Avoiding the elephant in the room leads to a broken home

The home is our planet, the elephant is our carelessness and stubbornness

According to recent Google search, there are about 900 million dogs and 600 million cats. Now, compare that to the average CO2 footprint of a human and the CO2 pawprint of the average medium to large breed dog. It’s the same! In the USA carbon dioxide emissions per person amount to 20 metric tons per year. Five tonnes of CO2 are roughly the same as the emissions produced by one car every year.
It’s not just you that can do something about global warming. If you and your best pal can lower your carbon footprint and pawprint by 50% you can become carbon neutral. Through a combination of reducing and offsetting carbon emissions, your net contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be zero.

How? How about home cooking. It’s one of the oldest and most nature-friendly ways to prepare the food. Also, to shop locally and buy local ingredients. That’s how we can really improve the balance and reverse the vicious cycle that the pet food industry imposes on us. Avoiding global supply chains, where tins and dry food literally travel several thousands of kilometres.

Sometimes it feels that we can’t personally make a difference. That your contribution is just too small to change anything. It’s just not true. The effect of you doing the right thing will inevitably be felt by you as well as those around you. Most importantly, by sometimes cooking for your cat they will feel much better both physically and mentally.

Join the mission, share your story, we will be delighted to share it with the world.

Please email us at team@equals.world

What’s your cat’s real age?

There is no easy formula for cats. Some people use a “one year equals four” formula, calculating that a 20-year-old cat is equivalent to an 80-year-old person. The problem is that a one-year-old cat is surprisingly the equivalent, in terms of mental and physical maturity, of a human 15-year-old. But using this formula would mean that a 15-year-old cat is like a 150-year-old person. Clearly, that formula is not going to work!

A better method is to count the first year of a cat’s life as being comparable to the time a human reaches the early stage of adulthood. Like a human adolescent, a one-year-old cat seems fairly grown up and is physically capable of becoming a parent but lacks emotional maturity.

The second year of a cat’s life takes it to the first stages of full adulthood in humans. A two-year-old cat is roughly equivalent to a person in their mid 20s. From there, the “four equals one” rule works pretty well. A cat aged three is still young, comparable to a person of 29.
A six-year-old cat is similar to a 41-year-old person in the throes of middle age. A 12-year-old cat is comparable to a 65-year-old person and has earned the right to slow down a little.

Of course, it’s all relative. Some cats live riskier lives than others. For example, feral cats, those poor, flea-ridden creatures wandering the streets looking for anywhere food can be scrounged. They are lucky to live more than a year or two, before being claimed by accident, predation or disease. Domesticated cats who are allowed to roam are also more likely to meet with an early demise. Cats protected indoors, with regular veterinary care and good and balanced nutrition, can easily live fifteen to twenty years.

A good diet will help your cat live longer. If you would like to learn more about how EQUALS can provide balanced healthy food for a cat’s body and mind go to EQUALS shop.

Why do cats get diabetes?

In the last few years veterinarians have noted with alarm an increase in cats with diabetes. This follows the exact same trend in humans and the reason is exactly the same: obesity. In other words, fat cats like Garfield and Heathcliff are funny in cartoons but not in real life.
Just like humans, they need a perfectly balanced diet.

What causes diabetes? It develops when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin, a hormone that regulates the metabolism of glucose (blood sugar). The more fat available in the body, the less available and effective the insulin that the pancreas produces. In cats, recent studies have linked diabetes to high carbohydrate diets.

A change to a balanced low carb, high protein diet, leading to a gradual return to normal weight, may be enough to control diabetes in some cats. For others, weight loss and a change in diet may need to be assisted by medication to lower blood sugar. In the most extreme cases, cats will need insulin shots and regular monitoring of their blood sugar, both of which can be carried out at home.

The problem for a cat who needs injections is often psychological. For the owner! Once the owner becomes comfortable with giving their cat injections and settles into the feeding routine, it’s totally possible for a diabetic cat to live a happy and wonderful life.

If you would like to learn more, there are many resources on the internet concerning this matter. For example: www.felinediabetes.com or check out our peers at Cornell University.

Do cats get colds?

Indeed they do, just like people, with similar symptoms, such as sneezing and a runny nose. They’re usually caused by viruses, and secondary bacterial infection can also play a role.

Upper respiratory infections are very contagious, but only to other cats. In other words, you can’t catch a cold from your cat, and your cat can’t catch a cold from you.

To build up resistance to colds and other viruses, your cat needs balanced healthy food for body and mind. Find out more at EQUALS Shop.

Eat as equals

Many of us eat fast food. We know it’s not good for our body, but now and again it won’t do too much harm. However, most of us feed our best buddy with the cat equivalent of fast food twice a day. That’s because most pet foods include fillers, artificial colours, flavours and additives. Imagine what this is doing to their bodies. These days more and more cats are suffering from obesity, chronic degenerative diseases, allergies, and kidney and liver issues. And sadly, live shorter lives.

How can we ensure that our cats get the highest quality protein and fresh ingredients that they need? It’s simpler than you think. The answer is to buy the same healthy local products that you eat yourself. For example, boiled chicken breast meat and carrots is better than almost any pet food you can buy. Of course, you need to learn which ingredients to buy to make sure they get all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they need. We like to think of that as a labour of love. For more inspiration about recipes and cooking for your furry friend, go to www.equals.cat or ask me personally, by sending a email or whatsapp message.

Kind regards,
Kirill Repin

Co-founder of EQUALS

Balanced recipes. Balanced bodies. Balanced minds.

What is balance? Is it equilibrium? Stability? Harmony? Should it be perfect? In regard to well-being, most cultures see the balance as a general concept of good health. When you feel good and you’re full of energy. Not just physically, but also mentally. The same is true for your cat.

EQUALS has created balanced recipes for your cat’s physical and mental well-being. Helping them to manage stress and anxiety. Providing them with more energy and making them feel good. While also nourishing their body, strengthening their immune system and helping them live longer.

Domestic Shorthair Cats. Uncommonly common.

Domestic Shorthair cats are the most common cats in the United States, accounting for about 90-95% of house cats. That’s over 80 million cats! These cats aren’t any particular breed, more a mix of this, that and the other. All the best bits of cats you might say. With a history stretching back many hundreds of years, at first to stop rodents eating our crops and living in our houses.

Nowadays they are fine low-maintenance companions. Their medium-length fur doesn’t need much grooming. Also, they are generally very healthy cats, with a strong immune system and not predisposed to illness. However, you should still be looking for high protein, moderate fat and low carbohydrate food. Especially meat sources like fresh chicken, rather than “meat by-products”. Like they used to eat in days gone by.

Learn more about cats and good eating habits at www.equals.cat

Bengal cats. A kind of friendly little leopard.

The visually striking Bengal cat was first bred by Jean Sugden Mill in the 1960s. This was achieved by pairing small, wild Asian leopards with domestic cats. Producing a wild look that people love, without the feral aggression. However, they are still highly active and always on the move. Not the cat that sits on your lap all day.

Bengals are certainly not your average moggie. They love water and it’s not unusual for them to join you in the shower for a bit of a splash about. They are highly social and prefer to have company, basically, two Bengals are better than one. Make sure you keep them active and occupied. A bored Bengal will find activities to keep themselves amused, like destroying your furniture.

As you might imagine, a Bengal cat is an obligate carnivore. That means their diet must include food high in protein, mainly meat. Freshly prepared chicken, turkey or beef are excellent protein sources.

Learn more about cats and good eating habits at www.equals.cat

Why we eat what we eat?

Have you ever noticed that smelling food, hearing cooking noises, or just looking at food makes you feel hungry? What’s happening is what happened to Pavlov’s dogs. Pavlov showed that dogs would salivate when they heard or saw something that they had previously associated with food. You’re no different! Salivation isn’t your body’s only response. Even without touching food your pancreas secretes insulin. This insulin lowers your blood sugar level, which makes you feel hungry.

I hope that by learning about the factors that contribute to eating habits, you will appreciate how amazing our bodies are. Eating the right amount of food is essential to survival. So it’s not surprising that our bodies ensure that the correct amount of food is consumed. Your central nervous system plays a key role in controlling hunger and feeling full. Also, the chemical substances in your brain.

Let’s not forget the influence of our surroundings on our eating behaviour. The presence or absence of food and things associated with food cause the bodily reactions that we have been discussing. The act of eating involves interaction with the world around us. Not only current surroundings, but experiences in the past. Even reminders of the previous meal: how much and what was eaten, influence the next meal.

Scientists see great potential in deeper research, to create new drugs that can help with anorexia or compulsive overeating. Of course, it’s big industry sponsoring this research. I seriously question if this is the right solution. The abundance of food and high levels of stress today make people eat more and more often. Why do we need drugs? Why don’t we just see our anxieties, desires and the thought process itself? Inward observation, without judgement or conclusions. Why we take a burger, soft drink or another candy. The same applies when we feed our cats. Can a processed food made in millions of tons (especially dry kibbles) really be healthy? Questioning and doubting leads to freedom. Maybe you will start eating properly for yourself. Maybe you will also cook once in a while for your cat. That’s the start of a great transformation.

The Persian Cat. Star of films, art and living rooms.

The Persian cat is probably the most famous cat breed in the world. Starring in many movies, including five James Bond films, as the pet of choice for supervillain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Immortalised by many of the world’s greatest painters since as early as the 17th century. And stealing the limelight in living rooms all over the world ever since.

When the world’s first organized cat show took place in 1871 at London’s Crystal Palace, who was the star of the show? Of course, a Persian cat, winning “Best in Show”. This is the star loved by other celebrities. Including Queen Victoria, Marilyn Monroe and Taylor Swift among their many, many adoring fans.

Persians are as friendly as dogs, but don’t expect them to get up when you call their names, as they are also incredibly lazy. However, you might be able to get them to move for a tasty meal of freshly cooked chicken with vegetables.

Learn more about cats and good eating habits at our website. Have a specific question about your cat’s nutrition? We are happy to help! Don’t hesitate and drop us a email at support@equals.cat