Into the Woods

I’m persnickety about what Lily the cat eats, and Lily is too. Though I know that some cat keepers and cat food authorities say that cats should not be on a diet of only dried food, cats may have their own opinions.

Lily is very opinionated, and her opinion is that nothing will suit other than the Castor & Pollux organic cat foods. Many years ago, I tried cooking for Lily according to the best homemade cat food recipe that I could find. My plan was to freeze the portions and thaw them as needed. Lily wouldn’t touch the stuff (I can’t say that I blame her) and so I put it out back for the possums. When she was still a kitten, I bought her first bag of Castor & Pollux at Whole Foods, and that has been the deal ever since.

Her bowl is kept full all the time. When it needs topping off, she lets me know. She was abandoned and hungry as a kitten, which gave her a neurotic start where food is involved. My strategy was to make sure that she always had food, hoping that that would convince her that she is never in danger of going hungry. It seems to have worked. She’s not piggy. She eats when she wants. And though she is probably a pound or so overweight, she carries it well and shows no tendency to gain beyond her current weight.

I’ve offered her tuna and salmon. She sniffs it but won’t eat it. A few years ago, Castor & Pollux changed the shape of the kibble. That made her suspicious for a day or two, but she decided that it was OK. She drinks an appropriate amount of water. She likes her water cold, filtered water from the refrigerator tap, the same as I drink. At eight years old she has never been sick, and she has a beautiful coat. She’s as rambunctious as a kitten, is rarely naughty, and scratches only where she’s permitted to scratch. She knows a lot of language because she has always been talked to, and she is the most communicative cat I’ve ever known. She’s the first cat that I ever raised from a kitten, and I have to say that I’m proud of how she turned out. I sometimes say that she has a Ph.D. in cuddling, not least because she roots under the covers with me at least a couple of times a night.

Castor & Pollux cat food is pricey stuff. But my view of it is that, if it makes a healthy cat and reduces vet bills, then it’s worth the investment.

This sounds like a Castor & Pollux ad, doesn’t it. But it’s totally unsolicited.