Cold weather fun with cats ...naturally!

Connecticut has had its' first winter storm of the season and the air is cold and crisp, ice is etched on bare tree branches like silver filigree and the landscape is blanketed in a white snowy stole.  It is no time for the cats to go wandering about.  If your cats are anything like mine, they watch and appraise almost every move I make with a look of curious boredom mixed in with a glint of mischievousness!

I have a surprise for them today... it's Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers the Chicken Formula.  This company provides holistic nutrition for dogs and cats.  Nature's Variety offers food in a variety of choices from raw frozen diets to grain free cans and kibbles as well as holistic Prairie kibble and cans.  Located in the midwest, the company  hails from St. Louis Missouri with manufacturing operations in Lincoln Nebraska. They make two lines of pet foods, the first is Instinct Foods that specializes in raw frozen diets, kibble, cans, biscuits and freeze dried raw & bones; the second is the Prairie food line that is composed of holistic canned and kibble food.

This food topper is freeze dried for freshness and, best of all it provides pure animal protein for lean muscles and strong bones and contains nutritious oils for a healthy skin and coat -- this caught my eye because raising himalayans it is important that they have food that contains nutrients to help maintain their long luxurious coats.  I was amazed at the delicious ingredients that included chicken, turkey, turkey liver, turkey heart, pumpkinseeds, carrots, apples, butternut squash, ground flaxseed, montmorillonite clay (that acts like a detoxifier), dried kelp, broccoli, apple cider vinegar, salmon oil, mixed tocopherois (a natural antioxidant) , rosemary extract, blueberries and dried chicory root. 

 Ziva and Zoey were especially interested as I plated up their lunch... I put a layer of their favorite cat food on the plate in the shape of a lighthouse, in honor of Connecticut's Sheffield Lighthouse, one of my favorite attractions in the state and studded it with Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers the Chicken Formula and added a sprinkle of catnip for garnish!  What a grand feast on a cold winter's day!Needless to say, all five cats -- Ziva, and Zoey, theMaxx, and Sabu and Mocha loved it  --every last kibble!   You can order Nature's Variety Raw Boost Mixers the Chicken Formula from chewy.com it's quick, easy and takes only two days door to door.

Travel Tip - Sheffield Island Lighthouse - Norwalk Connecticut

Take a ride out to Sheffield Island Lighthouse located in Norwalk Connecticut from May through mid.-September. Activated in 1868, the Sheffield Island Lighthouse - now listed on the National Register of Historic Places - was in service for 34 years until its retirement in 1902. Today the Norwalk Seaport Association’s volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve.  Visitors can board the Seaport ferry at the Sheffield Island dock, adjacent to Stroffolino Bridge, corner of Washington and Water Streets, South Norwalk for their trip to the island, the lighthouse or harbor cruises.  Each year the ferry takes thousands of visitors back to a time when this and other lighthouses were critical to coastal and oceangoing shipping.

Once on the island, visitors are treated to a tour of the lighthouse. The 10-room lighthouse showcases period furniture, and offers a chance to see what life was like for the families of 19th century light keepers.  Another island attraction is the Nature Trail through the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge, which completed by the Seaport Association in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From a viewing platform, a variety of wildlife including nesting herons and other birds can be observed.

Musing on Thailand, Tonks and ZiwiPeak Cat Food

It's a cold winter day in Connecticut and the cats seem restless.  It is too cold to take the Tonkinese out for a walk on their leashes.

Winter always makes me think of the tropics and my mind drifts back to Thailand  (where my Tonks are from) an exotic tropical paradise with opulent palaces and temple spires that glitter with gold, gems and even broken pieces of porcelain.  Traveling on the Chao Phraya River  to the temples of Bangkok is one of the best ways to explore this intriguing city whose skyline changes every time I visit...but some things, like the temples and the friendliness of the people remain the same.

The good news is that  I just received a new shipment from ZiwiPeak... and because this company takes such care in the way it prepares its' product, I am confident that my cats will  love the new dry cat food.  This should also add a bit of culinary excitement to their day. The food they will try today is  ZiwiPeak Daily Dry Cat Food.  I am trying the Lamb formula that contains over 90% natural meat and organs from select farms in New Zealand...and this country raises the best lamb in the world on  its pristine countryside. I wish I could buy imported lamb from New Zealand in my grocery store!

The ingredients are impressive and include: lamb meat, liver, tripe, lung, heart and kidney plus essential vitamins.  Best of all, there are no artificial preservatives, colors, salt, sugar fillers or grains. Mocha, my Thai Tonkinese took to it right off -- he loves it.  Interestingly, recent  research shows that emotional well being is directly influenced by the amino-acid L-tryptophan and this dry food with its balance of meat and organs is a good source of this.

Little Zoey my gorgeous Himalayan kitten from Spice Hill Cattery was not about to be left out... she pushed her way right in and finished the bowl!  Mocha, the ultimate Tonk gentleman from Great Pine Farm stepped aside and let her try out the new food. I am delighted to tell you that  ZiwiPeak Daily Dry Cat Food is easy to digest, and that they devoured it like wild cats without "incident" -- that is a real plus for this pet owner!

ZiwiPeak is easy to get in the States just go to www.chewy.com and order it online.  There are discounted prices on the air dried lamb treats that my cats beg for !   To learn more about ZiwiPeak, check out their website, http://www.ziwipeak.com. The company also carries a full line of food for dogs.  Please like our Facebook Page at  https://www.facebook.com/catsandproductreviews101/?ref=hl

Thailand Tip: Wat Arun or Temple of the Dawn located on the west side of the Chao Phraya River is the first Thai temple I visited on my first trip to Thailand. I will never forget it.  The scale and intricate artwork of the temple was beyond my expectations. I spent hours marveling at  its scale, architecture and detail. The temple has so many nooks and crannies with various figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals, guardians,  fabulous murals and six riverside pavilions. Wat Arun is encrusted with broken pieces of colored faience and porcelain giving it a 3-D effect that makes it one of the most unusual temples in all of Thailand.  Early morning is the best time to visit; it's the coolest time of day, the light is magnificent for photos and it's before the hordes of visitors arrive.

Treats and Memories of New Zealand

Kia Ora as they say in New Zealand...it's a Maori greeting that has made its' way into New Zealand English.  It means literally to be well/healthy and translates into an informal hello, farewell and thank-you.  Having visited New Zealand I could not help but try a new cat treat product by ZiwiPeak imported from Mt Maunganui New Zealand.  It is being offered by ww.Chewy.com and is discounted this month.  Sabu, my Tonkinese imported from Thailand is definitely intrigued....he has just turned one isn't he a beauty?

Mt Maunganui, a coastal resort town with drop dead beautiful beaches  is located on the North Island  and is where ZiwiPeak, a family owned company is located. This company is founded on the belief that there is no better pet food than raw natural meat, in short, they believe in natural feeding for cats --  and dogs too. Cats are descended from big cats that survive on a diet of high levels of protein and fat from raw meat and organs. ZiwiPeak uses a unique air-drying system that reduces moisture in raw meat and organs that make up their dry food and treats. This method of air-drying preserves nutrients in this product.

 Farms are a big part of life in New Zealand, with sheep, cattle and dairy farms being the most popular.  On my drive from Auckland to Wellington I lost count of the number of farms I passed.  While the coastline of New Zealand is mostly pristine, the interior of New Zealand seems to be an endless patchwork of lush open pastures, colorful orchards and sun dappled vineyards.  Farm to table dining is a way of life; and knowing this, ZiwiPeak Good Cat Treats Jerky Lamb and Liver  seemed to be a must have treat for my tribe of cats -- two Thai Tonkinese, Sabu and Mocha and three Himalayans -- two seal points  TheMaxx and Zoey and Ziva, my little silver lynx point.

There was a great deal of excited sniffing (and begging) going on when I first opened the package of Lamb and Liver Jerky Cat Treats.   Zoey, my 4 month old Himalayan was really quite interested in trying the Jerky Treats... and she gobbled them up... this was taken just before she knocked the bag over and started to try them...

Not to be outdone by her half sister, Ziva, my silver lynx Himalayan was also curious...and loved them as well...she is more cautious than Zoey so she ate just three!  The cat treats are made with 90% natural New Zealand ingredients with 10% comprised of  vitamins and minerals plus select herbs like parsley to keep your cat's breath fresh...I like that idea!  I also like the fact that there are no nasty additives like sugar, glycerine, antibiotics, growth promotants, fillers, grains, or potatoes.

ZiwiPeak comes in a resealable package and is good for adult cats and kittens --- obviously -- but, more to the point, these treats  are easy to digest because they mimic a cat's natural diet.  New Zealand is known for raising the best lamb in the world so in my book, it really is a treat to be able to give my cats this jerky cat treat made of New Zealand Lamb and Liver.

As always, patient Mocha, Sabu's half brother is waiting, patiently for his turn to try the Jerky Treats...if he likes them as much as Sabu does... then I think I shall have to get another bag!  Thanks http://www.chewy.com/

www.chewy.com sent this for review.