Ingrid King's Blog: The Conscious Cat, page 500

Valentine’s gifts for cats and cat lovers

Do you exchange Valentine’s gifts with your friends and family? If you do, there’s bound to be a cat lover or two on your list. Even if you just send cards (and who doesn’t love to receive a real card in the mail in this age of e-cards), you’re probably looking for something that expresses your love for cats. Here are some suggestions that will be sure to delight the kitties or the cat lover in your life.

The Valentine’s cards shown in the photo above are hand-made linoleum block print cards b...

10,000 Facebook “Likes”

The Conscious Cat passed another milestone today -our Facebook page nowhas more than 10,000 “likes!”

I spend a lot of time keeping our Facebook page interesting, fun and engaging, and the number of “likes” (what used to be called “fans” in the early days of Facebook pages) isa wonderful affirmation that all of you appreciate the effort. It’s fascinating to me how the term “like” has become such an integral part of the online experience. I often find myself looking for the “like” button on page...

Cats take on their humans’ habits

We all consider our cats members of the family, and according to a new study from the University of Messina’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, this blending into our lives extends to our cats taking on human habits- both good and bad ones.

Theresearchers studied two groups of cats.Discovery News reports on the study:

Each group received excellent care, in terms of food, medical attention and grooming. The owners of all the cats worked during the day and returned home in the evenings.

The first gr...

Why is veterinary care so expensive?

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question,I’d be a wealthy woman! What most people don’t realize is that, relatively speaking, veterinary care, especially when compared to human healthcare, is actually not at all unreasonable. As a former veterinary hospital manager, I can give you some behind the scenes insight into what makes up the cost of veterinary care.

Your cat’s veterinarian is not just your cat’s “family doctor”

Your cat’s vet is also her surgeon, radiologist, den...

Conscious Cat Sunday: Ruby on happiness

Happiness does not light gently on my shoulder like a butterfly.

She pounces on my lap, demanding that I scratch behind her ears. –Anonymous

What is happiness? The answer to this broad question is, of course, subjective, although I’d say for most of us, the above quote captures its meaning purr-fectly.

Today, Ruby would like to share her definition.

In Ruby’s world, happiness is:

sitting in Mom’s lap while she’s working, watching tv, reading, or any other time. Mom’s lap is the best place on earth...

Mews and Nips: a cat’s incredible 200 mile journey

The story of Holly, a4-year-old tortoiseshell who in early November became separated from Jacob and Bonnie Richter at an R.V. rally in Daytona Beach, Fla., and appeared on New Year’s Eve — staggering, weak and emaciated — in a backyard about a mile from the Richters’ house in West Palm Beach, almost 200 miles from where shegot lost,is most definitely the top story of this week. All the major news outlets, including the New York Times, reported this amazing journey, and scientists find themsel...

Tiny Confessions print winners

Congratulations, Linda, Shadow Dance Ranch Kittehs, Dorothy, Kristen, Cheryl J, Jenny Schweitzer, Hilary Gnali, Viki Worden, Sarah, and Dianna Wise! You won a Tiny Confessions cat print by Christopher Rozzi.

Look for an e-mail from Ingrid*.

*Winners wereselected 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.

Review: Feline Friends: Tales from the Heart

Feline Friends: Tales from the Heart is a collection of stories sent to the Cat Protection Society of New South Wales in Australia, an independent rescue group that has been caring for cats since 1958.

From the publisher:

A heartwarming tribute to our feline friends, this collection of real-life stories and captivating photographs will delight, amaze and deeply touch anyone who has ever spent time with a cat. From cats who ‘adopted’ their owners to strays who visited with a human just long enou...

Mind talk and cats: Daisy and the cat carrier caper

Guest post by Patricia Fry

Have you ever noticed that the cat who is scheduled for a vet or groomer visit is nowhere to be found when it’s time to go? Most mornings, you’ll find our cats curled up in their cozy beds or hanging out in the lap of an overstuffed chair. I walk into the room often and give them a little hug or ruffle up the fur behind their ears. They love the attention. Except when I approach them with an ulterior motive. Then they scurry for parts unknown and the chase is on. How...

Does your cat get the “zoomies?”

I actually found a definition for the word “zoomies” in Urban Dictionary, and even though the definition was for dogs, it’s exactly what I’m talking about: “when your dog runs around the house like crazy jumping on the couch, running up and down the stairs, and all over the house. It usually ends with them falling to the floor, panting like crazy and taking a nap.”

At our house, Ruby is the Queen of the Zoomies. Several times a day, she races through the house, up and down the cat tree, and up...