The Good, the In-Between and the Forgotten Blog posts of 2017
Last updated March 12th, 2018
If you have been following along with the Chirpies in 2017 you would have been exposed to many of the Chirpy Cats’ antics, mostly happening in the catio. This has become the heart of my inspiration for ideas, the central kitty lair which gave birth to segments such as Caturday Doodles, Caturday Voodles (doodles: video with voice-over) and to Marvelous Monday Haiku. It’s the place where my husband and I take delight in observing the feline dynamics in a multi-cat household, each cat with their own little quirks and chirps. So it was only the natural order of things that I wanted the Chirpy Cats blog to focus on helping cats live enriched lives with their people. I hope the Chirpies have added some value to your daily grind and we are so thankful for your company, your comments and feedback.
Top 10 most popular blog posts
1 How to build a catio your cat will love
When looking at my top 10 most popular posts it’s so fitting that top of the list is one of my very first blog posts about building a catio. The building of the catio was a labor of love that we keep modifying in the summer. Once you get the catio bug it doesn’t stop! Kinda like adopting a cat, and then another, and then another…
2 How to create a safe garden your kitty can’t resist
A lush array of non-toxic plants awaits your cat in his kitty jungle. The king of kitty weed, catnip, is not the only plant fit for your grass-nibbling feline. Discover a plethora of plants for shade, for sunny spots and for hanging baskets that are not only non-toxic to your cat but pretty to look at too.
3 Five essential must-haves for a happy chirpy cat
Just a list of your basic cat essentials every cat owner would know. A great read for newbie cat owners who have yet to understand the quirks of their new feline companion. Hey, not everyone grew up with cat hair in their mouths!
4 How to prepare the perfect kitty salad bar
So your cats love destroying your plants and you’ve given up on houseplants. This article will give you some ideas on how and where to set up your cat’s very own all-you-can-eat salad buffet, as well as offering some tips to train your cat to stay away from your houseplants.
5 The Litterbox rule that cat owners should not ignore
When your cat starts communicating his distaste for the litter box by spraying cat-fitti on the walls, it’s time for a plan of action. Follow the litter box rule of 1+1. It’s simple cat arithmetic.
6 7 Tips to turn your bully cat into a team player
So one of your cats has his eyes set on ruling the 7 cat Kingdoms. There’s one in every multi-cat household. But is your cat really a bully or just a high energy cat? A must-read if you want to know how to deal with the cat with ambitions without breaking his spirit.
7 Why your cat is not drinking enough water
Why does your cat have a low thirst drive? Is it in their DNA? The answer lies in their wild ancestry. Read on for how you can ensure your cat stays hydrated with fountains and plenty of water bowls around the house.
8 Why food puzzles are vital to cat health
Your cat wants to work for food, honest! Our housecats, Felis Catus are genetically almost identical to their wild ancestors, The African Wild Cat, Felis Silvestris Lybica. It’s hard to imagine sometimes that our Chubby Charlie would want to lift a paw to do anything. But underneath that furry coat of couch potato cattitude lurks a wild hunter, hardwired to hunt, capture and kill prey.
9 Are you letting your cat walk all over you?
A humorous look at how we literally and figuratively allow our felines to rule our world. But we like it that way. I have accepted that cat hair, like invisible floating snowflakes, will always mysteriously land on my mascara wand when applying makeup. #catladyproblems
10 The aloof cat – Is it an Urban Legend?
What is an aloof cat? We don’t quite know because we’ve never met one. We’re convinced it’s just an urban legend but the Chirpies have stumbled upon an icy cold aloof cat in their catio and they were not impressed.
The long forgotten blog posts
I wanted to do something a little different and thought I’d shine a light on some unseen or forgotten classics. You know, the wallflower who prefers to sit it out at the party and not engage. This list below includes a few forgotten bashful posts just sitting there not wanting an audience but perhaps deserving of one. I hope you enjoy these hidden gems! They just need some dusting off and a little lovin’. Enjoy!
1 Declawing – and why it needs to stop
2 What does your cat think about your electronic devices?
3 How to train your cat to love road trips
4 How to prepare your cat for stress-free travel
5 7 Reasons why cats love your laptop
6 Why does my cat refuse to use the litter box?
7 5 Things I’ve learned about making the bed with cats
8 5 Tell-tale signs your cat is singing breakfast Acatpella
9 Why we decided to stop declawing – an interview with two no-declaw clinics
And finally a little shout out to the last two post below which were finalists in the 2017 BlogPaws Nose-to-Nose Social Media Awards. That was pretty awesome.
I see the world through my heart
What is your cat teaching you about the perfect scratching post?
On my blog journey in 2017, there were three things which steered my path: Being relevant, useful and entertaining in the delivery of content so that I could continue making a difference in the lives of cats and the people they own. Essentially, helping cats live enriched lives with their people. This remains my focus in 2018. I would like to thank each and every one of you who drops by, lurks for a while, comments, shares and tweets.
Happy New Year and I wish you peace, purrs and catnip chirps.
What’s your focus, your goals or affirmations? Chirp us a line in the comments.
Wishing you a very happy New Year! And looking forward to more pawsome posts from the Chirpy Cats!
The Island Cats recently posted…Happy New Year 2018!
We’re looking forward to reading your next posts ! Happy Mew Year ! Purrs
What a great recap. I and the mighty seven thank you for putting all of this fantastic information in one spot! Wishing you and yours a very happy and prosperous new year!
What an amazing recap and wealth of information! We are grateful for your friendship and wisdom and wish you the best upcoming New Year ever! Purrs from Deb and the Zee/Zoey gang.
Deb Barnes – Zee and Zoey recently posted…Happy New Year 2018 from Zee & Zoey’s Cat Chronicles
Those were awesome blog posts and some of our favorites, too! Happy New Year! May your 2018 be full of wonderful things!
You’re one of our very favorite blogs to visit…always so informative and visually stunning! Wishing you all a purrfect new year!
Melissa & Mudpie recently posted…Mudpie’s New Year’s Wish: A Poem
Your posts are always terrific and I went back and read some of them again. I’m so glad we got to meet you at BlogPaws! Happy New Year from all of us at Brian’s Home!
Brian Frum recently posted…Happy New Year from All of Us at Brian’s Home
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2018! You always have great posts.
Ellen Pilch recently posted…Happy New Year!
Your blog is fantastic and you continually impress me with your writing, your creative talents and your photos! Wishing you the very best in 2018!
Awesome review. Happy New Year!
mommakatandherbearcat recently posted…Same thing!
This recap is great – the top 10 list covers a lot of newbie cat info and some excellent “experienced” – I put that in quotes because, really, who is experienced with cats… they’re always changing the game :).
And then the “Long Forgotten” posts cover relevant topics that people do forget to read and talk about – like declawing, or prepping for a road trip, or why I can’t write my next blog post because if it isn’t a puppy trying to type, it’s my cat climbing on top of my laptop.
It’s great! Way to wake up the old posts with the top ones!
You had a busy year. I have enjoyed following your blog and reading your posts. I think your blog is just fantastic, and I”m a big fan. Happy 2018!
Thanks so much we appreciate that 😉 I’m a huge fan of yours too!
The Tribe of Five loves their catio although theirs is a pop up style so that we can take it to the downstairs garden, front garden, upstairs deck, etc. Just seeing them enjoy the smells and antics of the birds and squirrels is a delight and it certainly makes for happy kitties.
That’S very useful and convenient having a pop-up style catio! Yes, kitties are soooo much happier when they have access to the smell of outdoors in a safe environment.
Catios are very popular here. There’s even a catio tour so people can get ideas and inspiration. Happy 2018!
Mmmm, catios tours, that’s sound interesting. But I can totally see the appeal. Catios are such a great way to keep cats safe.
Yasaar, you are a genius! I love that you shined a light on the less popular posts as well to give them a breathe of new life. I might just have to steal that idea!
Glad you found the tip useful, Heather 😉
Happy New Year! I had to share “Declawing –and why it needs to stop.” It is heartbreaking that such a painful and cruel practice is still ongoing.
Beth recently posted…Focus: Chewie the Golden Doodle and Molly the Westie
I know, it should be talked about more. We’re moving forward slowly but hopefully one day it will be banned for good!
I loved seeing all the posts! And I did love the catio one. If I had a cat now, I would definitely build one.
Great recap. Packed with information! Happy 2018 to you!
Love this 2017 look-back post! I found a few articles I will be pinning and saving for later (the how-to catio and garden posts — yes!)! I love that you included some that were overlooked as well. What a fun idea!
Happy new year! Loved seeing so many posts on different aspects of a cat’s life and looking forward to many more in 2018!
So glad you posted the forgotten posts – sometimes we can miss an excellent article simply because it wasn’t noticed and commented on or pushed to the top because of traffic. I fully intend to go back and read some of these that I missed earlier, and I’m betting some others will, too.
Thank you, Lori, for your positive feedback 🙂
So we don’t even have a cat but I just signed up for your updates. I love the recap and wish I had visited earlier like after BlogPaws, congrats on your nomination and I am sure there will be more great posts to come. 😉 Maybe we’ll even get to meet in Kansas City
Awe thanks, you made my day! 🙂 Hopefully, I’ll be able to make it to Kansas City!
Ah, what a great idea to highlight the forgotten posts. Just because they’re not the most visited, doesn’t mean they don’t have some great content.
I need to go back and read some of these. I didn’t know about your blog until I met you at BlogPaws! It was definitely a pleasure. I hope you have a wonderful new year!
Thank you! It really only started in 2016 so still young. When my blog grows up it wants to be like yours! MOL
I love your writing style…it shows your catitude. Everyone of those posts has value…and a little humor thrown in. Be blessed in 2018.
Ah thank you 🙂 My kitties teach me cattitude every single day. They do report I’m a fast learner MOL
I have tried the puzzle toys with ours and have no joy. We have been given some lovely ones and keep trying but enrichment is the garden for them * sigh * .
according to a vet who did a talk at one of our seminars, wild cats didn’t drink much. I am not sure about ours we have bowls inside and out but Harvey with his kidney issues does drink a lot.
I loved your first two posts, they were great! I’m so fascinated by the concept of a Catio. I would have loved one for my cat Maggie, it would have been a great refuge for her from the dogs. Thanks for sharing these posts!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
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