Holiday Food Tips for Cats

 For those of us that cook up a storm, it is tempting to give our cats an extra holiday treat, this is ok to do in moderation, but it is best not to feed your feline friend rich fatty foods, pan drippings and gravy.   As many cats are actually lactose intolerant don't feed your cat ice cream, whipped cream or other dairy products that can cause diarrhea.  Most cats are not interested eating toxic foods like chocolate, onions or avocados, but they may like a dish that contains these food items, these ingredients will make your cat sick, so it is best to steer  clear from foods that have those ingredients .  I have a solution to holiday human food for cats with a new delectable treat from chewy.com from Stella and Chewy.

If you think your cat has consumed a poisonous food contact your  vet or the Pet Poison Hotline (800) 213-6680.

 

Holiday Cat Food  A Solution - Stella & Chewy

To avoid giving my cats holiday human food, I am giving my gang of five a new, fabulously healthy pure protein freeze dried product made exclusively for cats that www.chewy.com sent me called  "Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels by Stella & Chewy.

This raw diet pet food was developed in 2003 when Marie met a puppy called Chewy and adopted him only to find out he had distemper.  Marie began to prepare and feed him a raw diet and nursed him back to health.  Marie decided to bring raw diet options to dog and cat pet parents and the brand, Stella & Chewy was born.  

Why to Buy

Each Stella and Chewy's freeze-dried raw dinner morsel is formulated to mirror a cat's ancestral diet that will keep your cat happy, healthy and give him or her the protein that they require to thrive. This cat food will help aid in healthy digestion, a vibrant skin and coat, and healthy teeth and gums.

The high  pressure process used to  create  Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels has been   recognized by the FDA and USDA that gets rid of  harmful bacteria unable to survive under high  pressure.

Slow freeze drying locks in  nutrition.  You can feed cats this food in it's freeze dried form or rehydrate it by adding a half cup of water to every cup of food. Feeding instructions are included in the packaging making this easy to prepare.

• Freeze Dried to lock in nutrition and provide cats with a healthy balanced diet
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• All Natural with no grains, gluten, fillers, artificial  preservatives or color.
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• Cage -free and farm raised in USA that is  98% meat, organs and bones
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• Rich in  taurine and enhanced with  probiotics and antioxidants
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• Great for coat, eyes, skin  gum health
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• Added Vitamins and Minerals 
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• Serve as is or add water and serve

Other Holiday No-No's

Holiday Plants
Holiday Plants and flowers make our homes look festive, they also attract curious felines. Poinsettias are known for their toxicity to cats; holly and mistletoe are much more dangerous if ingested. Flowers such as lilies and amaryllis are also very dangerous.  In my opinion, it is best to keep toxic plants out of the home entirely.

Candles
I love burning scented candles this time of year, there are so many wonderful scented brands to choose from. If you do burn candles, make sure that you keep them well away from your four pawed friends.  Cats are attracted to heat and could singe their whiskers and worse, your cat could knock over a candle and cause a fire! Always keep candles out of your cat's reach and never leave a candle burning unsupervised.

The Christmas Tree
Cats by nature are curious and ornaments look like cat toys. Chewing on artificial or real trees can cause GI problems.  Tree water may contain pesticides, fertilizer or other chemicals -- cats  should never  drink this water. Cover the tree water with aluminum foil to keep cats from drinking it. If your cat is a climber, put the tree in a corner so your cat doesn't bring the tree down.

Ribbons, Tinsel and Lights
Cats love to play with shiny string like materials and find tinsel garland and ribbons hard to resist. If swallowed these items can cause obstructions that could require surgery. Avoid hanging strings of tinsel that are within the reach of your cat and use a garland made of cloth ribbons.

Tips on how to Save your Christmas Tree From... Cat-astrophe!

Something new is in the house... it has  hanging things that dangle...  sparkling things that  seem to invite a four pawed feline attack!   And, if you have a real tree, it seems as though the outside has been brought inside...making the tree even more interesting!   Here are a few  tips that might help your household avoid a "cat-astrophe including a new modern cat scratcher from Fusion Pets from chewy.com that is amazing! A great gift and 11% OFF! The first of several tips....diversion!

Diversion - Pet Fusion Scratching Post

I am featuring a fabulous diversion that www.chewy.com sent me that amuses my cats that are now use to the tree.   Rather than set up a barricade, I set up a fabulous cat scratching post by Pet Fusion-- their designs are so contemporary -- this cat scratcher is almost like a piece of mid.-century architectural design.   It is purrfect for my home and is sure to impress my holiday guests -- and yours too... it also makes a fantastic gift for the cat lover in your life!

Features of Pet Fusion 

• A Win- Win  Chewy.com is offering an 11%  discount on this  fab cat scratcher by  Pet Fusion and your cats will love it... also makes a great gift!
• Two In One - This is a scratcher and play area all in one that comes with natural catnip and a multitude of surfaces to claw that keeps cats occupied, stress free and tree free!
• Flows with  Decor -No assembly  required and oh so  stylish !  All materials used are tested by International  safety standards.
• Eco Design - This is made of recycled cardboard that is put together with a non-toxic corn starch glue and is oh so sturdy.
• So Many Angles - This has a cubby hole for  scratching and relaxing as well as vertical surfaces it's the cat's meow!
• Design - Modern- Thoughtful, eco friends and best of all is not an eyesore... plus it does not take up too much space.
• Award Winner -  This product uses superior cardboard and was voted by Cat Fancy Magazine as the 2014 Editors Choice for the Best New Product.  It is also recommended by Hauspanther, a  recognized leader in cat products.
• Integrity - This cat scratcher comes with a SIX month warranty for any manufacturing defect, or if you are not completely satisfied.

Wait a Day or Two Before Decorating  

Waiting before decorating gives my cats a bit of time to get use to the tree and all the furniture re-arrangement that goes into putting the tree up.  This  gives my gang of five time to sniff around the undecorated tree safely without me being worried about them pawing expensive  ornaments or biting on lights.  It also gives me time to figure out just how interested they are in the tree.

Place Your Tree in a Corner  

I always place my tree in a corner, away from furniture so they can't jump onto the tree from a cabinet or  the back of a couch...my Tonkinese are prolific climbers and jump down from  six feet without so much as a thought!

Unplug the Lights and  Lose the Tinsel and Garland 

Cats love anything that has a long string it seems and lights and tinsel garland are cat calling cards to play and pull it down.  Many times I have found garland pulled across the floor... about six years ago, I stopped with the cascading garland (and I like the look of the tree better without it) because it became such a mess to  put back up and... more to the point, I was worried about the gang of five's safety... cats can choke on it!   In addition, I always unplug the lights when I am not in the room to protect my  gang from electric shock... and, worse,  a  tree with lights on when not home is a fire hazard.

Dirty Tree Water Solution 

All of them seem to gravitate to the dirty tree water in the tree stand... regardless of how much fresh clean water they have scattered around the house.  If you cannot find a covered tree stand, and I could not for the size tree I have, then cover it with tin foil, cats hate tinfoil and hopefully will keep  curious paws out of it!

A Purrfect Gift for a Cat (Lover) and Dog too!

Who doesn't like  goodies.... everyone I know likes them... and I bet you do too!  Talking about goodies, chewy.com has curated a new "Goody Box" for your pets (cats and dogs)...  and these Goody Boxes are purrfection !  This new Goody Box Meow You're Talking Box offered by chewy.com is  a great holiday gift for cat lovers ( dog lovers too!)... they are terribly clever and a great value as well... and they ship free.

We all know there are boxes and then, there are boxes and this "Goody Box" for cats doesn't disappoint...it is loaded with all manner of goodies sure to entertain your four pawed feline friend for days!  

These boxes contain five or more hand-picked  snacks, chase toys for the thrill of the hunt and more fun pet items from premium brands including some grain- and gluten-free options.

The Perks!

• Expect surprise items in every Goody-Box that making it as much fun for pet owners to open as it is for their feline friends. 

• Five or more full-size goodies from premium brands, including some grain- and gluten-free options.

• Free Shipping on every Chewy Goody Box order! Woot!

• Handpicked selection for all breeds of cats 1 year and older.

• Great savings on everyday prices on this selection of toys and treats.

• Surprise your own four-legged friend, or give the Chewy Goody Box to friends and family as a thoughtful pet gift box.

• It’s great for special occasions, new pet adoptions, pet birthdays or a special present for any day of the year.

• A brochure is enclosed that describes all the products and offers ideas on how to use the box.

• This is an easy way to try new products that will spoil your cat!

A Great Surprise!

These days, it is not easy to purchase something sight unseen... but don't hesitate... it is packed with very special high end items that your cat will love.  This cute box even comes with a description of each product that is included in the box and even has a suggestion of how to repurpose the box!  You can use it as a litter box, as a feline sleeping box or as a storage box to put all the fabulous toys in... and then, of course watch your cat "fish them out!" 

Reviews

Out of 149 reviews on chewy.com this product got 4.5 out of five stars with 74% giving the Goody Box FIVE STARS -- and with good reason!  And, a great gift... any time of year!