Have you found anything interesting in your cat’s litter box lately? Yes, you should be checking it when you clean it. You want to make sure your cats are using it. If you don’t find clumps in there (or wet spots), your cat could be experiencing a serious urinary tract blockage or infection. If the clumps (or wet spots) are noticeably smaller or larger than usual, that could be another cause for concern.
Likewise, you want to make sure your cat is pooping and that the poop looks within the realm of normal for him or her. Watch for wriggly pinworms, foreign objects (string, ribbon, etc.), odd coloring, consistency and so forth.
By the way, how many litter boxes do you have for your cats? A rule of thumb is one for 
each cat plus one. Now, if you have three, four, or more cats, unless you live in a very large house, you’re probably not going to have discreet places in your home for four or five litter boxes. You’re not going to want them in your living room, kitchen, bedrooms—no. Another solution is to scoop them more often. You want to keep them clean for your cats—as fresh as possible. It’s the right thing to do. What’s in it for you? Well, you live in the house too—so you want it to smell good and be sanitary. But there’s another reason to keep a close eye on the litter boxes. For the entertainment value.
Now I have your attention. “What’s entertaining about cleaning your cat’s litter box?” you ask. Well, you just might find some litter-box art. Is your cat creative? Have you found clumps in your cat’s litter box in the shape of a ship, an Easter bonnet, a hand print, a chipmunk, a birthday cake or…Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed.
Here are a few pieces of Lily’s and Sophie’s litter box art. You will probably recognize the heart—how sweet. The other clump, I think, looks like a cat face or maybe Mickey Mouse. What do you think?
I’ll bet that if you haven’t already, you’ll start looking for art in your cats’ litter boxes today. Have fun.
Sunday is National Pet Parent’s Day. This national holiday was created to honor pet owners who care deeply about their cats, dogs, guinea pigs, parrots, and angel fish. We are special, you know, so give yourself a pat on the back for what you do out of love for your pet. It means everything to him or her.
Smokey Report: My niece and her family continue to bond with Smokey. He’s been adjusting well. Last week, they took home some things from his former home and boy was he happy-happy. When they brought Mama’s beautiful oak table into their house, Smokey began rubbing on it. He jumped up on top of it and took a nap. The table is such a comfort to him that they’ve placed a pad on it for him to lay on. Oh yes, the spoiling of Smokey continues.
completed about 50 pages of the first draft. So what’s the hold up—why isn’t Book 35 ready to publish yet? I’m afraid it’s me.
I think we all get a kick out of our cat’s antics. Of course we do. How many hours do you spend on facebook and blogs that feature cats? You enjoy watching cats doing funny things as much as the rest of us. I saw a cat standing on its head and looking at the camera between his legs last week. Too cute. But what really caught my eye was the heart shaped marking under her tail.
most unusual positions. I’ll bet you have humorous pictures of your cat sleeping in an odd position or just hanging out. How about sharing them with my followers.
Cats and curiosity go together and this sometimes gets our feline friends in trouble. Here’s a short list of CAT-cidents I’ve witness with my own kitties or have heard about. If your cat’s reading this with you let me say, “Hey, pussycat, don’t try this at home.”
there before we could even come to his rescue.
4: I know a cat who got caught up in a coat hanger that hung on the cat tree. Scary and dangerous.
All domestic cats are descendants of a species called Felis Silvestris, which is made up of three distinct groups of cats—the African wildcat, European wildcat, and Steppe wildcat. These original ancestors to our lap cats weigh in the range of 11 to 18 pounds. You may wonder why our domestic cats come in so many shapes and sizes—well, that’s partly because their original ancestors do too. The European wildcat has longer fur and a bushy tail. The African wildcat has short fur and faint stripes and the Asiatic wildcat is spotted.
more than 3,000 types of domestic cats from the DNA of these three. And would you believe that only 8% of those are pedigree cats.
We talk to our cats like we do small children. We sleep with them, watch TV with them, play with them. Some people even travel with their cats. And we sometimes share our food with them.
much dairy can cause a tummy upset and diarrhea. A cat can develop mercury poisoning and even become malnourished from a steady diet of tuna. A little bite of tuna or cheese once in a while—I mean small—might be okay for most cats.
A steady diet of dog food can be dangerous for a cat. Dog food is formulated for a dog and does not have the nutrients and other things a cat needs.
Yesterday we talked about cats in water. Today our topic is cats drinking water. Yes, we visit this subject every once in a while. Why? Because it’s important. Cats don’t typically drink a lot of water because in the wilds—in their genes—they dine on live prey and tend to get the hydration they need. In captivity, however, we feed them kibbles, so they need more fresh water. What if your cat isn’t inclined to drink much water?
when there are more than one cat around. If your cat isn’t drinking much or if you don’t know how much water he is lapping, try these enticements. Most cats love running water for a couple of reasons. It’s fresh and tastes better than water that’s been sitting around in a bowl on the floor for a couple of days (or longer), and the stream of water is fun to watch and play in.
If your cat can be a water-waster—wants the tap water running all the time, invest in a fountain made specifically for cats. There are a wide variety of fountains for cats being manufactured now. Here’s a site offering reviews to help you choose which one to buy for your cat. I can tell you that Lily sure loves hers. The pump is electric so we unplug it when we leave the house and when we have a pet sitter (just so they don’t forget to fill it.) We don’t want it to run out of water and start smoldering or something. There are battery operated fountains, however. Lily’s fountain is getting pretty old. We may opt for the battery operated one next, if the reviews on them are good. Visit this site and do additional research and surprise your kitty with a water fountain. Let me know how it goes.
Do you think cats and water don’t mix? Well, some cats beg to differ. There are cats that actually like going for a swim once in a while—or often. And some cats are just curious and fascinated about water. Here’s a fun video showing cats in water. 
some breeds are more inclined to go for a swim. That would be the Abyssinian, American Bobtail, Manx, Bengal, Maine coon, Norwegian forest cat, Turkish Angora, and Turkish Van.
I love this story of a man who decided to travel the globe on his bicycle…alone. By chance, he meets a stray kitten and his plans change. Now he’s riding tandem with, perhaps, the world’s sweetest travel companion ever. See photos and read the story here: 
