How to Upkeep a Guest-Friendly, Cat-Friendly Living Space for the Holidays

It is our hope at MyThreeCats.com that your holiday season brings many friends and family to your household or apartment. The holidays are best spent with company, and for our household, “company” means the cats too! Striking the right balance of décor for your guests and your cats means having the right products in your apartment so that it can be both cat-friendly and guest-friendly.

For instance, cat owners with cats that love to scratch the furniture are often embarrassed when guests see deep claw marks into their couches and chairs Our Sticky Paws™ for Furniture product place a transparent adhesive over areas that your cat loves to scratch so that your furniture retains its aesthetics and your cat is encouraged to redirect his scratching behavior to the right place – one of our great looking scratching posts or Scratch Lounges™.

If scratching isn’t your cat’s problem, then maybe you need our Nature’s Miracle product for stain removal. As a host, subjecting your guests to stains and odors is never on the party agenda. Nature’s Miracle uses natural enzymes to eliminate all cat-related stains and make sure that they won’t be attracted back to the site. Cats owners that not only deal with messes but with lots of hair will think the Pet Hair Pickup Mitt is the cat’s meow. Not only does it provide a wide surface area for hair pickup, but because it is made of sponge it is easy to clean.

If hiding the litter box is your problem, then perhaps you need the Beautiful Refined Feline™ Litterbox. This multi-purpose wood furniture piece can be matched to the décor of your apartment or household and function as an everyday piece of furniture. Through a side entrance, your cat can come-and-go into a concealed litter box within the wood panels. The litter can be replaced via a large sliding tray that is accessible when the cabinet doors are opened. It must be seen to be appreciated!

But enough hiding and cleaning – your guests will want to see that you love your cats, not that you want to hide them! Show off your cats on Cat Clouds™ Contemporary Shelves that hook into your wall and provide your cats with a lofted spot to view your gathering. Your cats will become a focal point of your holidays – and you won’t need to decorate the walls with expensive paintings! (Cats are also naturals at adding fung shui to your place!) Celebrate the holidays by letting your guests give your cats a Yeowww!™ Catnip Candy Cane and they’ll have a new friend in their lives. You can also show off your cat’s “WOOLIES” Cat Lambswool Bed to show how much you value your cat’s comfort.

The possibilities are endless, and MyThreeCats.com is ready and waiting to provide your household with the upgrades it needs. Your apartment and your household should highlight the love you have for your cats while paying respect to visitors who might not be used to a household with feline friends. With a cat- and guest-friendly apartment or household, your holiday season is bound to bring joy to every creature who cozies up inside.

November Cat-toon

MyThreeCats.com Cat Photo Contest Grand Prize Winners – Congratulations
	Cat-egory: Snoozing Grand Prize: Lucy – submitted by Debbie Hall
	Cat-egory: Frolicking Grand Prize: 227F – submitted by Judy Seils
	Cat-egory: Group Cats Grand Prize: Kittens in a Basket – submitted by Janet Spain
	Honorable Mentions Sleepsyaz – submitted by Michelle Mason Bailey Boo – submitted by Alexandria Linebaugh Spooning – submitted by Jennifer Morrison

Is Your Cat Getting Enough Water?

Pet ownership is full of many responsibilities.  Which vet to go to and how to best accommodate your pet while on vacation are just two of many decisions that most pet owners eventually face.  Simply giving your pet a name is a huge responsibility.  Sadly, one of the most important responsibilities of a pet owner is often times one of the most overlooked: making sure your cat gets enough water.

Cats, like all animals, need water to survive.  Water is necessary for the liver to cleanse the blood of toxins and also to make sure that organ tissues are healthy.  It aids in the metabolism of nutrients for energy, in body temperature maintenance, and in regulating fluid and electrolyte balancing.  In other words, a cat needs water for all the same reasons we do.

But your cat doesn’t know all of these facts.  The question then becomes: how do you get your cat to drink enough water?

A good starting point is to know how much your cat needs.  An average seven pound cat needs about 6-7 ounces of water per day, but if they’re on a dry food diet, they’re only getting about an ounce of water from their food.  Cats on wet food diets get more water from their food, but not enough to sustain bodily functions.

Pet fountains are a great way to ensure that your cat is getting enough water.  Running water constantly breaks the surface tension of the water and draws oxygen from the air into the water.  This process, known as aeration, makes drinking water more appealing cats.  And it’s not hard to understand why – would you rather drink water from a bowl sitting on the ground for hours or from a running tap? 

Our Drinkwell™ Pet Fountains ensure that your cat is getting aerated water with little maintenance required from you.  Not only is the water aerated, but the charcoal filter removes tastes and odors.  A fresh, running stream of water is the best way to make sure that your cat is not only encouraged to drink water, but that it has the highest quality of water to drink.

Even just knowing your cats drinking habits can help point out problems.  For instance, if a cat is drinking more water than they normally do, it could be an indication that he or she might have diabetes.   ‘Drinking too much’ means different things for different cats, which is why it is important to know the regular amount of water your cat drinks.

So, making sure that your cat gets enough water is not only about keeping them healthy and happy, but understanding their habits and needs.  Visit www.mythreecats.com for more products and information to help get your cat the water they need to live happy lives.

Make Sure Your Cat Knows About Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Mimi, Supermom, but now a happy housecat.

Feline breast cancer is the third most common cancer among cats after lymphoma and skin cancer. In a 2005 study done at the University of Pennsylvania, “cats spayed prior to 6 months had a 91% reduction…those spayed prior to one year had an 86% reduction in the risk of mammary carcinoma development compared with intact cats.” While breast cancer in cats is more common than in humans, it is far less common than it is in dogs, but cats have the highest malignancy rate and the lowest survival rate of all three. That myth that “it’s good to let a cat have a litter of kittens” has no basis in fact, and can be a death sentence since spaying your cat before she even goes into heat the first time is the best way to avoid breast cancer, not to mention reducing the risks of injury and disease a cat faces while out carousing…not to mention a cat in heat is really annoying to have around. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, spay your little girl!

October Cat-toon

Debunking Declawing

Onychectomy is a word that many cat owners might be unfamiliar with, but it is one that we all need to learn more about.  It is a surgical practice more commonly known as declawing, and for us cats, it’s a procedure that we like about as much as sharing a travel crate with a Chihuahua. 

The main reason declawing occurs is because cat owners don’t like their cats scratching their furniture.  Supporters of declawing are clearly attempting to resolve the furniture scratching issue with what they feel is a permanent solution – “fix” the cat, and “fix” the furniture problem.  What they may not have considered is that there are effective solutions that have been developed and are offered in today’s marketplace that avoid the need for subjecting the cat to surgery (see www.mythreecats.com, Cat Furniture and Scratching and Behavior).

Research has shown that declawing procedures can have several damaging effects on cats.  Contrary to public perception, declawing is not anything like a human getting their fingernails cut.  In fact, onychectomy most closely resembles digital amputation, where the last bone of each digit is cut off.  Studies show that the practice can result in lameness and behavioral issues that make declawed cats equally if not more likely to end up in shelters.  Once in shelters, research from San Francisco shelters shows that because of their behavioral problems, declawed cats are twice as likely to be euthanized instead of put up for adoption.

In most of Europe, declawing cats is illegal, and movements are being made in the U.S. to have similar standards.  Legislation was introduced this past August to ban the declawing of cats in San Francisco except when it is medically necessary.  The passage of such a ban would result in six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine for anyone who attempts the procedure.

At MyThreeCats.com, we oppose declawing simply because we couldn’t bear to put any of our pets through a painful process that would potentially lead to behavioral and physical problems for the rest of their lives. 

Visit www.bogeysblogsphere.wordpress.com to join the discussion or tweet us at twitter.com/bogeythecat to let us know what you think about this important issue.

How To Keep Your Cat Happy While You’re Away

With summer coming to a close, maybe you’ve been thinking about taking one last mini vacation while the weather is still nice. Whether it’s a day-trip or a weekend get-away, one thing is certain: you have to keep your cat happy while you’re away! At MyThreeCats.com, we have plenty of options to keep your cat safe, comfortable and entertained.

The key is to focus on your cat’s main needs while you’re gone: plenty of fresh food and water, a comfortable environment, and fun!

Summer afternoons can be hot and boring, and few things could be worse for your cat than if they aren’t drinking enough water. Cats need to be sufficiently hydrated, so making sure your cat has plenty of fresh, aerated water is crucial. Because many cats prefer constantly running water, MyThreeCats.com offers products that allow your cat to drink fresh water with very little maintenance involved. The Drinkwell® Pet Fountain satisfies your cat’s need for running water in a quiet environment, and the Drinkwell 360 edition is perfect for households with multiple pets who need access to the water bowl.

After making sure that your cat has enough water, it’s important that they’re comfortable. Studies suggest that arthritic cats experience less stiffness when they sleep on wool pads, and our WOOLIES brand cat beds and Igloos are perfect for your cat’s napping habits. Our Nature Nap Ovals also provide perfect locations for your cat to lay and dream about your return home.

Cat trees, condos and perches are ideal to have in your home while you’re away, especially if they’re positioned near your feline’s favorite window. He’ll pass the time away observing the wildlife and other outdoor activities, get ample exercise and have a special place to cat nap. A sturdy, high quality cat tree with sisal or natural wood posts will also provide your cat with a great scratching place, instead of that upholstered living room couch! MyThreeCats.com has nothing but the best quality cat trees.

Finally, once your cat is well hydrated and comfortable, it’s important for them to have plenty of fun and stimulation! When my parents go on vacation, I lose my two best playmates. Though it’s impossible to replace them, cat toys from MyThreeCats.com help fill the void. Our Mini Minnows and Pet Candy® Catnip toys are great options to have for your cats to play with in your absence – I play with them for hours!

There are also some great Cat Sitter DVD’s that can be played for hours, since they run on a continuous loop (we don’t recommend leaving the DVD on for more than a couple of hours, to assure safety using your DVD player). We have too many cat toys to list here, but check out MyThreeCats.com to read about all our fun products.

So take your vacation – you deserve it. But make sure you can leave your house with the peace of mind that your cat is living it up too!

September Cat-toon

Saying Goodbye to Giorgi

Dear Friends at My Three Cats,

He came to me to live on December 26, 1994.  My best Christmas gift ever.  He was hiding in the bushes near my parked car on that cold night and gave me the biggest surprise by leaping through my open car door onto my lap and staying there.  I was his forever.  

His last two years were a bit perplexing to him, I imagine, but he was a brave, strong boy.  First, he was a victim of the nationwide pet food poisoning and nearly died.  Then his earlier hair loss began to accelerate.  His kind, caring veterinarian did everything to learn why, finally sending him to specialists in dermatology and oncology for biopsies which told us that he had lymphoma of the hair follicle, a cancer that had been attacking him for some time.  My beautiful Giorgi then began nine months of chemotherapy, but finally, at the end of May, 2009, we realized that no more could be done.  Each day of the last two months was a torment for me, waiting, watching.  The secondary skin infections are what finally brought him down and my strong, beautiful cat came to me to die.  In a second of time, he was gone forever.  

My dear beautiful Giorgi, gone after fifteen graceful years of giving pleasure and being a perfect cat.  What a joy he was.

My best,

Lee Tarullo