Customer Reviews

The Natural Cat: The Comprehensive Guide to Optimum Care

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

12 years ago, when my Pywacket became diabetic, doctors were prescribing so-called high fiber dry food -- not much different than the food that was causing the epidemic of diabetes in the first place.

After reading Anitra's last book, I was talking to one of the leading experts in feline diabetes who offered up one simple line. "I have to agree with her on one very basic point! Cats are carnivores."

That may sound obvious now, but it was the first moment I realized that my poor sick kitty didn't need the meat flavored cereal that that same expert was prescribing. My cat needed meat, and lots of it!!

Pywacket lived well with diabetes for six years with fewer vet visits than ever. His pre-diabetes asthma was mysteriously cured, and he died of old age at 19.5. Now Anitra has updated her book and I was first in line.

She has already answered questions I spent hours on the internet trying to find, especially what if anything to use to supplement a cat's diet. I do admit that I am not up to feeding raw food as Anitra has long suggested. I have 2 little kids at home, and even a small risk is too much. Still, following Anitra's basic recommendations using high quality wet foods and adding fresh chicken, I have seen my new cats become little fluff bunnies, long haired cats with NO matts ever!

Anitra Frazier understands cats from the slow "I love you blink" to diet, to what it is like to live with these amazing creatures. for my 2 new cats, the latest edition of her wonderful book will stand as my first reference for a long time. Buy it. Study it! You will save thousands in vet bills and for the first time perhaps, truly understand your amazing animals.

Thank you Anitra! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I didn't buy this book from Amazon but from B&N. I sat in the store skimming the Diet Section after I found out my cat was almost a full blown diabetic. Both my cats were eating the Vet-Prescribed (Hill's) Diet Z/D. I was horrified that I let my cat get this way by listening to my vet.

The book is very easy to read and understand and it causes a lightbulb to go off in your head. I recommend this book to anyone who is dead-set on Hard Food. I even know a couple of people like this that I plan on lending the book to so they can be well informed before continuing a Hard Food regimen.

Besides advising a Raw Food Diet the Author also gives advice for people who don't want to go to a Raw Food diet which includes wet food and supplements. The supplements are easily explained and the book tells you exactly what to get and how much, which is something I could never find on the internet.

I have since switched my cats immediately to Blue Buffalo, a Holistic brand of wet food, I do plan on going all the way to Raw but because my cats are brainwashed from the chemicals and flavors of Hard Food, it'll be a slow process.

This book has given me the confidence to pay attention to nature and to go with my gut feeling instead of taking Food-Advice from my vets who endorse Hard Food until your cat gets sick then say "They should really be on all wet, but not Raw because it's dangerous due to disease." I'll trust my vet with everything else except food.

*UPDATE* 11/28/09 - Had book for about 5 months.

This book is a dictionary on how to help your cat naturally. I've used home-made saline solution for my cat, and I later tried it on myself. I've even made the home made chicken broth recipe for when my cat got diarrhea. The only downside of the book is that it doesn't give you a "What if the cat doesn't like ___" option. When I made the recipe for chicken broth to help calm and soothe my cat's digestive system the book said the cat would just lap up the broth because it was so good. I put the bowl down and my cat turned his nose up at it! So what do you do when the cat hates it? That's the one thing I realize I don't like about the book, the author assumes that cat will love whatever you give it. I still think the book is worth buying and is still worthy of 5 Stars. I've referenced it so many times and now I go to the book before I call my vet. I strongly recommend this book for any cat companion!

I have an earlier version of The Natural Cat and have consulted it so many times when I have health or diet concerns for my cats. It has helpful advice on so many different topics -- from nutrition, to diarhea, coat to nails. I highly recommend this book for any pet owner who is looking for alternatives to always running to the vet or giving medicine.

The Natural Cat is the best feline guidance available. I have been using Anitra's book for three decades, and still refer to it. The section on pilling alone is worth the price of the book. Pilling was always a traumatic experience under the best of circumstances. After following Anitra's instructions with great success (the first time!) my cat/s and I never looked back. This is but one positive example of many.

I often give this book as a gift, evoking applause and gratitude from humans and their beloved cats every time. Everyone who has or loves cats will want to own this book. It is a must for first time feline caregivers.

Anitra Frazier and Norma Eckroate have done cats and their humans a huge, humanitarian service by offering a truly comprehensive, well-written and compassionate celebration of all things related to the holistic health and care of cats. Education is always the key in fostering health, safety and behavior. Certainly this book deserves a prominent placement on everyone's bookshelf.
Paul Owens

Anitra Frazier knows her kitties! When I lived in NYC I got to work with her for the health of my adopted strays. She, through her book, her personal hands on with my one kitty at her home, (she taught me how to properly bathe my male kitten ever so lovingly who was covered with ringworm, which is a fungus, which he caught from my 6 week old kitten who was carrying it but showed no signs of it). She opened my eyes to so many wonderful things about how cats behave that I never knew. For example, that cats don't go outside of the litter box because they are angry or for spite. No, it's because they are such clean little critters that they cannot stand to place themselves in a stinky litter box! Keep that litter box clean like it's supposed to be, and see what happens. And also they do not like the perfumed or scented litters. Their sense of smell is many more times sensitive to odors than us humans! Cats do not do things out of spite.. they aren't human and don't think, they just react to things.

There is a wealth of knowledge in this book and I wish every single soul on this earth who has anything to do with cats, from vets to groomers and all cat owners could have this book. You'll be doing both your kitties and yourself a lot of good by reading it, and then implementing what you learn.

The cat that Anitra helped me with, and the younger one passed away a couple of years ago. They both lived to be about 18 yrs. old. I miss them still. I thought I could never get another one because of the grief I felt.. they were with me their whole lives! But then we moved to another state, and one day as we were out looking for a house to buy, a little bundle of orange Tabby long haired fluff came bounding up to me. He was so dirty his fur was gray with grime. He was infested with fleas and had worms. Well, I took him in. He's one happy camper now, and so am I. I wish there weren't so many strays.. it's sad that most people seem to think that they are like wild animals and can survive outside on their own, but they are not wild, they are domesticated animals and like dogs, cannot live without the intervention of humans. Someone was feeding this little kitty. A man from the house next door to the one we were looking at told me to take him, he belonged to no one, and that he feeds him. God bless all the people out there who find it in their hearts to feed the starving cats, and take them in to their hearts and their homes. I wish more did.

Has incredible information, this is my CAT's BIBLE ! Anita's special vitamin / enzymes has helped my cats and they lived to be almost 20! This is your cat's companion book ;-)

The shelter rec this book when we adopted our cat who was appox 8 mo old, and I immediately gathered all the ingredients to make the homemade food. I was fortunate that I was living in Denver and had access to Mavrick Beef (free ranged) and excellent health food stores to make the Vita Mix. I made large batches of it and froze it in snack size baggies (one baggie equaled a day's worth of food = see my recipe below.

We adopted her in February of 1996 and she is still with us 16 years later.

Our cat (She Who Must Be Obeyed) had minor health issues throughout her life. She needed medical attention only twice and we took her for her yearly check-ups and shots on a regular basis. She is in fantastic health and has weathered cross country moves numerous times (we're military). Honestly, I feel that the diet has given her the longevity she has, coupled with keeping her indoors and keeping her safe when venturing outside (deck, closed in porch, fenced backyard).

We had numerous visitors who were allergic to cats and they had no problem staying with us in our home. As indicated in the book, people are allergic to the dander that cats produce, not the actual hair. Good food, vitamins (Vita Mix), and safety keeps that dander down to a minimum.

We will be moving overseas in a few months and her vet has given the okay for her to make that journey.

Coco's Slop
1 lb of 85% Beef (hamburger, free ranged)
1 lg sweet potato
1 lg bunch of broccoli
1 c of Vita Mix (premade and kept in fridge or store version)

In a large pot, add approx 2 quarts of cold water. Peel and cut sweet potatoes in large chunks = add to pot. Cut the stem off the broccoli and cut into chunks = add to water. Cut off the small stems from the broccoli and add to water (you will add the florets later).

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Turn off heat and allow the mix to cool.

When the mix has cooled, set aside approx 2 cups of liquid. Mash the veggies into the liquid = use a blender, old fashion masher or stick blender. Add the beef = use a masher (this part can get messy). Add the Vita Mix mixture. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved liquid. It should have the consistency of spaghetti sauce.

Put approx 3/4 cup into a small snack baggie. Seal and lay flat on a cookie sheet (that will fit in your freezer). Continue until the food is gone. Make sure the bags are neat and lined up in rows - the seal/top of the baggie sticking up. If you lay the baggies flat w/the seam down, the juice leaks out and makes the baggies stick together. Freeze overnight. You can take the cookie sheet away and store food in a large ret. container.

Defrost one baggie in a dish/container overnight in the fridge - they do leak at the seam. Feed your cat an adequate amount = usually 1/2 or 1/3 of the bag = twice a day.

You must keep the food frozen until ready to use. Once the food is defrosted, you must use it within a day. Keep the baggie of food in the fridge until it's gone. Once the cat has eaten take away the dish and clean.

I use sturdy plastic plates for my cat's food. I throw away the plate when she's done eating. Sometimes I use saucers for her food. I have never used a small bowl or "cat" dish = our cat has long whiskers and hates sticking her nose into something confining.

I keep her food frozen and snap the food in the baggie in 1/3. I defrost a small portion in the microwave. Our cat doesn't like the food too cold nor too hot. Using the microwave bothers me, but she's gotten picky about the temp in her old age. At this point in her life, I want to comfort her as much as possible.

I make large batches = double the recipe. I have a separate freezer, so I have lots of room to store it.

If I'm making hamburger, meatloaf or meatballs our cat will run over and beg for a small bite of raw meat. Once I couldn't find free range beef and used the store brand, she refused to eat it and I threw away a month's worth of food. She couldn't smell the beef. crazy! Since that day, I try not to feed regular beef to my family - if the cat won't eat it, it must be awful. She does like Angus beef.

Anytime I make sweet potatoes or broccoli, she'll come running and starts rubbing my legs. She knows the smell and loves, loVES, LOVES freshly made food.

Now I buy Halo's Vita Mix. I'm not in the mood to buy and store the Vita Mix. Yes, it's wayyyy more expensive to buy it, but I got kids and a house to run.

Our cat is a cherished member of our family. We feed her the best food possible. She, in turn, has given us wonderful companionship. I hope you find this helpful.

My aunt gave me a copy of the original Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier when we got our first cat, Linus in 1987. It became my "go-to" book for anything I needed to know about cat ownership and health. When Linus (our 1st cat) became ill at age 12, it became my constant source of information on diet and nutrition for an ill / aging cat. We now have 3 cats that are becoming older and I have used the new version of this book in the treatment of the oldest cat's IBS. He is doing well and, in spite of the vet's suspicion of Intestinal Lymphoma, Simba (the cat) seems to be responding well to the Vitamin Mineral Mix and the Raw Food diet (although he hates it). This confirms my feeling that he is suffering from IBS and not lymphoma as he began losing weight when our new dog/puppy arrived and as their relationship calms down, so do his symptoms. I am now changing our cat's care to a holistic vet as well for consistency.
This is a wonderful reference book to guide you through many successful years of having happy & healthy cats in your life.

I had an old version of this book, which i love ad just wanted an update in case anything had changed. I can't yet tell if it did.
But definitely a worthwhile reference when you have these cute little felines hanging around.