Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (17 page)

* See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Use a fork to mix the egg yolks and whites, stirring in the calcium at the same time. Sprinkle the yeast on top and serve raw. Or, if the recipe is too “gooey,” you may scramble this egg mix lightly.

Yield:
One meal, or about half a day’s rations,
for a 10-pound cat (or dog), with about 163
kilocalories for the entire recipe. A smaller cat
might eat only one egg at a meal
.

I apologize for measurements like “pinch,” but the amounts are so small that it would not make sense to be specific. For example, the amount of calcium needed from eggshells would be 1⁄9th of a teaspoon. You will have to take my word for it that a pinch (the amount held between the finger and thumb) will be about right.

QUICK FELINE MEATFEST

Along with ease of preparation, this recipe boasts a calcium-balanced way to feed your cat chunks of meat, which help exercise his or her teeth and gums. (If you were to mix chunks of meat with grains for your cat, he’d probably pick out the chunks and leave the grains.) This recipe provides 58 percent protein, 38 percent fat, and 1 percent carbohydrates.

• 1 cup raw or cooked chicken or turkey with skin (or chuck, hamburger, or heart)
  
• 1 teaspoon Healthy Powder
  
• ½ teaspoon Animal Essentials calcium (or a ¼ teaspoon of powdered eggshell or 500 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  

* See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Chunk the poultry or meat just enough so you can mix in the calcium and so your cat can manage it.

Yield:
1 cup, with about 450 kilocalories
.

Daily ration (in cups):
Small—¼ to ½;
medium—½ to ⅔; large—about 1 cup
.

If you’re feeding dogs this meal, each cup of meat provides about half a day’s needs for a 40-pound dog or one-third a day’s needs for an 80-pound dog.

If your cat does not like the taste of the added Healthy Powder, you can make the recipe without using it and the balance will still be adequate.

THE ROLE OF NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS IN OUR RECIPES

In formulating our recipes, we took several nutritional guidelines into consideration, drawing upon the recommendations of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the
Merck Veterinary
Manual
, the Committee on Animal Nutrition, Board on Agriculture, the National Research Council revised 1985 edition of
Nutrient Requirements of Dogs
, the revised 1986 edition of
Nutrient Requirements of Cats
, and several other sources from the research literature.

We calculated the nutritional content of the recipes based upon information in the
United States Department of Agriculture Handbook
of Nutritional Composition of Foods
and other sources. Be aware, however, that the nutritional contents of foods can vary considerably, depending on how it is raised, stored, and prepared. Generally, organically raised food is much more nutritious and closer to the values on which we based our calculations.

In most cases our formulations exceed the official standards, which represent the bare minimum considered necessary for adult maintenance. We tried to strike a balance between those minimal standards and the natural wild diet.

I
DEAL
C
AT
F
OOD

For adult cats, the AAFCO industry standards currently advise a minimum of 26 percent protein and 9 percent fat (commercial cat foods usually contain between 8 and 12 percent fat). The 1986 edition of
Nutrient Requirements
of Cats
suggests that about 15 percent protein and 10 percent fat can be adequate, but it is clear that cats prefer a higher protein food and 25 percent fat or more when given a choice. The source of fat also makes a difference in acceptability; kittens, for example, prefer beef tallow over chicken fat.

In the wild, cats consume about 47 percent protein and 33 percent fat. I consider these levels to be our goal. Though you need not be exact, if you can stay around these amounts you will be much closer to duplicating the natural diet. Weighing these factors, some of our basic cat recipes fall between the minimal and the “wild” standards, but much closer to the natural levels than the minimal ones; others are higher in some areas.

Protein in our recipes ranges from 32 to 59 percent, averaging about 47 percent—close to that of the natural diet. The fat levels vary from 21 to 44 percent, averaging about 35 percent. For healthy adult cats you can feel confident in emphasizing recipes at either end of the continuum, as you choose.

I
DEAL
D
OG
F
OOD

For dogs, the current AAFCO standards advise a minimum of only 18 percent protein
for adult maintenance and 22 percent for reproduction and growth (previous recommendations have been as high as 28 percent for lactation). The minimal level for fat is 5 percent (8 percent for reproduction and growth), although feeding studies have shown dogs can tolerate rations up to 50 percent fat if otherwise adequately nourished.

PROTEIN, FAT, AND CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT OF VARIOUS MEATS

* Sorted by grams of protein per pound of meat, from high to low
. 

There is a direct relationship between fat and protein in the diet. The more fat in the
diet, the more protein is needed. There are metabolic interactions between the two, and when a diet is fattier, an animal will eat less to assuage its hunger. That’s why a dog can become undernourished if you add oil or meat drippings to its food without increasing the protein, vitamin, and mineral content accordingly.

Dr. Ben E. Sheffy of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, has developed detailed minimum protein standards for dogs that range from 13 to 37 percent, depending on how much fat is in the diet and upon special needs, such as those described in the next chapter. All of our dog food recipes meet or exceed whichever of the standards is higher—Dr. Sheffy’s or AAFCO’s.  

AVERAGE CALORIC NEEDS FOR ADULT DOGS

Note: Increase values for working dogs or
during cold weather
.

AVERAGE CALORIC NEEDS FOR ADULT CATS 

H
OW
M
UCH
TO
F
EED
?

I believe that your animal’s appetite is generally a good guideline for how much to feed. Here’s some information, however, that will help you gauge quantities to prepare based on average caloric needs for dogs and cats and the caloric content (kcal.) stated in the caloric needs charts above.

In nature, a cat eats on a 28-hour cycle, and it is normal for them to decline food occasionally when we feed them according to our schedules instead of theirs.

CHAPTER 5

SPECIAL DIETS FOR SPECIAL PETS

T
he guidelines used for the production of commercial pet foods are those that will be adequate for maintenance. “Adequate for maintenance” means just what it says. Such food provides enough to
maintain
a healthy animal. I am sure there are animals living very peaceful and calm lives that meet this criteria, but many of those I meet could use a little extra nutritional help. What minimum nutrition does not guarantee is a beneficial surplus for the animal that is under stress—either physically or emotionally.

We designed our recipes in chapter 4 to not only maintain health in the adult animal, but also to provide for special needs situations. As we’ve noted, our recipes provide amounts of protein and fat that are much closer to those available in the natural, “wild” diet, though we cannot duplicate them exactly without feeding live prey. As they are, the levels are more than adequate for maintenance and also suitable for animals needing more calories, more protein, and more fat.

Such animals include:

Puppies and kittens.
Extra protein and calories are needed for new tissue growth and youthful activity.

Breeding, pregnant, and lactating females.
Conceiving, carrying, birthing, and nursing offspring call for unusually high protein intake to grow new tissue.

Animals undergoing strenuous exercise or
stress.
Such conditions signal the body to consume high amounts of energy as well as protein, which is needed for activity and tissue repair.

Animals that need to regain strength after
surgery, injury, illness, or malnourishment.
Higher-than-usual amounts of protein and energy are vital for healing.

Animals exposed to extreme temperatures.
Very hot weather calls for diets high in protein to compensate for decreased food intake caused by a sluggish appetite. Cold weather exposure demands more calories to keep the animal warm; these calories are best supplied by a high-fat diet.

Another special category is the pet of vegetarian families. Ethical, ecological, or health considerations lead some people to eliminate meat from their diets. If they reduce their pet’s meat intake as well, they must replace certain nutrients meat would provide.