Christmas with your pets!

For many people, their pets are their kids, and they treat them as kids in all aspects of life. I am the lead chair for Celebrate! Annville, and one of the events we do is Pictures with Santa. It's a fundraiser idea I made happen and now run each year. Not so surprisingly, we get more pet pictures than we do kid pictures! What's surprising is there are surprisingly few places to do pictures with Santa for your pet at an affordable price and get a print plus digital link.

This got me to thinking - what do you do for your pets around the holidays? Normally, our crew of cats doesn't get presents under the tree, stockings, wear ugly Christmas sweaters, or pictures with Santa. Why not? Partly because my budget for gifts goes to humans (there are a decent number of humans we get gifts for). The other reason is that my cats get spoiled year-round - do I really need to add on Christmas, birthday/gotcha day? Probably not!

What our cats LOVE about the holidays is a short list. Once upon a time, we used to put up a 7+ foot tree, and they would lay nicely under the tree, and I'd get some cool pictures of them in the lights. Fast-forward to Dobby becoming a menace to society. She knocked over

my tree 3 times in one year, making a huge mess of tree water, needles, and broken ornaments. While I can't fully blame her—I never tied the tree to the ceiling or wall—it is mostly her fault, as my tree has never fallen over until she decided it would be great to play with.

Now our tree is 3 feet or less, sits on my desk, and has far fewer ornaments. No more cool pictures of them lying under the tree. Instead, they drink the tree water (not supposed to be good for them!), play with the ornaments and any presents I try to squeeze under the tree. Don't even think about putting a skirt around the tree, or they push it into the tree water, as it clearly needs water—making a huge mess and drying my tree out.

Do I dress my cats up? Typically - no. But now, since I started the #purrfectdozen TikTok channel, I do put some cute clothes on them occasionally and try to get their picture or video. I haven't broken out the Christmas ones just yet. They'll be coming out soon for sure! While none of them LOVES it, they will tolerate it for a while. Jasper is the one who is most used to wearing shirts and looks absolutely HANDSOME in them.

Our crew of cats loves the holidays for a few reasons. Smokey - she gets all the extra love, and there are enough people that there's never a shortage of laps or pets to be had if someone is done with her. Dobby - she has recently been introduced to the world of human food - specifically meat. So this means she gets full on a diet of sampling from anyone who will share with her. Jasper - our master bathroom cat gets more attention because it's a constant flow of people using that bathroom. Not to mention the people who just want to hang with him one on one!

Do they get stockings and Christmas presents? Nope - they get sprinkled year-round with presents and extra treats. Although I have become inspired to make them small stockings and stuff them with catnip and small toys/treats. Will that happen this year? Absolutely not - maybe next year!

I'd love to hear what you do around the holidays for your pets. Drop your pictures and share what you do in the comments section!

Till our Tails Cross again,

Mel

Are Pet Subscription Boxes worth it?

Pet subscription boxes have been on the market for a few years now. Every few months, I think, oh, let me sign up for one of those for the cats. This is not surprising since I truly love sending and receiving mail—especially all the fun things! So why wouldn't I want to have my cats get fun snail mail?!?

BarkBox is the one most people have heard of and get. Obviously geared towards dogs. I know a dog that gets this monthly subscription, and she loves it. (So does her Grammy.) It comes with toys and treats; what's not to like?!

There is a KitNipBox for the feline lovers. KitNipBox’s monthly subscription boxes for cats contain the best high-quality cat toys, all-natural treats, and other fun, healthy cat products. It's fairly affordable at $19.99 a month and includes 5 items. It's hard to buy 5 treats/toys for under $20.

Part of the reason I have yet to sign up for a subscription box is that my cats have a zillion and one toys, more treats than they need, and are already spoiled. Not to mention, I love shopping for new toys for them—after all, that's part of the fun: new toys for us to play with!

BarkBox is slightly more expensive at $22 per box. It includes 2 toys, 2 bags of treats, and one surprise item. I've heard these boxes are customizable, so you can opt for 4 toys instead of treats, or vice versa!

While I have yet to sign up for a subscription box for my #purrfectdozen crew, it's a thought simmering on the back burner. One day, it'll happen, I'm sure. The real question is - will the cats enjoy the contents of the box or enjoy the box alone? Dobby loves a good box - it doesn't matter the size, she's always trying to get in them. The most challenging are the soda boxes as they are extremely narrow, and she can only get her head in them.

If you are currently subscribed or previously subscribed to a pet box delivery, let me know your thoughts on them! Were they worth the cost? Did your pets love the toys and treats they received? Is it better to save my money and buy toys as I see cute ones?

Till our tails cross again,

Mel

Best Cat Brush EVER!

A few months ago, I was on the hunt for a new cat brush. We already have a few of them, but I wanted to see what else was out there. Clara HATES being brushed; most of my cats can tolerate or even like being brushed, but Clara always runs away and doesn't want to be brushed, even though she needs it the most. So off I went to find an awesome new brush, not really expecting that to happen.

I found a brush and figured I would give it a try - see how it went over with the cats. Much to my surprise, they decided they love the brush as much as I do. Win/Win! It's not often that happens - 11 cats and more than half like the new brush.

If you're on the hunt for a new brush, I fully recommend this one (AND you can purchase it from my shop!!).

https://www.lovecatsandeverything.com/category/all-products

The general details are:

3-in-1 Cat Steam Brush: This rechargeable steam cat brush is a great addition to your pet's daily care routine. It not only solves the problem of knots and loose hair but also provides a comfortable massage and effective cleaning to keep your furry friend clean and beautiful.

The gentle steam is activated with one touch of a button, effortlessly controlling the hairs flying around and making the hair removal process smoother and easier. Say goodbye to piles of hair in your home and welcome a cleaner, hair-free living space!

Soft silicone bristles are both beautiful and flexible, and the teeth are rounded at the end to ensure a comfortable, stress-free grooming experience for your pet. Never worry about scratching or irritation again. Keep your pet's skin free from damage and in a happy mood. (Clara's favorite thing about this brush!)

This brush is very comfortable to hold in your hand. It is a medium size, very easy to hold and use for a long time. With this brush, you can perform all kinds of movements - forward, backward, and turning around. No matter what, it is very effective.

This steam cat brush is perfect for cats, dogs, and other furry pets. It meets the needs of different pets and provides perfect care for pets of all shapes and sizes.

Cat approved & loved - get one for your fur kids today!

Til our tails cross again,

Mel