Seven cardboard themed gift ideas for your Cat (and you) this Christmas

Cats are notoriously hard to buy for. But, as we all know, there's no greater gift than a cardboard box for our little furry friends. 

My cats have a plethora of cardboard, all at varying stages of wear. Once they've deemed a box no longer comfortable to sleep in, one of the cats will bite out chunks from the sides and they'll tap the pieces around the floor for a while. After that they'll use, what is now a tray as a sort of 'marker' to show excitement when their food is being prepared. They'll start off by shouting about how hungry they are and whilst doing some dances (most of which involve climbing up our legs to get a closer view) one cat will do a lap around the old boxes, then they swap. I'd love to know the significance of the box laps and what they are really expressing so if you have any ideas then do share in the comments.

This Christmas, I thought I'd take a look and see if there were any cool cardboard themed products and I was pretty impressed with what I found. Whatever your budget, there is something for you out there (I had no clue this was even a thing!) but I've put together a few of my favourites with a few extra ideas added in too.

1 Cat scratching DJ deck by SUCK UK £20 + p&p

I saw one of these come up on Instagram a while ago and instantly fell in love, I think this is certainly the front runner for me! I love the way it hits you in the face, not the conventional scratcher we're used to seeing and it would make a superb talking point along with hours of entertainment for both you and your cat.

2 The house cat box by Tux And Tabby £26 + p&p

I chose this boxed selection of cat toys as I really love the mix of textures and materials they use to make the set. It's not the usual range of plastic balls with bells inside that you tend to see and I know that my cats would really love the feel of these pieces.

3 Tall cat scratcher by Charlie And Billy £130 + p&p

Now, this is the ultimate scratch post, using solid oak and sandstone this is quite the pillar of strength! I love it not only for its beauty but considered design and function (plus I know the cats would love it too). You can adjust the design of the cardboard to create your own look and replacements are available when needed.

4 Tiny pocket cat by Amuru £9.80 + p&p

Whilst not aimed for cats, this cute little felted cat really captured my heart. This is a great treat for yourself, especially if like me, you've been banned from adopting any more real life kitties.

5 Cat bed cave by Love Cat Caves £32 + p&p

Our cats always love to sleep under the bed covers but I do worry sometimes that they'll get squashed! This hand felted cat cave made with pure merino wool would be a great alternative. It looks SO warm and cosy, I wonder if you can get human ones?

6 Pet play house by Jolly & Bea's Dog And Cat Accessories £32.99

This really stood out for me, just look at that happy little guy! It's made from super sturdy cardboard and even boasts a satisfaction guarantee. Other designs and colours are available too so you can fit this little cat house around your home decor.

7 Fire engine cat playhouse By SUCK UK £20 + p&p

This is cool on so many levels, another of the entertaining for both cats and humans products. This fire engine box will provide your cat with a cosy box to play and snooze in plus it would look great in your kids room!

Well, I hope you've enjoyed my selection here and that you're planning on spoiling your little tiger(s) this year.

Enjoy

Cats we're loving on Instagram

Did you know that cats enjoy camping? Neither did I!
I think they may well enjoy the new experiences, smells and places to hunt and it's so heart warming to see our little furry friends in a less ordinary setting.

A little while ago I discovered Camping With Cats and I now eagerly await their daily updates in my feed of cats, their humans and other camping companions.

This is a selection of my favourite images. Why not take a look yourself, give them a follow too and you can also submit your own cat and their outdoor pursuits using the hashtag #campingwithcats


Funnily enough I realised recently I follow more cats than humans on Instagram but I'm happy to find more to follow. Let me know in the comments your top cat accounts and I'll take a look.

Cats Cats Cats! Friday freebie printable.

Happy Friday my favourite Cat Nippers!

Here's a little sparkly glitter printable I made just for you to get your weekend (or any day for that matter) off to a great start.

Sized on standard A4, simply click on the image to go to the full size file, save and then print away.

I'd love to see where you display your print so why not post it to our Facebook page when you're done.

Catmas is coming!

I love cards from the cat and there's no greater feeling than knowing your cat is thinking of you around Christmas time.
I have put together a few of my favourite cat themed Christmas cards and hey, if you get one now, write it out and put it with your Christmas stash, you may well get a nice surprise when you come to put your decorations up this year!

"Meowy Christmas!" from TinyBeeCards 

'Cat Jumper' from PrintsOfHeart

'Holiday sweater cats' from MicheleMaule

'Christmas Tree Cat' from AnkeWeckmann

'Cat Christmas Sweater' from ThriftBoxUK

So there we go, you're sure to find something you love in that lot, enjoy!

A little tip to stop your cats going where they shouldn't

Over the last few weeks I've had the pleasure of spending a bit of time with my little nephew. Obviously, like all little ones he loves his Happy Meals so not wanting to feel left out, I have joined him in his dining experience and also I've collected a few of the little Minions along the way.

I left them on our coffee table and could hear them going off at random times throughout the night, followed by a little thud.

At first I thought we had been taken over by poltergeists but I realised that now, our once super curious cats had a little shouty burglar alarm go off every time they jumped up on the table to look for biscuit crumbs (they're fiends for biscuits!) and other treats we may have forgotten to clear away.

So yeah, I just wanted to share this little unexpected Cat Hack and hopefully it will work with your cats too. These little Minions are extremely sensitive to movement and noise and yes, they can get on your nerves a bit but I know that every time I hear a little incoherent shout in the middle of the night, its just them disciplining and training my cats!

Good times. 

I'd love to know if you've found any unexpected 'Cat Hacks' along the way for your little fur babies. Share your tips in the comments below.

Every day is Caturday downloadable print.

Every day is Caturday right? So here's a cheeky little picture for you to display your 'Cat Craziness' with pride!

Sized at A4 you can print directly onto normal copy paper then frame or washi tape to your wall and you're good to go. Simply click on the image to be taken to the full sized file page and click on the download option at the top.

Enjoy





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How to keep your house cat cool during a heatwave and hot weather

I'm not a sun lover at all, it just puts me in a bad mood. I'm not one of these 'oh look, the sun's out, let's go crazy' types. I can't function in heat and I do generally look forward to the Autumn and Winter months when I can walk to the shop without getting a sweat on!
I've had this attitude all my life, so of course I now have a Vitamin D deficiency, which means I'm lacking in Calcium and my bones are a bit gammy (that's a genuine medical term).

My two housecats however, are major sun monkeys. They will seek out any slither of sunlight coming through the window and bask in those rays for hours.
I've had the pleasure of owning cats throughout my life but they've always been outdoor cats. With Geoff and Una, I chose to keep them inside as we live on a busy road, which incidentally has a lot of speeders razzing up and down, but that's another matter! All bar one of the cats I've known had their life ended by a car and I didn't want to go through that again. Selfish? I don't know, but these two live like Kings and Queens, and I personally don't think they're missing out on anything.

Heatstroke is not just for dogs

Up until last year I had NO idea that cats can suffer with heatstroke, there's so much publicity, advice and information around dogs over heating but very little on our other furry friends too. Geoff suffers with urinary problems which means he is on a special food that contains more water than regular cat food. This encourages him to 'go' and in simple terms, keep his tubes running smoothly. It's a bit of a balance but we've found the right mix for him now and he has been without problem coming up to a year.
Unfortunately, we were unarmed during last year's hotter days and Geoff, after his sunbathing, became quite ill. He was not his usual perky self, was being sick and was having trouble using his litter tray. He had developed heat stroke which had aggravated his ongoing condition and it was a very scary time for all of us. 
Anyway, Geoff is fit and well now and he has some important lessons, tips and tricks to pass on to you to ensure you keep your cats cool and safe throughout a heatwave or overly hot days.

My cat is cool, I'm going to keep it that way!

A few other tips from me.

• Provide cool areas for cats to sit, not just shade but also think about things they can sit on. A magazine for instance is a nice cool option, maybe a few gel ice packs under a towel or you could even encourage them to sit in the sink if it's ceramic or porcelain.
• As Geoff has mentioned, you can add water to their wet food. But in between main meals, I like to give them a little bit of sliced ham, again, I add water. You only need a couple of millimetres in the dish and this will ensure they are hydrating well. This trick is actually quite amusing to witness, the ham will usually sink to the bottom so they have to lick the water to get to it. Determination is a funny look on a cat!
• If you have the pleasure of spending the day with your cats, check on them as often as you can. It's best to nip this in the bud so just stay on top of things. 
• Cats love icecream! This is a super fast way of cooling and hydration. Whilst not recommended as part of a regular diet it's a nice little treat for your fur baby in this hot weather. Not too much though, I'm pretty sure cats can get brain freeze too.
• Ensure the litter trays are changed and cleaned regularly, ideally one per cat plus an extra one somewhere away from the main 'toilet area'. Cats will hold out if they're not happy with your cleaning efforts and this can cause problems, especially when they've been drinking so much.
• Lastly, you know your cat the best so use Geoff's advice and if you notice they're not acting normally, they're overly hot to the touch, they're vomiting (not the usual hairball stuff) or they're panting and breathing oddly then contact your Vet for advice.

I do hope this is helpful for you and your cats and that you have learnt a few tips from us. Like I said, I wasn't aware this was an issue. I feel a bit stupid about it now but as the saying goes, 'you don't know what you don't know'.

If you have any advice of your own or experience of cat heatstroke then please feel free to share in the comments below.