The FURminator

A few years ago when I had a dog, I came across a small booth at a local art fair where someone was selling an unknown product that was recently patented. They claimed that this tool would replace any brush as the best deshedding tool for long haired dogs. I, the excited owner of a incredibly long haired pooch, was quickly seduced by their claims. The prospect of a solution to the annoying dog hair problem was too exciting to pass up. I quickly forked over the cash and went home to try it out on my unsuspecting dog. (Note: the FURminator deShedding Tool is much more expensive than the average brush, some models run as much as $75.)

The tool worked great, at least, whenever I was able to use it on him (he didn't much care for being brushed). He had a very think coat and the tool was able to grab a lot of the undercoat and pull it out in huge clumps.

I am no longer a dog owner but I still have a furniture-covering hair problem. Amos sheds a ridiculous amount, and not just in the so-called "shedding season." I was excited to hear that the once small company has ballooned into a huge company, FURminator, Inc., with its products being sold at large retailers such as PETCO and PetSmart. They have a number of different tools now, including one for cats.

I recently purchased the cat model FURminator and am anxious to see how it stands up to the one for dogs. I'm not sure if he likes it or hates it (he'll purr a lot but also runs away or flips on his back). I did get a good ball of fur out of him yesterday though (pictured).

I'll keep ya'll updated.

- H

DJ Kitty

I can't help but love this video. Not so much for the fact that there is a cat spinning, but the look on the cat's face as its owner trys its own take on the keyboard cat.

I guess this cat also gets the crowd worked up at Tampa Bay Rays games.

- M

Cat Capades

Now I know that this is a bit old news, but if you don't know about it . . . you still should.

Meow Mix cat food sponsored a line of computer games called Cat Capades!

Play King of the Kitchen jumping over obstacles to get to your food. Catch the laser pointer. There is even a Meow Mix guitar hero type of game.

Prepare to be occupied for hours.

But, don't forget to play with your cat.

- M

I'm Only Sleeping

Cats can be great caregivers to their sick owners. Amos, at least, always seems to know when I'm not feeling well. He doesn't sleep with me nightly, and he's far from a lap cat, but he always comes and cuddles up when I'm laying on the couch or bed feeling ill. I get migraines often, which leaves me sleeping long periods of time, such as I did this past Monday. Sure enough, Amos was cuddles up next to me for my 5 hour "cat nap" in the middle of the afternoon. I don't think he minded one bit that I stayed home to nap with him.

-H

Dog-Eared Cat Book

At the airport I decided to pick up a book to read while visiting my mother in Nashville. I didn't want something heavy as my graduate classes provide me enough of that. I wanted something light that I could maybe finish in a weekend.

Walking around the store I saw the book cover with a cat on it about 20 feet away. It was Homer's Odyssey. A story about a cat with no eyes.

I picked it up and put it down right away. I didn't want to go farther down the path of being a crazy cat lady. But, I picked it up and read the back cover and immediately started to feel a little teary-eyed. It is a book about a pet and we all know how those books end.

Now, I am not saying that I have given away the ending. I am only three chapters in, but I am bracing myself for the possibility.

I'll give a review when I am finished with the book, but so far this seems like a pretty amazing cat. Homer taught himself how to use the toilet!

- M

I See You

I just had this picture sent to me by another afflicted with Felinefluenza.

We living with this disease understand how important it is to support each other with this chronic illness. Unless you are living with the disease you really don't understand. You can humor us and send us a photo or a video, but it isn't the same. You have to suffer from Felinefluenza to be able to truly appreciate a quality cat joke, photo, video or reference.

And this is a photo that is definitely from a person living with the disease.

- M

Cats at IKEA

I have no idea why they did this, but one IKEA store let loose 100 cats to explore.

- M

My Cat, My Rules

A disadvantage to apartment living is that you can hear your neighbors very easily. A benefit to apartment living is that you can easily hear your neighbors. Especially when it is a conversation about cats.

Overheard tonight was an argument between the couple that lives below me about who makes the decisions about the cat.

The female member of this couple was yelling at her man that, as she is the owner of the cat, she gets to make all the decision regarding the cat. "My cat. My rules."

I wanted to yell out, "You go, girl!" But, then I started thinking about situations in which the non-owner cohabitant should have some say in decisions cat related.

For instance, what if the cat made the other partner's underwear drawer its sleeping nest? Shouldn't the other party be able to limit the cat's access to certain things?

Or, what if the cat suddenly started spraying all over the home? Shouldn't the other partner be able to punish the cat (as if that would actually mean anything to the cat) or remedy the situation in some fashion?

Sure, there are situations in which the other party should have a say. But for the most part I would have to agree. "My cat. My rules."

- M

The Golden Chalice

When my cats eat they leave behind a huge mess of crumbs all over the floor around their bowls. It isn't just crumbs, it is whole kernels of food. Sometimes there is a lot on the floor. So much so that it is like almost a whole cup of food! And the food is expensive. I can't afford to throw away perfectly good food. I just scoop the food off the floor and put it back in the bowl. Those brats will eat what I give them.

They had bowls like these.

I thought that an up grade would help. So, I bought these flat like bowls. It didn't.

Cat food everywhere!

Now, when I left on my trip I set out one of my bowls as an extra bowl for food if H couldn't make it one day to check on them. And surprisingly, there didn't seem to be as much food left over on the floor. This is a picture after several days of not cleaning up the food on the floor.

So that got me thinking. It isn't the shape of the bowl that mattered. It was the fact that the bowl is meant for humans. My cats are too good for anything that was created for cats. They like the water out of my glass than out of their bowl. The sleep in my bed, not their beds. They wouldn't hang out in their "cat condo," instead my couch.

Cats are snobs.

- M

Sneaky Cat

This video comes from I think Russia.


- M