News & Editorials from Merlin

April 29, 2009

How to Keep Your Cat Healthy

Filed under: Animals/Pets — merlinmonroe @ 7:09 pm

If you’re a cat owner, one of your biggest concerns may be how to keep your cat fit. Cats are generally quite active when they are kittens, but then as they mature they begin to settle into a more relaxed lifestyle and “mellow out.” So how does one make sure their cat remains in tip-top fit condition? What types of cat food do you feed your cat? We’ve compiled some helpful tips below:

1. Pick a premium cat food that meets your cat’s dietary needs. You may have the urge to buy what is on sale that week at the pet store or supermarket, but cheap does not necessarily translate directly into “good to eat” or “healthy.” In fact, the cat food that looks like the best bargain typically has many types of filler that do not contribute to good digestion, and may give your cat instances of intolerance, which may result in a bit of kitty upchuck. An occasional vomit due to hairballs is normal now and then, but if you notice your cat avoiding the food when he hasn’t eaten all day, then you’ve a food issue on your hands. Pick a premium cat food, even if it costs a little more, so that you’re cat feels satisfied and reaps the benefits of a good nutritious diet that won’t contribute to him being obese on too much fiber filler. I recommend premium cat food from Life’s Abundance. It is formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks and may be the best premium cat food out there at this time.

2. Make sure to give your cat food in reasonable portions. If you want your kitty to remain trim and healthy and able to jump, instead of being a roly-poly ball of fur, then do right by kitty by allotting reasonable portions to his cat bowl at meal time. A handful should be plenty. Remember, you don’t want kitty to nibble and walk away thereby leaving the rest of his food to sit out for long periods of time. It’s best for kitty to eat what he has and wait for his next meal. You’ll find that your cat will look forward to his meals more, might even react a bit more spiritedly instead of lazily strolling to his bowl, and you’ll also find that less heaping bowls of food, also result in less heaping mounds in the litter box. Just remember, too much input to your cat(s) results in too much kitty “output” if you know what I mean.

3. Play with your cat. Okay, so maybe you have a cat that’s VERY playful and into balls, feathers and string, or little stuffed mice. But maybe you don’t. Even if your cat isn’t into toys, or interacting with you or with people in general, you should explore ways to give Kitty entertainment, which might also result in exercise.

April 17, 2009

The Vital Importance of Selecting the Right Cat Food

Filed under: Animals/Pets — merlinmonroe @ 8:00 pm

Even though there are many companies out there that claim to care about the well-being of your cat, they simply do not and they prove that by not having their main ingredient an animal protein. Many companies will use “filler” ingredients as the main ingredient in the cat food that they manufacturer. If you are unsure as to which ingredient is used to make up the most of the cat food, all you have to do is look for the first ingredient listed. The first one listed is the one that makes up the majority of the food. By the way this article was written by Lori Matthews of New Jersey. She studies health, nutrition and wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit her site for more information on how Lifes Abundance cat food
Whether you are looking at cat food or cat treats, you must make sure that protein is listed first. If the wrong ingredients are the main ones then your cat may suffer. Many conditions such as eye, skin, coat, and joint problems have been known to come from a poor diet. Even though the pet owner thought they were giving good cat food they were not because of the actual ingredients that makes up the food. You have to look past the advertisements and the flashy work the graphic designer did for the bag or box and pay attention only to the ingredient list.
If the first ingredient that is listed is wheat or corn or anything other than animal protein then re-consider if that is the healthiest choice for your feline. Such cat foods are not good for your pet and can lead to health issues in the long run. Just like humans, you are what you eat. Felines need a balanced diet to keep their immune system healthy and strong.
If you wouldn’t eat fillers, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and artificial ingredients everyday then neither should your cat. The only benefit that these ingredients give is certainly not for your cat but a way to save money on the manufacturing.
Surprisingly, even veterinarians or “veterinarian formulated” cat foods are not healthy either. Many contain wheat and or corn gluten and this are known allergens for cats.
Many people may think that a premium cat food cost much more money, however many times a better grade food means you will feed less so it actually can cost about the same or less. A healthier feline can mean fewer trips to the vet.
Here are some ingredients to avoid:
Ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT – Artificial preservatives that are very unhealthy.
By-products – These are parts of an animal that humans wouldn’t eat. They include feet, necks etc.
Wheat, Corn, Corn Gluten, Soy – Can be used as protein sources which are inferior. They can cause allergies because they are not digested well.
It may take a learning curve to get familiar with the ingredients when researching a cat food. Pay attention to the first five on the label as this will give you an idea if you should seven keep looking at it.

April 8, 2009

Washington Traffic Accident News

Filed under: Auto News — merlinmonroe @ 11:15 pm

Teresa Hedlund was accused of allegedly encouraging dangerous driving in what turned out to be the worst single car accident in the state of Washington since 1951 according to the state police statistics.

The woman had been filming the people in the vehicle minutes before the driver struck a concrete pillar in a suburb between Seattle and Tacoma. By the way if you need a good King County dui lawyer you can try this superb firm.

If Hedlund had been convicted on all the counts she was charged with she could have been sentenced to four years in prison and $20,000 in fines. She instead was sentenced to one day in jail and $760.00 in fines. She also has to attend parenting classes, have an alcohol evaluation and follow up treatment. She will also be required to speak at the Auburn High School assemblies about drinking and driving, she is also required to write a letter of apology to the father of April Byrd age 17 who was killed in the accident.

During the trial the video that Helund had taken showed the one passenger who had not been drinking Jayme Vomenici and owner of the vehicle for the person driving to slow down or stop the vehicle. At the time of the accident police estimate the vehicle was traveling at a speed of approximately 80 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour speed zone. The toxicology report for the driver showed his blood alcohol level to be 0.08 which is close to twice the legal limit in the state of Washington.

Killed in the accident were six of the seven people in the vehicle, Tom Stewart age 22 who was driving and had an alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit, Stewarts twin brother and fiancé of Hedlund, Jayme Vomencici age 18 the owner of the vehicle, Marcus Cooper and Brandon Duprea both 21 years old, and April Byrd age 17.

Washington Criminal Justice News

Filed under: Law headlines — merlinmonroe @ 10:31 pm

Hell’s Angels member Joseph P. McGuire pleaded no contest in the assault of an off duty Seattle police officer during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and receives a suspended sentence.

According to reports Seattle police detective Ron Smith was involved in a barroom fight in which he pulled out a gun and shot McGuire. Smith stated McGuire and other members of the Hell’s Angels had jumped him inside the bar Loud American Roadhouse. He feels he was targeted due to testifying in a high profile case for federal racketeering and murder in the city of Seattle in 2007.By the way if you need a competent Washington criminal lawyer take a look at this site.

The judge in the case sentenced McGuire for the simple assault charge to one year in prison and suspended the sentence as long as McGuire does not break any laws, where he would be remanded to the Meade County Jail.

Detective Smith of the Seattle Police Department had also been charged in the incident after the shooting for carrying a concealed weapon, aggravated assault and perjury. The charges against detective Smith were later dropped

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