(Pictured: Grand Prize winner, Maddie)  Bigger is better when it comes to a small pet’s home—they may be little but even small pets need elbow room! A larger habitat allows pets’ the room they need for exercise and more space to sleep eat and play. Be sure to read our Bigger is Better for Your Small Pets blog, by Dr. Ruth MacPete if you haven’t already. The Contest Our carefresh community is chalked full of amazing small pet owners who are giving their little ones the absolute best life! To celebrate them AND proper small pet care, we launched the Bigger is Better Contest during National Pet Month. We asked for friends of carefresh to submit photos of their small pet’s home and we were absolutely blown away by all the amazing submissions we received! We wanted to toot their horn for them, and share some of our contest winners! Pictured, going clockwise, are winners Kaylee S, Rosie, @mydear.hammies, and Ava L. These are just a small sampling of the truly wonderful homes being provided for the smallest member of these families.  Updated Recommendations We’ve updated the habitat size recommendations on the back of your carefresh bedding bags to be in line with these recommendations for proper small pet care! These pint size pets may be small, but they give lots of love. Be sure you provide them with the space, bedding, hay and exercise they deserve. And remember, in this case bigger is better.

Would you say that you’re a cat or dog person? According to a recent survey, your answer might also reveal a lot about your sustainability habits and ambitions! 2,000 cat and dog owners in the United States were polled for this survey, and of those pet parents, 69% believe they enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle compared to the average Americans. However, when asked about the steps they’ve taken to lessen their overall impact on the environment, just half of all cat owners say they’re recycling frequently or more often. While only 44% of dog owners said the same about their own recycling habits! The households where cats and dogs live together are having an especially hard time sorting their trash, with only 37% of those pet parents are recycling more. Thankfully, the survey also reveals that a whopping 94% of respondents made an effort to live more sustainably than they did a year ago. Nearly one in five even claim that they’ve “radically transformed” themselves and their sustainability habits over the past year. For almost half of the polled pet owners, that includes seeking out more environmentally friendly foods and products for their furry friends and swapping to biodegradable poop bag or an all-natural cat litter. “Many people don’t realize that clay litter and crystal litter are strip-mined from the Earth and don’t decompose,” said Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM. “That’s why it’s important to look for options made from natural materials, like wood fibers, that are compostable and biodegradable.” While taking care of more than one animal species might make recycling more difficult, it seems to lead to more mindful pet parents with 67% having considered the impact of their pet on the planet. Almost three out of four of dog owners say that they spend more time outside because of their pet; with two thirds agreeing that their outdoor playtime with their pooch has made them more environmentally-minded. Compared to only 11% of feline enthusiasts who allow their cats to roam indoors and outdoors freely. “It can be tempting to let your cat outside so you don’t have to have a litter box, but it is actually much safer and healthier for cats to stay indoors,” said Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM.  “In addition it allows you to monitor your cat’s eliminations, which can help monitor their overall health and allow you to identify diseases early.” Of course, some outside playtime isn’t out of the question, as 63% already allow their cat some supervised or safe access to the outdoors. According to our respondents, the 5 best ways to reduce your pet’s paw print on the planet: Switch to biodegradable waste bags or litter Buy more sustainable food Switch to products with better ingredients Spay or neuter them Adopted them from a shelter instead of a breeder

Did you know that litterbox problems are one of the main reasons cats are surrendered to shelters? And while in some cases inappropriate elimination has medical or stress-related causes, a lot of times an appropriate set-up can make your kitty love their litterbox instead of avoiding it. While your individual kitty’s preference may vary, here are some guidelines: Not all litterboxes are created equal When it comes to a litterbox selection, simple is better. An uncovered tray that is easy to get in and out is the way to go – avoid top entry boxes, boxes with sides so high a kitty needs to jump in, flaps and covers. After all, you wouldn’t want to have to go through obstacle course to get to the toilet, would you? Jo’s tip: If you have issues with litter tracking, place your box inside another, much larger one. Mess contained! Using a low-tracking litter, like Okocat Less Mess also helps! Size does matter Your kitty’s box should be 50% longer than their body (measured head to bum, excluding the tail) and twice as wide as their body shoulder to shoulder to make it comfortable for them to turn around. Jo’s tip: If you can’t find an appropriate size litterbox, get a large storage box instead and cut out an entry in one of the sides (remember, easy to get in and out!). Just be careful not to injure yourself! Multiply! Cats are like chips and it’s hard to have just one. If you live with multiple felines, you will need multiple litter boxes. The general rule is number of litter boxes = number of cats + 1. Place your boxes in various locations – two boxes side by side look just like one big one to a cat. Jo’s tip: If you just added a new member to your household and one of the cats suddenly starts eliminating outside the box, it can be a good indication that love is not necessarily in the air. Contact a cat behavior consultant or a veterinary behaviorist for help in integrating the kitties. Location, location, location Everyone likes privacy and a bit of quiet and peace when they’re using the bathroom and cats are not an exception. Place your litterbox in a spot that feels safe to your kitty. Avoid proximity of loud appliances, like washing machines or dryers that can start making noises unexpectedly and scare the cat. If you have a dog or a toddler, consider a location that is inaccessible to them. A baby gate with a pet door or a strap holding the door just ajar are just a couple of ideas how to limit their access. Jo’s tip: Make sure you have at least one box on every floor of your house, so your cat doesn’t have to run far to go to the toilet. This is especially important if they’re older or sick. What’s the scoop on litters? Clumping or not clumping? This can depend on your and your cat’s individual preference, just remember that the methods of scooping each type is different. When choosing your litter also consider how much dust it generates – clay and silica litters can be very dusty and even have impact on your cat’s health. Think like a cat – what would you like to be standing on? Soft, smaller particles, like ökocat Super Soft or ökocat Featherweight, feel better on cat’s paws. This is especially important if your kitty has sensitive paws (like all declawed cats do), is older or just a kitten. The other sense to remember is smell. Scented litters were created for humans to mask the smell, but they can be very aversive to cats, whose sense of smell is much better than ours. The better way to keep the litterbox from being smelly is to keep it clean. Jo’s tip: If you want to change the type of litter you’re using, make sure to make it gradual. Start by replacing ¼ of your litter with the new type, then make it ½ and ¾ at the subsequent full clean-ups before you go fully in with the new stuff. Cleaner is better My basic guideline when someone asks me how often they should clean the litterbox is scooping twice a day (I like to do it first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening), full litter change and clean up once a week and a new box once a year. This may be more often if your kitty is not feeling well or has a medical condition, and the box gets dirty faster than that. Avoid using any harsh cleaners, their smell may be too aversive for your cat. Hot water and soap are usually all that’s needed. Jo’s tip: Place a small trash bin with a tight lid or a Cat Genie bin next to a litterbox – it will make scooping the litter faster, easier, and less of a chore (win for you) and you will end up doing it more often (win for your kitty!). VERY IMPORTANT If you did your best to set up their bathroom the right way but your kitty is eliminating outside of the litterbox, do not punish them – take it as a sign that something is not right. Make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as you can to eliminate any possible underlying medical causes. Your kitty should get a full medical check-up, including urinalysis, blood work and anything else your veterinarian deems necessary. If your cat receives a clean bill of health but still dislikes their box, reach out for help to a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (CCBC), who can identify the triggers and make a behavior modification plan tailored to you and your kitty. To find a CCBC, check this online directory: https://m.iaabc.org/consultant/ Guest Post by Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison, CCBC, CPDT-KA, a certified dog trainer and cat behavior consultant currently living in Houston, Texas. When she’s not helping pet owners from all over the country to rehabilitate their reactive dogs or solve litterbox problem cases, she has fun training her 17-year old kitten, Kicia, her Malaysian-born dog, Fuji, and her little flock of chickens. info@highfiveanimaltraining.com, www.highfiveanimaltraining.com  

All cats deserved to be loved and spoiled. Here are 8 creative ways you can pamper your cat anytime of the year.  1. Create a comfy space for them. Offer your kitty lots of comfy sleeping places, such as a snuggly new cat bed, a kitty couch to lounge on or a window seat perch (so they have the purrfect place to people-watch). Your cat will love having multiple places around the house set up and dedicated to their napping habits.  2. Give them the gift of fresh water. A practical and great way to pamper your cat is with a pet drinking fountain, simply fill it up and your cat will get to enjoy the luxury of fresh flowing water. This is the perfect solution if you have multiple cats at home who always seem to be drinking water before you can fill it up, or even if you have one cat, but often are away during the day. 3. Indulge them with interactive toys. Make play time fun again, especially if you have an older cat, by getting an interactive toy. It keeps your cat entertained physically and gives them a mental workout as well. It will be so fun to watch them as they play and learn, no matter if they’re young or old! Two of our favorite interactive toys are the pop’n’play interactive cat toy and the Ralthy interactive cat toy! It is important to always monitor your cat as they play with interactive toys, and put them away when you are not present or not in use.  4. Pamper them with a “spa day”. Aren’t spa days just the best? You can pamper your feline friend by brushing their luscious locks and helping remove any loose fur to cut down on fur balls or matted hair. Plus, add in a little extra luxury by scratching them between their ears or even petting them all the way down to the tip of their tail (if they will allow it of course). 5. Treat them to a kitty garden. If you have a cat that gets the munchies on your house plants, then treating them to their own kitty garden is such a fun way to treat them. You can buy a cute cat planter plus seedlings and grow a mix of grasses like wheat, barely, oat and rye. This will not only be a cute addition to a window sill in the house, but also provides healthy greens full of good vitamins for your fur ball. 6. Make the switch to a natural litter like plant-based okocat. Treat your cat like a royalty by transitioning them to ökocat, a healthier, cleaner litter made from upcycled wood and paper remnants to create a planet-friendly, compostable cat litter. ökocat is a premium natural litter that clumps solid, is 99% dust free and stops odor before it starts without using any synthetic chemicals, toxic dyes, or artificial fragrances. Which means you can spoil them with a cleaner and healthier litter for your cat, your home and the planet. 7. Help them unwind with a little bit of catnip.  Catnip is a great way to relieve stress in cats, allowing your cat to be energetic at first, then enjoying a relaxing and happy state of mind. Cats simply love this special treat, you can give them just a little bit of catnip to snack on, or you can even buy special toys that have catnip in them. 8. Gift them with new toys. Buy a pack of fun and exciting new toys and you will revitalize and stimulate your cat. Not only will you be able to find a new way to connect and have fun with your cat, it helps your cat have a productive way to release their energy. As you look for new and fun ways to spoil your sweet kitty on International Cat Day, we hope that these suggestions are helpful and you can enjoy a wonderful day celebrating your feline friend.

Did you know that all of Healthy Pet’s products are 100% biodegradable and compostable? Not only are we committed to making sustainable products at Healthy Pet, but we also strive to produce minimal waste.  If you are a cat parent and use okocat natural litter, if you have a hamster and use carefresh small animal bedding, or own a dog that uses Puppy Go Potty paper litter, then you can sleep better at night knowing that you are creating a smaller carbon footprint for your furry friend. In the past when changing the litter box or cleaning out a small pet’s home, it has been common to simply toss the old litter or bedding into the trash. However, composting has recently become a great way to reduce household waste. How do I start a home compost? If you are interested in starting a home compost, it’s important to practice good composting standards for optimal aerobic decomposition. This means stirring, turning, watering, checking the temperature, and covering your compost every few days. Make sure there isn’t too much of one type of organic material in your compost pile. It does take some effort but it’s well worth it in the end. After a few months your compost will be ready to be used in your garden, and you can make it available to others needing compost. It will be fun to share how your pets helped contribute. If you have any questions or concerns regarding composting at home, we recommend checking your local ag regulations, reading more through the tips at EPA.gov and checking your state regulations. Can I compost poo?  It depends on what type of pet. You can compost the feces of any herbivore; bunnies, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and other small pets’ poo can all be composted along with the used wood or paper bedding like carefresh. Here are 3 basic steps on how to compost your herbivore’s poo: Place the droppings and used bedding on your compost heap, add straw and mix it in. Allow this to sit with other compostable items, turning the compost every so often as needed this allows for proper aerobic decomposition. Then place the “finished” compost on gardens once the compost has been sitting for at least six months. If you own an omnivore or carnivore (such as a cat or dog), we recommend removing the solid waste from the used litter and properly disposing with the use of a biodegradable bag. The feces of any omnivorous or carnivorous animals may contain harmful bacteria and should NOT come in contact with anything edible. After removing any solid waste, you can safely compost the rest of the litter and use it for ornamentals, flowers, shrubs or lawn after at least six months to a year. When composting litter you will want to make sure that is made from 100% plant-based material, such as okocat. You do NOT want to compost clay, sand-based or crystal litter, as they can actually damage your soil, especially a litter with synthetic toxins. Additionally, do not compost the waste of any animals who are ill, contagious, or taking medication, as these unwanted elements may wind up in your soil. A word of caution: pregnant women should avoid handling cat waste under any circumstances as it sometimes carries a virus that may lead to birth defects in a fetus. What if I don’t want to start a home compost, but don’t want to throw my excess litter or bedding into the garbage? If you are not interested in creating your own home compost bin or don’t have the available space, you may be able to use a yard waste bin or simply bring your compostable materials to local farms or a nearby community garden. Be sure to ask first if they will accept compostable materials with pet waste and what the requirements are. Some will take it if it is in a Biodegradable Products Institute certified compostable bag. BPI is a third-party organization that certified that every product being used will break down in its commercial composting facility. Most waste management companies have a commercial composting facility, especially if you live in a larger town or city. If you are struggling to locate one, we simply recommend googling “composting facilities near me”, give them a call and ask: If they provide a waste-management bin and the times they pick up compost If they do not pick up, when and how your compostable materials can be dropped off Any regulations of what should/should not be included in your compost materials The cost associated with working the yard-waste management Any additional benefits they provide (such as finished compost at a reduced price). So what are you waiting for? Start composting your used Healthy Pet products today!