Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 222

Happy Halloween

Allegra, Ruby and I would like to wish you and your kitties a safe and fun-filled Halloween!

Make sure you keep your kitties safe tonight! If you open your door to trick or treaters, keep your cats in a safe room so they can’t dash outside. Click here for more Halloween safety tips.

The post Happy Halloween appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

From Cells to Siamese: Advancing Our Understanding of Cognitive Dysfunction

Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD

Anyone who has lost a beloved relative or cherished pet to dementia knows the tremendous personal cost. My phone and computer screens still display 19 year-old Mr. Spock, although he left us in October of 2013. His last years were marked with curious Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms, most notably tremors, loss of appetite and a pronounced head tilt. However, he maintained his dignity and profound loving nature to the end. It was the beginning of my pers...

PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge

This post contains affiliate links*

When it comes to scratching posts and scratchers, not all are created equal. While they may all accomplish the same thing, giving your cat an opportunity to scratch, cheaper scratchers tend to not last as long or aren’t sturdy enough to withstand vigorous scratching without moving around or tipping over. PetFusion’s Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge has been around for several years, and is one of the best scratch loungers on the market.

Ultimate Scratcher Lounge features

Ma...

Urinary Tract Disease in Cats

Urinary tract disease in cats far too common (more on why that may be the case later in this article) and encompasses a whole range of problems, ranging from infection to crystals and bladder stones to life threatening blockage. Some urinary tract diseases are treatable, while others are irreversible.

Anatomy of the urinary tract

The urinary tract consists of two kidneys, which produce urine, the ureters that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder, the bladder, where  urine is sto...

Sunday Quotes: Sadness and Happiness

The post Sunday Quotes: Sadness and Happiness appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

Mews and Nips: Law Firm Hires Stray Cat

When some people complained about a stray cat hanging around the Order of Attorneys of Brazil (an organization similar to a Bar Association in the US) and filed complaints about him being in the reception area, the OAB solved the problem by hiring the cat as an employee. Leon Advogato, the organization’s newest lawyer, quickly became famous and has his own Instagram page. For more about the feline attorney, visit BoredPanda.com.

If you missed any of the stories featured on the Conscious Cat this week, here’s a...

Motivated by Cats and Caffeine Sweatshirt Winner

Congratulations, Caren Gittleman! You are the winner of a Motivated by Cats and Caffeine Sweatshirt from Gulf Coast T-Shirts.

Look for an email from Ingrid.*

Visit Gulf Coast T-Shirts on Etsy to view their full line of shirts

*Winners are selected by random drawing. Winners need to provide a physical address to which the prize will be mailed within 72 hours of receipt of notification e-mail or announcement of winner’s name(s) on The Conscious Cat. If this information is not received within the timeframe st...

Cat Amazing STACKS Modular Cat Condo Blowout Sale!

This post is sponsored by Cat Amazing*

You may know our friends at Cat Amazing from their fabulous puzzle and treat toys. Now they bring you further proof that they really understand what cats like with Cat Amazing STACKS.

These sturdy cubes are made from industrial-strength Ultraboard, which is not only kitty and planet safe, but is made to last. Function meets beauty in these versatile, modular cubes that can serve as playground, perch, tunnel, cat tree, and favorite hangout or hideaway.

Available in whi...

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Cats

I’m pretty sure that if cats had anything to say about it, they’d get rid of Halloween. From a cat’s perspective, there’s not much to love about a holiday when strangers come knocking at your door, your humans dress up in weird outfits and scary looking masks, and some  humans even try to put you in costumes. It’s up to us humans to reduce the stress of this holiday for feline family members and keep them safe so everyone can have a happy Halloween.

Pumpkins

Some cats like the taste of pumpkin, and th...

When Kidney Failure Hits Close to Home

I never wanted to have to write this post.

Chronic Kidney Disease, also known as Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is a common condition in cats. It is the result of a gradual decrease in kidney function. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve never had to deal with this disease with any of my previous cats.

Until now. Last week, Ruby was diagnosed with kidney disease, and sadly, it’s already in the advanced stages. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how my little girl could go from seemingly healthy to terminally ill...