Our Pets, Their Health, and The Environment: #PawNatural

How does our view of the world influence how we care for our pets?
Since tomorrow is Earth Day, it seemed an appropriate topic.
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I come from a culture and faith that takes stewardship of the earth very seriously. We have a saying: tikkun olam, "repair the world." And though its full meaning goes far beyond just the physical world in which we live (it has deep spiritual connotations), there is an inherent respect for the planet we inhabit, and the animals who are in our care. 

Faraday likes to explore the yard in his harness. I am mindful of
pesticides and fertilizers, and keep his explorations confined to our yard.

The items associated with the proper care of a pet not only have an impact on the animal itself; they can also have an impact on the environment.

Natural litters that are biodegradable are kinder to the earth. They don’t add to landfills, and they're flushable, too. (yay!)

Pet foods free of chemicals, hormones, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives aren’t just better for your pet. These types of foods frequently use ingredients that are raised and harvested in sustainable ways – and this, too, is better for the environment.

It took us months to nurse Maxwell back to health when we adopted him.
And that gave us a completely new appreciation for products that promote wellness!

Some may question whether or not the type and quality of ingredients really matter all that much.
Perhaps the following story will help clarify:

About five years ago, a friend of ours suddenly became my husband's patient. Trust me when I say you do not want to become a patient of my husband – he treats people stricken with cancer.

Because it was a close friend, I immersed myself in my husband's world.

I researched. I traveled with him that year to ASTRO (the American Society for Radiation Oncology).

I listened to lectures and read white papers.

While we were there I heard an M.D. from Johns Hopkins present a paper on a study that changed the way I view food.

At the time, not that many people were talking about the effects that additives and chemicals can have on the food we eat, nor how ingredient choices could impact our health. But this doctor did.

This might sound unremarkable to you now, but at the time it was radical talk: Cancer feeds on sugar. Sugar depresses the immune system. Phytochemicals and carotenoids have cancer-fighting properties.

Today, a simple search will get you to mainstream sites like WebMD that say these same things.
Can foods positively or negatively impact our health? Modern medicine now unequivocally says YES.

If that’s true for humans, it’s true for our pets as well.

Feeding our glam girl an all-natural cat food may make
a difference in her health over time.

Personally, I believe in the long run that feeding a healthier diet - free of added chemicals and with ingredients that promote a stronger immune system - will result in fewer illnesses, thus fewer vet bills.

I equate it to the difference between paying incrementally more over time vs. being hit with a several hundred dollar vet bill all at once. In a way, it's a form of insurance.

But wait – is it really that much more expensive?

When Only Natural Pet approached and asked if I’d review their products, I did a cost comparison. I looked at their dehydrated cat food and compared it to a very well-known non-premium canned cat food and one of the oldest brands of dry kibble on the market.

The canned food was slightly more expensive (≈30₵/lb) and the kibble was slightly less (≈50₵/lb). Please note that’s per pound and not per ounce.

Would you consider changing to a healthier food for your pet, if it meant a nominal increase to your monthly grocery bill?

(The Tonk's Tail Test Laboratory is about to launch, and in a few weeks I'll be back one last time to give you firsthand - err, paw - opinions on food, litter and supplements from Only Natural Pet.)
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This post is sponsored by Only Natural Pet on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Only Natural Pet, but A Tonk's Tail only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Only Natural Pet is not responsible for the content of this article.

So what exactly does "natural" mean anyway? #PawNatural

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to sit in on an interview about a new and exclusive brand of all natural pet products.

Kersten Lee has been with Only Natural Pet for a little over 3 years, and is the head of Product Development for the company. You can hear the enthusiasm in her voice as she speaks.

I was especially curious about how the company began, and why.

She told me their founder had noticed a trend in healthcare - an increased focus on wellness in the human sector.

He's correct: emphasis on healthy living as a preventive measure has never been higher.

And the number of companies producing more healthful alternatives for us humans has been on the rise for several years now.

But not so much for our pets. And he asked himself – why not?
Then he partnered with a holistic veterinarian to do just that.

Kersten says their products are specifically formulated to be biologically appropriate for either dogs or cats, and that they use only natural, quality ingredients.

As you know, companies use – and misuse – the word natural constantly. You can’t walk down an aisle in your local grocer without being bombarded by packaging that claims to have “natural flavoring” or is “100% natural.”

What does this mean on a
package, anyway?

And when you pick them up, you can find everything from chemicals to corn syrup in them.

(if you saw yesterday’s post - well, I rest my case ;-)

In part, that’s because the FDA has no laws in place that regulate what “natural” means.

As 77% of consumers polled say they are positively influenced to buy when they see the word "natural" on their packaging, it's concerning to say the least.

So – pardon the pun – but it was only natural that I’d want to know what this company meant when they said their pet products were “Only Natural”!

Kersten explained that they only sourced ingredients from companies who could provide certificates of analysis on where their ingredients came from and how they were sourced.

Do you believe feeding quality food impacts your pet's health?
Let us know in comments!

She went on to say that they follow the standards set out by Whole Foods Markets and that most of their suppliers are also sources for human food manufacturers.

All foods meet AAFCO standards, and Only Natural Pet is also an audited member of the National Animal Supplement Council.

I went hunting for Whole Foods' standards, and here's what I found:

"We feature foods that are free of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats.
We are passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with others.
We are committed to foods that are fresh, wholesome and safe to eat.
We seek out and promote organically grown foods.
We provide food and nutritional products that support health and well-being."

Sounds like a pretty good measuring stick for a baseline.

They’ve offered me the opportunity to test these new products out on our Herd of Three, and I’m looking forward to sharing my impressions with you.

Allie takes her food VERY seriously.

Oh, and Faraday, Maxwell and Allie’s impressions, as well.

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FTC Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Only Natural Pet on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Only Natural Pet, but A Tonk's Tail only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Only Natural Pet is not responsible for the content of this article.