conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that I’m passionate about bio-appropriate nutrition for cats. Cats are obligate carnivores, and they need meat not only to survive, but to thrive. The optimal diet for a cat is a properly formulated raw, home-cooked or grain-free canned diet.
Allegra, Ruby and I recently had the opportunity to evaluate Holistic Select’s new line of canned paté recipes. Continue Reading
I love products that combine function with design – especially when it comes to cat products. The Peach Industries Kitty Lounger was what happened when an industrial designer married an animal crazy registered veterinary technician. Mike and Georgia Barbush, like so many pet guardians, found it challenging to maintain a sleek asthetic amid all the toys, scratchers and beds. That’s why they decided to turn their home into a design-conscious heaven of pet comfort and entertainment.Continue Reading
Welcome to The Conscious Cat 2014 Holiday Gift Guide – your one stop shopping solution for all the cats and cat lovers on your holiday gift list! This year’s guide is bigger and better than ever before. It not only features some of the best products for cats and cat lovers on the market, many of the companies featured are offering exclusive discounts to Conscious Cat readers.
You’ll find gifts ranging from cat furniture to toys to art to products for your home as well as some gift ideas you may not have thought of. I can guarantee you that you’ll find something to delight every kitty and every cat lover in your life. And by buying these products, you’ll not only get some really wonderful gifts, you’ll also support small businesses, many of them run out of the owners’ homes.Continue Reading
Allegra and Ruby love their Neko Flies toys. The toys are developed and created by Ellen Tsuyuki, a multiple cat owner who was dissatisfied with toys available in the cat toy marketplace. Her company, Nekochan Enterprises, Inc., specializes in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of unique, high quality pet products. All of the Neko Flies attachments mimic critters cats might encounter in the wild – and let me tell you, the likeness to the real thing is almost a bit eerie, especially for someone like me who is not at all fond of creepy crawlies!Continue Reading
I got a first look at the new Jackson Galaxy Collection from Petmate at Global Pet Expo in March, and again at Superzoo in July. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some of the products for Allegra and Ruby, so the girls and I were excited when the package from Petmate arrived last week. We got to test the Mojo Maker Ground and Air Wands, and the Natural Playtime toy assortment.Continue Reading
When it comes to cat litter, I have yet to find a litter I like better than Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat. This litter has been our go to litter for many years. It clumps better than any other clay litter, it has virtually no dust, and, most importantly, my cats like it. And yes, I’m well aware of the controversy around clay litter, but I’ve found that many cats don’t like the alternative litters – certainly, none of mine ever have. And no matter how much the human “in charge” may like the idea of these more environmentally friendly litters, ultimately, the cat calls the shots.Continue Reading
I met Shelly Habel, the creator of Sugarboy’s, at the National Capital Cat Show in September. Her booth displayed some of the most beautiful handmade cat products I’d seen in quite some time, including the fabulous Paca Pet Pouf. Shelly makes toys and beds for cats and dogs. I was thrilled when she offered to send an Original Paca Pet Pouf for review.
The Paca Pet Pouf by Sugarboy’s is a unique handmade pet bed, inspired by Shelly’s three cats, Poni, Beemer and Mowgli, Continue Reading
Have you noticed your cat pulling food out of the bowl, throwing it next to the bowl, and then proceeding to eat it? Perhaps your cat uses her paw to “fish” food out of her food bowl? Does she constantly demand food even though her bowl is half full? Does she consistently finishes only part of her meal? If you notice any of these signs, your cat may be experiencing whisker stress.Continue Reading
Keeping your cats’ records organized can be essential for everyone’s health and safety, whether it’s for travel, medical emergencies, natural disasters, or simply keeping track of important dates. Allegra and Ruby each have a file folder, but to access anything, I have to flip through a lot of papers. When Stylish Printable Planners approached me about reviewing their pet planners, I was intrigued.
Planners are one of the best tools I know of to stay organized. Continue Reading
It’s back by popular demand: The 2015 Conscious Cat Wall Calendar is now available for purchase!
So many of you told me last year that you loved the calendar, and we think we made this year’s even better. Allegra and Ruby spent hours picking out just the right photos, and they made sure that they received equal representation.Continue Reading
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats. Cats scratch to groom their claws, the scratching motion helps remove dead sheaths from their front claws (they usually chew them off their back claws). They scratch to mark their territory. Their front paws contain scent glands, and scratching leaves behind their unique signature on the object being scratched. They scratch for exercise; scratching stretches the muscles in the front legs and all along the back. And they scratch simply because it feels good.Continue Reading