Cat Views

I read an article today by Leslie A. Lyons published by the Scientific American about purring. I’ve decided there are few other sounds which compare to a purr – I call it the sound of love. OK, so the experts say that cats purr even in stressful situations, but not mine. No, instead she just sheds and sweats. Doofie is definitely a purrer. Even in mid-air she’ll either start or stop a purr on her path closer to me. OK, so the sound is produced by the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles at a frequency of 25 and 150 Hertz. Dr. Lyons’ article suggest the energy produced by purring may aid in bone density and to promote healing through muscle strengthening. So, even though the experts suggest a more scientific function of purring, I’m still going to say, if you want to hear what love sounds like, listen to your cat’s purr.

With over 63% U.S. households having pets, it’s not surprising that a new trend has recently emerged, pet sitting. I don’t know about you, but I’ve started traveling less since I was adopted by my cat, Doofie. At first, it wasn’t too much trouble because my neighbor and I were “co-owners.” So when she left, I took over and vise-a-versa; a nice arrangement. But she moved away, and as #1 human in Doofie’s life, I took over sole responsibility. Then, I tried paying an acquaintance – a complete disaster! I learned when I got home from a 10-day trip he never came over. My cat broke out of our house in desperation for food and water. Thankfully, she survived albeit a with some weight loss over stress and worry. She’s a good hunter and very adaptable, but it took her three days to stop sleeping with a paw on my shoulder to assure I was handy. Then, I got her a nanny….yes, my cat had a nanny! Her nanny was an elderly friend, much more reliable than the first choice. But that too, had its pitfalls. So today, I just came across a website dedicated to home pet care, certification and all! They refer to their trade as animal guardians – I like that! I live a relatively small town, and was pleasantly surprised to see a company registered with their site. They have handy suggestions for pet owners to locate an ideal sitter. Now, Doofie can stay camped out in her own home, snuggled in her favorite cat bed.

A few years back, I took Doofie to the vet for her annual check-up. Odd, now that I think about it, I don’t have an annual physical, but my cat does! Anyway, the vet said she needed to have her teeth cleaned. I must have laughed because the vet made a point of insisting it was necessary. We returned a couple of weeks later for her dental appointment. The vet-tech indicated that Doofie was going to be “put under” for the procedure. Yikes! Of course that makes sense as I can barely keep her quiet enough to brush her coat. I was asked if wanted to be present during the surgery – absolutely! They warned me about putting her under. Admittedly it was just awful, but I was confident that they knew what they were doing. Sure enough, she had several teeth removed. $150 or so later and a little unsteady, we both survived her ordeal. No high-rise cat perch sitting for Doofie for at least a couple of hours. Here’s a terrific article on the importance of your maintaining your cat’s health through proper feline dental care.

Does your kitty miss a little when they use there litter box? Well, your problem is solved! This sleek modern Litter Pod will not only make cleanup incredibly easy but it also ensures your kitty wont “litter” outside of its pod. Made to look sleek and lavishly spaced, is also made of stain resistant AND odor resistant materials! A cinch to maintain and a snap to clean up, this design is perfect for houses with multiple cats. Not only will your cat thank you, but you’ll thank yourself.

“Cats have the simplest of taste: the best is satisfactory” — Cat

My parents had a big orange cat who loved to travel. She liked gas stations, capitol buildings, Christmas lights and camping. One weekend they took off to go camping near the river. The cat was excited when she saw the tent and goodies being loaded in the car. They took off, arrived at the site and started to unpack. Oops! My dad had forgotten to pack the tent poles. Well, that meant a return to home. The cat was furious with him. Growling, spitting and hissing at him all the way home. After arriving home, she went in to her cat condo and ignored him. She would spit at him whenever she saw him for the rest of the weekend. By Monday, her snit was over and she was hoping for another camping trip.

For families that go traveling and camping with their cat, this Outdoor Heated Kitty Camper is perfect to take with you. I’m sure it comes to many minds that nights can be very cold and sometimes a cat’s normal bed may not be enough to stay warm. The Heated Kitty Pad that is inserted into the unit ensures your cat will be sung as a bug in a rug! This bed is not just usable for trips away from home and camping, but also for the cat that loves to be outside. Cats with arthritis would also enjoy this bed as the warmth can sooth sore joints and muscles. Worried about energy? Not to worry! The Heated Kitty pad operates at a low wattage! Good for your pet and your peace of mind.

We had been adopted by a big orange tabby who had decided our home in the country was better than living in the woods. My neighbor had been feeding her using her custom pet feeder off and on for two years, and named her “Rita” after Rita Hayworth…another beautiful redhead.I took the cat to the veterinarian for shots and a check-up since she had decided she was now a “house-cat”.

I explained to the Vet that I had no knowledge of her background but that I believed that she had been spayed since she had never had kittens during the time my neighbor had known her. The Vet smiled. “Well,” he said. “The reason this cat has not had kittens is that “Rita” is a male.” Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed. He also told me that “Rita” had, in fact, been neutered. He asked why my friend had assumed the cat was female. I said, “I don’t know except that it has such a pretty face.” At that, the Vet laughed out loud and said, “Tell her for me that the next time she wants to find out a cat’s gender she needs to check the other end!”

And now, for the rest of the story…we tried renaming HIM “Ritz” however, we still kept calling him “Rita”.

OK, I know it’s not one of those fancy Drinkwell pet drinking fountains, but boy is it convenient! No electric cord needed and it’s already color-coordinated with the bathroom, too! The only caveat is that Zuli’s clue when to drink is when we’re headed into the bathroom for our own needs! Not a lot of privacy! She’ll practically run us over if we’re heading towards the door! She’s a real clown, skidding around the corner, leaping onto the bathroom counter and bellying up to the faucet, front paws positioned in the sink. They say cat’s don’t like water…. Wrong! Look at her left paw, already soaked and more to follow all over her muzzle as she licks-in as much water as we allow. Now, if we could just figure out an automatic feeder.

Doofie first showed up at our house, abandoned but obviously accustomed to being an inside-outside cat. My neighbor & I decided to co-adopt her since our schedules were both fairly busy. My neighbor has extensive animal training experience, insisted on allowing Doof to continue roam, inside-out, particularly so she was afforded visiting privileges to both households; Mommy Marie & Nasty John (a whole other story!), and Aunt Nancy & Uncle John. Not a bad arrangement for a cat! 4 humans and 2 litter boxes!

It was only after a failed sitting arrangement while both families were gone, did I realize the importance of micro chipping. I thought I had found the “perfect person,” only to discover they never once came to the house during a 10-day trip! Poor Doofie! Locked inside a home with only the food I set-out for her they day we left!! To my horror, I came home, finding all of the food neatly arranged next to my feeding instructions, untouched and NO cat! Read the rest of this entry »

When Zuli joined our family last month she wasn’t in the best of health. Rescued from a park in Tucson, pregnant, injured, very thin and skittish, her appearance spoke volumes about just how difficult her life had been recently. Poor, pitiful little thing!

Worrying about her health condition, we immediately made a special trip to our local feed store. No, not a typical well-known pet store, but a “real” pet-supply business. Like hardware stores, there are the big chain stores which have a lot of stuff and usually employees that have no clue what you need. Ace Hardware, which though small is size by comparison, stocks a ton of stuff and very knowledgeable staff.

Anyway, I digressed! My point is, that while at Ramsey Canyon Feed, a company representative of Nutro Pet Products was standing next to her display trying to promote their high-priced cat food. Her sales pitch was very convincing so being gullible cat owners, we walked out with a bag of both Iams & Nutro eager to put some weight back on little Zuli diminished frame.

Fast-forward to today. Wow!! She eats like a horse!! I’m guessing her eating habits may be due to being hungry and lack of care. Our concerns have now switched from getting weight on her to keeping it off!! She can barely fit in her cat condo! Now rather robust in size albeit perhaps enhanced by a new very healthy coat, her main staple is now diet food. Interesting, I’ve switch between the Iams & Nutro, and without question, the Nutro is much more favored. Package contents suggest a better-quality product and hopefully the additional cost although not that much more, is justified.

Question: Is there an Overeater’s Anonymous group out there for cats?