I can’t deny that I’ve been one to pass judgement when I’ve witnessed parents feed their children candy or junk food and exclaim, “I’m just happy they’re eating something!”. Until recently, I never truly understood this sense of defeat. Why wouldn’t they just find a healthier option for their child to eat? Why are they letting their children be the ones in control? These are just some of the things I’d wonder to myself as I smugly patted the future me on the back for knowing I’d never do the same thing when I have kids.
That is until I had my own child to take care of. Okay, so maybe she’s not a real human, and instead a 9-year old adopted feline that I inherited from a friend a year and a half ago, but, who knew even a cat could teach me a lesson about caring for small loved ones, and put me in the place of those parents I had been so quick to judge before?
Here’s the story of Emmy Carroll aka #EmmyCrawford (like Cindy Crawford, because Emmy is a cat supermodel), and her eating and her health. When we adopted Emmy we were told that she mainly eats dry food and every once in a while she loves to indulge in a decadent cat pate. We were happy to follow along with this routine until one day we, her overly-obsessed-with-her parents, decided we would upgrade her food to an expensive diet of lean wet protein, convinced that it would be the best food for her health.
Emmy on Day 1 of her Mixed Feeding program with WHISKAS
For a while, she seemed happy enough to eat the new menu we provided her. But eventually we noticed that she was finishing her plate of food less and less, and she wasn’t looking as happy and fluffy as she used to. She began losing weight, and even losing her hair. Even from just looking into her beautiful green eyes, I could sense that something was wrong with our beloved cat.
It was genuinely perfect timing when WHISKAS approached me to try a 30-day mixed feeding program with Emmy and track the results. I knew she needed a change in her diet immediately, and I was desperate to try anything that would nurse my furry little babe back to life as soon as possible.
Like most cats (I assume) Emmy definitely prefers wet food over dry, which is why I was amazed to find that she came running over to her bowl as soon as I filled it with the Meaty Selections dry food by WHISKAS – I’d never seen her chow down on dry food so contently before! I knew she really loved it when she kept rubbing up against the bag after she was done, begging us for more.
Emmy happy, gorgeous and in her element at the Carroll Cottage!
The same happened when we started to give her Perfect Portions wet food by WHISKAS for that mixed feeding balance. She went wild! Hanging out next to her giant box of Perfect Portions quickly became her favourite spot in the house.
I couldn’t believe how much she started to eat – her appetite came back with a vengeance. I had no idea how much or how little I was truly supposed to give her, and, as she is a tiny cat already, we fed her whenever she called for food. Finally, I felt what is was like to be those other parents. I now knew the worry you have when your children don’t eat, and how comforting it can be to know your child is eating, and happy.
I’m so thrilled to report that Emmy has re-gained the weight she lost, her hair has grown back and is now softer, shinier, and fluffier than ever, and overall her energy and playfulness have returned. Our lesson as parents has been learned, and we will definitely be sticking to the WHISKAS mixed feeding program to keep her happy!
If you are interested in trying a Mixed Feeding program for your pet, here’s your chance to win a $100 prize pack filled with food and toys to get started! Check out the infographic and giveaway details below:
The $100 prize pack includes: lots of un toys, pet care items and wet/dry products from WHISKAS or Pedigree, Iams or Cesar if you have a dog rather than a cat.
All you have to do to enter to WIN is…
FOLLOW @GracieCarroll on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
SUBSCRIBE to Gracie Carroll TV on YouTube
TWEET: I want to #WIN a $100 prize pack for my pet from @graciecarroll! #MixedFeeding and #giveaway details here: http://graciecarroll.com/?p=15452
Contest closes on Sunday September 18th at 11:59pm EST.
Good Luck!!
xo
*please note that this post has been brought to you in partnership with WHISKAS*
The post How Mixed Feeding My Cat Improved Her Health and Happiness + GIVEAWAY! appeared first on Gracie Carroll.