Clever Kitties

The Window

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Tue, 10 May 2011 23:40:00 +0000

The story below is taken from "The Powerful Influence of Odd-Eyed Oliver and Other Stories".

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     The blackbird may have been frozen with fright...Or maybe there was a devious intelligence there that understood he was in no real danger and he was just teasing Celeste? Celeste is my orange tabby. The cat’s teeth were chattering at a million miles an hour as she sat poised on the window sill. Her tail flicked side-to-side with only a slight delay at the end of each sweep. Her excitement was palpable. The bird sat motionless on the outside ledge just inches away. Its head was tilted so that it could keep its unblinking eye on Celeste. The only thing that separated hunter from prey was the screen in the open window. The standoff went on for what must have seemed like an eternity for the parties directly involved.
     Finally, Celeste pawed at the seemingly hapless bird and struck the screen with an audible “thud”. But, the bird still did not fly away as it seemed he surely would. The cat sat there momentarily with her paw against the screen frozen in mid-pounce. The bold bird then began to squawk loudly and dance from one end of the window ledge to the other.
     At first, Celeste did not seem to know what to do. As the taunting strut of the avian demon continued, the shocked cat turned to me and began meowing loudly as if she was in serious distress. I went quickly over to the window and picked her up. She just looked at me and continued crying out as I petted her in an attempt to calm her. The bird kept up its victory celebration. Celeste finally quieted a bit after I told her repeatedly in my most soothing voice that “everything would be alright”.
     The little tormentor on the ledge seemed to lose interest in the game when he saw...

To read the rest of "The Window", please click the following link: The Powerful Influence of Odd-Eyed Oliver and Other Stories

Princess and Queen

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:58:00 +0000

Webster's Dictionary defines "Princess" as:

n. a nonreigning female member of a royal family // a daughter or granddaughter of a sovereign // the wife of a prince

while the definition they give for "Queen" is quite long, starts:

n. the wife of a king // a female monarch....

To find fantastic gifts for a little princess you know, just click the image below:

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:28:00 +0000

Hera is most well known for being the wife of Zeus and the Queen of the Gods. She was also the youngest daughter of Rhea and Cronus. Her bird is the peacock, and in almost every myth she is portrayed as being maliciously jealous. But it must also be remembered that she was the Protector of Marriage. It is believed by some scholars that she earned her bad reputation by being combined with a similar Phoenecian goddess.

Will your little goddess be like Hera? Only time will tell. Find fabulous gifts for her by clicking the image below:

Kitty Cat Love: Unconditional

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Some mental health professionals believe that if we treated our fellow humans the way we treat our pets, we would have much healthier and more fulfilling relationships. This makes sense considering the bonds of unconditional love we have with our pets!
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Family Reunions of the Cat Variety

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:41:00 +0000

Scientists from Colorado State University are using motion-activated cameras to monitor trails near Boulder. Their aim is to determine how closely Pumas, Bobcats and domestic cats interact in these areas. This, in turn, will give them clues as to the possible transmission of diseases from the wild cats to the domestic ones.

So far their research seems to show that the cat varieties DO use the trails in fairly close proximity to one another raising concerns about the spread of disease. Some of the diseases possibly spread through interactions between the wild cats and domestic ones, such as Toxoplasmosis, can be passed on to humans as well.
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Is Chester Cheetah An American Citizen?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:18:00 +0000

CAT STAT: Although in modern times cheetahs are associated with the continent of Africa, they once roamed North America as well.

That’s right…you probably find it hard to believe, but a mere 11,000 years ago cheetahs may have hunted in what is now your backyard!

There were actually two species of American cheetahs, Miracinonyx inexpectatus and Miracinonyx trumani, which lived in North America during the Pleistocene epoch (1.8 million years ago to 11,000 years ago). M. trumani had physiological features very similar to a modern cheetah, such as a relatively slim build and short snout compared to other big cats.

Although both species are now, obviously, extinct, some scientists think that the African cheetah we know today may be a descendant of the American cheetah. Their ancestors would have migrated across the Bering land bridge into Asia and then on to Africa.

Other scientists believe that the American and African cheetahs are not closely related and that the similarity in appearance is simply a result of convergent or parallel evolution. That is, they both pursue (or pursued) swift prey so they developed similar features to aid in attaining high running speeds.

It is thought the American cheetah and the puma diverged from a common ancestor approximately three million years ago.

Predation by Miracinonyx is thought to be the reason that certain American plains animals, especially the pronghorn, evolved to run so fast. The pronghorn’s 60 mph top speed is much more than is needed to outrun other predators such as cougars or grey wolves.

Kitty Cat History Lesson #231: Supernatural Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:30:00 +0000

(Charlie enters the office and finds Annie checking out a website with photos of the Egyptian pyramids on it.)

Charlie: What’s so interesting?

Annie: I’m reading up on ancient Egyptian history. Talk about a great society, they revered cats!

Charlie: I know. They even had cat gods; those people really knew what they were doing!

Annie: Modern humans aren’t so bad, either. After all, cats are the most popular pets in the world.

Charlie: What aspect of ancient Egypt are you reading about? That looks like a close up photo of some earrings in the form of two dangling cats.

Annie: That’s what they are. They were found in the tomb of a female relative of the pharaoh.

Charlie: They buried such beautiful jewelry instead of passing it along as an heirloom?

Annie: Yes; they thought the owner would need it in the next life. Also, remember that cats in particular were bringers of wisdom and good fortune. Therefore, it would have been especially important for the lady to have her cat jewelry in the afterlife!

Charlie: Those ancient Egyptians were even wiser than I had realized!

Annie: No doubt!

(Annie proceeds to type the address of another website with her dainty little paws.)

Charlie: What website are you going to now?

Annie: I am checking out Animal Den

Charlie: Why’s that?

Annie: Because they have thousands of terrific gifts for animal lovers, including cat earrings that are very similar to those of the Egyptian princess.

Charlie: Cool, but I don’t think you can wear earrings...

Annie: They’re not for me silly! They’re for Mama!

Charlie: She’ll really like those!

Annie: I don’t think there’s anything at Animal Den that she wouldn’t like!

Charlie: Now that I’m looking at the Animal Denwebsite with you, I’d have to agree!

Annie: It wasn’t nearly so easy for the ancient Egyptians to get their fantastic cat jewelry; they couldn’t just go to the Animal Den website with a couple of easy keystrokes!

Charlie: Yeah. Ancient Egypt was cool, but I enjoy being a thoroughly modern kitty!

Annie: I hear you, brother!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #196: Heavy Metal Menace

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:23:00 +0000

We all know that cats LOVE seafood. Give your furry friends some tuna, salmon or cod cat food and they are in heaven!

There is just one problem, which can be summed up in two words: Heavy Metals. No, I don't mean the loud, grinding form of rock music (although I'm pretty sure THAT wouldn't be healthy for them, either). I am talking about the toxic metallic elements that appear in the periodic table such as lead, chromium and cadmium.

A recent study of whales found that their fatty tissues are loaded with the poisonous metals. Even whales that spent the vast majority of their time at the distant Arctic and Antarctic seas had alarming levels of the elements in their bodies. The whales accumulate the metals in their bodies when they eat other sea creatures that have been contaminated, including fish.

At high concentrations in the body, the toxic metals can cause severe internal organ damage. Organs affected include the liver, kidneys, heart, etc.

The high levels of dangerous metals in seafood have me very concerned about feeding any more than small quantities of it to Charlie and Annie. Lately, I have been feeding them predominantly chicken, turkey and beef. I have been limiting their intake of seafood to two cans per week. I don't think it's really necessary to eliminate fish altogether, but I feel better about having substantially reduced their exposure to heavy metals.

They weren't necessarily very happy about the diet change initially (They had been getting fish-based cat food at more than 50% of their feedings previously because they liked it so much!), but they have adjusted quickly.

I feel much better about having reduced their intake of heavy metals and feel that the decision will improve their long term health outlook!

Now that we've improved your cats' health, read this cat product review to see how you can make them happier as well!

Kitty Cat Product Review: Petkin Cat Wipes

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:46:00 +0000

(Annie is entering the kitchen when she spies Charlie coming up from the basement. His fur is unkempt and looks quite dingy.)

Annie: Have you been rolling around on the basement floor again?

Charlie: Yep!

Annie: Are you crazy? Mama’s gonna have to give you a bath now!

Charlie: Wrong!

Annie: What do you mean? Uh, she’s going to have to run WATER all over you, which you hate…

Charlie: You’re forgetting that she recently purchased Petkin Cat Wipes so I don’t need a bath every time I go for a roll!

Annie: Oh, yeah…

Charlie: The Petkin Cat Wipes are great! They contain a combination of cleansers, moisturizers, vitamins, and a light fragrance. They leave my fur clean and silky without the trauma of me having to get wet! I’m quickly and easily back to being a handsome dude.

Annie: Pulleeeeeeease! The Petkin Cat Wipes are alcohol free and 100% non-toxic. I forgot about them because I don’t roll around in the dirt so Mama doesn’t need to clean me up nearly as often as she does you!

Charlie: I’m a boy and that’s the kinda stuff we do.

Annie: I like to play and goof around too, but I don’t have to get filthy doing it!

Charlie: Your loss! Now that we have the Petkin Kitty Wipes, I LOVE all the attention Mama gives me when she cleans me up!

Annie: It’s certainly nice not to have to listen to all the yowling and ruckus from you during the baths Mama used to have to frequently give you!

Charlie: Don’t forget that Petkin Cat Wipes are also very affordable; under ten bucks for a big stack of ‘em!

Annie: They’re easy to find, too. Just double click the Petco logo in the right sidebar here at Clever Kitties.

Charlie: They come highly recommended by Mama and Papa…and us!

Kitty Cat Product Review: Kitty Hoots Fishing Rod & Reel Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:02:00 +0000

The general concept of a fishing rod cat toy that you use to cast a catnip-filled lure is a great one. Charlie and Annie absolutely loved chasing the lure for the one hour that the toy was operational. That’s the problem with this toy: great concept with poor execution! The lack of quality of the reel mechanism is perhaps to be expected at this toy’s price point of slightly more than $20.00, but it should last longer than one hour.

The failure of the toy was especially disappointing because C & A just had a ball with it while it worked. It was also very easy on their lazy papa as all the human operator has to do is sit there, cast the lure out and then reel it back in while the kitties chase it to and fro! The toy operates just like a real fishing rod and reel. The difference is that a quality fishing rig can cost well over $100.00 so from that perspective, the lack of quality in this toy’s mechanism is to be expected.

C & A and I were having a blast with the toy when it all came to an abrupt halt. I took the reel apart and removed the tangled/knotted line. After reassembly, the toy worked for about five minutes longer and then failed again.

That’s when Ron Popeil came to the rescue! I ordered a Pocket Fisherman from http://www.ronco.com/(they are also available from Walmart and other retailers). They actually offer two for $29.95 at ronco.com making them less expensive than the cat toy version, but with a better quality reel mechanism! The lures for the Kitty Hoots toy are perfect for this application and can be purchased separately.

This turned out to be the perfect solution! The Pocket Fisherman is going strong and Charlie, Annie and I are again having a blast! It’s funny; remembering those old commercials for the Pocket Fisherman from my childhood really brought back memories. I’m not much of a fisherman and never dreamed I would actually own one, but I expect the kitties and I will be getting a great deal of use out of them now! Thanks Mr. Popeil. You saved the day!

Get yourself a Pocket Fisherman (or two) and a few of the Kitty Hoots lures. You and your furry friends will have hours of fun to look forward to!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #197

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:12:00 +0000

(Charlie walks into the family room and sees Annie up on the window perch, looking outside and shaking her head.)

Annie: Look at that nastiness!

Charlie: What's going on?

Annie: The exterminator guy is at the neighbor's house spraying that pesticide everywhere. The wind is blowing that junk everywhere, including into our yard!

Charlie: That's bad news. The lady who lives there is afraid of a few bugs around her yard, but the ironic part is that stuff she has them spray around is much more of a threat to her and everybody else in the area than any old bug would ever be!

Annie: It's a good thing Mama and Papa found out the schedule she has the exterminator on so they can keep us inside off the screened porch and all the house windows closed when he's there applying his death spray!

Charlie: It's probably a good idea for all cat lovers to find out if any of their neighbors use exterminators and, if they do, what their schedules are so they can keep their furry friends out of harm's way.

Annie: Well said! Breathing the pesticide mist that is carried on the wind isn't good for anybody, but especially not for us with our tiny little lungs.

Charlie: Agreed. That stuff contains neurotoxins and carcinogens and other really bad stuff.

Annie: I guess we won't be enjoying any fresh air for a while so I'm going to take a nap.

(With that, Annie curls up on the perch and closes her eyes.)

Charlie: That's a stellar idea!

(Charlie hops up on the perch next to Annie, curls up with her and closes his eyes as well.)

Super-Simple Cat Project: Ceiling Fan Swinger Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Using very little of your time and little or no money, this project let’s you create an entertaining system that will keep your cat(s) mesmerized for hours. You will use items that you probably already have on hand. You can also take pride in the fact that you “built” something your little friends enjoy so much!

This simple project utilizes the ceiling fans you already have installed in your house. You do have ceiling fans, don’t you? I don’t want to sound preachy, but they help make your house more comfortable and conserve energy in summer AND winter.

So, let’s get to it!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need

• 8 ft. of String
• Badminton Shuttlecock or Kitty Feather Teaser
• Previously Installed Ceiling Fan

Construction Steps

1.Tie the Badminton Shuttlecock, Feather Teaser or other “toy” to one end of the string.

2.Tie the other end of the string to the support strut of one of the ceiling fan blades. It should be tied so that the toy hangs approximately 12 inches to 24 inches off the floor (lower if your cat likes to stay on the floor; higher if your friend(s) is a jumper).

3.Turn on the fan and let the chase begin! The toy will begin swinging through a circular path and will probably bob up and down as well. If your fan’s speed is controlled with a remote control or wall switch, you can increase the fun by varying the speed of rotation at intervals.

Tips and Warnings
• Use string that is heavy enough that it will not break when your cat swats the swinging toy!
• You should ALWAYS supervise your pet(s) when using this play system!
• You should remove the system from the ceiling fan when not in use!

Check out this great cat health tip!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #195

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:11:00 +0000

The Scene: It's a hot summer day. Charlie is patrolling the garage looking for any nasty little intruders he can banish. He's already harassed a few dozen ants, beetles and spiders. He's feeling quite thirsty and spies an appealing-looking little puddle on the garage floor. He trots over and is about to lap some up when...

Annie: Stop! Don't drink that!

Charlie: Why not? I'm thirsty and this looks tasty and has a great sweet smell!

Annie: That' Ethylene Glycol.

Charlie: Huh?

Annie: Anti-freeze!

Charlie: So?

Annie: It's very poisonous!

Charlie: How can it be bad? It looks and smells fantastic!

Annie: And it tastes sweet, too. That's why it is so dangerous. Many of our fellow pets are poisoned every year because they drink it.

Charlie: Wow! I guess I'll skip the puddle and go inside to get a drink from our water dish.

Annie: Now that's one of the wisest choices you've ever made!

Conclusion: Make sure your cats and other pets can't access anti-freeze in your home. Check the spots where you park your car to make sure there are no greenish puddles where anti-freeze may have leaked out. If your car is leaking fluids, get it repaired as soon as possible; it can extend the lives of both your car and your pets!

Please keep in mind that if your cat roams freely outdoors, you can't control what she gets into. The odds of an accidental poisoning are greatly increased; this is yet another reason not to let your cats roam outdoors.

Nubz Dental Treats for Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:45:00 +0000

Although Clever Kitties is dedicated to cats and cat lovers, we also love dogs and don’t want to neglect them completely!

In this regard, I have discovered a great product for dogs: Nubz Dental Treats! These great treats help clean teeth, freshen breath, and reduce plaque and tartar build-up. They also promote healthy gums. Nubz Dental Treats are made with real chicken so dogs can’t get enough of their great natural taste! They have no added sugar, salt, plastic, or preservatives so are highly digestible. These healthy treats also incorporate a gluten-free formula.

The 18 large size bones in the package can be easily broken into 36 smaller treats for an ideal snack size.

Dogs absolutely love Nubz Dental Treats! They can be found at Costco locations. Costco members can find a coupon for them in the monthly coupon book. The coupon value is $3.50 which allows you to score the treats at a truly great price! The coupon is valid August 19th – September 12th. Hurry while supplies last!

Cat Product Review: Bramton Sleep Right Self-Warming Cat Cushion

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:18:00 +0000

This is another of those simple products that really works and gets used!

The Bramton Sleep Right Self-Warming Cat Cushion is essentially a pad that is 23 inches long and 19 inches wide with a faux fur exterior. The interior of the pad contains an insulating material that warms with a cat’s body heat as they lay on the cushion. The heat is retained to provide a comfortable, toasty spot for cats to curl up when the weather turns chilly.

The Bramton cushion is machine washable and can be used indoors or out.

Charlie LOVES the cushion and can found sleeping on it often. The interior material makes a “crinkling” noise when there is movement on the pad which Annie does not care for. Therefore, she does not lay on it very often. This is something to keep in mind if your furry friends do not like that type of noise generation.

The Bramton Sleep Right Self-Warming Cat Cushion is available from most large pet retail stores and online suppliers. It is one of those products that will get a lot of use from most cats. I believe it is well worth the approximately $19.00 cost.

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Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #194: Solar Dermatitis

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:37:00 +0000

The first question you probably have is: What the heck is Solar Dermatitis?

Answer: Solar Dermatitis is a fancy name for sunburn.

Pet owners often don't consider sun damage as a threat to their cats as their skin is mostly covered in thick, sun-blocking fur. But, there are areas of your cats' skin that can be susceptible to damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays. The ear flaps are most often affected, especially those of cats with white ears.

When a cat's ears get sunburned, it loses hair from the tips and edges of the ear and the underlying skin becomes reddened. The cat will tend to scratch at the irritated skin, which can cause the skin to break open and form an open sore or ulcer. Eventually, a squamous cell skin cancer can develop in the ulcerated area.

If your cat suffers from these sunburn symptoms, she should be kept out of the sun as much as possible. Keep drapes or shades closed over windows that allow sunshine into areas that the afflicted cat frequents. It is best to keep your cats indoors anyway, but cats with this sun damaged condition definitely should not be allowed out during the day in order to avoid sun exposure.

If a cat has sun-damaged ears and the sores do not heal on their own, surgery will probably be required to remove the affected areas. If the cat has developed a cancerous tumor, the entire ear flap may have to be removed.

You take steps to protect your own skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure, such as applying sunscreen. You should also take common sense measures to protect your cats from the dangers of overexposure to the sun!

Kitty Cat Product Review: Panic Mouse 360

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:14:00 +0000

The Panic Mouse 360 is an electronic (battery-operated; three AA batteries) cat toy that rotates a small plush cat toy around its base. The plush toy is suspended in the air by hanging from a wire attached to a curved central rod. The base of the unit is molded of plastic.

The plush toy can be rotated through 360 degrees around the base and it randomly reverses direction of rotation. The speed of rotation is not adjustable.

The Panic Mouse 360 has three controls: a main on/off button, a timer on/off button and a dial to adjust the timer. The timer allows the unit to be set to turn off automatically after a specified length of playtime. The timer can be adjusted from 15 minutes to 2 hours.

The Panic Mouse 360 is one of those toys that just does not seem to hold a cat’s attention for very long. Charlie and Annie played with it for a short while when it was brand new, but quickly lost interest. Now, they mostly ignore it. The lack of interest is magnified by the fact that this is a fairly pricey toy at nearly $30.00!

The unit is well made, but does have one annoying feature: The rod that connects the plush toy to the base comes off when the cats aggressively swipe at the toy. It requires a human to continually put the rod back on the base. Otherwise, the rod/plush toy just lay there on the floor while the unit continues to run. I’m sure this is a safety feature, but the lack of continuity of the play experience it causes may be a contributing factor in the cat’s loss of interest in the Panic Mouse 360.

The Panic Mouse 360 is available from most large pet retail stores and online suppliers.

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Kitty Cat Product Review: Pop-Up Play Cube for Cats by Sport Pet Designs

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:46:00 +0000

The Pop-Up Play Cube is another simple yet very clever design. It consists of a wire frame covered with a colorful nylon material. When fully expanded, the cube measures approximately 15” X 15” X 15”. The cube can be collapsed to a flat 15” X 15” square in about a nanosecond for easy storage!

The Cube has holes on three of its sides to allow entry/exit for your furry friends. It also has several ribbons of material that hang from the “roof” on the cube’s interior to entice them to play.

One of the best features of the Cubes is that any number of them can be connected together to form tunnels of just about any length and/or shape. The tunnels you can create for your friends are limited only by your imagination! The photo included with this article shows two cubes attached to form a short tunnel.

Despite its simple construction and inexpensive cost, the Play Cube is very durable. I feel it’s another cat accessory that offers great value for a relatively low price.

The Pop-Up Play Cube can be purchased at just about any large retailer like Wal-Mart or Kmart, any large pet supplier such as Petco or from countless online retailers.

The cost of the Pop-Up Play Cube is around $5.00 per segment.

The Pop-Up Play Cube is one of those simple toys of which Charlie and Annie never seem to tire. Annie, especially, loves to hide inside. It’s one of her “safe” spots when Charlie starts to act a little crazy!

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Kitty Cat Product Review: The Magneticat by JW Pet

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:38:00 +0000

Cost: Around $12.00

The Magneticat is a very simple toy. It consists of a plastic base from which rises an arched metal rod. At the end of the rod hangs a small bug-like toy. The bug hangs so that it is slightly above the base. The bug and the base contain magnets of the same polarity; this causes the bug to be repelled by the base.

The bug normally is stationary, but if any part of the Magneticat is nudged, such as if your kitties rub up against it, the bug begins to move. This is a result of the repelling magnetic forces. The bug will continue to move for about 30 seconds before returning to equilibrium, but your cat(s) will probably paw at it once it starts moving and thus keep it going.

The Magneticat is available at many major retailers and pet supply stores. It can also be purchased online at sites such as PETCO.com

The Magneticat is well made. It will last a long time. One of its biggest advantages is that it requires no batteries to provide the moving action that cats love! Your cat(s) can “operate” it anytime they wish!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #193: Corral Those Blind and Drapery Cords!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:05:00 +0000

We love our little feline friends almost like they are our children and, in many ways, they are just like small children. They are very intelligent and inquisitive. That’s probably why they have nine lives because, as we all know, “Curiosity killed the cat!”

Unfortunately, this saying can become all too true if you do not take steps to avoid tragedy. When it comes to your pets’ safety, the comparison to small children is very appropriate. You should “cat proof” your home just as you would “child proof” it!

One potential danger that could easily present itself to your cats is from the cords that control window blinds, drapes and other window treatments. These cords often dangle down from the window treatments in such a way as to be irresistible to your cats when they encounter them on their patrols through the house. The cords can easily entice your furry friends to jump and paw at them and grab them in their teeth.

The major problem is that the cords are usually looped so that your cats’ heads could easily slip through the loop. To compound the danger, a cat would have the natural tendency to bite down on the cord and twist her body around, thus wrapping the cord around her neck. Also, many of the window treatment cords tend to hang at a level where once your cat grabs one, only her rear legs would be on the floor and most, if not all, of her weight would be suspended on the cord.

All of this could lead to the unthinkable...so please take steps to avoid a tragedy!

It is quite easy to remove the danger presented by window treatment cords to your cats; just think like the parent of an infant! Get yourself some cord winders that are sold where you buy other infant safety products. They are available at local hardware stores, large retailers like Walmart and online. A great source for this type of product that I have found is BabyEarth.com

The cord winders are very inexpensive and simple to use with straightforward instructions right on the packaging. They effectively remove these cords as a potential danger to your pets. They do not detract from the look of your window treatments because they can be placed out of sight behind the window treatments. It is well worth a little effort to employ them in order to help ensure that you and your cats have many happy years together!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #192: Funky Floor Cleaners

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:08:00 +0000

(Charlie is sunning himself on the screened porch when Annie comes out to join him.)

Charlie: Hi. What have you been up to?

Annie: I was helping Mama clean the house.

Charlie: Helping? You mean supervising…

Annie: Well, we all bring different talents to the effort. That’s what makes a solid team so strong!

Charlie: Sure thing. I’m certainly glad Mama switched over to using non-toxic, environmentally-friendly cleaning products from the old brands she used to use!

Annie: I hear you. Those old-fashioned cleaning products contain all sorts of nasty solvents and other unhealthy chemicals.

Charlie: They are bad for people who are exposed to them, but much worse even for us kitties!

Annie: Especially the floor cleaners…our noses are much closer to the floor than those of people so we breathe all those dangerous vapors into our little lungs!

Charlie: Plus we get the chemicals directly on our paws and fur and then ingest them when we groom ourselves.

Annie: And the vapors settle in our water and food dishes so we ingest them that way, too.

Charlie: Those obsolete cleaning products are bad news; I feel much better since Mama switched over to using the “green” cleaning products!

Annie: Definitely! They will help Mama and Papa and us all live longer, healthier lives!

Charlie: The products Mama uses are “7th Generation” brand. They work great, can be found in many retail stores and are economical as well.

Annie: Best of all, they let us all breathe easier!

(Annie and Charlie settle in for a pleasant afternoon watching finches feast at the thistle feeder.)

Kitty Cat Product Review: KONG Cat Zoom Groom Brush

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:00:00 +0000

(Annie is snacking on some kibble in the kitchen when Charlie trots in looking VERY happy.)

Annie: Why are you smiling like the Cheshire Cat?

Charlie: I just had an unbelievable grooming session with Mama!

Annie: I beg your pardon! You HATE to get combed. You normally throw a hissy fit that the neighbors a block away can hear…even when the windows are closed!

Charlie: That was before Mama got the KONG Cat Zoom Groom Brush!

Annie: I haven’t seen that yet; what exactly is it?

Charlie: It’s a soft, rubber-like grooming tool that has large, widely-spaced and soft teeth. It provides a gentle grooming experience that is more like getting a massage. It’s nothing like a normal comb which “grips and rips” at tangled fur.

Annie: It hurts just thinking about a regular comb grabbing and pulling a fur tangle!

Charlie: Amen! The KONG Cat Zoom Groom Brush is a real godsend for every kitty!

Annie: How much does it cost and where did Mama get it?

Charlie: It is a great bargain at around $6.00! Mama got it online at PETCO.com! Hey, where are you going?

Annie: I want to get in there and get my massage/beauty session before Mama puts the KONG Cat Zoom Groom Brush away!

Kitty Cat Life Extending Tip #191: Hazardous Hairspray

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:39:00 +0000

(Charlie and Annie enter the screened porch and see their friend Rusty, the Orange Tabby sitting outside on a nearby deck chair. Rusty looks a little pale and dizzy.)

Charlie: What’s up, Rusty? You don’t look so good.

Rusty: I don’t feel so good! Before I went outside, I was in the bedroom with my Mama and she was spraying hairspray all over her ‘do. I must have breathed in too many of the nasty vapors!

Annie: Ouch! Most hairspray contains all kinds of nasty chemicals that aren’t good for people, cats or any other living thing!

Charlie: Yeah…They contain things like phenols and other toxic solvents that can cause severe damage to the liver, kidneys and other organs.

Annie: There’s no need to use those bad products. Now, they make non-toxic, environmentally friendly hair products that make the ladies look just as good as the other poisonous stuff!

Rusty: How can I get MY lady to switch over to them?

Charlie: First, you push the can of bad, old-fashioned hairspray off the countertop she keeps it on and roll it behind a dresser or someplace else she won’t be able to find it…

Annie: Then, you go on the computer and do an internet search for “non-toxic” or “environmentally safe” hair products. You’ll get links to all sorts of great products; just leave the page up for your Mama to see.

Charlie: Next thing you know, she’ll be using better products that everybody can live with!

Rusty: Good! I’m tired of being dizzy every morning!

(Rusty shakily jumps down from the chair and begins staggering towards home.)

Kitty Cat Question of the Week #281

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Do your cats know their names?

Just like people, every cat has a unique personality. Some are aloof and others are gregarious. Do any of your furry friends respond in a way that makes you think they know their names?

Personally, I've had cats who respond as though I might as well be talking to a wall. I've also had kitties that come galloping like a dog from another room when their name is called!

I suspect the ones who do not respond to their names DO know them; they simply can't be bothered. They prefer to act on their own terms!

What do you think about this topic?

Kitty Cat Product Review: The Fling-Ama-String by Moody Pet

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Hull) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:30:00 +0000

Cost: Around $24.00

The Fling-Ama-String cat toy has really surprised me. As cat owners know, our friends usually play with a new toy for a few hours then get bored and ignore it. This toy is different! I don’t know what the particular attraction is, but even after having it for several months Charlie and Annie continue to be fascinated by it. When it is not switched on, they will go up and swat it with their paws; the noise lets us humans know it is time to switch it on! Annie, especially, will play with it for 45 minutes at a time.

The unit hangs on a door knob and has an elastic belt to which an approximately 18” piece of colorful yarn is attached. It takes three “AA” batteries and when switched on, a small electric motor causes the belt to rotate in a vertical orientation. The piece of yarn moves with the belt from the floor up to about door knob level. As the belt moves, the yarn disappears at the back of the unit only to be flung out at floor level and the whole cycle repeats until the Fling-Ama-String is switched off. The unit can be set to rotate the belt at two different speeds.

The Fling-Ama-String is constructed of plastic, but is well made and has been quite durable. When set at the slower speed, the batteries last for hours. It is easy to install on any interior door.

The only problem so far is that the end of the piece of yarn tends to fray over time. The frayed end can get caught in the pulleys around which the belt rotates and stop the toy from functioning. The problem is simple to fix with a pair of scissors by cutting off a short piece of the frayed yarn.

The Fling-Ama-String is available at many major retailers and pet supply stores. It can also be purchased online at Petco.com (click link near top of right sidebar to purchase).

The Fling-Ama-String is one cat toy that is worth its price. It will last and, if your furry friends are like mine, they will find ceaseless joy playing with it!