The Plight of Holiday Cat

The holidays can be a difficult time for cats. The new toys exhaust them into lengthy naps that last for hours at a stretch. The energy expended to break in new jingle balls and catnip mice is more than any kitty should bear.

No one really understands the plight of the holiday cat.

My Cat Tries the PetFusion Jumbo Scratcher Lounge

Cats spend a heck of a lot of time lounging -- at least mine do. When PetFusion asked if we'd like to try one of their new Jumbo Scratcher Lounges, I knew Saffy, Cosmo and Phoebe would be all over it. I'd definitely be a hero. Plus I knew it would arrive in a large box, which would exponentially increase my heroism in their eyes.

Like bunk beds!

So the day arrived when the Jumbo Scratcher Lounge appeared on our doorstep. Oh, happy day! The cats gathered 'round, their curiosity piqued in a jumbo way. I pulled the Scratcher Lounge from the long box and waited for the cats' eyes to widen. They widened, alright -- and Phoebe immediately occupied the tunnel-like box.

Box!

The Scratcher Lounge is a solid, well-constructed item, made of eco-friendly, recycled and recyclable corrugated cardboard and nontoxic, corn-starch glue. I saw it was clearly a quality product, and I couldn't wait to see what my cats would think of it.

I moved the Jumbo Scratcher between a few places around the house, and waited. Each time I checked to see if one of my three had discovered it, I only saw Phoebe -- and she was definitely pleased. I sprinkled catnip on the surfaces and brought the other cats over, but they didn't stay long. You see, Phoebe had already claimed it as her very own, and heaven help the cat who tried to use it alongside her. I witnessed her swatting and hissing at Cosmo and Saffy if they came anywhere near it.

Phoebe swats Cosmo away from "her" new Lounge

One of the reasons I wanted to try the Jumbo Scratcher is because I have three cats, and it's, well, jumbo-sized. Kitties can lounge or scratch on the top or inside, which also serves as a cool hideaway. What wound up happening was my tiny Phoebe, the smallest of my brood, became Queen of the Jumbo Scratcher Lounge. I wish I could report on how my other cats reacted to the awesomeness of it; however, that opportunity hasn't yet presented itself.

This is perfect for ME.

I can say, however, Phoebe loves it. I mean, she absolutely adores it. She sleeps on the top, cozies up on the bottom and scratches all over it. It's a great scratcher -- I just found one of her claw sheaths beside it, so it's pretty sturdy.

Don't I look adorable when I lounge?

So, I highly recommend PetFusion's Jumbo Scratcher Lounger, and Phoebe gives it her seal of approval. I imagine it would be a major hit in homes where cats actually share spaces.

Go away.

You can check out all of PetFusions awesome products here. The Jumbo Scratcher Lounger is one of three new scratchers. The 3-Sided Vertical Scratcher and Reversible Curve Scratcher are also new additions to their line of quality cat products.

This post is sponsored by PetFusion. I was given free product to review, but Catladyland only shares information and products we feel are relevant to our readers. PetFusion is not responsible for the content of this article.

A Cat Tunnel Arrived Yesterday

Yesterday we received our PetFusion Jumbo Cat Scratcher Lounge (review to come), and my cats were elated ... nearly as elated as they were about the giant box in which it arrived. It was a long box - the perfect kitty tunnel.

Phoebe immediately went tunneling.

New PetFusion Scratchers 10% Off For Catladyland Readers!

PetFusion is known for their practical and aesthetically pleasing products for cats, and now they're offering three brand new scratchers, which are not only super-cool, they're available until July 6 for 10% off the marked price!

That's right. The nice people at PetFusion have given Catladyland's readers the special code CATLADY1, that when used at checkout, will generate the discount. What a deal, right?

The Reversible Curve Scratcher is two designs in one, which means it will last twice as long! And PetFusion scratchers are durably constructed with dense cardboard, so they already last longer than many other similar products. The curved design in this scratcher mean more comfortable and easy use for your cat.

Rotate the 3-Sided Vertical Scratcher for prolonged life! The shape makes it easy for kitty to use, plus they'll love the cubby hole. I know my cats would.

Check out this Jumbo Cat Scratcher Lounge. It's a scratcher! It's a lounge! It's a double-decker delight, especially for homes with multiple cats. I think it kind of looks like bunk beds. Who doesn't love bunk beds?

So hop on it! The 10% discount is good from now until midnight (PDT) on July 6. Remember to use the code CATLADY1 at checkout. Easy-peasy, right? Right. Enjoy!

How to Steal a Catnip Banana

There's a real method for stealing a catnip banana. I'm totally serious.

Admire banana from afar

When banana-holder is looking away....

Make a stealthy reach with that paw...

Snag that banana!

When confronted, act like you have no idea what he is talking about.

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.

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.

I Love Finding Interesting Little "Presents"

I love finding cat toys in shoes. Last week I was passing through the entryway of our house and saw a bright pink mouse inside my daughter's shoe. I was completely tickled at the thought of one of our cats purposely dropping that mousie in the shoe. She'd probably carried it around for a while, howling to announce her "kill." And then she decided, "I'll leave this little present right here." I'm sure she was so proud of herself.

It's the little things, you know.

Speaking of presents, my friend Melissa Haas wrote a book called Catula: The Misadventures of Dracula's Cat. You guessed it -- it's about Dracula's cat. It's aimed at both kids and adults, but I'd probably target it more to older kids. It's witty, cute and available here.

Phoebe, Cubed

Phoebe loves the Catty Stacks cubes we set up beside the cat tree. In fact, she's claimed them as her own. She especially likes it when I play with her through the cubes. We're kind of cube-mates, except she looks way cuter sleeping inside those things than I do. Oh, and she's one of those cube-mates that steals my lunch.

Surprise Score!

There's a door to a storage closet in our family room. I opened that door the other day because I was looking for wrapping paper. I didn't find wrapping paper, but I did find several cat toys and a straw that had been batted under the door. Score!

My Cat Won't Choose

Sometimes I like to give my cats a few choices of items and see which they choose. Then I take photos and they become part of a Catladyland or Catster post. I recently offered Cosmo three items for which he normally goes bananas. Do you think he was excited about the offerings? Not so much. Instead he looked at me like I'd gone completely off the deep end. Ungrateful cat. Or else overwhelmed by the awesome.

Really?

Hold Everything and Bathe!

I love watching cats play. One of the things that makes me laugh the most is how they'll stop mid-play and just start cleaning themselves. Seriously, they could have bathed that exact part of their body minutes earlier, but something makes them stop and go at it again. What? Did you suddenly pick up some stray dust? Is your fur out of place? Cats are such little weirdos.

I threw a little fish toy at Phoebe this morning and she did just that. Little weirdo, indeed ... but a horribly cute one.

Of Toys and Food

Do you find your cats' toys lying beside their food or water dishes? Or in some cases floating in the water dishes? Yeah, me too. It's funny -- I imagine them batting the toy around, and then deciding, "Hey, I'm hungry!"The toy beside Saffy's food dish has been there for days.

My Cats' Favorite Toy

In the evening, I usually pull out an interactive toy and try to get the cats to play -- and get some exercise -- for a little while. Da Bird (a simple feathered wand-toy made popular on My Cat from Hell) is my go-to because it seems to be the only toy to which all three of my cats will respond.

Cosmo is an all-out freak about Da Bird. He flies out of the woodwork when he senses the toy has made the scene. Phoebe shows curiosity and likes to jump for the feathers, although she seems to enjoy the stalking more than the getting. Saffy is our pudgy senior girl who really needs the exercise. She tends to go after the toy when I drag it on the floor. We call her "Paws of Lightening" because, although she's old and chunky, that girl's paws can move!

Last night I saw all three cats hanging out in the same area (shocker!) and decided to grab Da Bird. As usual, Cosmo was all over it. Phoebe watched from the bed and Saffy kind of ignored me -- no surprise there.

Do your cats have a favorite toy?

You can barely see the feathers, so I thought I'd save you some time with the arrow.

Phoebe Has a Ball

A few years ago Santa left this inexpensive little rainbow-colored ball in Phoebe's stocking. She was immediately smitten with the thing and it soon became her favorite toy.

It's the perfect size for her to carry in her mouth, and she occasionally "hunts" it. I love watching her walk into the room with the rainbow ball in her mouth, making that howling sound cats make when they're announcing their "catch."

Because it's a little ball, she often bats it under the bookcase. And then she goes nutso. When we see her on her side staring longingly under the bookcase, we know she wants us to retrieve the toy. We grab the broom handle and swipe until it rolls from its hiding spot. Phoebe becomes absolutely giddy when she sees her beloved ball.

I swear I thought that thing would have gone by the wayside with the pile of other much more expensive toys, but no. Rainbow ball is here to stay!

Interact and Communicate with Your Cat When You're Not Home with Kittyo!

Based on what we've learned from my new book whiskerslist: the kitty classifieds, we know cats have a secret life happening when we're not home. What if there were a way we could somehow watch and interact with our cats when we're not home? It'd put a giant kibosh on the whole secret life thing, but oh well. For once maybe we've outsmarted kitty? Stop laughing.

Well friends, it sound pretty Jetsons-y, but a product I just described will be available in the near future. Like 2014-near future!

Image courtesy of Kittyo

Meet Kittyo, A super-cool innovative device that allows you to watch, speak to, play with and record your cat when you're away from home! Cosmo told me he's not so interested in my knowing what he does when I'm not around, but when I told him I could remotely dispense treats, he was all ears.

"Did somebody say 'treats?'"

What exactly can you do with the magical machine called Kittyo? Allow me to amaze and astound you!

• Activate sound to attract your cat.
• Move laser around for your cat to play with.
• Watch your cat have fun while providing exercise (my slug Saffy groaned about that one).
• Push button to speak to your cat.
• Record your cat through videos and photos.
• Dispense your cat's favorite treats.

Now, just to be clear, Kittyo is revolutionary and all, but it doesn't replace a cat sitter if you're going to be away for an extended period of time. It can, however, be used in addition to a sitter as a fun way to connect with your pet, or a way to check in and interact during the workday. All you need is an app enabled on any iOS or Android smart phone! Easy enough, huh?

Image courtesy of Kittyo

Now is the part where you're probably thinking, "How do I get one these magical Kittyo machines?" It will be available for purchase via Kickstarter in 2014! But for now, you can sign up on the Kittyo site to receive regular updates (including a heads-up on a special introductory price!) and you can connect via Facebook and Twitter. Get on it!


This has been a very special preview of Kittyo. Catladyland was compensated for the sponsored post; however, the opinions are all our own.

Da Bird = World Peace

The only toy that brings all three of my cats out is Da Bird, a simple wand toy with twirly feathers on the end. If you know my Cosmo, Saffy and Phoebe at all, you're familiar with the fact that you never see all three of them within six feet of each other. This toy brings everyone together.

Hey, Da Bird could be the answer to world peace. Just sayin'.

Who will get da birdie??

Cosmo take Da Bird down in a giant WHOMP of the mighty paws!

My Cats Love This Toy -- And It's So Simple and Inexpensive!

In previous posts I mentioned the generous and crowd-pleasing toys and goodies we received from sponsors at the Cat Writers' Association conference. One stood out as a particular favorite among my three cats: The Pioneer Pet Nip Nibblers.

It's crazy -- the toy is so incredibly simple. It's catnip stuffed inside lightweight material. This is what they look like:

Source: Pioneer Pet

Because the material is very breathable, the catnip scent really comes through the toy. And they are really inexpensive: $3.99 for three. Pioneer Pet didn't ask me to post any of this -- I was just so impressed with how much my cats enjoyed this toy and wanted to share. If you're looking for a super-fun, inexpensive stocking stuffer (or anytime toy) for your cat, this is a winner! /unsolicited plug

Here's a Vine of Phoebe going nuts with a Nip Nibbler (if it doesn't play right away, click the image):

My Cats Think I'm Santa

Every time I return from any pet-related conference, I usually have a ton of swag for the cats, and the Cat Writers' Association conference is known for their primo cat schwag. It's like my cats know when I open the suitcase in the middle of the living room floor, they'll make a haul. Or they just want a chance to get inside the suitcase. Both are completely plausible.

The mania is palpable!

They gather 'round like I'm Santa unpacking my bag of toys. I guess I kinda am. I hold each item up, reading its description, and then place it on the floor for their examination.

Cosmo sees the treats: "Get in my belly!"

Cosmo is always a fan of the treats, Phoebe like the small balls and other little toys and Saffy likes it all.

Phoebe has a ball with her new toys.

Special thanks to all the CWA conference sponsors for the swaggy donations! You better believe I'll be writing a boatload of thank-you notes ... and some reviews, especially for the favorites.

Crafty Cats on the Loose

I'm getting ready to head out on a mini book tour for whiskerslist and wanted to bring some cat treats to give to event attendees. Our friend Sparkle's human reminded me of the awesome and easy nip knots. Sparkle shared how to make them on her blog, and I wrote a post that included a version of them on Catster. Easy-peasy -- you should totally make them.

So my kids and I were making these nip knots yesterday. Have you ever tried to create homemade catnip toys with cats around? Yeah, go ahead and laugh because it was a hysterical mess. Not only did all three go nuts when the nip aroma wafted through the air, Phoebe decided she's park her butt on top of the fleece we needed to cut. Look at that indignant face. What do you think she's saying? Whatever it is, you can bet it was steeped in sass.