Catmark and Catmerican Greetings

It has sort of become a thing for me to give cards with cats on them. Christmas cards, birthday cards, Thanksgiving cards. I think that the only category are cards of condolences (it would just be inappropriate).

I do this for two reasons. (1) I love cats. People know I love cats and I just have given into the obsession (see felinefluenza.blogspot.com. Oh, wait you are already here). (2) It also just makes it a lot easier to decide on a card. I usually am buying them at the last minute and looking for cat cards makes the decision process a lot faster. I have to admit that the cards are sometimes really funny.

I love this card I received from a friend for my birthday. She understands my tastes.

- M

Take a Cat Nap to fight Breast Cancer

Purina Cat Chow is donating $2 (up to $150,000) to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for every owner/cat pair who take a cat nap on September 17. The campaign is called Cat Nap for the Cause.

Purina will donate $1 on behalf of you and $1 on behalf of your cat(s). RSVP to the Facebook event to receive and event reminder.

This should be pretty easy for my cats to do as it is 80% of their daily activity. I am not as good at taking naps (like to just sleep when it is time to sleep), but I think that I can fit in about 15 minutes or so. It is for a good cause and all.

Will you be cat napping for the cause?

- M

P.S. There are even chances for those who RSVP on Facebook to win prizes.

Cats on Bikes

How cool is this? A BMX cat shirt. I so want this.

Found on emptees.

- M

Kittens in Space

Check out this adorable video of kittens in space.




- M

Trash or Treasure

Is this trash or is it treasure? To me, trash. To Laci, treasure. For hours this morning my cat batted these items around the living room. I try to get her to play with a designated cat toy and she will have nothing to do with it. She wants the trash. I give in a let her play with it for a while. However, I have to keep an eye on the items otherwise they will end up in some dark corner until I get the urge to do a major overhaul of my apartment.

Cats, like children, are sometimes more interested in the packaging than the actual item it contains. Washoo likes boxes and suitcases. I can step away from a suitcase for one minute and Washoo will be in it.

- M

You Scratch My Cat, I'll Scratch Your Cat

When you own cats, you have to have at least one other friend who also owns cats who will check on your monsters when you are away.

I am thankful H was able to check on Washoo and Laci for the six days I was gone. I was able to partially return the favor. As I soon as I got back, H took off for a long weekend.

Pet sitting a cat is a lot different than watching a dog. Sure with both you feed and take care of poop, but paying attention to the pet is different.

A dog is always ready for your attention and willing to play. Just the word "walk" will cause a dog to get excited. You take them out, you throw a ball, and you are done. They are ready at any given moment for some human affection.

However, with cats just because you are there doesn't mean they are ready for the same affection. They'll let you know when they want some attention and it isn't always when you stop by.

When cat sitting, I usually try and just sit and be available to the cat for about 15 minutes, longer if I have the time. Sometimes the cat will wonder over for some pets and sometimes they just go about their business. Dropping in on Amos, he only acknowledged my presence enough to tell me that it was porch time.

- M

Cardboard Makes a Nice Bed

The apartment is accumulating quite the collection of boxes.

I've bought beer, shoes and wedding gifts recently, all which have come in boxes.

Quickly after discarding the box to the floor, Amos finds a new sleeping spot. His actual cat bed, bought specifically for him, has been abandoned.

-H

Porch Time

We got in the habit of letting Amos out on the porch (while we are out there). Amos has been an indoor cat his whole 2 years of existence but he absolutely loves being outdoors.

Everyday when we come home from work we sit outside with him. We usually read or water the plants and he tries to sneak up/down the stairs when he thinks we aren't looking. He enjoys rolling around in the dirt, chirping at his squirrel friends and chomping on my potted herbs. When this daily routine doesn't happen, he gets quite upset and cries all evening.

It's enjoyable for both owner and cat right now but I don't know what we're going to do in the winter.

- H

No more spilled water

Recently, Amos decided he couldn't drink out of his water bowl anymore without spilling it all over the floor. After about two weeks of sopping up the mess every day, we came up with a solution: fasten a bowl to a table leg with a C-clamp.

Though he still tries with all his might, Amos just can't seem to tip the bowl over anymore.

One caveat to this ingenious solution: toes have been stubbed more than once on the clamp. Ow!

- H

While the Human's Away, the Cat will . . . Sleep

And play, but mostly sleep.

As I am getting ready to go out of town for five days I have to consider what arrangements I need to make for my cats. If I am gone for just a weekend I will just make sure there is enough food and water. But any length after that I have to do a little more.

H and another friend have graciously agreed to check in on Laci and Washoo while I am gone. So that takes care of making sure they have enough food and water and that their litter box is freshly cleaned. Washoo will get some attention when their caretakers drop in, but Laci will not be seen.

However, there are so many things that can happen in between the caretaker visits. Here are a few tips to avoiding cleaning up dried puke on your furniture when you get home or discovering that your favorite shirt has a huge hole in it.

1. Put away all clothing that is left out. Whether it goes in a drawer, on a hanger, or in a hamper, put it away.

2. Close all drawers fully. Multiple times I have found my cats have crawled into slightly opened drawers.

3. Make your bed. Sure your home looks better with a made bed, but if your comforter or sheets are in a ball on your bed that just encourages a cat to curl up into them and chew them like a pacifier because they are depressed that you are gone.

4. Close off as many rooms as you can. It will contain damage and cat hair.

5. Cover fabric furniture. If your cats are prone to puking like mine it can be a huge disappointment when you find that they have puked on your new couch. I plan to throw an old sheet over mine.

6. Stow any dangling strings. Put away things with cords that may hang off an edge. One jump or swat can pull down that item and a bunch of things with it.

I am sure I am forgetting something. So, I guess I will add tip seven to the list when I get back from this trip.

-M

Cats like books. You like books. You should read books with cats.

I came across this article in the San Francisco Chronicle about cats in bookstores. They profiled six local bookstores that have cats in residence.

I have mixed feelings about cats in bookstores. On one hand, I love cats. On the other hand, I love cats and a cat in a bookstore would distract me from my finding a book.

Recently, a cat at a local bookstore took early retirement. They will be hiring a replacement soon.

- M

Lost Kittehs

I have noticed several "Lost Cat" signs around my neighborhood this past week. I hope they find their way home soon.

Let's have a moment of silence for lost cats.

- M

Sh!t my cat ate

I wish I had kept a photo journal or at least a running list of all the things Laci has eaten. The most recent item to enter this category is my green flat sheet.

The thing that gets me is that she did it while I was sleeping with the sheet covering me. I might as well have been wearing it.

- M

Kitten Jump Fail

Where was it trying to go?

-M

Haute Cature

This is a bit disturbing. Takako Iwasa is a well-known cat costume designer in Tokyo. She recently came out with a book: Fashion Cats.

Apparently, she dresses up her cats Prin and Koutaro in the costumes, and as you can tell from this picture, they love it. Best yet, it doesn't appear that Iwasa give's a cat's ass that her furry friends are miserable.

"First, dress her up," instructs Iwasa-san, as she is known in Japan, to her website visitors. "Cheer or yell. Do whatever you like to enjoy the moment with your family.
 Second, after you are enough with your joy, take a photo!
 And third, remove her clothes and give her a hug, say 'Thank you!'

Her rationale behind this hobby is that people have been doing it for dogs for years. This doesn't make it right lady.

Creepy cat parents can purchase some of these costumes from her site: petoffice.co.jp.

-H

Kittens!

If you don't already know, there is a great resource for getting your daily fix of kittens. When you're own cat has grown our of this adorable, way-too-short period, this site offers a daily dose! Every day, a new kitten is featured, with photo and bio.

A new kitten every day... at 3.07 pm

-H

Would you spend $35 on a box for your Cat?

Literally, it is a box.

This Cat Hammock in Box claims it will provide your cat with hours of happiness.

I think my cats would enjoy more an empty box from the alley.

I've purchase various cat lounging furniture for Washoo and Laci in the past. And one thing is clear. They will not use it for its intended purpose.

I bought a cat "condo" a couple years ago. And for a while Laci would sit on top and Washoo would sometimes crawl inside. But the two combined hours they have used it over the past three years doesn't make up for the space it takes up on my floor collecting cat hair. In fact. I am throwing out that sucker tonight.

The girls also have cat beds. I think that they only lay in them every once in a while to increase their cute factor for an impending puke attack. Let's face it. A cat bed is wherever they choose to sleep.

- M

AHHHHH Cat in a Bicycle Basket!!!!

What an amazing sight to see! This shot comes via Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

I would love to take one of my cats for a ride in my basket. However, the act of doing so would either put me or a cat in the hospital.

- M

Sale on NOMS

Petco is having a huge sale on cat food. This 17.5 lb bag of Nutro Adult Cat Food is normally like $35, on sale for $29.99.

Many other brands on sale.

You can use the savings to buy more cat toys.

- M

Cat Cover

Want a sure fire way to increase album sales? Put a cat on the cover.

Instant success!

Klaxons

Best Coast

We are Scientists

Grandaddy

Blink 182

This post is not an endorsement of any of these albums, but the fact that they have cats on them makes them a whole lot cooler.

-M