The Sneeze-Free Cat Owner: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Cat Lover

100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History’s Most Influential Felines

101 Best Businesses for Pet Lovers

Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort

The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats

Felinerina has kitsch black cat oriented gifts.

Moggies: Home of the Online Cat Guide in the U.K. for those who don’t know, Moggies is a term that means mixed breed cat. Notepads, calendars, cards, jewelry, soft toys and more.

When I went to Pricegrabber.com I typed in “Cat Lovers” and found over 70 books, and some other things. I go there to find the lowest prices on various items, especially expensive ones. Searching under “cats” gave me over 8000 results Cat furniture, Feline Pharmaceuticals, gifts etc. Keep in mind that not all of products suppliers are listed by them.

Teezz sells beautifully embroidered cats images on shirts, caps, bags, etc. (U.K.)

Gifts that Keep on Giving — For buying human gifts that help cats:

The Animal Rescue Site has lots of clothing, jewelry, household goods many cat themed. Supports many shelters in the U.S. Great service, I have bought lots of gifts and things for myself from here.

Best Friends Gifts of Life and Love you can sponsor a cat, make a donation, or buy a gift membership in this animal rescue group.

Endangered Species Chocolate supports wild cats through donations

The Mountain Lion Foundation supports intelligent conservation and public education for those of us who live in mountain lion territory.

Purina’s Pet Hug Fund when you order a plush cat or dog toy, Purina donates $1.00 to the Pet Hug Fund which gives money to many animal therapy organizations. These groups help people (and pets) by bringing them together for the emotional and physical therapy they provide.

The humorous Ultimate Cats Catalog is a make believe catalog of things a cat might want to buy.

Night Before Cat Mass is a children’s book and a parody of the famous poem.

Catmas Carols contains many of the most popular Christmas carols rewritten with fabulous felines in mind.

Enjoy!

Animal Wellness Magazine focus on natural foods, holistic treatments, homeopathy for cats and other pets. They have both paid print and digital subscriptions.

A fantastic newsletter called CatWatch is put out by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. No ads so it is not cheap at $20.00US a year. The well written articles are authored by veterinarians. They cover every conceivable health and behavioral issue, dietary problems and solutions, feline anatomy and much more.

Yankee Magazine’s: Practical Pet Solutions for Dogs and Cats and Others is a well organized book comprised of both anecdotal and expert information about pets and pet care. The advice is from a selected group of veterinarians, pet trainers and breeders as well as their readers. I often find reading Yankee Magazine’s books both informative and fun.

Cornell University Veterinary School’s Feline Health Center has quite a few free online brochures related to various health and behavioral concerns. You can read them as an article or download as a .pdf file. Where appropriate they cross reference their own videos. From the link above, you can also access a glossary of feline medical terms, articles from their newsletter CatWatch.

At this writing there are 8 articles about general health issues ranging from what to do if your cat is “going outside the box” to dealing with aggression. There are four brochures about feline infectious diseases including zoonotic (transferable to humans) disease. And there are six about specific feline health diseases.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has lots of feline health brochures in English and Spanish; printable .pdf files and online readable files. Veterinary clinics can order mix and match packages of 50 brochures to give to clients. They also have a huge number of .pdf files concerned with disaster preparedness, mostly for veterinary practices and state organizations, however there are a few that are of use to pet owners such as Saving the Family (including pets!).

Go and see for yourself!

From the You Tube description”
“Clicker training is not only enjoyable for cats, but it can be life-saving too. Suppose you had an extreme emergency and needed to get your cat out of the house immediately? A cat that is clicker trained will quickly jump into his carrier. Richard Norton clicker trains his Bengal cats, starting with very young kittens, as shown in this YouTube Video. Richard explains the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour. “This means that the click alone can elicit some of the same bodily responses and processes that food could elicit. This is achieved by presenting food and the click nearly simultaneously. Our experience is that 3 or 4, 5 minute sessions is more than adequate to fully establish the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour.“

Video explaining the clicker training process with a young kitten

Video of clicker training process to teach a Bengal cat to press a light switch

I tried out a few clickers at Petsmart (had to go to the dog training aids area), Then I found some healthy treats my cats might get excited about. While we have tried this technique before, I was unsure if my cats would really respond well. Having found these videos I am more determined to make it work this time.

If you have a cat behavior issue, you can visit Marilyn Krieger’s site The Cat Coach. She advises clients about modifying an unwanted behavior through clicker training and other techniques.

Some really good books about training cats from Amazon.com:

Cat Training in 10 Minutes
I just ordered this one. I will let you know how we are doing

Getting Started Clicker Training for Cats

How to Get Your Cat to do What You Want

I bead, sew, embroider, needlepoint, macramé, decorate cakes, bake, cook and write. I use my bread machine to make a sweet bread dough that I then shape into a cat face. Bake and decorate with a chocolate kiss smile and frosting eyes and licorice whiskers. Yummy! Next time I make one I’ll put a picture up. Did I mention I have a creative streak?

Here are some more interesting books for multi-media crafty cat lovers:

Sassy Cats: Purr-fect Craft Projects interesting ideas

Cat Crafts (Kids Can Do It) Elementary school age cat theme crafts

Pet Crafts: 28 Great Toys, Gifts and Accessories for Your Favorite Dog or Cat some are child friendly. Toys or useful gifts for for your furry friend, or gifts of a feline theme.

A Year of Cats…in Hats: Crafts to Make You Smile a little cutesy, but interesting and fun

Cat Purr-sonalities in Cross Stitch I prefer needlepoint and embroidery, but the patterns in here are nice

For woodworkers and carpenters you can buy inexpensive plans for making cat trees from Cat Furniture Plans.

Or try these two patterns:

Scardy Cats Paper Woodworking Full Sized Plans Great for Halloween!

Cat’s Meow Scrollsaw Plaque Woodworking Plan a multi-depth pattern of jigsaw like cat silhouettes

For Quilters:

Two by the same author, I really like her realistic cats

Cats in Quilts: 14 Purrfect Projects

Kitty Capers: 15 Quilt Projects with Purrsonality

Also take a look at The Cat’s Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers, 10th Anniversary Special Edition for lots of great ideas!

Cats On Quilts is quite different from some of the static feline representations in quilting. These cats are shown being cats!

Agile is over a year old now. Every morning when I walk into the kitchen, he immediately approaches, loudly meowing for attention. He is not satisfied until I follow him into the living room where he lies down to be rubbed, petted and scratched.

First I scratch his rump, then rub his ears and cheeks. If he is really calm, he will roll on his side and purr happily while I rub his belly and chest. His eyes half-close in delight. All the while I praise him and say how handsome and wonderful he is and how grateful we are that he came to live with us.

By the way, if you want to know the whole story of his early life with us, you can read Birds, Mice and Apple Pie.

“Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” A Tasteful Read
For Cat Lovers

RESCUE, CA – February 1 – Animal expert Susan Fiedler introduces readers to life from a cat’s perspective in her newly-released “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” (ISBN 0-9778580-1-4) , a non-fiction paperback published by Spotted Cat Designs.

Fiedler tells her tale from the viewpoint of a third-generation feral kitten adopted by a family of humans. Six cats from different backgrounds tell their stories to the young kitten with a mix of matter-of-fact compassion and humor. Through these stories, readers are given a cat’s-eye view of feline life, shelters, catteries, birth, dying with dignity, and human cruelty and kindness. As Fiedler puts it, “Those creatures who dare to share their lives and love with us deserve our respect, compassion and love in return.”

Fiedler draws from almost 40 years of experience taking care of animals and pours her love for them into this timeless book. Without heavy-handed moralizing, “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” provides a heartwarming glimpse into the lives of abandoned and unwanted cats. And in the tradition of books such as May Sarton’s “The Fur Person,” Susan Fiedler’s cats come to life in a unique way that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Readers can also visit the companion web site to “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” at SpottedCatDesigns.com where they can read articles on cat care, browse the latest cat news, and ask questions about interacting with their own cats. “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” is now available from major booksellers including Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. For more information, or to order a signed copy, readers can visit SpottedCatDesigns.com.

You can also read the stories at places like Publishers Newswire , Send2Press , News Media Release , PR Leap , Newswire Today , PR.com

Contact: David Fiedler
david@spottedcatdesigns.com
Office: 530-677-4520
Mobile : 530-306-8291

Backgrounder: About Susan Fiedler

Susan Fiedler is a working mother who has been rescuing animals for many years. She lives in a rural area near Sacramento, California with one husband, two sons, seven cats, many fish, and a 40-year-old boa constrictor. Their property is certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

Fiedler’s interest in understanding people and animals has been lifelong. At 11, she learned to take care of an orphaned Maine Coon kitten. Later, Susan became the first junior member of the New York Herpetological Society, then based at The Bronx Zoo near her home. One freezing cold March day, a man brought in a baby boa constrictor who had been born after his mother was discovered in a shipment of bananas. Only the size of a pencil, and fed only once since his birth the previous year, he was nursed to health by Susan, and remains with her to this day, although he has grown quite a bit larger and heavier at age 40. At fifteen, Fiedler’s experiences with reptiles and amphibians led her to contribute the humorous column “Snakes Alive” to her summer camp newsletter.

Flash forward to Queens College (CUNY, NYC) where she studied Cultural Anthropology, Psychology, and Ancient Civilizations. At Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) she earned a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Service, which enabled her to become more comfortable with computers and enhance her research skills.

Articles written by her husband David led them to start a publishing company which specialized in reviewing products and services in the computer industry. Two magazines and one newsletter were successfully launched and eventually sold. David kept writing about computers, while Susan went on to other projects.

Two sons and lots of volunteer work later, Susan did what many Moms do: she went back to work. She now works at a pet superstore with some of her favorite animals, and teaches people how to properly care for their own pets.

Backgrounder: About Animal Communication

All animals communicate with each other through sound, scent, and behavior. Most of us know what a dog wagging his tail or a purring cat is “saying”. But when there are “problem behaviors” that humans do not understand or do not want to take the time to solve, they often abandon the pet or at best relegate him to the county shelter. If the animal is lucky, she will be adopted by a new loving family who will work with her. The unlucky ones are euthanized.

Some people have tried to take understanding animal communication to a new level. It started with Penelope Smith publishing a book about her experiences communicating with animal companions. Now, with literally dozens of books available on the subject, it’s almost a mainstream phenomenon.

Animal communication is not “just some air-headed New Age nonsense,” although it often sounds that way to people initially. According to Susan Fiedler, for a human to experience it, she must be willing to focus totally on the specific animal using empathic listening and feeling, and to push doubts and preconceived ideas out of her mind. Asking a clear question with a simple yes or no answer is one way to start. Be honest and straightforward without sarcasm or humor.

Even if you refuse to believe in empathic animal communication, “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” remains a heartwarming story of a multi-cat household.

Fur, fur everywhere and not just on my cat…

We love our feline companions, but often wish for ways to control or clean up their shed fur. Here are some ideas to help you (and your cat!)

Why cat fur is shed everywhere

Cats have at least two layers of fur (some have three!) and the one we see most often is the longer upper layer. This layer is not shed in great quantities by cats. It is the dense shorter underlayer designed to insulate cats during weather of any kind that is shed. Shedding of old fur occurs year-long, with a seasonal increase after winter being the most prolific. A cat’s self-grooming of this seasonal shedding is what leads to spring and summer hairballs and the resultant problems for your cat and you. Having said this, we turn to ways of decreasing shed fur, first on your cat, and then in your home.

When to brush or comb

Ideally, you could brush or comb your cat every day. This is a great bonding experience for both of you. Touching, purring, and talking all enhance the human-feline bond. This is a great way to relax and unwind after coming home from work or school. It also means a shorter time grooming each day than if you only brush once a week, as most cat books suggest for shorthairs and twice a week for longhairs.

Grooming kittens

Most are born at a time of year when they will not develop a dense undercoat. Nevertheless, it is important that you get a kitten used to being brushed for the following year, when they will have more fur to shed. A kitten has to learn that human contact is beneficial and pleasurable. And you will enjoy this, too!

How to brush or comb a cat’s fur

If you are using a brush with nylon or rubber bristles, your brush strokes go from tail to head, against the way the fur lays. This will loosen the most shed fur and debris for the least number of strokes. When using a nylon brush I start along the back beginning at the base of the tail upwards towards the shoulders using both short and long strokes. Then I brush both shoulder areas and sides, always against – or at a tangent to – the angle of the upper layer of fur.

In our family, all of our cats have totally rejected the slicker brush (see below) while adoring a brush with nylon bristles or a comb. As always there is an exception: Panther will only allow us to comb his fur with our fingers. So sometimes we have to hold him by his scruff to really brush out the heavy winter undercoat.

Not all of our cats let us comb their tails. Charger will allow us to comb or brush his tail from base to tip as will some of the younger cats. Longhair cats such as Maine Coons must have their tails brushed regularly to prevent tangles and get out any debris.

When using a comb (or a slicker brush) we always use short brush strokes in the direction that the fur lays, from head to tail starting with the back, then the sides. Avoid legs and the belly area as the fur is less dense there, and the skin more sensitive. Slicker brushes have thin wire bristles and if you are inexperienced or in a hurry, you can accidentally scratch your cat with it. Below is a sample of some of the other types of grooming tools available.

What you can use to groom your cat:

There are almost as many tools for grooming cats as there are for grooming human hair, including numerous varieties of brushes and combs. Some are better for longhair cats than others. Go to a pet store and hold and move the tool as if you were brushing your cat, to see which ones are comfortable for you in terms of angle of use and shape. Your cat will also have something to say about which tool is her favorite, based on how it feels to her.

With any tool, be careful not to brush or comb so deeply that you scratch your cat’s sensitive skin, or pull hard on tangles. She will definitely have something to say to you if you do!

Flea Combs

These very fine toothed metal combs with (usually) plastic handles can be used not only for eliminating fleas but also for gently combing fine furred short haired cats and kittens. Prices are $3.00 and up.

Our veterinarian taught us a trick for dealing with live fleas. After each stroke that catches a flea, dip the comb into a prepared dish of soapy water. The surface tension created by the soap captures the flea, preventing it from jumping out. The flea then sinks and drowns. Flea combs are used in addition to various medications that kill ticks, fleas and other insect pests that can harm your cat (and the rest of your family). Oh, that reddish coloring in the soapy water is your cat’s blood that the dead flea had ingested.

While we are on the subject, flea and tick preventatives include collars and various brands of liquids that are squeezed onto the skin between the shoulders from which the medicine is then absorbed. We do not recommend flea collars. Many adoption agencies are also against their use, and will specify that you not use them on any cat you adopt. The insecticide used can be harmful to your cat, cause skin irritation and even allergic-like reactions.

The preventative liquids come in single use dosages, based on a cat’s weight. Check with your veterinarian as to what he recommends. Some brands are sold over-the-counter others can only be purchased from a veterinarian. Our favorite prescription medicine is Revolution®, as it also kills roundworms and other parasites in addition to fleas and ticks. While not cheap, many adoption centers also use this for treating trapped feral cats. Revolution® killed fleas on a feral cat we trapped in less than 36 hours.

A Sample of Grooming Tools

Most of these products are available at pet stores and online pet stores. Prices and availability will vary. This is a sampling of the numerous products you can find, but each listing represents a different type of product. Brand names are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. We have used most of the products mentioned, after buying them in our local pet stores or at our veterinarians’ hospital. No, we don’t own part of any of these companies, either.

Shampoos abound, however not all cats like water. J Some waterless shampoos also exist. One of the reasons your cat spends so much time grooming is to keep his or her scent on his or her fur. A shampoo defeats this purpose. In addition, some cats may develop skin sensitivities to these products. I would only use them if your veterinarian recommends doing so and only as a short term measure.

FURminator® is the newest and the most expensive product in this lineup with its stainless steel edge deShedding Tool. It removes much of the loose or shed undercoat and is designed for use on both long and short-haired pets. The manufacturer recommends that this product not be used for cats or dogs with tight curly fur or those with thin undercoats such as Bichons, Irish Water Spaniels, Maltese, Poodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Shih Tzus. Usually found in the dog grooming area. Several people I have spoken with think this is the best product ever. We have not tried it yet. Price range is $35.00 for the small model (cats and small dogs) to $60.00 for large dogs. We suggest that you search online for sales on this item.

Bamboo Care’s 4 in 1 Grooming set has a two sided brush and two combs. The slicker side of the brush has fine wire teeth, while the other side has softer nylon bristles. One comb is a fine tooth for finishing up your grooming session. The other is a flea comb, for combing out fleas and their eggs. We have found this to be a good all around set for basic grooming. Hand wash. Price about $13.00

Kong’s® Zoom Groom for Cats is a cat shaped rubber brush with ¾ inch widely spaced teeth. Excellent for long hair cats, it also provides a beneficial skin massage, in addition to brushing all that long beautiful outer fur to prevent hurtful matting and tangles. Hand Wash. Price about $8.00

Groomax’s® Easy Groom Cat Shedding Blade has a rubber handle and circular metal toothed blade for rapid grooming.

Price about $7.00

Simple Solution’s® Grooming Gloves can be used on cats who seem nervous about brushes and combs. It can be a way to introduce a cat to the concept and sensation of being groomed by you. You wear the fabric gloves and the plastic nubs help remove shed fur. This is the only “tool” Panther allows us to use on him. Machine washable and line dry. Price about $3.00

Lambert Kay’s Shed Relief for Cats is a liquid supplement that your veterinarian may suggest if your cat has dry, flaky skin and sheds more than normal year-round. It contains linoleic acid and vitamins A, D and E. We have mixed it into wet food, offered it on a spoon, and even rubbed some on their paws, but not all of our cats like the scent and flavor. Price about $12.00.

Removing shed fur from places other than your cat:

Clothing:

A length of transparent tape is the old fashioned method. I only use it on small areas of fabric as it can be rather tedious. Not good on silk or wool or blends of these fabrics.

Simple Solution’s® reusable Cat Hair and Lint Remover Sponge can be rubbed over clothes or furniture. We have used this and found it also picks up dust from clothes hanging in the closet too long. J The sponge is hand washable. Price about $6.00

Hair Pic-up Roller has a handle attached to a tube with 60 layers of peelable sticky paper that pulls lint and fur off of clothing. This is a lot like using transparent tape, but you can clean a larger area at a time. Be careful and test a small area of natural fibers fabric first. Price about $4.00. Replacement tubes with more sticky paper are about $3.00 each.

Rooms and furniture:

We have found a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner to be best. This is our favorite method of removing cat fur from our home. HEPA filtration does not allow dust or other airborne particulates to escape as many non-HEPA technology machines do. (See allergy article.) Use included attachments for corners and furniture. Brush attachments create friction which dislodges the shed fur on fabrics and carpet. A vacuum cleaner hose with brush attachment or mini-vacuum with brush is also good for both furniture and hard to reach areas. If the surface is leather, a brush may not be necessary to remove the fur from your furniture. Yes, using attachments takes a bit longer, but is well worth the trouble.

Pet hair eliminator has large green thermoplastic bristles that create a static charge which attracts and holds lint and shed fur. Can be used on floors, furniture, and clothing. They say you can use it on a cat, but cats may not like the static charge very much. Price about $10.00.

Machine washable throws (small blankets) can be placed on your furniture, from sofas to chairs and even beds. They will hold shed fur that can then be washed off. Some of these are even usable as crate or carrier liners, having waterproof backing. They come in many colors, sizes and textures, and can be found in pet stores, online pet stores, or even discount department stores. Prices generally range from $20.00 on up. On a budget? You can buy a Vellux® or other soft but tightly woven blanket on sale and cut it to size, or have a whole one double as a full blanket on your bed. Don’t use an open weave — if your cat kneads the blanket, her claws will become entangled.

Place the throw on the side of your sofa that your feline friend likes to nap. If your cat requires some persuasion to use the throw, spray some Feliway® or other calming cat attractant on the surface and after a minute place your cat on the blanket. You may have to repeat this process more than once. We have several types of these throws placed in strategic locations around our home. Our cat shelves also have machine washable fabric covers for the same reasons.

Cat-A-Comb can be used if your cat is marking the corner edges of your walls. It has plastic bristles and comes with double sticky tape and catnip. Place where your cat likes to rub his face. We found this does not stick well to highly textured walls, and the design we tried did not allow us to refresh the catnip very easily. Price about $6.00.