A child who loves pet food
Sandra Dodd
I have permission to share this on the list. I have some ideas but
I'll let others go first. I'm getting behind on dishes and laundry
and all, and didn't want this to wait. It's a quote from here down:
We have a cat, some fish and a hamster. My 5yo son likes to eat
their food. His interest started with cat treats about five months
ago. I let him have a few, thinking he'd eat one or two and let it
go, but he kept asking for them. I would give them to him, but my
husband felt very uncomfortable after researching the ingredients in
the treats we had. So we told my son that the treats were made for
cats, and might make a person sick to eat too many, and stopped
letting him have them.
Soon after that he wanted to sample the fish food, and again I gave
it to him once or twice before becoming uncomfortable with it, and
told him again that it was made for fish, not for people.
Then he started eating the cat food, and the ingredients in it didn't
worry us as much as the treats or the fish food, so we'd give it to
him when he asked. Then he asked in front of our babysitter, and I
was embarrassed. I gave it to him, but later told him that people
think it's gross and he should only have it when we don't have
visitors. I was hoping his want for cat food would go away, and it's
decreased, but he still likes to eat it. He'll walk by the cat dish
and munch on a few every now and then. I'd like for him not to eat
pet food. But I don't want to create a situation where he's sneaking
it.
And now he wants to eat our hamster food, which is seeds and grains
and nuts. It kind of grosses me out, and my husband is very
uncomfortable with it.
I don't know what to do ... I've bought him seeds and nuts from the
grocery store, but he doesn't like those the same way he likes the
hamster food.
I'd love suggestions - this is one of those things where I don't
honestly think our cat or hamster food would be harmful for him, but
it's not socially accepted to eat pet food. My in-laws in particular
would be mortified if they knew we had allowed this. And even if I
said no if he asked for it while they were here, the question in and
of itself would indicate that we have allowed it.
Finally, I'd like to add to the thank you's you've gotten around the
seventh anniversary of this list. I love this list, and am grateful
that you maintain it and post so much. I really hope to meet you in
person someday.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I'll let others go first. I'm getting behind on dishes and laundry
and all, and didn't want this to wait. It's a quote from here down:
We have a cat, some fish and a hamster. My 5yo son likes to eat
their food. His interest started with cat treats about five months
ago. I let him have a few, thinking he'd eat one or two and let it
go, but he kept asking for them. I would give them to him, but my
husband felt very uncomfortable after researching the ingredients in
the treats we had. So we told my son that the treats were made for
cats, and might make a person sick to eat too many, and stopped
letting him have them.
Soon after that he wanted to sample the fish food, and again I gave
it to him once or twice before becoming uncomfortable with it, and
told him again that it was made for fish, not for people.
Then he started eating the cat food, and the ingredients in it didn't
worry us as much as the treats or the fish food, so we'd give it to
him when he asked. Then he asked in front of our babysitter, and I
was embarrassed. I gave it to him, but later told him that people
think it's gross and he should only have it when we don't have
visitors. I was hoping his want for cat food would go away, and it's
decreased, but he still likes to eat it. He'll walk by the cat dish
and munch on a few every now and then. I'd like for him not to eat
pet food. But I don't want to create a situation where he's sneaking
it.
And now he wants to eat our hamster food, which is seeds and grains
and nuts. It kind of grosses me out, and my husband is very
uncomfortable with it.
I don't know what to do ... I've bought him seeds and nuts from the
grocery store, but he doesn't like those the same way he likes the
hamster food.
I'd love suggestions - this is one of those things where I don't
honestly think our cat or hamster food would be harmful for him, but
it's not socially accepted to eat pet food. My in-laws in particular
would be mortified if they knew we had allowed this. And even if I
said no if he asked for it while they were here, the question in and
of itself would indicate that we have allowed it.
Finally, I'd like to add to the thank you's you've gotten around the
seventh anniversary of this list. I love this list, and am grateful
that you maintain it and post so much. I really hope to meet you in
person someday.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robyn L. Coburn
We have a hamster. The book we bought at the same time said that "if we can
eat it, hamsters can eat it". With the exception of the timothy hay, which
would be plain ruffage/fiber and probably go straight through, most of the
stuff in our hamsters feed is the same nuts, grains and seeds that you see
in a trail mix - some of it pelletised. However it's probably slightly lower
grades of nuts, grains and seeds, unless you are buying organically grown.
You could make up a trail mix from raw ingredients, and btw it would be fine
for the hammy.
I would have this advice about the snacks. First, give him his own snack
bowl at his eye level so that he doesn't have to go into the pets' bowls -
that could be be unhygenic especially if you hammy is anything like our
Shimmer. Also read the ingredients and check the country of origin. TBH I
would be far more worried about food with ingredients from China after all
this recent business with Melamine, than the ingredients themselves.
I remember hearing about a food scientist asked what single food he would
"take on a desert island" to survive and be healthy and he said canned cat
food, because it contained all the proteins, fats, carbs and vitamins that
are needed. I'll have to search out the reference. I think it was a radio
program. In the live action Scooby Doo movie, there is a girl eating Scooby
Snacks - all vegetarian.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
eat it, hamsters can eat it". With the exception of the timothy hay, which
would be plain ruffage/fiber and probably go straight through, most of the
stuff in our hamsters feed is the same nuts, grains and seeds that you see
in a trail mix - some of it pelletised. However it's probably slightly lower
grades of nuts, grains and seeds, unless you are buying organically grown.
You could make up a trail mix from raw ingredients, and btw it would be fine
for the hammy.
I would have this advice about the snacks. First, give him his own snack
bowl at his eye level so that he doesn't have to go into the pets' bowls -
that could be be unhygenic especially if you hammy is anything like our
Shimmer. Also read the ingredients and check the country of origin. TBH I
would be far more worried about food with ingredients from China after all
this recent business with Melamine, than the ingredients themselves.
I remember hearing about a food scientist asked what single food he would
"take on a desert island" to survive and be healthy and he said canned cat
food, because it contained all the proteins, fats, carbs and vitamins that
are needed. I'll have to search out the reference. I think it was a radio
program. In the live action Scooby Doo movie, there is a girl eating Scooby
Snacks - all vegetarian.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
Jenny C
> We have a cat, some fish and a hamster. My 5yo son likes to eatMy initial reaction is that perhaps he needs some of the vitamins in
> their food.
those foods. Pet food, in many ways, is like eating a multi-vitamin.
Perhaps if your son regularly ate a multi-vitamin, the pet would would
be less appealing. That and more protein.
Sandra Dodd
I liked the suggestion that vitamins might help.
I don't think the food would hurt him a bit, and he's only five.
When I was that age I watched The Prince and the Pauper on tv, an old
Disney version. There was a food taster in the story. I used to
feed our dogs, and they were in a pen in the yard. I walked down a
trail and over a little bridge over a ditch (probably a single step
for adults, but a little bridge for me. I would stop ceremoniously
on the bridge and taste the dry dog food. One taste, to make sure it
wasn't poisoned. Day after day I saved my dogs' lives that way.
Cool, huh? I felt good about it.
Friends and I used to taste and like some cat food that had pieces
shaped like a little milk bottle and a fish and a piece of cheese.
At my granny's house they had chickens, and I watched the chickens
and saw them eating little rocks--fat grains of sand, really, about
the same size as their feed. I got scared and told her they were out
of food and they were eating rocks and would get sick. She told me
they wouldn't get sick, that birds digest their food partly by it
being in their gullet with a few little rocks.
Two or three different times, after that, I ate a few little rocks,
in her driveway. I remember one day my cousin Nada and I were
sitting in the shade of the house, in the dirt driveway, playing with
baby horned toads and I was eating little rocks. Nada passed on the
rocks. (I talked to Nada on the phone just this afternoon.)
I didn't get sick. Looking back, I kinda wish maybe I had washed
them, or at least washed my horn-toad hands.
My uncle Joe Paul worked in a dog food canning place in Fort Worth
for a while, in the 50's or 60s, and he said he wouldn't hesitate to
eat that food--that the place was absolutely sanitary, and the
workers were wearing gloves and shoe covers and the floor was really
clean and people had caps on their hair. He said he had never seen
human food prepared in such a sanitary way.
I don't know of any ways in which it would be dangerous. I think if
you resist or criticize it will last longer and hurt more than if you
go with it. Maybe make some dog food or cat food yourselves so you
know what's in it. See what they like. The idea for making your own
hamster food was great, but you could to it for dogs and cats too.
Sandra
I don't think the food would hurt him a bit, and he's only five.
When I was that age I watched The Prince and the Pauper on tv, an old
Disney version. There was a food taster in the story. I used to
feed our dogs, and they were in a pen in the yard. I walked down a
trail and over a little bridge over a ditch (probably a single step
for adults, but a little bridge for me. I would stop ceremoniously
on the bridge and taste the dry dog food. One taste, to make sure it
wasn't poisoned. Day after day I saved my dogs' lives that way.
Cool, huh? I felt good about it.
Friends and I used to taste and like some cat food that had pieces
shaped like a little milk bottle and a fish and a piece of cheese.
At my granny's house they had chickens, and I watched the chickens
and saw them eating little rocks--fat grains of sand, really, about
the same size as their feed. I got scared and told her they were out
of food and they were eating rocks and would get sick. She told me
they wouldn't get sick, that birds digest their food partly by it
being in their gullet with a few little rocks.
Two or three different times, after that, I ate a few little rocks,
in her driveway. I remember one day my cousin Nada and I were
sitting in the shade of the house, in the dirt driveway, playing with
baby horned toads and I was eating little rocks. Nada passed on the
rocks. (I talked to Nada on the phone just this afternoon.)
I didn't get sick. Looking back, I kinda wish maybe I had washed
them, or at least washed my horn-toad hands.
My uncle Joe Paul worked in a dog food canning place in Fort Worth
for a while, in the 50's or 60s, and he said he wouldn't hesitate to
eat that food--that the place was absolutely sanitary, and the
workers were wearing gloves and shoe covers and the floor was really
clean and people had caps on their hair. He said he had never seen
human food prepared in such a sanitary way.
I don't know of any ways in which it would be dangerous. I think if
you resist or criticize it will last longer and hurt more than if you
go with it. Maybe make some dog food or cat food yourselves so you
know what's in it. See what they like. The idea for making your own
hamster food was great, but you could to it for dogs and cats too.
Sandra
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
I used to love dog treats and biscuits when I was around 10 or 11.
Then I stopped and later found out how they were made.
Having said that there are some pet food companies that make pet food made with human approved ingredients. I have seen it advertised.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Then I stopped and later found out how they were made.
Having said that there are some pet food companies that make pet food made with human approved ingredients. I have seen it advertised.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jenny C
> Perhaps if your son regularly ate a multi-vitamin, the pet would wouldok, well, I'm hoping that the pet was never really appealing in an
> be less appealing.
edible manner! That should read "pet food" not just "pet"!
raisingexplorers
My little brother used to sit by the cat food bowl and dunk pieces in
water the way kids dunk cookies in milk. (of course, he also used to
eat ants off the ground.) And, when I fell deeply in love with my dog,
I developed a curiosity about what I was feeding him. I taste tested
dog biscuits, dog food, and even bones on occasion in my late teens.
But, what this really brings to mind is that guy on the show Greatest
American Hero - he ate dog biscuits LOL I haven't thought about that
show in ages.
Anyway, someone mentioned that perhaps your son eats the pet food
because he is in need of some other vitamin or something. I know this
isn't about humans but here goes... My dog was eating cat poo. I
couldn't understand why, that's disgusting. But, eventually, I
realized he was eating it because he wanted the cat food. So, I began
feeding him a bit of fish in his normal meal and he stopped going
after the cat poo. He just wanted fish.... which isn't normally
included in dog food.
Candy Cook
water the way kids dunk cookies in milk. (of course, he also used to
eat ants off the ground.) And, when I fell deeply in love with my dog,
I developed a curiosity about what I was feeding him. I taste tested
dog biscuits, dog food, and even bones on occasion in my late teens.
But, what this really brings to mind is that guy on the show Greatest
American Hero - he ate dog biscuits LOL I haven't thought about that
show in ages.
Anyway, someone mentioned that perhaps your son eats the pet food
because he is in need of some other vitamin or something. I know this
isn't about humans but here goes... My dog was eating cat poo. I
couldn't understand why, that's disgusting. But, eventually, I
realized he was eating it because he wanted the cat food. So, I began
feeding him a bit of fish in his normal meal and he stopped going
after the cat poo. He just wanted fish.... which isn't normally
included in dog food.
Candy Cook
Meghan Anderson-Coates
<<<<<<I used to love dog treats and biscuits when I was around 10 or 11.
Then I stopped and later found out how they were made.
Having said that there are some pet food companies that make pet food made with human approved ingredients. I have seen it advertised.>>>>>>>
Trader Joe's peanut butter dog biscuits are so yummy - and they're vegetarian too - just like Scooby Snacks <g>.
Meghan
Childhood is not preparation for adulthood - it is a part of life.
~ A. S. Neill
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Then I stopped and later found out how they were made.
Having said that there are some pet food companies that make pet food made with human approved ingredients. I have seen it advertised.>>>>>>>
Trader Joe's peanut butter dog biscuits are so yummy - and they're vegetarian too - just like Scooby Snacks <g>.
Meghan
Childhood is not preparation for adulthood - it is a part of life.
~ A. S. Neill
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Nancy Machaj
my brother used to eat pet food. dog food, cat food. (dry)
when he was really small, he was just always getting into it. When he
was a bit older (6-8?) he used to do it mostly to gross out the
babysitters. sometimes he'd make a cat-food and peanut butter
sandwich and eat it.
you know that movie, Fried Green Tomatoes? (book, too, I guess) well,
one of the young boy characters gets into an accident and loses his
hand. his aunt immediately starts calling him Stump, saying that
everyone is going to, so she might as well have him own it, or
something like that. And the kid was fine, it became his badge of honor.
If my kid was eating pet food, wouldnt it be really cool if we just
totally owned it? If we just totally accepted it and if someone said
something negative, we'd have some funny thing handy to say-call it
scooby snacks or say we were worried about the sheen on his coat,
something to divert the negative feeling and get the conversation
moving elsewhere. Even if you dont feel super confident about it,
fake it till you make it, thats what I'd try to do.
we also have a picture of my brother sitting at the petting zoo next
to a donkey, eating the food, its so cute!
Nancy
*****
blogging at:
http://happychildhood.homeschooljournal.net
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when he was really small, he was just always getting into it. When he
was a bit older (6-8?) he used to do it mostly to gross out the
babysitters. sometimes he'd make a cat-food and peanut butter
sandwich and eat it.
you know that movie, Fried Green Tomatoes? (book, too, I guess) well,
one of the young boy characters gets into an accident and loses his
hand. his aunt immediately starts calling him Stump, saying that
everyone is going to, so she might as well have him own it, or
something like that. And the kid was fine, it became his badge of honor.
If my kid was eating pet food, wouldnt it be really cool if we just
totally owned it? If we just totally accepted it and if someone said
something negative, we'd have some funny thing handy to say-call it
scooby snacks or say we were worried about the sheen on his coat,
something to divert the negative feeling and get the conversation
moving elsewhere. Even if you dont feel super confident about it,
fake it till you make it, thats what I'd try to do.
we also have a picture of my brother sitting at the petting zoo next
to a donkey, eating the food, its so cute!
Nancy
*****
blogging at:
http://happychildhood.homeschooljournal.net
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Julie Anderson
How about making some of your own pet treats.. I have several recipes for dog biscuits/cookies, at least you'd know what's in them... and I even made a cute little dog shaped cookie cutter out of a tuna can.. my kids used to love making them for our dogs when they were younger. My girls also liked to sample the pet food too.. and heck, I can remember doing the same thing when I was a kid.
Julie in MO
it's not socially accepted to eat pet food. <<
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Julie in MO
>>I'd love suggestions - this is one of those things where I don'thonestly think our cat or hamster food would be harmful for him, but
it's not socially accepted to eat pet food. <<
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ed Wendell
Zac was eating salt from the salt shaker - he'd pour himself a tiny bowl of it and just walk around eating it. We decided he was probably missing some elemental mineral and was trying to meet his body's needs. Anyway, we switched to a sea salt that is mined from the ground - an ancient sea bed salt with something like 50 various minerals in it. He continued to eat the salt for a while and now he does not. Though periodically he will salt his food a lot -
He tasted dog food once and said it was very salty so maybe your son is missing some type of mineral / salt ???
So sea salt might help.
Also - is there a way he could pick out the ingredients to make his own hamster food - edible for himself and little hammy?
Maybe it is a fascination with the animals and their foods - maybe a delve into the types of foods various animals eat, rent some films, make a trip to the zoo during feeding time, take a trip to a pet store and browse the aisles and look at various foods available, feed the geese at the lake, etc.
Lisa
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
He tasted dog food once and said it was very salty so maybe your son is missing some type of mineral / salt ???
So sea salt might help.
Also - is there a way he could pick out the ingredients to make his own hamster food - edible for himself and little hammy?
Maybe it is a fascination with the animals and their foods - maybe a delve into the types of foods various animals eat, rent some films, make a trip to the zoo during feeding time, take a trip to a pet store and browse the aisles and look at various foods available, feed the geese at the lake, etc.
Lisa
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-Maybe it is a fascination with the animals and their foods - maybe
a delve into the types of foods various animals eat, rent some films,
make a trip to the zoo during feeding time, take a trip to a pet
store and browse the aisles and look at various foods available, feed
the geese at the lake, etc.-=-
My "monkey platter" idea came from watching them feed monkeys at the
zoo.
http://sandradodd.com/eating/monkeyplatter
Maybe you could find people food to make something like pet food
with. Little crackers (oyster crackers, cheese crackers like
Goldfish, people have mentioned trail mix... Chex Mix, maybe (for
those who live where Wheat Chex are and know what I'm talking
about). Mixed nuts. It's nearly Christmas; 'tis the mixed-nuts
season!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
a delve into the types of foods various animals eat, rent some films,
make a trip to the zoo during feeding time, take a trip to a pet
store and browse the aisles and look at various foods available, feed
the geese at the lake, etc.-=-
My "monkey platter" idea came from watching them feed monkeys at the
zoo.
http://sandradodd.com/eating/monkeyplatter
Maybe you could find people food to make something like pet food
with. Little crackers (oyster crackers, cheese crackers like
Goldfish, people have mentioned trail mix... Chex Mix, maybe (for
those who live where Wheat Chex are and know what I'm talking
about). Mixed nuts. It's nearly Christmas; 'tis the mixed-nuts
season!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ed Wendell
Here in Kansas City there is a specialty bakery place for pet treats - using all natural products like peanut butter and etc. They bake cakes for pets birthdays, make cookies, etc. If there isn't something like this local then I know there are recipes for making pet treats and pet food on-line.
Or make "human food" like sandwiches, pancakes, etc in the shape of animals or bones for him to enjoy.
I'm trying to think of other foods that are similar in shape, size, color to dry cat food - all I can think of right now are roasted / glazed almonds.
Lisa
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Or make "human food" like sandwiches, pancakes, etc in the shape of animals or bones for him to enjoy.
I'm trying to think of other foods that are similar in shape, size, color to dry cat food - all I can think of right now are roasted / glazed almonds.
Lisa
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Ed Wendell
I offer Salmon fish oil caps to my dogs - they are Huskies and probably ate fish for generations before coming to Missouri ;) Sometimes they will take them and other times they walk away.
Lisa
He just wanted fish.... which isn't normally included in dog food.
Candy Cook
.
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Lisa
He just wanted fish.... which isn't normally included in dog food.
Candy Cook
.
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raisingexplorers
My dog is part Newfoundland, which is a by-the-sea dog. I think it's
in his blood to want fish, too. Fine with me, fish is my favorite
meat, maybe I'm part sea dog. lol
in his blood to want fish, too. Fine with me, fish is my favorite
meat, maybe I'm part sea dog. lol
--- In [email protected], "Ed Wendell" <ewendell@...> wrote:
>
> I offer Salmon fish oil caps to my dogs - they are Huskies and
probably ate fish for generations before coming to Missouri ;)
Sometimes they will take them and other times they walk away.
>
> Lisa
>
>
> He just wanted fish.... which isn't normally included in dog food.
>
> Candy Cook
> .