Posts Tagged ‘petco’

Heartfelt Thanks from Fiends of Michigan Animal Rescue (FMAR)

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

This beautiful note amplified the satisfaction and pleasure I had visiting Detroit. Oh! And the folks at Precious Cat — who are wonderful supporters of the educational work I do — will be donating a load of CAT ATTRACT litter to the shelter, especially for the two kitty cats who won’t use the litter box — they were declawed by their previous owners, who then abandoned them when one of the common miserable “side effects” of the cruel declawing practice was the out-of-litter-box behavior that often results. With any luck, CAT ATTRACT may be able to encourage them back into the litter pan.

We wanted to thank you for coming to Michigan to support Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue (FMAR) and to talk about pet nutrition at our local Petco store in Westland, Michigan yesterday. It was such a pleasure to be able to talk to you in person and give you a tour of our shelter. For the past 7 years, our volunteers have worked so very hard to keep our shelter the best it can, and their efforts show by how much we have been able to grow. It was a dream come true to be able to share their accomplishments with you.

It isn’t every shelter that can say they have the support of great people like Tracie Hotchner, the host of Cat Chat® on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 / XM157. We can’t express our appreciation for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit and talk about the importance of great nutrition for our pets. In fact, I have been talking about your canned cat food recommendations for years now and to have you validate it in person has already made an impact on the people who support the shelter as well as the families who have adopted pets from FMAR that came to hear you speak.

FMAR is looking forward to our future and hope that your visit from New York to Michigan was as pleasant for you as it was for all of us. We will let you know when the pictures are up on our website. www.fmar1.org

We wish you abundant blessings and heartfelt success always and forever.

Marcy and Pete LaFramboise, Founders And all the Volunteers & Supporters of FMAR

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Posted in Cats, Elimination Issues, Rescue | No Comments »

Victoria is Constipated

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Evelyn is a listener whose cat, Victoria, was recently diagnosed with diabetes.

I started listening to your radio program on 710 at 10pm about a month ago.  Just in time, I think.  About 2 weeks ago Victoria was diagnosed with diabetes.

I, very fortunately, was directed to Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins’ website. I saw there that if a cat just started having diabetic symptoms there was a chance that she would never have to start insulin injections if a meat diet was started immediately.

This is very important for Victoria and me because I live alone, Victoria hates to be held (I love Victoria, she tolerates me) and I have no use of my right arm.

Like a miracle, with a strictly canned food meat diet, (Newman’s Own grain free canned cat food), overnight Victoria’s urine output returned to normal and it didn’t have that sticky quality to it and the amount of water she drank returned normal.

The only negative is that Victoria has not had a bowel movement for a day and a half.  I have no idea how long she can go without a bowel movement before it’s life threatening.

I have an appointment with my vet tomorrow in which he will try to convince me to put Victoria on insulin and find a way to inject her and will probably tell me that the constipation is a result of the change in diet.

If you could give me some advice before 12 noon on 4/6, I would very much appreciate it.  I understand how busy you are, so if you can’t, don’t worry about it.

I replied to Evelyn:

DO NOT GO TO YOUR APPOINTMENT. I beg you – you have seen the light- now you need a better informed vet, preferably a cats-only vet – to support your excellent decision. There is a link to the cats-only veterinarians on my website – CatVets.com.

You are saving Victoria’s life – you are going to improve, reverse or cure the diabetes just with the diet.

The Animal Medical Center in Manhattan does not have a feline-only vet but I will help you find a wet-food-only vet there or elsewhere.

Go to CatNutrition.org and FelineOutreach.org for TONS more support of my advice to remove all kitty crack forever.

P.S. You can get that canned food delivered to your house (helpful with your physical challenge) by going to Petco.Com – there is a discount for my listeners and the code is on my website. They also have a fantastic cat food made for them by Weruva, my favorite fancy canned cat food – it’s called SOULISTIC and is also reasonably priced.

I heard right back from her:

Victoria is no longer constipated as of this morning.  I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.

One of my friends who is a cat lover with many cats said that I should be aware that a diet high in protein can be very hard on a cat’s kidneys.

I will talk to my vet about it.If you are too busy to answer the question about effect on the kidneys in an e-mail, could you touch on it on your radio program 710 WOR at 10 pm.

Thank you for any assistance you can give Victoria and me.

So nature took care of itself! The reason there is less feces is because there is less indigestible plant protein (useless fiber) going through the system constantly which is what is in kitty crack.

I urge you to share the following with your friend- the information about kidneys & protein is over 50 years old and has been replaced with modern facts – my website has many blogs about this. QUALITY protein is what the body needs- even with kidney disease, high protein, NO CARBS is essential.

–Tracie

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Posted in Cats, Nutrition | No Comments »

Listener Appreciates Weruva’s Soulistic at Petco

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

The nice couple who own the Weruva company and make Soulistic exclusively for PETCO shared this nice note from Nancy in Napa, California. It’s so touching when people take the time from their busy days to drop a line of thanks and good cheer. It means so much to all of us doing the very best job we can to keep dogs and cats healthy and happy:

I am very happy that you are making Soulistic and distributing it through PETCO.  I have just adopted a ten month old Manx kitty who loves the Soulistic entrees in gelee.

I give Tracie Hotchner all of the credit for making me aware of your new product.  Keep up the good ingredients in your cat foods — both with Weruva and Soulistic.

Thanks,
Nancy

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Posted in Cats, Nutrition | 2 Comments »

Curing Skin Problems with Better Nutrition

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

I got this note from Lisa, who called into my radio show about her Lab Ally who has been suffering from skin problems and a hot spot resulting from them:

Thanks for suggesting I get my lab off Iams, in the past we did a food elimination diet and it didn’t seem to help, we also had a skin test done and the results showed that she is allergic to dust, cedar and mold but no apparent food allergies. Anyway she does seem much better, having a hard time getting rid of the hot spot. I am currently feeding her hamburger (boiled), shredded carrots and brown rice. I am also supplementing with Platinum Performance I need to get some Omega 3’s, I have been giving her the same ones I use but I think you said there was another brand that I should use, you touched briefly on commercial food that I can use, I think you said to use Halo, are there others and can I buy these at my local pet store? Thanks again!

First thing, I am really gratified that you understood my advice to get Ally off of commercial dry food she has been on exclusively, and thank you for going to the trouble of cooking for her and supplementing with Platinum Performance so that it is a balanced meal and contains many nutrients that have been lacking. The fish oil I recommend to everyone for themselves and their pets is Nordic Naturals, because it is the only one I have encountered which is 100% pure fish oil from sustainable fish and Norwegian seas. As for re-introducing kibble into her diet, I would recommend HALO (which uses only human grade meat in their dry food) from the new natural foods section of PETCO. I would also suggest that you go to SmartpakCanine.com and get a 5-day free sample of any of the kibble they carry — either LiveSmart, their own premium brand of lamb and rice or chicken & rice kibble — or any of the kind of Newman’s Own organic kibble or the whole Wellness line of dry food. That way you can discover which one she likes best (and you can switch to another the next month). The kibble arrives in a sealed portion pack, so the amount is just right and the food stays fresh. I also want to urge you and everyone listening to go to www.Proportions.com and sign up for the new monthly feeding plan, which Smartpak Canine has developed, based on my feeding theories. The trial samples will be ready after the holidays and you want to be amongst the first to try it since it solves ALL the balanced feeding issues. Meantime, feed a small quantity of the best dry kibble you can find, and make at least one half of her meal a quality protein source from a can or cooked meat, fish, chicken, eggs and/or cottage cheese and yogurt, and some vegetables. Feel free to call back into my shows any time and let’s get healthy skin and even drop a few pounds off Ally while we’re at it!

Tracie

The Dog Bible

The Dog Bible

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Posted in Dogs, Nutrition | No Comments »

Wonderful WOR Listener Wants her Kitty in Rehab!

Friday, November 27th, 2009

I got this heartening note from Kristin, a new listener to my new show DOG TALK & CAT CHAT at 10 PM (EST) Saturday nights on WOR 710 AM from NYC (but anybody can listen live online at www.WOR710.com) I was so thrilled to know that smart New Yorkers are getting my “Kitty Crack” message loud and clear!

Dear Tracie – I listen to your show on WOR in NYC. You are an angel!

I have a questions regarding kitty food. You mentioned that you recommend a wet diet and spoke about several brands. I looked at your website but I could not find the information that you said is there. [Webmaster's note: Tracie's Approved Cat Food List here.] I specifically wanted to know which flavors of food that are made by Friskies brand was the best. Right now my budget does not allow me to purchase the premium brands.
My cat is addicted to dry food, which you call “Kitty Crack”. I want to wean her off of this.

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful work!!

Thank you so much for writing and for your enthusiasm. I am really psyched to have passionate NYC listeners like you. The list of Cat Chat Approved foods is on my main website, TracieHotchner.com but I apologize because that list should be easy to find on the website for my WOR show, www.DogTalkandCatChat.com. I am going to get that fixed ASAP — I want the experience of coming to my website to be rewarding and satisfying once you’ve gone to the trouble of finding it and looking for advice and information. I have GREAT NEWS for you about an affordable canned cat food that is also premium quality. AND you’ll get a discount as my listener! Weruva, my favorite cat food, is now making a special affordable brand just for PETCO called Soulistic. It comes in many flavors and uses the same high quality ingredients as fancy expensive Weruva! So go to a Petco near you, or go to Petco.com and put in the discount code mydogtalk or mycatchat in the coupon code box at checkout. I hope you’ll call into the show one of these Saturday nights! I’d love to meet you on the air. And if you get THE CAT BIBLE do tell me because I’ll send you an autographed bookplate to put inside the book and lots of surprises!

Tracie

The Cat Bible

The Cat Bible

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Posted in Cats, Nutrition | 2 Comments »

Weruva Lover Loves Soulistic at Petco

Friday, November 27th, 2009

The good people at Weruva kindly forwarded this email they got about their new line of food made just for PETCO called Soulistic. I was really gratified to know people are learning about the less expensive alternative to Weruva. I love the ingredients of Weruva (and I deeply respect a company that has resisted making any dry food because they know it is bad for cats and have heard me call it “Kitty Crack” so many times) but many times I have felt conflicted recommending it because it is pricey and out of many peoples’ comfort zone for their budgets. So here is what Amy wrote:

Thank you for the SOULISTIC version of your food offered at Petco at an affordable price! I have purchased WERUVA for my cat, and heard about your SOULISTIC product offered at Petco by Tracie Hotchner on CAT CHAT® on MARTHA STEWART RADIO.  Thank you!  But I have only one wish: I use the small cans for my cat (1/2 can per meal) but my plastic can covers don’t fit your cans!  Do you know of a can cover available to fit your cans? I know it sounds petty… but the can covers are so much more convenient!

And David Forman, who owns Weruva, wrote her back:

Thank you for the email to Weruva/Soulistic and support of our products. You live in Natick, Massachusetts, home of our corporate headquarters! We love Tracie, and we are pleased to hear that you are a listener to her show. Yes, there is a cap that fits our 3.0 oz cans. It is called Kitty Kap, and it is available at one of Tracie’s favorite places to shop… Pet Food Direct. Here is a link to Kitty Kap, and if you use MYCATCHAT (thanks to Tracie) as a coupon code at checkout, you can get 20% off.

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Posted in Cats, Nutrition, Products | 4 Comments »

Follow up on Chester the Cat with Hyper-T

Monday, November 16th, 2009

There was an earlier blog posting between Martha in Titusville Pennsylvania and Dr Elizabeth and myself, urging her to take Chester for radioactive iodine treatments. Here was her reply:

Hi Tracie

I did try to get through to you on Cat Chat® but I got disconnected and couldn’t get back on again. Chester, the cat with hyperthyroidism, is doing well with the pills. My vet is very good, but we live in a very rural part of Pennsylvania. The reason I said that Radioactive Iodine treatments wasn’t an option was not the fault of the vet — he is a great vet! He also went to Cornell and is very open to what I tell him about your web site and the information that you give all of us. He will accommodate what I want for my animals. That means I’m not doing the vaccinations except for rabies. He simply doesn’t have the facilities that a bigger city would have. Akron, Ohio was the closest place to go for that treatment which is about 2 hours away… not really reasonable for Chester or me.

I don’t give him “kitty crack” and have been ordering from Pet Food Direct with your discount as well as getting good canned food from Petco. I did want you to know I’m doing what I can in this situation. Chester is heading for 16 years old… and is doing quite well right now with the medication. I wish things would be different, but for now it seems the meds are ok.

I have been on the band wagon about “kitty crack” to all my friends and their families… sometimes it seems that I am a fanatic! I try to do it as nicely as I can but you can’t believe the people that just don’t get it with cats being carnivores. They think that dry food is the only way to go.

I will probably buy many more Cat Bibles and send your message out. Thanks again for your radio programs.

Dear Martha,

I am sorry we came down so hard on you and your wonderful-sounding vet! I guess Dr. Elizabeth and I get frustrated by pet owners not being given all the options. In fact, the only place anybody can get a radioactive iodine treatment to cure their cat’s hyperthyroidism is at a designated clinic for that purpose alone — no normal vet clinic can offer it — so your geographical issue clearly makes it too tough for you. I am sure he will continue just fine on the pills. The only concern is that for some cats the dosage needs to be steadily increased and at some point may no loner be effective but there’s no saying that will happen with Chester. As for your advocacy of wet food only and trying to educate people about “kitty crack” — I am so proud of you and grateful for your attempts — but sometimes just sending them to my website is better than wearing yourself out, making enemies of resistant listeners and then they still stick with the nasty old dry food anyway!

I want you to know that I have a new radio show called DOG TALK® & CAT CHAT® which I hope you’ll start listening to and tell your friends to, also. You can listen to live online at WOR710.com on Saturday nights at 10 PM EST or by podcast the following day at WOR710.com and go to “schedule”, “weekend schedule”, scroll down to my page and at the bottom there is a link to the podcasts.

Tracie

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Posted in Cats, Medical | No Comments »