My cats are fascinating to me for many reasons, but one of the most incredible would have to be the relationship Zoey continues to maintain with her “kittens” who are now almost four years old. I am positive she still knows these are her children, and I am equally as positive they know she is their mother. I say this because I have read on numerous sites that as time goes by, a mother cat will no longer recognize an older cat as being one of her own and will just think of it as another cat in the household.

Once Zoey realized she was a Mama, the love and devotion she had to her kittens was deeply evident. She is seen here with Rolz when he was about 6 weeks old and she still continues to nurture him like a kitten even though he is almost 4 years old now!

When Zoey gave birth to her kittens, it was a stressful time – she rejected them the first couple of days, not quite comprehending her role as caretaker and I had to set up camp with her to make sure she stayed with them and gave them warmth and nourishment. Once she realized that she was indeed a Mama, and the kittens were her responsibility, her motherly instincts kicked into high gear and she has been a devoted, protective, and caring mother ever since (with an occasional bout of crankiness and exasperation like any mother experiences with her children). I know this firsthand because we kept three of her kittens – Mia, Peanut, and Rolz and the bond between them is irrevocable. I marvel everyday at the social dynamic they share, especially when it comes to her grooming and playing with them. Read more

While there is no doubt my cats lead a pampered life and are willingly waited on paw over paw by me, it does not mean that they wear diamond studded collars and eat fresh smoked salmon. I respect the value of a dollar and try not to spend my money too lavishly on them, despite how it might seem on the surface. Many kitty items in my house are handmade, most were bought on sale, and lots of them have been given to me – either as gifts or for product review. So, when I was given the opportunity to review a Sleepypod pet bed/carrier/car seat, I must admit I was a bit hesitant – this item was a bit pricey for me (the model sent to me retails for $179.99) and I worried about affordability to my readers. Read more

We love to decorate for the holidays, but when it comes to our kitties, the less help from them, the better. Kitties can be extremely curious and want to nibble on everything from curling ribbon to plastic bags to tree tinsel. The best advice, keep the ribbon off the gifts and forgo the tinsel altogether to be safe. When it comes to live plants, we need to be especially careful –  mistletoe, poinsettia, holly berries, and amaryllis blooms can all be toxic to one degree or another if they are ingested by your cat. The two general types of poisonous mistletoe’s are the European variety, Viscum Album, and in the US, the Phoradendron Serotinum. Read more

We all love a good “cat in a box” photo, but what about baskets? Why is this adorable picture setting often overlooked and underrated in the mainstream cat stereotype world? To put an end to the clear favoritism, we have a series of wicker basket photos that might just get you to rethinking the whole cute box mentality…

None of our cats take relaxing to the same extreme level our expert Harley does…

Peanut is so camouflaged that you would think at first glance she is one of the toys in the basket!

Um… okay… Peanut is awake… Quick, someone get this kitty a cup of coffee – she looks like she needs it!!

Ever the regal gentleman cat, Rolz looks completely dignified and stunning amidst a basket filled with silly toys!

Have we converted anyone yet? How about your cat? What places do they like to play and snuggle in other than a box – we would love for you to share your stories!  Oh, and just to be perfectly honest, we actually do LOVE a good kitty in a box picture, but, believe it or not, don’t have any of our kitties!! I know, crazy, right?!!! 642 million cat photos and not a one of them has a cat in a box.. All the great stuff we get to review comes in boxes, but where are the pictures? I think with the holidays coming up, we’re going to have to give our wicker basket some competition and get some adorable “cat in a box” photos!

The lovely Kate Benjamin of Moderncat demonstrating the Cat-A-Pole

I first saw the Cat-A-Pole interactive wand toy at the Catification Lounge sponsored by Jackson Galaxy of My Cat From Hell and Kate Benjamin of Moderncat when I went to the BlogPaws Conference in June  and I was instantly intrigued by the ingenious simplicity of it. I guess cat experts agree, because it was featured in the December issue of Cat Fancy as one of the “Best Products of the Year.”

Cat-A-Pole

The Cat-a-pole looks like a fishing pole and is designed to create a wild and unpredictable motion that is irresistible to cats. It features a pom pom and feather toy on the end that flits about like a mouse when you drag it across the floor or like a bird when it zips through the air. This is all well and good, but what do my feline experts think of the Cat-A-Pole? We were given one to try out when we hosted Zee & Zoey’s Cat Ruler of the World Contest and Campaign for a Cause and the answer was a resounding meow of support! Read more