In the Tiki Mood with Tiki Catfood

In honor of the fire spewing volcano's and the crashing waves of the South Pacific Ocean, the ancient Hawaiians filled their Eden like island with the amazing lore of the Tiki gods.  These ancient oracles of Hawaiian kahunas were perched on volcanic cliffs, carved tiki gods were scattered through the rainforest and hidden in mystic caves and worshipped in many ways.  I have always been fascinated by the lore of the American Tiki Culture and was just delighted to see that www.chewy.com is featuring Tiki Cat Food at 20% off this month!

 Tiki Cat Food by Gourmet Carnivore is a new brand to me. I decided to try it because they use better than quality ingredients as it is "human grade" food.  In addition, it is hormone and antibiotic free and, the food is grain free, carb free and has a zero glycemic index.  The Tiki Cat Food is 55% protein and 35% fat with no carbs and truly replicates a wild prey diet.

My cats all seem to love fish so today I tried the Flaked Tilapia that is mixed with wild caught Mackerel loins.  Tiki Cat simmers this sustainable seafood combination in a consommé broth that is made with bones, heads, and unused portions of the fish in a traditional stock method that produces a healthy and flavorful setting for the big flakes of fish.  Oil, vitamins and minerals finish off this healthy dish.

The actual ingredients are: Flaked Tilapia 56%, Tilapia Consommé 25%, Flaked Mackerel 14%, Olive Oil 4%. Contains less than 1% of the following: Tricalcium phosphate, Taurine, Choline chloride, Magnesium sulfate, Potassium chloride, Ascorbic acid, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A acetate, Thiamine mononitrate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium pantothenate, Riboflavin supplement, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Cholecalciferol (Source of Vitamin D3), Vitamin B12 supplement.  

Tiki Cat Food comes in lots of flavors including: chicken with duck, beef liver & lamb, chicken & liver, bonito tuna, chicken with turkey,beef liver and chicken, chicken with turkey, seabass and tilapia. Maybe for Valentine's Day, we'll have chicken and duck followed by seabass...a surf and turf.  If you would like to try this food for your cats go to www.chewy.com and order a sampler - it's 20% off.

Tiki culture made the jump to the mainland of the United States in the 20th century with Polynesian styled restaurants and clubs inspired by Tiki carvings and mythology. The first restaurant to open in the US began in 1934 with the opening of Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian themed bar and restaurant in Hollywood that served Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches.  

Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny integrated the Tiki idea with jazz music with  "tropical" themes creating the "Exotica" genre. This music combines South Pacific and the Orient and what a lot of people imagined the islands were like...it's pure fantasy but fun.  The term "exotica was coined after the album of the same name by Martin Denny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2dQ3WbcF44.  The cats seem to like Tiki music and Tiki Cat Food! 

Musing on Thailand, Tonks and ZiwiPeak Cat Food

It's a cold winter day in Connecticut and the cats seem restless.  It is too cold to take the Tonkinese out for a walk on their leashes.

Winter always makes me think of the tropics and my mind drifts back to Thailand  (where my Tonks are from) an exotic tropical paradise with opulent palaces and temple spires that glitter with gold, gems and even broken pieces of porcelain.  Traveling on the Chao Phraya River  to the temples of Bangkok is one of the best ways to explore this intriguing city whose skyline changes every time I visit...but some things, like the temples and the friendliness of the people remain the same.

The good news is that  I just received a new shipment from ZiwiPeak... and because this company takes such care in the way it prepares its' product, I am confident that my cats will  love the new dry cat food.  This should also add a bit of culinary excitement to their day. The food they will try today is  ZiwiPeak Daily Dry Cat Food.  I am trying the Lamb formula that contains over 90% natural meat and organs from select farms in New Zealand...and this country raises the best lamb in the world on  its pristine countryside. I wish I could buy imported lamb from New Zealand in my grocery store!

The ingredients are impressive and include: lamb meat, liver, tripe, lung, heart and kidney plus essential vitamins.  Best of all, there are no artificial preservatives, colors, salt, sugar fillers or grains. Mocha, my Thai Tonkinese took to it right off -- he loves it.  Interestingly, recent  research shows that emotional well being is directly influenced by the amino-acid L-tryptophan and this dry food with its balance of meat and organs is a good source of this.

Little Zoey my gorgeous Himalayan kitten from Spice Hill Cattery was not about to be left out... she pushed her way right in and finished the bowl!  Mocha, the ultimate Tonk gentleman from Great Pine Farm stepped aside and let her try out the new food. I am delighted to tell you that  ZiwiPeak Daily Dry Cat Food is easy to digest, and that they devoured it like wild cats without "incident" -- that is a real plus for this pet owner!

ZiwiPeak is easy to get in the States just go to www.chewy.com and order it online.  There are discounted prices on the air dried lamb treats that my cats beg for !   To learn more about ZiwiPeak, check out their website, http://www.ziwipeak.com. The company also carries a full line of food for dogs.  Please like our Facebook Page at  https://www.facebook.com/catsandproductreviews101/?ref=hl

Thailand Tip: Wat Arun or Temple of the Dawn located on the west side of the Chao Phraya River is the first Thai temple I visited on my first trip to Thailand. I will never forget it.  The scale and intricate artwork of the temple was beyond my expectations. I spent hours marveling at  its scale, architecture and detail. The temple has so many nooks and crannies with various figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals, guardians,  fabulous murals and six riverside pavilions. Wat Arun is encrusted with broken pieces of colored faience and porcelain giving it a 3-D effect that makes it one of the most unusual temples in all of Thailand.  Early morning is the best time to visit; it's the coolest time of day, the light is magnificent for photos and it's before the hordes of visitors arrive.

Tasty Toppers - A Perfect Holiday Treat for Cats!

I have two active and beautiful Thai Tonkinese cats, imported from Thailand that have just turned one. Tonks as they are affectionately called hail from Thailand and are known there as "Thong Daeng". The hallmark of this breed are their penetrating aqua or  jade green eyes and their lively personality -- they are people cats and best described as CODS - cats like dogs!  As you can see, Mocha loves to walk on his leash around my home in the Litchfield Hills.

Since it is the holiday season, I decided that "Santa" would come early this year with a healthy treat for my cats.  A new product by Blue Buffalo called Wilderness Tasty Toppers  caught my eye on chewy.com.  Best of all it's on sale!   There is even more savings if you use chewy.com's auto ship option, I do all the time and it works like a charm.  You are able to update the timing of when you need your items if necessary with the click of a button.  There is a real advantage if you  spend over $49 because the shipping is free and the products come within 2 days.  With all these plus's in mind,  I decided to order the Wilderness Toppers  from chewy.com and I am glad I did, so are my cats!

The Wilderness Tasty Toppers cat food comes in a easy foil pouch that keeps the chicken morsels fresh.  A big plus for me is that the pouches are easy to use and not messy...no rinsing out cans!  I was also impressed by the size of the chicken chunks (so were my cats!)  and the fact that the gravy is grain free and actually smells good!

I like the fact that Wilderness Tasty Toppers have no artificial colors, flavors or byproducts. Blue Buffalo is founded on the principles of using the finest natural ingredients that are combined with a special vitamin and antioxidant formula called LifeSource Bits.  I think this sets Blue Buffalo products apart from the rest of the pack.  I am also impressed that the company has a foundation for pet cancer research.

Blue Buffalo's Tasty Toppers were a big hit with my adult Tonkinese and my very fussy  Himalayan kittens that only ate pate until they tried the tasty topper chucks... it was a grand feast as well as a healthy special treat.

Now that Sabu, Mocha and Zivah are satiated with this fabulous new snack, it's time for their nap... of course!  As for Blue Buffalo's  Tasty Toppers, they were a hit with my cats and perfect for a holiday treat. To get your order of Wilderness Tasty Toppers by Blue Buffalo, go to www.chewy.com or call 1-800-67-CHEWY.


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