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Cat Central at LovingOurHome.com. The place for people who love and treat their cats like family.

Tips and advice for true blue cat lovers.

 

Easy Home Life Hacks

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Managing your life is multi-faceted. There are so many things you have to take care of in the course of a day. On top of that, you also have to keep your home in order, so any tips for how to keep things simple will help. Here are a few easy home life hacks that will help you keep things in order, clean, organized, and well maintained.

Kitchen Stuff

Bowl Covers

You can find simple bowl covers at your local dollar store that will help preserve your food and leftovers more efficiently than trying to cover it up with a piece of plastic or Reynolds wrap. They are usually divided up in different sizes.

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How I’ve Learned to Manage 8 Cats Without Losing It (Too Much LOL)

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After my mother passed recently, I took responsibility for her four cats—even though I already had four of my own. I did so because the other siblings wanted to just throw them in a shelter, even though a couple of the cats were in the family for close to 20 years. Those siblings are not animal lovers and refused to help with any of the cats. (Sometimes I think some humans should be thrown in cages or shelters instead; the ones who just have no compassion.)

In any case, managing eight cats is definitely not easy, especially on my own. They have different personalities, quirks, and annoyances. At first when taking them in, I became discouraged and overwhelmed by it all.

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When a Cat Can’t Pee: My Experience with Urinary Blockage in a Beloved Cat

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My stressful and unfortunate experience trying to save my beloved male cat who had a urinary blockage.
 
I guess I’m writing this post for four main reasons:

  • To comfort anyone who’s going through a similar issue with a beloved pet, and maybe help you make a difficult decision without exhausting your resources.
  • To warn pet owners about the tactics of vets who stay in business by taking advantage of pet owners who are in a vulnerable position (guilt tactics).
  • Because I need to tell someone (still grieving).
  • To pay homage to one of the most well behaved and loving cats I’ve ever known.

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    How to Keep Cats Extra Cool on a Hot Summer Day

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    I’m extra protective over my cats, and I often go the extra mile to make sure that they’re comfortable. So when the summer time arrives, bringing 80+ degree days with it, I will take extra steps to make sure my babies are cool in every way possible.

    When people get hot, we can sweat to cool down, grab a glass of ice water, or go to into an AC cooled store. Cats (and dogs) don’t have the same luxuries, so it’s up to us to help them stay cool. Here are a few tips for how to keep cats extra cool in the summer if you’re not able to afford central air or can’t leave a window AC unit on all day.

    * Note: If you live in an area where the temperatures exceed 100 degrees regularly (hello Arizona), I definitely do not recommend ever leaving a pet inside without a proper cooling unit.

    Avoid Cutting a Cat’s Hair Too Low

    Some people groom their cats in the summer time as a way of keeping them cool, but after doing some research I found that leaving some hair on cats can actually help them stay cooler. So instead of shaving your kitty bald in the summer, ask your groomer to do a cut that will allow your cat to preserve some of his or her “air conditioning” fur.

    Ice Water Bowl

    One of the best ways to keep your cat cool is to ensure that he or she has plenty of really cold water throughout the day. If you must leave for more than a few hours, put a bowl of water in your freezer the night before and then set it out the next day. This will allow for the ice to slowly melt and stay cold for as long as possible. If your cat has an issue with knocking over his or her water bowl, see this post.

    Pet Cooling Mats

    I recently found a new innovation for cats and dogs that keeps them extra cool—a pet cooling mat. Your cat lays on it and experiences a cooling sensation for a few hours. This pet mat doesn’t require any electricity or a battery pack, which is a major plus. It contains a special gel that begins “recharging” as soon as your cat gets up. If you have two of them in your home, that should cover an entire summer day.

    Window Fan

    Cats just love to sit near open windows, no matter how hot it is outside. One way that you can keep them cool while being energy efficient is to buy a standard twin window fan. Your kitty will likely sit next to the fan and nap the afternoon away.

    Turn Off the Lights…

    During the day in the summertime, turn off all of the lights in your apartment or house. Open the blinds slightly instead to let some natural light into your home, or use heat blocking sheer curtains. Light bulbs often let off a lot of heat that can increase the temperature in a room by a few degrees. If you must leave a light on, make sure it’s an energy saving bulb.

    Try a Mini Dehumidifier

    Sometimes taking the hot muggy moisture out of the air can make a room feel cooler and more bearable. If you’re trying to save money and minimize energy usage, get a small energy efficient dehumidifier that can trap some of the moisture in one of the rooms of your house. Make sure you buy one that shuts off automatically when the water tank fills up.

    Cats Instinctively Know How to Stay Cool

    Cats have a biological instinct to manage their temperature and stay cool, even on hot summer days. They lick their fur, reduce activity, and find cool spots. Just keep an eye on them on the weekends when you’re home in the early morning and afternoon to see how they do on a really warm day without an AC on.

    Whenever you’re able, consider buying a small, energy efficient window AC or portable AC and leave it on in one room of your house where your cats can go to enjoy some cool air.

    Posted by Jade

     

    Images courtesy of Amazon and Pixabay (buy someone a coffee!)
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    Leaving Cats Alone for Up to a Week? Here’s What to Get

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    There’s debate on how long can you leave a cat alone in your home while you go on vacation or a business trip. Some say that you shouldn’t leave them alone for more than a day. That’s because some cats get separation anxiety (they want to see you regularly). Another point is that some cats have special needs, such as needing to be fed a certain type of wet food or take medication.

    If you only have one cat, leaving him or her alone isn’t a great idea. They need a buddy (at least in my opinion). New kittens need plenty of attention. In those cases and others, I don’t recommend leaving your cats alone for an extended period of time. If those situations apply to your case, you should either hire a professional cat sitter or take the cat to a high quality cat boarding hotel.

    Other cat lovers (including myself) believe that an extended time “home alone” is okay for our feline friends. They’re very independent animals — consider how well feral cats take care of themselves when they live outdoors. I’ve been a multi-cat owner for over 30 years, and in my experience it is possible to leave your cats alone for up to a week, once in a blue moon, but you MUST be prepared and ensure that they will have every amenity possible. In fact, you should go overboard a bit to ensure that they have *more* than what they’ll need.

    I’ve created a comprehensive list of the things you should buy when leaving cats alone for up to a week. The one time cost will be around $100 – $125 and you can reuse these important cat supplies indefinitely. What’s $125 when it comes to your feline family members? At the end of this list, there are a few more important tips to keep in mind before you go on vacation or a trip and leave your cats alone, so keep scrolling!

    A Hard Plastic Kiddie Pool (To Use As a Backup Litter Box)

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    Automatic Timed Cat Feeder that Talks to Your Pets: A Must for Vacations

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    UPDATE: The Homdox Feeder reviewed in this post is not currently available for sale, but this automatic talking feeder has gotten great reviews as well!

    I am very protective over my cats — I feed them high quality grain-free food, give them the same spring water that I drink, and shower them with love each day to let them know they matter. As much as I care for them, I need a vacation every now and then and I certainly can’t bring them all with me on a plane to Florida! Recently I went on a planned family trip and before I went, I decided to order an automatic timed cat feeder from Amazon. This is what it looks like:

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