Collars

General

Product Reviews

By Craig / November 24, 2017

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Looking for a way for your cat to feel festive, but you don’t want them inside your Christmas tree? You might also know from previous experience that your kitty will not be too open to a full on holiday costume, but you still want some pizzazz!  You’re in luck, there are options!  Particularly in the area of holiday cat collars.

Several of the feline accessory companies now have their own lines of Christmas Cat Collars! If your cat isn’t open at all to wearing a full on costume then a collar is a wonderful choice for a lot of reasons:

1. Collars are designed for safety purposes, they have a loop for ID tags
2. All of these collars feature a breakaway safety buckle so the collar pops off if it gets caught
3. Holiday cat collars bring a festive look to your kitty without the impact & complications of a full on costume

So let’s get right into it and take a look at the ten top holiday cat collars of the year!

#1 Pettsie Cat Collar Bow Tie with Breakaway Safety

This is hands down my favorite cat collar out there for the holidays. It is incredibly stylish and charming as a collar, and it has a very fashionable wood bow tie to make your cat look extra dapper. But on top of it, and this is pretty important folks, it comes with a matching friendship bracelet for you. This way your cat will know that you are showing off your love for her while you’re out and about! It will strengthen the relationship with your best friend and make you totally cool during holidays.

• It is made of natural cotton that is not only comfortable, but it has great durability to last an extended period of time and keep both you and your cat stylish all through the winter holidays
• This awesome collar comes with a safety breakaway buckle for your cat’s safety in all situations, if your cat gets stuck it will open from the pressure and fall off
• The collar is 3/8 of an inch wide and adjusts anywhere from 8 to 11 inches giving you a lot of room for different sized cats
• The bracelet is also adjustable from 5.9 to 9.1 inches, just in case you were wondering
• It has a built in loop for you to add an ID tag or a jingle bell to make your kitty extra festive
• Every order of the collar and and friendship bracelet comes in a pretty natural gift box, it makes a great present for any cat lover

Find The Best Deal

#2 Blueberry Pet Holiday Celebration Breakaway Collar Pack of 2

Blueberry Pet has been in the collar making business for a while now and they make a huge host of collars for all times of year. To say the least, they know their stuff! This is an awesome two pack of collars in case you want to be able to switch things up for your cat or maybe you’ve got two kitties around the house like I do! Features worth noting:

• These collars are definitely geared toward larger cats with a neck girth of 9 to 13 inches
• The width of the collar is a pretty standard 3/8 of an inch
• It is equipped with a breakaway clasp to ensure if you’ve got a curious kitty like mine they don’t risk and hazards getting caught or stuck
• Manufactured from high density polyester webbing this collar is made for durability
• The bow ties cannot be taken off of these collars (they can’t fall off either and pose a choking hazard)

Find The Best Deal

#3 Critter Gear Breakaway Cat Collar in Christmas Snowman Red

Critter Gear is one of those companies that has been in the pet business for a long time. They got their start making dog products and have recently transitioned into the world of felines, but they’ve made quite a splash bringing their high quality products over to our world. They have a bunch of different collars out there, but this one is an awesome snowman themed cat collar:

• Critter Gear manufactures all of their collars with a strong nylon core and then covers it with 100% cotton fabric for a comfy fit around the neck of your cat
• The collar fits cats with a neck size between 6 and 11 inches, hurray for collars for a bit smaller cats
• At a 1/2 an inch wide it is one of the two standard sizes for cat collars
• A silver bell that tinkles nicely will make your cat seem even more festive for the upcoming holidays (removable)
• It is equipped with a breakaway clasp to ensure your cats safety if they get hooked or caught on anything

Find The Best Deal

#4 Expawlorer Cat Breakaway Collar with Bell Designer Pack of 2

Woah! A two pack of Christmas collars at such a low price? Now your cat can get her collar changed up so she doesn’t feel stuck with the same look every day. I bet she’ll be ecstatic even if she doesn’t show it. Who doesn’t want to look stylish for the holidays? Expawlorer changes things up a little bit from your more traditional cotton collars and has created their collars out of nylon webbing that is comfy for your cat.

• The collar is of course equipped with a breakaway buckle in case it gets snagged on anything, we want your cat to be safe over the holidays
• Each collar is equipped with a silver tinkling bell and there’s space on the ring for ID tags
• A perfect option if you’ve got two cats at home and you want them both to dress up for the holidays
• The collar is 3/8 of an inch wide and adjustable from 8 to 10 inches, a little less space than many of the other collars but still plenty of room for a lot of cats

Find The Best Deal

#5 Fairy Pet Set of 2 Breakaway Christmas Cat Collars

Fairy Pet rings true to its name with cat collars that are focused more for the smaller side of felines. Fairies are typically pretty small in all the movies and in our imagination, so that’s how I like to think about it! Fairy Pet provides a wonderful looking two pack of collars that are very fashionable and very functional for the chillier times in the year!

• Crafted to fit on cats with a neck anywhere from 6 to 11 inches you’ve got a lot more space to work with on the smaller end of the spectrum, if you’ve got a small cat these are the right choice for you
• These collars come in at a width of 3/8 of an inch, one of the two standard sizes out there
• Of course they come with a jingle bell to make your cat seem even more festive throughout the holidays
• As with any collar worth its salt these both come with breakaway technology that will let the collar snap off if it gets caught on anything while your feline friend is out exploring the world

Find The Best Deal

#6 Country Brook Petz Snowman Featherweight Cat Collar

Frosty the Cat Man, was a jolly happy soul! It just doesn’t really have that same ring to it does it? Oh well, with this collar your cat will look like a jolly happy soul.  This wonderful stylish collar is specifically designed to be as light as a feather for your cat to minimize the impact of having a collar on at all, in fact they might not even notice they are wearing it! Things worth noting about this gorgeous Snowman collar:

• It is about a half an inch wide and it is extendable from 8 inches to 12 inches giving you lots of room for different sized felines
• The collar is made of  polyester webbing combined with top quality hardware to ensure you get the best deluxe featherweight collar on the market
• Country Brook is 100% dedicated to the safety of your cat so this collar is equipped with a YKK Safety (Breakaway) Flat Side Release Plastic Buckle in case your cat gets snagged on anything
• This collar is fully constructed in the good old United States of America, always an additional bonus when you can buy American

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#7 Critter Gear Breakaway Cat Collar in Christmas Christmas Gingermen & Canes

Gingerbread men and Candy Canes! What an awesome combination right?  These are two of my favorite things about the holidays and now I can put them on my cute little fur ball to encourage her to like them as well. Whether or not she’ll decide to like them through osmosis from the collar is another story.  That being said, it is no surprise I’ve got another collar in here from Critter Gear, they have some of the best patterns out there for cat collars this holiday season.

• Critter Gear manufactures all of their collars with a strong nylon core and then covers it with 100% cotton fabric for a comfy fit around the neck of your cat, several reviewers have indicated the collars are incredibly durable and do not fray from use
• The collar length is workable for cats with a neck size between 6 and 11 inches & it is 1/2 an inch wide
• There’s a red little jingly bell attached as well to make your cat ring in the holiday season
• There’s also of course a breakaway clip built right into the collar which is your traditional safety feature that allows your pet to break free if your cat gets caught on something, this one is designed to release when a 5 lb of pressure or more is applied

Find The Best Deal

#8 Lupine Christmas Cheer Cat Safety Collar with Bell

The Lupine Christmas Cheer collar is an excellent choice among festive cat collars for the holidays.  Not only does it tout a cheerful holiday design, but it also comes equipped with a wonderful breakaway mechanism in case the collar gets stuck on anything while your cat is roaming around!  As an added bonus, this particular collar is manufactured right here in the US! A few other items worth noting:

• It features a breakaway safety buckle for your cats safety, it releases under 4 pounds of pressure and will ensure your cat won’t choke if the collar catches on anything
• Fully equipped with a tinkling bell to keep your cat ringing in the holiday season
• A standard D shaped ring is attached to the collar for ID tags
• The collar is .5 inches wide and adjustable from 8 inches to 12 inches, lots of options for cats big and small
• There are two different designs to choose from in case you’re curious, click the link below

Find The Best Deal

#9 Critter Gear Breakaway Cat Collar in Christmas Candy, Holly, and Flakes

Critter Gear again you say?  Sorry to say it, they just make some awesome festive collars. Plus, you’ve got to love the name of a company called Critter Gear! While they started off making products pretty strictly for dogs they’ve now transitioned and they make very festive collars for your kitties as well, wohoo! Now we cat owners can take advantage of everything they learned created rough and tough dog equipment for our feline friends!

• Critter Gear manufactures all of their collars with a strong nylon core and then covers it with 100% cotton fabric for a comfy fit around the neck of your cat
• The collar length is workable for cats with a neck size between 6 and 11 inches
• One of the two standard sizes out there for cat collars, this one is 1/2 an inch wide
• The collar comes with a silver jingly bell to make your cat seem even more fashionable this holiday season
• There’s also of course a breakaway clip built right into the collar which is your traditional safety feature that allows your pet to break free if your cat gets caught on something, this one is designed to release when a 5 lb of pressure or more is applied

Find The Best Deal

#10 Sunflower Bees Christmas Breakaway Cat Collar With Candy Cane Charm

Now if your cat is as sweet as sugar then you may want to consider this Sunflower Bees collar because it comes with all of the wonderful safety features of other collars, but it also comes equipped with a really cool candy cane charm!  Who wouldn’t like to be sporting this festive collar around the holiday season? Quite dapper if I do say so myself!  The key features worth noting:

• The neck is adjustable from 6 to 11 inches, plenty of room for different sized kitties but open to smaller cats
• It has a breakaway buckle built in that releases at 4.5 pounds of tension, again featuring smaller cats
• Made of cotton for added comfort with solid durability
• Fully manufactured in the USA, so if you prefer to buy American this is an awesome choice

Find The Best Deal

Fitting the Collar & Putting It On

There are lots of collars and options out there that aren’t necessarily the safest for your cat. Every collar I’ve recommended above is a break away collar so you shouldn’t have any worry from a safety perspective. There are still a few things you should consider though!

The collar should be snug so it doesn’t pull over your cat’s head easily, but you want enough space there to fit two fingers between your cat and the collar. This ensures it isn’t so tight that it is choking your cat! Cut off long collar ends after fitting the collar.

If your cat has never worn a collar before then give yourself a few days at least to get your cat used to the idea of wearing the collar:

• If you have any Feliway Spray definitely give it a little spray first
• Introduce your cat to the collar and let her sniff it and play with it
• Leave it in your cats bed or a place she likes to sleep for a day so her scent gets on it
• After a fun play session and some pets put the collar on for the first time, have treats handy and be liberal with them
• If your cat doesn’t seem bothered then try leaving it, if she does then pop it off and rinse and repeat this process over the next few days

In the first few weeks you’re likely to find that your cat is going to get the collar off of her here and there. If this happens just pop the collar back on and provide treats, pets and play time. This helps her associate positive things with the collar. And of course double check the collar is snug, but with the two fingers of space mentioned above. Eventually most cats will get used to wearing a collar if you consistently enforce it.

Wrapping It Up On The Best Christmas Cat Collars

The market has about a million different cat collars out there, but let’s be honest, we cat owners only want collars that are first and foremost safe! But second of all we want them to be festive so our feline friends can celebrate the holidays with us, even if they don’t really know they are celebrating until treat or present time!

Every collar here has breakaway technology to ensure your cats safety whether they are indoor or outdoor cats and just as importantly they have space for ID tags as well. On top of this each collar has a festive look and most of them come equipped with a jingle bell to ensure your cat can help ring in the season!

Do you use lots of different collars to keep your cat seasonally dressed? Is your cat already spruced up for the season? Send me a picture so I can post it here!

If you have any other festive cat collars that you love that I totally missed then please please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Cat of The Week

General

By Snow / November 20, 2017

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This is Aster, the first ever submission to StuffCatsWant for Cat of the week. We thank her very much for being so brave to put herself out there for this honor.  Aster was adopted from Humane Society a little over a year ago. She is absolutely gorgeous, look at that giant fluffball with beautiful eyes!

Aster is an experienced traveler and has gone on many road trips. She’s knows just how to get into a cat carrier, but if your cat doesn’t then check out this article for some tips on how to ease the process!

Some of Aster’s favorite past times are playing fetch with her mice, getting belly rubs, and finding new crevices of her apartment to explore.

As you can see, Aster also certainly knows just how to relax both on her own an on top of her humans! Aster is a little strange in that she will only drink her water from a cup instead of a bowl. Cats need quite a bit of water every day to stay healthy so Aster’s glass stays full all the time to ensure she stays hydrated!

Aster also loves spending time sitting in the bathtub, but for all her weirdness she is still very loved!!!

Aster’s photos and information were contributed by Reddit User bruceasauras. To submit your cat for Cat of the Week please send a few photos and a description of at least 400 words to Craig@StuffCatsWant.com.

General

How to Guides

By Craig / November 15, 2017

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The sheer number of cat toys on the market can be overwhelming, especially to newer cat owners!   Petco, PetSmart & every other pet store have aisles and aisles of toys, who knew we’d have so many people dedicated to designing stuff to entertain the pets we have to love & entertain us?!?!

I don’t know how many times I’ve read that a toy is irresistible or that it is simply the best toy in the world, hands down.  These claims are useless and you really shouldn’t bother reading much into them. When I got my first cat a very large percentage of the toys that came into my house went to the donation bin at my local shelter because my cats simply had zero interest in playing with them. Ever.

Instead of trusting a box be sure to consult your fellow cat owners on their experience (product reviews are key!) and then use any experience you have with your particular cat(s) and sprinkle in some general tips to make a decision on how to choose the right toys for your cat.

Toy Type: Solo Play, Automated or Interactive

You’ll likely need a variety of different toys depending on how you want to play with your cat. My cats love the solo toys, particularly at 2 or 3 in the morning when I’m trying to get some sleep.

You should not rely strictly on automated toys because you’ll miss too good of a bonding opportunity with your cat by offloading all the responsibility to a machine. Another potential problem with fully automated toys is that they can pose a danger to your cat given the design, some of the string throwing toys can have the string easily snapped off and swallowed.

My personal favorites are interactive toys where both you and your cat participate. The most classic example here is the wand toy because your cat knows you are playing with them and they are getting all the benefits of the play session.

Mentally Challenging

There are of course a host of health benefits when your cat plays with a run of the mill stuff mouse or a plastic ball, most of these are physical.  There are plenty of toys out there that will also exercise the mental faculties of your feline friend. These are usually geared toward feeding puzzles or treat dispensing toys.

While mental challenge to get to treats is a great way to encourage exercise always be sure that you’re not counter balancing the exercise with an excessive number of treats or too much dry food! A puzzle feeder is a great idea for your cat if you already feed them standard dry kibble!

Finding the Right Size

Be sure to take into account the size of the toy. In my experience you’ll want something that is the size of prey your cat might have actually hunted in the wild. While there are those rare cats that are happy to pounce on something the size of a Roomba, more often than not you’ll want to aim for something closer to the size of a mouse or a small bird.

As a general rule of thumb, if your cat can’t easily fit the toy in his or her mouth to carry it around the house then you should likely choose something a little bit smaller.

Durability Is Essential

It is no surprise that you’ll want to choose a toy that can stand up to a beating. Cats are known to play with their food, basically to bat it around quite a bit. They’ll also happily claw it and bite it once they’ve pounced on top of it. This means you need a toy that won’t simply fall apart at the first sign of a cat claw.

The bulk of toys that are made strictly of things like lightweight cardboard will fall apart quickly so be sure you do your research when considering a new toy.

Ensuring Safety

Not for you, for your cat. Cats are known to eat many types of toys if left to their own devices. This is particularly true of toys that have small parts or that have a lot of strings or feathers hanging off of them.  Be extra careful about toys that look like pieces may fall off of them and ensure you supervise play sessions.

You should probably keep a close eye on any toy you give your cats and you may want to proactively remove things like the googly eyes and the smaller easily pulled off tails. You can simply pull them off. This makes sure your cat won’t swallow them.

Is It Reflective Or Not

If you have a house that gets a lot of natural light, not only will your cats find wonderful places to sleep, but they’ll also love toys that reflect that sunlight. Cats have eyes that are designed to see moving objects extremely well so a reflective or light up ball does a wonderful job at catching and keeping their attention.

Does it Sound Like a Winner

Many cat toys out there have small sound boxes built into them so when a cat bats it or squeezes it a bird chirp or something of the sort comes out.  This is a great way to encourage your cat to play! My two cats absolutely love a small door hanging bird we have that chirps every time it bounces.

It is worth noting though that you should also keep an extra close eye on these toys. These toys have batteries and the sound emitter is usually a small plastic box that could potentially be ingested if the toy pops open.

The Right Texture

Cat owners know that texture is very important to cats. Cats are incredibly sensitive in pretty much every aspect and they’ll let you know it as well. Some of the more common areas you’ll see this exhibited are in cat litter and in wet cat food, but if factors into toys as well!

Your cat may prefer a soft toy that’s easy to bite or he may like a smoother toy that’s easy to bat around like one of those rolling plastic balls.  My cats absolutely love Gear Ties for one reason or another! You can choose a feather toy, a burlap sack, a fuzzy one, one with crinkly paper inside and the list goes on! There also the always classic cardboard box.

There is no shortage when it comes to cat toys and their variations, you might just have to do some testing to figure out which ones your cat loves.

Can You Game the System With Catnip?

The chemical compound in the plant that cats have a reaction to is called nepetalactone and it can be found in both the leaves and stems of the plant. Research indicates that only 50% of cats are actually impacted by catnip and that it is inherited genetically. It is also worth noting that kittens are not impacted by catnip so you’ll have to wait until your kitty is at least a couple of months old to determine if it’ll have any impact.

If your cat is affected by catnip you should definitely add a few catnip-stuffed toys into your regular play routine or aim to grab some catnip spray that can be sprayed onto any toys that don’t have an inner compartment. Just like any other substance though if your cat has catnip too often they’ll become desensitized to it and you’ll need to stop using it for a few weeks or months for the typical reaction to return. PetMD recommends only using catnip every other week or so to ensure it’ll work when you want it to have an effect.

It is also worth noting that catnip loses potency as it ages. You can store extra catnip or catnip toys inside a Tupperware container and stick it in the freezer for extended freshness.

 Which Toys Are the Best Toys?

See the Top 20 Toys for Indoor Cats

Wrapping it up on How to Choose the Right Toys For Your Cat

As you can see there are a bunch of different items that factor into selecting the best toys for your cat.  The key things I would keep in mind are to ensure you try a variety of toys and participate in the play sessions as often as you can.

If you don’t have time to directly interact with your cat then I’d highly recommend you at least supervise play sessions with any toys that might have small parts or strings that could end up being swallowed accidentally..

If you have any thoughts on other considerations while selecting a cat toy then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article or respond in kind.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: Catnip Details from PetMD

General

How to Guides

By Craig / November 12, 2017

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Is this what you imagine your cat must be doing in the litter box?

While that likely isn’t the case, it might seem like it! If you’re in the market for a cat litter mat you’ll want to do some research before you just go buy one that is rated 5 stars on Amazon.  Not that you’d end up with a lousy mat that way, but that mat might not be the right mat for you and your feline friend(s).  Your goal is to buy a mat that will fit your particular situation, not just grab the first one that looks good.

I on the other hand didn’t take my own advice when I got my first cat. I’ve bought a bunch of them and figured out what worked for me and what didn’t and why.

Below are key criteria that factor into how to choose the right cat litter mat.  Do a quick review of each of the major pieces of criteria before you move forward with your purchase and think through how the different types of mats might work better for your situation. Now one additional note, if you’re not familiar controlling litter tracking in general then definitely read this article first.

Key Considerations for a Cat Litter Mat

1. Litter Box Type: The type of litter box you have will factor greatly into the type of cat litter mat you’ll want to consider. There are all sorts of different litter boxes out there: front entrance, low sided, high sided, completely covered, top entrance, automatic & the list goes on.  It is important to think about how the type of litter box you have factors into how litter is getting out and onto your floor.
   • For low sides & top entry you’ll want an extra large mat
   • For the rest a more traditionally sized mat should work
2. Cat Age: This runs hand in hand with the litter box type. As cats age we human servants tend to give concessions and start providing lower sided litter boxes or easy entry boxes that result in more litter being kicked all over. Older cats are also more likely to have urine accidents that can spray out of the box and into the area around it.  As your cat gets old you’ll likely need a larger litter mat and also one designed specifically to be waterproof.
   • Younger and older cats are more prone to urine accidents, getting a waterproof mat is essential
3. Hair Length: Shorter haired cats tend to be more likely to kick litter out of the box and longer haired cats tend to be more likely to have litter stuck in the fur on the bottoms and sides of their paws.  If you’ve got a short haired cat a multi layer litter mat that is more focused on trapping litter is probably your best bet. If you’ve got a long haired cat you will want to lean toward a grabbing type litter mat that will gently pull the litter off of your cats hair.
   • A ‘grab and pull’ type litter mat is best for long haired cats
4. Litter Type: While the great portion of people use standard clumping clay litter these days there are a wide variety of other litters on the market: paper, pine, crystals, non clumping & on the list goes.  Some folks even have a CatGenie where it is imperative they capture every granule, but they need the ability to drop those granules back into the system!
   • If your litter format is larger than normal be sure to check the sizes of holes on any two layer system
5. Litter Box Area: Is your litter box in a huge area like an open mudroom or is it in a small area like a closed off closet?  This will drive the size of the mat you need as well as the shape of the mat. Many cat litter mats are easy to cut with a utility knife to fit a unique space, but then things like their waterproof barrier are compromised so they leak.
   • I recommend keeping your litter box in a corner so your cat has fewer exit paths to spread litter on
6. Goals/Purpose: It may seem obvious, I want to control litter tracking! Duh!  But is your goal only to stop litter tracking, or are you also interested in saving money, looking stylish, having something easy to clean, does it matter if it slips and slides a bit? Each of these factor into your decision in getting the right mat the first time.

See The Top 10 Litter Mats of 2020

Wrapping It Up on How to Choose the Right Cat Litter Mat

Choosing the right litter mat is a key part of combating litter tracking in your house. The market is flooded with all types of mats and in all honesty there’s a lot of overlap between feature and function. For the most part if you choose a top rated mat you’re going to do ok, but the goal is to get the right mat that covers all of your key needs for you and your feline friend!

If you have any questions on selecting a litter mat then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

General

Product Reviews

Water Fountains

By Craig / November 10, 2017

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Product Name: Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

Where to Buy It: Find the Best Deal 

StuffCatsWant Rating: 4.5 Stars

Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain Product Overview:

The Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is a great plastic fountain that is 100% BPA free & dishwasher safe.  It also has rubber feet to keep it from sliding around on a wood or tile floor which is a huge perk if you have rambunctious cats or another pet like a dog in the house.

The fountain features a huge built in reservoir at a total of 168 oz., it is more than double some other options out there like the Raindrop model.  This means if you want to leave it for a few days without refilling it you shouldn’t have any problem at all.

Not only does it have a huge reservoir but it also has an adjustable flow pump so you can figure out the right speed to keep your cats interested in the fountain.

While in general this is a solid fountain, it is worth noting that replacement pumps are not something you can purchase separately. This means if the pump dies the whole unit is useless and you’ll have to buy a new one.

This problem is exacerbated by the open nature of the fountain and the fact that it enables lots of stuff to get into the fountain and gum up the workings of the pump.  While experience shows that the pump will last a solid year so long as you care for it properly, it is somewhat wasteful to have to buy an entire new unit for the pump.

The Pros:

• The plastic the fountain is made from is BPA Free
• The fountain is 100% dishwasher safe
• The pump has an adjustable flow to slow things down or speed them up
• It has a huge reservoir size at 168 oz.
• Has a built in pre-filter to help maintain the integrity of the pump
• Uses a carbon filter to keep the water clean for your cat(s)

The Cons:

• The fountain tends to get dirty/gunky easily (some owners have indicated avocado seeds in the water to help prevent this)
• The pump is not replaceable, if it breaks/dies you need to replace the whole unit
• Given the feature set it is a little bit pricy compared to other similar fountains
• If you have the pump on high the splashing can definitely make a mess

Tips for Best Usage:

• Be sure to top off the fountain with water every few days
• Giving the fountain a deep clean every two weeks or so is highly recommended, I’d recommend a dish washer for the top
• You’ll want to place a tray or mat under it to catch splashes from your furballs so your floor doesn’t get soaked

Frequently Asked Questions:

• How often do you have to refill it?
  • It has a huge reservoir so every couple of days is fine. The pump will make a lot more noise if it desperately needs a refill.
  • If you need to leave town for the weekend this fountain should be just fine without a refill.
• Is it noisy?
  • This pump has multiple settings, on the lowest setting the pump is whisper quiet.
  • There is also a built in “landing area” for the water to fall on to minimize the sound.
• Is it dish washer safe?
  • Yes, the fountain is dishwasher safe.
• How often do you have to clean it?
  • I’d recommend pouring all the water out and replacing it once a week.
  • I’d recommend a deep clean every two weeks at the least including a deep clean of the pump itself. There’s a cleaning kit too if you want it.
  • This will help maintain the integrity of the pump and also decrease the chances of anything nasty getting in the fountain.
• How often do I have to replace the filters?
  • You’ll need to replace the filters about ever 3-4 weeks. You can find the replacements here.
• Is the pump replaceable?
  • No, unfortunately you need to replace the whole unit if the pump fails.

Wrapping it Up

The Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain fountain is a reputable fountain made of BPA free plastic which places it a step above many other plastic fountains.  It also has a very large water reservoir (168 oz) and an adjustable flow control to help find the right speed of water for your cats.

The key drawbacks of this model are that it only has a single level where water can pool and given its open flow nature it does tend to require constant cleaning and can end up making a mess by splashing.

Do you have a water fountain for your cats? If so, do you use the Petsafe Platinum? Do you have any tips to share on using it or reasons people should avoid it?

Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: PetSafe Website

Beds

General

Product Reviews

By Craig / November 6, 2017

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Product Name: The Original Kitty Cot – The World’s Best Cat Window Bed

Where to Buy It: Find the Best Deal

StuffCatsWant Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Original Kitty Cot – The World’s Best Cat Window Bed Product Overview:

There’s a reason this product has the claim to the fame of The World’s Best Cat Window Bed. First and foremost, it is really easy to install and it has proved very durable despite being made of incredibly lightweight parts.  In general, Kitty Cot provides an excellent product that is easy to use and the cats love it.

There are some other additional perks, specifically that the bed uses stainless steel wires to attach the suction cups as opposed to cloth, rope or nylon. This means even if your cat likes to chew on them they won’t end up causing their own fall right out of the window.

Not only does The Original Kitty Cot do a stellar job of providing your cat a spot to relax in the sun, but it is also 100% approved by the Humane Society, that means you know the bed is up to snuff.

There’s really no reason to look elsewhere unless you have a uniquely shaped window or a different need like a multi cat window bed.  I highly recommend this product.

The Pros:

• The bed mounts to windows using four gigantic patented suction cups & provides a 26″ x 14″ relaxation area, it is super easy to hang
• You can buy replacement suction cups if yours eventually do wear out, you don’t have to replace the entire unit like many models
• Kitty Cot uses stainless steel support wires to ensure there’s not a concern from a safety or durability standpoint
• This is the only bed I’ve found that is Humane Society Approved,  now that’s an endorsement
• The Kitty Cot is super easy to clean with soap and water if necessary, you can also lint roll the hair right off of it
• It comes in at a great price, especially compared to some of the obvious copy cats that just aren’t as dependable
• The frame is made of PVC plastic pipes and fittings so it is durable but also super light weight
• The fabric that slips over the frame is rugged and has lasted through tons of use from my cats
  
• It requires zero tools to assemble, just your hands and about 2-3 minutes of your time
• Over multiple years of use I’ve never seen any damage to either of my windows from the bed

The Cons:

• This particular model isn’t designed to allow you to close the blinds while it hanging on the window, you could detach the bottom two suction cups though
• The Kitty Cot is rated for a 25 pound cat which is on the low end compared to a lot of window beds, chubby cats or multiple cat households won’t like this model
• Eventually the suction cups will wear out from sun exposure, even faster if you live in a really sunny place (this is true for any cat window bed)
• The product is made of PVC that is not BPA or phthalate free so if you’re worried about that avoid this product

Tips for Best Usage:

• Be sure that you clean the window thoroughly and clean the suction cups thoroughly before you hang the bed up. This will ensure you get the maximum adhesion and that the bed is safe for your cat. You can also use a bit of Vaseline or olive oil on the rim of the suction cup to improve the suction.
• If you have any trouble hanging it check out these tips straight from KittyCot.
• I suggest putting something that weighs about 10 pounds (or the weight of your cat) in the bed for a few minutes after you hang it just to ensure it is secure.
• Be sure to check on the suction cups every other week or so. They will get loose over time and you should be checking them. If you live in an area that has frequent or significant weather changes then you should check more often. Changes in the weather as well as a window that sweats or fogs up will make the suction cups fall off the window sooner.
• Get a small piece of lambswool or a cat bed to put up on top of the fabric to improve the experience for your cat. While the out of box fabric is very durable, it isn’t as soft as most cat beds.
• Don’t hang the bed too high or too out of reach for an average jump. If you hang it too high and your cat has to do a full height jump into it they can more easily pull it off the window.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Will the suction cups fall down while your cat is in the hammock?
  • While this is possible, it is not very likely if you take good care when you hang the bed as well as if you take good care in checking on the bed on a consistent basis. See the tips above for details.
• Can I buy additional suction cups if they wear out over an extended period of time?
  • Yes, you can buy them from Amazon if you need an extra set.
• Can I close my blinds while the Kitty Cot is attached to the window?
  • Unfortunately you cannot close your blinds while this model is attached to the window. You’ll have to take off at least the bottom two suction cups and let it hang down to close the blinds.
• Can cats actually jump onto the bed without it coming off of the wall, or do they need to walk or climb into it slowly?
  • My cats jump into it constantly from a few feet down. If you have an extra heavy cat you might have a problem, but mine are 12 and 9 pounds or so and it works just fine for them.

Check Out These Cats Enjoying the Kitty Cot

Wrapping it Up on The Original Kitty Cot

The Original Kitty Cot really does live up to its name in all respects.  It is easy to install & stays in the window reliably. On top of this the durability is second to none. Stainless steel wires hold the bed to the upper suction cups and the fabric that is attached to the frame is extremely strong.

This is also the only window bed I’ve ever run across that is 100% endorsed and approved by the Humane Society. This means you know that you’ve got a solid & trustworthy product on your hands.  If you’re not yet convinced this is the bed for you then check out my post on The Top 10 Best Cat Window Beds on the market.

Please leave a comment below or email me directly at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com if you have any thoughts to add to this article.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: The Kitty Cot Website

Deterrents

General

How to Guides

By Craig / November 2, 2017

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If you’ve already got a cat (or multiple cats) at home and you’ve decided to add another to the family then not only are you a wonderful human being, but you’ve got a bit of a job on your hands. Introducing cats to one another can be a time consuming and stressful process, depending on the cats of course.

Let’s take a look at not only how to introduce cats, but also discuss all of the other associated pieces to bringing home a new feline friend.

Choosing the Right Addition

If you haven’t already selected a cat (or had a cat choose you) then you can put to use a few rules of thumb about selecting a new cat. Many shelters have historic information and foster reports on cats that can be invaluable to selecting the right cat for your household.

Many fosters have resident cats themselves (I do!) and will indicate if the cat interacted well or not. This can tell you whether your potential new addition is more likely to get along with other cats than a completely unknown feline. Ask and put this information to use!

You’ll also want to consider the age of the cat(s) in your household. If your resident cats love to play and wrestle then another playful cat is a great idea. In general the older a cat the less energetic & playful. A 2 month old kitten isn’t a great idea if you have a 10 year old cat at home.

Activity level factors in too. There are of course older cats that are super energetic. If your cat prefers to lie in the sun all day, you’re probably better off adopting a cat who has similar habits. A young kitten or adolescent full of energy is not the best idea for a household with an older cat or a take it easy type of cat.

Getting Acquainted

First and foremost, you should not let your new cat out immediately upon getting home (if you can avoid it given space).  I highly recommend keeping your new cat to a single room in the house for the first few days.  This gives you the chance to exchange scents so the cats can get used to one another by scent before introducing them. There are two key ways to handle this:

1. Exchange used bedding that have the scent of each cat. Simply move the bedding between rooms while keeping the cats separate.
2. Rotate which cat has the run of the house. If your new cat is kept in an extra bedroom initially then let her out and put your resident in the bedroom for a short period of time.

Getting used to the new scent in their territory will go a long way in establishing an initial connection between the cats. It ensures they don’t meet on terrible terms right away.  It is basically the gateway for their first (supervised) encounter.

The First Date

The next step you’ll want to follow is to let the cats get acclimated with one another on the opposite sides of a closed door.  The easiest way to do this is to feed the cats at the same time near the door. This lets the cats smell one another directly which is another step toward introduction.

After eating behind a closed door a few times you could attempt to let them physically see one another. Some folks recommend a baby gate, but cats jump high and baby gates aren’t that tall. I personally recommend just cracking the door open enough so that they can see each other.

For the best results you may need to place the bowls far from the actual doorway. Several feet the first time for sure, about 3 on either side of the door is ideal to start.  You’ll want to make sure the cats have a line of sight to one another, but keep a distance and make sure neither of them can get through the cracked door!

Your goal is to move the bowls closer and closer to the crack over time. If you can’t remember the distance yourself use some tape on the floor to keep track. If you experience hissing or aggressive behavior right away then you might need to go back to the Getting Antiquated step for a bit longer. If you’re only experiencing hissing after moving bowls closer then try pushing them back a bit again for another couple meals.

Once the crack in the door is successful you’re off to the races, it is time for the fun part!

A Long Term Relationship

Once your cats are used to one another while eating and aren’t showing signs of aggression you should start to let them interact.  Start to expand the crack in the door while the bowls are near one another and see how the cats handle it. If they sniff one another or just ignore one another and keep eating, great sign. Try opening the door all the way experiment!

If you do run into issues you might need to take a step back and build some more positive associations between the cats.  Continue with the feeding ritual above, but you may also want to try some alternatives to help:

• Put one cat in a carrier (tips to get a cat in a carrier) with food & treats while you  play with the other cat in the same room
• Play with both cats separately with a barrier between them (needs an automatic toy or another person)

Your goal is to continue creating positive associations. The more positive encounters the more likely two happy cats will grow to like one another and turn into best buds!

A Few Things To Note

Cat Introductions Take Time: Introducing cats is a time consuming process. Some folks might have two super chill cats and it takes a week, or even a day. This is not the norm. The more common introduction takes weeks, sometimes even months. Be persistent! Be Patient! Follow your plan and don’t give up!

Don’t Let Them ‘Figure It Out’: If you’ve ever heard “Put the cats in a room and let them figure it out.” then you’ve heard wrong. This is the fastest method you can find to end up with an injured cat and cats that will have trouble getting along for weeks or years to come. Do not do this!

Some Cats Just Won’t Be Friends: Some cats are more prone to make friends than others. There are those cats out there that simply do not like the company of other cats and no matter how hard you try or how much time you spend they will never be pals. The best you can hope for in this case is tolerance, hoping they won’t hiss at each other every time they walk by.

Jackson Galaxy Agrees With Me

Alright, let’s be honest, I agree with Jackson Galaxy. Not the other way around. But if you’re even the slightest bit doubtful about what I’ve documented above then take a look at his video on YouTube that provides an overview of introducing cats.

Professional proof always lends a helping hand!

Giving Yourself a Paw Up

There are of course other ways to help speed things along and skew the odds in your favor. The most common method for helping your cats integrate successfully is to put Feliway to use. Feliway is basically a synthetic pheromone that makes cats feel safe and comfortable even in a completely new environment with other cats.

Feliway works distributing pheromones into the air which results in calmer cats in general.  Note that the pheromones are scentless to humans but have a significant impart on both your resident and new cat(s).  To read more information check out my full review on Feliway Multicat here.

Wrapping It Up on How to Introduce Cats

Bringing a new cat into the household can be a very stressful for experience for both your resident cat(s) and the new cat(s).  To ensure that you minimize their stress, and the stress on yourself, be sure to slowly introduce the cats to one another over an extended period of time following the above steps.

Not only will this methodology ensure that you don’t end up with any battles between your cats, but it will also make sure that you have a smooth experience that results in your cats loving one another, or at least tolerating one another at the worst.

I’ve used this same method multiple times with my foster cats and it has been incredibly successful other than with the most aggressive of foster cats.  Sometimes I will freely admit I’ve simply had to keep my foster cats quarantined for the safety of my resident cats.

If you’ve had any experience introducing cats to one another beofre and you’d like to share your story please comment below or shoot me a note at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article to reflect your thoughts.

StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

References: Jackson Galaxy, The Humane Society, The ASPCA