Home-Made Cat Food Tips

In early Jan of this year I took my (back then) 8 month old female DSH who surprised us with a huge belly!! Shes always been a very petite little girl. The vet thought she was about to have them, though I kept telling her no, that shes very petite and her belly looks huge because of that. During the surgical procedure the vet noticed she was barely going to half way in the pregnancy. As I thought. Anyways, shes been eating so much its ridiculous. It still seems like shes pregnant. Her belly is huge, you can see it popped out from the sides as she walks. I have tried to give her smaller portions and keep her active (more than what she is already) she cant hear any bag being opened bc she thinks its cat food. She cries around the house like we are not feeding her. & out of 4 cats shes the only that acts like this. I thought mb its still the swelling from the surgery but IDK anymore...her stomach wasnt like that after the procedure. She got like that from Jan to now. Shes almost a year and she looks preg. I give her Eukanuba weight control...its not working!!! Why is she doing this?!? PS: Js in case anyone wants to know before anyone gets upset...I am a huge cat lover. & the thought of 4 little lives that were going to be miserable out there with not a stable home made me look into this. I would have kept the kittens other wise but I already had 4 of my own (2 boys Neutered & 1 still pending due to illness & the girl) the world is over populated with cats that get killed every single minute in one place of the world or another. Cats arent likely to get a home as much as a dog will. & though it hurt me when I took her & I cried...I know deep down I did the right thing for her....she would have gone through a lot of complications even death because she was only 8 months at the time....js FYI btw ;( For those of you being supportive in the decision I made, thank you. I would rather have saved my LITTLE SISTER'S cat than having her dead. I read the information, the vet went down the list of the complications she would have been having being pregnant so young. More than a regular spay. Complications for young mothers are deadly. As to those that think I'm evil, evil is those that kill a 3mon. old at the shelters, those that beat up the stray cats, ran cats over. See a cat and dont care for them. I became a responsible owner than an irresponsible one who would of placed the kittens in a shelter where they would have been KILLED within 4 days of placement (per Governor's orders here in CA) Sad, so I do my part, rescuing strays & helping them. S&N them. It beats breeding them like some ppl who answered my question. Why breed an animal like a cat that has a much lesser chance of a home? Again, thank you for those supportive ones : ) You are true cat lovers <3

You are calling crying about a stupid cat, when I've lost my youngest son??? "Why don't you go into the basement, throw a rope around the rafters, and HANG YOURSELF, you selfish thing?" My brother who was the closest to me had passed 2 years before, but on Sundays she keeps a vigil for him - which means no talking to anyone, especially me, who live 500 hundred miles away from her. She is usually in speech as vicious and malicious as she can be, and calls me every name which could psychically wound the strongest of people. I have tried my best to forgive her and find out what her true rage is about, but she is unresponsive. She has told lies about me to others in order to isolate me more from anyone who may find me a friend. She's even turned the family against me because what she wants is total power and control over a daughter, I, who am not conventional and do not care to keep up with the hypocrisy of keeping up with the Joneses', as she and my other brother do. She tries to restore a brief state of friendliness to me, by making home made food. and sending it with my older brother who dislikes me. I refused to see them on Friday when they came to Wisconsin to help him move to a far away part of the country. I want to move too, but she'll say when you are ready to move and that means taking everything out of your house by yourself, then you can move...until then, you'll have no help from us. When I said I did not want anything from her as a better than nothing, only in her favour peace-pipe, she became so impossible she sent the stuff over anyway with my brother, and he pounded and pounded on the door, rang the doorbell and then stayed a while until he sensed I REALLY WAS NOT COMING OUT. Suffice it to say - that her peace-pipe food is still untouched, outside! What I would like to know d from you is how I can disengage from this mentally ill woman who hates me, for WHO knows what reasons exactly and leave her behind to devour her own self through all the rage she feels for me, and the AWFUL punishment I receive because of it, because she is both unable and unwilling to look at herself and get the help she needs, so that I am always the whipping girl in the pillory. I'd really appreciate any sensible help you may offer, for I have reached a point of such debilitation that I fear SERIOUSLY for my health which is in a downward spiral, thanks to this tyrant? How, what do I do to begin????? For I know now I am not going to survive. I thank you. Thank you people. You have no idea what I've had to go through as punishment for having been born female and having had my father claim, at my age of 2 weeks old, that my mother had given him the girl he'd always wanted! From then n I guess an innocent child of 2 weeks old became a rival to a woman of 20! All her other children, even her miscarriages had been boys!

The room was white and smelled like chicken nuggets. A young girl of approximately 10 years of age anxiously entered it. Sauntering past the hot lunch line, her murky brown eyes burned with envy as the conveyor belt of kids inched along, the lunch lady heaping piles of gloriously crusty chicken nuggets and splendidly slimy mashed potatoes onto red trays with robotic perfection. Glancing ruefully at the unwieldy metal lunchbox concealed in the crook of her arm, she sighed and slid into her usual seat. Sitting across from her at the table was a new student at Fry Elementary. The young girl was hesitant to unwrap the contents of her lunch in front of this dubious new acquaintance. She decided to postpone the sensitive issue until Kaitlyn, her friend, arrived. “Hi, I’m Allie. I’m Kaitlyn’s friend from White Eagle Elementary, maybe she told you about me?” Her initial wariness fading, the girl nodded and smiled at this amiable introduction as her hands slowly gravitated towards the latch of her lunchbox. “Actually, I forgot my lunch money. If there’s something you don’t want in your lunch, could I have it?” Allie asked eagerly, her eyes fixed upon the metal lunchbox. The girl suddenly felt her smile disintegrate and her stomach clench. “Yeah, sure.” She replied politely, for common courtesy had coerced her to do so. She unlatched the box with sweaty fingers and agonizingly unearthed her home-made lunch. First, she produced two warm, slippery rice patties with lentils, mustard seeds, and cooked greens embedded within. Next was a Tupperware container filled to the brim with a mountain of mushy potatoes, colored bright yellow from the turmeric, and floating in a gravy of glutinous spinach and onions. Her mother had thoughtfully filled an old water bottle with some buttermilk to pour over the spinach and potatoes in case the food became too spicy. As she opened the Tupperware, a sharp, piquant aroma permeated the air and her mouth began watering in anticipation. Allie, however, recoiled in horror, her features contorting into a hyperbolic, and somewhat affected image of utter disgust. She pinched her nose shut with one hand and tossed her long golden locks behind her shoulder with the other, as if afraid that some part of her might accidentally graze the seemingly inedible abomination that had wound up in some poor girl’s lunchbox. “Eeeeeeew. Oh my god, what is that! Sorry! It just smells really, um, weird. I mean, do you like that stuff?” She scrambled to cling to some vestige of civility despite her obvious revulsion. The unfortunate young girl tugged at a dark strand of her hair and squirmed awkwardly, mortification coloring her cheeks. “It’s Indian food. And I guess its okay. At least, I’m used to it.” She replied, her voice stretched thin by the weight of her discomfort. She quickly began to wrap the food back up, ignoring her rumbling stomach. “Oh sorry. I just get queasy really easily when I see slimy or sticky stuff. But do you know what’s even more gross? Did you know they eat cats in China? Just thinking about it makes me want to puke.” Allie rambled on, hoping to make up for her previous loss of composure. The girl listened in stoic silence. “What’s that food called? The Indian food in your lunchbox?” Allie suddenly inquired. “Well the rice patties are called ravaa idli, and the potatoes are called aloo saag” “Raa-vuh-dli? Did I say it right? ” “ Yeah I guess” “Raa-vuh-dli. That’s a funny name.” “Yeah, I guess it is.” Interpreting her companion’s rapid agreement as shared sentiment, Allie beamed and presumed herself forgiven. The conversation once again lapsed into silence, and the girl began to aimlessly bounce her lunchbox in her lap to fill the uncomfortable void. Just then, Kaitlyn arrived toting a red tray laden with the Monday cafeteria special. “Thank god! I’m starving!” Allie exclaimed, plucking a crusty, stale chicken nugget from her friend’s plate, shoving it in her mouth, and chewing with the reckless abandon of a person who has never tasted a morsel of good food before in her life. Upon viewing this scene, the young girl ceased fidgeting with her cumbersome lunchbox. She got up, dumped its contents into the trash, and headed to the end of the lunch line at last. That evening, her mother indicated that they needed to do groceries. “What do you need for your dubba?” the mother asked of the girl. “You mean my lunch?” “Yes, your lunch. You knew what I meant. Do you want me to prepare the aloo saag again, or do you want aloo matar?” “Actually, can I just have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” she asked. “But I thought you loved aloo saag? Today you finished every last bite of it!” “All I want is peanut butter and jelly.” The girl’s mother obliged, and from then on her metal lunchbox was hastily opened, and her PB&J readily shared. The glorious scent of stale chicken nuggets wa

My brothers friend is unable to take care of his ferret, so he's giving him to us. My brother has enough for the food and whatnot. My parents don't know about it, since they would never let us get one. So for the cage, until we can buy one, we have this really long plastic tub that we've poked airholes in all over, and we're going to put mesh squares in it. Keep in mind that this is only temporary. For bedding, we have a bunch of cat litter, so we're going to use that and put something soft like a blanket over it, or some old t-shirts. We have tubs that we can use for food/water, and we can make some homemade toys that I've googled. I've thoroughly researched it, and there are a few things I have questions about. For one, do you really have to brush it's teeth? And how often? And about clipping it's nails, can you really use normal nail clippers? And any tips on how to do that? Is there anything else that you think I should know? And please, no "you shouldn't do this if your parents don't know about it" answers cause I'm stubborn as heck and I'm not backing out of it. The only way they'll know is if Nut gets sick, and they have to take him to the vet. They won't be happy, but they wouldn't turn down a sick animal. If it comes to that, I would rather him be healthy and given away or sold than dead. So just tips, no 'tell your parents' crap, please. I'm responsible enough to take care of this ferret with my brother. Oh, and does anyone have any easy home-made toy ideas? We've got a few but we want our little Nut to be happy and content. :3

Does anyone know how to make a balanced, healthy dry food that can last for a while? i am making the change from commercial foods to home-made...my cat really likes chicken, and tuna, though for some reason only likes to drink the juices from the can, not the meat. i don't quite know how that's going to work out...but the recipe i need has to be fairly easy to make, and i'd like to be able to substitute different meats so that she can have a little variety, maybe i could mix a few different meats together, i dont know. this food also needs to be able to last for a while. just a month or two. i do not plan to cook this food each day, so the food definately needs to last at least a month, preferrably 2. thanks...and can you grate veggies and cheddar cheese, for instance, and put that in the food? i don't know if my cat likes that, but i should think that she needs more variety than just meats, right? Also, the ingredients need to be pretty cheap, but i won't care so much about the price as the nutritional value. i just dont want any crazy prices for anything.

he isn't eating and theres no treasure in the litter-box department (but there is quite a lot of pee). hes very lethargic and sleepy, but otherwise he seems fine. this has been going on for about 3 days (ever since he had some vaccines) but im starting to get a little anxious... he is unentered because he is still a bit to young. i will get him neutered when he is 6 months old (right now he is 5 and a half) we are taking him to the vet on thursday to check things out! His diet includes: Whiskers kitten pouches (with dry food mixed in) home-made Tuna and Egg mix (with a tiny drop of olive oil) Tinned chicken in gravy (cat food) Tinned tuna in gravy (cat food) The odd sausage (he deserves a treat, right??) Water, of course We have reduced his meals to 3 a day because the vet said he was a little on the fat side... any suggestions?? =D

I was thinking maybe I'd save a little $$ making it myself,it's costing me .43 cents a day to feed him the store bought. Maybe it would be healthier for my cat too. I feed him Whiskas Poultry.One packet a day. On the dry side he gets Purina One Indoor Advance,all he can eat. It's helped tremendously with hairballs.I think he's only had one since he started getting that food.And that was at the beginning, months ago.

my cat is basically allergic to all kinds of fish and meat except rabbits, plus she's also allergic to corn and wheat, so i decided to cook food for her at home. however the rabbit meal i cook for her doesn't smell like the stinky commercial canned food that she likes, so i had to add in a little crushed Hill's prescription D/D dry food to get her eat a bit. I was wondering what makes the canned food stink so much and how i can make my home-made food smell like that. thank you~ she's on Hill's prescription diet D/D rabbit and green pea dry food at the moment and i don't think they make a canned version of that. i heard enough bad things about feeding cats dry food that's why i'm trying to slowly switch to home cooked meals. i'm not sure about raw diet because i heard mixed opinions, i'm very worried about my cat getting worms from raw meat.

my dearest cat has passed away after 7 days of giving birth of two kittens. since that time I'm taking care of them by feeding them milk ever 4-5 hours. Now they are 1 month old I want to know when to start giving them food? and what kind of food to give them? (Home made food) by the way they are Persian I need you help cause this is my first time to take care of small kittens thanks in advance

Are they good brands? Why? Why not? I live in Dubai and we have a very limited choice of cat food. In fact, I haven't come across any place that sells some of the well-known cat foods like Wellness, Innova, Feline Instincts, etc. I have been feeding my cat home-made recipes instead and I'm starting to get worried about her diet. I'm at a dilemma and have no idea where to find good food. Therefore, if anybody (Dubai residents) has any idea where to find good and healthy cat food. Please let me know where with specific details if possible. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

And feed it a more natural diet of meats etc. Does anyone else feed their cats & dogs home made food instead of prepared tinned/bagged food. If you do then what do you feed it. I would appreciate all feedback! Thanks

Hi I have an almost 3 yr old cornish rex (bald cat breed) cat. And all she eats is, fancy feast can food, and fancy feast dry food. Im aware that there are better cat food such as Wellness, but its kind of difficult living in recession. I want to make natural healthy meals for my cat, from chicken, rabbit, sometimes a lil fish. I tried preparing these home made meals in small amounts before, and my cat refused to eat it. Its like she is addicted to junk food, and even tho chicken smells better and taste better, she will not go near the bowl for the whole day until that food becomes dry and full of micro bacteria, and then I have to throw it out. Any food tips on how to make my cat eat healthy? If you got some simple recipes and you dont mind posting then please go ahead. Thanks

I have two large breed dogs who eat alot. I currently have them on Diamond Naturals lamb and rice but I would maybe like to start making my dog food on my own instead of buying it from a pet shop. Ive read alot of bad things about dog food and whats in it and I dont like the thought of it when I feed it to my dogs. I haven't heard too many bad things about the food Im currently feeding them other than it was recalled a few years back for cross contamination and ended up killing a few cats a dogs. I would like to know how much it would cost me monthly to feed 2 large breed German Shepherd mixes if a were to make the food on my own.

Hello, Iknow this topic has been done to death but we seem to have tried all the hints and tips and nothing seems to work! We have two gorgous kittens, Max and Millie. They are just about to turn 6 months and we got the from the RSPCA when they were about 2 months old. When we got them they were both fully litter trained and happily used the tray. The move seemed to upset Max most, he used to hiss at us and hide a lot while Mille was just content to be in a different room. As times gone on they both seem very settled and Max amazingly is the biggest fuss pot ever! he loves cuddles and will follow me and my boyfriend around as we move around the house, quite happily and they both seem very settled. Except max has now developed toiletting issues! When we first had them we designated the dining room as their area, filled it with toys a litter tray each lots of bedding and boxes for them to play with. We put the fact that we used to come home to urine and faeces on the floor down to his young age and the stress of the move, but he doesnt seem to have gotten any better. We had the throw out all the bedding and the boxes as he ruined them all as well as a bookcase and and few books! We though maybe he was just hanging his bum over the edge of the litter tray as sometimes it would be fairly near...so we got them each a covered litter tray which Millie uses everytime (as far as we know...we have caught him in the act of urinating or defecating in the dining room many times, but never her!) So far i have tried, lemon juice, vinegar, using bilogical washing powder solutions, the home made odour eliminators, pepper, moving the littler tray, moving his food, changing the litter, having him neutered and sprinkiling food on the floor where he likes to go...but with no joy at all! The odd thing is we have now taken to locking them in the kitchen during the day, which is a shame as its a smaller area for them to run around in but he NEVER goes on the floor in there, ever! I have watched him when im in there making dinner quite content to go in and out of the box, although after hes done his business he does scratch outside the box sometimes. During an evening we move the litter tray into the living room so we can closer the dining room off and he always usues it fine and happily. I know moving the tray doesn't help, but he uses it no problems as long as the dining room is not accessible to him. I mop the floor everyday and try to keep him out of there but as its in the middle of the house its difficult and if hes in there for just 2 minutes hes off. And I swear he knows hes doing wrong, if I watch him from the other side of the room he'll look at me then hide under the curtains, or the table before doing his business. The final straw came last week when he used my boyfriends football boots!! He has been checked out by the vet and is all clear. I love him to bits but we live in rented accomodation i dont know how much longer we can live with this! We don't have many visitors only really family that they are well accustomed to on the odd occasion as we tend to go out to meet our friends. Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated, thank you! Becky

I have an 8 year old Mini Doxie (10 lbs.) and a 13 year old mutt (60 lbs) and i am switching them off of natures recipe to a better food (i did not know better). i am kind of in a toss up between a few brands: Merrick, Orijen, Fromm, Blue, Innova, and wellness. Also i have 2 2 year old cats (currently on nutro) i was wondering if anyone had a good food choice for them. i plan to feed dry. possibly wet/dry mix. no raw diets or home made...i would love too but i live in a tiny apartment and have little free time and it would just not work out :) i need something easy and yummy and good!! i want opinions not websites...ive been searching websites all night. pros and cons would be amazing!!!! thanks all!

What do you feed your rats/mice? Do you buy lab blocks or make your own rat food? What brand of blocks/what is in your home-made food? Here is my recipe: Amounts can be stretched and chopped down, depending on the number of rats. The recipe is for about two weeks for 6 rats. (Treats and fresh foods excluded) It turns into a kind of paste, you can bake half of it (or all, I suppose) into ratty-cookies and alternate to avoid “mushy poop” or whatever. Keep in mind all ingredients should be organic. 2 lbs of fruit and (steamed) veggies: Assorted berries Grapes Melon Apple Peas Greens – spinach, chard, turnip greens Broccoli Bok-choy Kale Sprouts Tomato Parsley Corn Squash Carrot Assorted beans ______________________ 1500 mg – liquid calcium with vitamin D 1700 mcg – chromium picolinate (the dose is based on their metabolism, not their weight) ¾ cup – Total cereal (or cereal of same nutritional value) ½ cup – Benevo Vegan dog/cat food 1 lb – (cooked) packaged soft tofu ½ cup – shelled raw sunflower seeds ½ cup – flax seeds ½ cup – raw oatmeal 4 teaspoons – pearled barley 4 teaspoons – millet 3 tablespoons – cooked brown rice 4 tablespoons – toasted wheat germ 2 ½ tablespoons – nutritional yeast flakes (5.6 g) 2 tablespoons – blackstrap (dark or full flavor) molasses ½ pound of cooked lean beef You just blend it all up and bake half (or all) into ratty-cookies and let your rats enjoy. "Rats and mice can and do very well on plain old kibble dog food" Is that supposed to be a joke? How long do your rats live? You do know that rats and mice have completely different nutritional requirments than dogs. I cant believe you think that is healthy, rats are omnivores, like us, how would you like eating nothing but dog food? That is just retarded.... Sorry everyone =P

what all can my ferret eat like include fruit veges meat and ect... thanks and what is a good home made diet i could feed them they dont eat any kind of ferret food or cat food

my cat is now 1 year old and she's been hoome fed since 7-8 months old (Chartreux breed) I'd like to know if there are any other cat owners out there who's experienced in providing home-cooked meals for their cats. If so I'd like to know some nutrition balanced recipes. the ones online are not very accurate. At the moment I feed my cat cooked chicken meat (no bones) or minced beef, mixed with carrots with broccoli and chicken liver and whole grain rice. the meat is mostly 85% I think. I still wonder if that's enough nutrition for her? she seems to love it a lot though. thanks for any feedbacks!!

Okay, I have 3 cats, and they all eat a dry food in the evening, that will not change very quickly (as one needs the sensitive system type). This question is not about raw diets (too much work on a daily basis). I want to be able to cook up the soft food that they currently eat in the morning, as it costs me about $2/day for the good stuff. I may move them onto an all-homemade diet in the future... but I need to transition slowly... so I need something that they can eat along with the dry food. Something I can freeze and make a month at a time would be nice.

Being a guy I mean. The other day I made a cheesecake for my girls' homecoming after she was away for a week, just to show I could survive without her and I could actually cook. I mixed up all the stuff and things were going really well until I went to get the cheesecake out of the oven....only to find it had disappeared completely. All I found in the oven was the sparkling clean cheesecake platter.....no cake. I glared at her cat who was currently lazing on the kitchen counter. For some reason her cat finds me fascinatingly interesting....but it always wins in a staring match and I blinked first as usual.....besides, then it immediately ate a whole can of Whiskers cat food to celebrate its stare-down victory, so that was a pretty solid alibi for any alleged cheesecake thief, I thought. I checked all the shelves and even the ceiling of the oven...just in case it had risen a bit too much....but still no cheesecake. That's when I noticed how amazingly similar the oven looks to the darned dishwasher. Are shop bought cheesecakes any good and could I pass one off as home-made? . So you think she would marry me if I begged?

I just got to learn that feed a cat with dry food is not a good "option" for his/ her nutrition (wonder why she's already 9 pounds at 8 months old!); what are the best brands and how much should I feed her per day? Can I mix it with homemade food and which one should I cook for her? Thanks

That you know child doesn't like? I've just made myself a simple home made curry and as always, anytime I am eating anything up come the 3 kids, the dog and the cats to investigate what it is I have on my plate. Not one of them likes curry lol. I know it sounds cruel but I'm glad they don't like it. I've finally got a meal and nobody wants a bit! (well if i finsh fast enough before the other half comes home that is!) So Parents, Do you enjoy making foods just for you that the kids won'r eat and you know you can sit down and enjoy it? Kids have already had their dinner at their Nana's by the way just so nobody thinks I made dinner for me and not them lol

I know, this is not nearly ideal. I've posted on my Mom's cat previously, and since doing so, my intentions of bringing her back to New York City with me have been refused. I will be visiting my Mom in a couple days however, and I do not have many choices besides making as many changes to the cat's diet under the radar- while I am there- as I can. Basically, I will be going there for a week, with about six months of supplies for the kitty in tow. At least I have the comfort of knowing my Mom won't turn down free cat supplies. But two weeks after I leave, my Mom will be leaving the country for two weeks, and leaving the cat at an okay boarding place associated with a pet hospital that doesn't store home-made food. Unfortunately, again, all I can do is provide supplies, not actually bring the cat home with me. So I need to find good canned food for her that people have found that their cat will actually eat. Any advice would be appreciated. Please suggest brands and flavors. Again, first-hand experience, please. I can google the websites that list these products on my own.

I was wanting a new dog so my mom took me to the pound to look around. When we went we had to watch 18 dogs go and get put down to sleep because the dog shelter had no more room or enough food to keep all of them.. cuz shelter only get so much ya no. We were looking at animals and the man got one out and put him aslide the building, my mother asked him were he was going because we had not none that day was when they put them to sleep. His tail was wagging because he thought he was going to go play. When the man said hes getting put to sleep my mom cryed and so did I. Dogs shouldnt be put down not even having a chance to live. So me and my mom are going to start selling home made dog treats, ect, and donate all the money to the shelter. none will go to me. Dogs need a chance just like us. & so do cats! i need to no some more ways to earn money. oh & im only 14 so try to keep this my age level haha : )

I have heard that pet food might contain the remains of poisoned shelter cats, chemicals, roadkill, et cetera, and am looking for alternatives for my cat, as she is old. Has anyone tried a healthier home-made option for their cat, that they think may be beneficial ? You do not have to be some sort of medical "expert" to respond, all suggestions are welcome

I have a manx cat with late stages of megacolon I cant afford the surgury since monday 06/01/09 vet has him on stool softer script laxative and benefiber in water. He was cleaned out on 06/01 I have to keep his stool runny he wont touch the dulcolax ive tried pill down throat he coughs it back up dissolved it and put in food sniffs it and walks away the script laxative he fights but have been able to get that down him he hasnt eaten much since monday only a few bites here and there and he has not gone either since ive had him to vet was wondering if there is any kind of home made cat food I can make that would promote keeping his stool runny or very very soft any help greatly appreciated Ive been crying for a week with guilt that I cant afford this expensive surgical proceedure to help my baby manx

I was given a recipe for home made weight loss cat food and am thinking about doing it for my fatty and the other two not so fatty. Here are the ingredients. Are there other things I should be adding so that they aren't missing something vital like taurine. Meat, Rice, Veggies or bran, Oil, Calcium, Bone meal or eggshell powder. Then it says Cat Vitamins. Not sure if it means those are the Bone meal or if I have to find them somewhere. Please help and thank you in advance for any advice you may have.

She's been vegan for 5 years and always believed that animals (Dogs, cats etc) should eat meat, now her bf doesn't agree with that and has switched her 7 year old border collie from normal meat dog food to home made veg. It's getting no extra Iron or protein or anything, just mushed veg, and it doesn't even like it. I tried pointing out that if you really want to force your dog to be vegan at least buy the vegi dog food, but she wasn't allowed to answer, her bf told me to 'fcuk off and mind my own business' i'm really worried about her and the dog. He's violent to both of them and she's only with him cos he's the only vegan she knows. But i know it'll be her taking the blame when the dog gets ill. and what'll happen when this guy decides that the dogs no fun to torment anymore? How can someone like that be vegan and call me evil to animals just cos i eat meat, when he won't even get proper vegi dog food? And how can she sit back and let him, surely if you're strong enough to change 16 years of eating habits to save animals, you're strong enough to tell someone to stop attacking your dog? sorry if i'm rambling, i'm really worried, just cos i eat meat doesn't mean i want to see a dog with malnutrition and cuts and bruises. No animal that is born to eat meat can survive without the nutriants in meat, hence the special vegi dog food. It's already looking fragile after 2 months. I am going to ring RSPCA, but when i rang police they said that she refused to give a statement, so theres nothing they can do.

I currently am taking care of my eldest daughter's elderly Maine Coon Cat (her BF's dog may not be cat friendly). He is approximately 14 years old, has had FIV all his adult life (adopted as a stray), has recently developed hyperthyroidism-he is currently under the care of a vet who treats cats exclusively.....the vet says he's in great shape all things considered, even his teeth! The problem is, the cat has food allergies and finding a cat food he doesn't re-act to is difficult...we've found three that he will eat but not that enthusiastically so my question is, since he LOVES people chicken (boned, skinned & cooked of course) if I stew chicken legs with just water to cover and with a little fresh carrots, peas and a tad bit brown rice, cool it, bone. shred, skin the chicken, mash the peas, carrots, and wee bit of brown rice, return it to the broth, would that be nutritionally sound for him? I was thinking of adding it to the commerical cat foods I have found that he can eat without allergy re-actions ( he can have NO corn or wheat, we have narrowed the allergy down to that) I know it won't hurt him, and since he drives me nuts with begging when I make & eat chicken soup for our two legged family members (he can't have because of the onions & garlic) I think having his own chicken soup may help him to put on some weight. If anyone has any other recipes for home made cat meals containing lamb or beef....share please? He's a sweet old cat who deserves to be pampered for the remaining few years he has left....thanks. Thanx but before I make any real dietary changes for him I will have to consult his vet, especially when it comes to an FIV positive elderly cat whose immune system is already compromised by the disease, raw meat might NOT be a good idea since he has the feline version of Aids.....was just wondering if anyone actually cooks for their cat...as I have a crockpot, tossing the ingredients in the crockpot in the morning and letting the appliance do the cooking is no trouble at all, in fact I love to cook reguardless of who it's for......my Mom's doxie had serious problems with bloat & digestive disorders so her vet had her cooking for her dog...he lived for 17 years so it can work, and I'm familiar with it, just that dogs & cats have different dietary needs.

Aaaalright. I've posted a billion times about my cat Jezebel who was throwing up.. we took her to the vet... then she was throwing up green bile... then she seemed better.... So. I'm trying really hard to find the source - the vet didn't feel any obstructions and I'm hoping not to get an x-ray (I'm in college... I don't exactly have money - I'd have to borrow, steal, or beg to pay for that). Anyways, I have a clip-on toilet cleaner in my bathroom. I keep my toilet lid down at all times because my cats sleep in there and the box says to keep animals away from it. Sometime last week.. or possibly this week... I can't remember, my mom cleaned out the litter box before I was awake and I guess used my toilet too because the lid was up (Even though she knows to keep them down since she has a clip-on in her bathroom too). I'm wondering if this is what is ailing Jeze - because she was super affectionate this morning, not lethargic at all. I let them out of the bathroom around 5 this morning while I was studying and she spent all morning curled up with me - and even did her kneading routine where she kneads the bed, purrs, and stares at me with loving eyes and yells at me if I stop petting her. She really seemed better! She sniffed her food, still didn't want to eat, but she didn't throw up when she smelled it. And she was able to keep water down. DIDN'T THROW UP ALL DAY, which is why I didn't take her back to the vet. Then... our handyman came over to stick a kitty-door in our kitchen door, leading to the garage so I can get that litter box out of my bathroom.... I was gone for a few hours, came home, greeted the cats, and within 5 minutes of being home Jeze puked all over the floor. This stuff smells worse than diarrhea... I didn't know something so nasty could come out of that beautiful face. I went into the bathroom and saw that the handyman had put the toilet seat up (both parts of it, ick) ! I was infuriated... not at him, just at the situation. Okay, all this to say... if the chemicals from the cleaner is what's ailing my kitty is there something I can do (other than getting rid of the stupid clip thing) to help her - besides another vet visit (that's obvious, i hate when that's the only advice people give). This could totally not even be it, but I'm considering anything at all right now. Thank you :-) More home-made tummy-help suggestions would be appreciated - as soon as this monsoon stops outside I'm going to try to find the oils someone was talking about and possibly the yogurt, though she won't even eat the hairball medicine she loves... ... that's what I said - BESIDES removing the cleaner. I've already done that. Kia - thanks. I'll try that. I reeeeeally hope this is it - it's a lot harder watching an animal suffer than suffering through it yourself!!

to healthy pets only. are they fat? i would like to choose1 but it uses the word raw which is dangerous

Chocolaty or fruity candy? Soda or juice? Pink or purple? Cat or dog? Grape or Strawberry jelly? Chunky or creamy peanut butter? iced tea or lemonade? any cheerios or special k? fast food or home made? For me: Candy fruity juice Pink Cat Grape creamy peanut butter lemonade fruity cheerios home made

I'm getting my first cat (not a kitten) in a week and I want my cat to be healthy. I know my cat will be healthy, but I want to boost her health also with some food. I've heard store bought dried cat food is not that good. I read that you can feed your cat cereal, rice, carrots and lots of fruits and vegetables-is this true? If I feed my cat cereal-how much more food must I give her for the day? Can I make meals for her each day-like a salad for the day? And...is there any way around meat? Thanks guys.

I like to make home made food fresh food for my 3 cats, but I need best recipes which will have a lot of pro tine and vitamin es for well being. Do I need to add vitamines in the food. I have 2 cats 7 years of age and one 7 month old kitten Thanks for the help in advance.

I would like to cook some bird food from plant you normally get in a garden,also home made food for cats too. so i could save some money.

Home made diet needed for clingy Siamese cat with chronic snotty nose problem ( hard to reciprocate hugs). Many medications & supplements tried. Four molars extracted , wet food diet ( Friskies shredded etc). Dust free litter used. Skinny but otherwise healthy; thyroid maybe a niggling issue but would rather not medicate until necessary.

My cat have three adorable kittens...everything was fine, until about four days ago, when I noticed they make more noise than usual. I called the vet, to be sure and he says everything is fine...more than fine. Kittens need more food than mother can provide in this moment, as they are very big :) Anyway, I was relieved to hear that...vet recommended me some food for kittens of that age, but here is a problem: that's all industrially made food. I give my cats only natural, home cooked or prepared food, so they can be healthy and strong (as I noticed canned or dry food many times made them feel bad). So I'm wondering, is there some food for kittens of that age, that could be home prepared? Vet just nodded when I asked, but said nothing more...guess he's more for a industrially version. Any cat owners/experts on this subject, that could help? Thanks in advance :D Haha, don't presume, please :) When I said cooking, I meant cleaning from dangerous parts (like tiny bones and stuff), chopping and similar. My cats eat poultry, fish and meat. I add cooked rice to the diet, time to time, by the vet's suggestion and add some raw carrots and pumpkin seeds, for their better digestion and to prevent worms...as most of my cats lived to an old age (like fifteen) and the ones who live now are healthy and happy, no, I don't think this diet is killing them :D Oh, yeah...I don't give anything to kittens yet...hope to hear few more opinions before I do :)

got this idea here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090225140852AAmDP6Z&r=w#FZ1XOTq_Lm4ttaG_TWI6 I've been raising guinea pigs for... basically my whole life. I know some of you won't know too much, and one or two of you definately do. so I am making a few different quizzes according to your level of advancement. And... there are a few trick questions. EASY 1.Which is false? a.Guinea pigs are born with their eyes open b.Guinea pigs have tails c.Guinea pigs are herbivores d.Guinea pigs like to eat 2.Which toy is bad for guinea pigs to play with? a.Small paper lunch bags b.Guinea Pig Wheels c.PVC pipes d.Cat toy balls with bells inside 3.Which food is toxic to cavies? a.Apple b.Banana c.Celery d.Pickle 4.Which is the best companion for your guinea pig? a.ME b.Other guinea pigs c.Rabbits d.Other 5.What vitamin do guinea pigs need to have supplemented? a.Vitamin A b.Vitamin E c.Vitamin C d.Zinc MEDIUM 1.Rate these cages from best to worst for a cavy in the average household a.Rabbit hutch (3’ by 2’) b.Wire cage with solid cage pan that slides out (2’ by 1’) c.C&C cage (8’ by 8’) d.Home made cage (3’ by 1’) 2.How many breeds of cavy are recognized according to the ACBA Standard? a.13 b.7 c.68 d.Other 3.When breeding cavies, which of the following should you avoid? a.Roan to roan breeding b.Roan to Self breeding c.Breeding a sow for the first time when it is 2 years old d.Breeding a boar for the first time when it is 5 months old 4.Which cavy of the below has long hair? a.Coronet b.White Crested c.Abyssinian Satin d.Texel 5.Which is a sign that your cavy has mites? a.Scabs/build up around the ears b.Excess loose hair and dandruff c.A V-shaped spot of missing hair on the back d.Loud squealing when you walk by HARD 1.How many teeth does a cavy have? a.15 b.7 c.4 d.Other 2.Which breed of cavy is prone to suffer from calcium deficiency? a.White Crested b.Teddy c.American d.Other 3.What is the difference between a red self and an orange self? a.The eye color b.The coat color c.The eye and coat color d.They are the same 4.What is the Latin name for the cavy? a.Cavia Porcellus b.Cavius Porcellos c.Cavia Porcellos d.Other 5.Give the treatment for each of the following illnesses: (Not to include “take to the vet!!!”) a.Mites b.Lice c.Fungus d.Fleas ANSWERS: 1. the answer is B, and I was referring to a visible tail, as in, "if you pick a guinea pig up by the tail its eyes will fall out" 2. B, again. Although PVC pipes can be unsafe if your pig is really fat and cat toys need to be sturdy. 3. D is toxic. they say celery is bad for them because it's stringy... but... not really. not if you cut it small. 4. um. definately not rabbits. other guinea pigs are usually the best choice, or yourself. 5. vitamin C... medium 1. apparently, almost 60% of all homes have a dog or cat, and about 35% have children, so, believe it or not, C&C isn't necessarily "the best". It's nice for piggies to hav lots of room but enclosed cages are generally safer for them, and you can still let them out for monitored playtime with as much free space as they want. so, in my opinion (by the way, there's not really a wrong answer for this, except for wire-bottomed rabbit cages) i would put b, then D or C, depending on how the homemade cage is made,thenA

Don't say it can't be done, they are omniovroes and people do do it with their animals and I'm not talking about commercial vegan dog food which is all grains, I mean home made dog food with supplements, what do you think? (BTW I'm not saying I'm doing it, I'm just continuously researching it and I wouldn't do it too my cat without some serious professional help on the right supplements as well as nutritional profile and blood test checks which I don't want to do) Tofu = soy which is bad for MOST dogs, one of mine is allergic the other isn't.

Now this is not for me this is for one of my friends, lol I have no problem asking for him. We live in New Jersey, I don't know if that is important or not. Now I don't know their complete situation, but here is the issue. 1. His mom is too proud to hire an exterminator. 2. They don't have that much money. 3. His little sister just turned 2 months so his mom does not want to buy store killers and things a baby can get sick from or get to no matter how natural and safe they might say they are, she won't beleive it. 4. She is more of a do it herself, I can do a better job than anyone so she prefers to make something other than go and buy it. 5. They really want to get rid of them but even if there is a way to just kill a lot it would be good too. Now I heard people say kill one roach you kill like a thousand. Is this true? If it is do you know the correct number of how killing one or letting one go effects babies it could have. Another thing is that they do is put cooking oil in a pan and let it sit out in the kitchen. Roaches go in it and get stuck and die. It works pretty good. Another thing is they have a cat and when they take the wet food out of the can they will leave the can out and roaches will get trapped and this too works pretty good. Does anyone have solutions like this. Home made things will be the only thing that will change this woman's mind. Of course it won't kill them all but things like that can really help. This is what they are going for home things they can do. Creativity is well apreciated :)Thank you so much you all. Bye! Okay maybe you all did not understand. She will not buy things like that. She needs home solutions or nothing. Trust me his mom is not changing her mind. I wish she could see how much those chemicals work but she will not do it. I need home solutions or nothing. Things to trap them, things to catch them, not store bought. Things that can be made at home please.

is goat milk good for a 6 week old kitten.. i live in a rural area and the only cat food available is whiskars and kitty refuses them.. tell me some good home made food for ma kitty and ofcourse it has to be liquid like..it isnt used to solid food yet and its mum doesnt feed it too

I've seen this many times on many different forums. There always has to be a debate about what type of diet people feed their pets. Almost everyone seems to think that their way is right. Whether it be a BARF (Bones And Raw Food), home-made food, gourmet kibble, or cheap kibble. If someone chooses to feed something else, then they aren't a very good owner. Are you a pet owner like this? Why do you think your pet's diet is the right diet? My own personal opinion: I feed my pets cheap stuff. Why? Because I have seen firsthand how in the factory the "gourmet" food goes down one conveyor belt and the "cheap" food goes down another. It is the same food in a different bag. This is done with human food, pet food, clothes, etc. Almost all large companies put out an "expensive" brand and a "cheap" brand. It even comes in the same delivery truck to the grocery store. My pets also get table scraps. I use my common sense when offering these. They get leftover meats and vegetables. I think the diet that I feed my pets is just fine. I have 3 cats (10 years, 9 years, 7 months) and 1 dog (7 years). No one has had any health problems so far and they go to vet annually. I asked three questions: Why are some people so self-righteous when it comes to their pet's diet? Are you a pet owner like this? Why do you think your pet's diet is the right diet?

I have different pets and I strive to give them as good as a life as possible though some people think that I go overboard with it. Do you think that I go overboard with taking care of them? Here is my Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Schedule- Daily Morning- Wake up and take Jake the 9 year old Pomeranian out of his kennel.(he is old and has problems controlling himself at night when he is lose) and Lady my 7 year old Dachshund goes down her home made doggy ramp from my bed.(I have a ramp to make sure she doesn’t injure herself jumping down with her long back). I take both dogs outside to relieve themselves and stretch for 5-10 minutes. When I come back in I give both dogs and Bella the cat their daily amount of food in their individual dishes. Jake his senior dog food, Lady her lamb and rice dog food for her skin allergies, and Bella her indoor cat formula cat food. Then also give Lily the 18 year old Red Eared Slider Turtle her food. Then I give Lady her seizure meds. and give both dogs their morning dog treat. After that I rinse and put fresh water into the shared dish of the dogs and Bella. Once they are taken care of I take the two Cockatiels Milo and Chico out of their cage and put them on their gym up top. While they are up there I check and refill when needed their food and I rinse and put fresh water into their two water dishes. Then I get fresh paper and change the bottom of the cage. Then I change Bella’s little box. When all of the animals needs are taken care of I hold and play with Milo and Chico for about an hour. Daily Afternoon- I get Lily out of her tank and let her walk around the house for an hour or two and yes the other animals leave her alone. Then I let Milo and Chico out of the cage for another hour to play. Daily Late afternoon/Early Evening- I work with Lady on her tricks and commands for around 20-30 minutes. Then I take both dogs on a 45 minute to an hour walk. I make sure that they at least see one of their human or doggy friends. Then when we get home I snuggle with all the animals. Weekly- I do a full cleaning on the bird cage taking out perches and scrubbing them and I change up their toys. I change Lily’s tank. Then I also brush both dogs and the cat. Monthly- Jake gets a full groom-Ear cleaning, Teeth brushing, Brushed, trimmed up, and nail trimming. Lady gets a full groom-Ear cleaning, Teeth Brushing, brushed, hair on feet trimmed, nail trimming, and a bath. Both dogs get preventative. Do you think I go overboard? If you don't can you think of anything else that I can do? Also here is a pet photo album that I did what do you think? http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii319/IowaCutie/?action=view¤t=d8e8812d.pbw

I am caring for a neighbor's cat, a 15-16 dsh neutered male. The cat's owner, after a long surgery recuperation, probably will not be in a position to do a raw diet, or even a homemade one for her cat, even if she were so inclined (we've had a few arguments about food). So, I need a KISS diet. For the background on this situation, please scroll down the category and see my other two posts on this subject -- I don't want to bore anyone by regurgitating the same stuff. Just bear in mind that the woman, after a long surgery recuperation, probably will not be in a position to do a raw diet, or even a homemade one for her cat. So, after an entire day of researching, (Shirley's Wellness, Dr.Hodgekins, SnikSnak, you name it, I've been there) it seems like there are two very divided schools of thought) (and one sort of in the middleon food for diabetes management in cats. One is a high-carb, low protein diet (in fact Cornell Veterinary School recommends that). The other is a moderate protein, low carb diet, and the other is a high-protein, high fact, moderate carb. I feed my own cats an 80% home-made, about 50% raw, but I am reluctant to get this cat on this type of diets, as, knowing the owner of the cat...it will never happen, but I can probably convince her to feed a primarily wet, good-quality canned food. So, I want to know what you folks with diabetic cats who do NOT feed raw feed. For those of you who have seen my posts, you know Is give Hills a thumbs down, but when researching food, I am astonished the number of dry foods that claim to be suitable for diabetes, but if a suitable low-carb/low grain dry is available I know this would be a good option for the cat's owner. What supplements do you give your cats? I give my cats enzymes, will this be any benefit (I've seen nothing about it in the sites). Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Glucose up, renal issues(30-40% loss) but vet says neither are life-threatening at this point and should be able to handle with diet in future. Also had nasty parasites/worms. Vets wants current diet maintained until parasites handled before moving over to all or majority wet + raw as he thinks it will be easier to monitor. Owner going into nursing facility; daughter handed me $100 to dump cat at shelter or put him down...so I used it instead to go toward tests. Looks like I've got myself another elderly cat. Love this new vet -- degrees from U. Glasgow (Scotland) and Cornell -- will not declaw, and advocates natural wet/raw diet. I can't thank you all enough for your answers -- that you answered means a great deal to me and helped calm me down. I wish I could give everyone Best Answer. Clarification -- Vet wants to see if high glucose, renal numbers stabilize after parasites handled as parasites could be affecting test outcome. Again, thank you all so, so very much.

I am caring for a neighbor lady's cat. In a nutshell, she and I are civil, but our cats are buds which is the only reason I am doing it. Over the past few days I have become concerned that the cat might be diabetic. I don't know who the cat's vet is, if any (she's on a limited budget and got the $5 rabies shots the Firehouse gives). My regular vet, I just found out, had a stroke and is closing his practice. The other vet I use feels he is not the best for this (he caters more to livestock) and only has office hours two days a week. The nearest small-animal vet is a considerable drive, I used her once, don't like her, but my choices are limited. And, as the limited-income lady is heavily sedated (and will be for some time) after stint surgery, any vet visit is going to be on my dime, as I have to approach this as if I will never be reimbursed. I am stretched pretty thin right now, and want to know what I will be dealing with should I decide to have the cat tested with this or some other vet. Now, before I get to the cat symptoms, this cat suffered what was believed to be an idiopathic vestibular episode that many cats suffer from in late summer. So, it is possible some of the symptoms might relate to that, and I have annotated those that might be residual from this. However, I am beginning to wonder whether or not the issue was vestibular, but instead a diabetic episode (from what I recall, it took about 3 weeks for the cat to recover, however maintained a little imbalance). The cat is male, neutered, a dense dsh, 16 years old. Diet (as best I can tell from her pantry and what she has told me) is primarily Friskies dry and the occasional wet food. I found 2 Special Kitty, a 4-pack of 9-Lives Tuna, and 2 cans of Friskies Turkey and Giblets...(yeah, you don't need to tell me those are crap, but I guess that is the best she could afford, Suzy said charitably ) Worrysome symptoms (which I have spent the entire exhaustively researching, but I want to hear from real people): * Cat has gained weight (but, has been indoors only since vestibular problem, ergo, getting less exercise and probably eating more). I'd say the cat had gained 3-4 pounds since I say him last August, and has lost about 1/2-1 pound since being with me. I have, however, after transition, been feeding him primarily wet canned (Innova) with a little of my home-made cooked. I have given him very little dry, and what dry I did is Chicken Soup (again transitioned). * Cat is drinking and peeing like there is no tomorrow. I mean buckets. * In the past couple of days the appetite has been what I would consider less than normal. I have stopped with the dry altogether. * Oddness in walking -- hind end seems a little weak, has trouble jumping up (relying on front paws to actually pull himself up), walks with back humped, tail sort of up and bent, seems to walk with hocks down a little (not totally on hocks, but back legs are not totally straight). This could be a residual effect of the vestibular problem, or not. * Oddness in one eye -- the cats eyes used to both reflect yellow, the left one is now reflecting red. Vestibular or diabetic issue? * Urine has become less ammonia pungent * Seems a little more lethargic and a bit less interactive, vocal, and affectionate over the past couple of days (yes, could be missing home, but this cat used to consider my house his second home). I can't discern any sweet or fruity smell on the breath -- the cat does have some dental issues, and that is all I can smell. Urine doesn't seem to smell sweet or fruity, but I have noticed the pungency has gone down -- this could possibly be a result of a better quality food I have been feeding him. For those of you whose cats have been diagnosed with diabetes, how do these symptoms compare with your cat's? Is there anything else I should be looking for to give me clues? In a separate post, I am going to ask for dietary advice, as what I have found is so conflicting. Thank you so much for your time. I suspect it has been a long, long, long time since the cat saw a vet even for a general check up. "Momo" (my nickname for his real name, Morris) had his tests including x-ray (couldn't afford mri or cat scan) -- glucose elevated, but not life-threatening, renal problems but vet says still has 60-70% function, both of which is good news and vet thinks can be handled with diet...once the parasites are dealt with. Vet doesn't want me to move to raw for him yet as he wants to monitor based on current diet until parasites/worms handled. Thinks vestibular problem was actually a stroke ergo trouble walking and other issues. Found out owner going to nursing facility, daughter gave me $100 to dump him at a shelter or have him put down, so I used it for the vet visit....can't imagine too many people wanting to adopt a 15+ cat with issues, so it looks like Suzy has another mouth to feed and litter box to clean...we'll manage some how. Thank you all for answering; that you did helped calm me down & give focus. I wish I could give everyone best answer. I can't thank all of you enough New vet studied at UGlasgow (Scotland) with add'l degree from Cornell -- Big sign in office that says "This Veterinary Office Does NOT Condone De-Clawing of Cats." and, advocates a natural wet and/or raw diet that de-emphasizes dry food. Gotta love him!

Being a pet owner, I was curious to what pet food was really made of, and what all those items listed in the ingredients section of the can really meant. So, I did some research, and my results were...horrifying. Absolutely horrifying. I picked up a book called "Food Pets Die For", which breaks down pet food labels, and their contents. I was shocked, disguised at all the things that are allowed to be put into pet food. All of which is completely legal! Obviously, I'm going to be looking into some new pet food for my dogs and cats! But I'm curious, what are YOUR thoughts on this? Have you heard of this issue before? If you have heard of this issue before, did you do anything about it? Or ignore it? What pet food do you currently feed your dog, and is it a "natural" food that doesn't use such..products? The book suggests home made meals for your pets, but because of life, I know that many people are unable to do that for their animals. I was just curious to see how aware other pet owners are about this issue, and what their doing to help stop it or get around it somehow.

I've a cat for the very first time of my life! He is 2 years old and I've no idea how to feed him apart the cat food you buy in supermarkets!I'd like to give to him some home made food though... I've been told that there are foods that we - humans - think is good but actually is very bad for cats.

I have a 4 year old female spayed short haired cat. I recently moved/lost my job and was unable to keep her on the Eukanuba Sensitive Stomach/Nutro Max Cat Adult canned food I had her on. I switched her to Nutro Max Cat Indoor Adult Salmon dry food for about 3 weeks between jobs because that was the best food I could afford at the time. She has a severe rash under her chin to the point where she has open bleeding sores. I cut the fur close the the skin and I rub Neosporin on these sores every couple days in an attempt to help them heal but so far it has not been working. She is also very itchy on her back and licks/bites me when I scratch back there. She has been back on the food that she was on before this happened for about a week, but this rash has not gone away and I'm not sure why. I also have two other cats, male, long haired, brothers that have not had this reaction. There was also a flea problem for a couple weeks but this has since been addressed with Capstart. Is there anything I can do to help my cat heal faster? Some sort of cream or home-made remedy perhaps? I probably won't have to money to take her to the vet for another 4 weeks. And please save your "Eukanuba is bad" comments unless you can guide me to a food that is less expensive with better ingredients. I already owe the vet $90 for my other cats vet bills. I suppose I can try to get a shot or something...She hasn't been itchy for four weeks, only about two, and it's only gotten really bad recently. I apply the neosporin every 2-3 days only once, so I doubt it is keeping the wounds too wet. I vacuum the floor in here every day and brush them all every other day, so I doubt there are any remaining fleas (I did move the bed and furniture and vacuum under there too)