Category Archives: Review

Rescue, Review, Uncategorized

Review: Beware the Tomahawk Quick Draw Collapsible Net for Cat Rescue

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Tomahawk Quick Draw Net
Einstein models the hole in the Tomahawk Quick Draw Net created by Lucky two years ago.

Tomahawk Quick Draw Net seemed like a good idea at the time

I very seldom write negative reviews, but I’m mad as heck that a lightweight fishing net is being marketed by reputable animal control outlets as a viable cat rescue tool.

Several years ago I bought a Quick Draw Collapsible Net (QN101) from a Tomahawk vendor at Texas Unites for Animals. The guy manning the booth assured me this product worked great for cats.

As a rescuer, it looked like the perfect, yet affordable, answer to emergency cat captures. The description of the product on Tomahawk and other animal control merchandise websites says it’s designed to handle cats, birds and other small animals. I highly recommend it for arthritic gerbils, elderly hamsters and parakeets who have had their beaks removed, otherwise forget it.

A few years ago I used it to cat my elderly mother’s admittedly under-socialized cat so we could move Lucky with my mom to assisted living. The net folded up small enough to pack in my suitcase or I could keep it handy in the backseat of my car ready for cat rescue emergencies.

Tomahawk net's huge hole
Lucky’s hole in the Tomahawk net (designed for fishing not cats) was large enough for a small whale

 

The device worked like a charm until we actually caught Lucky with it. After sliding the net atop the 10-pound tabby, Lucky managed to rip two (count them) 8” long holes in the mesh as easily as warm butter. We finally caught the frightened feline when she darted into the cat carrier and we closed the door behind her.

Once again, we have to move Mom and Lucky to a memory care facility. *sigh and trepidation* I pulled out the unusable “cat net” and called Tomahawk hoping for a replacement. I was even willing to buy a replacement mesh, but they don’t sell them. The customer service rep said because I didn’t call right away they won’t replace the device, but I can buy a new device.

Customer service revelation

The customer service rep told me, this net isn’t designed to be used on feral cats. Really? Why did Tomahawk sell it at an animal control convention? Nowhere does Tomahawk discuss the product’s limitations. Until my phone call Tomahawk’s own website read, “Quick Draw Collapsible Nets have a telescopic handle and gentle but strong knotless ¼” mesh net. Durable aluminum construction means it is lightweight and capable of handling cats, birds, and other small animals. Triangular net opening is ideal for corners and walls.”

Measured hole in Tomahawk net
Look at the size of the hole Lucky made in the Tomahawk net. Gads!

Did it say, “Not designed for feral cats”? No, but the customer service rep informed after the fact. Did it say, “Use only on quadriplegic, defanged cats”? No. Did it say, “Use only on declawed cats”? No. Net’s real manufacturer, Frabill, sells the same unit on Amazon for fishing, not for animal capture. It also set a weight limit of 5.5 pounds. So, buy this product for cat rescue at your own risk. The product simply can’t handle cats; it picks up five-pound catfish. By all means, buy one of these, but DO NOT use it for emergency capture of a frightened or fractious cat. You will lose the cat, leaving both of you worse off.

I called Tomahawk again and spoke with a supervisor. To her credit she asked me if I wanted a replacement net. But while I was on hold I read Frabill’s own description of the product and I changed my mind. I think it is more important to let fellow rescuers and animal control officers know that this net will not be helpful in a rescue situation.

Immediately following our conversation, Tomahawk deleted the word “cat” from the description on their website. For that they get a yea. But search the internet and you’ll find distributors’ websites that contain the original wording as quoted above.

Tomahawk has a very good reputation and I can’t tell you how disappointed I am that they were marketing this product as an acceptable animal rescue solution. Shame on you, Tomahawk! Thank you for correcting your website. Now it’s time to encourage your distributors to follow your lead.

If you’ve purchased one of these nets for cat rescue, I encourage you to contact Tomahawk (or the distributor you bought it from) about a replacement. Please don’t use it to catch a cat.

Tomahawk distributor description using the original description
Tomahawk distributors still use the original text that reads it handles cats.

Have you had an epic fails in rescue equipment? Tell me about it in the comments section below my bio.

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About Dusty Rainbolt

Author Dusty Rainbolt is an award-winning veterinary journalist according to her answering machine. She is an associate certified cat behavior consultant and member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, as well as past president of the Cat Writers’ Association. Her books, columns, reviews and articles have been honored with more than 50 writing awards including three-time recipient of Friskies Writer of the Year. Her just-released award-winning cat behavior book, Cat Scene Investigator: Solve Your Cat’s Litter Box Mystery, is the consummate guide for dealing with a cat who sidesteps his/her appointed toilet. CSI, which provides science-based methods for determining the medical or behavioral causes of feline inappropriate elimination, teaches cat parents to view their cat’s litter box avoidance through the eyes of a detective to determine the cause and, ultimately, the remedy.

 

Cats, Environmental Enrichment, Review

Review: Four Paws® Love Glove® Grooming Mitt for Cats

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Four Paws Love Glove
Cosmo loves Love Glove

Love Glove:The Good, the bad and the messy

This 8.2-inch by 5.8-inch by 1-inch grooming mitt is made of a polyester mesh and it secures around the wrist using an elastic and Velcro® strap. The inside of the mitt is covered with rows of soft (approximately) 1/8-inch rubbery nubs. Sorry lefties of the world; it’s designed with righthanders in mind.

It’s one-size-fits-all and it flops around on my small hand. But, so what?

It’s a moderately effective grooming tool for the shorthaired kitties. Not so effective for the longer haired cats. But that’s not where the value lies. It’s a bonding tool.

Love Glove
Cosmo grabs my hand so I will keep rubbing with the Love Glove

 

The Rainbolt Test Kitties love, love, love the Love Glove—from 17-year-old Tonkinese Nixie to seven-month-old medium haired Fluffy. Not a single kitty in my household walked away from the glove. It gently pulled dead hair out of arthritic Nixie’s coat. She seemed to enjoy the soft massage. Dominant Groucho followed me around the house and pushed other cats out of the way so I could continue to brush him. Super longhaired Maine Coon Sterling enjoyed being stroked with the Love Glove, but it didn’t grab much of her dense hair. Even grumpy longhaired, Kiki, who bites me when I try to brush her, sat still for me to groom her. Amazing!

Although all of my guys loved this product, and the Love Glove will probably be adored by most cats who enjoy physical contact, not all cats will like it. Some kitties actually feel discomfort when being stroked. This isn’t the product for those kitties. However, if you have a shy cat, try a couple of gentle strokes and see how she responds.

Does Love Glove Mess Matter?

One other downside is that it’s a bit messy. Fur does fly. No problem. For the pleasure it brought to My Gang, a few hairs floating into my face was worth it.

__________________________________________

About Dusty Rainbolt

Author Dusty Rainbolt is an award-winning veterinary journalist according to her answering machine. She is an associate certified cat behavior consultant and member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, as well as past president of the Cat Writers’ Association. Her books, columns, reviews and articles have been honored with more than 50 writing awards including three-time recipient of Friskies Writer of the Year. Her just-released cat behavior book, Cat Scene Investigator: Solve Your Cat’s Litter Box Mystery, is the consummate guide for dealing with a cat who sidesteps his/her appointed toilet. CSI, which provides science-based methods for determining the medical or behavioral causes of feline inappropriate elimination, teaches cat parents to view their cat’s litter box avoidance through the eyes of a detective to determine the cause and, ultimately, the remedy.

Environmental Enrichment, Review, Uncategorized

Ripple Rug product review

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The Ripple Rug in a configuaration the Test Kitties really like. Look closely at the center opening. You can barely see Emily’s nose. Photo by Weems S. Hutto.

 

Ripple Rug overall rating: 4½ paws

Purpose: Environmental enrichment and territory expansion

Test Kitties: Emily (4 years), ChanChan (5), Pallas (5), Leggo (8), George (10), Sam (17)

The topside of the Ripple Rug

Description: The Ripple Rug® cat activity play mat by Snuggly Cat® provides environmental enrichment and territory expansion by giving kitties a place to explore, hide and scratch. It consists of two needle ribbed polyester carpet sheets, each measuring 35 inches by 47 inches. The bottom rug has a natural rubber anti-slip coating. The underside of the upper carpet uses hook and loop fasteners (think Velcro®), which allows you to position the rug in into a series of caves. It also has 14 holes of varying diameters, 4 larger entrance/exit holes and a series of peep holes.

The underside of the top rug. Note the black hook and loop fasteners that attach to the base.

 


Test Kitties ratings: 5 Paws

The Rainbolt Test Kitties loved this product. It provides new places to explore and hide, as well as playing and scratching opportunities. It wasn’t unusual to see one sitting atop the unit playing footsie with another kitty inside. Re-shape the unit anytime, which gives Kitty perpetually novel places to explore. Toss toys in the crannies so Kitty can “hunt.” I hide treat balls inside. Whenever I refill the food puzzle, I stash it in a new location. They seemed to enjoy the added challenge. They also used it as a scratcher.

I just set it down and Emily begins to explore. Photo by Weems S. Hutto.

 

Safety: 4 paws

The rug and bonding materials are non-toxic. The coating is also nontoxic and made of 60 percent natural rubber. Four of the holes are large enough for a cat to get his head through. Each of the large holes have multiple safety slits that can be expanded. Using scissors or a razor blade, extend the safety slit to allow a full body portal. Trimmed nails will prevent claws from getting caught in the carpet loops.

 

Emily plays footsie with a kitty off-camera

Human rating: 4

Ripple Rug’s limitations are associated with your willingness to arrange it. That said, if you don’t get the cave just right, the cats ignore it. My first configuration attempt flopped in a big way. They simply sat on top of the messily arranged carpet. After they abandoned the failed structure I played with the configuration. It did take experimentation to create an enticing cave system. Once I got it right, the Test Kitties adored it.

Eventually the topside dwellers smush (a little Texas lingo there) the Ripple Rug flat, and you must create a new cavern. So if your cats appear uninterested, keep reworking the structure. They will let you know when you get it right.

Bette is deaf. Ripple Rug provides a safe hiding place for her.

The rugs fold into a 24-inch squares that you can easily store before guests arrive.

Aesthetics: 2 paws. It’s a brown ridged carpet. Not ugly, but certainly not designed to appeal to human aesthetics. Since experts believe cats color vision is limited to gray and blue, appearance doesn’t matter to the cat, but function does. Beauty is, in fact, in the eye of the beholder.
Washable: It stands up well to machine washing on delicate in cold water. I hang it and allow it to air dry. Because of the coloring, you can’t see most stains.
Environmentally friendly: 5 paws. The carpet fibers are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. The manufacturing process melts the bottles and extrudes the plastic into fibers. Every Ripple Rug set contains 24 bottles, 80 percent of which come from New York State.

Einstein enjoys sitting on the Ripple Rug. Scratching it too.

 

Price: 4 paws $46.00 with free shipping from Amazon. (I’d pay it.)  

Get more information from Snuggly Cat.

Disclaimer: Neither the Rainbolt Test Kitties nor Dusty Rainbolt received any compensation for this review, however Snuggly Cat® did send a sample so the Test Kitties could opine. The Test Kitties try a lot of products, most of which are kicked to the curb. We only publish reviews on products that are fun, safe and helpful for our readers and their cats.

About Dusty Rainbolt

Author Dusty Rainbolt is an award-winning veterinary journalist according to her answering machine. She is an associate certified cat behavior consultant and member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, as well as past president of the Cat Writers’ Association. Her books, columns, reviews and articles have been honored with more than 50 writing awards including three-time recipient of Friskies Writer of the Year. Her just-released cat behavior book, Cat Scene Investigator: Solve Your Cat’s Litter Box Mystery, is the consummate guide for dealing with a cat who sidesteps his/her appointed toilet. CSI, which provides science-based methods for determining the medical or behavioral causes of feline inappropriate elimination, teaches cat parents to view their cat’s litter box avoidance through the eyes of a detective to determine the cause and, ultimately, the remedy.

Review, Uncategorized

Drymate® Litter Trapping Mat for Happy Cats and Happy Floors

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IMG_8801_Drymate_copyright
Einstein with the Drymate® Litter Trapping Mat. Normally it lies flat after a few minutes out of the packaging, but Einstein liked it so much she used it for a scratcher. Photo by Weems S. Hutto. ©2016.

 

Name: Drymate® Litter Trapping Mat
Description: (My favorite) 28″ X 36″ (item number CLMRF2836C) and 20″ x 28″ (item number CLMRF2028C) ridged litter mats with bonded waterproof backing
Works best on: carpet or hard flooring / covered or open box
Effectiveness: Very effective. Low off-mat tracking
Available: Target.com
Suggested retail: small ($12.99) and large ($19.99.)
Observations: I’ve used the Drymate® Cat Litter Mat for years, so when a representative from Drymate asked if I wanted to try their new and improved Litter Trapping Mat, I jumped at the chance.

Before I talk about my experience with the Drymate® Litter Trapping Mat, I need to give you some info on feline preferences. A decade ago, Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli said cat owners should keep their cat’s preferences in mind when buying litter mats (cat litter, or any product for that matter.) At the time, Dr. Moon-Fanelli was the clinical assistant professor and a certified applied animal behaviorist at the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University of Veterinary Medicine. She’s now in private practice.

“Sensitive cats may not like the feel of some substrates,” she said. “Just as some cats balk when their owners use litter box liners, cats who don’t like the feel of a plastic floor runner will not the feel of plastic litter mats.”

Maybe you’ve never considered whether or not certain textures repel your cat. But if your kitty is even the slightest reluctant to walk on a certain surface like he may decide to seek out an alternative bathroom rather than tread across a mat that makes him uncomfortable.

LitterTrappingMat_InUse_Drymate
Photo provided by Drymate.

 

I tested the textural comfort of the Drymate Litter Trapping Mat by pressing my forearm against it; the mat felt neutral against my skin. The cats obviously loved the feel of it. They immediately used it as a scratching pad and later napped on it.

Tracking occurs when litter becomes trapped inside the cat’s paws. When the kitty leaves the box, the pads spread and litter falls out on the floor. It’s been my experience that no mat eliminates tracking completely, but the Drymate Litter Trapping Mat greatly reduced off-mat tracking.

The 100% polyester mat features fine ridges that gently part a kitty’s paw pads to release litter as Fluffy walks away from the litter box. Litter becomes trapped within the ridges, which should reduce tracking.

IMG_8800_Drymate Blog
Einstein reveals the waterproof underside that protect the floor from litter accidents.

 

When it comes to litter mats bigger IS better. The larger the mat, the more steps the cat must take before its feet reach the floor. That gives him more distance to drop the litter on the mat before littering the floor. This mat comes in two sizes: 20” x 28” ($12.99) and the 28” x 36” ($19.99.) Not unexpectedly, the larger mat did the best job at corralling litter.
Regardless of where I placed the mat, the Rainbolt Test Kitties continued to use their favorite litter box with the same enthusiasm and frequency as before.

The Drymate Litter Trapping Mat is environmentally responsible; it’s made from a polyester fiber manufactured in the USA from 100% recycled bottles. The non-skid waterproof backing keeps the mat in place while preventing accidents from soaking through to your floor. The fabric is so absorptive, if your cat misses or overshoots the box, there’s no pee runoff, and the backing prevents leak through. (BTW-If your cat suddenly starts going just outside the box, you need to take him to the vet.)

Litter box cat next to box_drymate

To remove litter trapped in the ridges, hold the mat over litter box, roll it lengthwise with the ridges facing outward and shake. Wash as needed. It’s machine washable in cool water and dryer safe at low heat. I’ve washed the Litter Trapping Mat several times and it held its own. (My older Drymate mats have been washed countless times and still perform well.)

The only downside I can find that it won’t win any decorating awards. It’s a neutral dark gray. Also, I wouldn’t mind if it came in a larger size.

Bottom line: To me, this is the only litter mat worth using. It’s comfortable for the cats, the large mat catches most of the litter, it doesn’t slip and it protects the floor from litter box mishaps.

Although more outlets are anticipated, currently Target.com is the only place to get it.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Drymate’s manufacturer, RPM, Inc. Dusty Rainbolt’s Universe is being compensated for spreading the word about the Drymate Litter Trapping Mat, but rest assured, I only write about products my cats love and use regularly. Paying me to write about this mat is like paying me to eat sushi. I’m going to do it anyway, but Einstein needs a new cat toy. RPM, Inc isn’t responsible for the content of this article.

Review

Dr. Catsby’s Feline Remedies Bowl for Whisker Fatigue #giveaway

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Dr Catsbys bowl
Sam enjoys Dr. Catsby’s Feline Remedies Bowl for Whisker Fatigue

 

Whisker Fatigue. It’s reached crisis levels in our country. I’m not talking about Tom Selleck’s trademark mustache or Duck Dynasty’s shaggy beards. I’m talking about feline whiskers bumping the side of food bowls when they eat.

Cat whiskers or vibrissae (if you want to get technical), are so sensitive they can identify subtle changes in air currents. (Top that Willie Nelson.) So you can imagine how uncomfortable it is to continually bump these sensitive external organs against a poorly design food bowl.

My kitty crew have been eating from supposedly whisker-friendly bowls for years, but there were still problems. They eat from the center of the bowl and push the kibble to the side of the bowl where they can’t reach it.

Enter Dr. Catsby’s Feline Remedies Bowl for Whisker Fatigue. (In the spirit of full disclosure, the company sent the Rainbolt Test Kitties a sample bowl and even offered a free bowl for one lucky reader. I’ll talk about that at the end of this article. I get lots of product samples, but only post the ones that will benefit my readers and their kitties.)

 

stainless steel bowl
Maybe my portly kitties should continue to eat from their old bowls. It might help them lose weight.

 

My elderly Siamese-mix Sam has food allergies and must eat food that costs $75 a bag. *Sigh* Until now I’ve fed him in a supposedly whisker-friendly stainless steel bowl. Every 30 seconds I have to shake the bowl to bring the kibble back to the center. I didn’t realize how his bowl was preventing him from a pleasant dining experience. The Dr. Gatsby’s bowl allows Sam to concentrate on eating while I concentrate on guarding him from the Meow Marauders who want to share his food.

Dr Catsbys bowl2

 

I love the bowl. Sam loves the bowl. He no longer has to hold his whiskers against his face when he dips down to eat. Not only does Dr. Catsby prevent Sam’s whisker fatigue, he can reach his food without assistance.

Dr. Gatsby’s bowl features a six-inch wide, shallow, but rounded opening. The stainless steel bowl is dishwasher safe at any temperature. It has a detachable rubber base that prevents travelling bowl syndrome.

Dr. Catsby’s Feline Remedies Bowl retails for $ 19.99. You can buy it directly from Dr. Catsby himself.

The Rainbolt Test Kitties have arranged for one lucky reader to win a Dr. Catsby’s Feline Remedies Bowl for Whisker Fatigue Bowl. Just leave a comment at the end of this blog before 11:59 p.m. CST on February 6, 2016. You can earn extra entries to win by sharing this review on Facebook or other social media. To get credit for your social media posts, leave a separate comment for each share below telling the Rainbolt Test Kitties where you shared. Good luck.

 

Review, Uncategorized

Polydactyl Cats Asian Sauce Packet Cat Toy Set #Giveaway

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Polydactyl toys IMG_2855 copyright
The Polydactyl Cats Asian Sauce Packet Cat Toy set come with four sauces (inside the condiments packet), but you have to supply the tea cup and chopsticks.

 

FTC disclaimer: Neither the Rainbolt Test Kitties nor Dusty Rainbolt received any compensation for this review, however the manufacturer comped test samples of the Polydactyl Cats Asian Sauce Packet Cat Toy Set and  are providing a complimentary set for the winner of the contest below.

The pros and Cons of polydactyl Cats Asian Sauce Packet Cat Toy Set

Pros:
Made with very potent organic catnip grown in the U.S.
Handmade in the U.S.
Super whimsical
Textile design uses nontoxic dyes
Cats love it

Downsides:
A little pricey.
They’re easily lost under furniture.

Polydactyl Asian set
The Polydactyl Cats Asian Sauce Packet Toy Set . The new style looks like sauce flowing from the packets.

Every time I visit my favorite sushi bar or Chinese restaurant, the Rainbolt Test Kitties feel compelled to give me the did-you-bring-me-a kitty-bag sniff. I can’t help but feel a little guilty when I fill their dishes with shrimp and tuna canned food. But I’ve found a way to compromise. In lieu of a paper-thin bite of hamachi, my Test Kitties get Asian delights catnip toys by Polydactyl Cats. The Chinese Takeout Cat Toy Line offers feline friendly versions of your favorite Asian sauces and appetizers without the sodium, MSG or mess.

The super fun toy four-pack combo is the perfect gift for any lover of Asian cuisine. The Asian Sauce Packets Cat Toy Set, handmade by artist Randi Warhol (no relation to Andy), contains four clever 4” X 2” catnip toys appearing as soy sauce, duck sauce, hot sauce and hot mustard. Warhol’s realistic yet whimsical textile artwork really looks like takeout sauce packages right down to the air bubble on the back. The catnip packets come in transparent condiment bags. There’s even a handwritten thank you note from the designer written on a green receipt page.

_Polydactyl 4
The tea cup, chopsticks and foster kitten named Fabio not included.

The Rainbolt Test Kitties absolutely LOVED these potent catnip toys. The moment I opened the box the strong fragrance of catnip wafted out, and I suddenly I found myself surrounded by cats.

Once I handed the toys to the Test Kitties the spit hit the fan in absolutely the most complimentary way. I found the toys in different parts of the house saturated with cat slobber and enthusiastically swatted with Pawprint of Approval. About the size of real sauce packets, it was perfect for the cats to carry around.

Each linen/cotton canvas toy contains polyester polyfill and two tablespoons of From the Field organic catnip. The sprightly designs are printed in nontoxic water-based dyes.

Polydactyl1
Bette is really enjoying the organically-grown From the Field catnip.

Individually the sauces have a suggested retail price is $6.99 each plus shipping, and the set retails for $27.99. Here’s a direct link to the Pet Food Direct Duck Sauce and Soy Sauce. Here’s Warhol’s Etsy page.

The Test Kitties have arranged for one of our readers to share in the fun. Just leave a comment at the end of this blog before 11:59 p.m. CST on February 15. You can earn extra entries to win by sharing this review on Facebook or other social media. To get credit for your social media posts, leave a separate comment for each share below telling the Rainbolt Test Kitties where you shared.

 

Review

Life Hammer Keychain: It Saved My Friend’s Life

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Life hammer
TL Life Hammer auto rescue tool

Life hammer keychain is cheap insurance. (This is a public service announcement. This is not a compensated post. I even paid a butt-load on shipping when I bought these as gifts.)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I like to be prepared for emergencies. I want others to be safe too. About five years ago I gave all of my friends and family these Resqme keychain car escape tools for Christmas. The little devices were about $5 each and I paid an additional $4 per item for shipping.  (Now, they’re two for $17.95, no additional shipping.) In the event of a car crash, these 1-1/2″ gadgets can shatter side windows, puncture air bags and slice through seat belts with a single motion. (You can buy a different brand for only $5, shipping included.)

 

Life Hammer is Cheap Safety Insurance

Most people didn’t even acknowledge them. That was okay. I hoped that they would at least take time to put them on their keys, just in case.

My brother-in-law tried the glass breaking tool on his thumbnail and described the impact similar to a bullet. (That was an assumption. He’s never been shot.)

So five years later, the life hammer keychains forgotten, I got a call from my friend Mary from Oregon. She was driving an hour to the hospital to be with her husband before he was taken to surgery when she lost control of her car and ran off the road. Thank goodness she only received bumps and bruises. But she was trapped in her car with the minutes until the surgery ticking away. The firefighters said they would have to extract her with the Jaws of Life. Mary remembered the Life Hammer and used it to break the driver’s side window. The entire window (even below the door frame) shattered. With no exposed fragments remaining to cut her, the firefighters pulled her through the window. A witness to the accident drove Mary into town and she arrived 15 minutes before her husband was wheeled into surgery.

Fortunately, Mary was not in a life-threatening situation. Without the little $5 device, she would have missed those important minutes with her husband.

Last night I heard a news story about a bratty child who climbed out of her safety seat and wrapped the seat belt around her mother’s neck. The seat belt tightened around the woman’s throat and was suffocating her. Her husband, who was driving, pulled over but couldn’t get the constricting seat belt from around her neck. He managed to stop a police officer who sliced through the seat belt with a pocket knife. While this was a freak accident (and a sign of an undisciplined brat), had the husband had a life hammer, he could have freed his wife immediately.

In the event of a fire, you don’t have  time to wait for the fire trucks or the police. The Life Hammer is the perfect Valentine’s present. It’s only $5. Give one to everyone in your family and your friend.

Even though people think I’m a little obsessed with preparation, I know my obsession allowed Mary to spend 15 very important minutes with her husband.

 

 

 

into so many tiny fragments

Litter Box, Review, Uncategorized

#PreciousCat Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Litter Giveaway & Review

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CatLitter 120

Cats avoid the litter box for any number of reasons not their fault, from an illness to a box that in some way doesn’t meet their standards. Their fault or not, cats who miss the box are at risk of being surrendered to an animal shelter. And since families aren’t standing in line to adopt inappropriate eliminators, litter box avoidance can be a death sentence.

Dr. Elsey Cat Litter

Now that I’ve got you totally depressed, here’s the good news: Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract™ actually encourages kitties, even those with wandering bladders (and bowels), to return to the box. I’ve been a fan of Cat Attract™ for over a decade. (Keep reading to learn how you can win a bag of Cat Attract™.)

There are aisles of litters on store shelves with a variety of characteristics. Unfortunately felines and humans don’t always agree on which qualities are important.

People want a low-tracking, low-dust, yet affordable, litter that controls odors, has a pleasant fragrance, and produces hard clumps. Cats, true to their nature, are more comfort-oriented. They want a fine-textured litter that feels good against their paws, but with without an overpowering fragrance. Cats don’t give a rat’s rear about perfumes and tracking.

Dr ElseysEnter Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract™ Cat Litter. I discovered this litter when the product was first introduced to north Texas. In 2003 I was the product editor for the Tufts University publication, Catnip. I was in the midst of a cystitis-inspired outbreak of inappropriate elimination that I called The Great Litter Box Rebellion. There are few things more frustrating than my cats not using the litter box.

I conducted the side-by-side preference test of popular cat litters including the newly-introduced Cat Attract™. During that week-long evaluation, the little product testers showed a (pardon the pun) marked preference for Dr. Elsey’s. The Rainbolt Test Kitties love, love, love this litter.  Since that review, my cats have had at least one litter box filled with Cat Attract™. Today, five out of seven litter boxes in my house contain a Precious Cat® litter.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADr. Elsey’s Cat Attract™ is a therapeutic clay clumping litter with a moderately fine, sandy texture that contains a proprietary herbal cat attractant undetectable to the human nose. It has all of the attributes cats find desirable in addition to my wish list.

As soon as I poured out the Cat Attract™ the cats jump into the box and begin to dig and use the litter. They actually appeared to be having fun.  Cat Attract™ even coaxed my Siamese-mix Cosmo, who suffered from two urinary tract blockages, back to the pan.  It’s ideal for multicat homes, where litter box issues are more likely.

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Cats are very sensitive to texture and scent.

 

Now for the human perspective. Cat Attract™ is a low-dust litter. It forms very firm clumps that don’t break when you scoop. Neatness aside, broken clumps leave behind little crumbs that cause the litter to smell. It clumps so hard and so quickly, it works in electronic litter boxes.  It even comes with a booklet filled with suggestions to help your cat make friends with his box again.

The downside is that it has a moderate level of tracking, and well, that’s all I can find. Hmm. Sweeping up tracked litter versus soiled carpets. You do the math.

Yes, it’s more expensive than bargain brands, but it’s worth it; it’s certainly cheaper than a carpet cleaning service or buying new flooring. Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter can be purchased online and at most pet retailers. It comes in 20 and 40-pound bags.

Do You Feel Lucky?

Enter the Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract™ Cat Litter Giveaway. For a chance to win a 20-pound bag of Cat Attract™ simply leave a comment on this blog before 11:59 CST April 10, 2014. Don’t forget to include your email address. The Cat Attract™ Giveaway, across all participating blogs, is limited to one winner per household.  For additional chances to win, share this post on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest using the hashtag #PreciousCat. Don’t forget to tell me in a separate comment where you share it. Sorry kiddos, you have to be 18 years old and live in the U.S. to enter.  Winners will receive an email with instructions.  Prize delivery can take up to eight weeks.

It’s time for full disclosure: Precious Cat®, who makes Cat Attract™, sponsored this review on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network. Yes, Dusty Rainbolt’s Universe is being compensated for spreading the word about Precious Cat’s Cat Attract formula, but as I’ve said before, I only write about products my cats love and I use regularly. Precious Cat isn’t responsible for the content of this article.