meowth to meowth

a new ap poll suggests only half of cat-owners would be willing to give their furry ones mouth to mouth in the event of an emergency. what gives?

"superdog, bee, jockey rider, hot dog, pirate, devil, prisoner, yoda, cowboy rider, batman and groom" are this year's top halloween doggie costumes. we think "cat" should be included in that list.

stressed out kitties, new kitties, marking kitties, angry kitties, sad kitties, foster kitties, and crazy kitties could all use a little dose of comfort (zone).

this is both weird and sad; tree man, meet cat-girl.

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)!

be prepared!

it's pouring outside so we figured today would be a perfect opportunity to talk emergency preparedness. as we learned from katrina and the iowa and wisconsin floods of last summer, one can never be too prepared for a natural disaster - especially when it comes to your pets. the cat fanciers association has put together a disaster preparedness guide with good tips on readying your furr family for a possible evacuation. always have food, water, litter and carriers ready to go should you have to make a quick escape. another good tip is to work on training your cat to respond to a certain command, like "crate up", to get them to go straight into their carrier. a lot of time, patience and treats will be necessary but the reward is avoiding a stressful search and seizure for kitty and you.

first aid kits are another good idea for everyday situations, like when your cat becomes too curious and ends up stung by a bee or gets a scrape climbing up a tree.

as always, live by the boy scout motto and beeeeee prepared!