Well as long as the idea is to get people to learn and discern for
themselves take this into consideration, Ferrets, cats and dogs are
considered domesticated, by definition this means they are accustomed
to the domiciles of humans - or in other words - developed by humans
in order to offer assistance to the human.

Their very first employment was likely as vermin eradicators, since
wherever humans are, so too are rodents (feasting on our trash).
Eventually as humans became more agrarian these friendly animals were
bred for more selective purposes - the smaller focused on vermin, the
larger as livestock guards, the fleet as hunters helpers. This process
took thousands of years.$,500 to 5,000 for cats and ferrets, and much
longer for canines.

There were NO kibble companies thousands of years ago. The animals
were fed - and obviously thrived upon the rewards of their labors and
generosities of their keepers. Considering how labor intensive grain
growing, collecting, flour making and hence bread making was before
the advent of the industrial revolution it is highly doubtful domestic
animals of historical times were even offered a crust of bread!

Go to Purina's site they advertise merely 8 decades of producing animal
chows. They also call it science, and remark how they work closely and
fund veterinarians. They also proclaim how they will NOT be moving away
from using corn as one of their main ingredients and attempt to justify
that philosophy with the analysis of corn's protein content. Their food
is also labelled as 100% Nutritionally complete and balanced.
http://www.purina.com/?utm_content=corporate-purina.com-Brand#/

Visit http://www.hillspet.com/index.html they advertise only 7 decades
of pet food experience. And they proudly proclaim they are "Vets #1
Choice to feed their own pets". They too claim their foods are 100%
nutritionally complete and balanced.

Visit <http://www.iams.com/pet-health/cat-article/reading-labels-read-between-the-lines>
Iams clearly states the differences of tested and formulated AAFCO
statements - that is VERY interesting as well as scarey, considering
the 6 month life span requirement and body mass loss approved by the
AAFCO for their feeding trials - if a pet food is simply formulated
to meet that same analysis it gets to wear the AAFCO label! Talk about
false assurances!

http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/history.aspx
also proclaims an 8 decade history.

http://www.royalcanin.us/about-us/about-royal-canin/royal-canin-history
founded in 1967 (younger than I am) BY a Veterinarian in France.

Blue Buffalo has been in business LESS than a decade
<http://www.bbb.org/connecticut/business-reviews/pet-foods-wholesale-and-manufacturers/the-blue-buffalo-company-ltd-in-wilton-ct-84001694>
only being incorporated since 2006 after their family dog died of
cancer. They too, employ typical advertising and package labeling
double-speak:
<http://www.petproductnews.com/headlines/2009/05/11/nad-refers-blue-buffalos-advertising-to-federal-trade-commission.aspx>

So with just these few examples in mind and their obvious recent influx
to domestic carnivore's gustatory needs; thank you very much, but I
will defer to mother nature's evolutionary designs - after all, it
was the carnivore's NATURAL abilities that made early humans perk up
and figure out ways to make use of those skills!

Just because of improvements in rodenticides, pesticides, refrigeration,
transportation, storage and waste management may mean our domestic
animals can now be simply companions - does NOT mean their dietary
needs have changed! They are STILL carnivores - not herbivores, not
vegetarians and for them to enjoy optimal health means they need to
eat as naturally as possible.

This means a tad more effort on our part, not just leave our
companion's nutritional needs to some faceless profiteering corporation
that really does NOT care if your pet lives longer than 6 months and
sustains a 20% body mass loss. Yes, please DO think and consider
exactly what is in that bag of who knows what? Yes, please do think
about making the time to prepare a raw meaty bones meal, think about
investing the time to learn about a whole prey diet, think about how
your pet will enjoy more stamina, more vigor, more satiety, longer good
health. Please do think about fewer vet visits, better oral health, no
bad breath, fewer stools. Please do think about the wide variety of raw
meaty bones, organs and whole prey that can be offered - such a variety
will completely balance your companion's diet! Thinks about how many
of those raw meaty bones can be purchased at your local grocery store,
purchased in bulk and at the end will offer much more nutrition for
pennies compared to that who knows what in a bag! Yes, please do think
about it! Better yet, ACT upon it! Your pet will love you for it!

Cheers,
Kim

for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards60.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets

[Posted in FML 7808]