A Decade of Cats, Chats and 8 Great Gift Ideas for Cat Lovers!

Today, Cat Chat With Caren and Cody TURNS 10!

 That’s right friends, today we are celebrating 10 YEARS OF BLOGGING!!

 A WHOLE DECADE! Holy Cat! Where has the time gone?

A Special Thank You to Ann
Of Zoolatry
for this special badge!

 First and foremost, we could NOT have been around for 10 YEARS if it wasn’t for YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, OUR VALUED READERS! We THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HUMAN AND FELINE HEARTS!

 In honor of this momentous occasion, Cody and I have pawed through TEN YEARS of products that we have featured and chose the ones that are our FAVORITES to present to YOU!! The people/companies behind the products we are featuring are each special and dear to us as well. In regards to hand/custom made gifts the talent we have assembled has us purring with delight. Cody and I have also made sure we have featured the best of the best in the cat world for every budget. Be sure to read carefully because a number of these pawesome people included DISCOUNT CODES!!! So, grab a snack and maybe a lap, and check out these catabulous gift ideas below!

THIRSTY CAT FOUNTAINS
Handmade Ceramic Cat Fountains

Handmade Ceramic Cat Fountains – Food Safe, Quiet, Easy to Clean.

New designs each week with styles for every breed and temperament. In our opinion the ThirstyCat Fountains are the most beautiful and functional fountains for your cat. They are works of art! ThirstyCat Fountains are also Veterinarian recommended. 

Visit www.thirstycatfountains.com

 Use coupon code – catchat for 10% off

PET TREE HOUSES

Look familiar? It should because Pet Tree Houses has been featured on our blog NUMEROUS times, not always in an obvious manner, ours is often photographed with Cody on it because he is on that tree ALL OF THE TIME! Cody has had his Pet Tree House for YEARS and it is STILL his favorite place to nap and watch the world go by every...single....day. I love the tree as much as Cody and that is the reason I will never feature another cat tree on our blog, why when this is the BEST? The incredible people at Pet Tree Houses are "Purveyors of Natural Feline Fun".  Their mission is simple: Offer the highest-quality handcrafted real cat trees so that your feline companion feels as if they are living in their true nature. Of the many styles available, their most popular real cat tree is the Sycamore, and it is unlike any real cat tree you’ve ever seen before. See for yourself! Visit www.pettreehouses.com 

Use coupon code CHAT10 for a 10% discount!
Expires November 30, 2019

LENNYMUD

LENNYMUD is a small company owned by a husband and wife team that handcrafts ceramics in their New Jersey studio.  They named their business after their rescue cat Lenny- a mischievous and clumsy tuxedo cat whose accidents always ensure ample shelf space in the workshop.  As cat owners (and now new dog owners as well) many of the items they sell have sentiments that are purrfect for cat lovers with a sense of humor.  LENNYMUD was recently featured on our blog and I am simply CRAZY about their products! I am going to peruse their site some more for possible holiday gift shopping! Their website isn't just for cat lovers, they have something for EVERYONE! All items are dishwasher, microwave safe and created with all non toxic, lead free materials.

  Visit them online at http://www.lennymud.com
 and use special coupon code CAT2019 for 15% off
 to celebrate this 10th blogversary!

SCRUFFY PAWS NUTRITION

Recently featured on our blog, the Daily Multi Health bites multivitamins  are "designed to keep cats of ALL AGES in peak condition "These tasty bites contains over 20 balanced nutrients you can't find in most supplements and foods." The Daily Multi Health Bites are the first in class Health Bite chews that are designed to fill the 'Nutritional Gap' found in the modern, overly-processed feline diet. Whether your cat eats wet or dry, the Scruffy Paws Daily Multi Health Bites will support your kittys health and vitalize his or her body! 

Visit the Scruffy Paws Nutrition website and receive 10% OFF!

The 10% off discount code is CATCHAT10

CAT AMAZING SLIDERS

Cat Amazing SLIDERS is their most interactive treat puzzle – with shifting and sliding inner sections to continually change the maze and refresh the challenge! We have featured various products of theirs numerous times over the past 10 years and their mazes are the ONLY mazes that Cody owns, by choice!  They help slow down his gobbling of treats/kibble and encourages him to think and use his natural hunting instinct, while having FUN at the same time!

The Cat Ball®

"Tribal Orange"

"Navy Turquoise Geometric"

The Cat Ball® is a modern, cave-style, cat bed. This designer cat bed has two openings, one larger than the other, and has six foam-filled panels. Made in the USA with high quality cotton fabrics that look great in the home. The Cat Ball® was one of the first products that Cody reviewed back when our blog was a baby! It remains a favorite in our home!  Available at www.thecatball.com and www.amazon.com/thecatball

SQUARE PAWS
ANCHOVY CAT CANDO

Cody and I are huge fans of Square Paws and we are captivated by their unique, creative, quirky, beautiful, unique and stunning creations! The Anchovy Cat Cando is the newest offering of theirs that we are lusting over! Made of solid, paint-grade plywood, bendable plywood, and solid wood, this cat condo is hand-cut and hand-assembled with a series of routed grooves at front and back to simulate the industrial canning process.  It comes outfitted with plush nylon carpeting, gray at the top surface and golden beige at the interior to cradle your cat in comfort.  The exterior is hand-painted with a hammered-finish silver metallic paint, while the interior is painted golden yellow to mimic the interior and exterior of an actual sardine can. A fixed wood post on the exterior is adorned with woven sisal carpeting, which is an ideal scratching surface for your kitties.  The top has a screw-in hook to help complete the sense that this can is open for feasting!
  Learn more at: www.squarepaws.com

MUNCHIECAT

Regular readers of our blog will recognize this hilarious and adorable Wine and Cheese set from munchiecat.com  When I photographed Cody with their items for the blog, it was one of my most FUN photo sessions ever. I chuckle when I walk into my office and find Cody's "wine bottle" laying on the floor as if he just finished a bender! This Wine & Cheese set by munchiecat is made with soft minky fabric and includes catnip, crinkle, and jingle toys to bring out your cat’s playful yet sophisticated side! Munchiecat’s toys are made from durable, non-toxic materials, so you can feel good about offering them to your cat. Plus, unlike many other pet toys, their toys are designed to be safe.  They do not  use any small plastic parts, feathers, string or beads that could break off and pose a serious safety issue. In fact, they follow strict safety guidelines and constantly try to improve through their customers’ feedback and extensive research.

So, tell us! Which gifts will you be getting for the favorite cats/cat lovers in YOUR life? 

We have our ears perked wanting to know!

Once again, thanks for joining us throughout this past decade, sharing the good times, the sad times, the exciting, loving, fun and sometimes crazy times as well! Your support and caring are unsurpassed and deeply appreciated. Without YOU, there would be no Cat Chat With Caren and Cody!

Much love and gratitude from,

Caren and Cody

Meet The Mastermind Behind Square Paws: the most "Truly Unique Cat Furniture"

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: A few months ago I had the pleasure of discovering the MOST "truly unique cat furniture" that I had ever laid eyes on. In my opinion, "truly unique" doesn't begin to cover the genius and talent that is behind the most CREATIVE, as well as "unique" cat furniture I have ever seen. I immediately fell in love. Today, I am thrilled to present to you the owner/creator of 

his name is Mario Arbore.  Mario's philosophy is " Here at Square Paws, we’d like to think that your cat's play-towers should be part of your home environment and not a completely foreign object. That’s why our cat towers and other pet pieces are made to delight both pet and owner."  10% of net profits are donated to agencies dedicated to animal rescue and refuge.

I am beyond smitten with the furniture at Square Paws, so much so, that I asked Mario if he wouldn't mind writing a guest post to give us some background as to how Square Paws came about, and how he came to create what is, in my opinion,  the most endearing, unique and creative furniture that exists in the cat world! I am thrilled that he accepted! Now, I proudly present, Mario Arbore

CLICK HERE TO VISIT
the above picture is a sponsored ad on our sidebar

In early 2014, I had come to a fork in the road in my career as an architect.  Having completed several long-term projects in New York and in Florida, I found myself with some extra time on my hands and asked a friend what she thought I should do next.  “Why not build cat towers?” she asked.

I scratched my head, wondering how I might approach the subject of cat towers.  I had purchased several of the garden-variety cat trees from the big box pet store chains in the past and had even tried my hand at making a small cat perch many years ago.  But this was different.  This occurred for me as an opportunity to “say something different” about cat furniture.  I pondered for a few days what I might do and what kind of design vocabulary I might bring to the subject.  In those early days, I began to take visual notes and sketch the various habits of my three cats, often measuring them while they slept or watching how far they would jump.

I noticed how two of my three cats preferred sleeping at the highest spot they could find, whereas the other cat preferred to hole up in a more cave-like setting.  Drawing upon my knowledge of architectural history, my first thought was to one of my favorite building types: a lighthouse.  It had the verticality most cats desired, while still allowing for a place to “cave.”  I found images of a lighthouse in Nova Scotia that I liked very much and immediately went to work designing the form and inner platforms for a kitty lighthouse.  Within a week, I had created the working drawings, then cut, painted and carpeted my first cat tower.  And, after watching my cats quickly take to climbing within its walls, I knew instantly I had stumbled upon an intriguing approach to making cat habitats!

The lighthouse opened up a wellspring in my mind of building typologies and iconic items that could be tailored to serve as jungle-gyms for curious felines.  Nautical themes led me to creating various lifeguard chairs.  The concept of a chair led me to creating a Royal Throne. 

Photo Courtesy of Square Paws
"Royal Throne"

Common household items like grandfather clocks and coffee pots became inspiration for new cat tower designs, all the while challenging me to fit a cat’s natural curiosity to climb and sleep safely atop their domain paired with a piece of sculpture that could enhance a person’s home rather than appear like an afterthought. 

Photo Courtesy of Square Paws
"Hickory Dickory"

Use of bold colors and different carpets became fun to experiment with, to see how various cats of different stripes and fur color might appear against the different backdrops.

Photo Courtesy of Square Paws
"Espurresso"

Indeed, one of the greatest joys I got in the process was the joy and wonder experienced by PEOPLE as much as cats!  The sheer idea of fashioning something such as a collection of musical instruments into a cat condo took many people by surprise and sparked their imaginations towards new possibilities.  And cats, being the sensitive animals that they are, are quick to react to a person’s loving, doting energy, and that’s good for both feline and human alike.

Photo Courtesy of Square Paws
"Musicat"

Photo Courtesy of Square Paws
"Ferris Wheel"

From an oversized stiletto shoe to a kitty Ferris wheel, from a cat-friendly potted flower to a peering giraffe, the journey thus far to explore and create new ways to enhance the lives of cats and their human custodians has been very rewarding, and we are looking forward to creating new Square Paws wonders for folks to marvel at!

Mario Arbore

Get "CATIFIED!" Enter to win Catification, Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!!) by Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin

On the heels of yesterday's blog post,  where I discussed the importance of keeping cats INDOORS, it is appropriate that I present to you THE ONLY book you will EVER need to help you create an indoor utopia that will not only provide hours of entertainment for your cat(s), but it will enable you to design that utopia based on YOUR cat's needs (after all, they ARE ALL DIFFERENT!). You will learn how to do this  by using design choices and ideas that are unique and personal to YOUR home decor!

While discussing the merits of keeping cats inside, one of my insightful readers left this comment that I couldn't agree with more:

From Fuzzytales:when the cat is indoor-only and doesn't have access to a catio or something similar, I think it's hugely important to make the living environment as enriching as possible. It's not just about having a cat live into its teens or even to 20, it's about *quality* of life as well.

So True!

Want to make YOUR cat's environment "as enriching as possible?"


Are You Ready To ROCK?

I proudly present:

What is "Catification?"

From JacksonGalaxy.com:

Catification is about creating feline-friendly environments that cater to a cat’s natural instincts to climb, perch, rest, play, and own their space. We’re here to tell you that you can accommodate your indoor cat’s need to climb, perch, play and relax — in a way that makes you both happy.

            According to JACKSON GALAXY, the star and executive producer of Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell and author of Cat Daddy, you don’t have to choose.  In CATIFICATION: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!) (Tarcher/Penguin paperback;  on sale 10/14/14), Galaxy joins one of my favorite "Cat Women",  Kate Benjamin, of the popular cat website Hauspanther.com to help cat owners everywhere design a happy feline home that is both functional and chic. 

Kate Benjamin the reigning "Queen of Cats"
at her "Cat Style Lounge" at BlogPaws 2014
Read Kate's "Pro Tips" in Catification!!

 Drawing on their extensive human/feline relationship expertise, Galaxy and Benjamin here offer an indispensible guide packed with more than fifteen fun DIY projects and countless design tips and tricks. 

More than just a design book, CATIFICATION also teaches readers:

•           The instinctual hard-wiring  behind your cat’s indoor needs

•           What your kitty’s behavior is trying to tell you-Catification provides the meanings of ear and tail and whisker positions, as well as body language.

•           How to determine your cat’s specific personality and desires-Catification comes with a worksheet with questions to help determine the needs for EVERY cat in your household!

•           Small changes you can make to improve your relationship with your pet

This beautifully designed, full-color book includes practical and attractive projects—from kitty hammocks and “catios” (cat patios) to cat towers and superhighways—that will make both human and kitty happy. Catification is FAR from just being a "picture book." I was completely blown away by not only the AMOUNT of information in this book, but there is everything from finding the perfect cat bed, to creating the purrfect space for your cats while keeping an eye on your BUDGET!

 By designing an optimal living space for our feline friends, owners can minimize cats’ negative behavior and promote a healthy lifestyle for their pets, all while maintaining a beautiful home.

Catification is 304 INFORMATION PACKED PAGES that should be a part of EVERY cat owner's reference library. It would make a great "new kitten" gift, a gift for a shelter, or for any cat lover in your life!

ISBN 978-0-399-16601-3

 Enter to Win!!!

A special thank you to Jackson, Kate and Tarcher/Penguin for allowing me to have a give-away for my readers!!!! The give-away includes a "proof" copy of Catification, AND an adorable LUNCH BAG that looks like, who else? CODY!!!!!

THERE WILL BE TWO WINNERS!!!! OPEN WORLD-WIDE!! YEP! WORLD-WIDE!

 I will mail the International winner their copy of Catification and the lunch bag and Tarcher/Penguin will mail the same prizes to my winner in the U.S.!!!!!!

Entering is "Easy-Peasy!" there is only ONE requirement on the rafflecopter at the END of this post!

Pre-order to Support Cats!

For every copy of Catification pre-ordered, the publisher Tarcher/Penguin will donate $1 to organizations supporting cat welfare. We will be sure to update you once the organizations have been chosen. In order for your pre-order to count toward the donation, please email a copy of your receipt to catificationbook@gmail.com.More details at www.tarcherbooks.com/catification. Pre-order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, from any major bookseller, or visit Indiebound to find a local bookstore in your area.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was not compensated for this review. I was sent  two "proof copies" of Catification and 2 lunch bags in exchange for my honest review.

Kitty’scape™ Cat Tower Review and Enter to Win!

Oh my Cat my furiends! You are going to be happy that you stopped by today! I have been keeping something under my paw for a while now and it is finally time to spill the kibble!!

I was the lucky recipient of a Kitty'scape Cat Tower!  to review!

This is the same one that I received.
The photo is from Solvit Products
click here to visit the product page

Kitty'scape is

"A Whole New Way For Cats To Play"

It is "Versatile-Configurable-Expandable-Economical"

The model that I received was the Deluxe Model kit  and since I am more of a "Tree Dweller", mom decided to construct it more like the photo above.  It may also be reconfigured like this or however you choose!

Photo from Solvit Products

There is also a Basic Kit and an Intermediate Kit which you can read about here

as well as a number of other kits.

The box. Mom used this as a reference
when she put my Kitty'scape together

It came with complete instructions which were great
but Mom found it easier since she is more of a
visual person to just look at the box

Ok kitties I have to tell you when Mom opened the box and removed the parts, I had my doubts. At first, she did as well. As many of you know, Mom isn't the "handiest" person in the world, and ask my Dad? Um, noooo...he's even worse!

Mom completely amazed me! She amazed herself as well!

This was the beginning stage
of Mom assembling the Kitty'scape!
Not too shabby eh?

On the site it states that the Kitty'scape can be assembled in "minutes." For a "normal" person that would be 100% accurate. For someone with limited abilities such as my Mom, it was more like 120 minutes, which in my book is pretty darned good!

Here is my finished tower (but you can't see the bottom)

This is catabulous isn't it?
Mom added a comfy pad
that she had on one of the levels
In full disclosure, Mom's friend
helped her attach the top level

Now it was time for me to purrform my inspection of her construction and of the structure.

WANT ONE?

GUESS WHAT?

YOU CAN WIN!

(U.S. ONLY PLEASE)

Just complete the steps below via Rafflecopter,

 one winner will be announced Sunday, October 7th!

 Good luck!

THANK YOU Kitty’scape™

I couldn't be happier!

In full disclosure, we were sent one Kitty’scape™ Cat Tower to review and were offered one as a give-away. We were not compensated for this review. All opinions are strictly mine and Mom's!

a Rafflecopter giveaway