Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 119

Heatstroke in Cats: Know the Signs

Even though heatstroke is more common in dogs than in cats, cats can get it, and it is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate veterinary attention.

Dogs  can regulate their body temperature by panting, at least up to a point, but cats normally don’t pant unless they’re already in respiratory distress. Most cats will instinctively move to cooler locations to cool themselves down, but if they’re unable to escape the heat, their body won’t cool down fast enough.

Symptoms

Heatstroke ...

Branch Basics: Cleaning Products That Are Safe for Cats and Humans

This post contains affiliate links*

Did you know that many commercial cleaning products can be extremely toxic, and even deadly, to your pets?  Cats are especially susceptible since they groom themselves by licking and as a result ingest anything that comes in contact with their feet or fur.

Dangers of toxic household cleaners

Many household cleaners contain contain toxic ingredients such as organic solvents and petroleum-based chemicals which can release volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) int...

The History of Commercial Pet Food: Profit over Health

The earliest evidence of cats as companion animals goes back almost 10,000 years. These cats had the job of pest control on ships, farms and graineries, and as a result, their diet consisted of fresh prey. The history of commercial pet food only dates back to 1956.

Pet food manufacturers would like you to believe that the processed foods you see on pet food shelves are how cats are meant to be fed, and that fresh or raw diets are a fad, or even dangerous. Nothing could be further from the trut...

Modern Cat Tower with Space Capsule Nest

This post contains affiliate links*

Last week we introduced you to a beautiful scratching post with a wooden trackball toy. Today, I’d like to share this beautifully designed cat tree from the same company. It offers a lot of fun features to delight your cats, including a “space capsule” nest at the top.

Cat tree featuresModern, sleek design fits with any decor.Sturdy structure and thick base.Removable and washable pads.Two large condos offer plenty of opportunities for playing and hid...

Darwin’s Giveaway Winner and Special Offer

This post contains affiliate links*

Congratulations, Theresa! You’re the winner of our Darwin’s giveaway!

Look for an email from Ingrid.**

Special offer: get 10 pounds for $14.95

Darwin’s has an introductory offer that can’t be beat so you can try this for your own cats: For $14.95, you get 10 pounds of raw food. You can customize the proteins depending on your cat’s taste preferences.

Use code CONSCIOUSCAT to take advantage of this special offer.

For more information and to order, please visi...

How Video Can Make Vet Visits Better

Cats are masters at masking signs of illness or pain, which is why regular veterinary exams are so important. A key peace of a successful vet visit is that you share your observations of your cat’s behavior with your vet. After all, as your cat’s parent, you know your cat better than anyone.

A typical scenario

A typical scenario experienced by cat parents is that they make a vet appointment for a specific issue. Maybe your cat has been coughing. Maybe she has been limping periodically. Maybe h...

Happy Father’s Day

Whether your kids are human or furry,
enjoy your special day!

Father’s Day can be bittersweet for those of us whose fathers are no longer with us. My dad passed away 18 years ago, but I still get a little sad each year when Father’s Day comes around.

The photo above is one of my favorite photos of my dad. Can’t you just feel the love? I think it’s safe to say that nobody else in my life ever has or ever will love me as much as he did.

Whether you’re the dad of human or feline children, enjoy ...

Mews and Nips: 18-Year-Old Cat Adopted from Shelter

Bandit, an 18-year-old Tonkinese, was surrendered to the Stafford County Animal Shelter in Virginia after his owner could no longer care for him. The sweet old cat was having a hard time at the shelter, still looking for his owner. Thankfully, he was adopted and is adjusting well in his new home. “He’s a sweetheart,” posted his new human, in a comment on the Stafford County Animal Shelter’s Facebook post about Bandit.

If you missed any of the stories featured on the Conscious Cat this week, he...

Review: PetFusion Cooling Blanket

This post contains affiliate links*

I first published this review a year ago, but since this summer is already starting out hotter than normal in many parts of the world, I thought this would be a good time to share it again. PetFusion’s innovative cooling blanket blanket absorbs and releases your cat’s body heat, keeping her cool and comfortable during the dog days of summer (I had to sneak that tired old expression in!)

Cooling blanket featuresMade of 80% nylon and 20% cool technology poly...

Scratching Post and Wooden Trackball Toy

This post contains affiliate links*

A cat toy that is fun for cats and looks good? Yes, please! The Made4Pets scratching post and wooden trackball combo is beautifully designed and offers lots of entertainment options for cats.

FeaturesDurable and stable to stay put during play.Ideal for small spaces with a maximum diameter of 13 inches.Unlike plastic trackball toys, the wooden balls and tracks make this a much quieter toy.Sisal wrapped scratching post.Hanging ball toy adds some extra a...