Where to see
our Product
March 7-8, 2009
CFA - Midwest TGIF Club
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Northwest Pavillion
Indianapolis, IN 46205
March 21 - 22, 2009
Western PA Cat Fanciers
Iceoplex at Southpoint
Canonsburg, PA 15317
April 4-5, 2009
Mid-Ohio Cat Fanciers
Richland County Fairgrnds
Mansfield, OH 44902
April 25-26, 2009
America's Heartland
Kennedy Comples
St Louis, MO 63128
May 30-31, 2009
(Pending confirmation)
CFA Midwest Region
Awards Show
Springfield Expo Center
Springfield, MO 65806
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Looking for a new reference book? Or maybe you need a gift idea? ... Look no further.
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.
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Cat First Aid
Must Have Reference
A source book to help you prepare for health emergencies that arise from sudden illness or injury.
Includes detailed step by step action plans to treat your cat for over 60 health related situations.
A DVD accompanies the book that demonstrates how to perform many of the first aid steps described in the book. It's also closed captioned for the hard of hearing.
Only $19.95 and includes shipping.
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eLayaway
Alternate Payment Plan
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:
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Wall Accessory
Building your "wallscape"
This corner unit mounts in a corner of your room and provides a bed for your cat that can be placed as high off the ground as you wish to put it. The sculpted front allows easy access for your cat, and the padded bed, along with its heat retention liner, provides the ultimate comfort. Look for this, and other wall accessory pieces to be added to our website in the very near future. All our accessory wall pieces are designed to compliment our wall mount cat tree and provide you with flexibility in building a "wallscape" for your cat that will be fresh, exciting and entertaining. Great Lakes Wall Mount
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| Greetings!
I don't know about you ... but I'm ready to strangle the ground hog. When we get to the middle of February I can't wait for the warmer weather to get here. I've had my fill of cold, damp, cloudy, windy days. Mother Nature did give us a couple nice days about a week ago. The sun was shining bright and the temperatures rose into the low 50's - and then she pulled them away, just as fast as she gave them to us. You could almost hear her say "just kidding".
As I'm typing these words out on the computer screen I'm thinking I should be a little careful because I have the thought that readers may think I'm doing something similar to what Mother Nature did - teasing.
If you take the time to read to the bottom of this newsletter you will see that I mention our new wall accessory product. We are excited about them for a number of reasons: 1) the pieces are small and affordable, 2) you can be creative in building a whole playground for your cat, 3) the quality of material and workmanship is to the same high standard as our full size cat furniture and 4) the spectrum of wall pieces that can be produced seem endless.
So why the negative thought? ... its a tease - they are not ready. We took prototypes to the last two cat shows and the positive comments we received reinforced out thinking that we do have something that is going to be "hot". All I can tell you at this point is that I'm working as fast as I can to bring them to market. I suggest that if you are interested in the progress of this product you do one of two things: 1) you check back on the website often to see when they become available or 2) you sign up for the RSS feed from the blog so that the announcement is "pushed" to you.
We thank you for your support, and 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
greatlakescatfurniture@gmail.com |
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February - National Pet Dental Month
Have you brushed your cat's teeth today?
 If you get a national cat magazine, or browse the more popular cat websites, you are already aware that February is National Pet Dental Month. The question is: Have you taken it seriously?
Veterinarians will tell you there is a strong correlation between the health of a cat's gums and teeth and a cat's overall health. By the age of 3, 85 percent of all pets have some degree of dental disease.
Daily brushing removes a biofilm on the cat's teeth that consists of food debris, bacteria and saliva which coats the teeth then mineralizes and turns into tartar. The bacteria in the mouth can build up and enter the bloodstream, where they can cause damage to a cat's heart, kidneys, liver and other internal organs. Broken teeth can be another result of poor dental health, and this in turn can cause difficulty in chewing and digestive problems.
Establishing a daily routine of brushing your cat's teeth can save hundreds of dollars each year and very possibly save your cat from anesthesia, surgery and certain infectious diseases. According to the pet insurance industry pet dental claims in the U.S. cost about $300.00.
Take the time to learn more about brushing your cat's teeth at:
The incentive to learn how to brush your cat's teeth is that it costs little and can save a lot. So if you don't know how - learn today.
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Kitty Kabinets - Optional Modules
All wood furniture designed to hide the litter box
  
Last month we featured the base unit of the Kitty Kabinet, that not only is a functional piece of furniture for your home, it also hides the unsightly litter box. It's an ideal unit for people who live in apartments or condos with limited floor space. A breeder at the cat show this past weekend mentioned she thought the Kabinet would be an ideal spot for a new mom with her baby kittens to have a little peace and quite. That's a use we hadn't thought of.
This month we would like to highlight the three optional modules that complement the base Kabinet. They are the drawer unit, the shelf unit and the Cubby.
The most popular additional piece is the drawer. It's a closed storage unit that is large enough to hide things like your scoop, a box of plastic bags or cat treats. The shelf unit is the second most popular module and it too provides additional storage, except it is open, so anything you place on the shelf will be in plain sight. The shelf is a popular addition for people who want to place a TV on top of the unit and use the shelf for guides and remotes. The Cubby is the third optional piece and its designed as a closed larger storage unit. It's large enough to store the extra bag of litter, or cleaning supplies and helps keep the area looking neat.
These three optional modules can be configured in any order, so you can be creative in putting together a unit that is fully functional for your needs. You can take a look at several pictures on our website as to how these modules fit together to come up with ideas as to how you would like yours to look.
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The Right Cat Tree For Your Abyssinian
The "Aby" - A High Energy Lovable Cat
 If you are one of those people who believe that the Abyssinian originated in Ethiopia, chances are you're right. Experts can't seem to agree as to the exact origin of the breed, but most credit the Northeastern part of the African continent, and Ethiopia is right there. There is much similarity between today's Abyssinian and the paintings and sculptures we find of ancient Egyptian cats which showed a slender muscular cat, with a wedge-
shaped head, large cupped and pointed Picture courtesy of ears, long slender legs and a gentle
Briar Valley Cattery tapering tail.
The cat first appeared in England in the mid 1800's and it was thought that British soldiers returning from a war they were fighting in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) brought the breed home. It took until the 1930's before quality show stock was imported to the U.S. and formed the nucleus of the modern American Abyssinian breeding program.
Abyssinians are very people oriented cats, but they are not a lap cat. They like to be around people, and love to be included in what you are doing. They don't wait for an invitation but push to the middle of the activity at every opportunity. They are very intelligent, good problem solvers, and seem to be full of endless curiosity. They are a very loyal cat and many owners swear that no human companion can understand them as well as their Aby does. In the Abyssinian Breeders International "Kitten Buyer's Guide" by Carolyn Osier she states, "Abys are very good at training people to do just what they want them to do."
When not eating or sleeping, the Aby seems to always be on the move, exploring and looking for new adventure. They love to climb, and the higher they cat get the better. With their athletic build and sense of curiosity there seems to be no place an Aby can't get to. If you own, or acquire an Aby, you need to provide them with the means to get as high as possible within their living quarters.
The tallest cat tree we make, which is ideal for the Aby, is the seven foot Big Oak. It has twelve large contoured leaves surrounding the trunk. Each leaf is lined with a thermal pad to absorb and radiate back your cats' body heat for added comfort. There are nine holes to satisfy the most curious cat and provide a world of activity. The top of the cat tree is fashioned like an eagles nest - it's 24 inches round and the depth ranges from 3 inches to 6 inches. Your cat will love to lie in the high bed from where they will be able to track all their "subjects".
Another good choice in cat trees for your Abyssinian is the Jack-n-Beanstalk. This tree is six feet five inches tall and looks like the beanstalk from the fairytale with the vine running up to the cloud. The cloud is the top bed and has two holes through which the cat passes to reach the top of its world. There are ten large contoured leaves, which along with the top provides six levels for your cat to move up and down giving it the opportunity for plenty of exercise.
The Abyssinian is truly a rare treasure; one that is very active, loves to be independent, and enjoys the company of people as long as you give it it's space. Given their desire to be in the middle of the activity, and their love for high places, you satisfy both needs with the selection of a cat tree from Great Lakes Pet Furniture. Your are adding a piece of cat furniture to your living quarters that is both aesthetically appealing and functional, and that will be appreciated by both you and your Aby. |
Judging Your Cat's Silhouette
Looks may not be everything, but ...
An article in a recent issue of "Cat Watch", published by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, had these guidelines in determining if your cat is overweight - Viewing your cat's silhouette: - Your cat is of normal weight if you can see a slight but visible waist; ribs can be felt under a slight fat covering and your cat has a minimal fat pad in the abdominal region. - Your cat is overweight if it's waist is barely visible; ribs are under a thick fat covering and are more difficult to feel; and the animals' abdomen is rounded with a moderate fat pad. - Your cat is grossly obese if there is no discernible waist, ribs are difficult to feel under a thick fat covering; heavy fat deposits over the lumbar (lower back region), and fat deposits on the face and legs. The abdomen may appear distended with extensive fat deposits. If your cat is in either of the last two categories you need to take more responsibility for the health of your cat. The first thing to do is to take your cat to the veterinarian if it hasn't had a visit in the last six months to a year. Your vet can discuss proper nutrition and exercise to start taking some of the extra weight off. The next thing you need to do is to find ways to make sure your cat gets some exercise. This may be as simple as dedicating a little more time to play with your cat, or get your cat a companion. Then there is always my favorite - buy a multi level cat tree. Multiple levels help the cat's agility and conditioning as it moves up and down the tree and in and out of the openings which tweak their curiosity and intensifies their play activity. Our multi-level trees include: The Big OakThe Little OakThe SunflowerThe Black-Eyed-Susan
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Cody's Corner
Miscellaneous Kibble
 - If you smoke - so does your cat. Veterinarians say second-hand smoke is aggravating asthma and bronchitis in cats. They report that as many as 25 percent of their patients come from households where their owners smoke. It is reported that researchers are also seeing a possible connection between second-hand smoke and at least one form of cancer in cats. So not only is quitting good for you, it's also beneficial to the health of your cat. - In America, pet cats outnumber pet dogs 88.3 million to 74.8 million. - The European Union has just taken steps to ban all cat fur in products they manufacture or import to their member states. The rules were made necessary because unscrupulous manufacturers and traders were sending cat fur into the market disguised as synthetic or other types of fur. Some third world countries raise cats just for their fur. - Cats are predators. They like to perch up high to pounce on prey. They also feel safer if they can get high above the ground. Outdoor cats scratch trees to mark them. Indoor cats scratch furniture - unless an alternative is provided. - In the State of Colorado cats are now required to have ID tags or a microchip if they live in a city or county where the population exceeds 100,000. The goal is to make it easier for owners to be reunited with lost cats. This may be a good way to reduce the cat population in rescues and shelters, and perhaps should be promoted in your area. - Money saving tip: Learn the proper way to keep your cats' nails trimmed and healthy at home by visiting this link - Kitty Manicure | |
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