February 2012

Sleepypod - Let Kitty Travel in Comfort

If your kitty is anything like mine, they hate to travel in a car. A 15 minute car ride to the vet results in an anxious cat that cries and meows for the entire trip. My cat will sometimes get sick in the carrier, leaving a mess that is not much fun to clean up.

I was on the hunt for a better option, and that's how I discovered the Sleepypod. Unlike a traditional pet carrier, this one provides comfort to an otherwise nervous kitty. My cat will never again ride in the car without it.

Newly-Adopted Cat Gives the Ultimate Gift of Gratitude

In my favorite feel-good story of the week, a cat who had just been adopted a few hours earlier is responsible for saving his owner’s life when she suffered a diabetic seizure.  The cat, Pudding, jumped on his new owner’s chest, reviving her momentarily.  She called out to her son for help, but when he didn’t hear, brilliant Pudding rushed to the boy’s room and woke him to call for help.

Cat Treats for Tempting Kitty

"Overall, all of these treats were a huge hit with my cats."

Just like people, my cats like to indulge in a little treat every now and then. They run into the room as soon as I open a container of treats. All of the cats follow me around when I have these irresistible bites in my hand. I almost feel like the Pied Piper.

The supermarket shelves are stocked to the limit with various junk food for cats. I often find myself staring at the selection, wondering which ones my cats will enjoy the most. I recently purchased several bags of these temping cat treats to see how they responded to each brand. Here are the results:

Build Your Own Scratching Post

Cats just love scratching posts and cat trees, but have you looked at the prices of those lately?  Paying $100 for a chunk of plywood covered in cheap carpet seems a little excessive to me, especially when you can easily make your own, and a custom one at that, for a fraction of the price.  If you aren’t afraid of a little elbow grease, making your own scratching post is a great way to keep your cat happy for a lot less money, and as we all know, money can’t buy a cat’s love or all those toys would have done it for sure.

Super-Premium Cat Foods

The real surprise is how many people still feed their cats Cat Chow or Meow Mix.
The New York Times has a recent article about the trend towards super-premium, incredibly expensive cat and dog foods being brought to market. They are produced by small companies like Weruva and Tiki Cat, and include ridiculously delicious-sounding names and flavors, with whole food ingredients that are often marked "human grade."
 
I might be inclined to laugh at this silly article and the silly people in it. Except that I buy that stuff, now, too. 
 
I have an older cat - almost 17 - and he has become picky in his golden years. But you know what? He goes mad for Tiki Cat and Fussie Cat. These are both preposterously expensive, tiny little cans of stuff that honestly I could totally see myself spreading on a cracker. Today for lunch I literally fed myself and my cat the same dollar amount of food. He got a 2.8 ounce can of Fussie Cat "Tuna and mussels in aspic" (89 cents), and I fixed myself a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese (5 for a dollar).

Cats on a Leash

When I was younger, I saw what I thought was one of the most ridiculous things ever conceived…a cat on a leash.  I mean, cats are born to wander, not be chained up like a dog.  We all know we are beneath them, so the thought of subjecting a cat to such nonsense almost seems blasphemous.  I thought that until I talked to the owner of the cat, who had a perfectly reasonable excuse for walking his cat on a leash.

Cat Eye Colors

If you ask any cat owner, they will probably tell you that their cat’s eyes are the most striking feature.  Cats have unique eyes that are beautiful and luminous, made even more so by their vivid colors.  While the most common colors of cat eyes are brown, yellow or orange, many cats also have blue or green eyes.

What is the Deal with Catnip?

Most every cat owner that I know has a stash of catnip toys hidden in a drawer somewhere. Whenever Kitty is really looking bored, we like to pull them out for a little bit of fun. Our cats roll around in it like crazy. They lick the toy and don't want anyone else touching it. They may even get angry if we try to take it away from them.

I have one cat, in particular, that is what I call a "mean drunk." If he smells catnip, he MUST have it right then. He is willing to do whatever it takes to get this treat. Whenever another cat approaches him, he will attack them to protect his catnip. I think it is his drug of choice. Once the toy is removed, our kitty is friendly and happy once again.

So, what's the deal with catnip? Why does it make normally docile kitties go wild for a short period of time?

The Best Cat Toy Ever

Any time I walk into a pet store, I have a hard time avoiding the cat toy section.  Those toys just look like so much fun, and I want to bring them home for the kitties to play with.  I have learned my lesson though, after buying toys time and again and watching the cats turn up their noses in disdain.  No more will I waste money on store bought toys, when the best toy in the whole world is available for free and in ample supply.