Written by Jessica Mockett, Purrrfect Bonds Feline Behavior & Training and Holistic Pet Health Coaching

*This article represents the opinions and beliefs of the author and does not necessarily represent the opinions and beliefs of TICA.

We live in a highly toxic world. Everything from plastics to fertilizers to cleaners to carbon emissions to medications to foods creates residual toxicities in our physical bodies. I once heard that we inhale more carcinogens while standing at a crosswalk when a single commuter bus passes than our ancestors of 100 years ago inhaled in their entire lives. Now is that scientifically true? Maybe not, but the nuance is absolutely true. We encounter far more toxins and dangerous chemicals daily than people 100-150 years ago ever faced. Those were the days before big manufacturing, big pharma, big chemical, and every other “big” industry that may do something beneficial on one hand but cause serious harm to the environment or our internal environments on the other.

What can we do? The first steps involve self-study and gaining awareness. Organizations like EWG.org help the public gain insight into the dangers major corporations sometimes pose regarding toxins. Gratefully, a cultural movement exists to seek out cleaner, sustainable options that support mother nature rather than pollute her. Finding tips and tricks online for making wiser choices is not difficult to suss out.

We may start changing our purchasing habits to reduce exposure and readily care for the environment. Years ago, I stopped buying chemical and scent-heavy cleaning products. I chose instead to clean with water, castile soap, white vinegar, bacterial enzymes, and essential oils. I shifted from big plastic laundry detergent jugs to dissolvable, natural soap sheets. I buy shampoo and conditioner bars rather than plastic bottles. I stopped buying plastic cutting boards and food storage containers. I still use and buy plastic things, but I’m making strides to reduce my consumption. Fabrics recently gained my attention. When buying clothing or bedding online and it arrives smelling heavily of chemicals that sometimes don’t wash out, I’m concerned. I’m shifting my awareness to natural fibers that are clean for my body and the environment.

Our cats aren’t exempt from this toxic bombardment. They have smaller bodies, likely receiving damage more quickly. When we make shifts into healthy, natural, and holistic choices for ourselves, we can take similar steps for kitties. To improve their lives, what are some (mostly) simple things we can do to reduce toxin exposure or diminish the power everyday toxicities may have in the feline body?

Let’s discuss 5 steps to combat or reduce toxicity for kitty.

1. Water

Generally speaking, water between 50-300ppm is good/safe to drink. That means a certain percentage of the water contains traces of substances like minerals. I had my tap water tested a few years back and it was well over 900ppm. We now have a whole house filtration system.

Consider these matters when choosing what type of water to give pets.

1. The smaller the animal, the greater the impact of any water contaminants.
2. Water softeners can add too much salt to the animal’s system.
3. Reverse Osmosis water can strip everything out to less than 50ppm, which means no trace minerals, and animals need some trace minerals. RO systems exist that replace selected minerals, making it safer for pets to consume.
4. Alkaline water usually has a pH of 8-9. Cats need water around a pH of 6-6.5. Alkaline water can produce an internal environment where crystals and urolith stones form more easily in the bladder.
5. Not all purified drinking water is the same. Some bottled waters are too acidic. We can test our favorite brands at home with a water pH test kit.
6. Spring water also varies in acidity and quality. Test these as well.
7. Distilled water lacks minerals.
8. Buying bottled water frequently means buying plastic. Bottled water should all be BPA free, but for those concerned about the environment, this route challenges us. We can try to offset by reducing plastic use elsewhere and recycling.

For creating good pH balance and including safe amounts of minerals, fill cat water bowls or fountains with different types of water. Giving animals only a single water source isn’t always ideal. In my home, we have a whole house filter that’s also softened with potassium chloride; one water bowl contains this option. I use purified drinking water or distilled water in the fountains. Fountains contain additional filtration when used and cleaned properly. I place spring water in the crystal gem pod water bowl. The crystals, when charged regularly in sunlight and used with intention, add an extra layer of good energy to the water.

2. Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes

The gut microbiome is crucial to health and wellness! It makes up about 70% of immune system function. If we give pets poor or cheap diets, their immune systems face serious disadvantages. Because most pets eat commercial processed food diets, or have eaten them recently, or have had multiple rounds of antibiotics, we should consider adding both probiotics and digestive enzymes to their daily feeding routine. These two supplements support healthier gut and nutrition absorption, which supports the immune system, which then strengthens the body’s ability to flush out toxins.

Some doctors and veterinarians say probiotics have no real value because much of what we take, animals included, doesn’t make it into the large intestine as bacteria get destroyed before reaching that distance in the digestive tract. It’s true that the deeper into the digestion tract probiotics go, the better. Quality varies widely with pet-specific probiotic brands. They often don’t offer viable strains of good bacteria. However, when it comes to just saying it’s all moot, I don’t subscribe to that theory. It’s important to do what we can to get good bacteria into the digestive tract. Many holistic veterinarians recommend giving cats regular doses of quality probiotics. I particularly recommend using human-grade, refrigerated probiotics. I personally use this one for my cats. I use a single capsule once daily mixed in wet food for all six felines. For a single adult cat use 1/6-1/4 of a capsule and for a kitten, only a tiny sprinkle (about 1/8 cap). Always use probiotics after a round of antibiotics. Consult with your holistic veterinarian on frequency of use with your kitties.

Digestive enzymes help pets glean more nutrition from their foods by supporting the breakdown of food particles in the digestive tract. Enzymes help reduce vomiting, regurgitation, and flatulence. Many pet-product enzymes exist on the market, but a holistic vet I follow, Essential Oil Vet, recommends this human-grade digestive enzyme capsule for cats. Use similar dosing as the probiotics: 1/6 of a capsule or a sprinkling in each meal per cat. Verify with a holistic vet before giving to lactating pets and young kittens because it contains small amounts of essential oils.

3. Read Cat Food Ingredients

There is a lot to unpack with cat food labels. In an effort toward conciseness, many cheap and questionable ingredients appear in processed cat food. The most frequently fed food—and the biggest concern—is dry kibble. We should only use kibble as snacks and treats, if at all. Kibble, while very convenient and having the benefit of long shelf-life even after opening, often contains poor ingredients. It’s intensely and repeatedly cooked at high temps to dry it out, so little flavor and nutrition remains. This is why dry kibble gets rolled in oils and synthetic nutrients at the end of production. Canned foods tend to have better protein content and substantially more moisture and also has long shelf-life until opened. Things to look out for exist here too, but generally it’s far less concerning than kibble overall. Processing at high heats damages nutrients during canning. A few smaller pet food companies cook pet food at normal heats and “fresh” pack it (with much shorter shelf-life). This usually provides better quality nutrition. Raw food is the healthiest option for most cats because the proteins remain intact and cats by their natural design were built to eat raw flesh. It only makes sense that their bodies would benefit most from this form of food. When done right and safely, raw feeding is ideal.

Again, we consider food/nutrition because it also supports that all-important immune system along with providing daily energy requirements to support life. If we need to purchase processed kibbles or canned foods, we can do so more carefully, selecting those brands and products that make better choices in their ingredient lists.

Here’s a list of things to look out for in cat foods:

1. AAFCO doesn’t require cat food nutrition labels to include carbohydrate percentages. It can be easy to look at the back and think — “Oh, no carbs! Great!” But it isn’t listed, ever. We have to do the work to decipher approximately how much of the food contains carbohydrates.
   • Cats really don’t need carbs; anything more than 10% in their overall diet is too much.
   • Cats can technically eat and digest carbs in processed foods, but what’s the impact when the animal gets 50% carbs in their kibble diet? Big pet food loves to tout that no studies prove carbs cause health problems in pets. But who pays for the studies that say there’s no connection? In short, carbs cost less than real animal proteins, so pet food companies make better profits by filling foods with carbs.
   • So how do we figure out carb content? Subtract the moisture content, redo the percentages on other listings, add them up, and deduce carbs by what percentage remains unaccounted for. For example: Kibble label says 10% moisture, so your new total is now 90% not 100%. You divide the protein listed at 30% by 90% and the new total percentage is 33%. Do the same for each other line item. Add them up. Then subtract that new total from 100%. What remains unaccounted for is the approximate carb percentage. (There’s “min” and “max” language, but we won’t dive into that. It just means there’s a small percentage of wiggle room on the macronutrients.)
   • Most kibbles on the market contain 40-55% carbs. Most canned wet foods average 10-20% carbs.
2. Protein quality and source matter.
   • A newer trend uses plant protein as protein sources in cat food. The amino acids in these plant proteins aren’t the same as amino acids in meat proteins, making it harder for obligate carnivores to convert them into usable material. Avoid foods that have things like pea or soy protein listed in the first 5-7 ingredients.
   • Current labeling requirements don’t allow us to differentiate what percentage of protein comes from meats or plants. Ingredients appear in order of percentage of the whole with the highest percentage at the top of the list and so on. Look for foods with real meat listed as the first 2-3 ingredients.
   • Also, understand that “meat meal” is very low-quality protein. It’s essentially highly cooked/processed flour made from animal parts that don’t qualify as muscle meat. If your food only contains meat meals, it isn’t quality protein.
   • Know that most commercial pet food companies use meats from sources deemed insufficient or unsafe for human consumption. Some smaller pet food companies use human-grade meats.
3. Avoid these specific ingredients in pet foods if you hope to help your pet’s wellness:
   • Carbs, but most especially from corn, soy, wheat (& glutens)
   • Meat meals and vegetable protein (may appear as “pea protein” or “soy protein”)
   • Carrageenan (a thickening agent linked to causing cancer)
   • Food colorings/dyes (totally unnecessary and typically only in cheap kibbles)
   • High ash content or high percentages of phosphates, phosphorous, calcium (some is okay, too much links to health issues like urine crystals and stones)
   • Natural flavors or natural flavoring as it’s an approved way for companies to hide things like MSG

It can feel overwhelming or challenging to change the foods we give our cats, especially when some felines prove stubborn about making shifts into healthier eating. However, improving nutrient quality and moisture content serves the cat’s holistic health interest. It costs more to buy higher quality foods, but ultimately, it helps reduce our pets’ chances of contracting major diseases or having significant health problems because their overall system is healthier and stronger when fighting off toxins invariably introduced into their bodies.

4. Reduce Toxins in the Home

I mentioned a few ways to avoid toxins at the top of this article like reducing plastics, using natural cleaners, and seeking natural fibers. Only you fully know your buying habits, so if something I specifically bring up in this section doesn’t apply to you, ponder what other ways you may inadvertently bring toxins into kitty’s life and address those.

A big item that can feel hard to give up, especially in areas where these little creatures are rampant, is flea control poisons. Companies tout pest control poisons as non-toxic or non-lethal to humans and pets, but they’re still most certainly toxic. Flea collars or medicines are toxic enough to kill a young kitten when used on them. We cannot assume that no harm happens to our cats when using flea control. Flea foggers also poison us and our pets. We shouldn’t be present for the worst of it (usually requiring 24hrs of no use of the space), but residual toxicity remains.

Unless you’re dealing with a serious infestation, try several things to reduce/eliminate fleas more naturally:

1. Put cat on a whole food, raw or fresh food diet. Strengthening the immune system makes them less appealing to fleas and more resistant to infestation.
2. Use a homemade, natural, safe flea repellent spray on kitty. Veterinary Secrets shares a recipe in this video. Or purchase a spray, like this from NHV.
3. Use flea baths with natural peppermint castile soap, organic baby shampoo, or liquid dish soap (dye/fragrance free) and fine-tooth combings.
4. Use a variety of natural rinses on kitty like water mixed with lavender oil, feverfew flowers, mullein, or citrus rinds.
5. Clean cat blankets/bedding in hot water and borax frequently.
6. Vacuum frequently and throw out vacuum bags often.
7. Use high-quality peppermint essential oil and mix with baking soda to create carpet powder. Sprinkle over carpets and let sit for a while, then vacuum up.
8. Clean carpets with diatomaceous earth (food grade) or borax as both kill fleas. Gently work one or the other into the carpets without causing dust clouds (wear mask to avoid inhaling) and keep kitty out for 24 hours, then vacuum up.
9. Get carpets professionally steam cleaned frequently with green cleaning solutions.
10. Herbs like catnip deter fleas and cats generally love catnip. Plant fresh plants around the home and allow kitty to eat fresh, organic catnip harvested from the yard.
11. Use strong peppermint oil and castile soap spray all around the outside of the home during warm months.
12. Homeopathic remedies like Sulphur or Pulex irritans can also offer support.
13. Add an amethyst crystal to the water bowl to repel fleas from cats.

Another way to reduce toxins in the home is to avoid chemical perfume products like room freshening sprays. Don’t use scented candles unless they’ve been made using all natural essential oils. Avoid scented plugins. If you don’t really need them, don’t use feline facial pheromones like Feliway. Stop using chemical spray deodorants or body sprays and switch to natural deodorants and pure essential oils.

When doing home renovation projects that may include new carpeting, vinyl flooring, painting, new furniture, new countertops, etc., make an effort to remove kitty from the rooms or even the home for a few days to avoid the fumes. Air out those areas of the home for several days. Cut up onions and place them all around the room, as onions naturally absorb toxic odors. Over several days, keep thinly slicing them to keep the onions open to capturing residual toxins.

The more you can reduce potential toxic exposures in the home, the better for your little furry feline friends.

5. Fresh Air, Sunlight, and Joyful Exploration

Lastly, I want to discuss a wonderful and hopefully fun preventative measure for kitty: creating spaces where they can get fresh air, sunlight, catch bugs, and eat fresh herbs and grasses. These kinds of stress reducers also keep the immune system functioning at its best. Think indoor Zen garden for cats (and for you!) or create a wonderful catio space outdoors.

Often our indoor-only kitties can suffer from anxiety, frustration, boredom, territorial stress, and even sometimes depression. When this happens their immune system can take a dive, making their bodies’ natural defenses against toxins weaker.

When creating an indoor space, select an area with lots of sunlight coming in at some point during the day. Add a small fountain. Place a water bowl with toy fish. Have safe-for-cats potted herbs all around. Put a cozy sleeping spot or two in the mix, including a sun seat attached to the window. Add a bird feeder right outside the window. Plant a butterfly-attracting bush under the window outside. Allow the window to open on nice days and reinforce the screen as needed. Put a cat tower by the window. Place a few sensory toys and/or puzzle feeder toys with treats in the area. In short, make it a wonderful spot for cats to hang out!

Build a catio. The bigger the better! Think levels, climbing, plants, sunshine, rain proofing, shade. Allow the space to attract bugs large and small. My catio walls are made of chicken wire; even the occasional small bird has come onto the catio. Have a large fountain on the catio and edible grasses and safe potted plants. Make it large enough that you too can sit in there with kitties and have some stress-reducing bonding time for all.

Create a backyard oasis by securely fencing it in and adding 45-degree angle netting at the top of the fence. My kitties love to go out in the backyard with me while I water pots, deadhead flowers, and keep an eye out for their safety. They frolic in the grass, stalk mice that live around the grass clippings pile, snatch grasshoppers from the air, sunbathe on the patio, and relax. They also enjoy their catio at any time of day or night.

Final Thoughts

Many things deserve consideration when protecting our cats from toxicity. I’ve named just a few. Hopefully, some or all of these steps seem achievable. You cannot tackle everything at once. Select the ideas that resonate most with you to begin or find your own path to creating a cleaner environment for your kitties. Do your best to protect them, giving them a real chance at longevity and wellbeing.

For more detailed instructions on anything mentioned in this article, visit my website to book an appointment. Or pick up a copy of my book “Purrrfecting Your Bond” on Amazon.