Because I'm an Awesome Cat Mom

Here's how awesome of a cat mom I am. I was carrying warm, clean sheets from the dryer, and happened to notice Phoebe crashed on the couch. Instead of folding the sheets (folding fitted sheets is futile anyway), I decided to cover Phoebe in the cozy warmth. She did not protest from inside her cocoon.

My Cat Tires of Me and My Camera

Here in Minnesota, we got a boatload of snow last week. Phoebe enjoyed the winter view from the window. Based on how she was looking at me, she wanted to enjoy it without the interruption of that annoying camera.

"Are you gone yet?"

"I tire of you and your camera."

Stalker Cat Moves Posts

I'm used to Cosmo staring at me while I work, but he usually does it from the base of my chair, beckoning me to pick him up. Last week I was working and needed to grab something out of a box. I looked over to the pile of boxes, and there was Cosmo, staring from atop a box. I guess everyone needs a change of scenery once in a while, even stalker cats.

A Decent Human Being

I love walking in to find my teenage son being sweet with one of the cats. It gives me reassurance that I am raising a pretty decent human being. Also, the world can use more cat guys.

Phoebe Does Not Approve of Government Paperwork, But Does Endorse BlogPaws

So last week I had to complete some state revenue paperwork in order to sell my book, whiskerslist: the kitty classifieds, at a local pet expo. In general, I'm not a fan of filling out paperwork -- really, who is? If there's a person out there who totally gets their jollies by populating fields with information, especially when it's government-related, please come forward. Perhaps I can magically absorb some of your mystical mojo.

Phoebe sided with me with regard to the government paperwork, and promptly populated the fields with her fuzzy butt.

Guess what's not hard to do and way more fun than the government? Registering for the BlogPaws conference! Seriously, folks -- whether you're an experienced pet blogger, a beginner, or even considering first-time diving into the blogosphere, this is the place to be.

BlogPaws 2013: Here I am with Stephanie and the one and only Snotface Ferret. Good times!

There are cool speakers, lots of friendly people (and some pets!), awards and really great food. Don't even get me started on the cheesecake. Here are some things you can do to get involved in BlogPaws even before the conference, as well as make plans for the May conference in Vegas.

1. Join the BlogPaws community. This is a fantastic way to meet fellow pet bloggers, ask questions, find out about current events and learn all kinds of interesting tidbits. 

2. Attend a Tuesday night (except for third Tuesday) Twitter #BlogPawsChat, from 8-10:00 PM, EST. 

3. Register for the conference! You'll even get a 10% discount when you use the code: BlogPaws2014-Angie-10. You want to act fast -- last year the conference completely sold out.

I'm an official BlogPaws Ambassador, so feel free to ask me any questions -- I'm happy to help! I promise all of this is way easier and a ton more exciting than filling out government paperwork. And it's Phoebe-approved!

Phoebe enjoyed the swag AND the bag I brought back from BlogPaws!

Cat Foot Specialist for Hire

I'm completely enamored by kitty feet. Seriously, I could look at them all day long. Where can I get paid to just look at cat feet? I wonder if there's such a thing as a cat-foot specialist? If anyone hears about any such thing, please alert me immediately.

I mean, really ... c'mon!

Tidy little Phoebe feet.

Cold Legs

Because sometimes only your legs are cold.

Of Sheets and Cats

Putting sheets on the bed with a cat around is futile. 

Sometimes you just have to settle for a lumpy bed.

Heat-Sucking Cat

I think it's so cold in my house because Phoebe is sucking up all the warmth. I believe I will forward my exorbitant heating bill straight to her hot little paws.

Very Important Business of Chin-Scratching

Yesterday I was doing the very important business of scratching under Cosmo's chin. Soon after, the dead weight of his head collapsed onto my hand. And there it stayed, because how could I have taken away his little "pillow?" And yes, my hand fell dead-asleep.

Cabinet Cat Wants a Little Privacy

Cosmo has a habit of climbing into open cabinets. And then he just hangs out in there until he starts pawing at the door, indicating his mini getaway has come to a close. The other day I opened a lower kitchen cabinet to put away napkins, and saw Cosmo cleaning his face. He was quite happy to remain put, so I closed the door, letting him return to his business.

The whole situation always reminds me of Randy, the little brother from A Christmas Story. Remember when his mother opened the cabinet and saw him sitting there? She gave him a glass of milk and closed the door. Whenever I close the door on Cosmo, I say, "Bye, Randy."

Hiding Cat Isn't Hiding

Much to her dismay, Saffy's attempt at hiding behind two dangly ropes is thwarted.

Scrabble Cat Kicks My Butt

Last week I played Scrabble with my friend Katy. Her giant black panther, Gorilla, jumped in when she got up to do something. Even though he challenged every single work I placed, and tried to swat my letters off the board, he was a formidable player.

Look What I Found Under the Cat Bed

So I picked up one of the cat beds in one of my occasional attempts to "move things" when I clean. I'm used to finding cat toys under furniture, but this time I found a little bendy magnet-thingy. I was confused because it was my first time ever seeing this object.

Confused, I texted a photo of it to my husband, who'd apparently been looking for this weird little thing! Apparently his brother gave it to him. Who knew? Whatever the case, the cats obviously thought it was valuable and hoarded it away under their bed.

Cosmo: The Mad Hatter

Of course Cosmo was overjoyed with his new hat. And why shouldn't he be?

One-Sided Conversations With Cats

Phoebe is a chatty one, but most of my conversations with Saffy and Cosmo look just like this. 

Ever Have That Feeling?

Last night I was on the sofa watching TV and suddenly felt like someone was watching me. I looked down -- turns out I was right.

Poor Kitty Has Nothing. Double HA!

In a moment of guilt-induction, Phoebe complains that she simply "has nothing to play with." This is the part where the tiny, sad violins play.

Because I'm Not Rude, Of Course

Sometimes when I walk into a room, Phoebe goes nuts on a scratching post, looking very serious and watching me the whole time. "Look what I can do!" Of course, I chime in with a long string of "Good girl!" comments ... because how rude to not.

My Little Birdie With the Fanned Toes

Phoebe loves to curl up in a wicker basket that's padded with a fleece blanket. She's so little and looks like a bird in a nest when she's sacked out. And then she does this thing where she stretches her toes and leaves them fanned out while she's sleeping. And then I die.

The nest.

The toes!!

Despite the Apparent Invitation, I'm Not Touching It

Cats are such mysteries.

"Look at me."
"No, don't look at me."
"Pet me."
"Stop touching me."

This photo of Cosmo makes me laugh because he's all sprawled out, exposing his man panties, looking as if he might like a belly rub. Meanwhile, he's covering his face, like he wants to pretend I'm not really there. It's the weird combination of sorta-curled-up and sorta-sprawled-out. I can tell you this much: If I were to touch his belly, he'd have been none too pleased. Such a tease, he is.

"Catnip Banana, I Tire of You"

Saffy's grown tired of her catnip banana. That's OK -- Phoebe and Cosmo are right around the corner, ready to take it off her paws.

Jeeves, bring me another toy.

Alas, I Shall Never Match the Cuteness of My Cat

I like to hold Phoebe's little face in my hand and baby talk to her. I mean, look at those eyes!  I could get lost in those things! I want green cat's eyes! I want someone to hold my face in their hand and baby talk to me!

Alas, I shall never quite match the cuteness of the Pheebs.

Cute Pic Turns into Major Stink-Eye

Cosmo likes to be held like this -- really, believe me. In fact, he looked totally adorable and happy right before the shutter snapped. I just managed to catch him at the exact point his mood shifted. Of course it did ... because I wanted a "Happy Cosmo" pic.

This, my friends, is a fine example of the feline stink-eye.

The Eyes (and Tongue) Say It All

I caught this pic of Phoebe, mid-lick. I love how her eyes are sort of cutting to the side. It looks like she's planning something both naughty and delicious.

Litter Box Issues Solved with Dr. Elsey's #PreciousCat Litter!

Did you know that one of the biggest reasons cats are abused, abandoned or surrendered is because of litter box issues? This is sad, but true. The good news is, with proper education, cat parents can avoid these outcomes and the story can have a very happy ending.

Saffy had no trouble with other kinds of boxes.

At one time our Saffy had an issue with urinating outside the litter box. She's always been an anxious cat and we've had to make several changes to our household and routines to accommodate her. We eventually came to realize when we added an extra litter box to our three existing ones, her inappropriate urination was reduced.

Saffy and I are both happier!

There are actually a few reasons why cats don't use the litter box, including too few litter boxes. Dr. Bruce Elsey, a cat-only veterinarian who founded a practice in 1978 in the Denver area, says these are some actions we can take to avoid this issue.

• First, rule out any medical reasons.
• Scoop boxes every day.
• The box should be 1 1/2 times the length of the cat, so he can easily turn around in it.
• You should have one more box than the number of cats in your home. 
• Plastic boxes can pick up smells over time, so replace the box regularly.
• Feeding your cat canned food increases water intake, which cuts back on urinary incidences.
• Place the boxes in quiet places -- furnaces and washers/dryers can scare cats.

In addition, Dr. Elsey created a litter called Cat Attract. Cat Attract is a scoopable litter blended with herbal essences to make it more attractive to cats. Dr. Elsey says, "Cats like litter that is as close to sand as possible, from a texture standpoint; studies back up that point. Using sand isn't an option because, even though cats like it, it doesn't absorb." He developed Cat Attract to closely match the sand texture, but with the benefit of clumping action.

Next month, the cats of Catladyland will be testing the litter, reporting results and hosting a giveaway for our readers. We trust Dr. Elsey's expertise and are excited to test Cat Attract, so stay tuned!


This post is sponsored by Precious Cat on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Precious Cat's Cat Attract formula, but Catladyland only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Precious Cat is not responsible for the content of this article.

At Least My Feet are Warm

The way I look at it, if a cat isn't going to curl up in my lap, he should at least be a great foot warmer. Cosmo fits the bill very nicely, thank you very much. And he even goes with the decor -- I mean black goes with everything, right?

Of Lax Groomers and Nosy Butts

Every morning I use the Furminator (which is the BEST grooming tool ever) to groom Saffy. She's so fuzzy and has gotten lax about grooming herself in her old(ish) age, so I try and make it a daily habit. She's not a fan of the Furminator and makes an audible fuss while I'm brushing her. Of course, the other two nosy-butts gather 'round to see what's happening, hoping they aren't next. Right after the Furmination, Saffy runs behind the other two and drops her head, hoping I won't make eye contact with her. Also, I think she hopes if she's in the back of the group, I'll grab Cosmo or Phoebe before I'll go after her again.

A few days ago I managed to capture the post-Furminator experience.