August 2008
Newsletter
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The Winner Is

The winner of the drawing at the TICA show in Grand Rapids MI for a copy of The American Red Cross Cat First Aid book and DVD was:
Hugh Price
Carlisle, PA
 
   Where to see
    our Product
Rosemont Show

September 26-28, '08
TICA
Buckeye oHIo Rollers
Clarion Hotel
2340 S Reynolds Rd
Toledo, OH

October 18-19, 2008
Century Center
120 South St Joseph St
South Bend, IN

October 25-26, 2008
CFA
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianapolis, IN

November 15-16, 2008
TICA
Woodland Park
  Oakwood Grand Ballroom
2100 Willowcreek Road
Portage, IN
Looking for a good book, or the perfect gift?

Kitten Care

We have compiled a list of current book titles dealing with cats and cat health.  If you are looking for information, a good reference, or perhaps a special gift, click on the link below and you will be taken to list of pre-sorted books dealing with just your area of interest.


 eLayaway
Alternate Payment Plan

eLayaway

eLayaway provides you with an economical way to purchase a cat tree.
The rates are much less expensive than charging it to your credit card.  You know that when you receive you tree it has been paid for in full.  The use of this payment option gives you more buying power than the use of a credit card because the fees are so much lower. 


So check out our cat tree products today.  Select the one your cat would most enjoy and then select eLayaway as your form of payment.  We track your payment history and build your cat tree so its ready to ship within four business days of when you make the final payment.  Couldn't be easier.

Plan today for holiday delivery.

For more information on eLayaway see:
 

Greetings!
 
This month we're featuring our Tropical Flower cat tree.  So far in 2008 the Tropical has been the second most popular tree in our product offering.  It's the ideal size for a one cat household that doesn't have a lot of extra room for cat furniture.  As a side bar - the Purple Passion is the same size.

I ask you to take special note of the Cat First Aid book which has been published by The American Red Cross.  They have done an absolutely great job of putting together an illness and emergency guide that should be in the possession of every cat owner.  You can read the details below - its worth your time and money.

Every year it seems the cost of maintaining good health for our beloved cats goes up, and sometimes it seems there's not much we can do about it.  But that's not true.  A cat owner does have options in controlling the cost of cat health care.  We have listed a number of things for your consideration.  There is nothing "new" in our list, its just an attempt to get everyone to refocus and hopefully you will rediscover something you can do to save money.

We did introduce some new furniture at the Grand Rapids TICA show this month.  I'm happy to say that general comments were very favorable and we are proceeding with plans to add these products in the very near future. 

As always, we are open to suggestions and encourage you to email us with any ideas or comments about our products or the content of this newsletter.  Enjoy!

Tom Kartes
[email protected]
The Tropical Flower
Very colorful and unique
 
The Tropical FlowerThe Tropical Flower is a specially designed piece of cat furniture that is ideal to place in front of an outside window where your cat can spend hours being entertained while enjoying the special features our cat tree provides.

This most popular cat tree is only 32 inches high, which when placed in front of a window is perfect height for your cat to enjoy the outside.  At the top of the cat tree is a large "flower" designed platform that is padded for extra comfort and contains a heat retention liner that will keep your cat content for hours.  The trunk has three holes to tweak your cat's curiosity and increase its activity level.  Two large opposing sculptured leaves add beauty to this unique design and provides more space for your bundle of energy to rest and relax.  The fact that the leaves are opposing allows you to snug the tree closer to a window sill or a wall which is a space saving feature.  The unusual petal designed base makes it aesthetically pleasing while at the same time giving this cat tree greater stability.  Commercial grade carpeting is used throughout ensuring years of trouble free wear.

For all the details go to:  The Tropical Flower

Many people interested in the Tropical Flower are also interested in:                            The Purple Passion

Cat First Aid
Knowledge is your first line of defense

Cat First AidThe American Red Cross developed Cat First Aid as a reference guide and valuable resource to give all cat owners everything they need to know to keep their cats healthy and safe.

As a responsible cat owner concerned with your cat's welfare you want to be prepared for health emergencies that might arise from sudden illness or injury.  This guide covers topics ranging from what's "normal", so you can recognize subtle changes that may be a precursor to more serious problems, to life threatening events that require immediate and proper action.  The book is accompanied by a DVD that demonstrates how to perform many of the first aid steps described in the book.  The DVD is closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

Some of the other topics included:
  • Proper procedure for administering various types of medication
  • Birthing emergencies
  • How to recognize and treat poisoning
  • Broken and dislocated bones
  • Treating cats hurt in a car accident
  • Recognizing and treating ear problems
  • Parasitic disease
  • Breathing and Heart emergencies
In all there are over sixty health topics covered.  Each provides an explanation, tells what the signs and symptoms are, lists the most common causes, and gives you a step by step call to action.

This health reference is a must have for every cat owner.  Produced by The American Red Cross you know it is a reference that contains information and advice you can trust.

Breeders might want to consider giving this reference to all new cat owners to help ensure proper care and treatment of everything from minor abrasions to life threatening emergencies.

Give your cat the care and protection it deserves by ordering your copy today.  This reference guide is also an ideal gift for another cat lover you know.

Order Now

Vet Bills Braking the Bank?

How to better control the cost of going to the vet

BillsThere is no secret to controlling veterinarian bills because all the experts tell us that "preventative care" is the best way to do that.  Why is it that when it comes to parting with hard earned dollars to prevent something that may never happen we would rather put our wallets back in our pocket and take our chances.  I guess we are all caught up in human nature.

Over the past several years the cost of animal care has been very reasonable when compared to human health care.  But as knowledge and technology improve in areas such as special diets, wellness care, grooming, and dental care, the cost start to skyrocket.

The Humane Society estimates that is costs about $800.00 annually to keep a cat.  Most of us would agree that is very reasonable, but that does not include the prospect of an emergency or prolonged illness that would drive up those dollars and is a big concern to pet owners.

Animal health providers agree that one of the best ways for saving money is to prevent those diseases that are costly to treat but easy and relatively inexpensive to prevent.  Feline leukemia, considered to be the most common cause of serious illness and death in domestic cats, or feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) can be easily prevented by the administering of vaccinations during the kitten or young adult years.  The idea is to spend $30 now and eliminate the possibility of spending hundreds of dollars later.

Your veterinarian is the best resource to know which vaccinations are right for your cat.  Due to different habitats and common risk factors your pet may not need all the vaccinations recommended in the 'general' approach to good health.  Rely on your vet.

Another way to maintain your cats' good health and save money is  by preventing disease is an ongoing program of dental hygiene.  We all know the benefits of brushing and caring for our own teeth, but many don't realize the same holds true for our pets.  Dental disease in our cats can predispose them to heart problems, liver problems and even kidney problems which when treated later are all much more expensive than prevention.  Don't be so sure this doesn't apply to your cat - authorities estimate that 80 percent of cats over 3 years of age already have some form of dental disease.  Early preventative care that includes routine teeth brushing, proper diet, and oral examinations can save big money.

Another manageable factor within your control is maintaining your cats' proper weight.  When was the last time your watched an hour of television and didn't see a commercial directed at us to lower blood pressure, prevent or control diabetics, maintain healthy joints or prevent heart disease, and all these messages had something to do with weight.  The same advise applies to our cats because they are susceptible to the same type of problems and diseases that we are.  If controlling and maintaining proper weight is good for us for all the known reasons, its also good for our pets.  Remember, you are not doing your pet a favor by giving it a lot of treats high in calories low in nutrition, or by providing food low in quality - you could both be paying the price in your cats' senior years.

Here are a few common sense money saving things that sometimes are so obvious we forget:

  • By confining, or putting your cat on a leash when outside, will prevent roaming and reduce the risk of being hit by a car or attacked by another animal.
  • Spaying or neutering your cat will prevent having to spend money on the care and feeding of kittens, and will reduce your cats' urge to roam.
  • Regular vet visits will catch problems and diseases early when they are less expensive to treat and cure.
  • Pet proofing your home by doing such things as not having plants that are poisonous to your cat, reducing the risk of accidents around open flame or a hot stove top, or concealing electrical cords that could easily be bitten into by sharp little teeth.
As responsible owners we all have a duty to maintain the highest possible health and wellbeing of our pets.  Its a challenge to do so in an affordable way.  The point is however, it is doable if we constantly think about ways we can reduce cost and apply preventative care.

Is your cat bored?  Buy it a new cat tree.
Cody's Corner
Miscellaneous Kibble
 
Cody- According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pet owners are expected to spend $43 billion on their pets this year.  That is an increase of $2 billion from the previous year.  I can definitely tell you ... we are worth every penny.

- A good chunk of that money is going to pay the vet bills for the 44 pound cat in New Jersey that has been making national news.  Poor thing is only two pounds short of the record for the heaviest cat.  I bet the owner lost weight carrying it around.

- According to the Atlanta Animal Alliance, one cat and her offspring can produce up to 420,000 kittens in six years.  This is a good reason to be a responsible pet owner.

- The latest causalities of the economic decline that is altering the way many of us live are family pets.  The animal population in shelters across America has grown exponentially as many home owners face foreclosure and many more cope with the inflationary costs of basic necessities like food and gas.  If you are considering a new pet we hope you will seriously consider the adoption option.

Cody's final thought:
"A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable spot in any given room".
www.greatlakescatfurniture.com