Toilet Training Update

Hey fur-iends!

We've been so busy. We moved & I have been logging a lot more hours at work. This has left us with very little time to post about Rufus' progress on the CitiKitty. I plan to write up a very detailed post about how it's going but first, I wanted let everyone know where Rufus is with the training.

Rufus is doing great on the system! We've had our accidents and it has been rough with just ONE lone restroom. But it's been an amazing 3 weeks of training. Rufus is getting it and seems to be aiming for the hole! Ha!

More details and pictures to come soon! We miss our fellow bloggers and hope to catch up soon. :)

Nothing like a random, mis-matched photo of Rufus to go with a post!

Down With Litter!

We have been a little behind (OK, OK! Really behind!) on our posts but Rufus and I promise that the next few posts will make up for that. What could we possibly have to make up for only one measly post thus far in March?

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words...

No, your eyes do not deceive you! That is, indeed, a cat toilet training kit.

Checking in with his handsome face. :)

PETCO Eco-Scratcher Scratching Post

My, oh my! It's been a while since we last reviewed a product! The holidays are over and now we have all the time in the world! (Ok, I don't but Rufus does...) We are glad to present our very first product review of 2010 for the PETCO Eco-Scratcher Scratching Post .


You may remember this as Rufus' Christmas present, which we all know he loved! He took to the scratcher without any direction or catnip. It is made of 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles. (The tag it came with tells us it saved four plastic bottles from entering a landfill.) It's better than a cardboard scratcher because it's more durable and much easier to clean up- no cardboard bits all over the floor.

The only thing that could be improved about this product is the dangling feather toy. Rufus ripped it off in hours. I had to re-affix it with a very strong glue. Also, it's a bit lightweight. Rufus pushes this thing all over the room and it gets knocked over quite easily. It doesn't prevent Rufus from digging in with his claws even if it's on its side so it's not a big deal.

We got it on sale for 10 smackers! (What a DEAL!) Rufus loves it to pieces, literally. We are very happy with this scratcher and leave you with these candid photos of Rufus and his lovely scratcher.

Let me warn you, these are the craziest pictures of Rufus I have ever taken...

Cuddling the post violently.

The post is off the ground here...

He is walking and laying at the same time.


There is no caption good enough to supplement this picture.

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!

PETCO Cat and Kitten Shampoo

There is only one four letter word for Rufus and that is B-A-T-H.

Nobody in this house is a fan of cat baths. But it had to be done. Rufus had a smelly behind.

Rufus knew something was amiss when we got home from the pet store. He tried running but Cat dad, in his thickest claw-proof sweatshirt, scooped him up. There was a bit of resistance but the whole thing lasted no more than five minutes.

The shampoo was great. It lathered up nicely and didn't have an overly strong fragrance. I didn't wash Rufus' head so I can't speak about its tear-free qualities. We picked this particular shampoo because it was for kittens and figured it would be a gentle formula. The shampoo cost around $9, which is not a bad price as I expect to use it for a while.


Here are the few pictures I took before I felt bad and made Rufus the biggest stinkiest pile of dinner.

Ashamed to be photographed in this state, Rufus attempts to hide his face.

He may not be a happy camper but he sure is clean!

Even though Rufus did not enjoy receiving the bath, you could tell he was very pleased with the results. Rufus' coat was so clean and soft! The bath did a super job of washing away much of his loose fur. He was strutting around the house displaying his perfect coat to everyone.

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!


[FYI to those more timid about bathing their feline friends, Rufus thoroughly enjoys waterless baths a la Petkin Kitty Wipes!]

Frontline Plus for Cats

We had an unfortunate run-in with fleas recently. I was grossed out and had to quarantine Rufus until the fleas went away. Luckily, that didn't last long with Frontline Plus for Cats!

We bought a 6 pack from the vet on our last visit which sat in a cabinet unopened, collecting dust. As everyone now knows, I did not take the vet's warnings about fleas seriously and was not vigilant about giving Rufus regular doses. OK, OK I've learned my lesson!!

Frontline Plus is great. It's waterproof, so you can still give your cat a flea bath. (I personally did not do that. I felt bad enough about locking Rufus in our spare bedroom for a few days. Giving him a bath on top of that would just be too cruel.) It was easy to administer. Just snap the applicator open and drip the liquid directly onto the skin between the shoulder blades. Rufus didn't even know I did it. The package states it kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks and chewing lice and BOY, did it deliver. Within a few days, all traces of the bugs disappeared. I was delighted!!

Now the big question is - How does an indoor cat suddenly catch fleas? We think it has something to do with all the loose neighborhood cats running around at all hours of the night. I am convinced Rufus has a girlfriend who enters our yard and visits him at his window regularly. (My boyfriend swears he has seen the cat and had to shoo it away one night.)

Bottom line, we are very pleased with this product. Please note it isn't cheap but you can buy them in smaller increments (packs of three or six versus a year's supply). And most importantly, it works!

Woohoo, no more fleas!

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!!

Petromalt Hairball Relief

Rufus is getting older and is starting to get hairballs. Hairballs had only been the stuff of legend to me, the kind of thing I'd only see in cartoons. Never before had I seen anything like it and now that I have, I will do anything to make sure I don't ...ever again. This is where the Petromalt comes in.

Creepiest picture of Rufus ever.

Lapping it up!

Rufus loves the taste of this stuff. I give him a little strip each day and the hairballs have been gone since I purchased the product. One tube has been lasting us for weeks so that's also a plus.

I've given Rufus other hairball preventatives in the past but he usually reacts badly to them. When I gave him some of the Hartz Hairball Remedy or hairball control dry food, he itches himself to the point of breaking skin and scabbing. Rufus hasn't shown any adverse reaction to the Petromalt. We recommend this product!

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

Feline Greenies Treats

Rufus' favorite treats are Greenies. He's walked away from many treats, including but not limited to jerky treats and cheese flavored treats. I know, who would think a cat would refuse meat/cheese flavored anything!? Well, Rufus can't get enough of these babies. Once he hears the bag rustle, he scurries as fast as his little legs can carry him over.

These small, green treats help clean teeth and freshen breathe all at the same time. Though you are supposed to feed a certain number a day for those benefits to kick in. These are a carb-y treat so I usually watch how many I give to Rufus. (I am watching his figure and he's already being fed special food to help with oral care.)

Another plus, they are often on sale and one bag lasts for weeks and weeks. He loves the Salmon and Beef flavors best.

Oh and best of all, everyone can try these out. Greenies is offering free samples! Check it out and see if your meow machine will be a fan too.

Rufie Rating: Four paws! :)

Addiction - New Zealand Brushtail & Vegetables Entree Canned Wet Food

Rufus received some samples of Addiction and he was thrilled at the prospect of trying some holistic and all natural, hypoallergenic game meat. How exotic!

Rufus gobbled it up with the gusto he reserves for wet food. The stinky goodness was a different texture than the stuff I usually get Rufus. There were meaty chunks rather than a meat paste which made me feel the meat was less processed. (I like that!) The first two ingredients were meat and not processed grains. (I love that!)

Ok but let me point out that the New Zealand Brushtail is a fancy way of saying possum. I didn't realize until after everything was eaten up. It striked me as a little odd but I know Rufus would not hesitate to eat possum or any other meat for that matter. The company states that this type of meat contains more omega fatty acids than traditional wet food meat, which makes for better skin and fur health.

I love the all natural and health aspect of this food. But the one downside I found was the carbon footprint that exporting this could have on the environment. Trucking food from New Zealand all the way to California is a long way to go for one cat's dinner!

Rufus getting on his hind legs for a taste.

Smacking his furry lips!

Overall, this is a good product. It passed Rufus' taste test and offers all natural ingredients with health benefits.

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!

Whiskas Temptations Treats

I usually buy everything for Rufus from a specialty pet stores but I took a walk down the pet aisle at my local supermarket and found these... Salmon Whiskas Temptations treats.


What a great move on my part. These are economical compared to the treats I've bought from pet stores. They are low calorie and good for Rufus' teeth. The first ingredient on the package is a meat product which I try to look for when I buy anything for Rufus to eat. The treats are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They come in a resealable pouch to help maintain freshness.

Rufus cannot get enough of them. He knows where I keep the bag of treats and when I step near them, he begins what I believe to be his attempt at mind control. He stares at me, trying to will me to reach for the bag and just dump all the contents out of the bag so he can SCARF them.

I can't wait to let Rufus try out the other flavors! (Which is really important now that I do my best to steer clear of fish treats & food because of an article I read. You can read more about that by clicking here.)

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

Crazy Cat's Cat Quest

There are battery operated cat toys and there are wand toys. When you put those two together, you get the 'Cat Quest'! It's a wand toy with an attached bug.

Wait, wait... it get's better. The bug has flapping capabilities at the push of a button! Here are some photos from the time I unveiled the packaged toy to full-fledged play.

Giving me the ol' 'I Wish I Had Opposable Thumbs But I Don't, So Can You Stop Fooling Around & Open the Toy Please ' face.


What patience!

He never takes his eyes off the prize!

See what I mean?


Working out those hind legs!

Taking action pictures is much harder than it looks when you have a moving toy and a moving cat! Toys that get Rufus off his tush are wonderful. The charm moves and flaps its wings at your command making it exercise not only for Rufus' body, but also for his mind! If I turn this on while Rufus is sleeping, he will instantly wake up and search out the toy to play with it. Fabulous, fabulous!

Rufie Rating: THREE paws!!

FURminator deShedding Tool

The FURminator is such a blessing. The amount of fur I have extracted from Rufus' body is downright scary. It makes me wonder how Rufus could have any remaining fur on his body after a de-shedding session. It's designed to remove specifically the loose undercoat hair. And boy, does it remove that undercoat... I have handfuls of fur tumbleweeds when I do this! I can't imagine how much fur he would be ingesting if I didn't help him out.

On top of that, Rufus really, really loves it when I FURminate him. It's actually kind of sick how much he likes it. I imagine it must be the equivalent of a very good kitty back rub.

The FURminator comes in various sizes for different sized pets. The purple one is meant for cats. I have the blue one and I don't think there's much a difference aside from being a few half-inches wider or what not.

I've never tried any other de-shedding tool or brush and frankly, I'm not sure I ever will. Also, they have come out with a FURminator with a double edge. (Two times as much fur out of my life with the same effort as before!!) If this one goes, I am going to pick that baby up for sure. This is pricier than most other brushes, but you definitely get what you pay for.

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

Sherpa Pet Delta Air Lines Deluxe Pet Carrier

This is an awesome pet carrier, great for trips to the vet or on the plane. It should meet most airline standards since it carries the Delta name so it fits perfectly under an airplane seat. It has a small zippered pouch to keep a small bag of treats, toy or papers. It comes with a strap you can pull over your shoulder as well as the handles.

The best feature, in my opinion, are the flaps on the side. You can roll them up or keep them down to control how much your pet can see. I like to keep them down when I walk around and roll them up when we are seated. It's frightening for Rufus to be too exposed when walking through a busy airport but I want him to be entertained when we're settled down.

When we moved across the country, we had to fly Rufus a few times. It was roomy enough for a little cat bed and for Rufus to move around. It was very sturdy. But then again Rufus usually just curls up in a ball when he's in the bag. I'm not sure how it would withstand a cat who freaks out in crowded places.

Another plus, on one of our trips Rufus got too excited and barfed in the carrier. I was grossed out and left it outside in the sun. When I mustered up enough courage to clean it up a few days later, it had dried and caked off in a clump. It wasn't pleasant but clean up was very easy.

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!!

Petstages Cheese Chase

Here's another one of the first toys I purchased for Rufus. It has two balls that are stuck inside their ball track. There's plenty of room for little paws to go in and get those balls moving. (Human fingers too when Rufus decides he'd rather watch than play.) There's also a springy catnip mouse toy.

This is good for mental stimulation. If one ball is going and I get the other one moving, it blows Rufus' mind. He never knows which one to go for if both are in motion. If he gets bored with it, I hide a few treats in there and it's good as new.

It's a good toy but the mouse occasionally falls off. Also, the toy itself is a bit light and can wind up moving pretty far from its original spot if your cat gets aggressive. This can also prove to be very, very loud, especially at 3 in the morning after the most grueling day of work when your cat decides he would like to play with this as loud as he possibly can. At least he's getting some exercise, right?

Rufie Rating: Three Paws

Pet Food Cover

Rufus usually gets a mixture of wet and dry food for dinner but I don't feed him whole cans at a time. What to do with the remaining wet food? Easy! After I scoop a few spoonfuls, I pop this on the can and stick it in the fridge door.

This baby keeps the food nice and fresh. None of Rufus' food smells mix with mine and none of mine with his. Plus they are re-usable and very easy to wash. Where would I be without a pet food cover??

Rufus' grandma bean was visiting last week and accidentally threw it away after making him a scrumptious dinner! Poor Rufus won't get any wet food till I pick up a new one. I bought this from Petco but I'm sure other brands work just as well.

Rufie Rating: Four paws!

FreshAire with Bio-Filters

Here's the latest litter we've tried in our quest for the best - FreshAire with Bio-Filters. It's new, having launched only this March. The litter touts itself as the 'World's First Hybrid Litter' because it's a mixture of two types of clay and organic wood.

Courtesy: www.freshairelitter.com

This is one of the 'greener' litter options as it contains biodegradable materials. Out of the tub, the litter looks almost like sawdust. The smell was pine-like and inoffensive.

The litter is great on paper, but it didn't meet up to its hype. Odor control was lacking. I had to supplement it with Arm & Hammer baking soda. Even with this boost, the odors still permeated the room.

The litter is made of soft, tiny pieces of wood. While dust was not a problem, the litter tracked everywhere! When Rufus goes, he must walk down the BoodaDome stairs and wipe his paws on a little towel before he can go about his day. Yet somehow the litter wound up in the farthest corners of the room. I've never seen litter tracked like this before! The litter did a decent job of clumping but not a great one.

We give FreshAire credit where it is due. It can't be said enough how much we appreciate that a company has designed a litter made of chemical-free, all-natural materials that are easy on paws. BUT...there are a few necessary tweaks before we can give it a higher rating.

Needless to say, we are still searching for that ever elusive 'four paw'-rated litter!!

Rufie Rating: One Paw

Petkin Kitty Wipes

I have never given Rufus a bath and this product will probably be the closest thing to a bath he will ever get from me.

These wipes work great after I give Rufus a good brushing. The wipes help remove stray furs and don't have any strange smells. He doesn't even mind that I am wiping him with a damp cloth-like material.

This product keeps well. I've had an opened (but resealed) bag sitting around for weeks and they remain perfectly moist when I need them. We like it!

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!

*This rating pertains strictly to the unscented wipes. We aren't sure how the scented ones feel or smell.

Kitty Hoots Big Mama's Scratch n' Play Ramp

The 'Kitty Hoots Big Mama's Scratch n' Play Ramp' is a wonderful scratching diversion for any cat home. It requires just a tiny bit of assembly and includes a bag of 'Zoom Around the Room' organic catnip & springy catnip toy.

This scratcher is very similar to one we rated previously. The premise is the same. It has a replaceable cardboard surface that is positioned on an incline for optimal scratching.

The only difference is the springy toy. There are three pre-cut holes you can stick the toy into. (Strangely, the product photo above doesn't show them.) The toy doesn't stay attached to the scratcher very well. It's a minor annoyance but it's an additional thing that I can step on in the middle of the night or have to fish out from under the furniture.

Rufus likes to address the springy toy and the scratcher separately.

Demonstrating how to use the scratcher. He's such a ham for the camera!

The included catnip is top notch. I accidentally spilled a giant mound onto the scratcher and Rufus was GLUED to the thing.

Note the darkened area near his face. That's ALL catnip!

Big stretch!!

The Scratch n' Play Ramp is biodegradable, takes the heat off the rugs and provides an extra way to get a little stretch for Rufus. We like it!

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!

Bonito Tuna Flakes

Rufus lives for fish flavored...anything. So it's no surprise he loves his tuna flakes. I love them because they are carb-free and make a good treat for cats watching their figures.

Another plus...it took forever to go through a whole tub. That's pretty amazing considering I let Rufus bury his face in the open container every now and then.

The only issue with this is they are paper thin and can crumble into messy, itty-bitty pieces. It's great to sprinkle on food but if you want to take a piece and give it to your cat, chances are there will be as many pieces on the floor as your cat's mouth.

Haven't been able to find these in stores lately but that doesn't stop this from being a great cat treat.

Rufie Rating: Two Paws!

Play-N-Squeak's Ball of the Wild

I was at the local pet store and stumbled on the most amazing toy ever, the 'Ball of the Wild'. It's a ball that can be filled with treats and makes squeaky mouse noises as it rolls around. I've been looking for a toy like this for years!

I brought it home, ripped it open and proceeded to stuff it full of Greenies. (The treat hole is small so I had to break the treats into smaller pieces for them to fit inside.)

Rufus is intrigued.

Giving the ball a sniff.

Rufus had a bit of trouble grasping the concept of this toy. When I first stuffed the ball with treats and set it down, he ignored the ball entirely and followed me around expecting me to give him the treats myself. I put in some fresh catnip and then he understood, quite quickly!!

He's got the crazy eyes.

Rufus doesn't care much for the mouse noises so when the batteries run out, I probably won't replace them. I think this is a superb product and really love that Rufus has to exercise his brain and body to get to the treats.

Rufie Rating: Three Paws!

Feline Pine Cat Litter

Rufus has tried multiple cat litters as part of our mission to find the very best litter. Fortunately, Rufus has been a very good guinea pig and doesn't mind all the changes with his litter box (I've heard stories about cats revolting against owners when any change was made to their litter boxes.)

Feline Pine was the very first brand we used. The ASPCA sent us home with a bag of this when we first adopted Rufus. I love that it's all natural. This means we could just flush or throw it in the trash and not worry about hurting the environment. The smell of the litter was natural and inoffensive.

BUT... this litter was not easy to clean up. Feline Pine is composed of pellets that turn into sawdust when wet. The poo was easy to get rid of but the piddle was not. We had to dump out the whole tub of litter every week or so because the smells would get too unpleasant. This can be wasteful if there are still pellets.

They have special litter boxes suited for this type of litter but we weren't ready to commit to the first litter we tried.

Feline Pine's odor control could have been better. Also, Rufus would track yellow dusty paw prints around the box. This was the most off-putting side effect for me since dust = 'soiled' pellets.


Rufie Rating: Two Paws