Pamper Your Pet, Naturally

"Feeding cheaply may cost you more in the long run--in veterinary bills," warns Martin Zucker, author of The Veterinarians' Guide to Natural Remedies for Dogs (Three Rivers Press, 2000, $14.95). Most commercial dog and cat foods are packed with meat by-products like beaks, fur and bones, low-quality grains and potentially carcinogenic preservatives like ethoxyquin. That's not all: Additives deemed necessary to maintain "freshness" actually pollute your pet's system with harmful chemicals.

For the dogs and cats... Marie Moody's Stella & Chewy's products use no preservatives, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, dyes, sugar and salt, and are freeze-dried rather than cooked to preserve nutritional value. "We use organic products whenever we can," Moody says. Available for dogs and cats: Frozen Chicken Steaks and Frozen Beef Steaks, ($9.99/1.5 lbs.). Treats: "Carnivore Crunch" ($11.99/4 oz.) (www.stellaandchewys.com, 718-522-9673).

For the birds... Dr. Harvey's finch, canary, cockatiel and parakeet birdseeds fly free of genetically engineered or feed-grain products, preservatives, dyes or fillers ($11.95/2-lb. bag; www.drharveys.com, 866-362-4123).

Clean and Chemical-Free: Given the plethora of chemical-laden dog and cat grooming products, it can be tempting to forgo a bath altogether! Don't. Earthbath has an array of biodegradable alternatives, blending plant essences and oils for a least toxic and environmentally friendly pet scrub. Earthbath Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo: Fragrance- and dye-free wash for puppies, kittens or pets with skin sensitivity. ($13/16 oz.; www.earthbath.com, 415-355-1166).

Shoo, fleas! Fumigating fleas and ticks with an insecticide collar can wreak havoc on your pet's nervous system. PetGuard's Herbal Collar for Dogs and Cats tackles the problem with a chemical-free "scent collar," consisting of plant oils only ($5.95; www.petguard.com, 877-PETGUARD).

Aquarium Alert: The $330-million-a-year aquarium-fish trade threatens not only clownfish like Nemo and 1,500 other species of exported fish but their increasingly fragile coral-reef ecosystems. Choose only fish bearing the "Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) Certified" label (www.aquariumcouncil.org, 808-550-8217). If you can't locate MAC-certified clownfish, try these MAC-certified alternatives: Snowflake Eel (Echidna nebulosa), $40; Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), $25; Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto), $20.