Many cities have laws against putting animal waste in the trash. This includes cat litter. Because of this flushable cat litters became the vogue. People soon found that flushing litter causes plumbing problems. This includes litters that claim to be biodegradable.

Some people flush the poop and bag the litter. They believe the poop is the waste and the litter is just litter. Unfortunately, the City won’t see it this way. To the City, the poop and litter are both waste.

Other citizens commit a form of Civil Disobeidience and bag their litter anyway. I do. The city’s left me no option except to not have my cats. This is unacceptable to me.

I don’t recommend flushing cat litter. Cat poop may contain a harmful parasite, so I don’t recommend just flushing the poop either. I do recommend bagging it for disposal in a land fill. I think this is the best option. What do you think?

Best,

It’s normal for cats to eat grass. It won’t make them sick unless you use fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn. These can harm and even kill a cat. Cats eat grass for a number of reasons. Here are just a few:

• Cats eat grass to help them vomit up hairballs
• Cats eat grass to help relieve a stomach ache.
• Cats eat grass to add roughage to their diet
• Cats eat grass to relieve an inflamed throat
• Cats eat grass to enable them to pass hairballs
• Cats eat grass for folic acid, a necessary nutrient

Outdoor cats have ready access to grass when needed, but an indoor cat will probably nibble on your houseplants. Many houseplants are harmful, and even fatal to cats. One way to avoid this is to provide your cat with a ready supply of fresh cat grass.

Kittys Garden comes with  four grasses most cats love. Organic oats, barley, wheat, and rye in a sturdy planter. Just plant and add water.

Kitty’s Garden comes with a nice inexpensive Refill Kit. Just place in the planter, add water, and in a few days your cat will have more grass to munch on. Keep your cat healthy the safe fun way.

Another way to keep your cat happy and healthy is to provide fresh catnip indoors. Cat Nip Plus comes with it’s own container. Just plant, and add water. In a few days your cat will be having the time of it’s life.

If you have a garden you can plant Organic Catnip Herb Seeds. Your outdoor cat, and all the neighborhood cats, will love you for it.

If you’re into herbal tea this treat can be for you too. Cat Nip makes a nice lemon-mint tasting, relaxing herbal tea.

Share a treat with your cat and ensure it stays happy and healthy for a long time to come.

Best,

Declawing cats is common in the United States. It’s a matter of convenience; what’s easiest for the human involved. It’s considered inhumane and unnecessary mutilation  in England. It’s illegal in most European countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and Brazil.

I believe that people would make the right decision about declawing if they knew what’s really involved. It isn’t just pulling out the claws. When a cat is declawed the claw and bone are removed to the joint. Basically, you’re cutting the end of the toe off.

Once done the skin is sutured or glued and the cat will spend a day or two in the hospital. Then it’s sent home to suffer for the rest of it’s life. A cat uses it’s claws for many things. Jumping, scratching, climbing, holding objects, even simple balance require the claws. Imagine the tips of your toes were cut off. Not so easy now, is it.

The main reason that cats are declawed is so they won’t scratch people or furniture. A cat’s scratch has never killed anyone and only causes momentary pain. Declawing a cat causes life long suffering and even death. Furniture can be replaced, but your cat is unique.

Often when a cat is declawed it’s personality changes completely. Your cat may become timid and hide, or aggressive and bite. You’ve made your cat defenseless. Biting becomes the only option for protection. Leaving the house is a death sentence for a declawed cat.

There are alternatives to declawing your cat. My first choice would be to train your cat to use a sisal rope Scratching Post. Make sure the post isn’t made of carpet.

Put the scratching post somewhere that your cat travels frequently. Cats are smart and learn quickly. A sharp (not loud) NO and a carry to the post is usually all it takes. Add some catnip for incentive.

The cat scratching post above is on sale ($19.01 off) and comes with free Super Saver Shipping. Give it a look.

Next up is the Cat Claw Clipper. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Be very careful when you use these. You can easily hit the quick and cause pain and bleeding.

Clipping your cats claws is a much more humane way to control scratching than declawing is. Just be sure you only clip the curved tip of the claw.

Now we’ve come to Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps. These come in Small, Medium, and Large sizes. They also come in different colors.

To use these you clip your cat’s claws, apply adhesive, and then the cap. They last about for weeks on average.

As you can see there are alternatives to maiming your cat for life. I prefer the scratching post, but any is better than declawing.

There’s also another surgery in which the tendon that controls the claws is severed. In my opinion, this is worse than declawing. This surgery often leads to complications and should be avoided.

Now you know the truth about declawing. I hope you see that true cat lovers don’t declaw there cats. They just love them regardless.

Best,

For many city dwellers there’s no option to take their indoor cat outdoors, or is there? There are several options for taking an indoor cat outdoors. Some are quite expensive. Others, not so much. Let’s talk about a few.

Cat Fence

There are two types of cat fencing I’m familiar with. The first kind uses a buried wire and a shock collar. When your cat gets too close to the buried wire it is tortured, er, I mean disciplined. Guess you know where I stand on these systems. Seriously, would you put one of these on your toddler? Don’t put one on your cat either. ‘Nuff said.

The other type of cat fence reminds me of prison fencing. It has the turned inward thing on top. These fences are expensive and not necessarily safe. They may keep your cat in your yard, but they don’t always keep other things out. I don’t recommend either option.

Cat Enclosures

These come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some let your cat lay in the grass and some have a cloth bottom. Others have a hammock your cat can climb into. Prices range from under $100 to several hundred dollars.  Outdoor cat enclosures should always be monitored for the safety of your cat. Lets look at a couple of these.

The first is called the Fun Run. Fun Run is made of a strong nylon mesh shell and a sprung-steel frame. It comes with sand pockets and pegs to secure it. It also comes with a tote bag for trips.

Fun Run is five feet long so you should get at least two so your cat can run without feeling trapped. They easily zip together and can be extended as long as you want. Two cost less than $100.

Next let’s look at the Outdoor Feline Funhouse – Cat Enclosure Tent.  This is perfect for people with a deck or small patio. The Funhouse also comes with weight bags and stakes for placing on your lawn. You can even use the Funhouse inside for separating a sick cat, or to introduce a new cat to the family.

Cat Harness

If you just want to take your cat for a walk a Cat Harness is the best way to go. A cat harness will hold your cat securely without choking it as a collar might.

When using a harness be sure to put it on correctly. If it’s too loose your cat might jump out of it if scared. If it’s too tight it will be uncomfortable and may cause chafing.

Our feline friends deserve sun and fresh air. They also deserve to be comfortable and safe. The methods we’ve talked about provide both.

Best,

P.S. Now’s a great time to get the options mentioned above. They’re on sale and will provide your cats with a lot of fun. Be good to your cats. Click the links.

Comment below and let me know what you think.

Best,

I used to build my cats a house from an old cardboard box. Did you ever do that? I’d just cut a couple of holes in the sides and set it over a pillow. I’d toss in a toy and a cat treat or two.

My cats seldom used them. I thought about it and felt ashamed. I don’t live in a cardboard box, so why should my cats? They shouldn’t, and neither should yours. Don’t they deserve better? I think so.

Do your cats have a cat tree, a place of their own to play? My cats like to lie in the sun so I put their cat tree in front of a window. They love it.

You can build a cat condo or a cat tree. You just need some tools, materials, and time. Oh, don’t forget the plans. Best Cat Trees has some nice plans that come with  bonus see-saw cat scratcher plans. They’re on sale this weekend for $9.95. Just click the picture.

If you aren’t into making your own, take a look at the Condos and Trees in my Store. These are good quality products and you can’t beat the price. Take a look.

Best,

P.S. Building a Cat Condo or Cat Tree might be fun. Here’s the link: Best Cat Trees. Don’t forget to give my Store a look too.

Have you seen the TV commercials for the Emery Cat Board? On the surface it sounds like a great product at a great price. I was so impressed I decided to promote this product on this site. Then I dug deeper.

I started hearing that people were being ripped off and charged double. I heard that customer service went from bad to nonexistent. I heard it injured cats, GRRRR! I decided to find out for myself.

I called the customer service number on the Emery Cat website. I waited, trimmed my nails, waited, got some coffee, waited, went to the bathroom, waited, and finally a woman came on the line. I told her of my concerns and she seemed flustered at best.

She told me that customers were mistakenly ordering two instead of one. This meant they were being charged for two orders and received four Emory Boards instead of two. This sounded plausible. Then she mentioned some dollar amounts that just didn’t add up. I got a bad vibe.

I Googled Emery Cat Complaints and found this PAGE among others. Here’s the gist of it:

• Order one, not two
• Expect to be overcharged for shipping
• If you have to return “extra” items postage is non-refundable
• Sales tax is not refunded on returns
• Must pay extra to get the product base
• Cat’s claws can become stuck and ripped out

Doesn’t sound good does it? I’ve removed my Emery Cat ad and ended my association with the company. My advice is simple: DON’T BUY EMERY CAT! Yes, the preceding statement is strongly worded. These things might HURT YOUR CATS. ‘Nuff said.

Let’s talk Cat Scratchers. Don’t get a carpet covered cat scratcher. Why? Because you’ll be training your cat to scratch on the carpet. We don’t want that, do we?

Get a scratcher that’s covered with Sisal Rope. This is more in tune with a cat’s instinctive natural environment. It feels right to them. They like it. They use it. Both of you are happy. Everybody wins.

You can get a good quality, inexpensive Sisal covered scratcher Here. This scratcher comes with two hanging toys, and a catnip station for your cat’s enjoyment. The base is sturdy, it comes from Amazon, a company you can trust, and it’s on sale. What are you waiting for?

Best,

P.S. If you don’t provide your cats with what they need, they’ll provide you with behavior you don’t want. Get them a Sisal Cat Scratcher. You’ll both be glad you did.

I like the page a day calendars with the little sayings on them. You know, the one’s with cat tips. I could look at cats all day and these calendars have great pictures.

Click the picture to the right. This is my favorite kitten calendar. I like to grab a hot cocoa on a cold winter morning and just leaf through these pictures.

These little guys will warm up the coldest day. They can’t help it and neither can you. What a great way to start the day.

The picture on the right is my favorite cat calendar. Some of the pictures are a little zany. All of them are fun.

It may sound silly, but I collect these calendars. I enjoy looking through them. I wonder who the little guys are and how they’re doing. I wish I could give them the joy they’ve given me.

Best,

P.S. Everybody needs at least one calendar. Shouldn’t you have one you enjoy looking at?  Here’s the Kitten Calendar. Here’s the Cat Calendar. They’re going fast so don’t delay.

Are you thinking about getting a kitten, or cat? Are you wondering which would be better for your situation? Maybe you’re thinking that “free” is better than using a Shelter.

Free isn’t really free if you do right by your cat. You should have your cat  spayed/neutered and given a rabies shot at the very least. Even if your cat stays indoors you should still get the rabies shot. I do.

One thing you should NOT do is have your cat declawed. This is a despicable practice. Please, if you aren’t going to have your free cat spayed/neutered, and vaccinated, don’t get a cat. If you plan on having your cat declawed, please leave it where it is. The cat deserves better.

If you have small children a full grown cat would be best in most cases. Young children can harm, and even kill a kitten. They don’t mean to harm the kitten, but they often do. An older cat will just split.

Kittens are fine for older children. They’re fine if you have no children. If you have other cats, or a dog , there may be trouble. Be careful how you introduce your new cat to the family. Make sure the cat has a safe place to go if there are problems.

Remember, Shelter cats are often killed because nobody wants them. Your local Shelter should be the first place you look for a new cat. Even if you aren’t looking for a cat right now, stop by and donate a few bucks. Tell them it’s for the cats. They’ll appreciate it and so will I. Peace.

Best,

Cats aren’t using their litterbox? Do they poop in the box and pee in a corner? Maybe it’s the other way around. Newsflash! It isn’t the cat’s fault. It’s YOUR fault.

Do you change ALL of the litter at least weekly? Do you scoop at least daily? How many cats do you have? How many litter boxes do you have? What kind of litter do you use? What does the box smell like?

Cats don’t like to poop and pee in the same box. If you have one cat you should have two boxes. If two cats you should have three boxes and so on. There should be one additional box for the number of cats.

Litter should be scooped daily and changed weekly. Before adding new litter the box should be thoroughly cleaned and air dried. You can find an economical cleaner-deodorizer Here. Even if you use liners you should still clean the box weekly.

Now let’s talk litter boxes. There are three basic kinds. There’s the old fashioned kind you scoop. There’s the electric self cleaning kind. There’s the kind my cats like best.

If you don’t like scooping litter (who does) you want a self cleaning litter box. The electric kind are expensive, often don’t work well, and have filters that must be replaced. They end up being more work than scooping.

The other kind of self cleaning box is made by Omega Paw. See the picture. Notice the rounded end. With this box you just roll it over on it’s top, the waste is screened out, and you just roll it back. The waste collects in a tray for easy disposal.

Now let’s talk litter. If you’re using the old fashioned clay litter, get rid of it. Although the clumping litter is good, I’ve found something better. It’s called World’s Best and it’s made from corn.

Litter made from corn  is biodegradable, has a nice odor, and is almost dust free. My cats love it! Since I started using it I’ve had no litter box problems at all.

Here’s Omega Paw. Here’s World’s Best . If you scroll down on the World’s Best page you’ll find a deal that includes World’s Best, Omega Paw and a Deshedder all for one price. You can’t beat it.

I hope this will help you with your litter box problems. I know it will give your cats a better home environment. Just ask my cats.

Best,