Holding court mid-tree!
What can you expect. We indoor kitties love trees, too, and opportunities to just hang out looking cute.
What’s in your tree?
Your friend,
Fisher
and you woke me up because...why?
Dear Friends,
We received an email from Erin, a cat-loving lady from Purina. She invited us to review a new cat food, Purina ONE© SMARTBLEND©.
Let me tell you why we were so delighted (and FTC folks, you can count this as our disclosure):
we did a video...but...need to figure out how to edit it
We came up with a plan. Wart, whose name is a tribute to Merlin and King Arthur, has always devoured his food as if it were his last meal. We are not sure why because he has never been deprived of anything (spoiled cat, for sure).
Wart gobbles food in record time and then often gets tummy pains and the ensuing toss of the cookies, as they say, and nasty poops. It is frustrating for the other household members. To make it worse, after these deposits, he is ready to eat again!
We tried many different kinds of food from cheap to expensive. No help there, so we all (except the humans) went back to Purina because that is our favorite. Staff paid special attention to the different flavors to see what caused the worst outcome. It was food with the fish in it. So, no more fish. Wart, who is healthy (physically), still offers up messes, but not as much as before the fish restriction.
When the samples arrived, we decided to go for broke and give him the Ocean Whitefish Recipe. The result was amazing, and a little scary. He was given a healthy portion due to the inclusion of Antioxidants, Omega 6, real meat, poultry or fish in the the new Purina ONE© SMARTBLEND©. He devoured his dinner with usual speed, and then got a wild look in his eyes – like a kid who did something wrong, but it was so much fun – and ran and jumped around the living room. We all laughed until we thought what if this is an allergic reaction? None of this behavior was Wart-like. We knew he was fine when he decided to sleep off his friskiness. It was not an allergic reaction at all. It was pure bliss from finding fish in his bowl!
Wart’s first reaction was a onetime only. Since then, he has had Tuna (also forbidden), Beef (none of us have ever had beef), and Turkey. And, the guy who is always hungry seems satisfied after his meal, allowing the humans to eat their meal in peace. The overall result? We kitties love the new food! We invite you to check more details about Purina ONE© SMARTBLEND©.
And guess what? Erin sent us an extra set of the 8 new cans of food in case we wanted to run a little contest for our friends. Of course we do! A Few Rules:
Write a short comment after this blog and include your email so we can get your address. Please, only one entry per household. Shipping is free within the United States. Contest starts 9/12/2011 at 10:00 AM U.S. Eastern time and ends on 9/26/2011 at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern time. One winner will be chosen via random drawing. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
And one other very special mention:
Purina ONE SMARTBLEND free sample giveaway begins mid-day on Monday, September 12th, on the Purina ONE Facebook page – 25,000 fans will receive a free sample of the new wet food while supplies last!
Your friend,
Fisher
Please feel free to share this information. Thanks!
OK, OK, I',m sorry!
Creative Commons photo by PattiPics
hairball – (n) a compact mass of hair that forms in the stomach of cats as a result of licking and swallowing the fur, and causes vomiting, coughing, bloat, weight loss, and depression
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Veterinary Science)
You brushed your cat but you still hear the wrenching, tossing of the hairball on the kitchen floor. Or perhaps, you were sleeping and did not hear anything. It was not until you walked into the kitchen to start brewing your first cup of coffee – SPLAT! Battle on.
Hairballs between your toes, on the sofa, or, OMC your keyboard! Yes that is serious, but sometimes wiping up hair balls is just part of the daily routine. You love your cat, it is what he does, you cope.
Help is on the way with Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control Cat Food:
- • Precisely balanced nutrition helps control and avoid the formation of hairballs when fed on a daily basis.
- • Natural vegetable fibers help move hair through a cat’s system, with no drugs or artificial lubricants that may interfere with normal digestion and nutrient absorption.
- • Essential fatty acids promote healthy skin and a shiny coat.
I am happy to announce that we are sponsoring a contest and you could be one of the lucky winners! All you have to do is comment using the word “hairball” in a sentence and tell us which of the 3 choices you (cat) would like to receive:
• Science Diet® Adult Hairball Control Dry – for cats age 1 to 6
• Science Diet® Adult Hairball Control Light Dry – for cats prone to weight gain
• Science Diet® Mature Adult Hairball Control Dry – for cats age 7 or older
Contest ends at midnight, EST, May 30th, 2011. FIFTEEN lucky readers will each win a seven pound bag of Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control in celebration of Hill’s battle against hairballs! One entry per household, please.
After a random drawing, my staff will contact the winners and the good people at Hill’s will send you a fresh bag of Hill’s Science Diet Hairball Control Cat Food! Winners will be posted on my blog. Please be sure we have a way to contact you.
Due to postage costs, the contest is for U.S. residents only. BUT, if you have a friend here, or would like to benefit a Foster Mom or Rescue group in the U.S., please feel free to enter the contest and if your name is drawn, we will contact you for their information and let them know you won one for them.
What do you do in the meantime while the hairball frustration continues? It is a battle! Showing the humorous side of a serious situation, Hill’s is now leading the field with a branded consumer game on Facebook….Hairball Battle.
Playing the game is simple. Choose one of our hilarious hairballs and cough them up on your friends! But watch out, they’ll be able to retaliate! Silly, sloppy and a bit disgusting—it’s the most fun friends of felines can have without leaving Facebook! Fight to the yucky finish and help Hill’s generate awareness of our hairball control products in a unique way. Watch your step!
P.S. Dog lovers, don’t be shy—you can play, too!
Thanks for entering and GOOD LUCK!!
Your friend,
Fisher
Disclosure: My staff and I are not receiving compensation for this contest. It is merely our statement of “we feel your pain.”
David after dentist….
Youch!!!!
Be happy it is Saturday and the dentist office is closed.
Your friend,
Fisher
Dear Fisher,
I have wonderful humans who my sister and I live with. We have been living with them for 1 year. Before our current owners, we lived with a family that had to get rid of us because they were moving to a new place that wouldn’t allow cats. They give us lots of loving and we are happy we found each other. My owners are huge fans of your column and they suggested I contact you. My sister and I are very happy now and love our home, but I am such a curious cat that sometimes when my owners open the front door I run out. I usually get scared and come back inside quickly. My owners try to control it and watch me as they open the door but sometimes I escape. My owners are worried that one time I might get out and not come back due to my curiosity. Fisher what would you recommend to keep me safe and inside?
Puppy
P.S. My previous owner had a three year old they allowed to name me. My current owners didn’t want to change my name.
Dear Puppy,
After some hesitation, I decided to cite the old adage, “curiosity killed the cat.” That is a little harsh, I know, but it is an old adage for a reason. I am concerned that one day your people will not see you slip out. They may unwittingly close the door behind you, and there you are in a whole new dimension. The world out there is not always safe or friendly to scared little cats.
You really have two options here. Plan A: mind your manners and not scare your humans by running outside. Plan B is that if you continue this errant behavior, you must have a back-up in case you end up outside on the wrong side of a closed door.
Now, Plan B is extremely tricky and depends on how fast you run out the door. Is it fast enough to smuggle out treats, water bowl, and a fuzzy blanket? These are absolute necessities to keep you safe while you wait for the door to re-open. If they do not know you slipped out, you need to be prepared.
Some ideas for your people to try:
1.Hang a rope of bells on the door knob so it makes a clatter when opening the door.
2.Put cat in another room with door slightly ajar, then rush out the front door.
3.If cat greets you at the door when you get home, do not acknowledge cat until you are well into the house. A treat will reinforce this new practice. Reverse when leaving.
4.Create wicked door – see the video.
Many do not know cats can be trained, but we all know it. Help them think they trained you.
Your friend,
Fisher
