The Weekly Growl:

 A Canine Commentary  

             Life's Abundance

                      By Stacy Mantle

                                 The New Best Food For Pets

As you all know I rarely, no – scratch that, I never write reviews about pet food, particularly cat or dog food.  However, with the recent recalls – I see no choice.  I’ve always been a firm believer in keeping animals on a diet that works for them, but clearly the mainstream brands are not working and people are forced to find something that is “not fatal”, is cost-effective and their pets enjoy. Staying consistent with their dietary needs helps avoid digestive problems and a host of other maladies that crop up when you begin switching foods.  But that is probably why Sean Connery made that wonderfully scripted movie, “Never Say Never”.  Because whenever you say it, you end up doing it.  Which leads me to this week’s review.

Recently I have switched all of my pets to Life’s Abundance – a food that is manufactured in the U.S. and uses ingredients and suppliers from the U.S.  I first ran across this food when I was given several food samples from Mark at Healthy Pet Net.  He urged me to try it out and graciously notified me all about the benefits of their product line.  I have to tell you that I am not an easy sell.  It took a lot of email, a lot of convincing, and the perfect timing before he ultimately piqued my interest and this was LONG before the recent product recalls.  At that time, my husband and I had just rescued three feral kittens that were just moving off of formula, and so I agreed to give his food a try. 

When I received the samples, the animals went nuts.  Literally – they were crazy for this food.  I was forced to lock up the box it was shipped in behind a locked cabinet, the dog bones had to be immediately distributed, and the kittens were fighting for their lives when their new food was given to them.  The cat treats are even hard kibble, not the soft kibble they are used too for “treats”, yet they still chewed a hole in the box that contained the samples and I was ultimately forced to place them in a locked room.  I assure you that I am not exaggerating.  Think I’m crazy?  Come on over to my house during feed time and you’ll understand what I’m dealing with… You can sit there holding the food bowls and see how safe you feel.  Literally – both the cats and dogs are crazy for this food.  

As pet owners, you know that your pet’s fondness of a food is not justification enough to feed it.  And so, I must tell you that this product is unique for a number of reasons. After a lot of research, several calls and emails to both the main developer (Dr. Jane Bicks) and Mr. Mark Poore, whose infinite patience has led to what I’m certain will become a lifelong friendship, I have managed to come up with some rather interesting information on the origin of pet food and the best food to feed your pets.  Topics that I don’t feel we, as pet caretakers, spend enough time researching. – yet after the recent food recalls, we are forced to take time and do.

For example, did you know that pet food was first developed as a way of getting rid of waste products during World War II?  It’s true.  Did you know that bags of pet food can sit on docks for up to 18 months before it even hits the store shelves?  Yep.  It’s true and if you don’t believe me – check out the video!  Did you know that most of our pets’ allergies are from the food they eat?  Okay – you may have known that with the recent events in the news.  Our pets’ food can cause ear infections, respiratory infections and lots of other bad things.  It can shorten their lives by years.  But, it’s not all gloom and doom.  The good news is that we are becoming more educated on this problem, and we are demanding better products. 

This brand of food is the better product.  With the main ingredient being Chicken Meal and the second ingredient, brown rice, how can you go wrong?  Not to mention the fact that it is infused with antioxidants such as grape see extract.  It also contains fatty acids (for a healthy coat), probiotics, such as acidophilus, which help keep the intestines healthy, and chelated minerals, (for what purpose I’m not exactly sure, but I’m sure it’s something incredibly healthy*).  In addition – it contains NO corn, wheat, dairy, artificial colors or chemical preservatives. 

For those of you who are avid readers of my column, you know I don’t waste your time on products that are not worthy of your time, and this is no exception.  I can fully recommend this food for your pet as a primary selection when moving from the pet foods you are on.  That is the problem that I have run into.  My cats love it too much, and as I free-feed in my home (with 18 cats roaming, it’s impossible not too), the dominant felines will overeat in a matter of hours.  However, for those of you who live in normal households, I can wholeheartedly recommend this change of diet for your pets.  Their foods are available in both dry and canned varieties, they also carry a large assortment of cat treats, and although I have not tried them yet, cleaners that are safe for your pets. So – take a moment and log in for your free sample and just see if your favorite feline or canny canine loves their food as much as mine do.  I think their reaction will surprise you.

From the Dogs:

Growls:  (Silence from the dogs as they anxiously await the next feeding time where they can jockey for the best position.) 

Leaps of Joy:  “We want food!  We want food! ” 

From the Humans:

Two opposable thumbs up!  You’re going to love this food as much as your dogs do!  Don’t forget to write in and tell us about the change in their coat, their attitude, and the “puppy” attitude that ensues when you start feeding them Life’s Abundance! 

Drawback?  They like it too much!  Be sure to control their diet, and be certain that you change them over gradually.  Sudden changes in diet can be dangerous to your pet.   Also – this food is only available for purchase online; however, the prices are comparable to any type of premium dog food, even when the shipping charges are added (which means you don’t have to pay $3.00/ gal to go pick it up!)

* For those wondering what Chelated Materials are:  "Chelation is the pharmaceutical process of bonding a mineral to an amino acid to make it easier for the body to digest, assimilate and utilize it. Chelated minerals, or chelates for short, are designed to mimic the way minerals occur naturally in the diet as well."

Read about these other great products: 12 Days of Cat-mas, Holiday Gift List for Cats, DuckyWorld, Catfisher Bobber, CellTei Backpack, KittyWalk, Let Meow't, SmartCat Toys, The Cat Fisher,  The Scratch Lounge, The Litter Robot, Feline Furniture, CitiKitty, PawSense Software, CatXmasList Carriers, DuckyWorld Catnip,  Ssscat, SmartCat Litter System, Urine Off, Animal Pathways, Drinkwell Pet Fountain, AquaGarden, Life's Abundance, PetTemp, and Purrfect Fence