This adorable Beware of Cat Italian Wall Sculpture: Attenti al Gatto can let your visitors know just what (or who) lies ahead! I figure it’ll be a great way to warn visitors to our home about Alexa. After all, she’s Carly’s descendant so wildness is completely in her blood.

Sigh. I still miss Carly. We’re saving $100s on band-aids, but I miss my little Holy terror.

Product Description:
Leave it to the Italians to come up with this imaginative way to warn trespassers! Our cat warning plaques tell the world that your furry friend’s a force to be reckoned with! Inspired by similar sculptures we saw in a small Florentine shop, these warning plaques are artistically sculpted just for Toscano before being cast in quality designer resin with a smart slate finish.

9½”Wx1″Dx10″H. 2 lbs.

See Beware of Cat Italian Wall Sculpture: Attenti al Gatto for a closer look. While on the site, you HAVE to check out their other cat (big and small cats) statues, wall sculptures, etc. They have an amazing collection.

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I thought you just had to see Alexa’s glamor shot.  We were playing a rousing game of “bat the catnip mouse around the Christmas tree” when she totally pooped out on me.  She laid herself out on a few presents a la Rita Hayworth and I grabbed my camera.

After a few misses, I took the one above and told her we had the “money shot.”

She plans to put them in her Christmas cards this year with the caption, “I don’t always pose for pictures, but when I do…. Money Shot.  Stay Glamorous my friends.”

Check out the gorgeous cat stocking below. Click through for a closer look. What a beauty!

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The ingenious LitterMaid LMC100 Litter Box Carpet shown above is just what Miss Alexa needs. I won’t say our little girl’s messy but when she “cleans up” at the litter box, litter sprays across 3 counties.  Then she has the gall to get offended by the mess!  There simply can’t be any animals quite like cats… they’re so picky and they’re such neat freaks on one hand, then on the other – you have a litter throwing nut like Alexa.

Product Description:

Prevent scattered litter from your cat’s box from messing up your floor. The LitterMaid Litter Box Carpet rests under the litter box to catch all the mess. It’s made from 100-percent polypropylene fiber and latex foam, and can also be used for your cat to scratch. It’s easy to install, use, and clean. Just vacuum the carpet, or rinse with water. Measures 27 x 33 inches.

Click through the image or link for a closer look. I think I’ve just solved a very untidy problem, but let’s allow Alexa to think it’s her idea.

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If you’re a regular reader, you probably already know that we had a much (much much much, much…) loved cat named Prissy, who I named after my favorite Gone With the Wind character, who lived for over 20 years. Within those years… 20, wow, that’s a lot of years…. she only had to go to the vet once, when she was 3 – for a sinus infection of all things.  Prissy was a house cat, which certainly helped her achieve such an impressive lifespan. In fact Keep your cat safe and secure inside your home at all times was listed number 1 on Real Age.com’s Cat Health Tips for Helping Your Cat Have a Younger Real Age.

Of course, there are times when your cat has to live outside the house rather than inside the house. They’re still much beloved family, of course, their section of the house simply doesn’t have a roof.  If your cat has to live without a roof, as some of our cats do, read How to Help Your Outdoor Cats Live Longer.

A few safety precautions all cat lovers will want to take include:

• Make certain your houseplants are safe. Some houseplants are poisonous and shouldn’t be allowed in a cat’s vicinity EVER. I wouldn’t even keep one on the highest shelf in a room my cat never visits. Can you say not worth it? No plant is worth making a cat sick and it certainly isn’t worth the risk of killing a cat!  Please see Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants for Cats.  Needless to say, if you have dogs, be sure to check the same website for poisonous plants for dogs.
• If you have an indoor cat, be certain that all guests to your home know that the cat is not allowed outdoors. Some people have cats that come and go and may automatically assume that your cat does so as well.
• Please don’t allow your cat to lie on or play near ironing boards.  I see a lot of precious pictures online of cats lying on ironing boards (horrifyingly enough, sometimes the iron’s plugged in and is next to the cat) online.  I used to keep our ironing board up most of the time (with a blanket on top) because Alexa loved to lie on it and look out the window. One day, she had a terrible accident, though, and somehow managed to pull the ironing board down on her when she quickly jumped off.  One of the metal legs landed on one of her tiny back legs, breaking her leg in two places.  I’ll NEVER forget the pain she was in or the helpless, sick feeling I had. She had to have a cast and had to spend months in a large cage. It was absolute hell for me and her.  When we first brought her home from the animal hospital with a cast on her leg, I had trouble getting her to agree to the cage. At one point, she backed into a corner as tears, literally ran from her eyes (as well as mine!). It’s an image that will stay with me forever and will prompt me to beg cat lovers to keep their ironing boards put up at all times. PLEASE. If you have a cat blog, a facebook page, or a Twitter account, help me spread the word about the dangers of ironing boards for cats.
• Always remember how inquisitive and nosy cats are! Be certain to always double check the dryer before closing the door – even if you’re almost certain your cat never came into the room.

Click HERE to read the Real Age.com article about adding years to your cat’s life. Great stuff!

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Alexa, in the picture above, seems to be voicing her concern over the state of one of her beloved cardboard Super Scratchers.  I try to keep them changed out often because the girl is MAD about them.  We keep several of them in the house, near some of her favorite places to scratch.  More than any cat I’ve ever had the pleasure of being Mommy to, Alexa is a furry little ninja when it comes to scratching.  I have to work to stay a step ahead of her, but placing scratching posts in her favorite areas helps.

Thank goodness!

Cats love to scratch.  We have to remind ourselves that they have no idea they’re doing anything wrong. Scratching is as natural as eating and drinking for a cat.  Our approach has to be one of outsmarting the cat.  It’s absolutely impossible to make her NOT want to scratch.  Common sense dictates that we give our cats alternatives.  We can’t very well take the approach that they WILL NOT SCRATCH EVER AGAIN!  We’ll be woefully disappointed and our cats will think we’ve completely lost our minds.

If you have a ninja scratcher, too, give the cardboard Super Scratchers a try.  They’re in the pet sections of just about every store you can imagine and they’re ridiculously inexpensive.  They can help save your sanity, the furniture, the walls, the door frames, the drapes, and possibly your pants.  After all, we all know a cat’s philosophy…

When I found the hilarious picture of the cartoon cat above on I Can Has Cheezburger, I even saved it to my computer as Alexa!

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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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Did you know that having your cat declawed is painful for him/her? Don’t be fooled by what some may tell you, it’s simply not a painless, simple procedure. Not for the cat, anyway.

From The Complete Cat’s Meow: Everything You Need to Know about Caring for Your Cat by Darlene Arden, a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant:

The declawing procedure is painful for your cat. Even if a veterinarian uses a laser and the cat can walk sooner, your cat can’t really be comfortable with part of its toes missing, especially since cats walk on their toes first. This means that your cat is in pain and has to walk differently, rather than in its normal manner.

Most cat parents have their cats declawed for the same reason: Cats scratch furniture (and very often anything else they can handle!).  There are far better solutions to this problem – solutions that won’t hurt the cat or affect the way she enjoys the rest of her life.

When our precious Prissy was alive (all 20+ years!), buying new furniture was completely out of the question.  That girl never met a couch or chair she didn’t like. She was convinced each and every piece of furniture was an elaborate scratching post for her!   My daughter Stephany would help the situation by keeping Prissy’s nails clipped – a procedure that the ever laid-back cat actually enjoyed. Prissy never scratched walls or woodwork, but furniture was in constant danger.

I did, finally, find a way to throw salt in her game: I placed throws over the sides of the sofa – her favorite spots.  I also started buying her scratching posts and placed them near her favorite spots.

With Alexa, it’s a little different.  She seems to understand that furniture is for sitting on.  She enjoys few things more than curling up on the sofa with her mom and dad as we all enjoy a game of baseball (or whatever it is we’re watching at the time).  Alexa’s weakness is door frames.  I’m having trouble convincing her that these weren’t placed in the house solely for her enjoyment.

She’s not buying it.

I’ve found a way to outsmart the little smarty pants, though, and it’s AGAIN with scratching posts.  I’ve placed one near her favorite place to scratch and, now, when she’s in the vicinity, she uses the scratching post instead.

If you’re trying to lure your cat away from scratching furniture or wood, use a good, sturdy scratching post – preferably one treated with catnip.  If the scratching post doesn’t come with its own catnip, buy a package and make the scratching post more enticing for your cat yourself.

Also, it probably goes without saying but Alexa, Hannah, Jelly Bean, and Queen Fatima want me to say it anyway: Cats cannot be treated as dogs or children when it comes to discipline.  Remember their ancestors are lions, tigers, cheetahs, etc… how responsive do you think this DNA is to “NO!” or, worse yet, swats to the backside?!?!  They’ll simply think you’re mean and will perceive you as a threat.  Cats don’t even like yelling.  They simply aren’t wired to be disciplined in this manner.

However, many cat parents have had success with spritzing a tiny bit of  water (something cats detest) on their cats when they’re involving themselves in unsuitable behavior.  I’ve never done it, myself, but many say that their cat comes to associate scratching on furniture with the unpleasantness of spritzed water.

Personally?  I’d be afraid that, yet again, my cat would come to perceive me as a threat or as a meanie!   Maybe if you were somehow able to do it without them seeing you? I’m not really sure.  I do know this, though: Cats are very, very bright and it wouldn’t take them long to realize when scratching was safe and when it wasn’t.  After all, what they’re doing is as natural to them as scratching an itch is to us.  I’m convinced that the best solution for all is simply to give the cat an alternative: A sturdy, safe, scratching post.

Click the following link to read more about The Complete Cat’s Meow: Everything You Need to Know about Caring for Your Cat by Darlene Arden.

SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post (See all Cat Scratching Posts)

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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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I’m astounded (and, truth be told, saddened) by the number of people who go to Google and enter the words “How to Be Happy.” It can be hard to phantom being so down that you have to LITERALLY search for ways to be happy.  Then again, I suppose some people who are “happy enough” search for ways to be even happier.

Who can blame them?

We all want to be as happy as we possibly can be but have you ever stopped to consider that the same can be said of our beloved cats? They want to experience as much happiness and contentment as possible.  Naturally all cats are different. Some enjoy sleeping more than playing, some enjoy playing more than sleeping… and some enjoy few things in life quite as much as they do a good meal.

However, regardless of which activities are their favorites, all cats have pretty much the same requirements for happiness:

• Food
• Fresh water
• Clean, quite, private Litter Box or a safe yard
• Several comfortable, special places to sleep – free from disturbances and drafts
• Scratching posts
• Plenty of playtime!

Most loving cat parents provide the best food possible, plenty of fresh water, a clean litter box, scratching opportunities, and great beds – and many even buy their cats plenty of great toys.  However what many of us fail to realize is just how important playtime is.  Not only does a cat love to play with their toys, they love for their humans to get involved.

Different cats prefer different types of toys.  Some cats love toys with crinkly cellophane inside of them, some love toys with bells, while others prefer that their toys look and feel like real prey.  Alexa has absolutely zero interest in the crinkly cellophane or bells.  She loves nothing more than playing ball, though.  Her favorite game involves someone rolling one of her toy balls to her as she bats it back.  She seems to especially love it when she bats it past one of us and we have to get it.

Sometimes it feels like she’s “playing fetch” with us…  and we’re her pets!

She also loves toys that mimic prey – Cat Toys with feathers, fur, or toys that look like bugs.   Like most cats, she loves any sort of playtime that involves her stalking or chasing something.

Sometimes a cat will even create their own “game.”  For example, at least once a day, when I go into the back of the house (to put something in the master bathroom or in our closet), Alexa will slink in and hide on the opposite side of our bed.  She crouches down and expects me to get on my hands and knees and sneak up on her.

When I get to the edge, she loves for me to put my arm and hand underneath the covers and move it along, making a scratching noise on the mattress.  She’ll stand up (ears pinned back in full attack mode), and wait for just the right time to pounce on my poor hand.  I learned pretty fast that she pounces with her SHARP claws out as far as they’ll possibly go, so I have to be fast.

That, or reach for the band-aids.

This routine goes on everyday, for about 10 minutes each time.  She has a ball, I have a ball, and she looks so stinking cute when she’s stalking my hand I can never keep from laughing (which, I’m sure draws the claws out even further).

Something else I’ve learned over the years with my cats is this: They love the unexpected!  If you cats, like ours, have a great number of cat toys and “play pretties,” rotate the collection often.  Place different toys in different places – sometimes in places they won’t expect them to be.  Alexa has 4 different places in our house where that she “hangs out in” the most: When I’m working online during the day, she sleeps nearby – until lunchtime, of course. Nothing interferes with that girl’s lunch.

During the evening, she has a certain area in the living room, one in the family room, and one in the master bedroom.  I kind of rotate different toys amongst her favorite hangouts.

I’ve also found that cats, just like human kids, LOVE it when you come back from the store with something special for them.  I’ll often (okay, very often) pick up a little bag of treats, or a special cat toy, that I know she’ll adore.  Fortunately, we have a PetSmart in Owensboro, so I’ll never run out of great toys to bring home to her.  (By the way, here’s a tip that I think is pretty special.  If your cat has certain toys she or he isn’t interested in, bag them up, mark CAT TOYS and take them to Goodwill. How much would it mean for someone who might be a little down on their luck to also have the opportunity to take cat toys home to their precious cats?!)

Speaking of Pet Smart, within this post are a few new toys they have that Alexa speaks highly of.  You can always trust Pet Smart to have quality cat food, cat toys, and other cat items (as well as everything you’d need for other pets as well).  What’s more, they have the prices I’m always looking for. (Content continued after the cute cat video!)

Cat toys and playtime don’t just lead to happier cats, they lead to healthier cats as well – both physically and mentally.  But that’s not all (though it’s certainly enough!), playing with your cat is a perfect way for YOU to relax and unwind.  The benefits are amazing, and they definitely go both ways.

Need a toy box for you cat’s toys? Check out the Martha Stewart toy bin below (from PetSmart). Love it! Click the image for a closer look.

Please click the link to find more Cat Toys at PetSmart.com!

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