Pets know when it’s time to eat. In fact, if breakfast or dinner is late, they make sure to tell us. But it’s not just meals our pets look forward to. Treats are also part of their diets. They even understand our language when we speak the word, “treat.” When we say that five letter word, their ears perk up and they get excited (anyone who has a pet understands what I'm saying). It’s amazing how they actually know what a “treat” is and how they anxiously wait for it. Some pets know exactly where we “hide” their treats and some will lead you to them. Some will do tricks for a treat (I taught my cat Emma to “sit” for a treat) and some will feel entitled to it (I have one of those).
Dogs and cats were domesticated long before any of us were even born. However, there are still wild dogs and cats. We refer to them as feral. These animals are born outside and are not open to having their freedom taken away. This is not to say that they will never accept it, but from my own experience with a feral cat, you can't take the feral completely out of them.
Have you ever thought about what a “domesticed pet” actually is as opposed to a wild animal? The term domesticated pet is a term we use for wild animals that we have domesticated. We have taken them from their natural environment and provided them with a totally different habitat, our homes. Over a long period of time, these wild animals have adapted to a new lifestyle. Here's an accurate description of what a "domesticated pet" is taken from Wikipedia: Domesticated pets are the most common types of pet. They have consistently been kept in captivity over a long enough period of time that they exhibit marked differences in behavior and appearance from their wild relatives.
So a domesticated pet will take to the comforts of a human home while a wild animal will not. Most wild animals are afraid of humans (and visa versa) and when they feel threatened, they'll even attack. They are not trained to obey our commands and if admitted into our home, would tear it up and us in the process. They live outside on their own and have to fend for themselves, finding their own food and shelter and protect themselves.
Domesticated pets, though they are wild by nature, have succumbed to daily living inside our homes, for the most part. We feed them, shelter them and protect them. Because they primarily live indoors and they look to us to take care of them, they have no reason to hunt for food. Even so, they are not able to eat whenever they feel like it. They can't go into the refrigerator and pull out a juicy steak. They have been domesticated, but they have their limits.
I’m sure we would all agree that though domesticating dogs and cats has caused them to be dependent on humans, it has not caused the inside of their body structure or their instincts to change. If my cat went outside and saw a bird, instinctively he'd go after the bird as his prey (which he has). Or if a mouse entered my house, most likely my cat would chase it and try to kill it (or play with it as I’ve heard some cats will do – this could be a case of confusion if they play with toy mice). And if a dog saw a cat, his instincts would tell him to go after the cat. Of course, generally speaking, animals can be trained.
Many families have rescued pets right off the street or have adopted them from a another family or a local shelter. Pet owners have different reasons for having pets. We can see how their roles vary. In many instances, pets become like family. Some pets are desired for protection, companionship, a playmate for the children or help with seeing. Whatever the reason, pets offer many benefits. So why would anyone, including their owners, want to cause them harm?
It's clear that our pets are dependent on us for their food and proper nourishment. If they don’t have the ability to eat what they should and when they want, isn’t it our responsibility to give them what they need? It sure is! Pharmaceutical companies and veterinarians are cashing in on our pets’ ill health. Pet insurance has even been available as if to warn pet owners that there will come a day when their pet will likely get sick. It’s inevitable that they will, too, mainly because of the foods of they eat. So what can we do?
I’m not going to go into detail about what I’ve discovered about pet foods in this article because Dr. Becker, DVM has already done that. So I hope you’ll take the time to read Dr. Becker’s article and inquire about the book she’s written called, Dr. Becker's Real Food for Health Dogs and Cats Cookbook. Take a minute also to check out the Primal Pet Foods website as well as Aunt Jeni’s and EVO.
To your pet's good health and long life!
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