Topper Tuesday! Tacos or Sardines….

Well, here it is Topper Tuesday and how will my cat crew be celebrating? I know, you are thinking with fish tacos and a hearty whiff of catnip. Not quite…but close! They will be dining on Sardine Meal Feast wet food by Nature’s Logic.

As you can see Topper can barely wait to sink his teeth into the new grub.

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Tacos are out of the question for the cats (too bad–can you just picture their cute little paws wrapped around a taco?), but…they can eat all the sardine pate they want. Another of their preferred choices is the beef feast. I like the food because it’s free of corn, wheat, rice, soy and gluten—all of which are hard for kitties to digest as these ingredients aren’t naturally meant for their digestive systems. It’s also potato free. With Lexington in diabetic remission, I’m on the lookout for food that does not contain potato because of its high glycemic index.

IMG_8181I’m happy that they favor another top-quality food. As we cat lovers all know, healthful food is key to healthy kitties. It looks like I’ll be back to buy more of Nature’s Logic feline feasts.

Feline Feeding Fact: I’ve recently learned that cats get “whisker fatigue” and eating from a deep or narrow bowl, which rubs their whiskers can cause irritation to these sensitive “antennas.” They may stop eating before they are full, appearing to dislike the food. Try feeing them in wide, shallow bowls or plates. I’ve been feeding my cats their wet food on saucers for years, and they eat kibble out of shallow bowls. Also note that plastic plates or bowls emit smells that our feline family find offensive, so stick to ceramic type feeding bowls and plates.

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Hello?  A little more paw-leeeez.

Keep Your Cool…Cats

The Southern California heat wave has turned Laguna Beach into Palm Springs with an ocean. Since when does the temperature gauge hit 111 degrees 2.5 miles from the beach?

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Since record breaking heat today. This afternoon I dashed off to Blue Bell to help keep the kitties cool by bringing extra ice, ice packs and a carton of lemonade for Rima our cat caregiver and any other volunteer brave enough to step out into the inferno. The cottage, which serves as the retirement sanctuary for the Blue Bell Foundation for Cats was built in the ‘40s and has no air conditioning like probably most of the homes in Laguna Beach.

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20160618_144510The residents of Blue Bell were all sacked-out when I arrived, clearly conserving their energy. Another volunteer and I rubbed the kitties with ice cubes and put ice packs in their bedding.

Back here at the ranch, my furry family has also been extra lethargic, even with my air conditioning running (lucky me, my condo has air conditioning—not so for all of the residents in my community).

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What should cat parents do to cope with the summer heat?  Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate. And that means for both kitty and you. A concern that I’ve heard from cat parents is that their cat doesn’t visit the water bowl as much as he/she should. Solution: keep water bowls with fresh water throughout your home in random areas, not just by the food bowls. Try unusual water receptacles such as a drinking glass or water drinking fountain. Notice that Topper prefers a glass over the kitty water bowl!

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And feed kitty wet food on a regular basis meaning morning and night. Wet food contains water; therefore, helps to keep your feline fur-baby hydrated. And paw-leeez…go grain free. Remember, cats are meat-eating creatures just like their African wildcat ancestors—their digestive system has not changed!

It’s a sizzling summer solstice and while I’d love to get out and do a jig in honor of Mother Nature, I think I’ll stay inside where the air conditioner is cranked and enjoy a giant glass of ice water along with the kitties.

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