News for You and Your Cat

July 15, 2014

Dear ,

Ingrid and Amber

during the summer months, people know to protect their outdoor pets from the heat, but even indoor cats require special attention. Learn how you can save on cooling costs and still keep your indoor cats comfortable.

Last week, I attended a panel discussion titled "Humane Begins at Home" at the Humane Society of the United States' Take Action for Animals conference. I loved the panelists suggestions, and I hope you'll be able to apply some or all of them in your own homes.

Wishing you health, happiness and purrs,

Ingrid.

Voting for the 2014 Petties has been extended
through August 7 - vote daily!

Website: www.ConsciousCat.com
E-Mail: ConsciousCat@cox.net

Connect with me:

In This Issue

Cut Cooling Costs Without Sacrificing Your Indoor Cat's Comfort

Humane Begins at Home

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

Upcoming Events

Marketplace

Cut Cooling Costs Without Sacrificing Your Indoor Cat's Comfort

During the hot summer months, it goes without saying that you need to take precautions for your outdoor pets to protect them from heat stroke and other heat related problems, but even indoor cats require special attention, especially if you're trying to save on cooling costs by turning the air conditioning up when you're not at home.

TXU and the SPCA of Texas urge pet guardians to set thermostats no higher than 78-80 degrees, and to not turn off the air conditioner altogether. If your pet has a health condition, be sure to check with your vet on a good temperature setting. A programmable thermostat can make controlling your indoor temperature easy; and, with some models, you can do it via the web or your smartphone. TXU offers the following tips to save energy during the summer and still keep your cats safe:

Turn off lights

To avoid wasting electricity, lights off in rooms you're not using, whether you're home or away. According to the SPCA, if your pets are home indoors without you, natural lighting is the most soothing, even if it's filtered by blinds, drapes or outside awnings.

Treat sunny windows to reduce glare

We know that cats enjoy basking in the sun. Allegra and Ruby still sought out the sun puddles even when our power was out for two days and the temperature inside our house had reached 90 degrees a couple of summers ago. However, letting the sunshine in unfortunately does affect the indoor temperature in your home, causing your cooling system to switch on more frequently. Consider treating your windows with solar film, or close most of the blinds and drapes (well, maybe not your cat's favorite one...) to filter the light that can increase indoor temperatures.

Leave out plenty of water

Regardless of the indoor temperature settings, be sure to leave plenty of water around for your cats to drink. You can drop ice cubes in their water bowls to keep their water cooler longer. And while some people leave faucets dripping to encourage their cats to drink, this wastes water and the electricity used to transport it to your home. A more energy-efficient option is a pet fountainthat circulates water and uses minimal amounts of electricity.

Seal air leaks

You can keep more of your household budget for cat treats, toys and pampering if you avoid wasting the electricity that helps to cool your home. So, be sure your windows, doors and fireplaces are sealed to keep cool air from leaking out of the house when it's hot outside. Do you have any tips to keep your indoor cats cool?

Thank you to TXU and the SPCA of Texas for these tips.

Humane Begins at Home

Last weekend, I attended a panel at The Humane Society of the United States' Take Action for Animals Conference, which was titled "Humane Begins at Home." The speakers were KC Theisen, director, pet care issues, The HSUS, Nancy Lawson, Vice President Content, The HSUS, and our friend, Kate Benjamin, cat style expert, founder of Hauspanther and co-author, with Jackson Galaxy, of the upcoming book, Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You), which is now available for pre-order ($1 for each pre-order goes to help homeless cats.)

Wanting to help animals can get overwhelming. There's always more to do, and sometimes, it seems like nothing you do really makes a difference. However, every small thing does help. And it begins in your own home. "Humane means a safe home, and animals who are well cared for," said KC Theisen. Making your home safe ranges from cat proofing your home (and as those of you with curious kittens know, that can be far more challenging than child proofing!) to providing a challenging, stimulating environment for your indoor cats. "A humane home cares about every being's well-being," added Theisen.

Kate Benjamin stressed how essential catification is for happy healthy cats. From vertical space to hiding places, catifying your house does not need to take a lot of money. Kate specializes in offering solutions that not only make the cats happy, they also blend into the humans' living space in a way that's pleasing to our human eye. From high end functional cat furniture that looks more like a sculpture than a cat tree to simple DIY projects, Kate had lots of clever suggestions. If you're not already subscribed to updates from Hauspanther, you'll want to do so just for the ideas Kate provides in her daily updates.

Nancy Lawson talked about extending the humane lifestyle into our backyards. A humane backyard is a habitat that provides food, water and cover for wildlife. It's free from harmful chemicals and inhumane practices. Most of all, it's a safe place for wildlife ranging from bees, insects and butterflies to ground hogs, rabbits and foxes to call home.

And what begins at home can easily extend into our communities and out into the greater world. From educating other cat guardians about what cats need to be happy and healthy to talking to local businesses about making them more pet-friendly, every little thing you do makes a difference. "Every pet in a community deserves a happy, healthy life," said Theisen. Why not start with your own cats, in your own home?

On a side note, the girls and I were thrilled that Kate stayed with us during her brief visit to the Washington DC area. Allegra, who is the more social of my girls, was totally smitten with Kate. Ruby took a little while to warm up to Kate, as she does with any visitor, but Kate's cat energy won her over in no time.

Photo at top by Kate Benjamin

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

The Cats at Shasta Abbey

A king, a cat and a monk will all sit in the highest places. - Zen saying Located in a rural area on 16 forested acres at the foot of Mount Shasta in Northern California, Shasta Abbey is a Buddhist monastery of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives. Founded in 1970, the monastery serves as a [...] The post The Cats at Shasta Abbey appeared first on The Conscious Cat. ...ť

We're a Finalist for "Best Pet Blog" in the 2014 Dogtime Media Pettie Awards

You did it again! We are thrilled to have been nominated for the fourth year in a row for Best Overall Pet Blog in Dogtime Media's 2014 Pettie Awards! Thank you so much for your support - it means so much to know we have so many loyal readers and fans! And now we need [...] The post We're a Finalist for "Best Pet Blog" in the 2014 Dogtime Media Pettie Awards appeared first on The Conscious Cat. ...ť

AAFP Issues New Guidelines for Diagnosing and Solving House-Soiling Behavior

House-soiling, also known as inappropriate elimination, is one of the most common feline behavior problems, and one of the major reasons why cats end up in shelters. The majority of these cats will never find another home again. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) recently released [...] The post AAFP Issues New Guidelines for Diagnosing and Solving House-Soiling Behavior appeared first on The Conscious Cat. ...ť

Mews and Nips: Catification at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley

07-05-2014 01:00:20 AM

Catification doesn't get much better than this: the Humane Society of Boulder Valley remodeled its cat adoption center to create a cat paradise. From sky walks to colorful shelves to cozy hideaways, this cage-free shelter gives cats a stimulating and happy environment while they wait for their forever homes. This catification project is a tribute [...] The post Mews and Nips: Catification at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley appeared first on The Conscious Cat. ...ť

Never miss an update! New content in your inbox every day!

Upcoming Events

July 22-24, 2014
Superzoo
Las Vegas, NV

September 6 and 7, 2014
National Capital Cat Show
Chantilly, VA

Please visit the Events Page on my website
for more information and directions.

Marketplace

________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Your ad here!

Would you like to advertise your products or services in future editions of this newsletter?

Please contact me for more information.