Purina Gives $100,000 to Dogs on Deployment and Pets for Vets -- Vote Now!

This post is sponsored by Nestlé Purina. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Catladyland only shares information we think would be of interest to our readers. 

I've partnered with Purina for several years, and I'm constantly impressed with the work they do for the community. It's a responsibility they take seriously and I'm proud to be a part of it. This time around, Purina Pure Love for Pets is donating $100,000 to Dogs on Deployment and Pets for Vets, two organizations whose mission benefits both pets and members of our military. 

Dogs on Deployment helps alleviate some of the stress pet owners feel when they find they'll be deployed for military service. Not everyone is lucky enough to have friends and family on hand to provide the care needed for our precious family members while we're away. Let's face it: it's a giant responsibility and we wouldn't want to leave our pets with just anyone. DoD understands that and offers help with people and resources to those headed for deployment. Please note: DoD doesn't only assist with dogs -- they also support families with cats. 

Pets for Vets supports military vets and provides a second chance for shelter pets. Win-win, right? They do this by rescuing and training rescues and then pairing them with vets who could use the help of a companion animal. I love the thought of people and animals helping one another. I feel like my cats and I give each other equal amounts of love and support -- it's an even exchange. It's especially touching when people and pets are matched in a way that's incredibly life-changing on both parts.

There's no denying that Dogs on Deployment and Pets for Vets are doing great work, and that's why Purina wants to help both of them -- and you can help! Hop over to the PureLoveForPets.com and vote for one of the organizations. You need to do this by November 15 at 11:59 PM ET. The one with the most votes will receive $75,000, and the runner up gets $25,000. 

I know we don't all have the resources to significantly help organizations whose mission we support, but this is a way we can feel a part of the giving. Thank you!

Review: Shop Cats of New York

Yes, I'm slightly biased because I consider Tamar Arslanian, the author of Shop Cats of New York,  a good friend. Yes, I'm kind of partial because New York City is my favorite place. OK, I like cats ... a lot. What I'm trying to convey is that it was a no-brainer when Tamar asked me to review her new book.

Since I was a little girl, I've been ecstatic when I notice a cat hanging out in a shop. I swear it's still like a awesome surprise to me. I often become giddy and completely forgot why I'd visited the store in the first place. And then, after that day, I'd find an excuse to frequent that particular store. I love learning that the kitties are well cared for and loved by the owners, employees, and customers. They work hard, after all, and are the best hosts and hostesses ever. Never mind all the nap breaks -- they deserve them!

Tamar, also the author of the popular blog, I Have Cat, Single in the City with Cat(s), wrote Shop Cats of New York because, well, she's like me. She loves noticing cats "working" in shops, and decided she'd do a little research and share the stories of the kitties who call the shops of New York City "home."

She made a fantastic choice in asking Andrew Marttila, a gifted photographer, to capture the images of the cats in the book. He and Tamar both have the lovely ability to truly acquaint the readers with the feline "employees."

Shop Cats of New York is an easy read because it's categorized by cat. It's the perfect coffee table book and gift for your cat-loving friends. I feel so grateful that Tamar and Andrew took the time to feature these felines who are loved by locals, but virtually unknown to those of us who live outside of NYC. Now I need a destination vacation to meet all of these cats!

Cosmo's jealous and mesmerized about what happens outside his four walls.

You can purchase Shop Cats of New York on Amazon, or anywhere you buy books. Be sure to follow Shop Cats on Facebook and Instagram.

Need to see more? Of course you do. Here's a short promotional trailer for this must-have book!

 

The publisher gave us a copy of Shop Cats of New York; however, Catladyland only shares information we think our readers would enjoy.

My Cats are All "Knots Landing"

Cosmo's the king of my lap. Well, he's kind of the king of my everything. That tuxie is slightly (incredibly) possessive of me and doesn't hide his emotions when he's not getting his way. He especially goes off the rails when Phoebe's smugly settled on to of my lap. He doesn't like that one bit. Nope. And she doesn't give one rip. 

The drama! It's all Knots Landing up in here.

Inspiration for Building a Better World at Purina Better With Pets Summit

This post, and the Purina Better With Pets Summit, are sponsored by Nestlé Purina. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Catladyland only shares information we think would be of interest to our readers. 

If you're reading this, chances are you already know that life is much better with pets. And if you don't agree, why are you reading a blog called Catladyland? Just kidding. Hey -- I don't know about you, but my days would be exponentially more boring and less satisfying if I didn't share my life with my two cats, Cosmo and Phoebe. Pets are part of our families, and I love that Purina is onboard with that belief.

Legit!

I recently had the pleasure of attending Purina's Better With Pets Summit in New York. It wasn't my first Summit, and I always look forward to the fun and educational offerings they present at this event each year. What I loved about this year's Summit was the personal connection they created between the audience and the people on the stage. There were speakers prior to the panels who told their real stories about how animals have affected their lives. I most enjoyed Roben Harris, who spoke of the therapeutic friendship between her daughter, born with Spina Bifida, and her best friend, a Labradoodle named Chocolate Chip Chewbacca Harris (LOVE the name!).

Anastasia Thrift, Janine Kahn, and I are all better with pets.

The panels included "Demystifying Quality and Safety," "How a Passion for Pets Builds a Better World," and "The Science of Innovative Nutrition for Pets." Guess what else happened? There was both a kitten and puppy therapy booth! I'm not gonna lie -- I spent a fair amount of time in the kitten booth holding a sweetheart of a kitty named Sparkles. The cats and dogs were all adoptable through North Shore Animal League.

I'm holding one very happy Sparkles kitty. Hopefully she has a good home now!

The presence of Urban Resource Institute (URI), one of the largest domestic violence shelters in New York, was my favorite part of the event. One of their programs is called URIPALS, which was launched in 2013 in their Brooklyn shelter, Safe Haven. They created the program after seeing a need for keeping human families and their pets together when entering a domestic violence shelter. It's the only program of its kind in New York City, and one of the only ones in the United States.

Of pet owners who called URI's emergency hotline, 30% indicated their pet had been threatened by their abuser. Studies show that 48% of individuals being abused won't leave the situation because they don't want to leave their pet behind. Completely understandable and a choice many of us would make as well.

Nathaniel Field discusses the importance of co-sheltering people and pets.

Nathaniel Field, President and CEO of URI was on the "How a Passion for Pets Build a Better World" panel. I was inspired by his passion, and it's clear to me that more programs such as this need to exist. Kudos to Nathaniel and all the folks at URI for keeping families together during times of crisis. And additional kudos to Purina for partnering with the program to open Purina Pet Haven, New York City's first-ever dog park in a domestic violence shelter.

Toward the end of the day, Summit attendees had the opportunity to assemble gifts for families entering a URI shelter. We packed welcome gifts that included bowls, a collar, food, a t-shirt, and a blanket. Each team included personal notes to pack into the boxes. It was a meaningful way to feel like we were making a difference in the lives of people and pets in need. I've blogged for Purina for a few years now, and one thing I can say for certain is that they care about community and do so much to help animals and foster the bond between people and pets.

The contents of the welcome boxes we assembled. Cool, right?

Thanks, Purina! It was another year of learning, meeting new people, seeing old friends, and feeling inspired.

You can join in, share, and learn by using the hashtag #LetsLiveBig, and remember to follow Purina on social media.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

And now on Snapchat -- @purinapetcare

My Cats: Standing in Line to Stare at Me

I work from home, and sometimes have the distinct feeling I'm being watched while I go about my business. Of course I'm usually right because Cosmo and Phoebe like to be all up in my business no matter what I'm doing. 

I recently had that "eyeballs on me" vibe, looked up, and saw the two of them standing about a foot from me. They were, naturally, staring at me; however, they also looked like they were standing in line. For what? Does the staring now have a hierarchy? "Queue up -- it's time to flip on our laser stares!" Is it like "calling shotgun" to see who gets to be first in line?

No idea what was happening, but it made me laugh. See for yourself.

20 Years of Transforming Lives #MetOnPetfinder

This post is sponsored by Petfinder, but Catladyland only shares information we think would be of interest to our readers. The opinions are our own.

Pet adoption transforms lives, and Petfinder's celebrating their 20th year being a huge player in that transformation. In fact, more than 20 million pets and parents can claim they met their destiny on Petfinder.com -- that's an average of 1.2 million per year! Amazing, right?

Source: Petfinder.com

Saffy (R.I.P) was adopted from a shelter, and Phoebe and Cosmo came to us unexpectedly by way of friends a year or more after Saffy's adoption. When we first considered adding a kitty to our family, we immediately knew to go to our local shelter. It's really true what they say about you and your pet "choosing one another." It's not at all like grocery shopping -- there's an intuitive, emotional component. You know and the pet knows when it's meant to be, and that's exactly how it happened with Saffy.

When I saw her for the first time, my heart skipped a beat. Then she looked at me with those bright green eyes and it was like we recognized one another: Finally, here you are -- I've been waiting. You can't adequately explain it unless you've experienced it. Saffy went on to teach our family about patience, caring for a senior kitty, and the gentle nuances of grieving the loss of a beloved pet when she passed away just this summer at age 15.

Saffy, Phoebe, and Cosmo (L-R).

For the last two decades, Petfinder has been committed to facilitating these powerful connection experiences. To celebrate its anniversary, they're asking pet parents, pet lovers, and pet advocates to join the celebration and their effort to donate $200,000 benefitting 20 shelters and rescue members.

It's not hard at all! All Perfinder wants is to generate one million views of its #MetOnPefinder video by October 24. And the video is one you'll want to see because it shows how pets have transformed the lives of their adopters. When the one million views are met, 20 shelters will each receive a $10,000 grant from the Petfinder Foundation to help continue their good work.

My kids and I lovin' on Miss Saffy.

Please watch the video, but Petfinder also encourages families, advocates, and partners to share their Petfinder adoption stories on social media using the hashtag #MetOnPetfinder.

Speaking of the video, you don't have to go far to watch it ... here it is! Thank you for your part in helping transform the lives of pets and the families who adopt them.

Be sure to follow Petfinder on:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

My Cat is Raspberry-Flavored

Phoebe likes to sit on the stool beside me when I work at the kitchen table. Sometimes she climbs in my lap and other times she just stares at me. If she's feeling bold, she blows a raspberry my way. If I'm busy, I don't give the sassy pants much attention ... but cats will not be ignored. She'll escalate the sassiness to the next level by changing all my computer passwords when I go to the bathroom. And then LYING about it!

Not really, but she totally would.

My Cat Lounges THROUGH the Laundry Basket

It's no secret that cats love laundry baskets, especially when they're full of laundry. In my house, Phoebe is Queen of Baskets. She calls dibs on every one, leaving Cosmo perpetually basket-less. It's like she can sense the vibe of warm laundry. Maybe she has a magical heat wave sensor with a super long range. I have no idea -- I just know she appears out of nowhere when I set a basket of warm laundry down somewhere.

And she usually doesn't just lie in the basket ... she lies through the thing, too.

The Queen of Baskets would is ready for you to kiss her paw.

My Cats On Morning Watch

You know when you wake up and feel like you're being watched? 

Yeah, well it's usually because it's true. 

Stop Stank Face With Tidy Cats Litter: It's a Giveaway!

Stank Face (stãNGk fãs) n: The universal expression of disgust often caused by litter box odor. Stank Face indiscriminately strikes cat lovers, friends and family alike, typically in the comfort of their own home. Symptoms include watery eyes, feeling like you've lost control of your face, crinkled nose, curled lip, contorted mouth and, in extreme cases, involuntary gagging.

***

Friends, today we're featuring an affliction well known in the cat-lover community. I know it can be difficult to discuss such a putrid subject, but we must move past the stigma and embrace an antidote. That's right -- I'm referring to what's commonly known as Stank Face. 

I share my small apartment with two cats, so I have an up-close-and-personal relationship with Stank Face. Although I scoop the boxes daily, there have been times when my guests have been stricken with S.F., and I could do nothing but apologize.

One day some maintenance workers were in my home doing something with HVAC (like how I throw those fancy acronyms like I know what I'm talking about?), and Phoebe decided to drop a "number two" in one of the boxes. It was only a matter of time before the malodorous cloud drifted right to the utility closet and into the nostrils of the unsuspecting visitors. I tried to rush to the scene and tell them I was sorry for the stench, but I was too late -- Stank Face had already set in. They quickly finished and exited my apartment. I hope my HVAC maintenance didn't suffer because of Stank Face.

I wish I'd known about Tidy Cats TidyLock™ Protection before the HVAC debacle. This new feature is now available in the Light Weight and traditional versions of their 24/7 and Instant Action clumping litters. The added protection better absorbs liquids and features an improved deodorizing system that neutralizes odors and stops litter box stank. Let me tell you ... it works! No more Stank Face for me or my visitors. 

Even if you don't trust me (which you totally should), listen to cat-lover Angela Kinsey, who has stepped forward to create public awareness and shed light on the Stop Stank Face campaign and the cure: TidyLock™ Protection. You probably know Angela best from her role as Angela Martin on NBC's The Office. Yeah, she's funny, but even she knows Stank Face is no laughing matter. Watch this:

Are you ready to join Angela and me in abolishing Stank Face once and for all? Well, one lucky Catladyland reader will win FIVE (5) manufacturer's coupons to stop the stank in their own homes.

U.S. winners only. International readers are welcome to enter and donate their prize to a U.S. friend or shelter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We are a member of the Tidy Cats Insiders and are being compensated to help spread the word about Tidy Cats TidyLock™ Protection. Catladyland only shares information we think would be of interest to our readers. The opinions are our own.