Transfixed By Cat Toes

Stretchy-toes are just the best, aren't they? Phoebe extended her leg, fanned her tittle toes and stayed like that for quite some time. I, of course, was transfixed by the glory of cat feet.

Because He's a Cat and He Can

My sweet boy, Cosmo. He looks cranky all the time, even though he's a complete teddy bear with me. I wanted a really nice, up-close face-shot of him, and at the last moment he turned away.

Because he can.

Because he's a cat, and he knows I'll post it anyway because I still think he's beyond fantastic, even when he's being contrary.

A Sweet Demon With Hardly Any Bottom Teeth

Every once in a while I catch a mid-yawn pic. They're usually a bit blurry, and Saffy's nearly always look demonic. A sweet demon with hardly any bottom teeth ... RAWR.

Like She Hadn't Been Invited to a Party

I was recently unpacking boxes that included paper-wrapped breakable objects. Phoebe came racing up the stairs, stood and front of the papers, and looked at me like, "Nobody told me there would be a boxes filled with crinkly paper." Like she hadn't been invited to a party or something. Poor baby.

Maddie's Pet Adoption Days Hopes to "Empty Out the Shelters"

What better goal than to empty shelters and find loving forever homes for 10,000 dogs and cats? Well, Maddie's Pet Adoption Days is setting out to do just that. On May 31 and June 1, 200 organizations in nine states will participate.

The largest event will take place in New York City, where Maddie's Pet Adoption Days is sponsored by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals (Union Square: May 31, Union Square Park : June 1).

Guess what? The adoption fee is free. That's right -- there is no charge to adopt a pet during Maddie's Pet Adoption Days; however, only well-qualified individuals may adopt. Adoption standards are the same as any other day of the year. And each dog and cat are vaccinated and spayed or neutered.

Maddie's Fund is a California-based, family foundation, established in 1999 to help the creation of a no-kill nation. In 2013, Maddie's Fund Adoption Weekend, over 3-thousand dogs and 5-thousand cats were adopted nationwide!

Based on a survey from last year (conducted by Maddie's Fund):

• Over 50-percent of those who adopted said the waived fee was a motivation to adopt.
• 33-percent of the adopters indicated it was the first time they'd adopted from a shelter or rescue organization.
• Coming out of last year's event, 99-percent said they'd recommend adopting from a shelter or rescue to family, friends and co-workers.

Sweet Saffy!

We adopted our Saffy from Animal Humane Society 13 years ago.  We didn't care about a specific breed and knew shelters are usually good about being upfront with information about a pet's personality. We also wanted to adopt an adult cat, and knew they are often overlooked in favor of kittens. Saffy was a little over a year old. When we petted Saffy at the shelter, she immediately started purring, and I don't think she's stopped. I know she was lucky to find a home that day, but we were even luckier because she's brought such joy to our family.

A kitten finds a forever home during last year's event.

In addition to shelters knowing about pets' personalities, there are other benefits of shelter adoptions, including the reduction in demand of puppy mills and backyard breeders, access to a wide range of purebreds and mixes, and shelter pets are already vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and often microchipped.

If you'd like more information about Maddie's Pet Adoption days:

Click here for NYC adoption events.
Click here for events outside NYC.

And please help spread the word! Together, we can help shelter animals find loving, forever homes!


This post is sponsored by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the benefits and joys of pet ownership, and the upcoming adoption event. All opinions are my own.

Freedom to Enjoy Parties and Boxes

Whether you're chilling at a BBQ or in your favorite box, please remember all the brave men, women and animals who fought for our freedom to enjoy fun parties and comfy boxes. Thank you!

Hide Your Haunches!

I've posted a Cosmo-bottom here, but I don't think I've shared the colorful glory of Miss Phoebe's rear. When They sit like this, with their back haunches just asking to be squeezed, how can I help it? Of course she gives me a sideways glance and a cocked ear or two, but I don't care. The haunch-squeeze was well worth it. And I'll squeeze again. Hide your haunches, everybody!

Are you one of those weirdo haunch-squeezers, too?

Seek-n-Find My Cats

I was working at my desk and looked over to find all three cats had joined my space. I love finding myself in the middle of the Purr-muda Triangle.

Can you spot all three cats?

I Bought a Box of Cat?

You see, I bought this new box of containers that came with a free cat. Or did I buy a box of cat that came with free containers?

Whatever the case, let me tell you a story with which I'm sure you are familiar:

There's a cat in the box.
The End.

Help Your Cats Find Their #PerfectWeight AND Win Prizes!

What we choose to feed our cats is a personal preference. We all want the best for our fuzz-butts and make cat-food decisions based on many factors, including budget, research, convenience or special needs. Catladyland is not here to tell you what or how to feed your cats; however, from time to time, we're happy to present options we feel good about, knowing you will make the best decision for you and your cat.

Let's talk about weight loss. It can be hard, right?  I know because I've been there, and I had to make conscious food choices and get my body moving in order to shed those pounds. Turns out those everyday mocha lattes don't burn calories. And in other news of the unfair ...

But seriously, obesity is a real problem among both people and pets. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than 50% of pets in the U.S. are overweight. In fact, a few years ago we took our Saffy to the vet and she'd gained three pounds, which -- compared to humans -- is nearly 30 pounds! Crazy!

Saffy was around ten years old at that time, and had grown less active with age. Plus, she's always been a food-jacker. She cleans her plate and then stands behind the other two cats, hoping to intimidate them, thus snagging the few bites that may be left on the dish. She's kind of like a cafeteria bully.

We knew we had to monitor her food intake more closely and make a conscious effort to engage her in activity. No more mocha lattes for Saffy. I kid, but we did take the the cat weight loss journey very seriously. Oh, and treats? We realized we were handing them out several times a day, calling them "snacks." Those snacks really stacked up the calories at the end of the day.

And if you're someone who gives their table scraps as a "treat," please know that what feels like a treat to us, could be the equivalent of a complete meal for a cat. Take a look at this Treat Translator tool for more scoop on the subject. Oh, and if you're interested in learning about how human weight in pounds compares to cat weight, you'll find this tool really helpful.

Perhaps you share your life with an overweight cat and are looking for for guidance during your cat's weight loss journey. Well, Hill's® Science Diet® is ready to partner with you. Their breakthrough new blend, Hill's® Science Diet® Adult Perfect Weight is formulated with natural ingredients and actually helps cats burn calories. I'm not kidding! More than 70% of dogs and cats lost weight within ten weeks of eating the food.

And guess what? Hill's® Science Diet® and Catladyland are teaming up to help you along during the weight loss process. And unlike many weight loss journeys, it's fun! We invite you to join the 10-Week Turnaround Sweepstakes -- and it's simple. You commit to feeding your cat Hill's® Science Diet® Adult Perfect Weight cat food for ten weeks and share their success along the way. And by participating in the program, you'll be eligible for bi-weekly sweepstakes, as well as a grand prize of FREE Perfect Weight food for a whole year! Win-win, right? So go ahead, join!

Now I'm waiting for Hills to come out with a calorie-burning mocha latte. C'mon guys!

This post is sponsored by Hill's and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Food, but Catladyland only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Magic Food

My Saffy is a scavenger. She's always hoping some kind of food will magically appear in the cat dishes, even after all three have cleaned their plates. She makes occasional sweeps of the dishes several times a day, and I happened to catch her post-checking-out Phoebe's empty dish.

Someday ... maybe ... magic ... food.

Let's Hear It for Feline Illiteracy!

OK, I admit I staged this photo, but Phoebe looked so cute in the long narrow box and I was looking for photo ops.

I think if she could read, she wouldn't be much of a bookworm -- her attention span is way too short. She'd probably read blogs trashy magazines. Hey, what if she were reading blogs and ran across this blog post? She'd probably start demanding a cut of everything I write about her. Yeah, probably a good idea my cats are completely illiterate.

Go, feline illiteracy!

Cosmo Faces Off

Cosmo's a major face-rubber, meaning he rubs his face on anything and everything -- even my face. Yes, he even face-rubs my face. I recently saw him face-rubbing every single leg of the two kitchen barstools. He wove in and out, kind of making a figure 8. It was sort of artsy. It was like ice-dancing, but with barstools, and no ice.

Cat Staring Techniques Learned from "King of Eyes"

You know that feeling you get when someone -- or more specifically "some cat" -- is watching you? This photo is what that feeling looks like. Demonstration provided by Phoebe, who learned all her best staring techniques from Cosmo, the King of Eyes. Ew, that sounds gross. He doesn't collect body parts or anything -- he just stares a lot. A lot.

My Cat Has a Ton of Responsibility

I guess it was Cosmo's turn to be the line leader. So.much.responsibility.
No worries, Saffy -- you can have a turn tomorrow.

Fuzzy Cat Paws! Yes!

Back on the subject of cat feet. No, I'm not finished with kitty toes just yet. Are we ever really done admiring feline paws? I think not.

Today's specimen: Phoebe.

Capturing the Glory of Cat Feet

I love a nice cat foot. Yesterday Cosmo extended his, and I couldn't help but capturing its glory. Friends, lay your gaze upon this little treasure.

Connecting at BlogPaws: We Truly "Get" One Another

As some of you know, I recently returned from BlogPaws, the most fabulous pet-blogging conference on the planet. It was my fifth year in attendance, and once again did not disappoint!

View from my room at the Westin Lake Las Vegas -- nice!

My favorite part of BlogPaws is networking and connecting with friends and brands. It's always great to see my buddies from Hill's, PetSafe and Purina. Plus, I got to meet the Weruva folks! This was exciting because I'm currently working on a campaign for them. And Hauspanther's Cat Style Lounge was the best yet!

And speaking of friends, they were everywhere! I can't tell you how absolutely gratifying and fun it is to share the same space with other pet lovers who truly "get" one another.

JaneA from Paws and Effect, Christine from Riverfront Cats, me, and Vicky from Catster

It's like coming home. I mean, it's cool enough to interact online with other bloggers, but to sit face-to-face with them, and truly connect is something else altogether.

A new friend from Kitty Bungalow

And congrats to Debbie Glovatsky of Glogirly and Alana Grelyak from Cat in the Fridge for winning well-deserved awards in the Nose-to-Nose Social Media and Blogging Awards! I couldn't be prouder to run in the same circles with these talented ladies!

All in all, it was another fabulous conference! Next year I hope to see you in Nashville for the 2015 conference! Register now!

Save Up to 60% on Catladyland, Texts from Mittens and Whiskerslist Goodies!

Did you know there's an online spot where you can grab some cool stuff from Catladyland, Texts from Mittens and whiskerslist: the kitty classifieds? It's true! Readers requested, so I created an online store filled with all kinds of goodies. There's a pretty basic selection now, and I'll add more as I have time. Please remember you can use any of the logos to order anything on the Zazzle site: aprons, hats, postcards, luggage tags ... whatever!

And guess what? This week there's a giant sale -- products are up to 60% off! when using the checkout code SUMMERVAYKAY. I'm totally not kidding: Look!

Here's a tiny taste of the items you can find at the store. You'll find shirts, mugs, magnets, bags and keychains for all three brands. Plus other cool stuff like Mittens phone cases.

Want to see the full meal deal? Click here to visit the store -- and don't forget to use the discount code at checkout!

The Cats Are Flighting Over It, So It Must Be Good

Yesterday  I returned from the BlogPaws conference, and, as always, came home with a suitcase full of booty for my cats. This year's favorite was the Peach Industries Kitty Lounger I won in the Hauspanter Cat Style Lounge. The cats are fighting over it, so it must be good. And it's PURPLE! Wooo!

My Son Has a Cat for a Sidekick

Phoebe is my teenage son's sidekick. She loves nothing more than just hanging out with him while he does what he does. I walked into his room and found her watching him while he was watching The Sopranos on his laptop. The whole scene amuses me to no end.

My Cat is Always in My Face

Cosmo loves to watch me work. What am I talking about -- he loves to watch me do anything. Even when he's not physically in my face, he's there in the virtual sense. On some occasions, he's in both places at once. Spoooooky.

As you know, I'm at the fabulous BlogPaws conference this weekend. I've had the pleasure of hanging out with dogs, cats and ferrets -- and, although I keep missing her, there's also a capybara wandering about (not on her own, of course. Wild capybara loose at the Westin Lake Las Vegas!).

My friend Amy Jo creates ferret clothing for her company Enlightened Ferret Fashions. Where else, but BlogPaws, can you see a ferret walking around in a wedding dress? LOVE!

I mean, come on! How cute is she??

Barstool Jealousy is the Worst Kind

My cats love sitting on the kitchen barstools. I caught Cosmo looking down at Phoebe like he was saying, "Jealous?"

Barstool jealousy is the worst kind, really.

Beware the Purr-muda Triangle

Rarely do I snag a shot of all three cats occupying the same space. Here's proof of the Purr-muda Triangle. I dare not enter the triangle, for fear one of them will dart away and ruin my entire photo. Ha.

Another Day in the World of Cat-Photo-Taking

Me: "Look here, Phoebe."

Phoebe: "Sure thing."

Another day in the world of cat-photo-taking.

Cosmo's In The Pink

My husband pointed out that Cosmo was lying on the pink cat bed with the pink cat toy. It seemed like a great opportunity to take a photo of my tough guy who isn't afraid to show his softer side. He's a total fox, isn't he?

Take a Nap! In a Hat!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Be a cat! Take a nap! In a hat!

My Cat Hijacked My TweetDeck and I Was NOT Looking at Half-Nekkid People

Last week when I was participating in the #BlogPawsChat, Phoebe decided to hijack my TweetDeck, and then look at me like I was disturbing her. It's always my fault.

P.S. That half-nekkid woman in my feed is some kind of sponsored weight-loss post on Twitter. I'm not looking at half-nekkid people when I should be chatting with BlogPaws people.

Tunnel of Mystery!

Ooooh, another box delivery! And this time a tube! Mystery! Intrigue! 

Box, Tape, Cat

Yesterday we received a box via UPS. I was so excited to offer it to my cats! Phoebe was so excited to offer the packing tape to her mouth!

Nothing Funny, Just Pure Mojo

I can't find anything funny to say about this glorious photo of Cosmo, so you just get to look at it ... and absorb his fantastic mojo.