Cattery of Arda

Products/websites that I use and recommend: 

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This page will be added to as I think of things that I would recommend to others! In case you're wondering if I'm profiting from this page, well, I'm not! I do not receive any advertising kickback or endorsements (if that's the right expression?) whatsoever - I simply have used them a while or have done research on them personally and want you to know about them too! Of course, if any of these companies wanted to sponsor me, I'd be open to discussing that :)     

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April & May, 2021 - this page has been updated! Some things were edited and then I added other recommendations.  

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• Corn-based litter: I have found that this natural litter is effective for controlling smell and maintaining overall cleanliness for litter boxes, with the added bonus of having fewer harsh chemicals for animals and humans alike... These have to be cleaned out more frequently than clay litter maybe, but I feel better knowing that it is more "natural" and less toxic to be - so, if a curious kitten decides to munch on this new substance as he's exploring... well, it's not too panic inducing for me! I have tried nearly every other type of litter, but this has consistently been the one where guests are surprised that I have cats as there's not that "litter box smell" when you walk through the door! The highly chemical/perfumed litter makes me a little wary of what we are all breathing in, too! :/ Sadly, it's just a fact that some litter will be tracked out of the box... no matter how much you spend on a "litter mat", it will happen! I am less disturbed a bit of corn-meal (essentially) being tracked in the house than granules of clay or other unknown compounds. While we're on the subject of litter - get a  b i g  litter box if you can make space for it! Your cats will be so much happier with more space to move around and less inclined to have accidents because their box was too small for their liking. Also, it's recommended by most vets and animal behavioralists (like Jackson Galaxy - who is amazing and has wonderful insights to how cats "tick" and how to read their behavior) to have a +1  number of litter boxes to number of cats, and on each floor if you have more than one level in your house. So, if you have one cat, get two boxes. Two cats, three boxes. Three cats, four boxes and so on... We don't like having to walk multiple flights of steps to share a baby-sized toilet with a bunch of other people at the same time... so, why would a cat?! And it's no fun when cats need to go at the same time and are competing for space in a box - I've learned from experience that it can get messy! :( One final note: another "more natural" option is a pine pellets based litter, which is certainly cheaper than the corn cob litter (cheaper by a lot!) but not all cats tolerate the large pellets for their toilet - most humans are ok with cold, hard plastic toilet seats, but then there are the picky humans who demand a soft, covered toilet seat...yeah, it happens! Let me illustrate. Because of the nature of my cattery in my home, I have between four and five big litter boxes (in various rooms) at a time and some have the corn, and some have the pine. "Pickier" cats will tend toward one or the other, while others will simply use whatever is in the room closest to them. If you test out the pine pellets, and they like it - great! It will save you $$ :) But if they seem to jump out of the box, or have "near miss" accidents near the box, it may be that they don't like the texture of the pine pellets. I would recommend trying the corn litter after that to see if they like it better. I like using "World's Best Cat Litter" for the corn-based type. The pine can be the generic horse bedding pellets at your local feed store, they do not need to be the "name brand" kinds that are overpriced, in my opinion, with no benefit to it being marketed for cats other than the branding. If I ever find a generic alternative to the corn-based litter, I'll add that here later. 

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• Two types of dry food recommended: Purina One Healthy Kitten Formula dry food & Earthborn dry food  are really good for kittens and adults alike. The kibble bits are small enough that kittens can eat them even a young age, and tastes good enough that my adult cats like it too! I also really like mixing in the Purina One Urinary Tract Health dry food, so that everything in their system maintains a healthy flow :) My vet recommended adding in such food as a general health maintenance routine, although she did not specify any particular brand. I also like giving them this salmon gel as a treat - they love it, and it's good for their urinary system! If you purchase a kitten from my affiliate, the Earthborn or Orijin are the only two that the kittens are used to, and would need that to transition to something else. The online store of Chewy seems to be a cheaper option than Amazon in this particular case.

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• Orijin or Earthborn wet food is a good wet food for kittens. My kittens have all really liked it. 

  • *Update: I eventually stopped buying canned wet food for my kittens/cats, but made my own: I use an Instant Pot to cook an entire (whole - bones, gizzards, and all) chicken, then add rice towards the end. I add a pinch of white vinegar (about 1 tsp) to help soften the bones. When it's done/cooled down, I Recipe: cook a whole chicken with at least 2 cups of water for at least 2 hours. Then add 1 cup of uncooked white rice (short grain) and cook another 2 hours. Let cool and then mash everything together (it looks disgusting) and pour into silicone cupcake molds to freeze. I use an old-fashioned potato masher and fork to mash it all up - the bones and all the innards should be very soft. Check the bones to be sure they are indeed soft and break up easily - we don't want anyone to choke on it! The end result looks really gross, but that's a price to pay for something so good for them. No additives or chemical preservatives! You know exactly what's in it :)  After they're frozen, I store them until they're needed then thaw them the day before and warm them and add more water before serving. If you had a large enough Instant Pot, you could probably double this "recipe". As you can see below, they love it! It rarely lasts more than 4 minutes on the plate!

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• Enzyme cleaner for the occasional accident by young ones still learning litter box etiquette: Nature's Miracle Cat Stain and Odor Remover (they have it in sprays and concentrated formulas as well). Here's a link for it on Amazon. The good thing about an enzyme cleaner like this is rather than simply cleaning the mess like other cleaners do, this product and others in the lineup will help to remove the smell that cats want to go back to when they look for their scent.

  • *Update: As of February of 2020, I do not personally use these products anymore - I now use Norwex products for all my cleaning, including for the cats. I absolutely love knowing that I'm not using potentially harsh chemicals around them anymore! Please reach out if you have any questions/want more details.  

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• Cat condos are excellent sources of exercise with scratching posts typically combined as well as a  place for your cat to be "up high" and see everything going on in his - your! - house ! They can get pricey - I have found the Warehouse/Refurbished ones from Amazon and the deals from Groupon to be good places to find them. You can get lucky and stumble on some quality ones at Walmart, or Petsmart and other pet stores too. This is a basic one that I purchased from Amazon, and have been pleased with. I have had success finding the tension-rod "climbers" from Walmart for a decent price and no drilling needed to attach it to the ceiling/floor. For one of these I actually turned it into a DIY project by stripping the carpet on the climbing portion and replacing with sisal rope. They really like that! The sisal rope is available in a lot of places, but you have to buy quite a bit for this project. 

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• (New!) Cat Wheels are another excellent sources of exercise for cats - especially for those who live in houses/apartments where they don't have a lot of "running room" or for those fur-babies who do not have have another cat companion in the house to run with. The one that I have (shown in my Blog) is from One Fast Cat. It took a while to arrive (I ordered in Dec. 2020) because of Covid, so don't expect the "2 day shipping" as we're so used to with Amazon, but I've been very happy with the product and would recommend it to any interested in a cat wheel There are others out on the market, but when I did research, this one seemed to be both affordable (trust me, there are some out there much more expensive than this brand!) and also had good reviews overall.  Galadriel and Elbereth took less than an hour to get used to it, and Galadriel hops on and "trots" (she really does!) all the time :) As of today (April, 2021), the website says its sold out of this product, but I hope that's temporary! Their customer service is also really good; there were a few broken pieces in the original shipment and I reached out to them and they took care of it right away and were very helpful. A company is only as good as its customer service, in my humble opinion...

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• (New!) Revolution flea/heartworm treatment and preventative care. This is a prescription only product, so please speak with your vet about it. Here is some information about it. I use the Revolution (selamectin) - there is also a Revolution Plus which is a different formula. I do not use this one because it's not proven to be safe for lactating/pregnant cats. But, your vet may recommend the Plus version for you so I'd have the conversation about which is best. You might be thinking that, "well, my cats will never go outside, so I don't need this!" However, *we* go outside, and can carry fleas and other things with us into the cats environment. That is why I treat mine even though they are indoor only. Plus, there are other preventative measures in Revolution that are wise investments for the health of your precious Burmese kitty :)  

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• (New!) Drinking fountains are a great way to encourage cats to drink water. Some don't need this "encouragement", but then  others do - not drinking enough water can lead to serious health problems. One of my (non-breeding) males was not drinking enough water on a regular basis and in order to prevent urinary and kidney issues, I tried an electric water fountain. I tried a basic (on sale!) one on Amazon just to see, and he loved it! Now I use a couple I purchased directly from CatIt because their product quality is higher and I don't have to wonder if the filters (also direct buys from them) will work or not or whether they are "knock-off's" on Amazon/elsewhere. (I have the stainless steel one and also the green flower one.) Now Pippin drinks a lot more regularly than before because he prefers the "moving water" of the fountain over still water in a bowl. The kittens are exposed to fountains in their areas, so they will not have a problem transitioning if you choose to get one, too. The downside to fountains is that you have to clean them regularly and change their filters. It doesn't take long to clean every week, and the filters are not super expensive, but it's something to consider. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have invested in them if Pippin hadn't had such a lack of enthusiasm for water, which as mentioned above can turn into expensive vet visits, pain for him, medication, or worse (kidney failure, especially for male cats is not uncommon). 

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• SmartyKat toys in general have always been a success with my cats - this is a favorite of one in particular.  Other things from this brand and others that I have purchased are cat tunnels, catnip filled mice, and other things like that to batt around and chase! Another brand that I like is Catit - they have toys, quality food dishes, and a lot of things to offer. This track is a favorite of my current kittens. Lastly and one of the best cat products I own: the SnugglyCat Ripple Rug  (here's the link for Amazon). It looks like a lot for the price - but let me assure you that my 4 week old kittens up to the "grown-up" adults go crazy for this thing!!! 

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• Long road trip? Crates with small litter boxes and food, water and bedding all in one space have worked well for me when traveling by car. I like these types of crates - and then get hammocks and other things to fit inside (I have not purchased that particular brand of hammock linked here, but something similar to it and was happy). The cats will feel more secure with their own safe place to be, and you'll rest more assured knowing they're not going to get thrown around  a lot with the car moving around or worrying about them having an accident on your seats! (I am willing to help you figure out what would best suit your particular needs if you are traveling by car - just contact me!) 

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• Sealed containers for food from companies like Vittles (here at Amazon) are wise choices so that their dry food doesn't get stale or attract bugs...! I now have a small one and then three large ones for storing food - it also looks a lot tidier than bags of food lying around - not to mention that these have really good seals, which are great for keeping bugs away!

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• (Updated) Kitties having trouble going poo? Dehydrated? Need more fiber? Use pure pumpkin (like this one) into their other wet or dry food. Most cats find it palatable and it's a safe way to give them a bit more fiber if they're having loose stools or other issues. I typically get the generic brand at a local grocery store and mix it into their wet food. It works really well! For kittens who are not drinking enough water, you can give them (flavorless) Pedialyte (or generic brand) either straight or mixed into their water. If they get really dehydrated, a vet can give them a subcutaneous shot to get their fluid level up. This can be very dangerous for kittens especially to be dehydrated - and diarrhea can be a sign of dehydration, as counter-intuitive as that may seem. Pyrantel is also a good dewormer (for some worms) that you can administer at home. I get mine at Amazon.

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• There are many websites with good information on kitten care: WebMD, TheSprucePets, VetStreet, are just some that I have frequented in the past. 

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• Bringing a new kitten home? A good idea when bringing a kitten home for the first time is to start small and slow - small spaces at first and then gradually let him get used to the new surroundings and comfortable before expanding that new territory. Also, I have found it helpful to not let them out of the carrier right away - simply put them in a room of your choice (preferably enclosed) where they can look around and get used to the new sights/smells and let them watch as you set up their food, water, blankets/toys they're familiar with, etc. Cats are highly sensitive and connected to scent, so if you can get them used to you by putting a small towel or t-shirt, etc into their carrier on the way home, they will have an easier time adjusting. This would be especially helpful if you could put a blanket/etc of a current kitty you have in the house in their area so they can get used to the new cat's scent before seeing them. The main thing is that new kitty needs to know that it's safe - so don't force it to meet everyone and see everything all at once. Once he feels safe and comfortable in his surroundings, the adjustment will go so much smoother and you'll have less problems in the long run. I don't agree with everything that he promotes and his opinions, but this page by Jackson Galaxy has really solid information (and I've tested it!) on how to introduce new cats and also how to set up a "base camp" as he calls it for a new home introduction. Although, as more thoroughly detailed in the About page, these Burmese kittens do NOT need as much time to acclimate as a normal pet store kitten or barn cat-kitten would need. Please, please read the About page before bringing home one of my kittens! 

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• Carriers that I have purchased and liked: "Space Bubble" backpack carrier and Expandable soft carrier.  (Even if you are bringing home two kittens, you only need one carrier. They will be happier together!)