Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 168

Remembering Ruby: That Time When Ruby Contributed to Science

I am so grateful to have eight years of Ruby’s Reflections to look back on. I remember most of the stories Ruby shared in her very own column, but every once in a while, one comes as a surprise, making me realize how quickly we can forget the small, everyday things after we lose a loved one. It’s one of the many reasons why I encourage people to journal after they lose a cat and write down as many memories as they can. Much as we like to think we’ll always remember, memories fade over time, an...

Review: Kitty Sift® Disposable Litter Box and Liner

This post is sponsored by Kitty Sift® and contains affiliate links*

When it comes to littler boxes, cleanliness is truly next to godliness. Boxes should be scooped at least once a day, preferably several times a day. At least once a month, the litter should be completely changed out after thoroughly cleaning the box with hot water and unscented soap. And no matter how well you clean, the porous plastic will start to break down eventually, depending on how frequently the box is used. In most ca...

AAFP and AAHA Update Feline Life Stage Guidelines

For the first time in a decade,  American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association have updated their Feline Life Stage Guidelines, a 23-page document designed to combine feline-friendly care approaches with a lifelong healthcare plan to improve every cat’s health and well being at any age.

The updated guidelines reflect the evolution of feline biology and lifestyle over time, requiring different approaches to healthcare for kittens and senior cats.

A no...

Sunday Quotes: Hoping for Spring

A year ago today, I started writing extended Sunday Quotes columns. The first column was, appropriately, titled “Fear.” Back then, I couldn’t have imagined in my worst nightmares that more than a year later, we’d still be dealing with the pandemic.

I really expected to just go back to the original concept of Sunday Quotes after a few weeks, maybe a couple of months at most. I started Sunday Quotes to share beautiful images of cats with lovely quotes to brighten your Sunday. But week after week,...

Mews and Nips: Tortie Covered in Snow and Ice Rescued Just in Time

The weather was freezing cold in Indiana when good Samaritans spotted what they thought was just a big chunk of snow and ice by the side of the road. When they saw a pair of eyes glow in the reflection of their headlights, they immediately turned around to investigate. There was a tortoiseshell cat covered in a layer of snow and ice. She was scrawny, cold, curled up in a ball desperately trying to stay warm. Despite being just skin and bones, her belly was round and she appeared to be pregnant...

Cat Care Guides from the 1980’s

During a recent bout of deep cleaning I found the two cat care guides pictured above at the bottom of a drawer. Your Kitten’s First Year was published by Purina in 1982. Pat Widmer’s Cat Book has a publication date of 1981. I got both books when I got my first cat Feebee in 1984.

The advice presented in both book is almost equally and atrociously bad, and thankfully, we’ve come a long way over the last 40 years in understanding cats.

The Purina guide fails miserably when it comes to nutrition,...

Gwen Cooper’s Curl Up With a Cat Tale Podcast Launches Today

You’ve come to know and love Gwen Cooper for her New York Times bestseller Homer’s Odyssey, her Curl up with a Cat Tale series of short stories, and her many other books. And now, Gwen is launching her new podcast! If you’re a fan of Homer and his family, this is a great way to hear more purr-sonal stories from Gwen. And if you’re not already a fan, you’re sure to become one after listening to her podcast.

Curl up with a Cat Tale launches today, and you can listen everywhere podcasts are playe...

How Cats Help Us Get Through Lockdown, and Through Life

Guest post by Carole Bosanko
This post contains affiliate links*

Cats are special just as they are. They become super special when we consider the positive effects they have on our health and well being.

A 2019 Cats Protection study found that 93.7% of cat parents said that their cat was beneficial to their mental health. Pets at Home reported that pets were lifesavers for people during the COVID lockdown in 2020. As many are finding the current 2021 lockdown even harder, cats may save the da...

Coffee Mugs for Cat Lovers

How cute are these mugs? Perfect for coffee, tea and hot chocolate, these mugs are a classic shape, printed with designs from original water color paintings.

The mugs hold 11 ounces of your favorite beverage, and are dishwasher and microwave safe.

They come in a variety of cat colors and are available from Etsy. The artist also offers custom water color paintings and many other wonderful gifts!

*FTC Disclosure: The Conscious Cat is a participant in Etsy’s affiliate program. This means that ...

12th Anniversary Celebration and Giveaway

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Today is our 121th anniversary! It really seems impossible that I started this blog, inspired by Amber, the original Conscious Cat, a dozen years ago. And while this is a big milestone for Allegra and me, this day really belongs to you, our readers. Without you, we wouldn’t be here, and we appreciate you so much for reading, commenting, and sharing every day.

12 years – 4,420 posts – 97,250 comments
18 million page views

Since March 1, 2009, we have brought ...