This is too cute. The FDA-approved PetSafe SlimCat Food Distributor Ball, Blue is ideal for cats! They are such inquisitive little beings – this will delight and amuse them again and again.  Cats love to play, hunt, and eat and this food distributor ball allows them to do all three.  The interactive “toy” provides exercise, which for most indoor cats, is a much needed and welcomed provision!

You simply fill the SlimCat with .67 cup of dry cat food. Adjust the hole in the SlimCat to let one piece of food pass through easily. As your cat chases and bats the SlimCat around the room, one piece of food at a time will exit the ball. This allows you to control how fast your pet eats and provide him with hours of stimulating play. Small portions several times a day will improve his digestion. The SlimCat also satisfies your cat’s inherent need to hunt.

To clean, simply wash the plastic SlimCat in your dishwasher or with hot soapy water.

Product Features

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Wait… that package is for us!

I’ve been reading about and researching PetFlow, a pet food delivery company. What I’ve come up with is this – how come no one thought of this before?!?!

This is absolutely brilliant and could be a really valuable service for a lot of people.

• Older cat and/or dog owners who really don’t like getting out often.  Quite frankly, they don’t even have to be that old! Some people simply don’t like running errands and are getting pretty creative about having their errands come to them
• Pet lovers who live in very rural areas.  We once lived so far out in the “boondocks” that it took 30 minutes to get to a grocery store.  If we wanted to go to the nearest Wal-Mart, it was an extra 5 minutes.
• People (like myself) who work full-time from home HATE having to get up, leave their work, go to the store, and come back to the work.  I can say, without a doubt, that this kills any and all momentum you’ve built up.  If you’re a writer, graphic artist, web publisher, or web designer – good luck jumping back ON the train of creativity you had going.  It’s nearly impossible.  But saving errands for the end of the day isn’t much better – that’s when the stores are the busiest… plus that’s when you need to be cooking supper, eating supper, reading the paper, and spending quality time with family (which naturally includes the ones who wear permanent fur coats)!

PetFlow is the solution to a time-crunch problem many pet lovers have and it’s just about as simple as it could possibly be.  You search for the product/brands you want, set up a delivery schedule and check out.  In a few days your cat or dog’s food arrives at your door.  Think how excited your pet will be to get his or her own package.  As we all know, they’re just like kids… and little kids at that.

Visit PetFlow to browse the brands they have and read more about their service.

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We all know how important it is to eat healthy foods for our health. We buy plenty of vegetables and fruits for our families as well as healthy cereals, oatmeal, yogurt, and so on. We completely “get” that we are what we eat and want to eat as healthy as possible to add years to our lives and life to our years.

It only stands to reason that a healthy diet – consisting of the healthiest foods – will do the same for our much beloved cats and dogs. We should go out of our way to ensure that they get only the best as well.

After all, they’re our family, too!

That’s why I’d like to tell you about Wellness Cat Indoor Health Cat We have increased the flavor in all our diets. All of the diets now beat current Wellness cat foods 3:1 by using natural chicken broth and chicken fat (except Healthy Weight), a highly palatable fat source for obligate carnivores.

Natural Dietary Solutions for Lifestage and Lifestyle:

We have applied new thinking and current research to present the best nutrition possible, specifically for cats, who have different needs than dogs.

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Salmonella, salmonella, salmonella.  Will you ever get out of the news and stay out?!

Procter & Gamble is voluntarily recalling a limited number of bags of its Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care dry cat food, which may have been sold in a couple of stores in Loveland, Colo.

The recalled product comes in blue 6.8-pound bags and features a code date of 02304173 (B1-B6) and the UPC number 1901403921.

No other Iams pet food products are affected.

P&G reported that it has worked with retailers to remove the product from stores in Loveland. The company said it believes three bags may have been purchased recently by consumers in the area. No illnesses have been reported.

Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans, according to the company. Cat owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if their pet has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these symptoms.

Humans can also become infected, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the cat food or surfaces exposed to the recalled product, according to the company. Symptoms in humans may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and headache. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible to infection, according to the company.

Consumers who have purchased Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care dry cat food are urged to discard the product and call P&G toll-free at 1-800-862-3332 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST for a product replacement.

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Animals, yes even cats, know to eat just until they are full. I’ve watched my cats over the years and have found that – at a certain point – they know they’ve eaten enough. Then they find a comfortable place to give themselves a bath and digest. It doesn’t matter if they’re inside cats, outside cats, people-friendly cats, cats who are part of the family, or feral cats – they naturally know when they’ve had enough.

So, you’d think there’d be no way a cat or dog could possibly get overweight, right? After all, they know when to stop eating, so there’s no chance they’ll overeat, right?

Wrong-o. That’s where we come in.

If there’s a bowl of constantly available dry food lying around for her to graze at whenever she feels a little bored or under stimulated – Alexa… I mean she’ll do just that. We generally don’t have a full plate of our food sitting on the table all day for us to graze on each time we pass. I wonder why we ever get in the habit of leaving food out for our pets to eat at leisure.

Naturally, we think we’re doing them a great service – Here, baby, eat whenever you want to! The problem is, it leads to obesity and a host of health problems.

That being said, some cats do fine with free-feeding. Our outside cats have dry food available at all times and not one of them is overweight.  Prissy always had dry food available and kept a nice, trim little figure for over 20 years!  It all depends on the individual cat.  If you leave dry food out for your babies and they take advantage of its availability a little too often, maybe you should try putting it up for the most part of the day.

So how often should you feed your cat?

According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, it depends upon the cat’s age and health.

Kittens require more food per pound of body weight to support their growth than do adult cats, and therefore should be fed more often throughout the day. “Growing kittens up to six months of age may require three meals a day,” says Francis Kallfelz, DVM, PHD, board certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and James Law professor of nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. “From age six months to maturity, most cats will do well when fed two times a day.”

Once the cat becomes an adult, at about one year, feeding once or twice a day is appropriate in most cases. Senior cats, age seven and above, should maintain the same feeding regimen. “Once cats reach adulthood, once a day feeding is fine as long as they are healthy and have no disease problems suggesting a reason to feed differently,” says Dr. Kallfelz.

The Health of Your Cat Matters

If your cat suffers from a health problem such as diabetes, you may need to feed him based on whenever he is administered insulin, depending on the type. “Talk to your veterinarian,” says Dr. Kallfelz.

If your cat has hyperthyroidism, he may want to eat all the time. “Treat the disease,” says Dr. Kallfelz. “If it is a treatable problem, treat it and then feed your cat normally.”

When a cat ages, his teeth may go bad, or he may develop gum disease that may make it difficult to chew dry food. “If they get to that point, then offer them canned food or dry in a finer nugget size,” says Dr. Kallfelz. You can also mash up the dry and mix it with water to make it easier to chew.   – Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

Should You Feed Your Cat Wet or Dry Cat Food?

Experts seem to agree that the type of cat food isn’t that important.  However, keep in mind that you should feed your cat CAT FOOD -not dog food and not human food. There are certain things cats need that they can get only from cat food.

Read the labels on your dry cat food and wet cat food.  Make sure you select the brands that are the most balanced and offer the most nutrients. If you feed your cats dry cat food, be sure they always have plenty of fresh, clean water to drink. (Then again, all cats should have fresh water at all times!)

“If a cat can maintain his weight, free choice feeding is okay,” says Dr. Kallfelz. Even dry food left out for your cat to free feed needs to be fresh, so be sure to provide new food each day. If free feeding doesn’t work, you need to control how much they eat. “Several small meals may make them feel less hungry,” says Dr. Kallfelz. “But one is okay nutritionally.” – Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

When it comes to a feeding schedule, cats are like babies (but we already knew that, right?) – they need to keep a schedule as much as possible.  Most cats do best when fed in the morning – then later in the evening.

If you cat seems to genuinely be hungry, however, during the middle of the day – give him or her a little to eat. After all, we’d want someone to do the same for us!

Credit: The picture at the top of the post is from one of my favorite online destinations (hours, I tell you, hours I spend on this site): I Can Has Cheezburger

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In a time when we’re all trying to creatively save money and cut corners, animal experts are warning pet lovers to keep feeding your pet the food that’s designed for her.

Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements. For example, cats require far more meat protein than dogs. Dog food contains a lot of grain and other ingredients. So, if a pet owner tries to “cut corners” by sharing the dog food with the cat, or the cat food with the dog, they’ll be short changing and potentially harming their pets. They simply have different needs and should be given the food that’s intended for them.

Cats especially need taurine, an amino acid that prevents blindness and heart and lung problems; arachidonic acid, a fatty acid; and nutrients not necessarily included in commercial dog food, like preformed vitamin A, which can be found only in animal tissue. Cat foods are made with the things your baby needs, so be certain he or she gets them.

Innova EVO Cat and Kitten Dry Cat Food (6.6-lb bag)

EVO Cat & Kitten food was created to supply the key nutritional benefits of a raw food diet in a safe and convenient manner. EVO can be fed exclusively as a total diet for your pet or in combination with a raw diet to provide a solid nutritional base of the important vitamins and minerals your feline might otherwise be missing.

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I’ve always loved Petsmart.com (Click the link to save $10 off your order of $40 or more), so I was thrilled beyond words when a Petsmart store opened in my hometown, Owensboro.

Sometimes I think I spend more time there than the workers!

I have so many things in mind that I want to buy over the next few weeks. First of all, I have to buy more of the Pro Plan&reg Selects(tm) Wet Food for Cats you see at the top of the post. Every single one of our cats LOVE this stuff – even the pickiest cat in the world, Svenn, devours it with glee.

Prissy revved up her motor and started purring when she first encounterd the Salmon and Brown Rice Entree. After that supply ran out, and before I got back to PetSmart, I had to feed them their regular packets of food (which had been perfectly wonderful for them before) – Svenn turned his nose up at it and the other 3 acted like, “Well, if that’s all you’ve got…”

So, needless to say, I’m grabbing more of these cans today.

I also want to grab a few of these Whisker City&reg Organic Wool Ball Cat Toys. The wool ball features a bell inside, so it’s extra intiguing for little paws.

I want one of the Whisker City? Giraffe Print Pyramid Kitty Caves for Bo. He’s all about getting snug and hidden. Svenn, who’s convince that the paparazzi are stalking his every move, doesn’t really care for being tucked away. He likes to stay on guard, ready to flee the cameras, the microphones, the fans… But Bo would love this Kitty Cave!

PetSmart also has some gorgeous cat beds that are so soft you can’t stop rubbing them. There’s a pink one I want for Alexa and a safari style one for Prissy. What can I say, she’s just a wild kind of gal.

If you don’t have a PetSmart nearby, check out their website. You can click any of the links or images in this post – or one of the links to the right. If you click the one that says you’ll save $10, it’ll save you money for choosing wisely!

I hope your Thanksgiving was extra special and that the rest of your holiday season will be just as special. Speaking of holidays, click HERE for a personal, creepy little warning!

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With Nature’s Variety Prairie Homestyle Canned Cat Food – Lamb & Liver 5.5 oz. Can – Case of 24 - you provide your babies wiht a home-cooked taste with high quality nutrition.  These chunky stew formulas are made with real meat, poultry and healthy fruits and vegetables.

I admit it, I’m an overly protective mother, whether it comes to my daughters or my cats.  I even tend to overly guard the raccoons, possums, birds, and rabbits I feed as well as the skunks who sometimes help themselves into the scene – Right before everyone and everything else, except Svenn, flees.  Svenn loves skunks and could watch them for hours.  (And, yes, I do name each one….okay, maybe not all the birds…)  I care very much what my cats eat, and I watch their food like a hawk, especially after all of the controversites and tragedies.

A few of the “tainted” animal food manufacturers are back on the shelves again – and, while I’m sure they’ve taken unbelievable efforts to ensure their safety, I have to admit – I can’t bring myself to buy them ever again.

If I were them, I would have re-packaged everything, provided new names, new logos, etc.  I certainly wouldn’t have put the food back in the same packages that pet lovers had to throw away and hope and pray our pets weren’t going to die!

If you’re like me, you’re probably looking more and more into the natural products like the ones featured in this post. Click the link at the top or the cans below to learn more about a brand that’s as good as it gets.  As Svenn would say, “It’s almost as endearing as skunks.”  One of these days I’m going to have to break it to my husband – that cat’s not quite normal.

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I’ve been working on the looks of the new blog for a few days, and it’s close to the way I want it.  However, I haven’t had time to get much of the content from the old blog moved over – I’ve been working at it, but the weather isn’t cooperating with my plans!

Here in Owensboro, Kentucky it’s icy, snowy, and frigidly cold.  Somehow it’s doing amazingly hideous things to my internet connection.  I’m thisclose to getting up from the computer until March.

So, for now, please accept my apologies - everything will be gloriously wonderful in a few days.  After all, when you’re doing a blog dedicated to cats – nothing but the best will do!  They wouldn’t have it any other way.  Until things are all settled, please visit our old blog (http://www.cat-pause.com/blog).

 I hope it’s warm and dry where you are!

- Joi

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Oh, yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!  A bed fit for a King or Queen, whichever gender the Royal One belongs to.

The King Bamboo Pet Bed with Cushion from Montgomery Ward looks comfortable for a height-challenged human to sleep on, but it has furrier guests in mind. 

From the Web Site:

Your pet is guaranteed to fall in love with thiscomfortable, yet beautiful piece of furniture in no time. The beveled shape of this elegant bed contours ergonomically to the natural body curve of dogs and cats. The overfilled puffy cushion provides a comfortable rest and sleeping area for pets. The luxurious ribbon-like cushion (in a golden color), the trendy dark chocolate stain and the artful curvature of this item make it a wonderful piece of furniture for decorating styles from traditional to contemporary. The bed is made of environmental friendly bamboo and wood; Cushion cover is made of cotton/polyester blend with a 100% polyester filling and is machine washable. Dark chocolate brown. 19″ x 26″ x 16″.

You have to click through and check this beauty out!

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