Fun Places for Cat Lovers to Visit

Sign outside Hello Kitty theme park

By Julia Williams



This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me even slightly: I have a “cat-themed” bucket list. What might that be, you ask? Well, it’s a detailed list of all the cat-themed places I want to visit before my demise. Lest you think that would be a really short list, I assure you it isn’t. There are, in fact, so many fabulous feline-inspired things to see worldwide, that I would need to live (at least) several hundred years to cross them all off.



The wildly popular cat-obsessed blog, Catsparella, only contributed to my longing by featuring some purrfect pussycat travel destinations in a series of great posts called Around the World in 80 Cats. Every day for months I salivated worse than Pavlov’s Dog, and sulked that my pink leopard suitcase and I wouldn’t be heading to the airport any time soon. Here are just a few of the feline-themed destinations on my bucket list:

Hello Kitty boat ride

Hello Kitty Theme Park: Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo



It takes a special kind of bravery for a middle-aged woman to admit that she (still) likes Hello Kitty. But I do. And despite the fact that the target audience for Sanrio Puroland is 3-6 year olds, I would go there in a heartbeat, and I would have a wonderful time. Never mind that the reviews on Trip Advisor range from “Every Hello Kitty fan’s dream come true” to “A complete waste of time and money.” Besides, Wikipedia claims that “the park has become one of Japan's most popular attractions.” So there! The park is run by the Sanrio company, creators of Hello Kitty, and features live musicals, restaurants, attractions, parades, fireworks and rides, including an “It’s a Small World” type boat ride. For diehard Kitty fans, the extensive gift shop offerings alone would be worth the trip.



Catskill, New York:  Cat n’ Around Festival



Yes, it makes perfect sense that a tiny town called Catskill would find a way to celebrate the divine feline. Every summer since 2007, 40+ fiberglass cats take up residence along Catskill’s Historic Main Street, adding a healthy dose of charm to an already quaint place. The larger-than-life decorative cat statues are handmade by local artists, and each year there is a new, original litter. The kitties are on display from May to September, and then auctioned off to raise money for charity. I became aware of this unique cat-themed travel destination a few years ago after it was featured on the awesome – but alas, short lived – TV show Must Love Cats. I can’t think of a better reason to visit upstate New York, can you?



The Kuching Cat Museum in Malaysia

Kuching Cat Museum entrance

What’s a metropolis to do when their very name means Cat City? Pay homage to the venerable feline with cat statues everywhere, of course. But why stop there? Kuching didn’t, and their one-of-a-kind Cat Museum has become a must-see attraction for feline fans worldwide. Inaugurated in 1993, the museum features 2000+ feline exhibits, artifacts, art, photographs, statues, stamps, posters and – perhaps most intriguing of all – a mummified Egyptian cat dating back to 3500 BC! The museum is much more than just a collection of cat memorabilia, however; it’s also a research center devoted to exploring the rich cultural history of our feline friends.



The Hemingway Home/Museum in Key West, Florida 

Cat chillaxing at Hemingway Home

The former home of Ernest Hemingway is a must-see destination for literary types, who enjoy checking out the rooms and gardens where the celebrated American author lived and wrote for more than 10 years. But cat lovers find the place just as enchanting, thanks to 40-50 felines that have full roaming privileges. Legend has it that a ship’s captain gave Hemingway a white polydactyl (six toed) cat named Snowball, who became the first of many felines to win his heart. Although some say that never actually happened, the museum’s tour guides diligently keep the legend alive, so that the hordes of cat fans keep coming.

Cat inside the Hemingway home

Also on my cat-themed bucket list: lots more Hello Kitty madness including a Sweet Shop in Taipei, Taiwan, a Beauty Spa in Dubai, and Harmonyland, another Sanrio theme park on the island of Kyushu;  a visit to “Station Master Tama” (a calico cat) on the Kishigawa Line in Kinokawa, Wakayama, Japan; the tiny Pacific Ocean island of Tashirojima (aka Cat Island), where felines outnumber humans; the Cat Boat, a floating animal sanctuary in Amsterdam; the cat-themed train station and cat-shaped bridge in Taipei; and the  Festival of the Cats in the Belgian town of Ypres.



Have you ever been to any of these places?



Hello Kitty photos courtesy of Catsparella

Kuching Cat Museum courtesy of virtualmalaysia.com

Hemingway Home photos by James Willamor



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The personal opinions and/or use of trade, corporate or brand names, is for information and convenience only. Such use does not constitute an endorsement by CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods of any product or service. Opinions are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods.

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Why Does My Cat “Go” Outside the Litter Box?

By Julia Williams



I saw a funny cartoon on Facebook recently, where a cat had made a little Zen Garden out of his litter box. A woman commented that her cat had started pooping next to the litter box and they were going to find it a new home. Dozens of angry retorts from cat lovers followed, and while some of the comments were a bit harsh, I think their wrath was justified. Had the woman said she’d tried everything to figure out why the cat was doing this, and asked for help, it would have been a different story.



Unfortunately, there are people who, instead of trying to change this common but undesirable behavior, just dump the cat at the shelter. That doesn’t solve anything, and innocent animals suffer needlessly. It’s absolutely not the cat’s fault that it starts going outside the litter box. There is always a reason, and a responsible pet owner has a duty to figure it out and find a solution. Anything else is just unacceptable. Sometimes it’s not easy, but no one ever said life would be without challenges.



There are five main reasons a cat might start “doing his business” outside the litter box. Let’s take a look at them.



A Medical Problem



Many medical issues – including diabetes, cystitis, bladder stones and urethral blockage – can cause a cat to stop using the litter box, and some can be life threatening. Therefore, it’s imperative to take your cat to the vet to rule out a medical problem first, before considering other reasons for the litter box aversion.



Type of Litter



Back in 1947, when Edward Lowe “accidentally” invented the first commercially packaged kitty litter, pet owners weren’t faced with a gazillion choices like they are today. How do we choose one? It depends somewhat on your personal preferences, but in the end it’s really about which one your cat likes and will use. If you love the natural kitty litters made from corn or wheat but your cat doesn’t, guess who has the final say? If you think scented litter smells nice, but your cat (whose sense of smell is infinitely greater than your own) prefers unscented, then unscented is what you’ll have to use. Some litter has a rough texture, and your cat might prefer a finer, sandy feel.



If your cat doesn’t like your choice of litter for any reason, she’s going to let you know with inappropriate elimination – and you will never convince them to accept a litter they find objectionable. You may have to try many different brands and types to discover which one is the holy grail of kitty litters in your cat’s eyes, but once you do, stick with it.



Box Location 



The classic real estate adage “location, location, location” is also important for the litter box. Situate the box in a safe, low-traffic location that’s easily accessible, offers some privacy and is not near appliances that make startling noises. Litter boxes should also not be placed next to food and water bowls, because cats don’t like to eat or drink near where they go to the bathroom any more than humans do. If you have multiple cats and more than one litter box, don’t put them all in the same place if you have a bully cat who might try to keep a timid cat away from the box.



Cleanliness 

Most people flush their own toilets after every use, yet some think it’s perfectly acceptable to let several days’ worth of offerings accumulate in the litter box. Aside from the issue of smelling up your house, stepping in poo is offensive to your fastidious feline’s sensibility. That’s not to say you have to be like some obsessive-compulsive people I know (okay...it’s me) who hover over the litter box to scoop immediately after the cat finishes his business. But you do have to clean it often – daily, if possible.



The Box Itself



Size matters for many things … litter boxes among them. Don’t expect an adult cat to keep using the itty bitty box you got when he was a kitten, and don’t expect a large cat to feel comfortable using a medium sized box. Actually, I’m not sure there is such a thing as “too big” when it comes to the litter box, at least in terms of the cat’s acceptance.



The number of litter boxes is also important for many cats. The Litter Box Golden Rule is one for each cat, plus one extra. That being said, I have three cats and only one litter box (gasp!) and my cats don’t seem to mind. It probably helps that I have OCD and scoop that one box several times a day, but even so, it seems the golden rule might not apply to every household.



There are other reasons why a cat might start going outside their litter box. One might say this post has only “scratched the surface” (sorry!) so if more research is needed, the website catinfo.org is a good place to start.



Top photo by Tracie Hall

Bottom photo by Graham Smith



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The personal opinions and/or use of trade, corporate or brand names, is for information and convenience only. Such use does not constitute an endorsement by CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods of any product or service. Opinions are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods.

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Coping When Your Pet Is Sick

Annabelle

By Julia Williams



I was originally going to title this post, How the Internet Makes Being a Pet Parent Better. I changed my mind when I realized that it wasn’t really “the internet” that I meant, but the people a pet owner can meet there through various online avenues. For me, those avenues are primarily a pet blog and Facebook. There are many others that one might choose as their favorite “virtual water cooler,” but in the end it’s the interactions we have with other pet owners and the friendships we form that matter more than where we choose to gather.



Some people, including me, have a hard time remembering what life was like B.I., or Before Internet. My virtual water cooler visits are an integral part of my day. It’s how I stay connected to others while enjoying the solitude and freedom of a work-from-home career. Yet it’s become so much more than that to me, and I only realized just how much more when my beloved cat, Annabelle, recently fell gravely ill.



I was cycling through all of the “downer” emotions that besiege us when our fur kids are sick: anxiety, fear, sadness, dread, helplessness. Mostly, I was just very worried about Annabelle and terrified that I would lose her. I do have people in my “real life” who understand the turmoil that having a sick pet creates, but only a precious few. I really needed an army, because I was trying to be strong, for Annabelle…and I was failing miserably.



I found my army on Facebook, where my friends’ list includes many good-hearted souls who love their pet as deeply as I do. I also participate in a Facebook group that’s comprised of crazy-about-cats people like me. One thing I especially love about Facebook is that no matter what you might need from others – support, opinions, answers to questions, knowledge that only comes from personal experience – you can post a status and get what you need immediately. It’s like a real-time lifeline, a metaphorical tow rope thrown to a drowning man.



My pet-loving friends on Facebook understood my pain like few can, because most had been there before

with their own sick pet at some point. They were there to lift me up when I fell down; they gave me the strength I needed to keep going in the face of uncertainty and chaos; they offered unwavering support and encouragement for me, and for Annabelle; they purred, prayed and sent pawsitive thoughts and healing energy to us both.

And when the stress and strain of my gravely ill kitty caused me to spiral downward toward despair, a gentle scolding brought me straight out of my “pity party of one” and back to life, back to diligently trying to focus on positivity, hope and faith. One cannot and should not ever underestimate the importance of those three things when your pet is sick. We simply can’t let go of the thought that all will be well, even when it looks like it might not be. It can mean the difference between surviving…or not.

My sweet, loving kitty is a lot better now, and I pray she will make a full recovery and have a long and happy life. At this point, all I can do is take it day by day. Today, I am thankful she is here. Each day I have with Annabelle is a gift, and I'll never take that gift lightly.

I feel fortunate to have so many wonderful pet loving friends and acquaintances who helped me cope during one of the most heart wrenching times of my life. Yet I also know that if the unthinkable happens, if I lose my Annabelle much too soon, my army will be there to help me fight and recover from my devastating loss. It feels good to know that I’m not alone; I will not ever be alone, because an army of passionate pet lovers has my back. That, my friends, is how the internet makes being a pet parent better. 

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The personal opinions and/or use of trade, corporate or brand names, is for information and convenience only. Such use does not constitute an endorsement by CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods of any product or service. Opinions are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® All Natural Pet Foods.

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