Category Archives: All Things Cats

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Fighting Feline Dental Issues!

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A few weeks ago, Miss. Kitty had a vet appointment for her yearly vaccines! She was a great little patient and didn’t even flinch when she got her shots. Her weight was perfect (same as last year! Vet said I am a great cat mommy! Yay!), her coat is exceptional and her overall health is great! EXCEPT………. for some plaque on her back teeth!

Visiting Dr. Foster, dressed in her best bandana!
Off to the vet in the stroller!
Enjoying the stroll!

OK, OK, it’s not as bad as I am making it out to be! During last year’s check up, Kitty had some plaque. I was advised to try brushing and use some dental treats to keep it from getting worse or look into getting her teeth professionally cleaned. This year, it is still the same. Luckily, it has not gotten worse, thank goodness! However, now I am being a bit more proactive in getting her used to the brush!

At the vet clinic dressed in her best!
Visiting Dr. Foster, dressed in her best bandana!

So, in this post, I am going to give a few tips to anyone who is interested in trying to brush their felines teeth!

First thing is to find a toothbrush that your cat will tolerate. I have tried the ones that you put on your finger but I found that those are not as effective as an actual toothbrush. No cat wants your finger in their mouth!

I got this toothbrush and toothpaste at the vet office. The brush has soft bristles and the toothpaste is poultry flavoured. Both got two paws up from Kitty! DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE! Please check with your vet or local pet store to get a toothbrush and paste made especially for cats!

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Before you actually attempt to brush, let the cat get accustomed to the toothbrush. I would let Kitty just bite on it and get used to it being close to her mouth. Then, I would put a bit of paste on the brush and have her lick it and taste it. She will try to chew on it which is great because she is slowly getting used to the toothbrush!

The problem area for Kitty is her back teeth. You can probably see the plaque! This is not an easy place to try to brush. She is more comfortable having her fangs brushed than me trying to get to that pesky back teeth!

It is very important to keep the cat in a comfortable position. For Kitty, it is sitting on my lap. I would  hold her very gently and lift up her lip to reveal the teeth that needs to be cleaned. With a very calm and gentle hand, slowly rub the brush on the teeth. You can massage the gums gently as well.

Do not put pressure on the neck or hold on too tight. You know your kitty the best so as soon as you feel that they are getting stressed, stop what you are doing. Leave it for another day!

In the photos above, you will see that I am holding her neck VERY gently. It is just enough to support her head while I get those teeth cleaned.

You will soon learn that you can’t brush it all in one go. So take your time and focus on the problem areas first. Kitty tries to bite on the brush and I let her do that as much as she wants. Then, I brush a bit more. It is never more than a minute or two at a time.

Patience is key! Try to brush a bit everyday, even if it’s just one small spot. Use slow, gentle rotations. Kitty is a very patient cat so I have had better luck with her. If your kitty is not too enthusiastic at first, give them a dental treat and let them go on their way. Try again tomorrow!

It is important that you keep trying. Not many pet parents pay much attention to the health and condition of their pets’ teeth until something serious happens. Be proactive and pay attention to their dental health. Watch for bad breath and bleeding gums! Talk to your vet about it at your next appointment. Dental issues will cost you thousands of dollars so best catch things before it gets to that point.

As always, make sure your kitty is on a healthy diet and has access to lots of fresh water. Avoid food and treats that have artificial flavours and colours. Look for all natural, crunchy treats and use them in moderation. Dental treats are not a substitution for a good cleaning routine!

If you have any tips, experiences with your own pets’ dental health, please share them in the comments!

Hope you enjoyed this post! Don’t forget to follow the blog and share about it on social media! Tag @kittymojito on Instagram!

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Pet Insurance – Yay or Nay?

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I have been wanting to write about this for a while now…

Since I am on social media quite often on a daily basis, I can’t help but notice all the requests for help for pets who are ill or injured. It breaks my heart to see that money is sometimes the only thing keeping some people from getting the life saving treatments needed for their pets. They try their best but who has thousands of dollars laying around on a whim? Some treatments costs several thousands over a long period of time and this cost is not bearable for many people.

This got me thinking about insurance. I am a big believer in the preparing for emergencies. And since both myself and my husband have life insurance and critical illness insurance, why would I not look into the same thing for Kitty?

As soon as we adopted Kitty 4 years ago, the first thing we did was get insurance. She was a year old and the premium cost was around $30 a month. Sure, that was affordable and it covered a lot of ailments and injuries with the exception of any pre-existing conditions. We decided to pick Trupanion due to the previous mentioned reasons and also for the fact that they didn’t put a limit on how many times you can make a claim for the same condition and covered 90%.

Fast forward a few years……

Kitty is 5 years old now and although we never had to use insurance (knock on wood!), her premiums are now at $63 a month. Many people have asked me why I am paying so much for pet insurance. They ask me why I don’t just save that monthly $63 in a savings account for Kitty.

I will tell you why ….

  1. If I saved $63 a month for a year, I will have $756. If you know how much vet’s charge, this will certainly not be enough to cover tests, xrays, medication, vet fees.
  2. If, god forbid, Kitty has an accident and requires surgery or any extensive treatments, I will not have enough cash to cover things upfront if I didn’t have insurance.
  3. The $63 is a price I will gladly pay for my peace of mind knowing that if something were to happen, I will not have to compromise on getting her the treatments she needs. Her well-being is worth far more to me.

To anyone who is still not sure about getting insurance, I say please do some research and get the coverage that works for your pet. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

  • Take time to do some comparisons of insurance companies. Don’t always go for the cheapest option. See what is and what is not covered.
  • Try to get insurance when the pet is young. Like human insurance policies, the earlier you purchase it, the most affordable the premiums are.
  • Don’t be put off by the premium cost. If your pet is 8 years old and the online insurance quote is $80, give them a call. They will be able to work with you to get the best coverage needed.

So, in conclusion, I would like to say that I am all for pet insurance. You can make it work for you. Even though it might seem a lot and you may not think it’s worth it, I say it is TOTALLY worth it! I have never had to use it and if I had to do it all over again, I would still pick having insurance over having none!

(This is just my opinion and have no way been influenced by any pet insurance companies)

The Importance of Pet Insurance

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Sleepy Time Routines!

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We all have some sort of routine before bed right? Sometimes it’s a soothing cup of tea or a cookie or maybe it’s a beauty routine. Either way, we all spend a few minutes before bed doing something to get us relaxed and ease into a blissful night of sleep.

Have you even know for a cat to have a sleep routine? Well, let me tell you about Kitty Mojito and her daily night-time routine. She has two routines, one for when Daddy works night shifts and it’s just me and her. And the other for when both of us are at home.

Let me start with the one where we are both home at night.

When we sit down for dinner, Kitty joins us. No matter how early I put out her food, she will not eat until she sees us eating. I find this just adorable. When dinner is done and everything is cleaned up, we get ready for bed. For Kitty, this means dragging out her noisiest toy and positioning it just outside our bedroom door.

Fast forward, we are both in bed, lights are off, time for sleep…… And right on cue…. here come Kitty with her noisy toy…. she throws it around a few times…she waits for a response. If we say anything, the thrashing about continues. If we stay quiet, she starts her nightly singing… Mew, meow…..meoooooooooow…..

It goes on for a good ten minutes or so. If she can’t get our attention with the singing, she proceeds to jumping on the bed and doing a walkabout. Usually this includes walking on the pillows and all over us. She will also try knocking things over in order to get our attention. If neither of us wakes up and shoos her out, she will eventually curl up by the edge of the bed and go to sleep.

 Scenario 2 – Daddy is not home ……

 During the nights that Daddy is working, things are a bit more quiet. Kitty loves to play with Daddy so she is always excited when he is at home. When he is at work, she is a bit more subdued. So the nightly routine gets taken down a notch.

It goes like this …..

 Once I get ready for bed. I announce ‘ Kitty! Bedtime!’

She will usually follow me…She jumps around on the bed. Yay! It’s playtime! She attacks my feet … Jump, jump, jump….. Let’s play Mama!

I turn off the night light. Ok , now she knows that it’s quiet time. She does try to get my attention but eventually she will just curl up on Daddy’s side and sleep. Fast forward a few hours, usually between 4-5am, she will wake up and run around a bit, she will try to bite my feet by crawling under the covers. I have to calm her down and then encourage her to go back to sleep. This is the ONLY time she will sleep UNDER the covers. And she will stay under the covers until I wake up in the morning.

Having read this, you may think ‘ Hey that’s not a routine, it’s just something cats do!’ And I say to you, this IS a routine because she does this like clockwork, everything in the same order, at the same time, day in and day out 🙂 It’s just so amazing!

Animals are very intuitive and are smarter than we give them credit!

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Happy International Cat Day!

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Today is International Cat Day!!

It’s a day to show your kitty babies how much you love them…. but who are we kidding…. everything is cat day for most of us:)

In honor of this very special day, I will be sending out postcards to anyone who would want it!!

You heard me right! If you would like some postcards that I designed (hint: you can check them out in the SHOP section of the blog), send me an email with your mailing address and I will send them out to you for FREE!!

Don’t delay, this offer is only good for TODAY August 8th 2016.

 

 

 

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Disaster Strikes – Be Prepared!

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As I write this, there is a northern oil town called Fort McMurray here in Alberta (Canada) that is burning from a massive wildfire that is out of control.

Over 100,000 people have been evacuated. Not only have these folks lost their homes, their possessions and livelihoods, some have lost their precious pets :_( But we, as a province and country, have all come together to make sure that these folks and their furry friends are taken care in this time of need.The outpouring of support for everyone affected is amazing and it makes me so proud to be a Canadian!

Even thought the worst isn’t over yet (the fires are still burning!), it is time to focus on rebuilding. … My thoughts and prayers are definitely with those affected!

All this just reiterated the fact that we all need to have an evacuation kit and an emergency plan, especially if you have pets. I wrote a previous post about putting together a pet emergency kit which I hope you will read again (if you haven’t already!)

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, even if it is just a backpack with a change of clothes and copies of any important documents along with a small first aid kit would be sufficient.

For your pet, a few cans of food, an extra leash, some bedding added to a small pack is vital in case you have to leave your home in a hurry.

Also chat with your family and come up with a meeting point …. somewhere you can all gather … make sure your kids know what to do in a situation like this, have a list of emergency contacts visible at home…. there is so many things we can do … all you have to do is Google it and get started!

 

I think there are two scenarios we need to be ready for and here is my own plans for them. I hope this inspires you to have a plan for your family.

  1. An emergency evacuation when I am at home
  2. A emergency evacuation when I am NOT at home

 

Scenario 1 :

If (god forbid) something happens while I am at home that require me to evacuate, leaving my cat behind is not an option,, not matter what. I already have a plan in mind, I know exactly what I need to grab and get out.

The first thing I would do it grab Kitty’s harness and leash and secure her in the stroller. Next I would grab her emergency kit (which has some food, supplies to keep her calm) while also grabbing our own emergency backpacks (one each for my husband and myself), filled with a change of clothes, some toiletries and copies and originals of important documents).

That’s it! Everything else can be replaced….. !

I will then run to my friend’s place and grab her two kitties if she is not home.

 

Scenario 2:

If (again god forbid!) there is an evacuation happening when I am not at home, I have emergency stickers on my  front door indicating that I have a cat inside. This lets the emergency personnel know there is a pet that needs to be saved. These stickers can be found at pet stores everywhere! Please grab one today!

I also have contact numbers of a couple of neighbours that I could reach out to, one of whom will grab Kitty and keep her safe until I can be reached. We have an agreement that in case of emergency, I will grab her two kitties and vice versa! This way I know Kitty is safe!

 

Having some sort of plan will really help ease some of the stress….. I know we don’t want to think about anything awful happening to us, but sometimes bad things happen so we need to be prepared.

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Homemade Cat Treats Part 2

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Today  I put my baking skills to good use and made these awesome treats for Kitty.

I call it Tuna-tato Bites….It is super simple !

Ingredients :

1 can of tuna ( I used white flaked tuna)
1 egg
4 tbsp of rice flour (I used gluten free rice flour – it’s what I had!)
a few tsps of water
1/2 russet potato

Step 1

Peel and cut the potato into chunks and add it to boiling water. Let it boil for a good 8-10 mins.  Then, mash it up, making sure it is not too dry (add a few tsp of water to make it more pliable)

 

Step 2

Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Add them to the tuna and mix it well. Next add the rice flour.

 

Step 3

Spoon the mixture in a small muffin tin and bake in a preheated oven at 350C for 15 mins.

Note: if you are using muffin liners, the tuna will stick to it (as I later found out)… I would suggest leaving out the liners and bake directly in the pan.

 

Step 4

Spoon the mashed potatoes into a piping bag and add it on top of the baked treats once they have cooled. You can leave this part out if you prefer.

 

Finally, just to top it off, I added a piece of Kitty’s dry food to each of the treats:)

 

And now .. drumroll please…. The Taste Test…..

 

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She LOVED it!!…. She wasn’t too crazy about the potato part so I may leave that out next time…

You will have to break the ‘muffin’ into smaller pieces for your cat …. It is a dry treat so make sure it is broken up to avoid any choking!!!… you can add some pumpkin puree to the tuna mixture if you want a more moist muffin.

No more than one muffin a day per cat…. And please store it in the fridge! It should last 3 to 5 days.

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I would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe and if you end up making it for your furbaby, please send me some photos so I can share them here:)

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Homemade Cat Treats!

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So it all started when I was trying to find a cute treat/cake for Kitty’s birthday a few weeks ago…… As I went from one pet store to another, all I found was adorable doggy biscuits and cutely decorated dog cakes !

I mean, look at these! They are just too cute for words!!!

 

Anyway, my search ended with me coming home empty-handed, meaning I didn’t find anything cute and adorable like the above pictures!

So I had a chat with my buddy Ruby (a fellow cat mom,crazy cat lady and creative genius)the other day and we ended up talking about how there is a lack of specialty cat treats out there!

She had actually made some super adorable cat treats for Kitty awhile back….

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So we decided that I try to make some cute home made treats and see how it goes….

The idea is to use very limited ingredients, mainly appeal to a cat’s natural carnivorous diet and make a few different varieties. Kitty and Ruby’s babies Jack and Feo will be the taste testers.

I have found some basic recipes and I am hoping to put my own twist on them…

Watch this space for how things turn out!! 🙂

 

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Update:

I have tried my first recipe …. Here is the link https://crazycatladycorner.org/2016/04/14/homemade-cat-treats-part-2/

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Are You Ready For An Emergency?

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Emergency Preparedness!

It hurts to even think about it… However, we all know at some point or the other, we will all have to face something that we were not prepared for…

No matter how well you try to plan things out, there is always something that could send things into a tailspin and turn life upside down and inside out.

Many of us have seen, heard and read about having an emergency kit.. Stock up on food, water and anything else you would need in case of that ‘what if’moment. But how many of us have thought about our pets? What would you do if disaster strikes and you have to leave your home? Sure, you have your family emergency pack to get you through but what will happen to your cat, dog, bird, gerbil, etc? Where will they stay? What will they eat?Who will be looking out for their well being if something were to happen to you? Now that is something to think about!

I have given some thought to all these questions so I decided to start on an emergency kit for Kitty (I may have mentioned it in an earlier post) and today I wanted to share how I put it together. Mind you , there are still a few more things that I need to add to it but so far it is coming along really well.

First, I decided to find a good carrier…. I found this one online and thought it would be a good fit. Not only does it have a good shoulder strap but it also has wheels and a sturdy handle. That’s a bonus when your shoulders start to ache!

 

Next, I got some sample sized packs of Kitty’s favourite dry food. Having several smaller packs instead of one large bag will keep their food fresh for longer. I also got a few cans of wet food as well as a bag of treats along with a small food dish. I am working on getting a travel bowl for water as well. Obviously I will need more than what is pictured here but this is a good start.

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On to the next step……  This part is important so take note….. As you can see here, I have a small box filled with a little first aid kit, some disposable gloves, some litter scoops, shopping bags and a small note book with Kitty’s info. Having all this information on hand comes in very handy if you have to leave your pets in someone else’s care temporarily. It has details on her vet, vaccines, pet insurance, city license as well as emergency contact information.

There are still a few things missing from my kit (a portable litter box, grooming supplies, a few calming treats, catnip, some toys). I think it’s important to keep in mind that in an emergency situation everyone will be extremely stressed, especially your pets so add as many familiar things to this kit as you can think of…a cuddle toy, favourite blanket,maybe an old t-shirt so she has a familiar scent around. It will help with the stress levels.

 

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Finally, it is time to pack this up. For easy access, I put some of the wet food cans into this box and them packed up everything in the carrier. And just to make sure everything fits in there, Kitty climbed into the carrier full of supplies and everyone fits in there well.

In case of an emergency, I can load Kitty in to the carrier, grab our own emergency backpacks and wheel her out. Hopefully, it never comes to that but if it does, I am ready for it:)

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Hard To Say Goodbye!

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Before you panic, I am not going anywhere !

As the title suggests, saying goodbye to your pets (temporarily of course!) is hard!

Every morning, when I leave for work, a little part of my heart breaks to see the sad look on Kitty’s face. As I put on my jacket and grab my keys, she runs up to the door and sits there with a look that says ‘Do you REALLY have to leave me?’

So I dug around online and found this really interesting article on separation anxiety among cats. It gives some really good points on how to help your fur babies (and you!) cope with it. Enjoy!

(Article from www.catbehaviorassociates.com)

Many people have an inaccurate image of cats being solitary creatures who don’t need companionship but they actually are social and do form very strong bonds to their human family members and animal companions.

Cats who were orphaned may be more prone to separation anxiety. Too-early weaning may also be a factor. Also how you’ve set up your cat’s environment plays a role as well. If your cat has no other activities and ways to build confidence without being attached to you at the hip, then that increases the chance of separation anxiety.

Your cat may go along just fine and have no problem with you coming and going on a daily basis but then something, such as a change in work schedule, a vacation, a divorce, etc, could trigger separation anxiety.

When the cat parent leaves, the cat may exhibit excessive meowing. Elimination outside of the litter box may also occur. The cat may urinate or defecate on the cat parent’s bed or on clothing belonging to that human family member. It’s easy to misread this behavior as one of spite but it’s really a way for kitty to self-soothe by mixing his scent with yours. It’s also a way that the cat attempts to help you “find” your way home. Think of it as the feline version of dropping bread crumbs along the path.

Other signs may include excessive self-grooming, eating too fast or not eating at all when the cat parent isn’t present.

Before labeling your cat as having separation anxiety, it’s important he be examined by the veterinarian. The behavior being displayed may have an underlying medical cause. For example, elimination outside of the litter box may be due to lower urinary tract disease or have some other medical cause. Excessive grooming may be the result of external parasites, skin allergies, irritation, etc. Eating too fast or a lack of appetite may also be caused by an underlying medical condition. Don’t skip this very important step of visiting your veterinarian.

Once your cat is diagnosed with separation anxiety, behavior modification techniques can be used to reduce his stress and increase stimulation in your absence.

  • Increase the environmental enrichment. If you want your cat to feel satisfied, entertained and secure when you aren’t around then the environment in which he lives has to inspire that. Incorporate puzzle feeders, playtime, elevated areas, hideaways and more to encourage him to find ways to trigger and satisfy his prey-drive. The more enriched and secure the environment is, the better your cat will feel when he’s by himself.
  • Inspire confidence when you interact with your cat. Don’t reward your cat with attention when he’s meowing and being insistent. Instead, reward him with petting, treats, praise and attention when he’s acting the way you WANT him to act. Reward him when he’s quiet. Reward him when he does something to entertain himself. Reward the behavior you want to see again and don’t reinforce the unwanted behavior.
  • Engage your cat in interactive play sessions on a daily basis. Twice a day would actually be even better. Interactive playtime allows your cat to simply enjoy being the mighty hunter. For a cat, being able to engage the prey drive and enjoy a successful capture is the ultimate in joy and satisfaction.
  • Don’t make a big production about leaving. If you anticipate your cat is going to suffer from separation anxiety, you’ll just make it worse if you overdo the goodbye process. Your cat will think you’re leaving for a month instead of just 8 hours. Make your goodbyes very casual. Cats easily pick up on the emotions of their human family members. If you’re upset then your cat may get upset
  • Practice coming and going. If your cat starts to get tense whenever he hears you pick up your keys or if he sees you reach for your purse or coat, then practice doing those things several times a day without actually leaving.

There are some cases where anti-anxiety medication may also be needed in conjunction with behavior modification. Your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist will advise the client based on the specifics of the cat’s case. If medication is prescribed, it MUST be used alongside appropriate behavior modification and is not to be viewed as a substitute for doing the behavior work needed to relieve the cat’s anxiety.

If you’ve noticed a change in your cat’s behavior or you think he may be experiencing separation anxiety, contact your veterinarian so a thorough examination can be done. If your veterinarian does diagnose separation anxiety, you may be referred to a certified behavior professional.

 

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Happy, Happy, Kitty Day!

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Today I spent some time reading about stories about the yays and nays of having a cat….Some were very touching and some were hilarious… ! As I read, I began to think how life has changed since Kitty came into our home.

People say life will never be the same when you have a child….

And while it may not be the same, I say life will never be the same when you have a pet! Once you get a pet, you are making a promise to provide a safe and quality life for that living creature!!  Yes it is a living, breathing, FEELING creature!

You would not believe how angry it makes me when I see or hear about people treating pets like they are some disposable object, like it is a fashion trend, to try it and then move on if it doesn’t work…. STOP!!!!!

If you do not have the TIME, MONEY or PATIENCE to take care of any pet, be it a cat, dog, fish, gerbil etc etc DO NOT GET ONE!! And if it is being mistreated, your pet’s life is more valuable to me that yours! There, I said it!

Ok! Deep Breath!!!

Back to the story…….

Let me walk you through a typical day with Kitty…

My husband and I usually wake up between 4.30am -5am to get ready for work. Kitty is so used to us being up at this time that if the alarm doesn’t go off for some reason, she jumps on the bed and meows until we wake up….. The down side to this is that she does this on weekends too ! lol

Once we are up, she follows one of us into the bathroom (usually me!).. While I brush my teeth, she drinks water out of the faucet and hangs out there while I get ready. Once I leave the bedroom, she dashes into the kitchen and waits for her wet food. It’s now 5.15am and as I get my lunch packed up, she rubs up against my leg and purrs up a storm until I pick her up and give her hugs. Hubby has already left by now.

Wet food out…. she is excited to try out a new flavor! She gets to try a new can every few days… Yes, she is spoilt! She will only start eating it when I start eating breakfast … Once we are both done and before I hear out the door, she stands in front the cupboard with a paw on the handle. Time for a treat before Mommy leaves for the day….Two treats are thrown in two directions and she chases them down ….. !

Fast Forward several hours …. I head back home after work and as soon as I walk up to the door, I hear her running. She greets me with loud meows and waits for hugs. She follows me while I freshen up and get things ready for dinner. She sits on the counter while I do the prep work and then the cooking. Once dinner is ready, she sits by the window waiting for Daddy to come home. Suddenly,her ears perk up, she bounces off the window ledge and dashes to the front door. She had seen Daddy outside! We all eat dinner at the same time. She is usually done first.. Then she sits next to us, hoping we will share some roast chicken or fish with her. We usually do…

She is now a bit hyper….She runs around, jumps on the cupboards, on the couch… off the couch, back and forth…. She is happy we are here:)

Night time… we settle in to watch some TV before bed. She hangs out with us, sitting up on her cat tree. Occasionally, she will jump down and sit on our laps and cuddle…  Her night time ritual is being brushed for about 5 mins. She loves it!!

It’s time for bed…. When the lights are all turned off, she follows us into the bedroom and does a small song and dance.. LOL… It consists of some loud meowing, loud rustling behind the blinds and then walking all over the bed in an attempt to see if we would wake up and pay attention to her. If there is no movement, she either goes back to her cat tree or sleeps between the two of us… And we repeat tomorrow!

That is a typical day with my sweet Kitty:)

 

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