Cats vs Zero Waste

(PL)
Many concerned zero-wasters and cat owners wonder how those two can be combined, mainly when it comes to food and hygiene.
As for me, there are two basic answers: BARF and environmentally friendly kitty litter.

My cat, Art.

 BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) means a diet which is the closest to natural for animals. We have to bear in mind that cats are carnivores and in natural surroundings they do not eat grains, sweets and the like. Nor do they eat dry, crispy cat food.
Although approaches how BARF should look like vary worldwide, I adopted the one endorsed by Polish BARF Foundation and include the following in Art's diet:
  • raw meat (both with and witout bones, minced and cut into chunks)
  • giblets
  • supplements (e.g. taurine, egg yolk, fish oils, haemoglobin)
  • water

And let the fun begin! /Photo by FurryTips.com
The diet brings many great advantages, such as:
  • shinier fur
  • healthier skin
  • cleaner teeth
  • higher energy levels
What is more, BARF is all about animals' individuality. The BARF menu creation should be preceded by veterinary examination and should be adjusted to cats' health, weight, and other needs. I use a special, hi-tech calculator to balance out the purrfect diet. Not to mention that it is also a cheaper option compared to regular cat food!
If you're interested in BARF, you can also consider whole prey and franken prey feeding. Check it out :) (it's not for the fainthearted, though).
If you're not into BARF, I would recommend canned wet food rich in meat (absolutely no grains, pretty please!) and, optionally, raw fat meat from time to time.

Environmetally friendly kitty litter is currently all the rage. Wooden or corn. Biodegradable and toilet friendly. I opted for wooden and put all of the waste in the bin (usually using toilet paper or leaflets that I find in my post inbox). It was heartbreaking for me to learn that cats' stool should not be composted or disposed of in the toilet because of parasites causing toxoplasmosis which can get  into the ecosystem and harm both other animals and humans.
As for now, there is no other zero waste method that I am aware of as I ruled out teaching cats to use the toilet (here is why).


Popular posts from this blog

Experiences, Not Things vol. 1 | Floating

Image
( PL ) Imagine slowing down for an hour… being just with your breath and your thoughts, no distressing or distracting sounds and views. Imagine feeling light as a feather, with no care in the world. With floating you won’t have to imagine any more – it makes it happen! What’s it all about? Floating is simply drifting in a capsule/huge bath (bigger than an average jacuzzi) filled with water with high concentration of Epson salt/Dead Sea salt. The temperature of water is adjusted to our bodies – it is about 35ºC/90ºF. You float without any effort and there can be relaxing music and soft lights in the background. You can also opt for no music and minimal lighting, making you deprived of 90% of external stimuli. It makes you feel at ease, free, levitating. You can practice mindful breathing or just get your mind off things. All of them. What to take into account?          I recommend taking your own earplugs and oiling your hair if you are afraid of its saltiness. Wea
more...

I deleted all of my emails today.

Image
PL Once read and answered, I usually did not return to reread them at any point. I am also not a fan of newsletters and I had unsubscribed from all SPAM that brings no value. And yet there I was, hoarding about 2,000 emails in my inbox. Today I decided to put an end to it. First of all, I flagged all of the important emails and resolved to keep them. I made use of "mark all unflagged" option (what a great tool it is!) and started deleting. Then I did the same with SPAM and Sent folders. The remaining 9 "important" emails were lurking in the inbox. Little did they know that they were going to get expelled as well. I looked into them and realised that what I really cared for were the attachments (electronic invoices, tickets, music). This is where my cloud disk came in handy. I moved the files I wished to keep there and completely cleared my email account. Then I took a deep breath. Digital clutter can be so overwhelming at times... And digital declu
more...

How to prepare to be zero waste?

Image
PL Soon I will start a Zero Waste month challenge. I know that this is not going to be an easy task so I started getting prepared for it a few weeks earlier. How to prepare to be  zero waste ? Observe your habits Do you frequently go shopping without your own containers or bags? Are you buying ready-made meals in plastic or polystyrene packaging? Or perhaps you're an avid coffe-to-go drinker? Fortunately, all of those habits can coexist with zero waste philosophy. The only thing that you should do is be prepared and have your own containers, bottles, mugs, or bags. The latter are the most important as you can never have too much of them - in the car, purse or your workplace. You never know when you are going to need them. With just a hint of strong will and persuasion, takeaway meals or drinks can be packed or poured into your containers or mugs. Many a time I myself managed to pack my meal or coffee like this. Another enlightening thing is also... browsing t
more...