Legacy & Life Expectancy Of Cats
Heritage and Life Expectancy in Cats
Have you ever thought about your cat’s heritage? Most of us probably never met our cat’s feline mom or dad, and we just don’t give it much thought. While some of our cat’s health conditions may be genetic, there’s a new thought coming mainstream that genetic expression can be controlled through nutrition and what they’re “not” exposed to. As cat parents we want our fur babies to live long, healthy lives. So how much of that lifespan can we influence? You may be surprised!
Hershey’s Legacy Re-defined
If we take our cat Hershey for example, his feline mom died pretty young, at age 8 or 9, of kidney failure. For years this used to trouble me because I wondered if Hershey would suffer the same demise. When visiting the cattery we got Hershey from to pick up our second Tonk, Snowbear, almost fourteen years ago I recall seeing bowls of kibble set out for the cats and kittens. This was obviously the preferred meal of choice, and I can see why Hershey’s mom, Melba, could possibly have developed kidney failure. I don’t know for sure if this was the only contributing factor, but it certainly didn’t stack the odds in her favor.
Hershey, age 15
Today Hershey is fifteen years old and still runs wind sprints up and down the hallways, chases Aylen, and loves to bat around his toy mice and balls. His most recent blood work was great. Given his age he showed some natural decline in kidney function but nothing life-threatening. His coat is soft and shiny, his eyes are a clear blue, his skin is not flaking, and his teeth and gyms look good. It’s got to be his high quality diet and the fact that he’s not exposed to toxic household chemicals or unnecessary vaccinations.
Love for Tonks
This weekend my husband and I attended the Houston Charity Cat Show. While I love to browse all the cool cat-themed vendor booths and see all the beautiful show kitties, ultimately my favorite part is talking to the Tonkinese breeders and holding their cats and kittens. We saw a Tonkinese kitten at our very first cat show back in 1999 and fell in love. Now retired breeder, Tony Huff, had a little cream colored kitten draped over her shoulder, not a care in the world. Its fur felt like mink, and its eyes were the most beautiful shade of turquoise blue…and it was purring. My heart melted right there, and we were both completely smitten. Almost two years later Hershey pranced into our living room.
Championship Legacy
Aylen
Rockette, Aylen’s mom
We had the pleasure to reconnect with Aylen’s breeders, Harold and Diane Bourgeois, from Nederland, TX. I asked her to send me a photo of Aylen’s parents. We had never seen them before but after taking one look at them we immediately saw the resemblances. There’s no mistaking those facial expressions! I was also excited and pleased to hear that they were now feeding their cats a raw diet! They even bought their own grinder and make it themselves using muscle meat, bone, and organs plus added supplements. Having previously fed their cats a popular commercial brand’s kibble and wet food, they were astounded and excited about the difference they could see. We understood exactly what he meant, and I’m just over the moon that the cats and kittens they’re raising will now be grand champions inside and out. They may not realize it just yet, but they are taking steps to change the legacies of all the cats in their lives.
My Go-To Raw Diet Supplier
If you live in the Houston area check out the natural pet store Bones 2 Go. They have a great selection of raw diet recipes for cats and dogs. They take human grade, restaurant quality meat and grind the muscle meat, bones and organs in their own processing facility. It’s considered a supplemental diet, meaning you can add in supplements, vitamins, omega 3 oils, etc. Their products are much less expensive than most of the raw diet brands you find in the natural pet stores because you’re not paying for special packaging and marketing. You can also buy frozen chicken necks, duck necks and whole quail, which are great for scraping tartar off your cat’s teeth and producing healthy teeth and gums. I go there once a month and load up my freezer!
What kind of legacy are you giving your cat? Make the best choices for its nutrition NOW so you can and start adding years to your cat’s life and life to its years. Learn more about providing the best in feline nutrition on this page. Can I help you start making a change for the better? Leave a comment below!
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