About Cats: Cat-Friendly Resolutions for 2014

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy It is Christmas afternoon as I prepare this newsletter to go out tomorrow morning. It has been a hectic week, not only with last-minute preparations for Christmas, but with yet another veterinary emergency, with our beloved Joey this time. I left you hanging a bit with the headline piece below, but I'm relieved to report that Joey appears to be much better today I was touched with the Spirit of Christmas today when I read a number of my readers' responses to Do You Think Cats Have Souls? Today when I think of my loved ones lost, both feline and human, I have no personal doubts at all that they are still with me. Wishing all my readers the blessings of the season and all it represents. Connect With Franny: Facebook | Twitter | Google +| Pinterest | Free Newsletters   Review: Cat's Meow Cat Toy  I had seen the Cat's Meow toy advertised on television some time ago, but was reluctant to purchase it at that time, because I had read of complaints about "as seen on TV" products. photo © Franny Syufy However, while Christmas shopping a few days ago at our local target store, my son found what was apparently the same toy, and thought we could buy it "for the kids," our new kittens, Sage and Gaither. Who'd have thought then that even Jaspurr, our eleven year old cat, might be interested in such a toy?. Read my review to find out the details. Search Related Topics:  cat toys  interactive cat toys  play-alone cat toys Cat-Friendly New Year Resolutions for 2014 For several years, I've personally made some Cat-Friendly New Year Resolutions, and 2014 is no exception. The past several weeks, we've been besieged with sick cats, starting when our new kittens Sage and Gaither turned up with Upper Respiratory Infections. Our oldest cats, litter-mates Jaspurr and Joey, both contracted Conjunctivitis from Gaither, and though Jaspurr is almost free of it now, Joey is seriously ill. Because I know enough to follow my own advice, and know when to call the vet, we rushed him to the vet on December 24th. He had a full body X-Ray, subcutaneous liquids, and the vet drew blood for a CBC (complete blood count). The preliminary results showed a very high white blood cell count and other troubling results, and we'll know more when we get the total results back Friday, and we take him back for a recheck...Read More Search Related Topics:  new year resolutions  cat care  cat behavior Top Humane Gifts for the Holidays Celebrate the true meaning of the Christmas spirit by giving a humane gift from any one of these non-profit animal charities to one of more of your favorite cat lovers. Would you like to give a gift to your favorite cat person, and at the same time, make a difference in the universe of cats and other animals? These non-profit organizations make all that possible, with a win-win situation for everyone involved, especially the cats who are helped. I've visited several of this organizations for my shopping needs year-round, and they would also make wonderful gifts for New Year, for both you and the recipients. Search Related Topics:  non-profit animal organizations  holiday gifts  winter holidays Cat-Safe Christmas Tree 2013 If I've seemed a little scarce recently, I've been doing what most of my readers have: scrambling to get my act together, including getting our cat-safe Christmas tree up and decorated, with a little help from my friends, namely two boistrous kittens, Sage and Gaither. This year, we went to a tree farm, about 25 miles northeast of us off of Highway 50 toward Lake Tahoe. The farm covers 25 acres, and has trees of all varieties. It is eco-friendly too, practicing "stump-culturing," a method which will allow a new tree to grow from the stump left from the one we cut. We didn't even have to cut the tree, once I had found the perfect one, a silver-tip about eight feet tall. All we had to do was holler... Read More... Search Related Topics:  cat-safe christmas trees  safety for cats  cat toys Related Searches Premium Cat Food Products for Cats Cats Veterinary Care Cat Vet Hospitals Cats Behavior Featured Articles Cat Picture of the Week: Bruschi Cat Breed of the Week: American Shorthair Pregnancy - Mating Cat Food and Nutrition You and Your Cat Cat Health   More from About.com Run Your First 5K Even couch potatoes can be ready for a 5K with just a couple months of training. Read more...> Help! I'm Too Busy Time and stress management tips to help you feel as though you have more time. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2013 About.com   Readers' Share Love for Cats Memorials to Cats Loved and Lost Why my Cats Are Members of my Family Giving Thanks for Cats   Follow me on: Advertisement

About Cats: Multiple Cat Households

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy  Anyone feel burned out by the holidays yet? I don't, because having two new furkids in our family is bringing back my youth. Just teaching them what's safe (cat towers and toys) and what isn't (kitchen counters and plastic bags) keeps me hopping, as well as kitten-proofing our home. Christmas is a week from today, so I'm going to take some time to enjoy these guys while we're all young enough to play. I suggest y'all do the same - take time to smell the catnip. Connect With Franny: Facebook | Twitter | Google + Pinterest | Free Newsletters   Multiple Cat Households On October 12th, over two months ago, our household multiplied from four cats to six, with the adoption of our adolescent kittens, Sage and Gaither. photo © Franny Syufy It has been a whirlwind of activity since then.Learn more about the challenges of managing a multiple cat home. Search Related Topics:  shelter cat adoption  kittens  senior cats Scratch THIS, Pussycat! Yesterday, my son put a well-used scratching post out in our driveway in the off chance our outdoor neighborhood cats might use it. Next, it will go in our garbage containers for curbside pickup, as there is very little clawing surface left. The Purrfect post is one of the best scratching posts we've ever had. It is made of sisal fabric and is 31.5 inches tall, on a sturdy base. We've had this one...read more Search Related Topics:  scratching posts  illegal scratching  reasons not to declaw cats Why Are Cats Obligate Carnivores? Barry is a devoted cat dad with a voracious need to learn as much as he can about cats. He keeps me hopping with his questions, for which I am very grateful. Barry asked, "The following sentence makes sense to most people: 'Cats are carnivores. The following sentence is unclear: 'Cats are obligate carnivores.' What the heck does the word 'obligate' add to the sentence 'Cats are carnivores?'" Read my explanation to this confusing concept. Search Related Topics:  obligate carnivores  cat food and nutrition  vegetarian cat food Naming Cats: What's in a Name? Naming cats can be great fun. But when adopting a cat from a rescue or shelter, is it necessary to keep the name? Our new little kitten Gaither (pictured below), was once named "Faith," by his foster mom. (She had another little female cat named Hope.) photo of Gaither © Franny Syufy When Faith was taken to the foster shelter veterinarian to be spayed, the veterinarian made a note in her file, "Neutered male kitten, Faith." I sure don't blame the kind-hearted foster for giving him a girly name; after all, I've made the same mistake myself at least once...read more Search Related Topics:  cat names  fun with cats  kitten adoption Related Searches House Training Cats Cats Play Cat Health Food Dogs for Cats All Cats Featured Articles Cat Picture of the Week: Keddy Cat Breed of the Week: American Curl Cats for Beginners Cat Food and Nutrition Kitten Care Health Concerns   More from About.com Run Your First 5K Even couch potatoes can be ready for a 5K with just a couple months of training. Read more...> Help! I'm Too Busy Time and stress management tips to help you feel as though you have more time. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2013 About.com   Baby, It's Cold Outside! Reasons to Keep Cats Indoors "R" is for Responsibility How NOT To Be a Responsible Pet Owner   Follow me on: Advertisement

About Cats: White-Knuckle Ride for Cat Food

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Cats Cats Cat Basics Health & Behavior Photos & Forums From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats Winter storms have made the news in the U.S. this week, with Winter Storm Dion wreaking havoc on the Atlantic Seaboard. It has been a new life event for me, with six to eight inches of snow all around my house, and very icy and slippery streets. Thank goodness we've had no power failures. Be careful out there, and please, keep your kitties warmly indoors and well-hugged, if at all possible. Connect With Franny Facebook | Twitter | Google + Pinterest | Free Newsletters Blog | Cats Forum   White-Knuckle Ride to Get my Kitties Canned Cat Food Our house and vehicles have been snowed in for three days now, but today the sun is out we needed to go to the store, about a mile and a half from us. Why? Because we're out of canned cat food, one of the necessities of life in our home. photo © Franny Syufy Had it not been for the need of cat food, we humans could have lasted for at least two weeks on the food we have in our refrigerator-freezer and pantry. But our cats can't live on human food and we were down to five cans of cat food, three of which are a flavor they don't like...read more Search Related Topics:  canned cat food  winter weather and cats  premium cat food Are Cats Really Solitary Animals? Q: I read a magazine article that was a debate between cat behaviorists over whether cats have the capacity to love humans. One expert claimed that cats are solitary animals and only seek human companionship to fill their physical needs. I really do feel a bond with my two cats, but am I just fooling myself? Are cats really solitary animals? A: I have read the same article, and yes, it is indeed an old...read more Search Related Topics:  cats as social animals  how cats love  the feline-human bond Top Gifts Under $100 for Cat Lovers Cat lovers are the easiest people in the world to thrill with a gift, because anything cat-related will be welcome, such as any of these gifts. Holiday buying is in full swing now, but there is still time to order many gifts online. These are my latest top picks for gifts for a cat lover for the holidays, for any other special occasion, or even "just because." Most of these gifts are priced at well under $100, Search Related Topics:  gifts for cat-lovers  cat-related gifts  cat collectibles Please Keep Your Outdoor Cats Safe in Cold Weather  This week we had our biggest snowfall since we moved here two years ago. While all my cats are toasty warm indoors, I've noticed some neighbors in our new community, leave their cats outside and I worry if they're out that they'll not be safe in this cold weather. photo © Franny Syufy. Our kitten Gaither was safely enjoying his first snow through the glass slider to our deck in this photo. Whether you manage a feral cat colony, or your cats are indoor-outdoor, It's important to take steps to ensure they are safe from extreme cold outdoors. Search Related Topics:  winter safety for cats  feral cat management  stray cats Related Searches Canned Cat Food Cats and Kitties Feline Cats All Cats Cat Stress Featured Articles Cat Picture of the Week: Molly Marie Cat Breed of the Week: American Bobtail Cat Food and Nutrition Cat Care Health Concerns You and Your Cat   More from About.com Run Your First 5K Even couch potatoes can be ready for a 5K with just a couple months of training. Read more...> Help! I'm Too Busy Time and stress management tips to help you feel as though you have more time. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Cats newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2013 About.com     Follow me on: Advertisement