Looking for eco-friendly holiday gifts for your cat? This list has 10 natural, biodegradable products to delight your furry friend this season, like catnip toys and scratching posts.

Is your cat’s coat dull? Hairballs galore? Don’t worry - in this article, we’ll outline everything you need to know about keeping your cat's coat healthy!

One has to have a heart of stone not to fall in love with a kitten. My first cat came into my life when I was seven years old. Minky was a tri-colored farm cat. We fed our cats milk, which they shared with a nocturnal hedgehog family that lived in our shoe closet. How we look after young kittens and adult cats has changed drastically. We’ve learned so much about kitten nutrition, good hygiene, and health. Kittens provide a lifetime of companionship and contribute to our well-being. Here’s what you should know if you decide to make a kitten part of the family. Crucial Factors to Consider Before Bringing a Kitten Home Kittens are easier than puppies. True. However, that doesn’t mean that choosing a kitten is easy sailing. Kittens need the following: Balanced nutrition (solid food, canned or wet meat protein kitten food) Feed-free feeding or a controlled feeding style; it works for most kittens Safe drinking water Veterinarian access to checkups and vaccination Sanitation access to litter Love and affection Undivided attention Basic understanding of feline needs In return, you’ll get to watch them grow rapidly into loving, playful cats.   Ultimate Guide to Kitten Care Here are a few tips to get you going: Make your home kitten friendly Cats and kittens tend to be curious and playful. Therefore, ordinary household objects can be harmful. Remove and store these items: Fragile items that your new kitten might knock over Remove and safely secure household chemicals, alcohol, perfumes Store delicate fabrics to prevent clawing Read up on house plants as some are poisonous Put up barriers to prevent escaping Have a cat bed Prepare a sanitation station litter box Have suitable clean water and feeding bowls Bring kitten necessities Kittens and cats have basic needs. You can save on toys by providing safe household items to play with, like cardboard boxes, paper rolls, and strings to entertain a kitten. But you can’t scrimp on proper nutrition and veterinarian health care facilities. These are the must-haves: Age-appropriate food fit for a cat or kitten's diet that is low on plant-based sources Access to clean drinking water A litter box or device A cat bed (though the kitten will more than likely make do with a sunny spot or your lap) Some toys Caring for a kitten (we hope you opted for one from an animal shelter) takes time. Luckily, there is a bunch of new tech gadgets for pet owners that provide convenience, peace of mind, and enhanced care for pets. According to World Animal Foundation, an automated litter box is one such device that offers several benefits for both cats and their owners. It saves time and effort by automatically scooping and disposing of waste, ensuring a clean litter box environment. Find a vet Being a pet owner means having a good rapport with veterinarians and their staff. A vet should make you and your feline comfortable and answer your questions and concerns. A vet not only provides basic health care like: Routine physical health checks Vaccinations Microchipping Flea and tick remedies Grooming advice Veterinarians are also an excellent resource to help you decide on a diet for your kitten and tips on understanding the complicated nuances of feline parenting. Start following a proper hygiene routine When your kitten enters your home, introduce them to the litter box. Cats are super easy to train, but you must provide the resources. Kittens take quickly to automated litter boxes, and it’s the perfect time to introduce them. Automated litter devices make your life easier. Here are some litter options: Clumping and non-clumping Wood Paper Clay Pine Wheat Grass Corn Walnut shell Hygiene isn’t just about litter. It’s also about grooming, getting the kitten used to your touch, and handling its ears, toes, nails, and all parts of its body. Caressing your cat is therapeutic for both of you. Don’t overlook the socialization thing Cats get pigeonholed as solitary creatures. They need socialization and contact with others at different stages of their life. You can introduce a kitten to your neighbors, friends, and the family dog. When you bring a kitten into a pet family, the introduction should be slow. Have a plan. Train your Kitten Cats are trainable despite what dog people say. A cat learns its name, and I suggest sticking to a simple two-syllable name. Repeat the name but don’t overuse it. Basic obedience training Cats respond well to methods like clicker training, positive reinforcement, and auditory markers to initiate your cat to words like ‘good cat,’ ‘yes or no,’ and other positive commands followed with affection. Set these conditions for training: The cat is awake and engaged Limit training to 1 to 5 minutes only Reward with treats or praise Repeat but don’t overwhelm the cat Train before supper but never withhold food Teach one skill Litter training Many pet parents can appreciate how easy it is to litter train a kitten. Provide a safe, accessible, yet private place for the litter box or automatic device that the kitten can access freely. Keep it away from noisy or high-traffic areas. Once you introduce a kitten to the area and box, they’ll remember. Tip: Keep the litter box tidy. It’s unhygienic for the entire family.   Mental Stimulation Needs and Exercise Cats are good at entertaining themselves with their tail. But here is what you can do to make life fun for your furry friend. Engage your kitty in puzzle games Puzzle games are a beneficial activity for cats. It provides mental and physical stimulation and echoes a feline’s natural hunting and stalking instinct. Further, it’s a great way to exercise a cat. Cat obesity is rising and leads to many health and joint issues. Puzzles make them work for their food. Play hide-and-seek Cats are natural game players. Hide and seek comes naturally to them, and don’t be surprised if they lurk behind furniture to pounce on you and yell 'Surprise!' Engaging cats and kittens in hide-and-seek can work both ways: they hide and you seek, or you hide and they seek. You can get their attention by calling their name or rattling their favorite toy or snack. Daily walk and exercise Harnessing and walking cats has become a popular activity. Training a kitten to a harness is easier than asking a senior cat. A senior cat will likely convey their discontent through body language. Train a kitten to walk in a harness by: Starting at a young age Getting a proper and secure harness that is escape proof Building a routine Making it fun Health Checkups This is the most expensive part of cat ownership. Though most cats are healthy and only require essential medical attention, there are a few musts. Vaccinations Protect your cat from diseases by keeping their vaccinations current, even if they're house cats. Animal healthcare professionals define vaccines as core and lifestyle vaccines. Core vaccines and lifestyle vaccines are routinely administered starting at 6 to 8 weeks. Some shots are also required by law. FVRCP Rabies FeLV Spaying/neutering Sadly, our shelters are full of loving cats. In the US alone, we have roughly 58.3 million pet cats and 30 to 80 million feral cats. Repeat this worldwide. Please spay and neuter your cat and consider rescuing it from your local shelter. Spaying and neutering not only protect from overpopulation but also promotes animal health. Tip: A spayed and neutered cat will not spray your bedding or soft furnishings with urine. No amount of cleaning or disinfecting will get rid of this odor completely. Grooming Needs Cats are famous for grooming themselves and have flexible and compression ribcages to reach tough spots. Brushing Helping your cat by brushing its fur promotes bonding and a healthy, shiny coat and removes excess fur. Start brushing your kitten to get used to the habit. They may make a game of capturing the brush. Bathing Good luck! Leave bathing cats to professionals. Cats don’t need to be bathed; they can swim but are not fussed about getting wet. Exceptions, of course, exist, and cats like to make liars out of us. Oral and dental care A healthy diet with crunchy food to help clean teeth is a good start, but cats can also develop tartar and gum disease. We recommend that kittens get used to having their teeth brushed; after all, all the cleaning they do with their cat tongues invites bacteria. Ask your vet how to establish a routine. Conclusion Nutrition, health, and hygiene are the foundation of kitten and cat parenthood. When you bring a kitten home, you promise to commit to its lifetime with love, patience, and ongoing care. Don’t forget to take advantage of the hundreds of valuable tips from vetted organizations.    

Let's face it, most everything is more expensive these days and that includes cat litter. With the rising cost of labor, packaging and shipping, manufacturers have had to raise prices to help offset these as much as possible.  We are here to help you SAVE on your cat litter budget! Litter is not something you can do without and not something you want to buy the cheapest kind you can find. We've all been to "that" house - the one that just smells awful the moment you walk in the door.  Here are 5 easy ways to use less and spend less on cat litter. Use a high quality, natural clumping cat litter A high quality clumping cat litter with great odor control is imperative to making it last longer. The clumps allow for easy daily scooping to remove only the soiled litter and leave the rest. Good odor control helps to keep the space smelling fresh without needing to completely throw out all the litter and replace it with all new litter.  ökocat natural wood clumping litter works so well, you won't have to change the entire litter box every week, saving time and money. It really is a litter that lasts longer due to its superior all natural absorption capabilities and odor control. With regular scooping, the base litter can last up to 7 weeks!   Read Expert Review Simply add new litter as needed after you scoop, keeping about 2-3” in the tray at all times. Plus when cleaning the litter box, remember that ökocat is both biodegradable and compostable – making it better for the planet. One thing to keep in mind is that cats generally don’t like any change, so if you’re switching to a new litter like ökocat, you should start by transitioning slowly. Learn more >>> Get the right slotted scoop for less waste It's important to use a slotted scoop that is best suited for the texture of the litter. No need to get an expensive scoop, just make sure the slots are large enough especially if you are using a pellet litter like ökocat less mess.  You can find a large-slotted pellet scoop on many online sites. It is especially helpful when the slots in the scoop are located at back, this allows the unused litter can easily fall back into the litter box.  If you have a plastic scoop and need larger holes, just use a wire snipper or sharp scissors to carefully cut out pieces.  Recommendations: While we recommend any scoop with large slots, the top three scoops that are compatible with all varieties of ökocat litter are the Litter-Lifter Pellet Scoop, and BasicForm Cat Litter Scoop or modify a plastic one, watch how >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIQBjH9Qt0g.   Place a wide mat or rug under the litter box All cat litter tracks to some extent which means good litter gets outside the litter box. A litter mat will help catch the litter and then easily shake it back into the box or just use a broom and dust pan.  Even an old rug or towel works great as well. No need to purchase a special one.  Learn more about how to prevent tracking >>> Fill the box and scoop often Don't get skimpy when filling the litter box. We recommend 2-3 inches to provide enough depth for the clumps to form and rise to the top, leaving the bottom clean, no scraping or dumping needed. Don't fill it up too much though if your cat is a digger or a kicker or takes half the litter with them out of the box. A high-sided litter box works great to prevent that.  It's best to scoop at a minimum of once per day and remove any feces as soon as possible. This helps to keep the litter smelling fresh and therefore lasting longer.    Look for discounts and coupons We offer a printable coupon on our website here to print out each week if needed. Or if you order online, signing up for autoship can save you 5% or more on each order. Most retailers run different promotions throughout the year such as Buy One Get One 50% OFF which is the perfect time to stock up and SAVE.  Some small pet stores participate in the Astro Loyalty Rewards program for many pet products. ökocat  as a Buy 6 Get 1 FREE! Check with your local independent pet retailer to see if they have the Astro program.          We hope these quick and easy tips help you save money on cat litter. Use less, spend less, clean less with ökocat natural litter today!  

The recent trend toward weight gain and obesity hasn't been limited to humans and places pet family members equally at risk. But weight control is crucial to well-being and quality of life, so finding ways to help your pet maintain a proper body weight becomes crucial for health as well as lifestyle reasons.  When it comes to pets, like people, there isn’t an ideal weight that is appropriately clear across the board. Your cat or dog’s breed, size, and age will all enter a formula that will determine the correct weight for individual pets. To begin, regular check-ups with your veterinarian will aid in determining appropriate body weight and identifying early signs of weight-related issues.  How Will I Know if My Pet Is a Healthy Weight? If your cat or dog is a healthy weight, the ribs and spine can be felt but not seen. Visible spine and ribs indicate that your pet is underweight. Because pet weights vary, your vet will use a “Cat Body Condition Score” to evaluate a pet’s muscle mass and weight which is similar to the Body Mass Index used for people. It will determine if a pet is too thin or too fat.  Pet parents can use a “Hand Test” to get a pet’s weight. Feel your pet’s ribs located behind the front legs.  Ribs feel like the back of a hand, indicating an average weight. Ribs with a cushion similar to the palm of a hand point to your pet being overweight.  Photo by Rick T.T. on Unsplash Why Your Pet Needs to Be a Healthy Weight Apart from contributing to a better quality of life, there are serious health issues related to being overweight. These illnesses or medical conditions can compromise comfort and quality of life easily and rapidly. The most common weight-related issues include:  Arthritis Cancer Cardiac disease Diabetes Kidney Disease Pancreatitis  Food’s Role in Maintaining Healthy Weight If a pet is underweight or overweight, your veterinarian will likely recommend that a pet be fed weight loss, weight management, or high-calorie food to achieve a more appropriate calorie intake and, consequently, a healthier weight. Commercial pet foods will contain variations in formulas to guarantee essential nutrients but at the same time aid in increasing or decreasing weight.  It’s All About the Food The bottom line is that your pet’s diet determines if a pooch or kitty packs on the pounds or perhaps is not eating sufficiently to keep its weight on. While weight gain is generally associated with an intake of too many calories and too little exercise, pets may suffer weight loss from:  Age Arthritis may cause a pet not to walk even to the food dish. Cancer Dental issues like toothaches or periodontal disease can dissuade a pet from eating. Diabetes may cause a decrease in eating and an increase in thirst. Diseases Parasites like worms can cause weight loss. Medication may provoke an appetite change. Insufficient food or insufficient food intake due to boredom or dislike of taste or texture can contribute to weight loss.  And weight loss can be just as devastating to a pet’s general health as obesity. Foods for a Healthy Weight: What kinds of Pet Foods Are Available? Dry Pet Foods Dry pet food should offer a balance of fiber, protein, and fat formulated for weight maintenance, weight gain, or weight loss. Dry food lacks moisture, but a crunchy texture can be appealing. Dry foods also tend to be non-odorous, so your home won’t smell.  Wet Pet Foods This is a favorite food type among pets, often taking the form of chunky stew, ground meat, pate, or bite-sized pieces drenched in gravy. It contains much more moisture aiding hydration.  What to Search for in Pet Food Protein, Fiber, and Carbohydrates Protein and proper carbohydrate content in food for dogs and other domestic pets assist in weight management while offering essential nutrients. Fiber content is necessary for digestion. Quality Ingredients High-quality ingredients are essential in weight management, so take the time to learn what’s inside your pet’s food. Fillers often used in dry kibble may be empty calories that offer no specific benefits.  Allergens Pet foods should not contain ingredients that your pet is allergic to. Food allergies can cause general discomfort. Nutrients and Vitamins Vitamins can aid in overall health. Vitamins A, C, and E are known to shore up the immune system and improve muscle tone.  Foods to Keep Your Pet a Healthy Weight: Dog Foods Dog Food for Weight Management Timber Wolf Organics Black Forest Legends Dog Food Principal Ingredients: Venison Meal, Salmon Meal, Whitefish Meal, Lentils, Lamb Timber Wolf Organics has developed a selection of carnivore-specific foods that are fully balanced and not only ideal for weight management but also for specific challenges faced by pups with allergies and food intolerances.  Dog Foods for Gaining Weight Nature’s Logic Canine Beef Feast Canned Dog Food Principal Ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Sardines, Porcine Plasma, Herring oil Nutrient-dense and highly palatable, this food contains lots of meat protein and a dose of vegetables and fruits to guarantee essential nutrients. Each can has 549 calories.  Dog Foods for Losing Weight Blue Buffalo Life Protection Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food Formula Principal Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Deboned Chicken, Brown rice, Pea Fiber, Barley This is a low-fat formula with added calcium and potassium. Filled with I-carnitine to develop lean muscles, it features fewer fat calories. Omega-3 fatty acids work on joint strength and mobility to assist in increased exercise and physical activity.  Photo by Lina Angelov on Unsplash Foods to Keep Your Pet a Healthy Weight: Cat Foods Cat Food for Weight Management Timberwolf Organics Ocean Blue Legends Principal Ingredients: Salmon, Salmon Meal, Herring Meal, Pea Protein, Canola Oil Featuring the very best of the deep blue sea, this particular cat food contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids to promote brain, heart, and skin health while keeping your kitty at a healthy weight. It’s also perfect for cats with allergies to land-based meats. Great flavor and balanced nutrition in the same food. Cat Foods for Gaining Weight Royal Canin Recovery RS Canned Diet Principal Ingredients: Water, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Gelatin, Natural Flavors A specially formulated soft pate cat food designed for essential nutrition and weight gain. It’s a great solution for finicky cats or those suffering from poor appetite.  It requires a veterinary prescription and tends to be more costly.  Cat Foods for Losing Weight Hill’s Science Adult Cat Perfect Weight Principal Ingredients: Chicken, Brewer’s Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Gluten, Chicken Meal A dry kibble blended to encourage weight loss but maintain muscle mass. The manufacturer claims that 70% of cats using this kibble lose weight in ten weeks. It does contain grain in case your kitty has allergies—very low calorie.  READ MORE ABOUT CAT OBESITY PREVENTION The Bottom Line Simple actions that will assist your beloved pet in achieving its appropriate weight include:  Eating healthy pet-appropriate foods Veterinary visits at regular intervals Portion Control Intelligent treats and treating No Feeding from the table and no people food Lots of exercise and physical activities