It all began with sweet Kit.

Many years ago, long before she was even a kernel of leopard-spotted existence in my life or this world for that matter, Zoey had already stolen my heart. It began with Kit, a stray cat I found in my driveway one cold and damp evening when I lived in Upstate New York. Of course, I took her in and she went on to live a happy and full life with me. When she passed at eighteen years of age, it was not a surprise as I had been mentally preparing for months, if not years, for the inevitable day she would no longer be with me. Read more

Queen Zoey – the ultimate cat goddess…

Let’s see. I’ve stepped in vomit. Broken up an overly dramatic hissing-fit between two equally assertive alpha-cats. Cleaned up urine as a result of said hissing-fit in which spraying was the retaliatory method of choice. I’ve also stepped on 14 plush toys left out, making their way as a trail from the bedroom to the kitchen as some sort of homage to the food dishes on the floor, glaringly empty of food. All before 5:00 a.m., the appointed hour my seven cats give me the not-so-subtle wake up call that I’ve had more than enough sleeping in like some sort of lazy vagabond and it’s time for breakfast, thank you very much. I can assure you, the routine is not for the weak of heart. That said, these are my cats and I love them unconditionally. I also respect them. I understand what might seem as a nuisance to some, are behaviors that come with the territory of cat guardianship, and I’m okay with that.  Read more

Jazmine and Kizmet are my poster cats for Dr. Buffington’s Feline Home Environmental Study.

Feline enrichment is a subject dear to my heart. The correlation between providing our feline friends a stimulating and enriching environment befitting their instinctual nature in relation to their happiness, health, and well-being is significant, especially considering most cats now live indoors for their safety.

We humans as their entrusted caretakers provide them with everything they need – food, water, shelter, and more. They no longer need to hunt for survival, which is one of their primary means to release pent up energy and keep their minds and bodies fit and sharp. Without proper environmental enrichment, cats are suspectable to obesity, heart disease, dental disease, gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and diabetes. They can also become bored, which often results in behavioral problems, such as litter box issues. Read more

Jazmine enjoying her dinner in her Dr. Catsby feeding bowl.

Hey everyone! The human is taking a break today, leaving us kitties the responsibly of blogging today, and since it’s Super Bowl Sunday, we thought we’d talk about bowls. We’re not sure why bowls can’t be super on Friday, or Monday, or even Wednesday, because for us, any day with a bowl full of food is a super day. But to be honest, we’d be happy if you put food on a plate, on the floor, or just about anywhere else, if it was something yummy to eat! Our human, she’s a bit more rigid when it comes to eating etiquette, insisting we eat from special, ergonomically correct bowls designed specifically for us kitties!
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Glasses, check. Phone, check. Lunch, check. Purse, check. Keys, check. One, two, three, four, five, six. Six. Six. And then it begins. The mad rush in which I gain an inordinately high number of Fitbit steps first thing in the morning before I leave for work as I look for whichever cat of mine, in my “cat-count-before-I-go-to-work” ritual is missing because I have seven cats, not six. Read more