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For the latest catnip chirps at the scratching post,
check out our most recent posts on environment enrichment,
DIY cat hacks, behavior, training and cat fun!

1
How to Use Your Scratching Post Like a Boss
2
Monday Haiku: Jumpstart into Spring
3
How to change the world with one unique paw shake
4
How to grow catnip from seed without a green thumb
5
All You Need is a Catloaf of Love
6
Scratching Post Love Notes From An Old Couple
7
Winter reflections as the ice melts
8
Do you have the answers to your cat’s questions?
9
9 Ways catnip can enrich your cat’s life
10
Monday Haiku: Say it Simply With Affirmations

How to Use Your Scratching Post Like a Boss

cat shows how to use scratching post

Why do cats scratch?

Scratching is always one of the first topics that pop up in cat forums and more often than not, seen in a negative light. We ask questions like “Why is my cat scratching my couch?” or “My cat is not using his new scratching post!” But that’s because we view it from our human perspective, and not from the cat’s purrspective if you will. Your cat is not a “jerk” or scratching out of spite, as is commonly thought. In the world of cats scratching is very much linked to everyday cat rituals and is a behavior that carries positive associations for the cat.

In our post about Declawing, and why it needs to stop we mention that scratching is a vital part of a cat’s well-being. Providing cats with many different types of scratching posts contributes to a cat’s enrichment needs. Cats do not scratch your couch to get back at you but it’s an innate feline behavior necessary for cats to feel confident and happy in their environment.

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Monday Haiku: Jumpstart into Spring

cat jumps on catio ramps

Nothing feels as good
As a leap into freedom
From winter’s shackles

I’m feeling revitalized and supercharged after a long winter. I’m ready to get moving and exploring. I don’t care if they say there’s more snow to come, just let me enjoy this moment here and now. Very soon the vine buds will show and the scent will be irresistible. This is my space. This is the Vine Corner.  Read More

How to change the world with one unique paw shake

polydactyl cat handshake opposable thumbs

There’s a heck of a lot of things I could do if I had thumbs, real thumbs. I could use the can opener to feed myself when the humans drag their heels serving us breakfast, I could take up crafts and make my own cat toys. And stealing catnip from the treat cupboard would be like taking a ball of yarn from a kitten. It’s What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day and cats and dogs around the world are taking this day to think about the many tasks that we could accomplish if we had opposable thumbs.

Humans are primates and have thumbs which they think give them a certain superiority over Felis Silvestris Catus. But don’t get too smug about your thumbs, human, because I have something special too. 

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How to grow catnip from seed without a green thumb

Charlie the cat loves to prune to catnip hanging basket

Catnip is a hardy perennial herb of the mint family bearing aromatic leaves attractive to cats. Follow these step-by-step instructions on growing your own and keep your cats happy and enriched!

We have a few things in common, my cats and I. We like laptops, long catnaps on a Caturday morning, and our recreational herb of choice, catnip! Of course, I don’t like catnip for the same reasons the cats do; you won’t find me head shaking and wriggling in ecstasy on the kitchen floor (well, maybe if I’m trying to fish out an old cat toy stuck under the fridge, but that’s no fun). No, instead of catnip parties, I prefer catnip in my nighttime tea blend.

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All You Need is a Catloaf of Love

valentines day catloaf

Catloafing is one of the most versatile of cat positions.

Cats loaf when they’re super relaxed and can still remain attentive to the world around them, especially when snoopervising their human’s tasks from the cat tree or the computer keyboard. They can even fall asleep while loafing and it’s the most adorable thing in the world.

There are many good things about a catloaf. It’s soft and silky to the touch, which helps relieve stress. It also comes with a built-in motor which is activated when squeezed gently and has the most soothing sound that will cure your insomnia. You know the day is going to be good when you wake up to a warm freshly baked catloaf or two on your pillow.  Read More

Scratching Post Love Notes From An Old Couple

cats write love text messages on their scratching posts

They couldn’t be more different. She with her slim athletic build and long Bengal limbs, agile light-footed paws and non-stop chatter, Sarabi has no mute button. Earl Grey, on the other hand, will charm you with his almost silent meow, sometimes manifesting as a raspy croak or squeak, one of his most endearing traits. While she would flit about like a paper kite, he is never in any hurry to go anywhere, even in his youth.

Earl Grey and Sarabi have known each other all their lives and are longtime cuddle buddies. You will not see the one sleeping without the other. Whether they are spooning, lying in yin-yang position or just grooming, these two oldies will make their space on the couch each evening. But for a couple that is so bonded they have always had their ‘arguments.’ I don’t think he likes it when she screams her head off while running up and down the stairs playing fetch with her mouse. In fact, he would often intercept her game by biting her on her neck as if to say “Be quiet or I stop your game!” Funnily she would heed his request and continue the game without a peep. Read More

Do you have the answers to your cat’s questions?

Mr. Jack the cat rests on his barstool and poses a few questions.

I’m always asking my cats silly rhetorical questions and of course, I pretend to know the answer with “oh yes I know you like chin stritches, Jackaboo.” Sometimes the answer to the question will remain a mystery, “Mr. Jack, do you have to exit the litter box at top speed scattering litter all over the floor?”

And sometimes the question begs, “Really George, do you have to raise your butt in the air when you pee?” most likely accompanied by an eye-roll and a bottle of Nature’s Miracle in tow. It’s National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day and we explore some of the common and not-so-common lines of questioning by our feline friends.

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9 Ways catnip can enrich your cat’s life

tabby cat eating fresh catnip from the catnip basket

Your cat climbs up to the top shelf with stealthy paws. Reaching out, he grabs the bag of green goodness and tosses it onto the floor for his feline friends. The catnip is out of the bag and the catnip party begins. If you’re a multi-cat household you’ve possibly walked in on a few wild catnip parties on your kitchen floor and then learned to store the catnip stash where feline grabby paws can’t reach!

When we think of cat environment enrichment, we think of engaging your cat in interactive playtime, food puzzles and offering an interesting changing environment for your cats. But we underestimate the power of scent. Just a little whiff of catnip can send a cat into a 15-minute euphoric frenzy. Just like treats can be used to train a cat, so too can catnip be used in positive reinforcement and behavior modification training. Some cats are treat motivated, but many others will give up their seat in a sun puddle for a bag of ‘nip any day! In fact, a whopping 70% of cats are susceptible to the catnip effect and cats inherit this trait from one of their parents.

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Monday Haiku: Say it Simply With Affirmations

Charlie takes that step forward

We don’t do New Year’s resolutions – it’s a heavy burden that can weigh you down. Now not to burst your resolution bubble at all, we do have an alternative pathway that allows for more fluidity. Because life is not stagnant. Sometimes your goals need to shift gears too and may steer you in a different direction.

Instead, we like to use affirmations, because it’s evolving, shifting and changing according to whatever life’s tide washes your way. Affirmations will allow you to reach your goals, trailing along many pathways while keeping it crystal clear. But all these pathways lead to your end goal, and before you know it you’ve accomplished your goal, hey wait…. you’ve actually made a resolution and stuck to it, without even knowing it! Read More

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