Seeking encouragement.

Hey, guys! It's been a while. Hope everyone's well!

I'm coming here to admit I'm a little discouraged today, a little flagging in spirit. I guess it's a bit my own fault, as I've kinda made it my mission to spread the word on the dangers of dry foods, and promote raw whenever I can.

[rant]Lately, the push-back has been incredible. This whole defense of dry kibble doesn't make sense to me. I try to be understanding, and sympathetic, and kind, but come on, at some point, there has to be open acknowledgment....

There is a change in industry awareness. Vets are beginning to recognize the damage such a species-inappropriate food is doing to our cats, and even vendors are coming 'round - I know of one already who refuses to stock dry foods for cats.

Such an incredible about face doesn't happen in a vacumm and it certainly doesn't happen in the absence of a huge preponderance of proof, ergo, it's pretty doggone safe to assume that eventually, this will be become household knowledge, accepted world-wide for the truth it is.

So why is it so da** hard for intelligent, thinking individuals to see it now? Why do people defend dry kibble as if their own honor depends on it? I just don't get it.

And I'm tired of fighting with the same people over and over and over when I try to offer advice to someone who's posted a nutrition-related question. I think if I see one more post asking, "which dry food is the best for a UTI-prone cat" I'll just freaking explode.[/rant]

Ok, I'm done. Thank you for listening! I just needed to talk to someone who wasn't going to argue some piffling little point just for the sake of it (on one thread, even the price of raw was questioned, when price points are as varied as the global locations cat owners LIVE IN for crying out loud!).

*sigh*

Whoot, whoot! I am delighted to report that just as I was wondering if the fight was worth the stress (and it is, of course), the person pushing back the hardest actually recommended wet food in a post of her own today and referenced that new reports showed that dry food was bad for cats!

Turning some major cartwheels!!!!!!!

I've learned to just pick my battles. If I see a glimmer of honest curiousity or open mindedness I take it and educate. For someone who is so dead set on being "right" instead of being informed.. well, that's not something you can fix too easily if at all. Who knows why people defend species inappropriate diets so viciously. Perhaps they don't want to admit they've been doing it wrong their entire cat's life, or they have been feeding that way for so long "without any ill effects" that they think it's fine and why change? Alot of it has to do with vets and pet food companies pushing and ramming their products into the public's face at every where you turn. There are several "sheep groups" in the world that take what someone tells them as gospel and follow mindlessly to slaughter. Sad, but it is a reality. It's in pet care, religion, schools, the workplace, in your personal life with friends, family. Until someone has a reason to question their beliefs, they don't generally accept other's when it conflicts with their's. Some people are natural skeptics and thinkers when it comes to common "knowledge". Those are gold in the raw feeding world. I love when they ask me questions and I can throw answers at them one after the other and then they say "this is a great idea- I'll do it!" and never look back. It is a great and noble cause, AC, but unfortunately you will drive yourself into depression thinking about all the arguements with stupid people and pitying their poor animals. Sometimes you can get further by dripping on people. Instead of outright saying they feed crap to their cats, post little almost insignificant bits of advice or suggestions here and there. Someone who treads softly can be very effective when the other person remembers something you told them but thinks it's a conclusion they've come to themselves. That is when you really help change people. The idea is always better accepted when it's their own.

Auntie Crazy I have been in somewhat of a similar situation. I decided to branch out to other forums that talked about cats. Found one and decided to dive in head first. 14 enemies later, with one of them being a vet that staffed the forums, pages and pages of discussion, more like livid rants, my fingers were tired and my head hurt. Had to distance myself from that forum. I have had luck with going the route thats hard to dispute. Cats are carnivores and they survived off of prey long before commercial food came out. Discussion will vary but people will start to equate that cats are meat eating machines.

Good luck

I know what you mean about dry and urinary crystals.