Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is known for many things: its incredible landmarks, rocking nightlife, historical significance, and the beautiful relationship between the city and its cats. Were you surprised to learn the last one? I was too!

Several hundred thousand cats roam the streets of Turkey’s largest city, and each seems to be as cared for as the humans that live there. Istanbul has a long history of caring for its feline citizens that goes way back to the city’s origin in the Ottoman Empire, so it makes sense that the cats are so well cared for.

Keep reading to learn more about why cats are so highly revered in Istanbul and what the citizens do to ensure the health of their strays.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

It wasn’t that long ago when the concept of sharing your workplace with an animal was entirely unheard of. The workplace was for just that—work. Thankfully, the modern workplace is ever-changing and much less rigid than it used to be in generations past. As a result, it’s becoming increasingly popular in our modern world for employees to bring their pets to work. And you might be surprised to learn that 94% of people support having pets in the workplace.¹

While it’s primarily dogs that tag along with their humans to work, some workplaces allow cats and other pets, too. What possible benefits could there be to bringing animals into a work environment, though? As it turns out, having cats in the work environment can have multiple benefits! Keep reading to discover how sharing your office with cats can lower your stress levels and make you a better employee.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

While I often watch movies with my cats, it’s a rare treat to find a movie featuring felines. Dog movies abound (anybody still keeping up with the never-ending Air Buddies series?), but you won’t find many with cats, and even fewer with cats as the main character. Maybe it’s because cats are little prima donnas. They want to do what they want to do, when they want to do it. Training a cat to perform is arguably harder than training animals that are more popular in movies, such as dogs and horses.

It’s also interesting to note that orange tabbies reign supreme in Hollywood, followed by Siamese cats and black cats. Unfortunately, Siamese cats and black cats are often cast as villains. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a movie featuring other common house cats such as a calico or blue tabby.

Next time you’re searching for good titles to put on your watchlist, here are 20 films starring cats, from classic children’s movies to horror. Most of these titles are centered around a human subject, but all have some feline drama thrown in.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

I have yet to have the opportunity to meet a cloned cat in person. I’ve heard of the phenomenon many times over the years, but I have never personally considered having any of my cats cloned. However, I have always wondered who the first cloned cat was, how long they lived, and what their quality of life was like. If you’re curious about the same thing, you’ve come to the right place!

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

If you’re like me, then you understand me when I say that there’s something about cats that is so irresistibly charming. These furry friends serve as great companions, whether your cat silently stares at you from across the room or silently cuddles with you.

One thing that a huge number of cat lovers across the world have in common is that their cats are rescue cats that were adopted through shelters, rescues, or directly from the street. After all, some of us don’t adopt our cats so much as our cats adopt us by showing up one day.

No matter how you came into the ownership of your cat, you probably see the importance of providing cats with shelter, safety, and veterinary care, which are all things that shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries are perfect for achieving.

One cat rescue you may not have ever heard of is De Poezenboot in Amsterdam. There’s one thing that really sets this shelter apart from all the others, though: De Poezenboot is located fully on water.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

The COVID-19 pandemic has made working from home more common. Many people have had to learn to make adjustments to new work habits and lifestyles. Consequently, pets have also had to get used to spending more time with their parents.

Cats may have a reputation for being introverted and preferring solitude. However, many social cats enjoy being around people, and cats can form strong bonds with their humans. So, regardless of your cat’s personality and temperament, there’s a good chance that it enjoys having you home with them. Here are some ways to create a harmonious space for you and your cat as you work from home.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

Cats are interesting animals that often do things that remain a mystery to us. One behavior that some cats engage in is collecting random items. There’s yet to be a concrete explanation for why cats will collect, hide, or hoard certain items. This behavior may be connected to resource guarding, mothering instincts, or hunting instincts.

While it makes sense for cats to hoard and hide food and toys, some cats may develop a hobby of collecting unusual items. Here are some things that cats may end up collecting.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

Cats communicate and use body language that’s very different from humans. So, it can be a bit challenging to determine if your cat cares about you. Fortunately, cats do give off signs and display certain behaviors that indicate that they like you. They may seem subtle to us, but some of these signals are very obvious displays of affection to cats. Here are some ways that cats show that they care for their humans.

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!

It’s not a secret that most cats don’t like water. Just a few days ago, my old wobbly cat, Aslan, had a litter box mishap and needed a bath, so I can personally vouch for just how much some cats hate water, even when that water is warm and provided in a jacuzzi bathtub. But what can I say is that while some cats are ungrateful for the care, other cats just legitimately don’t like water.

Some people really like to push the envelope when it comes to their cats, though. The increasing number of people who are training their cats to wear a harness and walk on a leash have managed to prove that many cats can do well in unusual situations, as long as they are set up for success before entering that situation.

One way that some people have started to push the envelope with their cats is by taking them on sailing trips, but is this safe or practical?

Continue Reading

About the author

Crystal Uys

Cat mom to Ivy – a feisty little rescue kitten that is her one and only child. For now! Throughout her life, she has been introduced to the special love that can be found in the bond with a cat. Having owned multiple felines, she is more than certain that their love is unmatched, unconditional and unlike any other. With a passion to educate the public about everything, there is to know about felines, their behavior, and their unique personalities, Crystal is devoted to making sure that all cats and their owners know the importance of conscious living – and loving!