Cats Herd You

Catladybox: For Ladies Who Love Cats… and their Cats

Pierre: Hey, Newt, what are you doing?

Newton: Dorian at CatLadyBox sent me a CRAZY CatLadyBox to review, and I’m about to start. * SNIFF * I can already tell there are some great things in here that ladies who love cats are going to enjoy.

Pierre: Do you mean the orange hairs you’re dropping into it?

Newton: * SNIFF * You know that isn’t what I mean. Don’t you have a red dot to chase or something? I’ve got work to do here.

Ashton: I’m not sure you’re the one who should be reviewing this, Newton. That pretty card says “Cat lady for life.”

Newton: I’m a cat. What’s the problem?

Ashton: But no one is ever going to mistake you for a lady. At least I’m a lady cat. Maybe I should do this.

Newton: Don’t discriminate against me because of my whiskers. I’m spokescat around here, and if you’ll move out of my way, I’ll get on with this review.

Newton: CatLadyBox is a monthly package of 2-3 different cat-themed items. They’re hand-selected by cat lovers for cat lovers, and every month’s box is a surprise. It could contain jewelry, books, accessories, t-shirts, home decor, who knows! Every month is a different selection from independent artists and small businesses. If you get the CRAZY CatLadyBox, you also get two surprises just for your cats. I’m reviewing the July CRAZY CatLadyBox, and it’s full of things for cat-loving ladies and for the cats that love them.

Newton: I heard there was a little something for your cat in every CRAZY CatLadyBox, too, but I see lots in here for me. Let’s take a closer look.

Ashton: Okay. I want to look at this first.

Newton: I didn’t mean YOU take a closer look!

Newton: The pretty card from Prints of Heart that says “Cat lady for life” on it isn’t just a cute decoration that you can put up on your wall or bulletin board. The back also gives information about the contents in the CatLadyBox.

Newton: There’s also a really cute CatLady pen. You could use it sketch a landscape or write a novel, but I suggest using it to make a list for your next trip to the pet supply store. Your handwriting is probably better than mine, so you can just take dictation. Ready? We’re running low on catnip. And we need chicken treats. Lots of chicken treats. You wouldn’t believe how fast Ashton goes through those. Could you get some more cat litter, too? I’m not even going to talk about Pierre did in there this morning. You’d better stock up on canned food, too.

Newton: The CatLadyBox also included a catnip lip balm from Wild Rose Herbs. You heard me right. Catnip lip balm. With no thumbs, I can’t seem to get the lid off of it to try it on, but this is really meant to put on human lips, not kitty lips. Your kitty can just enjoy the smell of it on your lips instead. Then come here and give me a catnip kiss.

Newton: But first… * WHAP * I may have to hang onto this for a while. It makes a great cat toy, too.

Pierre: Hey, watch where you’re whapping that thing!

Newton: Fine, you play with it a while. I’ve got plenty more to review from the CatLadyBox. Like this t-shirt. It’s super-soft, and it has one of my favorite words printed across the front. You can’t see it in this photo, but it has a tail printed on the back like mine. Well, my tail is a lot floofier, but if you wear this shirt, you can have a tail, too.

Newton: The pre-shrunk fabric is super-tasty, too.

Newton: And just look at this beautiful, handmade cat pendant necklace by Southern Gracie! In fact, I want I want a closer look, bring it down here. It’s a nice size, not too large for petite ladies to wear, and it’s made of ceramic in a beautiful pinkish peach tint.

Newton: In addition to fun surprises for your human to use, the CatLadyBox includes fun surprises for kitties, too. Like this fortune cookie toy from Miso Handmade. It’s got some prime catnip in it, and I’m going to lose this thing under the sofa in no time!

Pierre: Salmon meowmosa treats from OmegaPaw? I’m bartending!

Newton: Did you forget who is doing this CatLadyBox review? Get your face out of there!

Newton: Got one! These are amazing!

Pierre: * SIGH * Save one for me.

Newton: As you can tell, I think everything in the CatLadyBox is pawesome, and I give it an enthusiastic four paws up!

You can subscribe for a CatLadyBox on a month-to-month basis, but there are discounts for multi-month subscriptions. You can even buy gift subscriptions for your cat-loving friends! CatLadyBox gives back to cats, too, with 5% of all profits going to cat rescues.

FTC Disclosure: We received our CatLadyBox at no charge for review. Receiving the free product did not influence our review or anything we say. All sponsored posts on our site always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions.

Daydreaming about the Weekend

Ashton: The weekend went by far too fast. Now I’m daydreaming about next weekend when my humans are home all weekend to supply the snacks. Chicken snacks.

Table Manners

Some slightly muddy smartphone photos in this series, but this is a rare glimpse into a daily routine at our house.

Ashton: It’s mealtime? Sit right down at the table. I’m waiting!

I said, I’M WAITING OVER HERE! Want to insert some food right inside here?

You’re not going to share that sandwich? How about some chicken? Pleeeease?

I’m waving my paw over here. It doesn’t get any cuter than this. Make with the chicken!

Does this work at your house? If you haven’t tried, you should. I can score chicken like this pretty much every time. And if not, there’s always that sandwich….

Obesity in Cats Can Start Early

Being a young cat isn’t necessarily enough to keep your kitty from becoming overweight. A new study about early life risk factors for obesity in cats, published by researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK, has shown that a dry food diet and indoor lifestyle are independent risk factors for obesity in cats around a year old.

This data was gathered as part of a first-of-its-kind program at the University of Bristol in the UK. The Cat Longitudinal Analysis of Welfare Study (CLAWS) collected information from kittenhood through two years about cats adopted from rescue centers to understand how their early development shapes their later health and behavior. Surveys filled out by each cat’s family asked them to report their cat’s body score as well as other information such as feeding habits and behavior information.

At 12 ½ – 13 months old, 7% of the 966 cats were owner-reported to be either overweight or obese. Cats with restricted or no outdoor access were more likely to be part of this group, and cats who were eating a diet of over 50% dry food were also more likely to be classified as overweight or obese.

While this study was conducted in the UK, the findings apply to cats here in the US, too. In fact, only about 10% of cats live permanently indoors in the UK, while that number is much higher in the US. That means US cats are more likely to be in danger of obesity from that risk factor alone.

The dry kibble diet risk factor also applies to cats in the US. The UK isn’t the only place that a dry diet is the most popular diet choice for domestic cats. In the US, 78% of pet households feed dry food most often, making it a big impact on feline diets in the states.

Careful attention to a cat’s diet and plentiful opportunities for exercise while a cat is young are important in the risk of obesity developing during early adulthood, so make some time to play with your kitty today. She’ll appreciate it, and it will help her stay in better shape.

References and Further Reading

ScienceDirect, Risk factors identified for owner-reported feline obesity at around one year of age: dry diet and indoor lifestyle
University of Bristol, CLAWS Feline Welfare Study
University of Bristol, Bristol Cats Study
International Cat Care, Indoors vs. Outdoors
APPA National Pet Owners Survey

Photo Credits:

flickr, Dan Perry
flickr, Mark Turnauckas