Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 481

How to Get Finicky Cats to Eat

If you’ve read The Conscious Cat for any length of time, you know that cats should be eating a species-appropriate diet of raw, grain-free canned or properly balanced home-prepared food. Cats should never eat dry food, and the money you invest in high-quality, premium food will result in better health and lower vet bills for your feline family members. I’m alwaysdelighted when I hear from readers who have switched their cats from a low quality and/or dry diet to a healthier diet because of so...

5 Health Tips from Your Cat

Cats are good for your health. The Chicago Tribune recently reported that a 10-year study at the University of Minnesota Stroke Center found that cat owners were 40 percent less likely to have heart attacks than non-cat owners. According to research discussed in this news report, people with pets save the Australian health service about $880 million per year and save Germany about $6.6 billion per year.

There is much information out there about how to live healthier on the internet, in books a...

Through a Cat’s Ear Winner

Congratulations, CarolRae! You’re the winner of Through a Cat’s Ear: Music for Calming!

Look for an e-mail from Ingrid*.

*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 Through a Cat’s Ear Winner appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

Your Cat’s Litter Box: What Does Your Cat Really Prefer?

Guest post by Lorie Huston, DVM

When cat’s begin to urinate and/or defecate outside the litter box, there are a number of different suggestions that are made to help convince the cat to return to the litter box. As a veterinarian, I’ve had this discussion and made these same recommendations over and over again to my cat-owning clients. I’ve also spoken about them here: Cat Litter Box Problems: What to do When Your Cat Decides Not to Use the Litter Box.

To be blunt, we make many of these recomme...

Conscious Cat Sunday: Taking a Break

Even though the above quote above is attributed to Gandhi, it could just as easily have been coined by Allegra and Ruby! I’m going to heed this wise advice today and take a little blogging break. Don’t worry, it’s just for today – we’ll be back tomorrow!

I hope you’ll consider taking a day of rest, too, but if you miss your dose of Conscious Cat Sunday, allow me to suggest a couple of our most popular columns for your weekly dose of feline wisdom:

Appreciate Life in the Face of Darkness

The Cult...

Mews and Nips: Special Squee Edition

When Robin Olson, the president andfounder of Kitten Associates and author of Covered in Cat Hair, lost Fred, a 10-month-old kitten, to FIP last month, she was reluctant to foster any more cats. There had been too much heartbreak, and Robin felt like she needed a break. But yet, she was haunted by a longing to be around kittens.

And then, at the beginning of June, Robin felt directed to open her heart again. When a friend called her about a mother cat who had just had five kittens on a sidewal...

Last day to nominate The Conscious Cat for a Pettie Award

Thank you to all of you who have already nominated The Conscious Cat for a 2013 Pettie Award! Nominations end at midnight tonight, and every nomination counts. Allegra, Ruby and I would love it if you would put in one last round of nominations for us, and ask all your cat loving friends to do the same.

And you’re not just helping us win, you could also win a $10,000 donation to your favorite shelter or rescue group (must be a non-profit 501C3.)

Nominating is easy! Simply visit the Petties Nomin...

Giveaway: Cat Prints and Notecards from Heidi Shaulis

Heidi Shaulis paints cats (and sometimes, other creatures) in oils and canvas. I love the bright, bold colors, and I find myself smiling at the expression on the cats’ faces in her artwork. In addition to original oil paintings, Heidi’s creations are also available as art prints and notecards.

Enter to win a set 3 art prints and 5 notecards- a $60 value!

The cards and notecards feature Heidi’s adorable tuxedo cat Charlie.

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment and let me know why you wan...

ASPCA Gift Pack Winner

Congratulations, Vagabond! You’re the winner of an Adopt-a-Cat Month gift pack from the ASPCA!

Look for an e-mail from Ingrid*.

*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 ASPCA Gift Pack Winner appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

What Is It About Cats and Bathrooms?

Cats seem to have an endless fascination with bathrooms. Whether it’s sinks, bathtubs or shower stalls, I have yet to meet a cat who isn’t intrigued by at least one of those. And when was the last time you’ve been able to go to the bathroom without a feline escort?

I recently received an email from a reader telling me that the only time her cat will come up on her lap is when she’s in the bathroom. Why was she doing this, and how could she get her to come up on her lap at other times? My answe...