I spent four fun-filled days last week with about 300 of my fellow pet bloggers at BlogPaws 2013. This was my third BlogPaws experience, and just when I think it can’t possibly get any better than the prior year, it does. From attending top-notch presentations by blogging and social media experts to networking with other bloggers, the weekend was a blur of learning, networking, and socializing.

But as was the case last year, the highlight of the conference for me was connecting and reconnecting with my blogging friends, including Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair,  Tamar Arslanian of I Have Cat, Angie Bailey of Catladyland, Deb Barnes of The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey, Janea Kelley of Paws and Effect, Debbie Glovatsky of Glogirly, Terri Thorsteinson of Curlz and Swirlz, Stephanie Harwin of Catsparella, Janiss Garza of  Sparkle Cat, Karen Nichols of Mousebreath, Connie of Tails from the Foster Kittens, Jeanne of Random Felines, Rachel Shubin of Sandpiper Cat, Lisa Richman of A Tonk’s Tail, and so many others. Kate Benjamin of Hauspanther and Joanne McGonagle of The Tiniest Tiger Conservation Cub Club, couldn’t attend this year, and they were deeply missed. Continue reading…

Allegra and Ruby got a surprise visit from our dear friend Robin Olson of Covered in Cat Hair last week. Robin was in town for BlogPaws. She’d been wanting to meet the girls two years ago when BlogPaws was held at Tysons Corner as well, and this year, we finally managed to find the time to make it happen.

Allegra, who loves visitors, took to Robin right away. She greeted her at the door, and led the way upstairs into our living room. Ruby, who tends to be a little more cautious with people she doesn’t know, didn’t take long to warm up to Robin, either. But why don’t I let the girls tell you about Robin’s visit in their own words.

Allegra: I love visitors, and I could tell right away that this lady was a cat person.

Ruby: New person in the house! Continue reading…

Cats have a reputation for being low maintenance, which is probably one of the many reasons why they have surpassed dogs as the most popular pet in America. Unfortunately, because of this reputation, many people think cats don’t need as much attention as dogs do. They couldn’t be more wrong.

Play is vitally important to a cat’s mental and physical health, and it’s especially important for indoor cats. Even though cats may sleep up to 16 hours a day, when they’re awake, they need stimulation, and the best way to accomplish this is with play. In the wild, when lions, tigers and other wild cats aren’t sleeping, they’re either hunting, or teaching their young to hunt. And play is nothing more than channelling your domestic tiger’s hunting instinct into play.

Benefits of Play

• Exercise. Obesity is the number one health problem in cats. According to a recent survey, 55% of America’s cats are overweight or obese. In addition to feeding a species-appropriate raw or canned diet, exercise is the best way to keep your feline charges fit and trim.
• Relief of boredom. Continue reading…

Hyperthyroidism is a common disease that typically affects middle-aged and older cats.  It is caused by an excess production of thyroid hormones, which are produced by the thyroid gland, located inside the cat’s neck. Thyroid hormones affect nearly all organs, which is why thyroid disease can sometimes cause secondary problems such as hypertension, heart and kidney disease.

Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

For a comprehensive overview on what causes hyperthyroidism, what the symptoms are, and how it is diagnosed and treated, read Hyperthyroidism in Cats.

Treatment Options

Currently, there are three treatment options for hyperthyroidism in cats: Continue reading…

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, and after spending the last three fun-filled days at the BlogPaws pet blogging conference, I am in desperate need of some rest! I’m going to follow Allegra’s lead and do absolutely nothing today.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Maya Angelou, on the importance of getting a day of rest:

“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” – from Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

Perhaps, I’ll need to take this advice every week, not just after attending a conference. Continue reading…

Hi everyone, it’s Allegra and Ruby! We snuck into Mom’s office in the middle of the night to post this – because it’s Mom’s birthday today!

Ruby: Do you think Mom will be surprised when she sees this, Allegra?

Allegra: Of course she will! She thinks her regular Saturday post is going up!

Ruby: She won’t be mad at us for deleting that, will she? Continue reading…

Last August, I was contacted by a British production company making a special for National Geographic called “Wild Side of Cats.” The program looks at the behavior of domestic cats and examines how that compares to big cat behaviour in the wild.

The production company came across a video clip that I shot of Allegra testing the Imperial Cat Scratch ‘n Shapes Sofa Scratcher Chaise. I always knew Allegra was a world-champion scratcher, but apparently, her technique in the video clip is so perfect that they ended up using it for the special they’re filming.

The special will air this Sunday, May 19, on Nat Geo Wild at 8pm Eastern. Continue reading…

MyThreeCats.com is an online specialty cat shopping site, offering a variety of designer cat merchandise including cat trees, beds, scratchers, toys, feeding accessories and mmore. They also carry a large selection of gifts and books for cat lovers, including recently added Laurel Burch items.

MyThreeCats.com generous offered a $50 gift code to be used toward anything you’d like to order from their website.

To enter this giveaway, Continue reading…

It’s been a while since I’ve introduced any new products, and I’m delighted to let you know about two new items in the Conscious Cat Zazzle Store today!

With a slim, fashionable design, our Conscious Cat tote bag is environmentally friendly Continue reading…

Guest post by Joseph J. Wakshlag, DVM

For the cat parent looking for commercial raw and ultra premium cat foods, there are plenty of choices, and lots of claims to wade through.  Since these foods are often more expensive, how do you read the labels correctly and make sure you’re getting the right food for your extra cash?

Too often manufacturers throw out the terms “holistic” or “natural” which have little to no regulated meaning. “Holistic” has no definition in the pet food industry and can be used by any manufacturer, while “natural” has limited value since it only means that there are no synthetic preservatives in the food. (Synthetic preservatives are uncommon in the organic and ultra premium market.) Continue reading…