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STORE-BOUGHT PET FOOD MAKES YOUR PET FART A LOT: Feeding your pet soybeans, peas, beans, milk products, or fatty or spicy foods commonly causes flatulence. Dairy products are especially a problem, because adult dogs and cats are lactose intolerant and often experience digestive upset and flatulence when given milk, cheeses, or similar foods.

 

'NATURAL' AND 'ORGANIC' FOODS ARE THE SAME: Organic foods are a subgroup of natural foods. In other words, all organic foods are natural, but not all natural foods are organic. To be considered organic, a food must comply with standards established by federal law that are overseen by the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture. If a pet food is labeled "natural,'' it cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, artificial fats, or any other artificial ingredient -- but it  does not mean unprocessed or unrefined. Basically, as long as it comes from nature and not a chemical plant, an ingredient is considered "natural.''

 

'CAT FOOD WITH TUNA' MEANS YOUR KITTY IS GETTING A HEARTY HELPING OF FISH: If a pet food label contains the word "with" in its product name, there only has to be 3% of that product - not 95% or 25% - in the package. For example, while a product called "Tuna Cat Food'' must contain 95% tuna, a product labeled "Cat Food with Tuna'' only has to contain 3% tuna. So, it's important to read the label carefully.

 

SUGAR IS WORSE FOR YOUR PET THAN ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER: While sugar is not good for your pet, sweetener is even worse.  Xylitol -- a sweetener used in many products including mouthwash, chewing gum, toothpaste, and various foods -- is toxic to pets, and products containing xylitol should not be given to your dog or cat.