We've moved our blog here! This page will be kept online as an archive for our decade of blog posts.
Met a stray cat that needs rescue? Go to our website to submit a Rescue Request
Want to adopt a cat from us? Here are the cats that are up for adoption!
Come volunteer to clean the foster space and play with kitties!
Wish to give to Love Kuching Project? Deposit to our DBS Current Account 027-907655-0 or find out other ways to give here


Friday, May 9, 2014

Want to buy pet supplements from @iherb like we do, but don't know what? A sample shopping cart for you!

We buy our supplements from iHerb because:

  1. Human supplements are better in purity, grade and bioavailability
  2. They are cheaper! (save money mah, we are a very small nonprofit) Not only cheaper than pet supplements, 
  3. They are cheaper than supplements bought in local stores like Guardian, Watsons, Holland and Barrett and GNC etc. No fight here, really.
If you are a first time buyer, using our discount code AVA985 will also get you USD5-10 off your first purchase! Also, you can choose which shipment method you prefer; if your total purchase is not too heavy you can opt for Singpost which is usually half the price of DHL.

But -what- exactly to buy? 

First off, these are mostly human supplements we buy.

Human supplements for cats, you say? Can meh? Yes, can. Give half the human dosage stated, mixed in wet food, or in water then syringe (the former is the better option). If your cat rejects this dosage, bring it down to a quarter, for some is better than none at all. 

If you want to start trying to buy supplements for your pet on iHerb but don't know where to start, we have compiled a sample shopping cart of sorts for you to pick and choose from. These are what we would call must-haves, that will truly help if you have cats in your home.
 

Thorne Basic B Complex, Product Code: THR-10403
Why is vitamin B a necessity? It helps for a LOT of things. It helps in recovery of illness or injury. It helps with stress. It helps with appetite. So for anytime your cat is "out of sorts" in anyway, giving vitamin B complex will help.

We like Thorne because of its bioavailability. For example, for vitamin B12, the cheaper version is cyanocobalamine, but cats cannot actually absorb that unless it is via injection. Thorne uses methylcobalamine for its vitamin B12, this can be absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract. We have been using this brand for vitamin B for a long time.

Estimated price after conversion: SGD22.95


Bach Original Flower Essences, Rescue Remedy, Product Code: BAC-01531
This is an absolute necessity for any cat owner. When visitors come over, when there are vet visits, when new cats are being adopted into the family, you absolutely need this product. It also helps as a first aid measure for epileptic fits, fear of thunder, stress during illness. 

Estimated price after conversion: SGD21.33


Now Foods, Gr8-Dophilus, 120 Vcaps, Product Code: NOW-02910
Why we like this particular brand of probiotics. Probiotics should have as many strains of healthy bacteria as possible, as as many billion live organisms as possible. But, the high kinds of levels can be expensive, so we settled on this, which gives us best of both worlds in terms of the best probiotics we can give for the best price.

But why probiotics? We all need probiotics, which is why as humans we take things like yoghurt and Yakult. Also, cat food actually does not really contain probiotics. Apart from brands like Wellness CORE that has probiotics sprayed on the kibble so as to maintain the probiotics at a more live level, the rest of the brands, even if they have probiotics, a lot is lost in the production process. Many canned food brands also do not have probiotics.

Probiotics is good to add every day, but if you can't add it when your cat has diarrhoea or constipation or vomitting. Don't rush to the vet first. In general, probiotics also helps in the immune systems of both humans and cats. We often get sick, especially with things like allergies to food, environmental allergens, because of poor immune systems. If your cat is already sick you definitely have to add probiotics to her diet daily to help her system fight the illness on her own as well.

Do remember, if your cat is on antibiotics, feed probiotics at least 2-3 hours before or after antibiotics, as antibiotics will kill off the probiotics in the gut.

Estimated price after conversion: SGD27.01


Now Foods, Slippery Elm, 400 mg, 100 Capsules, Product Code: NOW-04750
This is another must-have. It cures diarrhoea, constipation, vomitting, and yes, hairballs too. Does your cat eat too fast and regurgitate? This also helps. The taste is also not too horrible to add in wet food for the cat to eat. You need this. Buy it. Then you don't need hair-ball remedies anymore.

Estimated price after conversion: SGD6.34


Bio Kleen, Bac-Out, Stain & Odor Remover, 32 fl oz (946 ml), Product Code: BIK-00032
Stop throwing away rugs, carpets, bedsheets, cushions and pet beds. Get this product to remove pee and poo stains effectively, to the point where the pet no longer smells its own scent marks there and returns there to repeat the spray marking. It can clean without you ripping off sofa covers and washing them, just squirt, soak, clean with water. If you want to have even better scent removal, after that process, apply a slurry of baking soda and water, cover it with a wet towel, and then wipe off. When dry, vacuum or use a lint roller to remove the remaining particles of baking soda. To make things -even- more effective, buy a Feliway spray from The Water Dish to spray over the area when it is dry. Biokleen is a must-have in any pet household so that mommycat does not have so much laundry to do!

Estimated price after conversion: SGD10.84


With this cart of purchases, and using our discount code AVA985, and if you buy some of the product in bulk for bulk discounts, you will truly save a lot of money, and time rushing to the vet, and vet fees for simple things like a couple of vomitting. It also saves you money buying expensive supplements from pet stores and pharmacies! So go shop away, don't say we never share good things!



Current fundraising need: Make a pledge to our ER Fund.
Make a financial gift via a deposit to our POSB savings account 188-52652-7.  Find out more.    
Become a monthly giver to help ensure our rescues continue getting their needs met.    
Feed and provide litter to the cats we foster via our corporate sponsor The Water Dish.     
Follow on us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.