A cat forum. CatBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CatBanter forum » Cat Newsgroups » Cat health & behaviour
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Before commercial cat food.....



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old September 23rd 03, 05:46 PM
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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  
Old September 23rd 03, 05:46 PM
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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  
Old September 23rd 03, 05:46 PM
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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  
Old September 23rd 03, 07:35 PM
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 07:35 PM
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 07:35 PM
dgk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 08:30 PM
Alison Perera
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 08:30 PM
Alison Perera
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 08:30 PM
Alison Perera
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old September 23rd 03, 08:48 PM
Phil P.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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.


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Just read about what is really in cat food kate Cat health & behaviour 422 September 3rd 03 01:18 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CatBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.