What’s the best way to keep outdoor cats warm and dry during winter months (and safe and cozy year round)? With their own cat house, of course! The great looking The new and improved Kitty Tube. Fully insulated outdoor cat house., shown here, is the perfect solution.

Winters here in Kentucky can be pretty intense, so keeping our outside cats warm and dry is always a concern. It is of no concern to our inside cat, Alexa, so she has yet to extend them an invitation to join us inside.

The past few days have been not only cool, but extremely windy. This great looking insulated cat house would have been IDEAL. Hannah hates the wind as much as most cats hate rain.  The problem with Hannah is one a lot of cat parents run into, she wants to be close to the spot(s) she’s most familiar with. In her case, it’s the carport.  Her favorite outdoor furniture is there, her dishes are there, and (naturally) that’s where she sees her family the most.

When it gets cooler (and windy), I carry her out to the garage and show her around – trying to entice her into sleeping in there. My husband keeps the door open just enough for them to come and go as they please.  Queen Fatima and Jelly Bean love the garage.  They head for the loft and sleep for hours on end.

Then there’s Hannah.   Yesterday I kept looking out and seeing her hovering by the steps, cursing the wind.  It called for drastic action, so I fashioned a tent over a few outdoor chairs and placed her a blanket on the ground inside her tent. She practically ran inside.  Naturally, this earned her some of her favorite cat treats.

This ingenious cat house would be the answer to our problems.  Read and see for yourself how great it sounds!

Product Features

• The Kitty Tube provides an economical, safe, and secure home for up to 3 cats. The Kitty Tube’s unique door design will also protect your cat from predators.
• The Kitty Tube includes a custom, machine washable pet bed on top of the fully insulated floor. The floor, walls, and roof are all insulated with a high quality, high R value insulation. The Kitty Tube will stay cool in the summer, and is ultra warm in the winter. (Style of the custom pet bed may vary.)
• The built in lifting handles can be adjusted to supply full flow through ventilation for the summer, and can be closed to retain heat in the winter.
• The Kitty Tube is made from 100% post consumer content, consisting of recylced milk and detergent bottles. The Kitty Tube is an extremely green product, and proudly made in the USA.

See The new and improved Kitty Tube. Fully insulated outdoor cat house. for a closer look.

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Black Cats
Buy This Allposters.com

Black cats are some of the most gorgeous cats in the world. Their shiny black coat is beautiful and silky soft and the contrast between the beautiful black fur and their beautiful eyes is something that’ll stop you in your tracks every single time.

What’s more, my experience with black cats has been that they’re super sweet and loving. I’m not suggesting that a cat’s fur color influences their personality or disposition, necessarily, but I can say this with absolute certainty: I have never had a black cat that wasn’t uncommonly sweet and affectionate. We had a very small black cat once we named Rene Elise. I named her after a beautiful actress who was on daytime television at the time (on One Life to Live, actually!). Rene Elise was a hugger. Any time you picked her up, she’d put her little arms around your neck and stay that way the entire time you held her or carried her around. She was beautifully solid black with a little pink nose and white whiskers. She was an absolute doll and couldn’t have been sweeter if she were covered in sugar.

Hannah is a black baby with a little white on  her and, like Rene Elise was, Hannah is as sweet as winter is long. Sweeter. Jelly Bean is solid black and is also a sweetheart.  Very affectionate and loving – a big baby! Which is really something because he was born to a feral cat that I cared for and fed.  She rarely let me touch her and her babies were the same way for a long time.  But once Jelly Bean and Fatima discovered that I was on their side, they became TOTAL love bugs!

If you, or someone you know, ever finds yourself looking for a cat to adopt, why not bring home a couple of black beauties? They’re very regal and you won’t regret it for a single second. In fact, you’ll probably go back for more!

Click through the beautiful and fun wall decal above for a closer look. Aren’t they precious?!?!

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Like all kids, cats LOVE new and original toys. They love when mom and dad present them with something fresh, fun, and fabulous – you know, something deserving of their attention!

The Green Magic Boomerang Buddy is filled with 100% premium catnip for a powerful catnip scent, meaning your cat(s) will be over the moon.

Remember, playing with your cat isn’t just fun for you, it’s wonderful fun for you cat.  It’s also very good for his or her health – physical, emotional, and mental. Cats need the stimulation to stay mentally fit and the exercise keeps them physically fit and healthy.  Playtime is also a very special time to bond with your cat, so be sure to make time several times a day to just lose yourself in your cat’s world.

Earlier today, I was sitting outside with our outside cats (Hannah, Jelly Bean, and Queen Fatima).  I was playing with Hannah (with a long wildflower).  She’d paw at it, then go behind my back and pounce on it.  As you may remember, Jelly Bean and Queen Fatima were FERAL kittens when they came into our family.  It took months of extreme patience to get them to the point that I could even touch them! Thankfully, today I’m able to pet, rub, and babytalk them just as easily as I can Hannah or Alexa.

However, they’d never shown any inclination to play.  They’d always watch me and Hannah.  They’d sit right beside me, allowing me to pet them – and they’d even purr the entire time, but they never actually caught on to PLAY.

Until today.

As I slowly drug the wildflower on the ground in front of Queen Fatima (a tiny, adorable little grey cat), she pounced on it – kind of catching herself off guard.  I have no idea why, but tears sprang in my eyes as I tried not to laugh too loudly (they’re still really jumpy).  When I passed it in front of her again, she swatted at it and looked at Hannah as though to say, “Am I doing it right?”

Jelly Bean came over and decided to take part as well.  The only problem was, he decided to lay down right on top of our wildflower!

Game over.

He rolled over, exposing his belly, so of course I had to tickle it.  He playfully grabbed my hand, and I was very thankful he left his claws in.  I gotta admit, I was a little nervous.  I’ve tried to get pictures of them to add to the site, but they don’t pose nearly as well as Hannah and Alexa do.  They still aren’t sure about the whole camera thing and I’m not about to push things with them.  I’ve seen a lot of feral cats than NEVER let people touch them, I just feel extra blessed that my babies have come this far!

To take a closer look at the toy shown above, and treat your baby to something extra fun, click the following link: Petstages Green Magic Boomerang Buddy

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Can you imagine a day spent doing absolutely nothing? No television, no internet, no trips to the store, no reading… zip, nada. What if a couple of these days were strung together? Not only would we be bored out of our minds, our minds would, literally, begin to degenerate; followed closely by our bodies. We’d probably ask ourselves, “Is life really even worth living?!”

When you think about it in these jolting terms, you realize JUST how important it is to provide your cat(s) with plenty of entertainment, amusement, and activity (mental and physical).

Outside Cats

Outside cats get a pretty regular stream of different activities. They don’t always peruse them, of course, but they ARE there! My Hannah is a little bit older, and extremely laid back, so she watches the activities go on around her. Jelly Bean and Queen Fatima (when you’ve had as many cats as we’ve had over the years, you get pretty creative with the names!) explore most noises and activities, unless it’s a really lazy day – then they memo the activity to go ahead without them.

However, make no mistake about it, outside cats still enjoy playtime with their “parents.” Hannah LOVES playing something we call “Sliding Stick” – okay, I call it that, she just calls it “Mew.” I slide it horizontally back and forth in front of her, while she picks the perfect time to pounce. When playing with cats, they love it when you vary the speed of a game like this – fast at times, slow at times. You’ll be able to tell by your cat’s reaction which he/she prefers. When Prissy was younger, she loved for toys to move as fast as they possibly could (the way Alexa prefers them now), but when she got older (like Hannah), I had to make sure the toys knew we were dealing with a “special” baby.

I still buy cat toys for my outside cats, as I do for my inside cat (Alexa) and as I did for my inside girl, Prissy. However, I’ve found that their tastes in toys differ from inside cats. They prefer the natural-looking toys. A favorite (in addition to sticks!) is anything with feathers on it, for obvious reasons, I guess. They appreciate toys that squeak and chirp, but bells seem to leave them puzzled. I guess they never heard an animal that chimed!

Scratching posts don’t really fascinate my outside cats either, but they do LOVE the inexpensive cardboard scratching pads that are treated with catnip. Like Alexa, they think it’s party time when I bring home a new one. Their reaction reminds me of myself when I have something chocolate…. anything chocolate.

If you have outside cats, be sure to spend plenty of time in playtime with them. Yes, the world is their playground, but they’d rather enjoy it with you than by themselves.

Inside Cats

While outside cats need the extra stimulation and entertainment, I have to admit, when I think of how critical playtime is for cats, I tend to think primarily of the inside cat. Especially for cats that spend a lot of time alone during the day – without the ever entertaining human to watch. I work from home full time and my daughters (and one of their boyfriends) are normally home, offering Miss Alexa endless amusement. However, if I know we’re all going to be out of the house for a while, I often leave the television on for her. I put it on a channel that’s frequently on (like the Food Network, ESPN, or The Cooking Channel), so she can watch her favorite shows!

A few days ago, she was in the kitchen when my youngest daughter and I stepped out, leaving Alexa home alone for a few hours. This wouldn’t be a huge deal for most cats, but like I said, Alexa’s used to at least one or two people being here pretty much 24/7. So I turned on the tv in the home office for her, since it’s the room she’s in the most often anyway (workaholic cat). I put it on the Food Network and when I came home later, she was on the love seat in front of the television watching Rachael Ray, a personal favorite.

Apparently a favorite of Alexa’s as well.

Inside cats love a wide variety of toys – you pretty much just have to test some out to find your cat’s favorite type of toy. Never overlook what’s right in front of you, though. A paper sack and the plastic lid to a milk jug provide hours and hours of enjoyment!

A word of caution when using playthings with your cat, always make sure its safe. Think through any and all possible outcomes before giving your cat a particular object or toy. Most commercial cat toys have been tested and tested some more, so they’re usually safe. However, always make sure there’s nothing that could come off and choke your cat. Also, beware of these potential hazards:

• Ribbons on gifts, shoestrings, and yarn: If they’re very long, they could become wrapped around your cat’s neck (just as dangerous as cords on mini blinds). Also, some cats have gotten choked on ribbons they’ve gotten into their throats. Never leave them lying around where your cat could “play” with one without your supervision.
• Gift bags with handles: Again, the handles can be a choking hazard. Cats can get their heads/necks stuck and panic. Alexa loves the feel of gift bags, so we get FULL use out of using gift bags. Long after the gift has been given, she loves to sit on and “rough up” the bag. However, I always remove the handles. As accident-prone as she is, she’d find a way to hurt herself.
• Be very, very cautious of ironing boards or anything else that isn’t perfectly steady.  Make sure cat towers, scratching posts, etc are steady and won’t tip over on your cat.  Alexa broke her little leg in two separate places when she ran, jumped on an ironing board, and pulled it down on top of her.  It broke my heart so completely, I’m not sure it’ll ever heal completely!  Her leg did, but my heart’s another matter. I learned then that you can never be too careful – you can’t predict what a cat’s going to do, so never take any chances.

The video at the top of this article is a good example of cat parents entertaining their adorable cat WITHOUT FRUSTRATING her/him. I despise cat videos where it appears that the cat is being scared or frustrated. When the video is just pure clean fun, and the cat is obviously having the time of his/her life, it’s a beautiful and wonderful thing. This video’s a perfect example of cat lovers taking delight in their beautiful cat and sharing it with other cat lovers. THAT’S what funny cat videos are supposed to be. It’s also a perfect example of amusing and entertaining a curious cat.

That’s the beauty of cats, they’re so curious and inquisitive, it doesn’t take much to fascinate them. JUST LIKE CHILDREN.

Just be sure you never frustrate, aggravate, or annoy your cat. If they’re agitated, they may look cute but they aren’t enjoying it any more than a human would if someone pinched their ear or tapped their nose. Be sure to always amuse, not annoy.

A few personal tips for playing with your cat:

1. Pick your moments. Be sure that playtime is a time when your cat will enjoy it most.  Never wake her up to play and don’t think for a moment that she’ll be interested in play if eating is on her mind.  Also, don’t play right after she eats… can you say upset stomach?
2. When playing with your cat, give her your full attention. Don’t “go through the motions” while distracted by a ballgame, book, or television show.  Cats are extremely perceptive and they’ll get more enjoyment from it if their human is having at least as much fun.
3. Mix things up. Your cat… and you!… will understandably have a favorite game you return to often (like Hannah’s “Sliding Stick”) but try to mix things up to keep it interesting.  Think of it as “nurturing” different aspects of your cat’s skills.  One game may keep her sharp and fast, while another feeds her instinct to “stalk.”  A favorite game of Alexa’s is to chase my hand as it moves underneath covers. She’ll slink around the bed, keeping low, until she thinks she has the perfect angle – then she’ll pounce on my poor hand!  Even underneath comforters and quilts, the “prey” sometimes feels it.
4. Never confuse your cat. Add this one to the MUSTN’T ANNOY THE CAT OR FRUSTRATE THE CAT rule.  If you’re playing with your cat and he/she gets all worked up to the point of hissing or you accidentally get scratched, realize that YOU took it too far.  Don’t get onto or yell at the cat. She’ll only be confused and certain that you’re a poor sport.
5. Keep it Fresh! Every now and then I share information that gives away JUST how pampered my cats are, and this is one of those times.  I keep a little “toy box” of toys for Alexa and pull out different ones weekly.  This keeps them fresh for her and it sometimes seems like she thinks she just got a whole new batch of toys.  Saturday is her designated day for the switcheroo. However, she does have one favorite toy that stays out all the time.  It’s a little bird that makes a bird sound when tapped.  Sometimes she pounces on it and other times I’ll watch as she just walks by and pops it with a paw to make it tweet.
6. Get a little exercise while you’re at it! If you “go all out,” you can actually get some exercise while playing with your cats!  When I get on the floor for yoga, Alexa automatically thinks it’s playtime, so we usually combine the two.  Sometimes she just likes to watch, probably wondering if I’ve completely lost my mind. I catch her expression sometimes and it’s like she’s thinking, “Why, mom, why?”

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Of our four cats (Alexa, Hannah, Queen Fatima, and Jelly Bean), two are from a feral cat I named Ming Li. Although these two are extremely friendly and not only allow me to pet them (but enjoy it profusely), they have certain characteristics that definitely separate them from Hannah and Alexa. For example, cat parents can always pick up their babies and even walk around the house or yard with them – I can certainly do so with my non-feral cats.

However, picking up a feral cat is generally not something they enjoy and I would only attempt it if it were to remove them (or a smaller animal) from harm.

The most unfortunate, and even heart-breaking thing, about caring for and loving feral cats is you never know when they’ll leave you. It’s been my experience that they aren’t often the healthiest little things (I recently lost one, “Bullet”). Plus, by nature, they love to roam and scout out new territories.

Fortunately, the two we have now were born on our property and have known us since they can remember – so I’m pretty certain they aren’t going anywhere. I also get the feeling that each was the healthiest from their prospective litters. Jelly seldom ever leaves the carport or front yard and Queen Fatima’s never gone on one of her infamous “hunts” for very long. While they “seem” like the other cats 98 percent of the time, occasionally there’ll be a reminder that there are definite differences.

For example, just this morning, as I was feeding the three outside cats, I leaned down and kissed Hannah on the head. It was met with a hard, fast purr and she continued eating. I then did the same to Jelly Bean and you’d have thought he’d been attacked by a giant, cat-eating owl! The smooch sound, alone, jolted Fatima even before it was her turn for a kiss. Each went back to eating as I petted their backs and heads, but they each kept one eye out for the ridiculous noise I’d previously made.

All along, I’ve tried to take things very slowly with them, on their terms. When you’re fortunate enough to have feral cats in your life, you have to remember that it’s all about them, not you. You can’ t let a selfish desire to touch or hug one get in the way of what really matters: You’re providing food, water, love, and care. You’re building a bond of trust and establishing a relationship, but know that they’re always in charge of how close you can get and how fast the bond is built.

There have been some feral cats that I’ve never been able to touch at all. It took months (LONG months because I was dying to pet her precious little head!) before Ming Li allowed me the honor of rubbing her. When she first threw her tiny body against my arms and purred, tears rolled down my cheeks because I was so happy – and completely honored by her trust. She honored me another way, too. Twice. I call one Queen Fatima and the other Jelly Bean.

I will always believe that Ming Li knew she wasn’t well. She had her babies near me so I could take care of them, and again, if I thought about it long enough the tears would flow once more.

The t-shirts in this post pay homage to feral cats and the patient individuals who care for them. These are really super cute – almost as cute as wild, unpredictable feral cats, themselves!

Click each for a closer look and spread the word about Feral cats and Feral cat care. The best thing about t-shirts such as this is that people will very often ask you, “What’s a feral cat?” Then you have a golden opportunity to educate them about feral cats and maybe even convert a feral cat car provider in the process. When you click through, you’ll find other t-shirts as well as other colors and sizes.

I love feral cats Light T-Shirt

Feral Cat 4a Organic Women’s Fitted T-Shirt (dark)

Takes a Village, Feral Cats Women’s V-Neck T-Shirt

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If you’re familiar with me at all, you know that I have 5 cats. One (Alexa) is an indoor diva and the other four (Hannah, Bullet, Jelly Bean, and Queen Fatima) are outside cats.  Alexa – who was “here first” as she likes to remind the others – will not even consider allowing the others to get so much as one paw through the door.  Fortunately, these outside babies don’t seem to mind the arrangement.  No doubt if they did show interest in coming in out of the weather, I’d have to have a long, hard talk with little Miss Alexa.

We live outside the city limits, on a large piece of land.  There is actually an old barn, as well as a garage (my husband keeps the door cracked for them to come and go, then cleans it out when spring hits…. sigh, I love him).  When Bo and Svenn were alive, they absolutely loved the garage.  They could be found sleeping up in the loft even in the summer!  Bullet is also big on the garage and when the weather is particularly cold or stormy, off he goes.  Jelly Bean likes to go back and forth between the garage and the barn.

Odd that he’s the only one (of the many, many, many cats we’ve had over the years) to seek warmth and refuge in the barn.

HOWEVER, my little outside girls (Hannah and Fatima) will not head for the garage unless it’s storming or snow is on the ground.  No matter how cold it gets, they see no need to leave the carport.  I always make them a little tent in the corner – with many thick covers and blankets draped over a few lawn chairs.  When it isn’t too cold, all 4 cats can be found in their tent!  Yet I always wanted something more – another warm option for them….

…something like a little house.

Ironically enough, I had been thinking about this situation when I got an e-mail asking if I’d like a KatKabin to review for Cat-Pause.com.  I was thrilled to accept and watched for its delivery daily.

When the KatKabin arrived, Alexa and I anxiously opened the box.  The KatKabin was bigger and even prettier than I had hoped for!  They sent me a beautiful hot pink version and Alexa couldn’ t take her eyes off of it.  I put it on the ground – without the little removable door on the front – to see if she’d go in.  She’s kind of an odd duck about things like that, so I was skeptical.  However, she marched right in, turned around and laid down on the soft little pad it comes with!

Unfortunately for her, I had the KatKabin in mind for the outside kids – after all, she has a heated home with warm couches and warm beds!  I hauled the beautiful little KatKabin outside for the fearless foursome to inspect.  It was a chilly day but not cold enough to send the boys off to the barn or garage.  Jelly Bean was the first one to try out the KatKabin.  He actually took up residence for about an hour before the others got a shot at it!  Bullet’s snide, mocking looks (imagine, a tough guy cat lounging in a hot pink cabin) didn’t faze him. He just went to sleep in his comfortable surroundings.

The minute Jelly Bean left the KatKabin (nature called), Queen Fatima (a very small, adorable, fragile gray cat – she’s the spitting image of her feral cat mom, Ming Li) went in. Since we lost Ming Li (I loved that little eccentric cat!), Queen Fatima looks at Hannah as her mother – something that Hannah endures with great humor.  The fact that she separated from Hannah long enough to try out the KatKabin kind of caught us all off guard.

Over the course of the day, all of the cats took turns with the KatKabin. At one point, Fatima and Hannah were in there at once. Fatima looked blissfully happy but Hannah looked like she could use a big old helping of “ME time.”

Even on the coldest days, when I stick my hand into the KatKabin, I’m amazed at how much warmer it is in there.  The cat’s body heat sort of creates a little sauna. When the weather isn’t overly cold (we’ve actually enjoyed some really nice weather for over a week), I take off the little removable clear door.  My cats love to sit in their KatKabin and watch birds, one another, me…..  Bullet actually tends to lie in it toward the front with his little arms sort of sticking out – it reminds me of a dog in a dog house.  A comparison he doesn’t appreciate.

Product Description

Product Description

KKZBL Doors: Single Door (as shown) The KatKabin DezRez is the new outdoor stylish house for cats. It is a light yet sturdy house with unique, feline-shaped ends that will appeal to cats of every type. The KatKabin will stand securely on any type of ground and comes with a KatKushion and a KatFlap door to keep wind and rain out. Please Note: Double-door KatKabins are special orders, and thus NOT returnable. Please allow an extra 24 – 48 hours for processing on double-door orders. Features: -Royal blue is the ideal choice for that cool, confident cat about town. -Includes KatKushion and a KatFlap door to keep the rain out. -Optional double door setup has door on each end (special order, not returnable). -Outdoor stylish house for cats. -Light yet sturdy with unique feline-shaped ends. -Great shelter for abandoned, wild or feral cats. -Specifically developed as an outside cat house which withstand extremes of temperature. -Made from the strongest materials and will not fade in sunlight. -Will stand securely on any type of ground and comes with a KatKushion and a KatFlap door to keep wind and rain out. -Dimensions: 13” H x 16” W x 22” D.

Whether your cat is an inside cat, an outside cat, or enjoys the best of both worlds – he or she will LOVE this KatKabin. You’ll love how beautiful it looks and love the fact that it keeps your baby warmer even more. Read more about the KatKabin by clicking the link or order your’s today on Amazon.

Order the Blue KatKabin.

Order the

Order the KatKabin DezRez Standard in Hot Pink.

Remember, the KatKabin is available in many colors. Just click through one of the links above and find the color you want! Those of us who love our cats like family (which is exactly what they are) do everything in our power to make them healthy, safe, and happy. This is just another way to show our babies how much we love them.

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See more Lolcats and funny pictures

Brrrrrr… it has already cooled off considerably and thoughts have turned to keeping our outside cats warm.  As you know, we have one inside diva extraordinaire (Alexa).  She claims “squatting rights” and insists that our other cats remain outdoors.  Truth be told, outdoors is all 3 of them know and they’re just wild enough to flip if we ever did try to bring them indoors.

I remember one year we were having a HORRIBLE storm and I was scared for our outdoor cat (Svenn).  He was also what you’d consider pretty “wild,” but I brought him in anyway.  After all, he was my wild baby and I wasn’t going to let anything happen to him.

He went nuts.

He ran into the sliding doors – he screamed and meowed like he were being tortured and no amount of coddling or baby talk would calm him down.  I honestly thought he was going to have a heart attack!

Needless to say, I haven’t made that mistake sense.

My husband keeps our garage door opened just enough for our cats to get inside (and short possums, but they seldom go in for long).  Fortunately we don’t use our garage for anything except storing Christmas decorations, yard work supplies, and other seasonal knick knacks – so the cats consider it a large, wonderful winter home.

Pretty soon, my husband will grab a bale or two of straw and put it up in the loft of the garage.  I’ve climbed up there before and am amazed at how warm it stays with the straw and old blankets.  Of course, when spring rolls around, I have a ton of sweeping and cleaning to do but…. are you kidding me, it’s SO worth it to keep my babies warm and comfortable!

I’ve been looking on Amazon this morning at some items Hannah, Jelly Bean, Queen Fatima, and Bullet would like in their winter home and have found some GREAT stuff.

First up, the K&H 3093 Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad with Fleece Cover.

Product Features

Second of all, the Allied Heated Pet Bowl – Plastic would keep them and ME happy. I can’t even tell you how many trips I make in the frigid cold to give them fresh, unfrozen ice!

Product Features

Last of all, I’m wild about this K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Camper, Measures 14 by 20 Inches! Knowing Alexa like I know Alexa – I KNOW she’d love this kitty camper even though she’s an inside cat. She gets chilly sometimes, even when we have the heat on. I remember Prissy always burrowed in between pillows or the girl’s stuffed animals on days she was convinced she was freezing! Even inside babies love heated beds and heated kitty campers!

Product Features

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As I’ve said many times before, I have outside cats that are only “outside” cats because of a certain inside baby (Alexa) who I’m afraid wouldn’t be too welcoming. We don’t call her our little spoiled baby for nothing.

Plus, a few of our outside cats are Ming Li’s kittens – she was a feral cat who it took months of coaxing to even approach. Unfortunately, she’s no longer with us but before she left, I was able to pet her at will – she actually became a pretty big baby, purring constantly.

She left behind several babies and, since they were born to such a wild little momma, I’d never stand a chance of picking them up!

I can pet two out of three of them regularly. They’re very sweet but picking them up would probably completely freak them out at this point.

So bringing them inside is an impossibility. Hannah, of course, can be picked up, hugged, kissed, and held all day… she loves it, the big baby. I’m just very scared of her and Alexa getting into a squabble. Besides, she doesn’t seem to mind living out in the wild.

However, with an excessive heat advisory in effect here in Owensboro, Kentucky today – I’ve been doing all I can to cool off my hot little girls and boys.

I’ve “iced” Hannah down twice – she loves it! Fatima wants no part of it and the boy cats look at me like I’ve lost my mind completely. Earlier, Fatima (the tiniest little cat in the world) looked on the brink of death – seriously. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes just didn’t look right. I wet a towel down with cool water and laid it on the ground. She wouldn’t let me rub her with it but when I laid it out on the ground, she laid on top of it.

I then took out a big bowl of ice and placed it all around the area she and Hannah were lying in. They both licked the ice and laid down amongst the melting glaciers.

One of the boy cats (Bullet) took off for the barn after a long cold drink and the other (Jelly Bean) enjoyed the glaciers with the girls.

He’s such a little Romeo.

I looked out a few minutes ago (I’ve been checking on them frequently) and they were still chilling nicely. Fatima looks 100 percent better and Hannah seems to be hinting for another ice massage.

Soooo…. I’m off to ice my girl down and HOPE the others will allow me to give them one as well.

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This morning, as I was admiring our beautiful purple morning glories (planted specifically beneath one of Alexa’s favorite windows – so she can admire butterflies and hummingbirds up close and personal), I realized that IF there were such a thing as reincarnation, you could do a lot worse than coming back as a pampered house cat! They don’t have to fight for anything – food, water, shelter, a bed, attention, safety, head scratches, 8:00 am hummingbird shows….

I read not long ago that one of the things we Americans DIDN’T cut back on during the slumping economy was pet food and pet supplies. We love our babies! They bring us so much love, happiness, joy, companionship, and laughter – how could we NOT want to give them everything their little cat hearts desire?

Admittedly, I just returned from the store with cat food, fresh cat litter, and even a bag of Whiska’s Cat Treats. All of our cats absolutely adore these cat treats, especially the Salmon variety.

Now, Alexa’s curled up in her favorite cat bed – belly full and more content than anyone or anything has a right to be!

Three of our outside babies (outside simply because Princess Alexa wouldn’t accept just being “one” of the cats inside… she has to be “the” diva who lives inside with her people) Hannah, Fatima, and Jelly Bean are sprawled out in the shade, enjoying their full bellies and the August breeze.

Our fourth outside cat, Bullet, is apparently off catting around or sacked out in a loft. Hannah ate enough treats for her and him both, though.

The Two Level Cat House -Cradle & Perch – Cream appears to be something Alexa would be very much interested in and, personally, I’m crazy about the beautiful Cream color – though they’re available in 9 great other colors as well. The hunter green is also gorgeous – it might even make the pampered cat feel like she’s out in the jungle!

Product Description:
Whether you have multiple kitties, or just one who is the queen or king of the castle, this Two Level cat house is a great piece of cat furniture. This cat house features two rest areas – a round bed and a curved cradle. Not only is this a terrific cat lounger, it also is a scratching post. A solid pine pole is wrapped in all-natural sisal rope, which provides an outlet for busy paws. Available in nine colors – Cream, Tan, Brown, Red, Navy Blue, Country Blue, Green, Gray, and Hunter Green. With such a range of colors, you’re sure to find one for even your most finicky of felines. And remember – not only do cats love having their own area, but a good scratching post will deter your cat from scratching your furniture! This item ships directly from the manufacturer. Product usually arrives in 4-10 business days, depending on destination, including order processing and shipping.

See Two Level Cat House -Cradle & Perch – Cream for a closer look. I just looked at the different colors again and now I’m torn – I love them all. The country blue couldn’t be any prettier. But the cream….

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I absolutely love What Is My Cat Thinking?: The Essential Guide to Understanding Pet Behavior, by Gwen Bailey. As the mother of (currently) six cats (and countless cats in the past and future), I can tell you this: Gwen Bailey knows her kitties!

The photography in this wonderful book is gorgeous and the information is priceless. There’s a great deal of humor because, face it, cat’s are – by nature – hilarious little creatures.

Even if you’re as close to and familiar with cats as I am, I guarantee you’ll learn something from this book. It’s chock-full of fascinating insight and explanations for many of the mysteries surrounding the way our cats think and behave. While they revel in being mysterious and quirky, Gwen Bailey lets us in on a few of their secret thoughts and feelings.

It’s just an outstanding book that I turn to again and again.

Below are a few of the excellent and informative Did You Know’s from the pages of What Is My Cat Thinking?

• A cat that has been to the vet may come back smelling very different and may be treated like a stranger by other cats that once lived in harmony with him.  Separating them and swapping their scents with a cloth may help.
• Adult cats are more likely to adjust to a new kitten than to a new adult cat that is introduced into the household.
• By sniffing a male cat’s urine, female cats can tell whether or not he is a suitable mate.  They are able to detect by-products of his food, which tell them how much fresh meat he has eaten, and hence, how good a hunter he is.  This helps determine how suitable he would be as a father for her kittens (Ming Li, apparently never found a scent she didn’t approve of!).
• The amount of socialization a kitten has with people while he is between two and seven weeks old will determine how well he will interact with people later in life.  Good experiences in early life will produce a friendly, outgoing cat.

The last Did You Know is one that I certainly can attest to.    The friendliest, most outgoing cats we’ve ever had were ones that we had from very, very early on. Alexa and Bo, for example, were born to our beloved Carly – we were there when they were born and every day thereafter.  This produced very friendly, outgoing, and spoiled babies!

We got our precious Prissy when she was only about 6 or 7 weeks old.  She was babied and pampered from the time she was tiny enough to fit in one hand to the day, over 20 years later, when we lost her.  On each of those many, many, many days, Prissy was one of the sweetest, friendliest, most sociable cats I’ve ever loved.  She’d greet strangers at the door, sit in any available lap and insist on being in the middle of everything.

Needless to say, I still miss that little girl something fierce but feel incredibly blessed to have had her in our family for so long.

I’m also incredibly blessed to have the beautiful little babies we have now.  Alexa and Hannah are extremely outgoing and friendly.  Alexa is my constant companion – always within reach for chin scratching, head rubbing, and belly tickling (and what a belly it is!).

Jelly Bean – although he was born to our feral cat Ming Li – is coming around.  I can pet him easily now.  I don’t push things and always allow him to call the shots.  He’s a large beautiful, solid black cat with gorgeous big green eyes.  He feels like absolute silk and the fact that he allows me to rub him now just makes me smile head to toe.

Tristan, Gabriel, Bullet, and Scratch (also Ming Li’s) weren’t around us at all in the first month of their lives.  Ming Li brought them into our yard (and garage!) when they were past 7 weeks old.  They remain very much feral cats but I honestly believe I’m winning one of them (Scratch) over.  Tristan, the only girl, is a very tiny black cat and I don’t think I have any hope of ever petting her.

Bullet shows promise, but not quite as much as Scratch.  Feral cats are so frustrating to people who love cats as much as I do!

Jelly Bean honestly is a reformed feral cat – he sticks close to the house and is becoming downright sociable.  I have a large basket with a blue baby blanket in it for him on a shelf on our carport.  It’s his bed of choice and he can be found in it 85 percent of the time. He even lets me pet him and baby talk him in his bed, something I wouldn’t have ever thought possible a few months ago.

Click the link to learn more about What Is My Cat Thinking?: The Essential Guide to Understanding Pet Behavior, by Gwen Bailey and to order a copy for you and your cat(s)!

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