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Must Have Items for Multi-Cat Households

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As a cat caregiver who took over responsibility for my Mother’s cats after she passed, I know how important it is to have the right tools and products to manage them easily and properly. You also want to keep your home clean, comfortable, and smelling nice.

Below, find some of the products I’ve purchased and use in my multi-cat household. You can probably get them all for around $100-$150 total, and they’re worth every penny. Hope this helps!

Must Haves for Multi-Cat Households:

It’s a little unrealistic to think that you can supply your multiple cats with new food and water every single day. After all, you may not even be able to do that for yourself sometimes. These high capacity food bowls and waterers will help give you some relief. Yes, the dog is featured in the photo but they are also useful for feeding and watering multiple cats.

Choose whatever food you feel is right for your cat (because this is a very important decision). A grain free food like this one offered by Wellness is a good pick in my opinion. Consult with your trusted vet to be sure.

A cat Litter Genie is an absolute must if you have multiple cats. The box allows you to trap waste in a secure location, inside of a bag, where you can spray with bug spray or deodorizer to keep the smell in check. You can then empty it once or twice a week. While pet waste bags are provided and can be reordered, you may also choose to use your own biodegradable bags.

When you have to scoop up after 3, 4 or more cats in a day, especially after work and other household duties, who wants to lean over? This standing cat litter scooper makes things much easier.

Cats love to dig just like dogs do. When they are trying to cover up their waste, they will kick the litter everywhere. Find a litter box preferably with an open top that has high sides to prevent litter from getting on your carpet or floor.

Just about any cat litter will do as long as you’re pets like it, but this one is convenient because if you have multiple floors and kitties it is easier to carry one or two bags at a time. Compare that to lugging a 40 lb container up your stairs.

I like to use peppermint spray for litter boxes and other areas in the cat area because it is considered safer than spraying with other pest control products.

Pet freshener for the carpet is a must-have if you have multiple cats.

This cat litter mat captures a lot of the excess litter that comes out of the litter box when your cats are finished doing their business. You can pour the litter back into the box, or dispose of it.

If you prefer a classic cat litter mat, this one will capture the granules and give them a satisfying place to scratch.

Tent beds can be a hit with cats. It’s like a little house within the house.

I have had to transport my cats around on many occasions in my car, whether for vet appointments or road trips. This cat backpack allows you to take them around your neighborhood or to the park or anywhere you wish, like the pet store while ensuring that they are safe and secure.

Products for Multiple Cat Households
Image by luxstorm from Pixabay

No Air Conditioner?: Ideas for Staying Cool this Summer without A/C

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Also included: tips for keeping your cat or dog extra cool during the summer.

Not everyone has access to an air conditioner, whether it’s because of having windows that aren’t large enough to hold an A/C unit or because the bills will be out of budget. Or maybe you just don’t have the funds to invest at the moment in a good energy efficient air conditioner.

I think this goes without saying, but nothing will cool you quite like an air conditioning unit, BUT there are ways that you can manage 80 to 100-degree (or warmer) summer weather in the absence of one. You just have to get a little creative. If you don’t have an air conditioner, you might want to consider these ideas for keeping cool this summer.

Get a Mini Portable Ice Machine for Your Bedroom or Living Room

Portable Ice Maker Machine

Do you know how good it feels to crunch on fresh cold ice cubelets when it’s a hot, summer day? It’s a bit of heaven. You also have a cold cup to hold onto, or you can use the ice to fill up a plastic baggie and press against your skin. Instead of running to the freezer in your kitchen every 15 minutes, get a portable mini ice machine that you can set up in your bedroom or living room. Most units only take a few minutes to make ice cubes that you can scoop into your cup. Just fill the reservoir with your favorite water and stay ultra-hydrated with cold, fresh ice all day.

Get a Cooling Blanket

It might seem counter-intuitive to buy a blanket to help you stay cool in the summer, but retailers now offer cooling blankets that keep you comfortable in the heat. They’re designed with a cooling technology that absorbs body heat, wicks away moisture, and is breathable to keep air circulating. You can drape it over your shoulders while relaxing in your living room, or cover yourself with it when you’re sleeping.

Floor Fan, Bucket of Ice

There’s a really neat trick offered by The Farmer’s Almanac. Get a good quality floor fan and fill a bucket or large bowl with ice to place behind the fan. The cool air that emanates from the ice will come through the fan, cooling a small room. You might have to switch out the ice every hour or so, but at least you’ll feel some comfort on those hot summer days until you can get an air conditioner. Just make sure you remember to buy a couple of $2 bags of ice from your local convenience store!

For Your Pets: Cooling Pads and Cooling Bowls

Your pets have biological and innate methods of staying cool indoors–even when it’s pretty hot outside. But if you want to give your cat or dog something that will keep them extra-cool throughout the afternoon, give them a pet cooling mat. It’s made of a gel that has a cooling effect, which lasts for hours.

Also, see the cooling pet bowl, which keeps water colder for longer (about 15 hours) without the need for electricity.

Bonus Tip:

If the reason why you’re not using an air conditioner this summer is because your windows are too small for a window unit or you can’t open them wide enough, consider getting a portable A/C instead. It uses a hose that fits in most windows to direct cool air into a room.

Enjoy your summer and stay cool!

Posted by Jade

How to Make Gel Press On Nails Last Longer

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I used to spend upwards of $50 per appointment to have my nails done with damaging acrylics. More for a gel nail treatment. An expensive but necessary step if I wanted to have pretty, strong, painted nails that lasted for at least a few weeks. A couple of years ago, I started to use gel press on nail kits as an alternative. They only cost about $10 per box, they’re easy to install (just add adhesive, press, and file), and they look almost exactly like a gel treatment at the nail salon. Here’s a recent installation of gel press on nails that I did:

 

Pretty Metallic Nails

Gel Nails

I got compliments on my nails from everyone who saw them. They couldn’t believe that they weren’t done at the salon (you don’t have to tell them!). The only problem with gel press on nails is that they don’t last very long. You’re lucky to get the nails to stay on for a weekend. Here are a few tips I used to extend the wear to two weeks.

Apply Both the Glue and the Adhesive Strip

kiss gel nails

This is the exact gel nail kit that I used (you might be able to find it in stores). Kiss has a lot of very attractive styles (see more here). The directions tell you to choose between using the glue provided and the adhesive strips. I decided to use both and it made all the difference. I placed the adhesive on the inside of the nail, then placed glue on my nail. I pressed them together and waited about five seconds. The whole installation took about 15 minutes. FYI, I tried putting just the adhesive strip on one nail and it popped off after just a few hours. So use both the glue and the adhesive strip.

Cover Your Hands with Gloves When Washing Dishes

When you’re wearing gel press on nails, they come loose fast because of constant contact with water. The more your hands come into contact with water, the more the glue loses its grip. So when you do everyday tasks at home you have to try to protect the nails from water. One tip is to wear rubber gloves when you wash your dishes or clean up around the house. In fact, you might even want to wear those gloves when you’re showering to limit contact with water.

Use Hand Sanitizer Instead of Hand Washing

Of course you can’t go throughout the day without washing your hands for sanitary reasons. And if you’re like me, you wash your hands pretty frequently. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer near the sink and on your person to keep your hands clean. Even if you do wash your hands a few times during the day, which I do, the hand sanitizer will reduce your contact with water.

Avoid Opening Cans With These Nails

Gel press on nails are not strong enough to use to open cans of soda or similar items. Use the side of your finger or a fork instead. Avoid using your nails for anything besides looking good.

These tips should allow you to enjoy your pretty gel press on nails for up to two weeks–maybe longer. One or two might come off during that time, but you can just add a bit more glue and reattach. Get ready for a lot of compliments while you’re wearing them!

Gel Press On Nails

 

Posted by Kristina

Review: Drinkwell Cat Water Fountain by Petsafe

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I love my cats and want them to have the best when it comes to both food and water. Since I drink filtered water, I prefer to give my cats the same. A friend told me about the PetSafe Drinkwell Stainless Multi-Pet Fountain, which dispenses water to pets like a drinking fountain. Here is my quick review of this water fountain for cats.

Stainless Steel Drinkwell Fountain

Benefits
– made of stainless steel (no toxic plastic carcinogens)
– holds 1 gallon of water that is filtered, making the water taste great
– multiple cats can drink water at the same time
– ability to adjust the flow of water
– ability to choose different streams
– replaceable filters (foam & carbon filters)
– water pump is fairly quiet

Setting up this fountain is the only downside. It takes some time to assemble the various pieces properly, but once you do it’s pretty easy to figure out in the future. You also have to locate the fountain in a place where it can be plugged into the wall.

But all that aside, the cats love it. After setting the cat water fountain down, I noticed that they were extremely attracted to the streaming water. They then began to luxuriate near the water, sipping for longer periods of time. One of my cats loves to jump on the bathroom counter and sip water out of the spigot, so he particularly loves this contraption.

The clean up and reassembly of this pet water fountain is worthwhile when I consider how much cats love it, but I admit that there are times I take a break and just use the regular water bowl.

So if you are a cat parent that only buys the best cat food, why not provide them with the best water possible and a new fun experience at the same time. I give the PetSafe Drinkwell Stainless Multi-Pet Fountain 4 stars out of 5.

Posted by Jasmine

 

Review: Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

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In the past year, I’ve dedicated more time and effort to exercising and eating healthy. I was researching the best ways to consume foods that provide me with natural energy and optimal health. The best way  to accomplish that was to begin juicing. I found the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express to be a decent fit for my immediate needs.

Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express

Benefits
– affordable (can be purchased for under $100 — I got mine on sale for around $70)
– sleek design that fits in with the rest of your appliances
– claims to extract more juice than other juicers on market
– capable of handling a variety of fruits and vegetables very well, and no need to chop them very small

This juicer does a good job of getting most of the nutrients out of my fruits and veggies. It has a large mouth so that it’s not necessary to cut the veggies so small and a convenient spout that you can turn on and off when the cup gets full.

Since I have been using the Jack La Lane juicer on a consistent basis I feel great. Fresh juice gives me a boost on mornings when I’m dragging myself into my day. I’ve even started experimenting with different juicing recipes to break the monotony. However, I have to admit that making these juices are time consuming and messy. I wish that there was some type of self-cleaning mechanism or a more efficient way of delivering the pulp to the emptying cup on this juicer.

So while I encourage anyone who is searching for a decent juicer to give the Jack La Lane PJEB Power Juicer Express a try, I would give it about 3 stars out of 5. I am now researching cold press juicers, which are more expensive but also seem to offer an easier clean up process. Time for an upgrade!

Posted by Jade

 

Product Review: Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns

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I was in desperate need of a fast-acting weed killer, like yesterday. I have family members who are allergic to bee stings. The problem with one variety of weed that was overgrowing on my grass was that it had a white flower that attracted bees everyday. After looking around for an affordable and proven product I gave Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns a try. I’m glad I did, especially considering that many weed products on the product are hit and miss.

Spectracide Weed Stop for Lawns
This one worked for us. Keep in mind that the product labeling may be different in certain areas.

Benefits
~ one gallon size container
~ easy to use sprayer
~ kills over 200 types of weeds (see full list here)
~ doesn’t harm or burn lawn in any way
~ results shown within 24 hours – fast acting
~ rain resistant

After applying this product on a Tuesday, I saw the  weeds dying off the very next day. Everyday thereafter, I saw a great difference in the amount of weeds. I was also very pleased that none of my grass was affected by the weed stop. I even have enough product left over for next season. Keep in mind that this particular bottle is best for spot treatments–if your lawn is overrun with weeds, use the Spectracide Weed Stop Concentrate instead. Pour the recommended amount (see the label for instructions) in a spray bottle with a hose hook up. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and hook it up to a hose for widespread application. But be careful not to use too much — about a minute in each area will suffice.

* Keep in mind that some lawns and weed mixtures are different, so certain products will work better than others on your unique lawn. Try out various brands to find out which one is most reliable for your own lawn, then you can just stock up on that brand each year.

I recommend Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns if you want something that will help keep your lawn green while getting rid of annoying weeds.

Review by Lorraine