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Gift Ideas for Your Pampered Cat

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Merry Christmas!

Well, of course we cat lovers give gifts to our feline babies. If you think about it, we see them more during the year than we do most people in our own family. Theyr’e always there for us, they never criticize what we wear, they think we’re the best cooks on earth, and they make our world light up with just one purr. We love to buy things for them all year, but at Christmas time, it seems even sweeter.

Consider the following great tips and ideas from Cat Age:

Toys and treats: Stuff a stocking with catnip-filled toys and a few healthful treats. Your pet will love digging them out. Choose indestructible toys with no bells, baubles, or strings he can bite off and choke on. If in doubt about a toy’s safety, supervise during playtime.

Warm and snuggly: Wrap a padded plush bed in crinkly paper that kitty can tear into. The paper will entertain him for hours, and the bed will keep him cozy all winter.

Playground accessories: Keep his life interesting with cat climbers, scratchers, tunnels, and laser pointers.

At Prissy’s age, Christmas is just like any other day. As long as she has her food, her extra large pillow bed, plenty of chin scratching, and fresh water – she’s a tiny, purring, ridiculously happy 20 year old cat. Svenn and Bo love when Christmas season first arrives because they love sorting through the garage with me as we find all the santas, snowmen, trees, lights, etc. Truth be told, they aren’t a lot of help, but the company couldn’t be sweeter. Or cuter.

Alexa gets the most excited about Christmas though. Her splint is off her leg now and she’s getting around perfectly well. Every now and then, she’ll favor the leg – but I’m just so thankful my little girl’s back to her normal, enjoyable routines. She has assumed her rightful place in front of me on my computer desk and, somehow, all feels right with the world again.

One of the first things she wanted to do first (after being set free from her doggie kennel cage and splint) was explore the Christmas tree and presents. Last night, my husband and I were watching a few dvds. During the first one, she kept walking around on top of the presents and gift bags – swatting, chewing, and examining. Apparently, the second movie was more to her liking (She’s a Vin Diesel fan.) because she got on the couch beside my husband and watched with us.

In Prissy’s younger days, she would actually climb the Christmas tree, knocking ornaments and bows down along the way. I had to watch that girl 24/7 to make sure she didn’t hurt herself. Fortunately, Alexa (who’s weight would make things especially disasterous) seems content with staying on the ground.

I hope you, your furry babies and the rest of your family are enjoying every single magical second of Christmas! There’s really nothing quite like it.

The Perfect Cat Bed for the Outdoor Pampered Cat

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KatKabin Outdoor Cat House - Racing Green

I can’t tell you how much I want this KatKabin Outdoor Cat House in Racing Green for Bo. Svenn prefers sleeping in the loft in our garage – and why not, he has straw all around him and is safe from all the demons he’s convinced are looking from him. (My boy’s beautiful, but he’s the living definition of “high strung.”)

Bo doesn’t want to miss out on a single thing, so he doesn’t like hiding away in the garage. He wants to be in on everything that goes on. If someone comes in the house, he wants to say “Hi.” If someone goes out of the house, he wants to “Bye.” His sociable disposition isn’t anything to worry about when the weather’s warm. I have an area on the carport that’s all his – he has a little plastic igloo (up on a shelf) he loves to curl up in. There are also several chairs he prefers.

But when the weather’s cool, I worry that he doesn’t stay warm enough. I put some straw and a baby blanket in his plastic igloo and covered it with a blanket. When I put my arm in there, I’m amazed at how warm it actually feels. He loves it in there.

I really love this KatKabin Outdoor Cat House, though. It gorgeous!

From the Manufacturer:
The feline equivalent of a kennel, the KatKabin is an innovative and exciting new product that has already proved to be a big hit with cats. The KatKabin is a light, tubular outdoor shelter that will appeal to the most discerning cats – whether an independent tabby or an aristocratic pedigree.

The KatKabin can be placed in the garden, on the patio or balcony, ensuring that pets do not have to wander far from home to find comfort and security. This is important when so many cats are lost or stolen every week. When outside and unable to return to their homes, cats often sleep under cars or get inside sheds and empty buildings, sometimes getting trapped with no access to food or water.

Guaranteed for five years, the KatKabin is finished with a special, non-chemical material that will not fade in sunlight. It will stand securely on any surface and is supplied with a front doorflap.

The new range of funky finishes includes exiting metallic colours that change as they catch the light – available in mellow green/yellow autumn shades and sparkling blue/red. These new finishes expand the existing colour options of Cobalt Blue, Starlet Red, Racing Green and Chocolate Brown.

Developed to withstand extremes of temperature and guaranteed for five years, the KatKabin is made from the strongest materials and is finished with a special, non-chemical material that will not fade in sunlight. In addition, the KatKabin has a special polystyrene floor that adds extra insulation, keeping the cat warm in the coldest weather. The KatKabin will stand securely on any type of ground. It comes with an optional clip-on front door.

It has holes for air ventilation and the round shape assists the air to circulate inside. Warm air is not trapped at the top as in other shapes but circulates easily around. The KatKabin measures 26.4 x 19.2 inches high to the top of the ears. It weighs 13lbs and is supplied in a strong outer carton with handles for easy transportation. To wash, just slide off the two cat-shaped ends and remove the flooring. Rinse with hot water and a mild detergent such as washing-up liquid. Dry thoroughly and replace the ends, replacing the flooring.

This lovely deep green KatKabin will look good in any yard, large or small, town or country. Optional Winter Warmer can be inserted into all KatKabins. This is a washable interior body covering for cold Winter days and nights to keep your cat warm and very cosy.

Optional Kat Duvet is the perfect luxurious accessory for your KatKabin. Especially designed for the purpose, it sits snugly inside the KatKabin making it even cosier for your pets. The cover can be quickly and easily removed. It can be machine-washed hot, to kill dust mites and other insects. When not in use inside your KatKabin, it makes the perfect, soft bed for your pet indoors.

Bo has convinced me – he has to have this wonderful KatKabin Outdoor Cat House – Racing Green!

PetSmart is Heaven on Earth for Animal Lovers

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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!

Whimsical and Adorable Cat Clock

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Dinner Time Cat Clock - Allen Designs
I’ve always had a soft spot for quirky, crazy decorations – they put a smile on life, – so this Dinner Time Cat Clock from Allen Designs is right up my alley(cat). Slapping a smile on life is always a great, great thing, right?

It would appear that the cat (who unsettlingly reminds me of my Svenn) has taken a dive after his dinner only to realize that he’s now a fish out of water….or more like a cat in water. His expression is priceless. I say “his” but it could very well be a girl. It’s just the whole “What in the h— have I gotten myself into?” face is just sooooo Svenn. Totally and completely. I love that cat with all that’s in me, but he’s a real down on his luck kind of guy. Every day, he shows up with a new limp, fresh cut on an ear, a little patch of hair missing, or some hard luck story.  He loves to meow and his meow sounds almost like a baby crying.  It’s actually precious and I never tire of hearing his voice.  Good thing, because he never tires of talking!

Then again I guess my boy has a lot to talk about. He’s probably telling me some pretty fascinating stories as I inspect him for his latest wounds.

Which is why I see him in this poor little guy. The fish a.k.a. Dinner is a swinging pendulum – adding more fun to the piece and a bigger smile on life’s face. Of course, it adds more torment to “Svenn,” but, come on, he’s used to it.

This gorgeous clock is part of the “Studio Collection” by Michelle Allen. It’s a limited edition line with only 300 made. (Expressive and Exclusive!) The clock runs on one “AA” battery which aren’t included.

Size: 11″ x 12.5.”

Great Cat Crossing Sign to Let Drivers Know to Watch Out for Wild Animals!

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Sign: Cat I was thinking (literally, just yesterday) about how Bo and Svenn live life on the edge. We have a long driveway and they love nothing more than to hang out in it. What’s worse, they’ll dash out in front of cars without giving it a second thought. For those of us who live here, we know to watch out for them at all times. In the evening, we have raccoons, possums, and rabbits to watch out for as well as these two little daredevils. When Alexa was an outside cat, she was the same way.

I always get a little scared when someone new comes up our drive – I hold my breath, hoping one of my fast and furry sons doesn’t dash out to say “Hello.”

I came across this aluminum sign a few minutes ago and would love for my husband to buy a few and hang them prominently at the end of our drive. It’s gorgeous and could very well save daredevil cats who think cars are as harmless as catnip.

From the website:

Our Cat crossing sign will look great outdoors or indoors. Made from rust resistant aluminum, this durable and weather resistant Cat sign is both functional and fun. Easy to install with the predrilled hole, each cat sign is ready for easy mounting to your post, wall, deck, fence, etc. Each Cat crossing sign measures approximately 12 x 12 inches.

Read more about the Cat Crossing Sign
clicking the link.

Svenn’s MySpace Emo Shot!

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Moved From the Old Blog:

If Svenn had a MySpace, this is a pic he’d probably post. Unfortunately (or fortunately), he’s pretty conservative and kind of looks down on the whole MySpace thing.

My daughter Brittany and I were outside with Svenn and Bo a few nights ago and they were posing for her camera (hams). Britt snapped this one and called it Svenn’s EMO shot. If you’ve seen any of the EMO kids, you’ll get exactly what that means – if not, you might think I’m as crazy as my cat looks!

She did a few effects on the pic, and when another of my daughters, Stephany, saw it, she said, “Svenn is SO EMO!”

Who knew?

Sorry For the Lack of Posts Lately!

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Before I get to the post for today, I just have to apologize for the lack of posts lately. In addition to being a cat fanatic and blogger, I also build blogs and websites for a living. Usually, since I work from home , my work load is pretty light – allowing me to tend to my blogs – but the past few months have been crazy…exciting, but crazy! I’ve put up two new blogs and one website of my own, one website for someone else, and 5 blogs for others.

Since I’m also a wife and mother (of humans as well as cats!) , I only work for an average of 6 hours a day. So, needless to say, there wasn’t much time left over for my fun stuff – like this blog.

Fortunately things have settled down now – so things will be back to normal.

Also, I have to apologize for a few comments and e-mails that slid past me. I LOVE comments and e-mail, so I’ve enjoyed going back and reading them all – I’m in the process of responding. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of them! For those who were looking to exchange links, you’ve been added – and thanks a lot!

I’ve had several questions lately about my furry babies. Sadly, we lost our dog Wednesday a few months ago. He was a very old little guy, so we knew it was a matter of time. He had been fed, regularly, some of the food that was found to be tainted – but since he was, like 700 years old, I have no way of really knowing if it was the food or simply old age. He was losing his vision and hearing – so my little guy’s number was about up, anyway. Of course we miss him muchly. It still seems strange for my husband not to head off on his late night walks with him.

As for the beauty in the banner above – yes, indeed, that’s one of our babies! She’s Alexa and she’s, honestly, one of the prettiest cats I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen….heck, HAD, billions!). She’s a lot like her mother, Carly, was – in that she has zero tolerance for male cats, mice, and birds. Fortunately, she’s much, much more affectionate and friendly than my Carly was.

We still have Bo, Svenn, and Prissy (who might just out live all of us!). Beautiful Adam just didn’t show up one day in January and we haven’t seen him since. That’s, in my opinion, the worst way to lose an animal. You just don’t KNOW what happened, and if you let your mind hang around that thought very long, it’ll drive you crazy. We’re trying to convince ourselves that he followed off one of the little girl cats down the road and they’ve set up a family somewhere. Then again, someone could have taken him inside and thought they’d found a perfect housecat. He was is a gorgeous, gorgeous cat with the sweetest nature and personality you could hope for.

How my girl Carly could have had such sweet babies is beyond me! She was a perfect little mess. And, of course, we loved her to distraction.

Again, I’m sorry that I’ve been off my game – I am now climbing back on it! Thanks for your patience! The readers of this particular blog are an amazingly friendly and warm bunch of people – I guess that says a lot about cat people, huh?!

Joi

Human Emotions, Stress and Cats

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There has been a lot going on in our lives this year – some good, but most about as bad as it gets. The worst was in March, when my mom suddenly decided she wanted a bigger house – as in Heaven. (Honestly, the day before she passed away, she told me that “…by summer I want to move into a bigger house.” To which I said, “Okay, I’ll help you!” Turns out she didn’t need my help.)

We also lost two cats who we loved very much this year. One (Renee Elise), we hadn’t had very long at all. The other (Carly) was a well-established family member. Then, last month we had a close call with Bo that nearly did us all in…

We did get an addition to the family when we inherited “custody” of my mom’s MUCH beloved and very sweet dog, Wednesday. He’s become part of the family and we love having him around. (The cats have adjusted better than I thought they could or would.)

But I think all the losses and the stress that comes with it has taken a toll on all of us. I know I’m just now getting to the point that I feel relaxed….and almost my old self. For months, very little mattered – and I’m realizing that now as I’m trying to “clean up” some of the things I’d let go! My laundry room and flower beds may never forgive me. And I can’t say that I blame them.

I was thinking earlier about how our cats have been affected. Animals are very sensitive to change, as well as to human’s emotions. When they see one of us cry, for example – they know something’s wrong. My babies have seen a lot of that this year, because whenever I feel my emotions getting the best of me, I go outside. They, of course, come running and we all sit down on the porch or on the patio (sometimes in the driveway!) – it’s as though they intentionally try to cheer me up and/or comfort me. Adam and Svenn get as close as possible to me and purr louder than I’ve ever heard any cat purr. Alexa and Bo like to keep me busy….trying to save my feet from being mauled or my fingers from being chewed. It’s hard to feel sad when your cats are pouncing and stalking your houseshoes.

Prissy is a cuddler/purrer like Adam and Svenn – she’s just a lot older, so she falls asleep about 2 minutes into the comforting!

Until I really started thinking about it, I didn’t realize how many times they’ve lifted me up.

I’ve been trying lately to just chill with them like we used to do. No tears, no sadness – just smiles whether we’re just sitting around (praying for a breeze!), grilling, playing with tennis balls, ribbons, or sticks, taking walks around the yard, or doing yard chores like picking up fallen apples and tossing away the bad ones. (Bo’s favorite chore. When I walk out the back door with plastic bags, he heads for the apple trees ahead of me.)

I think we’re all learning how to live normally again. It’s just something that we sometimes forget when we should always remember – animals have emotions and they can feel stress just as we can. To make matter worse, their coping skills are even worse than ours! They rely on us to help them out, and often in doing so, we help ourselves as well.

Joi

The image above is available on t-shirts from . The website has a great selection of t-shirts, jewelry, calendars, frames, etc for those of us proud to call ourselves cat lovers!

Svenn Romances a Raccoon

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Svenn

“The cat is above all things, a dramatist.” – Margaret Benson

Svenn most certainly lives up to that quote. He seems to have some sort of a dramatic moment 2 billion times a day. Yesterday I watched as a mother bird practically rode him up the length of our driveway. I was in the kitchen frying cod or I’d have rescued him like I normally do. I’m afraid he was on his own and the bird rode him like a Brama bull.

He’s the sort of cat that’ll show up after a wild night with his fur all ruffled and an occasional scratch or other boo boo. He’s a complete chicken but seems to get into everything.

Oh, and there was the time he tried to woo a raccoon. I was watching one of our two resident raccoons, Agatha Christie (William Shakespeare’s her baby daddy) eating cat food one night. I see my guy Svenn approaching, so I watch, convinced he’ll do something Svennish.

He didn’t disappoint.

The other cats, upon seeing a raccoon or possum eating, will avoid them – when they see a skunk, they head for higher ground. They aren’t necessarily afraid of anything but skunks – but they have enough sense to avoid any and all contact.

And then there’s Svenn.

He saddles up next to Agatha and meows in her ear. She arches her back and lowers her head angrily (of course, by now, I’m halfway out the door ready to protect my not-so-bright baby). Does Svenn realize he made a mistake and take off? Nah. Not his style. He drops and rolls onto his back. Agatha and I look at one another, then at him – he’s blissfully rolling back and forth, giving her a come hither look.

She goes back to eating, I go back inside, and Svenn continues to roll. She finishes and leaves without giving him a second look. Still rolling.

Re-jected!

I Love that cat. He puts a big old country smile on every single day.

#1 Best-Seller on Amazon


The Curious Cat Cube, Cat House / Cat Condo is currently the #1 Best-Seller on Amazon in Cat Houses & Condos.

An Ingenious Litter Box…


The Open Top Cat Litter Box Kit with Shield and Scoop is a number 1 best-seller on Amazon and has excellent reviews.

Christmas EVERYDAY!


If you're like me, you love nothing more than seeing your cat(s) with new toys. This collection of cat toys will make everyday feel like Christmas!

Cat Tunnel..


The adorable cat tunnel will give your cat(s) endless fun as they explore every nook and cranny!

Photographs on the Blog

I do not claim to have taken all of the photographs on this website. I did not take any of the “product” or “affiliate” merchandise photos  (unless I am reviewing a product, in which case it will be marked “Review”), nor do I claim to own them. If you are a photographer that sees something you want removed, simply e-mail me.

Keep Your Indoor Cat Active and Entertained

Alexa

Tips for Keeping Your Indoor Cat Entertained!