Mary,
        VERY interested in your litter comments. I raced down onto my basement to read the fine print on my  "WORLDS BEST CAT  LITTER" bag. It is a corn based litter. The company, GPC PET PRODUCTS, is based in IOWA. One would assume that they would use local corn---but given the pet food situation--who knows what they use . Chinese corn??? HORRORS!!! Anyway, I am sure that local Iowa corn growers spray their fields. I intend to email the company and want assurances that I am not putting my cats at risk using their product. I want more than their word---I want proof. We took the pet food at their word and look where that got us. Do you know anything about this company  GPC PET PRODUCTS?
             
                                    Kathleen

After all the pet food bad news I thought that I would post something from a good news slant.  I have 4 indoor cats and I have recently had a cat enclosure built out on my back deck which is incredible! The cats access the steel mesh enclosure through 2 cat doors in my back windows. They exit out into the enclosure which has shelves, hammocks and tunnels that run through the cedar trees. They go out there whenever they wish--free to enjoy the outside but safe. The company that constructed the enclosure is called;
                                  THE CATS DEN    www.thecatsden.net  based in TORONTO
You can view different enclosures that Kris has built all over southern Ontario,  Well worth a look!.I know that you can order the kits and construct it yourself.
                         Kathleen in Toronto

QUERY FOR MARY,

     Mary,    I was VERY interested in your "litter" comment--as you say. another wrinkle to vex the soul. I raced down to my basement to dig out the litter bag and read the print.  I use" THE WORLD'S BEST LITTER", which is corn based. I have the email address and I intend to get in touch. I do NOT want a pacifying comment like--pesticide free. I want them to prove it to me!!. We took the pet food people's word and look at the mess we are in!  The litter bag states that it  is an IOWA based company and one would assume that they are using local products--but who knows. Maybe they have ties to China also.   HORRORS!!!! Anyway I am sure that Iowa corn growers spray their crops.  On the bag it says it is a  GPC Pet Product. Do you know anything about this company?

          Kathleen in Toronto

Like everyone else I am thoroughly confused and upset with all that has happened. I am reading everything I can find about animal food. I see that some Vets suggest that grains should not be fed to our animals.  However, it is my understanding that anmals in the wild follow a pattern when they bring down their kill. First they devour the stomach contents, which would be grains and vegetation, then they eat the muscle meat.  If this is the case why not include  grains in our animal's diet?  Cats and dogs are carnivores. Any thoughts on this would be welcomed.
                                         Kathleen