Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 456

Mews and Nips: Book Buddies Program a Win for Cats and Children

The Animal Rescue League of Berks County, PA’s Book Buddies program is one of those win win deals that just make your heart sing. The program allows children between the ages of 1 and 8 to come to the shelter and read to the cats. These programs have been around for a while for dogs, but this is the first I’ve heard of one being used with cats. The program help children improve their reading skills while also helping the cats with socialization.

BuzzFeed recently shared a gallery of photos fro...

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day

from

Allegra, Ruby and Ingrid

Join us for our Valentine’s celebration on our Facebook page: post photos of your Valentine’s kitties!

The post Happy Valentine’s Day appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

Valentine Giveaway: Win a $50 Gift Certificate from RC Tees

Show your love for cats with one of the many wonderful items offered in RC Tees’ Etsy Shop this Valentine’s Day!

RC Tees is the creation of Toni and Mark Nicholson. Together, they design amazing t-shirts and bags, and, since they’re both huge animal lovers, many of their designs feature cats. One of their most popular designs, the Abby t-shirt shown above, is based on their 6-year-old cat Abby, who they rescuedfromthe top of a tree at a local park when she was 6 weeks old.

RC Tees created the n...

Allegra’s World: Making the Bed

Hi everyone, it’s Allegra! Mom said I should tell you what a good helper kitty I am when it comes to helping mom change the sheets.

The bed is pretty much my favorite place in our whole house. Our bedroom gets a lot of sun puddles during the day, and I like to take naps in them. And I love snuggling with Mom in bed at night, even if I have to share her with Ruby. I like to sleep curled up against one of Mom’s legs, and I love how careful she is when she has to turn over so she doesn’t disturb...

Cat Allergy Study is Seeking Participants for New Allergy Treatment

With record cold temperatures hitting North America this winter, many people and their pets are stuck indoors for long periods of time. For the millions of Americans allergic to their cats, this can lead to intensified symptoms like sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and runny or blocked nose.

Doctors are seeking eligible volunteers for a major clinical research study evaluating an investigational cat allergy medicine to determine whether it can help reduce symptoms for a sustained period with a r...

Cat Scratch Disease: Should You Be Worried?

When you hear the words “cat scratch fever,” your first thought is probably the popular Ted Nugent song from 1977. However, cat scratch fever, more commonly known as cat scratch disease, is a very real condition.

Cat scratch disease is a fairly rare self- limiting infectious disease. Approximately 22,000 cases are reported in the United States each year.

In a recent article on Answers.com, I explained causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of cat scratch disease. Click here to read the full...

Conscious Cat Sunday: The Gift of Jealousy

To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is: a dissatisfaction with self. – Joan Didion

Jealousy is a complex emotion that everyone experiences at one time or another. It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others. And yes, cats get jealous, too.

Jealousy can be toxic. It makes you feel small and petty. On the face of it, jealousy seems to be directed at the other person, but ultimately, the only one suffering is you. It’s not easy to admit to being jealous, because it means facing your own...

Mews and Nips: German Cat Guardian Creates Cat Paradise in His Home

Stefan Hofmann, a German carpenter, said his cats became restless with standard feline toys so he transformed a room in his home into an obstacle course. “I knew I needed to find something to occupy them,” he said. And boy, did he ever find a solution! The New York Daily News reports that the obstacle course Hofmann created for his cats now takes over his entire living room. This catification project elevates what Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy calls a “cat superhighway” to a whole new level.

“The c...

Review: Murder with Ganache by Lucy Burdette

Cats, Key West and mouth-watering food: I can’t think of a better way to escape the winter doldrums. Murder with Ganache, the fourth in Lucy Burdette’s Key West Food Critic mystery series, is not technically a cat mystery, but there are enough cats in the book to keep cat lovers happy.

From the publisher:

Hayley Snow, the food critic for Key Zest magazine, has her plate heaped high with restaurant reviews, doughnut and sticky bun tastings, and an article on the Hemingway cats. But this week she...

Review: Aikiou Stimulo Interactive Feeder and Puzzle Toy

Puzzle toys are a great way to keep your cats entertained and mentally stimulated when you can’t play with them. The toys are designed to be filled with treats or food, and they challenge kitty to retrieve the treats through varied openings in the toys.

The Akioui (pronounced “eye queue”) offers a new take on these puzzle toys with the Stimulo Interactive Feeder, and Allegra and Ruby got an opportunity to test one for you.

Most puzzle toy manufacturers recommend using dry food with these puzzle...