The Daily Cat Quote

“There are several cats smoothly moving about, which helped me greatly to relax, for I have always felt that no house is wholly bad where there are cats, and conversely, where there are several cats, a house is bound to be wonderfully charming.”
― Hans Holzer, The Ghost Hunter: Chilling Tales of Real Life Hauntings

Cat Friendly Practices: Good For Cats, Good For Vets

© Elayne6-Dreamstime.com

Do you dread taking your cat to the vet? You're not the only one. Your vet might dread that visit as much as you and your cat do. But the American Association of Feline Practitioners is trying to change that with its Cat Friendly Practice program. And, according to a recent AAFP survey, catering to cats doesn't just eliminate the dread. It's good for business. 

In the survey, 83 percent of the vets with a Cat Friendly Practice designation reported increased cat visits. And 61 percent said their practice revenue has grown since earning the designation.

Heck No, I Won't Go

The Daily Cat Quote

“Like all pure creatures, cats are practical.” 
-- William S. Burroughs, The Cat Inside

Goodbye Drs. Foster And Smith

© Hilary Roemer | Dreamstime.com

Back in the day, my cats and I loved finding a Drs. Foster and Smith catalog in our mailbox. 

We thought there was way too much dog stuff, but we always found a few cat items to buy. Our first floor-to-ceiling cat tree came in a huge box from Drs. Foster and Smith.

That was before there was an Internet and online retailers. And more important to Drs. Foster and Smith, it was before there was a giant pet supply company called Petco.  

Petco purchased Drs. Foster and Smith in 2015. It will shut the company down this month and move its online services to Petco's website.

Changing Times, Changing 'Pet Parents'

Cat Food Trends -- New Ingredients To Look For In 2019

Coming soon to the front of your cat food cans and bags: turmeric, honey and coconut. Think of them as biohacking for cats and the newest cat food trends to look for in 2019. 

Biohacking for humans has been around for years, although many of us have never heard of it. The simple definition of biohacking is adding nutrients or more natural foods to your regular diet to improve your health and quality of life. 

But like so many human food trends, biohacking is now making its way into the cat food market. Enter turmeric, honey and coconut. 

Cat Food Trends - Ingredients With A Purpose

It's New! Amazon's Private Label Cat Food

In its never-ending craving for still more business, Amazon launched a private label cat food brand earlier this month. Wag, Amazon's private label cat food, comes in seven flavors. But based on the reviews so far, cats aren't exactly wagging their tails with joy when they see the cans coming out. 

Not that cats ever wag their tails with joy. Amazon began its foray into the private label pet food business with dog food called Wag. 

There's Nothing New About Amazon's Private Label Cat Food 

The Daily Cat Quote

“Cats tell me without effort all that there is to know.”
-- Charles Bukowski, On Cats

Mirtazapine Ointment For Cats Increases Appetite, Reduces Stress

Here's some much needed relief if you're struggling to add an appetite stimulant to your sick cat's meds. Mirtazapine ointment for cats is now available from vets, and all you have to do is rub a little bit inside an ear flap. 

Mirataz, the transdermal formulation of the popular appetite stimulant, went on the market a few months ago. 

An Appetite Stimulant Just For Cats

The Daily Cat Quote

"If a cat spoke, it would say things like 'Hey, I don’t see the problem here.”
Roy Blount Jr.

No More Free Rides For Some Emotional Support Animals

© Okssi - Fotolia.com

Was your emotional support animal hoping for a free ride? Unless he's a cat or dog, that's not going to happen on United Airlines. And even cats and dogs will find their wings clipped by tighter rules that went into effect earlier this month.

The flap over emotional support animals apparently began when a woman tried to board a United Flight in Newark with a peacock named Dexter on her shoulders. 

Nothing against peacocks, the airline said, but Dexter was way too big to ride in the cabin. He and his human drove to California.

Ruffling Everyone's Feathers

The Daily Cat Quote

"If a cat spoke, it would say things like 'Hey, I don’t see the problem here.”
Roy Blount Jr.

Abused Cats And Dogs Could Get Their Own Lawyers In New Jersey

Sadly, we've all heard about awful cases of animal abuse. And often, the abusers get off with minimal or no penalty. But that could change in New Jersey, where Democratic Assembly woman Annette Quijano recently introduced legislation that would help abused cats and dogs get their own lawyers.

The lawyers or advocates would be volunteer attorneys and law students.

Voices For The Voiceless

The Daily Cat Quote

“The cat wrinkled its nose and managed to look unimpressed. "Calling cats," it confided, "tends to be a rather overrated activity. Might as well call a whirlwind.” 
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Alexa, Call The Vet! VCA & Amazon Team Up To Automate Services

So we all know Alexa can turn on the lights, read us bedtime stories from Kindle books, accidentally send private messages to friends and order groceries on Amazon. But now the smart speaker has a new trick. If you're a VCA client, try saying, "Alexa, call the vet."

VCA and Alexa have teamed up to offer services that used to require a computer, or at least a telephone. Now, if you're tired of listening to your vet's on-hold recording, being able to simply say "Alexa, call the vet" could be just what the (cat) doctor ordered. 

'Alexa Call The Vet And Make An Appointment'

The Daily Cat Quote

“As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind.”
Cleveland Amory, The Cat Who Came for Christmas