Month: August 2017

How to Keep Roaming Cats Out of Your Yard

cat-in-flower-bed

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Let me preface this post by acknowledging that the issue of whether cats should be kept indoors or allowed to go outside is a hotly debated one, with most people coming down firmly on one side or the other of the debate. I’m a firm believer that all cats should be kept indoors, but I respect the fact that there are not only different points of view, but also cultural differences. In the United States, most cats tend to be kept indoors, whereas cats are allowed outside in most European countries.

No matter where you come down on the indoor vs. outdoor debate, and no matter how much you love cats, you may not want your yard used as the giant neighborhood litter box, especially if you enjoy gardening.Continue Reading

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How You Can Help Pets Affected by Hurricane Harvey

cats-hurricane-harvey

It’s impossible for me to wrap my mind around the devastation in Texas following hurricane Harvey. To think about what the people and the animals in the flooded and destroyed areas are going through just breaks my heart. The one bright spot in all of this, to me, has been to see the many images of pets being rescued – a marked difference from what we watched twelve years ago after hurricane Katrina.

Animal rescue groups from all over the country have mobilized to help the animals affected by the storm,Continue Reading

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Lil BUB’s Amazing Recovery with the Assisi Loop

Lil-BUB

This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health

We’ve featured several case histories over the past several months of how the Assisi Loop has helped cats with various conditions. Today, we’re excited to feature a video of how the Loop helped its most famous patient, Lil BUB.Continue Reading

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Kitty Halitosis: Why Does My Cat Have Bad Breath?

bad-breath-cat

Bad breath in cats is almost always an indicator of a health problem. While some odor, as a reflection of a cat’s normal diet, is to be expected, bad breath and unusual odors are a cause for concern, and require a visit to the veterinarian. The most common cause for bad breath is dental disease, but bad breath can also be an indicator of kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease or diabetes.Continue Reading

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Mews and Nips: How Did Your Cat Do During the Solar Eclipse?

solar-eclipse-cat
Solar eclipse shadows seen through blinds – Wikimedia Commons

Did you get to see the eclipse on Monday? Did your cats do anything out of the ordinary before, during or after? Allegra and Ruby were a little more agitated than usual, but I think that was mostly due to the fact that for about two hours that afternoon, I was in and out of the house quite a bit to watch from my front yard. I loved seeing the eclipse through my special glasses, but what I found really enchanting was seeing the eclipse shadows under the trees. I thought it was magical.

The Washington Post reported on an adventurous Maine Coon kitten named Tolstoy at the centerline of totality in its liveblog of the eclipse.

If you missed any of the stories featured on the Conscious Cat this week, here’s a recap:Continue Reading

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Review: PetFusion ToughGrip Litter Mat and QuickScoop Litter Scoop

PetFusion-litter-box-mat-scoop

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PetFusion has long been known for making top quality modern cat products. The brand recently added three new products to its line: the ToughGrip Litter Mat, the QuickScoop Litter Scoop, and a large litter box with a non-stick coating.Continue Reading

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Ask the Vet: Dr. Kris Answers July’s Questions

ask-the-vet

Welcome to our regular “Ask the Vet With Dr. Kris” segment! Once a month, Dr. Kris answers as many of your questions as he can, and you can leave new questions for him in a comment.

Dr. Kristopher Chandroo is a veterinarian, scientist, photographer, animal welfare advocate, and creator of Stress to Success (STS): The Essential Guide to Medicating Your Feisty, Grumpy or Reluctant Cat.  Dr. Kris wants  your cats to be twenty years old. And counting! And he wants to provide medication and therapy to them in a way that respects the bond between cat and human.Continue Reading

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Mews and Nips: Kitten Who Made Surprise Appearance at Baseball Game is Safe

rally-cat

The little kitten who made a surprise appearance at a Major League Baseball game in St. Louis last week has been caught and is safe. The tiny kitten eluded attempts to catch him after interrupting the game. St. Louis Feral Cat Outreach set out traps in the area where the kitten was last seen and managed to catch the 12-week-old kitten, which was given the name “Rally Cat” because the Cardinals won the game and fans attributed it to the good luck the kitten brought the team. Visit Love Meow for more about this story along with some wonderful photos of Rally Cat.

If you missed any of the stories featured on the Conscious Cat this week, here’s a recap:Continue Reading

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Air Travel with Your Cat

Sleepypod-air

This post is sponsored by Sleepyod

Air travel is challenging enough for humans these days, and the thought of having to fly with a cat adds an additional layer of stress. However, sometimes, it may be unavoidable. You may be moving across country, or you may be leaving on an extended absence and even leaving your cat with a trusted cat sitter may not work out for you. If you must travel with your cat, it’s important to be prepared.Continue Reading

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Review: Meowfia Felted Wool Cat Cave

felted-wool-cat-cave

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I’ve been admiring felted wool cat caves for a long time, and I was thrilled when the makers of the Meowfia cat caves offered to send a couple of their gorgeous beds to us. I couldn’t wait to see whether Allegra and Ruby would like them.Continue Reading

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