Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 426

Allegra, Ruby and the Great Bug Hunting Adventure

The other night, the girls had a big bug huntingadventure, and they wanted to share it with you. I don’t know who had more fun: the girls or me. They were utterly fascinated by this new “toy” in our living room. I was thoroughly entertained watching them try to catch the bug. The level of teamwork they displayed was remarkable; I swear I could hear them strategize on how to best approach this hunt!

But why don’t I let them tell you in their own words.

Allegra: Ruby, come over here. You’ve got t...

One Day Only: Free Download of Adventures in Veterinary Medicine

I’m delighted to be able to offer you my newest book, Adventures in Veterinary Medicine:What Working in Veterinary Hospitals Taught Me About Life, Love, and Myself as a free download for Kindle. If you don’t havea Kindle, don’t worry.You can download a free reading app to read this and other Kindle books on your PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and smartphone.

The book offers a unique look at what really goes on in a veterinary hospital through the eyes of a former veterinary hospital man...

Review: Neko Flies Birbug and the Telescoping Rod

Allegra and Ruby love their Neko Flies toys. The toys are developed and created by Ellen Tsuyuki, a multiple cat owner who was dissatisfied with toys available in the cat toy marketplace. Her company, Nekochan Enterprises, Inc., specializes in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of unique, high quality pet products. All of the Neko Flies attachments mimic critters cats might encounter in the wild – and let me tell you, the likeness to the real thing is almost a bit eerie, especia...

The Cost of Veterinary Care: A Vet’s Perspective

Guest post by Elizabeth Colleran, DVM

Three weeks ago, a long standing and wonderful client of ours scheduled a long-awaited dental procedure for her cat Lily. Until we could get her scheduled, she was on pain medication for the cavities we had previously diagnosed. Since we know that dental pain is the same in the cat as it is in people, we knew she was uncomfortable despite the fact that she was still eating. The only significant change the client noticed was that she tilted her head just sl...

Catification is a New York Times Bestseller

I am beyond excited for Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin: their new book, Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!) made the New York Times Bestseller list! The book debuted at number 17 in the Advice, How To and Miscellaneous category.

Books make the list based on the number of copies sold during the pre-order phase and during the first week the book is sold. I know a lot of you pre-ordered the book and/or bought it as soon as it was available, so I know all of...

Conscious Cat Sunday: Embrace Life with Awe and Gratitude

What is the first thing you think of when you first get out of bed? What is the last thought before you go to sleep? How you start and end your day sets the tone for how you get through each day, and for the quality of your sleep at night. Research has shown that gratitude is a powerful force. Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis found that people who practice gratitude are 25% happier. They are more optimistic about the future and feel better about their lives. Combine...

Mews and Nips: Therapy Cat Provides End of Life Care for Veterans

Tom, a 7-year-old rescue cat in Salem, VA, provides hospice care to patients at the VA Hospital in Salem, VA. Tom freely roams the hospice ward like a doctor making his rounds, nibbles treats sneaked to him by patients, and brings comfort to old soldiers and their families during an emotional time. When the staff first adopted Tom, they weren’t sure whether patients would approve. Now, it’s hard for them to imagine life in the ward without Tom. Families have thanked the staff for Tom’s calmin...

Review and Giveaway: Stages of Grey by Clea Simon

I always look forward to a new installment in Clea Simon’s Dulcie Schwartz mystery series, featuring the Harvard graduate student, along with her kitten Esme and the spirit of her departed cat, Mr. Grey. This series has become one of my favorites. In Stages of Grey, the eighth book in the series, Dulcie is still working on her doctoral thesis about a mysterious 19th century author of two gothic novels. Her relationship with her boyfriend Chris finally seems to be on an even keel, and her blac...

SmartyKat® Feather Whirl™ Winner – 4 More Chances to Win!

Congratulations, Raine! You’re the winner of a SmartyKat® Feather Whirl™ !

Look for an e-mail from Ingrid*.

And if you didn’t win this time, not to worry: you’ll have 4more chances to win!

Next chance to win a SmartyKat® Feather Whirl™: October 30 !

*Winners were 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. If this information is not received, an alternate winner will be chosen.

The post...

Review and Giveaway: The Jackson Galaxy Collection by Petmate

I got a first look at the new Jackson Galaxy Collection from Petmate at Global Pet Expo in March, and again at Superzoo in July. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some of the products for Allegra and Ruby, so the girls and I were excited when the package from Petmate arrived last week. We got to test the Mojo Maker Ground and Air Wands, and the Natural Playtime toy assortment.

The wands were an immediate hit – I could barely get them out of the packaging before the girls started pouncing afte...