Q: Having good reeds is one of the most important considerations when playing the bassoon. You can save money by making your own reeds, but it is a time-consuming process. Your reeds should not have cracks in them. All of the wires should be intact. You should look for professional, handmade reeds rather than machine-produced reeds. Try premade reeds when you're just starting out. You don't want to invest the time it takes to learn about making your own reeds (and invest in the necessary equipment) if you end up deciding not to be a bassoonist. If you've decided to stick with the bassoon, consider making your own reeds. You can purchase reed making kits. Alternately, you can gather the materials for finishing your own reeds by acquiring a reed knife, mandrel, reamer, plaque, small rat-tail file, fine flat file, fine sandpaper, small pliers, small block of hardwood, and cane. Some of these items can be found in hardware stores, and others you can look for at local music stores or online. Your reed case should be ventilated with holes to prevent mildew. If your reeds came in an airtight plastic container, don't use that for storing your reeds. Avoid cases with plastic foam or cotton cushioning, which can promote mildew. Look for a reed case that can store at least three reeds and has mandrels for mounting them. Wood or tin cases that hold reeds securely work well. A reed soaker is a sealable container that you fill with water and use to soak your reed before using it to play your instrument. You can purchase a container for soaking reeds, or repurpose a container you already have that will suit the purpose. If you don't want to get a reed soaker, you can use a faucet to wet your reeds instead. For example, a small lidded plastic container, an empty pill container with a lid, or an empty film canister will all do the job. If you're playing in a school band, you might be required to have a reed soaker on hand. Check with your instructor. You should use a swabbing cloth to clean your bassoon every time you finish playing it. You will need a pull through swab, so that it can remove the moisture from inside your bassoon. Get a small brush for dusting under the keys. Pick a brush with natural bristles, not synthetic. Avoid wool swabs which shed fibers and can get stuck in parts of your instrument. Silk swabs are a good choice. Don't use long "pipe cleaner" swabs. For instance, a paint brush that is one inch wide will work as a dusting brush. You will need a seat strap to play the bassoon sitting down. If you want to play it standing up, you'll need a neck strap also. If your bassoon didn't come with a seat strap, you can either buy one or make one using an old belt. Cut the buckle off the belt. Use pliers to insert a metal coat hanger through one of the belt holes. Bend the wire until it is the shape of a hook. Having a hand rest is optional, however you may need one depending on the length of your hand. If you're going to use a neck strap, you will need some type of hand support. Select a hand rest with a size and shape that is comfortable for you. The tenons of your bassoon will need to be lubricated. Get paraffin canning wax if you have thread wrapped tenons. If you have corked tenons, get cork grease. Always have a pen or pencil with your music supplies. You will want to mark your music as needed. For example, you can mark upside-down arrows at the points where you should breathe in.
A: Decide how you will acquire reeds. Acquire a reed case. Consider getting a reed soaker. Select a swab and brush. Get straps. Consider getting a hand rest. Get cork grease or paraffin wax. Pen or pencil.

Q: Cats are obligate carnivores and they need meat-based protein to thrive. Check the ingredients list on cat food to confirm the first ingredient is a meat like chicken, tuna, beef, or turkey. Good cat food will list a specific meat as the first ingredient, rather than 'meat by-products' or 'poultry'.. If the label just says "meat" or "meat by-product," it may not be very high quality. Make sure the type of animal protein is specified on the label. Many cat foods will contain grains like corn, barley, or wheat. These grains provide carbohydrates for cats, which will give them energy. Ideally, the top 5 ingredients in the food should be meat first, organs second (such as liver), followed by grains and plant matter. Meat should always come before grains and vegetables. These ingredients are essential to maintaining your cat's health. If the cat food contains high quality meat content, it should contain taurine and arachidonic acid. If the cat food does not contain taurine or arachidonic acid, it likely does not contain animal sources of protein. Avoid cat foods that have plant sources of protein instead of animal sources of protein. Look for vitamins like vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in the food. These vitamins are essential to keeping your cat healthy. Minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, sodium, and zinc should also be listed as ingredients in the cat food. These minerals help your cat maintain healthy joints, bones, and teeth. Most cat foods will contain animal by-products. If the food is high quality, it may contain animal by-products like liver, and lungs. These are fine for cats to consume. Lower-quality foods may have animal by-products (such as fur or feathers) that are hard for cats to digest. Avoid lower-quality cat foods with lots of unspecified by-products. By-products should appear before the list of grains, plant matter, vitamins, and minerals. They are highly nutritious and come with great benefits. Some cat food brands will list the by-products, such as "animal liver or lungs" while other brands may just say "animal by-products." Try to pick a food that specifies the by-product. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates pet food and helps to ensure pet food is to industry standards. Look at the label on the food to confirm it has been certified by the AAFCO. This means the food has been independently tested and deemed safe for pets.
A:
Check for meat proteins. Look for high-quality grains in the food. Check the taurine and arachidonic acid content. Confirm there are vitamins and minerals in the food. Check for by-products. Check if the food has been certified by the AAFCO.