cats and nanners!

when we normally here about cats and bananas we think of these - the greatest catnip toys ever! looks like these cats are getting a whole different experience.

me want food!

you know how they say people and their animals tend to look alike? well, as our nation's number of obese continue to rise, so does that of our cats. in this cornell study on feline obesity finds that nearly 25% of the 2,000 cats tested were more than just over weight. this is a frightening number considering that cats who are even a few pounds above normal weight are at a higher risk for diabetes, joint issues, hepatic lipidosis and a range of other chronic conditions.

an interesting part of the article linked carb-heavy presciption diets to obesity, giving proof to what we've been saying all along, that carbohydrate-rich foods are not only inappropriate for carnivores but are also dangerous. this is why it is so importnat to understand not only how food works with a cat's digestive system, but also what cat food is really made of.

when it comes to putting cats on diets we should look at it as a 3-legged approach. first, we must change the diet to a higher quality, meat-rich, low-carb food. second, the portion size should be decreased (calories in should not exceed calories out). third, exercise. this is where all those food calories should be going - to running, jumping and playing. using a fishing pole-type toy to lure your fat kitty into playing even fifteen minutes a day will help get him onto the path of health.

for some kitties who are highly food motivated, multivet has created the slim cat ball, that acts as an interacitve food dispenser. just fill it up with your kittie's favorite kibble, adjust the dispensing holes to fit the level of difficulty you're looking for, and let your cat spend an hour rolling it around and eating its meal piece by piece. (this also works really well for the scar-n-barf kitties who eat too quickly and vomit it all up). gabby madcat loves hers!

love love love

this is a testament to the love and acceptance of our furry friends. if only we could all learn to coexist as peacefully.

travelin' tails

since memorial day weekend just kicked off the summer travel season how about a little travelin' cat talk? if anyone has ever gone even around the block with a cat you know it can be a difficult adventure. sure some cats are great in cars, but then there are the constant criers, the PO'd poopers and not, but certainly not least, the exorcist pukers. no matter what the behavior, these are some great methods that can help take the mess and the stress out of car travel with kitty cats whether you're just going down the street or across the country.


in other cat travelin' news a house-cat named skylar decided to take a little trip last week and ended up 60ft. up a tree. the scared kitty was trapped in the branches of the arboreal fortress for six days before a kind soul climbed up and lowerd the kitty down safely enclosed in a bag. after being returned to his owner and having a nice meal skylar was back at the door pawing to go out again. oh those tenacious felines...

now if all this travel talk has given you a bit of cabin fever just go to this site for a quick journey around the world with 2 cats. they'll take you to paris and back again before your next coffee break!

keyboard cat and rubbinzes

if you haven't heard about the play him off, keyboard cat then this might seem a little strange. the phenomenon taking the interwebz by storm is the old vaudevillian concept of a piano man playing an act off the stage. in this modern set-up, a funny or odd youtube video is followed by a seemingly non sequitur keyboard-playing cat. why is it funny? who knows! our theory is that anything with a cat in it is automatically great.

in more interwebz-related cat news, a cat named sockington has reached an impressive 500,000 followers on twitter.com. the normal kitteh, via his guardian, tweets about his daily goings on from litter box trips to naps and everything in between. who knew a simple house cat could achieve fame and the admiration of hundreds of thousands of followers?

now for a bit of behavioral business. why do cats rub on things?

"by engaging in different types of rubbing, cats mark their territory and establish group scents, which are an important factor in maintaining group identity in multi-cat households. when cats rub up against one another, the activity is called allorubbing."

a round of rubbinzes for everyone!

cat dance fever!

it's friday night and time to dance! grab your kittehs and get down!

cat worship and fun facts!

here's a new word for ya, ailurophile. it doesn't necessarily roll off the tongue like canophile, but it means one who loves, is preoccupied by, or worships cats. obviously if you're reading this right now, at least part of your heart is an ailurophile.

we are obvious cat worshippers at madcat. everything we do is focused on making our feline companions (deities?) happy, healthy and feeling like the gods they were held as by the egyptians. in fact, the people of ancient egypt are thought to be the first to ever be lucky enough to coexist with cats. upon quickly recognizing their other-worldly behaviors and abilities and noticing their granaries becoming rodent-free the people elevated the cat to goddess status, thus, the cult of bastet was founded. in fact, cats were so revered that they were given the ceremonial burial of mummification, as offerings to bastet. to read up more on the fascinating history of the lapcats we know and love today, check out this article on wikipedia.

now, here's a list of reasons why cats rule and deserve our praises:

- the ridged pattern on a cat's nose is as individual as a human thumbprint
- sir isaac newton invented the cat flap
- cats have existed longer than humans
- cats can jump 5-times their height
- cats have the largest eyes in proportion to their body size of all mammals
- the domestic cat is the only species of cat that can hold its tail upright while walking

and, perhaps this last one is evidence that cats might just be aliens after all...
- cats are the only domesticated animal not mentioned in the bible

so go home tonight and give your kitty some extra praise. who knows? their mother ship might be on its way right now....

advanced cat yodeling!

if you've seen the original engineer's guide to cats, then you will love this one! all about yodeling! oOoOoOoOoOoOoOO!

spider cat!

if you saw the simpsons movie last summer, you are probably familiar with homer's current best friend "spider pig." well now an enterprising cat in england named charlie is attempting to get in on the spider pig fame by doing his own version of the arachnid dance. the spider cat regularly climbs a vertical wall to re-enter his family home when no one will answer the front door.

"he then climbs up the balcony to get in. so charlie really goes out the front door and in the back door."

in behavioral news, we've stumbled on an article that gives some rather helpful advice on how to get your kitty to like petting and avoid that seemingly-unprovoked attack of the killer lapcat. it basically boils down to adjusting your own behavior to help increase your kitty's tolerance of stimulation by petting. be patient, calm, and above all, observant.

"by paying close attention to his body language as you slowly increase the amount of time during which he’ll calmly accept your attention."

and last, but certainly not least (he's huge!), we would like to remind you that sergeant pepper, the happy cat kitty, is still available and currently hanging out with dottie at the monroe st. store lounging around and rolling in catnip. he truly is one of the sweetest and most mild-tempered cats we've had here and would make a wonderful addition to any family. he is especially good with children and simply adores being pet. please help us give this big lover a second chance at a happy life.

the crow and the cat

check out this video for a beautiful story of a crow who took a kitten under her wing. their inspiring relationship is just another example of the possibilities of true friendship.

stuffed cats and pet insurance

first up, a funny story out of michigan where police ended up tazing a stuffed animal. apparently a hoax, someone placed a large, stuffed panther-esque animal into a drain pipe in a park and the local police responded by sending 10 officers to taze the scary beast. thankfully, the only tzer-related injury involved some burnt stuffing and not a sad kitty cat.

also in the news, pet insurance. health insurance for people is a hot-button issue right now, but so is the growing demand for affordable veterinary care for our pets. luckily, there are a few companies out there now who offer low-premium cat and dog health insurance policies (petcare is just one of these). these come in handy for those unexpected emergencies that can end up costing a small fortune. no one should have to choose between their pet's health and their house payment.

as you would do for yourself, shop around and find the best plan for the price that works for you. dental treatments are pricey so make sure you get that included. now keep your furrkids safe, happy and healthy!

tornado preparedness

after yesterday's twisters, which ripped through the central midwest and leveled whole areas, we thought it would be a good idea to touch on emergency-preparedness again, this time with a focus on tornadoes. luckily, most houses here in wisconsin have basements so that is the primary location where one should set-up a tornado-preparedness kit. food and water are obvious essentials but you should also consider keeping extra litter and a litter box, a cat carrier, spare towels, and a first-aid kit ready. keeping proper identification on your cat during storms can aid in reconnecting with them should you become separated or if the cat runs away out of fear. another good idea is to keep an eye on your cat before the weather turns severe, block off any favorite hiding spots or even put them in a carrier to give them a safe, cozy feeling. remember, cats have heightened senses and might even be able to warn you before disaster strikes - keep an eye on unusual behavior and follow your gut. it's always better to be safe than sorry.

in yummy kitty food news, one of our favorite canned cat food companies, weruva, has just been named buzzillions reviewers' choice award finalist for best cat food and for best cat food for long-time pet owners! in other words, it's good stuff and cats love it (especially the funky chunky chicken soup)!

otto, the fetching trash cat

whoever says that cats don't have the innate desire to please, that is so often associated with dogs, has obviously never had a cat like this!

catcupuncture

the holistic methods of living are spreading, and now homeopathy is more popular than ever with the pet community and more and more vets are getting on board with this new approach to healing.

one specific treatment that is gaining ground with both pets and their guardians is acupuncture. many ailments can be helped by the stimulation of qi (pr. chi) by the placement of needles on certain points of the body. asthma, and respiratory problems, are especially benefited by treatments combined with herbal remedies and even done in conjunction with traditional western medicine.

click here to check out a national geographic video showing a cat in hong kong receiving acupuncture treatments for chronic renal failure. as you can see, the cat seems very calm as the tiny needles are placed at specific points.

if you are a vet, a vet student, or just someone interested in holistic vet practices, check out the chi institute, a school for traditional chinese medicine and its application in the veterinary world.

rolcats and pee wine

we all love anthropomorphizing our kittehs, that's why lolcats is so hugely popular. but it must take a very special kind of brain to come up with the newest sensation in cat-related humor - rolcats. this site takes the familiar concept of lolcats, a funny picture of a cat saying funny, misspelled and grammatically incorrect things, and turns it on it's cyrillic head. russian lolcats imagines cute animals living under the iron fist of communism and questioning their own existence. if you like your humor with a twist of the absurd, this should be right up your alley.

in other news, it looks like one of the secret ingredients in new zealands prize-winning cabernet sauvighnon is cat pee. granted, it's only at parts per million level and is balanced with rock fruit and asparagus, but it's still a bit offputting. then again, if cat pee is really that good, maybe madcat can get into the wine-making business!

happy mother's day!

here's a video of the truest expressions of motherly love. warning - grab a few tissues!

for the love of a kitteh

don't you just hate it when you bring home a new family member of the furry persuasion and it either ends up gravitating towards everyone but you or stick to you like glue and disses your mate? it happens frequently, as dogs and cats figure out who the main distributor of resources is and hone in on them. this article has some good tips on how to forge a bond with a pet who may prefer one family member over another. what's the ultimate key to a pet's heart? food. and lots of it!

in cute inter-species relationship news, the top prize in pledge's "show off your shedder" contest has gone to an adorable pair, an orange tabby and a german shepherd. the two are best friends and their cuddling cuteness just scored their lucky guardian $5,000 smackeroons. we hope buster and ace each get a cut of that, and extra kisses.

now, for a little cat-related humor. here's a borderline-risque joke from the denver nightlife examiner's bar joke section. we sure hope it doesn't offend any delicate sensibilities. but then again, if you have delicate sensibilities this might not be the place for you!

meet pepper!

we're on roll! another adoption means another kitty to introduce! today we are featuring mr. pepper, he's not a doctor pepper yet, but has expressed interest in vet school. this guy's story is pretty sad: he is ten years old and was given up by his family because they were moving. pepper was surrendered with another cat, his best buddy, who upon examination was found to have advanced lung cancer and didn't make it. now pepper is lonesome and is looking for a family and new kitty friend to help fill up his days with love. he is a very affectionate and sweet guy who just wants to be with people. if you have a little extra room in your heart please consider adopting pepper; he just wants to go home.

for more information on adoption please contact the happy cat club of madison or pop on down to the monroe st. store to give a him a cuddle.

now, with some happy news, here's nolio with his new guardian and best friend. this was one lucky cat who barely spent even a full day with us before he found his forever home. if only it was that easy for all kitties. good luck, nolio!

"the smallest feline is a masterpiece."
-- leonardo da vinci

meet nolio!

good news! miss foxy found a home! she was such a little sweetie and we are sure that her new family is going to have many happy years with her.

now, it's time to meet the new guy, nolio! if you've ever wanted a straight-up orange tabby with a sweet disposition then this is the cat for you. he is a young adult, around a year or two, with gorgeous tabby markings and cute, white mouth. nolio found his way to the shelter first as a stray cat, then he was adopted and returned due to allergies. we think he would really like to find his forever home soon so he can finally unpack his bags and relax.

if you are interested in meeting nolio just pop on down to our monroe st. store or contact the happy cat club of madison for more info.

"i love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul."
-- jean cocteau

feliz cinco de mayo!

have a fun day, read up on a little mexican history, and don't drink the worm!

more fur, more fun!

cats are like jell-o, pudding and everything else that is good in the world - there's always room for more. myth and disinformation has abounded for years telling us that cats are solitary creatures and prefer to be alone. well if that was the case then we would definitely have a problem on our hands with morty, nikki and lucy all sharing the west-side store. the truth is that many cats actually prefer feline companionship for playing, grooming and napping buddies. of course this won't be true for all cats, but it is definitely something to consider if you are thinking of adopting a new kitty. the best part of having more than one cat is that they tend to run a lot more and tire each other out - if you have a busy family, two might be just right for you.

fun fact! a group of two or more cats who live and socialize together is called a clowder.

of course what comes with two kitties is twice the hair, but with the right grooming tools and a lot of patience you can have the shedding under control. here's a great article with taps on how to get rid of and avoid matting in longer-haired cats. remember, lots of treats and cuddles help to make even the most bothersome of activities more fun for both you and your kitty.

spring fever

it's sunny, seventy degrees, the doors are open and the cats are going wild. spring fever seems to be hitting our favorite felines with extra gusto this year. morty's out trying to hitch rides in the parking lot, dottie's doing hot laps around the store and gabby is catching the rays on her favorite tree.

in honor of springtime and all the cool kitties out there, here's an old tom & jerry cartoon celebrating the brief and beautiful season with a bit of slapstick.

now, for those pets that are really feeling the pull of the seasonal change, there's a new airline that caters just to them. pet airways provides in-cabin transportation for dogs and cats, getting them out of the hold and treating them like passengers rather than cargo. one-way tickets to new york or los angeles are going for the low, low rate of $149. the good news is there are no direct flights to cancun, yet, thus avoiding any inappropriate and regretful "cats gone wild" dvds.