Cheap Unexpected Cat Essentials We Love
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Weve updated the Tile tracker section with our new favorite pick, the Tile Mate .
At Wirecutter, many of us work remotely, so our cats are our coworkers: interrupting us when were trying to work, sitting on our keyboards, and cuddling with us when we need a break. And though we have plenty of traditional Wirecutter guides for cat owners, some of the most useful tricks and tools we use come from unexpected places. From finding your cat to cleaning up after them, these are some of our favorites that make being a pet owner just that little bit easier.
What Are Some Ways I Can Keep My Dry Cat Food Fresh In Its Original Bag
Storing dried kibble can be a challenge, because it can become damp or stale if left open. Keep in mind also that once the bag is opened, the food loses scent, flavor and nutritional value as time progresses. If you buy dry food in bulk, the food can go stale well before you get to the bottom of the bag, your cat might lose interest in eating it and youll possibly throw some food out.
Heres a big problem: Storing pet food in the bag can invite mice and insects into your pantry.
With a little extra care, and some common sense, youll be able to keep your food as fresh as possible.
Help Rescue Animals
Diatomaceous Earth For Cats
While it’s more common to use Diatomaceous Earth as flea prevention, many people have added small amounts of DE to their pet’s diet. There a numerous benefits a pet can receive from a consistent dosage of DE. Pet owners who have given their pets DE have found their pet has an improved coat, appetite, metabolism, and digestion.
DE is largely made up of amorphous silica, but it also contains calcium, magnesium, titanium dioxide, gallium, sodium, and other trace minerals. Keep in mind that there are different grades of diatomaceous earth, so make sure you purchase food grade diatomaceous earth for your pet.
The instructions below are on how to feed your cat DE.
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Keeping Dry Cat Food Fresh
A Reusable Way Of Storing Canned Food
We feed our cat Sasha a half a can of wet food a day, but that means figuring out how to store the leftovers overnight without them drying out and going gross. Plastic wrap is a sticky hassle that has to be thrown out each time, and transferring the food to a food-storage container is a pain that generates a lot more dishes. Aero Pet Can Covers are reusable silicone caps that fit on three sizes of pet food can . The Aero Pet Can Covers are made from flexible dishwasher-safe silicone and they come in a pack of two so you always have a backup cover ready. We love using these because theyve made it so easy to store partial cans of cat food, and seal away strong pet food odors.
Alex Arpaia, junior staff writer
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How To Store Large Bags Of Cat Food
The bigger the cat food, the more cost-effective the bag! But…
- How do I store a big bag of cat food?
- How do you tell if cat food is wet?
- Does a cat have a bad stomach?
First of all, simple rough conclusion, the most direct way to see whether cat food is moisture-affected, is to put directly into the mouth to chew to see crispy.
The bun turned over the pods, the experience of the small red book shovel official, as well as their own actual situation, according to the cost of food storage tools from low to high, spit blood finishing several reliable storage methods!
First, large clips and desiccant
What to save: A whole pack of cat food that has been opened.
Pros: Simple rough 0 cost, cat food bag itself designed to meet the preservation standards, directly put the desiccant in, large clip clips firmly sealed ok.
Cons: Limited to non-humid seasons in the South, non-mixed food-fed families for temporary preservation. By the end of the day I saw rice worms near the cat food bag, good in it has no impact, so this method does not apply to long-term preservation Oh!
Second, fermentation barrels
What to save: A whole pack of cat food that has been opened .
Disadvantages: take a little trouble, a little occupied place, look a little bit difficult to say, but I am also ready to start
Third, vacuum bag
What to save: Opened, not finished cat food
Fourth, vacuum machine
Storing Canned Cat Food
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- Visit the Deals in Pet Supplies Pagefor great discounts on a range of top-brand pet supplies products.
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- Visit the Cat Litter Reviewspage featuring ratings from thousands of customers who have used our most popular cat litters.
A More Environmentally Friendly Way To Dispose Of Cat Litter
The least fun part about living with indoor cats is the daily dealing with their poop. I live in a small one-bedroom apartment and its essential to scoop every day and to get the scooped litter out of my apartment to prevent stinkiness . Even worse, specialty litter-collection bags are often made of plastic and arent biodegradable, which adds a level of guilt to an already painful task. My husband discovered that these brown paper bags were an excellent substitute for plastic bags and weve never looked back. Theyre cheap, biodegradable , and strong enough to hold scooped litter from two cats and two litter boxes.
Korrena Bailie, personal finance senior editor
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A Better Way To Pour Cat Litter
Buddeez Bag-In Dispenser for Pet Food
Dr. Elseys cat litter is affordable, and clumps and masks odor better than most other brands. But pouring the litter out of the huge plastic bag it comes in is heavy, hard to control, and prone to dumping out more than you need. Instead, we store our litter in an 8-gallon dispenser designed for pet food. This container is large enough to take a full 40-pound bag of cat litter, and because it has a spout and handle, its much easier to control. Plus, because our cat likes to tear up plastic bags, the container protects the litter from being scattered everywhere when shes in a destructive mood.
Tim Barribeau, editor
Cats will do anything to stay warm, so you may as well help them out. When my mom bought a PureRelief Heating Pad to sit on while watching TV, the pad proved an instant hitwith our cat Boots. At 24 by 12 inches, the pad is large enough to accommodate a curled-up Maine Coon. It comes with a digital controller so I can adjust the heat without disturbing Boots, plus, the pillow automatically shuts off after 120 minutes, so its not too dangerous if I forget to turn it off or if I leave it on during colder winter nights. Boots loves to knead his paws in the pads plush microfiber cover, which Ive thrown in the wash several times after unexpected hairballs. Boots now monopolizes the pad, forcing my mom to sit next to him while he sleeps through her vintage BBC dramas, and I cant say I blame him.
Maintaining A Healthy Cat
Keeping your kitty healthy relies on providing the healthiest dry cat food, along with plenty of stimulation with activity toys and cat trees. When choosing the right dry cat food and other cat supplies, the options at Sam’s Club help you find the items your cat enjoys most for a healthy diet and long life.
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High Protein Canned Cat Food
Canned cat food also may have more fat and protein, especially animal protein, in it than dry food. Many formulas also have fewer carbohydrates than dry food. The composition of the food may benefit strict carnivores like cats, who require up to three times the protein of omnivores and whose ancestors survived by consuming animals. If your cat is strictly inside, a wet food may help provide the dietary essentials he or she is lacking.
While canned cat food does have some potential benefits to it, including being more appetizing to finicky eaters, there are some downsides as well. Canned food is less energy dense than dry food, meaning that your cat may not eat as many calories in a serving as they would in dry food. Dry food also has a slight advantage in that it could help to prevent dental disease. It is also less expensive and more convenient than canned food.
Both canned and dry cat food offer benefits for your feline friend. But if your cat suffers from a lack of protein or has frequent urinary tract infections, canned cat food, like urinary cat food may help alleviate those issues.
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Best Cat Food For Your Pet
In order to ensure that your cat is happy and healthy, you should practice a few habits to keep their diet in check. First, most cats need a variety of food that contains both dry and wet formats. Dry food is a great way to feed your cat when you’re away, but most cats don’t drink water regularly, so they also need wet canned food, like Friskies canned cat food. Make sure every food you use has plenty of minerals and vitamins for optimum health. Many cats tend to get bored with the same food, so try your best to mix things up. You can do this by switching flavors or brands, combining wet and dry food together, or with the occasional treat.
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Dont Throw Away The Original Packaging
High-quality cat food bags have been designed to keep out the elements and maintain its freshness for as long as possible. Keeping the cat food bag also has the added benefit of retaining the cat foods barcode, expiration date, and batch code all of which are important information to have, especially in the event of a cat food recall.
Canned Cat Food For Urinary Tract Problems
Canned cat food is as rich in nutrients as quality dry food. There are also just as many wet food formulas to meet your cat’s needs–organic, sensitive stomach, novel protein and more–as there are dry foods. One of the unique benefits of wet food is that it has a higher moisture content. Wet food has up to a 78% moisture content, which easily beats the 10% moisture content of dry food.
The high moisture content can be especially beneficial to cats dealing with urinary tract problems, diabetes or kidney disease. If you have ever noticed, cats don’t drink a lot of water. They have a low thirst drive, which may be partly due to their evolution as desert animals. The higher moisture content of wet food is thought to help keep your cat hydrated and perhaps keep these issues in check without further medication or intervention.
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