest this food they have to overwork there pancreas, which does create this naturally, but only a small amount. Though overworking the pancreas with to much grain and greens to digest may sometimes cause the animal to get pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas ). This being very treatable and curable if proper nutrition and health is applied. 

Now your asking well what do CARNIVORES have to help digest there food? They have two enzymes called protease, cellulase, and lipase. These are far to damaging to have release in the mouth due to oral corroding, but are specifically produced in the stomach. They both help to break down proteins into amino acids and fiber. Used specifically for meats, and the little amylase that is produced, is really only meant for whatever grains and greens that resided in the stomach of the animal there eating.

Now the choice is yours to look at the food that you are feeding and to judge if it is proper towards your cat health.

Assisted Feeding

You will probably have times when your cat refuses to eat. Naturally, you must try to address all possible causes of in appetance, such as stomach acid, mouth ulcers and nausea  the suggestions from last two post to make the food seem more appetising. But if all else fails, there are a couple of other things you can try.

Company While Eating

Many pawrents found this way it's helpful. they would sit by cat encouraging us to eat, praising each mouthful. It does work for some cats.

Feeding by Hand

This is the next stage, where you lift the food out of the bowl and encourage your cat to lick it off your finger or a spoon. It can take hours, and your cat will probably drop lots of the food, but many pawrents found this really helped persuade cat to eat.

Syringe (Assisted or Force) Feeding

Finally, you can try what many people refer to as force feeding, but what I prefer to call assisted feeding. This entails placing your cat's food into a syringe and syringing it gently into the cat's mouth. In particular can be made into a mush with water and syringed in easily. Alternatively, you can puree tinned food (prescription or standard food) using a mixer or blender, add water to make it more liquidy (otherwise it is hard to squeeze out of the syringe), then draw it up into a syringe. Using warm water can make the food more attractive to your cat.

The size syringe you should choose depends upon how strong your hands are - the smaller and weaker your hands are, the harder it is to push a larger syringe.