It's been almost three years since my descent into becoming a full fledged cat lady and, as I had only taken care of fish before, there was a
huge learning curve for me. For the first few months, I assumed that all cats were low maintenance and that all I had to do was make sure they weren't hungry and that their litter boxes were cleaned.
Boy, was I wrong.
While Jeff Goldblum was a bit easier as a domestic short-haired cat, Bubba had a bit more complications as a senior Himalayan-persian. From breathing difficulties to adult acne to daily brushings to dental surgery, he's definitely been one to keep an eye on. But the one issue that our veterinarian flagged for
both cats was watching their weight and making sure they were hydrated, both issues that come with dry food.
59% of cats are overweight and 30% are obese; additionally,
chronic kidney disease is the number one cause of death for cats. As Smalls' nutritionist, Dr. Susan Lauten, says, "it's the food, stupid."
So...Jeremy and I started to transition the cats to wet food.
While we avoided the brands run by larger corporations ("Big Pet Food") that seemed to focus mainly on using the most cost-effective ingredients (i.e. Iams, Purina, Friskies, etc), we still weren't finding a brand where the wet food actually looked like...well...food. Sometimes I would open up a can of wet food and have to keep my gag reflex in check as I slopped it out into Bubba and Jeff's food bowls.
And so here's where
Smalls comes into play. The Smalls teams invited me and Jeremy into their Brooklyn kitchen where they cook everything from scratch, with love and human-grade food (seriously,
we even got to make our own batch). They're incredibly passionate about their mission and even more transparent about their process. I even text them about my Smalls shipments and get immediate responses, which is mind blowing in the world of customer service waiting times.
I didn't realize I would get so emotional getting to make our kitties their own food but I just felt so much love watching Bubba and Jeff eating a meal we made with our own hands...which is something so rare when it comes to raising your own pets. We've even customized their own recipes and portions as Jeff is still a young chap and Bubba's in his senior citizen discount years.
I've already seen Bubba's
energy levels increase and Jeff's breath is improving as well.
If you can't tell by this essay I'm writing,
you guys I'm so in love with Smalls. Of all the brands I've worked with over my 8 years of blogging, this is the one I can't stop gushing about.
Get 50% off your first week trial and I promise you, feeding your cats will never be the same. They always send over a packet of chicken liver powder to sprinkle on the food (Jeff always tries to break it open and eat it all at once) and bonito flakes (Bubba mews so loudly when he hears the bag open) so your cats are able to gradually get hooked on Smalls.
Seriously, this is one decision you will
not regret and while I'm still on this adventure of learning how to take the best care of Bubba and Jeff, this is the one decision I've made in a long time that I feel so proud of. Feeding them has become a bonding experience and a way of showing them how much I love them and want to smush my face in theirs for as many years as I possibly can.
