If you’ve never shared your ‘people food’ with you cat or dog before, Thanksgiving is a great time to start. We’re all so thankful for our pets – let’s share our Thanksgiving meal with them! It’s easy, it’s healthy and there’s only a few things to avoid.
Did you know…
- 1 ounce of roasted turkey provides 8 grams of protein, 10 minerals, 16 vitamins, and 18 amino acids.
- Baked sweet potato provides calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C, Niacin, Folate (and much more).
- Steamed broccoli provides Vitamin A, Niacin, Riboflavin, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and is a great fiber source.
Food – real food – provides your pet the BEST possible nutrition. Plus it tastes so good!
There are only a few rules to supplementing your pet’s food with people food which are outlined in the graphic below. Note: this is for supplemental feeding only.
Enjoy your holiday! I’m one lucky Caped Crusader – so very thankful for my family, friends and all of you.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 2500 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
2014 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Ian
November 21, 2014 at 1:28 pm
why not pumpkin pie filling? canned pumpkin itself is good for them, right?
Susan Thixton
November 21, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Spices in pumpkin pie filling – plus some might contain added sugars. Canned pumpkin is great.
Anita
November 21, 2014 at 2:18 pm
Thank you, Susan, for the wonderful idea of sharing healthy foods from our Thanksgiving menu with our pets. What better way to say, “Thank you, my good, loyal friends!”
Nancy
November 21, 2014 at 2:41 pm
I just came across this:
http://www.chagrinfallspetclinic.com/2014/01/26/food-for-thought-the-complete-guide-to-your-dogs-diet/
Please set this vet straight about our comapanion animal’s nutrition. She is sadly misleading, especially about raw foods.
thanks
Karen Davis
November 21, 2014 at 3:49 pm
For an increasing number of people, including me, turkeys are valued as companion animals (or as free-living animals) as much as dogs and cats are. We would not think of hurting and killing them in order to count our blessings. It is so dreary reading this compassionless disregard for turkeys and the misery they endure for absolutely nothing but human selfishness. The definition of “pet” needs to expand on this website. People who care only about one or two types of animals are not the true friends of animals. Turkeys and chickens and pigs are as sensitive and deserving of our care and compassion as dogs and cats. My organization United Poultry Concerns focuses on domestic fowl, but our commitment to these birds does not entail mistreating other animals. Karen Davis, President of United Poultry Concerns http://www.upc-online.org
Susan Thixton
November 21, 2014 at 4:00 pm
Karen – I’ve actually been around – known closely and loved – all types of animals that are used for meat. When I was a kid, neighbors of my Grandparents raised pigs. Each spring they would bring a baby pig into the house as a pet. It was housebroken, would lay on the couch with them to watch TV at night (I kid you not). I am concerned for all animals. But the reality is, our dogs and cats are meat eaters. We cannot make them vegetarians (though some people do). How do we choose the species that will provide meat to our cats and dogs? As for TruthaboutPetFood.com – this site is for cats and dogs, though at regulatory meetings as best I can I try to advocate for safe feed ingredients for all animals.
Bev
November 21, 2014 at 8:24 pm
No turkey skin for dogs. The old timers knew this and when I looked it up it’s because it can give a dog pancreatits which is very, very painful and can kill a dog. My mother never wanted me to give my dogs cooked turkey and I never knew why until I checked into it and I think this is probably the specifics of it that she didn’t know. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Ellie
November 22, 2014 at 2:07 pm
As someone already shared turkey skin or even chicken skin can be a real no no for dogs. Sadly, when I was much younger I did not know that and fed my mom’s little Sheltie some chicken skin which set off a pancreatic nightmare for the poor guy. He did recover but we all learned a lesson. NO poultry skin for the animals. Vets say that they have the most cases of pancreatitis in dogs during the holiday season because the pets get so many fatty foods.
I would also add that many turkeys are pumped full of additives to make the meat juicy, especially the per-basted kind. If you read the ingredient list on the package of these turkeys you might think twice about eating them yourself. If at all possible try to get an all natural turkey if you plan on sharing it with your pet.
One more thing to keep in mind about meats for our pets is that most of the meat in grocery stores were pumped full of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones among other things when they were alive and when you bake these meats it starts to concentrate the additives in the flesh. Try not to use these mass marketed meats to make jerky or other treats for your pet. The concentration of those foreign substances can cause harm to your pet over time.
Yes, sometimes I think the pets in our home eat healthier than we do. Enjoy your holiday.
Teresa
November 22, 2014 at 6:15 pm
First I’d like to off to Karen and all a meal blessing taking from Bhuddist tradition – “Something has given it’s life to sustain mine. May I be worthy of this sacrifice.” This can apply to both veggies and meats we and our pet companions consume.
Next I’d like to introduce myself as not having a cat nor dog…although I’ve had both, and many other animal companions, in my life. I currently have hedgehogs. Yep, little quillly beasties who trace their ancestry to Africa. They are classed as insectivors and therefore need a meat protein in their diets. Many of us who keep and care for hedgehogs feed high quality cat/kitten foods with assorted “treats” including but not limited to commercially raised mealworms, crickets, etc.
In the 17 years of having hedgehogs and active as a rescue, I have always set aside a bit of my own Thanksgiving (and other special occasions/holidays) dinners for the hedgies. They get a bit of finely diced turkey breast, chopped green bean, 1 to 3 kernels corn, a bit of cranberry sauce and baked sweet potato – all organic. Some eat it all. Some eat part. Some merely play in their dishes. But all are given the option of celebrating with foods not ordinarily served daily and being truly a part of our family.
Terri janson
November 23, 2014 at 8:39 pm
I didn’t know about the skin being harmful. Thanks for the heads up