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Karmalicious?
Published on: December 13, 2006by Scott Smithwick
My dogs are members of my family and I love them just the same. They are there everyday with unconditional companionship and I try to give them the best life has to offer. But am I showing enough concern about what they eat? After being bombarded with literature from the Natura Pet Products I wasn't so sure.
Natura, of Santa Clara, California, sent me so much information on their pet food that I felt like I earned a degree in dog foodology. After reading through all the literature I would sum it up like this. The folks at Natura seem like caring pet lovers that strive to make the healthiest food and treats for cats and dogs. They have a research center that sounds like Club Med for animals. Some of the animals that live there have been rescued and I think that's wonderful. None of the research residents are harmed ... in fact far from it. The animals appear to live in the lap of luxury. Everything from toys, pools, treats, to hotel-like accommodations in some cases is provided.
Natura promises to never put anything in their pet food that isn't nutritious. As they put it: "If I wouldn't eat it, why would I want to feed it to my pet?" Now I'm not so sure about that last remark. I've definitely seen dogs and cats eat things that I wouldn't dream of eating and they looked like they were enjoying it.
Natura has five lines of its pet food: Innova, Karma Organic, California Natural, Mother Nature and HealthWise. Some of the lines boast organic ingredients while others hail their no grain content. Some seem to be geared toward weight control or improving the sheen of Fido's coat. It appears that no matter what type of dog or cat you have, Natura has the healthiest food on earth for them.
Now in reality, most of us want the most economical and convenient way to feed our four-legged friends. How did Natura stand up to this request? You won't find Natura products at the grocery store. I had to go to their website and put my zip code in a search engine to find places near me that carried their food. I didn't find Natura products at any of the major pet supply stores near me. I did find some Natura lines at some specialty pet stores but it would have taken me about thirty minutes to get to the closest one. If you live in rural areas finding Natura products may be even tougher. The Natura lines I found were much more expensive than the current dog food I buy. In one case it was twice as much. I have four Akitas/Labs and they can really go through a bag of food fast. Feeding them Natura products would probably cost me an extra forty bucks a month. Ouch!
So what do the dogs think? All of my dogs ate the Natura products just as fast as they did their regular food. They didn't seem to enjoy it any more or any less. Now keep in mind that I only had enough to feed them a few times. I can't really remark on any of the long term claims Natura makes because I don't know. Most veterinarians I've spoken with have told me that the first ingredient listed on your pet food should be a whole meat or fish. They also said to stay away from foods that are mainly grains and foods that contain large amounts of animal by-products. And Natura does just that.
I've had dogs and cats all of my life and I've seen them live long lives by simply eating the cheapest foods available at the store. I think high-end organic food makes us feel better about ourselves more than it lengthens our pets' lives. Even though I am convinced that Natura produces very healthy pet food it's just not practical for me. The price and travel time to get it is just too much and I think you'll find that true for yourself as well.
Natura Pet Products, Inc.
Santa Clara, California
1-800-532-7261
www.naturapet.com