I have 4 cats and 2 dogs---never had a problem with the cat/dog mix. I got my dogs as adults and aready had cats, and still had no problems. My dogs are WHIPPETS-sight hounds so I was nervous when I recently got a kitten and I was extremely careful for about 3 weeks, isolating the kitten, keeping the dog away from the kitten. When I finally felt comfortable , I let the 2 of them run free in the house---NO problem at all. I wondered what I was so concerned about.

I have seen my Whippet pounce on a squirrel in the backyard and kill it before I even had a chance to react--Whippets are VERY fast. After that I always checked the back deck before I let the dogs out. However, the cats in the house seem to be put in another category in the minds of the dog. Now, I would NEVER trust one of my dogs with a cat outside--I am sure they would kill it if they got the chance.

My suggestion would be to watch carefully and NEVER leave them alone if you are away from the house--at least until you are sure that everyone is on board with acceptance. I am sure it will go well.
                                                     Kathleen

Well, I certainly hope that the HILL'S  REP got an earful on Friday night. There were some very upset pet owners there that night.  Good for Dr. Hodgkins she told it the way it was. With her background no one could query her message.  I am sorry that the Vets did not come --they need to understand that from now on their advice  about animal food does not come directly from GOD. I am sick of being told that only IAMS, EUKANUBA, SCIENCE DIET kibble  etc. should be my first choice.
                                     Kathleen

It was a wonderful, informative evening. I cannot say enough about the whole evening. Elizabeth Hodgkins is one VERY smart lady--not only is she a Vet but she is also a Lawyer.  I was able to speak to her after the presentation about a particular cat kibble I was using--something new on the market. She was most helpful and down to earth with her suggestions and comments. I am going into a website and purchase her book.
 Do you know that she paid her own way to Toronto in order to present her material  . She is one dedicated lady! Lots of food for thought!

                       Kathleen

  CW--love that quote!!!!
I was impressed with Paul Watson. Not for a moment do I doubt his sincerity.  Had he more time to elaborate, I am sure it would have been the pet food manufacturers that he would have blamed---not our cats.
                                 Kathleen

  NOW THERE IS A BUMPER STICKER I LIKE!!

      When Pet Food Lies,we don't  buy!

                                                       
                                   Kathleen

 I would not miss this!!     As a matter of fact I have a friend who is driving in to Toronto from out of town to also attend.      We will be there with bells on.     We are looking forward to meeting with others from Toronto who will be attending---how about getting together before the meeting to say hello.   The FORUM will be held near the U.of T. --lots of coffee shops around there.  I will bring an empty bag of PURINA PRO PLAN and prop it up on the table so we can identify each other---- a symbolic gesture  to say we won't take it anymore PURINA et al.
                                        Kathleen

I bought some EVO kibble  for my 4 cats---I was really impressed by the ingredients listed--the no grains was the big plus for me. The cats LOVE it. Over the past few weeks I have tried everything--WYSONG, ORIJEN, etc. They would not eat any of it. However, they are scarfing down the EVO like crazy.
                              Kathleen

I have to warn you--if you open that can of Mackeral your whole house will reek for hours. I had to soak the  cat's dish in JAVEX just to get rid of the smell. The first time I opened a can the cats went mad for it. The next time they would not eat it at all. I ended up throwing it in the garbage at the end of the day. However, all was not lost . All the racoons hit my garbage can that night. They brought their aunts, uncles cousins etc.
                                               Kathleen

I forget--I have read so much that I am getting confused. I just bought 2 cans of EVOLVE----Turkey Formula.     Wasn't the cross contamination involved in the vats containing  wheat/corn gluten?   I see that these cans do not contain any by-products or grains.
  Lordy, I am about to lose my mind.    Here I finally found a canned food that the cats seemed to like.

                  Kathleen

I heard back from ORIJEN--they replied promptly. They do not add TAURINE---- it is naturally in the chicken meat and they were quick to add that nothing comes from China. I bought a small $2.00 bag of both cat and dog kibble. The cats seemed to like it to-day---but who knows what will happen tomorrow--you know what cats are like.    I swear, I think that they reconnoiter at night while I am sleeping and plan how they will drive me nuts the next day.
    The dog would not touch the kibble.

                               Kathleen

  ON Tuesday afternoon at 5PM?  5:30 PM?  on PULSE24  "ANIMAL HOUSE CALLS" is on and rebroadcasts again  late Friday evening. The Moderator, Ann Rohmer, is a great animal lover.  I wonder if  the people organizing the FORUM would contact her--they probably carry more clout than we do. A pitch from her would be great!
                                           
                         Kathleen

 I have just read the transcript that was posted re the talk show. I have a Whippet here that has just been diagnosed  a few days ago with Chronic Renal Failure. I assumed this was due to his age--nearly 12 years old----  I know it is fairly common in older animals ----now I am not so sure. The Vet gives him, at the most, 6 months to live and said it had nothing to do with what he was eating.---but then  the vet  was way behind in his information about the recalls.  He said 3 weeks ago that the problem was solved----a lot he knew!!!!!  This  transcript has got me thinking. I would like to get his food tested. I am in TORONTO and  I saw that GUELPH is too busy. Any suggestions about where I can look for help? I will never forgive myself if my feeding him this kibble has caused his problem
                        Thanks for any suggestion   Christie said  on the talk show to email her for help,    but was she referring only to U S Labs? I will need a Canadian lab.

                 Kathleen
  

It would be interesting if those people in TORONTO on this list  who will be attending this forum could have some way of  identifying each other. It would be nice to put a face to all this messaging that has gone on for such a long time. Any ideas?
                         Kathleen

This has NOTHING to do with recalled food, but nevertheless I found it facinating.   Recently, here in Toronto, ZOOCHECK had a night featuring  CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON ,Founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and at one time closely associated with GREENPEACE. He addressed the concerns that the world felt as our oceans become endangered. One of his comments I found interesting was:

    "the greatest danger to the oceans to-day is the domestic cat"

He went on to assure everyone that he had nothing against cats ,in fact, he had a houseful, but  the domestic cat was the greatest consumer of fish in the world. He did not elaborate ,it was simply a comment he made as he presented his material.  AMAZING! Who would have thought ?

                         Kathleen

After reading about ORIJEN I decided to give it a try--why not I have tried everything else. I am inTORONTO so it is sold near me. I have to say the literature is most impressive---but then so are the other companies' flyers.  I am wondering where they get their taurine for the cat's food. Taurine was not included in the section  "REGIONAL INGREDIENTS"  but is in the"GUARANTEED ANALYSIS".   I think that I read somewhere that most of the Taurine  added to cat food comes from China. HORRORS!!!  However, I  think that I have also read that taurine is in chicken hearts and they use whole grain- fed chickens. If they also use the stomach contents of the chicken that would also give the cat carbs---just as they would get  in freshly killed prey, when the carnivore would eat the innards.    God in heaven---- the terms I have leaned to toss around after spending days reading this message board. You know, I have spent more time fretting over cat food than I ever did over baby food. Maybe I was not clued in then.

Anyway, I have emailed the company to inquire about taurine. I will post their response if and when I get it.
                                    Kathleen