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"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* |
#12
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"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* |
#13
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"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* |
#14
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On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:46:35 GMT, "Mary" wrote:
"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. |
#15
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On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:46:35 GMT, "Mary" wrote:
"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. |
#16
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On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:46:35 GMT, "Mary" wrote:
"Alison Perera" wrote in message ... In article , "Mary" wrote: "Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? Sure. It's called "table scraps." Dogs lived on it too, somehow. I believe that for the most part, cats have historically been kept to do a job: pest control. As a result they were generally expected to feed themselves if they were successful at their job. Puss probably got the occasional bowl of fresh warm milk by the hearth, and was quite loved, but until our society had acquired a certain amount of luxury you couldn't probably afford to have an animal that didn't pull its own weight. -Alison in OH Good point. But you know there were some big-hearted cat lovers out there, not to mention kids, who snuck the cats some goodies from the table every now and then! The more things change the more they stay the same, right? *S* I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. |
#17
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In article ,
dgk wrote: I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. Here are some theories, I don't know which ones are scientifically "approved" and which aren't. Wolves could have been domesticated by scavenging from the midden heap--the garbage. This abundant source of calories would be easier to obtain than prey, and would select for dogs that were either outcasts from the pack--unable to take down large prey by themselves and desperate for food--or those that were unafraid of strange stimuli so they were not repelled by the humans nearby. Humans would soon find that the semi-domesticated wolves followed their encampment as they moved, and would encourage this relationship as they discovered that they would be warned of raids by other humans when the wolves barked or otherwise defended their food stash. There are also suggestions about hunters killing momma wolves and finding their large-eyed, big-headed offspring irresistable (as the characteristics of babies make all species predisposed to shelter and care for them). They'd bring the cute pups home and raise them up in their dwellings. Konrad Lorenz thought they might have brought the smaller, yappier dogs indoors to defend their dwellings, as they left the larger ones outside as general guardians against wildlife and other humans. Regardless, the wolves left their packs and thereby their way of obtaining food when they joined forces with humans, and so the humans had to reciprocate by providing food to their new companions. Scraps of meat and leftovers would probably have been the main fare. As for cats, however, we have to look to the origins of agriculture (later than the hunter/gatherer, nomadic cultures) and the *small* desert cats that followed along as their rodent prey infested grain stores. The cats would have been encouraged--a la the temple cats of Egypt--but there would be no reason to do more than let them go about their business. So true domestication didn't really take place. Humans and cats lived side-by-side, separate but equal as they say. That's why I'd say that, prior to the advent of commercial food for cats, their "traditional" staple would have been mice, voles, birds, etc. Also known as--a raw-foods diet!! -Alison in OH |
#18
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In article ,
dgk wrote: I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. Here are some theories, I don't know which ones are scientifically "approved" and which aren't. Wolves could have been domesticated by scavenging from the midden heap--the garbage. This abundant source of calories would be easier to obtain than prey, and would select for dogs that were either outcasts from the pack--unable to take down large prey by themselves and desperate for food--or those that were unafraid of strange stimuli so they were not repelled by the humans nearby. Humans would soon find that the semi-domesticated wolves followed their encampment as they moved, and would encourage this relationship as they discovered that they would be warned of raids by other humans when the wolves barked or otherwise defended their food stash. There are also suggestions about hunters killing momma wolves and finding their large-eyed, big-headed offspring irresistable (as the characteristics of babies make all species predisposed to shelter and care for them). They'd bring the cute pups home and raise them up in their dwellings. Konrad Lorenz thought they might have brought the smaller, yappier dogs indoors to defend their dwellings, as they left the larger ones outside as general guardians against wildlife and other humans. Regardless, the wolves left their packs and thereby their way of obtaining food when they joined forces with humans, and so the humans had to reciprocate by providing food to their new companions. Scraps of meat and leftovers would probably have been the main fare. As for cats, however, we have to look to the origins of agriculture (later than the hunter/gatherer, nomadic cultures) and the *small* desert cats that followed along as their rodent prey infested grain stores. The cats would have been encouraged--a la the temple cats of Egypt--but there would be no reason to do more than let them go about their business. So true domestication didn't really take place. Humans and cats lived side-by-side, separate but equal as they say. That's why I'd say that, prior to the advent of commercial food for cats, their "traditional" staple would have been mice, voles, birds, etc. Also known as--a raw-foods diet!! -Alison in OH |
#19
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In article ,
dgk wrote: I suppose cats and dogs became domesticated when people threw them scraps of food from their fire. I could see doing that with a wolf, but with a big cat? I'm not so sure about that. Here are some theories, I don't know which ones are scientifically "approved" and which aren't. Wolves could have been domesticated by scavenging from the midden heap--the garbage. This abundant source of calories would be easier to obtain than prey, and would select for dogs that were either outcasts from the pack--unable to take down large prey by themselves and desperate for food--or those that were unafraid of strange stimuli so they were not repelled by the humans nearby. Humans would soon find that the semi-domesticated wolves followed their encampment as they moved, and would encourage this relationship as they discovered that they would be warned of raids by other humans when the wolves barked or otherwise defended their food stash. There are also suggestions about hunters killing momma wolves and finding their large-eyed, big-headed offspring irresistable (as the characteristics of babies make all species predisposed to shelter and care for them). They'd bring the cute pups home and raise them up in their dwellings. Konrad Lorenz thought they might have brought the smaller, yappier dogs indoors to defend their dwellings, as they left the larger ones outside as general guardians against wildlife and other humans. Regardless, the wolves left their packs and thereby their way of obtaining food when they joined forces with humans, and so the humans had to reciprocate by providing food to their new companions. Scraps of meat and leftovers would probably have been the main fare. As for cats, however, we have to look to the origins of agriculture (later than the hunter/gatherer, nomadic cultures) and the *small* desert cats that followed along as their rodent prey infested grain stores. The cats would have been encouraged--a la the temple cats of Egypt--but there would be no reason to do more than let them go about their business. So true domestication didn't really take place. Humans and cats lived side-by-side, separate but equal as they say. That's why I'd say that, prior to the advent of commercial food for cats, their "traditional" staple would have been mice, voles, birds, etc. Also known as--a raw-foods diet!! -Alison in OH |
#20
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"Kitten M" wrote in message ... Please help my research for cat food. Before lots of people started feeding their cat commercial cat food, (crunchy type or canned food) what were they feeding their cat? Is there such a thing like a traditional "home made" cat food? If you were living with a cat/cats back in those days, what did you usually end up feeding them? .................................................. ........................... ....... "Back in those days" (before commercial pet foods were manufactured) were the 1860s! (Steve probably remembers those days). Before then, diets for cats and dogs consisted of mostly table scraps and leftovers from the dinner table, although some people prepared actual meals for their pets. The first canned food was Ken-L-Ration, produced in the early 1900s by the Chappel brothers in Rockford, Illinois. The "meal" was introduced in the 1930s by Paul Gaines. It was called a "meal" (Gaines-Meal) because it consisted of several dried, ground ingredients that were mixed together and sold in big (100 lbs) bags. In the early days of pet food manufacturing, very little was known about feline nutrition so the same food was marketed for both species - the cans and bags were merely labeled differently. Here's a little trivia: Pet foods weren't sold in grocery stores until 1957 because store owners and customers didn't like the idea of pet foods being sold next to human foods, but the convenience and economy of buying pet foods at the grocery store while shopping for the family's food quickly won-out. Before 1957, pet foods had to be purchased at feed stores and farm animal feed outlets. The metal shortage of World War II gave a boost to the dry food market, but dry food didn't really become popular until the extrusion process was developed. Before then, canned food was more popular. Phil. |
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