How to Build a Feeding Station for Community Cats

In a previous post in our Community Cat Awareness series, we talked about maintaining feeding stations for community cats. Today we're discussing how you can build a feeding station. 

Secret Paws 2021

Happy Monday! We hope all of our friends had a wonderful Christmas. Our Christmas morning was made even more special because we had our presents from our Secret Paws to open! This year our Secret Paws were Buckwheat and Dixie Snapp! Would you believe that after seven years of blogging Lexy and I had never met Buckwheat and Dixie? Unbelievable, I know. 

They sent us a lovely package! 

8 Holiday Gifts That Give Back to Animals

Hello, everyone. This is Lexy checking in with some fabulous gift ideas for all of your loved ones on your Christmas list this year. This is not any ordinary list, though. Every gift on this list gives back to animals! Wrapping up one of these items is a win-win for everyone; you choose a great present that the recipient will love, and animals benefit, too. Lola and I hope you like the choices we’ve purrsonally curated.

Lola and Lexy’s Top Ten Christmas Gifts for Your Cat

Hello, and happy Friday! Today is Black Friday, and Lexy and I are pawsitive that you're doing a little bit of Christmas shopping for your cats. We're sharing some fab things that we think will make purrfect Christmas gifts for your favorite feline. (Some of these are our absolute favorite things!)

These are our top ten recommendations (in no particular order, and in varying price ranges.)

Note: Lola The Rescued Cat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This has no effect on your purchase price.

Eight Ways to Use Your Talents to Help a Shelter

The Humane Society of the United States  founded National Shelter Appreciation Week in 1995 to acknowledge and promote the role of animal shelters in our communities. During this appreciation week, people are encouraged to become acquainted with their local animal shelter and learn how they can help them in saving animals' lives.

Today we have eight ways you can use your talents to help your local shelter and show them you appreciate everything they do for the animals and your community. 

The Animal Dynamics© With Coryelle Kramer

Many people in the pet world may be familiar with Coryelle Kramer, who is an animal communicator. (Especially if you attended the BlogPaws conference in 2018.) Coryelle and I became fast friends through our sessions with Lola and Lexy, which are always very insightful and helpful. She has recently expanded her work to include something very exciting, and we’re both happy to share it with you today. 

For those who may not be familiar with what animal communication is, Coryelle explains that it is “basically talking to your animal to find out answers to your questions.” These can be questions about their behaviors, the way they see the world, if they are experiencing health issues, or if it’s their time to transition. Through animal communication, you can find out answers to questions you would not ordinarily be able to. 

Coryelle has taken her work to a new level by identifying the Animal Dynamics©. Before working with The Animal Dynamics, Coryelle considered her work to be “straight animal communication.” Most of her sessions in the past were limited to 60 minutes at most. Coryelle found that although these sessions were effective, they were limiting because they did not allow the animal to fully get over the issues they were working on (particularly if it was a behavioral issue.) 

Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Halloween Safety Tips for Your Cat

Hello, and welcome to another "Top Five"! In our previous post, we discussed five cat-friendly Easter plants. If you missed it, you can catch up on it here. 

With Halloween right around the corner, we thought we'd write a post about Halloween safety. So without further ado, here are our Top Five Halloween Safety Tips For Your Cat.

Five Ways You Can Help Feral Cats - National Feral Cat Day 2021

Thank you for joining us for another post in our Community Cat Awareness series. Today is National Feral Cat Day and we're joining Alley Cat Allies in advocating for the lives of cats. 

Some people believe you have to be an "expert" in rescue to intervene in the lives of feral cats, but that's not true. Read on for five ways you can help feral cats. 

Maintaining Feeding Stations for Community Cats

So far in our Community Cat Awareness series, we have discussed building shelters for outdoor cats, helping community cats in cold weather, debunked five myths about community cats, and more. Today’s topic is feeding stations.

Every town is different, and it’s not possible for every colony caretaker to have feeding stations. In many municipalities, it is against the law to feed community cats. For the safety of the cats, and themselves, they need to blend into the environment and keep a low profile. In other instances, the colony may be on someone’s property who does not want a visible station, or someone could be feeding cats in an urban area where it just isn’t practical to have one. (I know someone in Manhattan who feeds cats through a fence because it’s the only way she can get food to them.) Most of these tips are for people who are lucky enough to be able to have a feeding station for their community cats, or perhaps someone who feeds cats in their backyard.

Cat Pawsitive Pro Program Helps Cats Get Adopted - #RememberMeThursday 2021

One of the things I enjoy about being a writer is having the opportunity to promote pet adoption and encouraging people to support their local shelters and rescues. Although I’m currently not able to physically volunteer at a shelter, be a foster, or do TNR, I can help by volunteering my time writing. 

I have been volunteering for the Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP) Program for about three years now. For those of you not familiar with CPP, it is a groundbreaking program developed by Jackson Galaxy and a team of animal behavior experts that helps cats in shelters to find their “mojo” and their forever homes. Cat Pawsitive training applies positive, reward-based clicker training that positively reinforces good behaviors which helps cats in many ways. A shy cat can learn to feel comfortable coming to the front of its cage to meet a potential adopter, a feisty cat can learn to play nice, and an outgoing kitty can even learn to give an endearing "high five" to his visitors. The training also reduces the stressors that might keep a cat from connecting with a potential adopter and can help seal the adoption deal.

Mark Your Calendars! Our #RememberMeThursday Blog Hop is Thursday!

Hello, and Happy Monday! Lexy and I are popping in today to remind everyone that Remember Me Thursday is this Thursday! We hope you'll all stop by our blog to join the blog hop.

It's easy peasy to join the blog hop. Here's how! 

• Grab the badge below and insert it into your post. 
• Publish your post on or before Thursday, September 23, 2021.
• Visit our blog and submit your post link to the blog hop list. 

Then start hopping! Be sure to visit the other blogs participating in the hop to read about how others are shining a light on orphan pets!

We can't wait to read all of the wonderful post for Remember Me Thursday! See you then! 

Lola

Remember Me Thursday is 9/23/2021 - Here's How You Can Participate

Hello, and Happy Thursday Purrsday! Lexy and I are very excited that it's September. Can you guess why? Never mind, I'll just tell you. One of our favorite things to celebrate and participate in, Remember Me Thursday, is right around the corner and we're super excited to partner with Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC) to host the fourth annual Remember Me Thursday Blog Hop. (Don't forget to scroll to the bottom to see how to join.)

We've been participating in the Remember Me Thursday movement since 2016 and hosting the Blog Hop since 2018. This day is very important to us because we want to use our voices to be advocats to save animals in shelters. You can catch up on all of our Remember Me Thursday posts here. 

5 Myths About Feral Cats Debunked

Welcome back to our Community Cat Awareness series. In our last post, I gave readers some pointers on how to tell how old a kitten is. Today I’m going to debunk five myths about feral cats. 

The 2020 Cat Writers' Association Certificates of Excellence

 A few weeks ago the Cat Writers' Association announced the Certificates of Excellence Winners in the 2020 Communications Contest. Similar to last year, I was blown away by the results because once again I was the top Certificate of Excellence winner. This year I was honored with 13. 

Reduce Your Cat's Stress With the RelaxoPet PRO

Many cat parents are familiar with situations that cause stress for their cats: vet visits, car rides, getting in the carrier, thunderstorms, changes in routine, fireworks, moving, etc. These scenarios not only stress out our cats, but they can cause us to be very anxious as well.  

A lot of cat parents, including me, prefer not to use medication to sedate their pets. If you're looking for a natural, medication-free way to reduce your cat's stress, then the RelaxoPet PRO is just what you're looking for. 

How to Tell How Old a Kitten is and Why It's Important to Know

Welcome back to our Community Cat Awareness series. In this post, I discussed some helpful tips to use if you find a kitten. Today I’m going to talk about how you can tell how old the kitten is and why it’s important to know that. 

What is the Difference Between a Stray and Feral Cat?

Our Community Cat Awareness series is well underway, and I enjoy bringing our readers information they can use to help cats living outside. In this post, I discussed what the term "Community Cat" means, but I felt it was important to delve a little deeper.

Some people think that all cats living on the streets are feral, but that is a misconception. Today I'll discuss how you can tell the difference between a stray and a feral cat.

Cat World Domination Day 2021

Hello, and Happy Thursday Purrsday! Today Lexy and I are celebrating Cat World Domination Day with our good pal, Summer. Today is a day to celebrate how cats dominate the world! Lexy and I thought about it, and we decided that since we dominated our mom's home office throughout the pandemic we would share some of our favorite work at home moments. 

How to Adopt a Cat From a Shelter

Welcome back to our Adopt-A-Cat Month series. Many people want to adopt a cat from a shelter but are unsure how to go about it. (Especially since there are still COVID-19 restrictions in many places.) Today's post will give you some advice on steps you can take to find your perfect purring family member and how to go through the process. 

Rescue Stories - Trixie: She Finally Found Her Forever Family

Hello, and Happy Tuesday! Today we have the rescue story of Trixie. Trixie found herself going from home to home after her humans became elderly and could no longer care for her. Today, she is happy in her forever home with a wonderful family. So without further ado, let's meet Trixie. 

Lola

Cat Adoption Checklist – 8 Essential Supplies for Your New Cat

Welcome back to our Adopt-A-Cat Month series. Adoptive cat parents need to make sure they have everything ready for their new furry family member so the transition from shelter to home is smooth. If you're celebrating Adopt-A-Cat Month by adding a four-legged member to your family, we have a checklist with eight essential supplies you'll need for them. 

5 Things to Consider Before Adopting a Cat

June has arrived and Adopt-A Cat Month has begun. Adopt-a-Cat Month is brought to you by American Humane, the country's first national humane organization. It is celebrated each June, which coincides with prime kitten season. During this time millions of kittens are born, and shelter intakes increase tremendously, putting a huge burden on already limited resources. American Humane is proud to encourage pet lovers to adopt a cat. 

In celebration of Adopt-A-Cat Month, we will have a three-part series on the blog this month with information on adopting a cat. Today’s post discusses five things you should consider before adopting a cat.

Alley Cat Rescue Announces Their Global Feral Fix Challenge

Hello, and happy Friday! I'm here today to tell you about a very important campaign that can change the lives of community cats. Our friends at Alley Cat Rescue have officially announced  The Feral Fix Challenge, an annual initiative to save lives and promote the spaying and neutering of community cats. Let me tell you more about it. 

Rescue Stories - Jackson & Benny: Two Stray Cats Who Became Best Friends

Hello, and Happy Monday! Today we have the rescue story of Jackson and Benny. Jackson and Benny are brothers from different mothers, who became family and best friends. And more than that, they were angels sent from heaven to their new family. So without further ado, let's meet Jackson and Benny. 

Lola

What To Do When You Find a Kitten Outdoors

Welcome to the fifth post in our Community Cat Awareness series. Last time we delved into the topic of kitten season, explaining what it is and what you can do to help. During kitten season it isn’t uncommon to find kittens in your backyard or perhaps during your daily travels. In today’s post, we share some helpful information you can use if you do find kittens.

An Interview With a Specially Abled Pet - Meet Bifford!

Hello, and Happy Monday! Did you know that today is Specially Abled Pets Day? This special day is celebrated every year on May 3 to educate the public about pets with disabilities. I am so excited to take this opportunity to introduce you all to one of our new friends, a pawesome guy with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, Bifford Langer! 

Bifford is a spokescat for specially-abled cats and dedicates his blog to educating people about Cerebellar Hypoplasia and taking care of pets with special needs. He agreed to sit down with me for an interview so our readers can learn more about him and his cause. So let's get into it. 

Simply Kind Hearted Functional Treats for Cats

Lola and Lexy love their treats, and if left up to them, they would have treat time several times a day. I admit I'm a little picky about the treats I give them because I want to make sure they remain healthy. When I recently connected with Simply Kind Hearted at Global Pet Expo, I was interested to try out their treats for holistic health. 

Kitten Season is Here – What You Can do to Help

Welcome to the fourth post in our Community Cat Awareness series. After a long winter, spring has arrived – flowers are blooming, the grass is greener, and the weather is warmer. But those aren’t the only things that are happening. Spring marks the beginning of kitten season, a time when shelters across the country are inundated with thousands of homeless kittens.

In today’s post, we’ll be discussing kitten season and things you can do to help cats and shelters during this time.

Rescue Stories - Clio: A Gift That Rescued Her New Mom

Hello, and Happy Monday! I'm very happy to bring you our first rescue story of 2021. Today we have the tail tale of a beautiful cat named Clio. Clio was on her way to the shelter because no one wanted to adopt the runt of the litter. Her adopter soon realized that they saved each other. So, without further ado, let's meet Clio. 

Lola

Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Cat-Friendly Plants for Easter

Hello, and Happy Friday! Easter is just around the corner, which means lots of households will be bringing in plants and flowers. Lexy and I want to make sure that all of your kitties are safe, so we decided to dedicate this "Top Five" post to plants and flowers that are non-toxic to cats. 

So let's get into it! 

Help for Lola and Lexy's Family

This isn't our usual type of post here on Lola The Rescued Cat, but one of my family members is in dire need of assistance.

My niece, Sylvia, had to have her leg amputated last week and my family is raising money for her living and medical expenses, especially since she'll have to relocate at some point to a home that is conducive to her new needs. She has been experiencing medical difficulties for the past several years (all details on the Gofundme page) and has just about exhausted all of her paid time off. She currently has less than two weeks of accrued time on the books.

In 1989 Sylvia was a victim of gun violence, and the femoral artery in her right leg was severed. At the time doctors were able to perform a bypass to save her leg, but over the years she had to have three additional bypasses. The doctors did everything they could at this point, but there were no other options or any other way to save her leg.

Sylvia, a single mother, has three beautiful children who are very worried about their mother's condition and the near future for not only her but themselves as well.

This is a devastating and traumatic experience for our entire family as we rally together to try to help her financially. 

I'm turning to our dedicated following to ask you to please share her Gofund Me campaign. It is anticipated that she will be out of work for at least a year at this point. 

This is the direct link to the campaign: https://gofund.me/04246c1b

Any shares are greatly appreciated as we try to keep her afloat and keep her home expenses paid.

Thank you!

Dawn, Lola and Lexy

Get Rid of Stains and Odors with Kids N' Pets All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover

If you have pets, you probably have messes. In my house, in addition to any hairball or other tummy issues that end up on the carpet, I have my own "oops" moments when I'm afraid something I spilled will ruin my furniture or floors. I have a great product to tell you about today to clean up all of those "oops" from both the two and four-legged family members. 

Save Kittens With Tailspring Milk Replacer

This post is sponsored by Tailspring. 

Orphaned kittens are fragile little beings who require around the clock care and feeding. Many people may not be aware that neonatal kittens cannot be fed just any type of milk. Because they lack the proper enzymes to digest lactose, feeding them cow’s milk can cause diarrhea and dehydration very quickly. The best replacement for their sensitive stomachs and underdeveloped immune systems is one that gives them nutritional benefits similar to their mother’s milk.

I am excited to be partnering with Tailspring and Mews & Merlot, an organization dedicated to saving the tiniest lives, to tell you about Tailspring’s milk replacer.

What is a Community Cat?

Welcome to the third post in our Community Cat Awareness series. In some of the webinars I have attended, one of the topics discussed was the fact that many people do not understand what a community cat is, or why they are in their neighborhood. For the cats’ health and safety, it is important to educate people on this subject.

In today’s post, we will be answering the question, “What is a community cat?”

Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Myths About Spay/Neuter

Hello, everyone, this is Lexy checking in. Welcome to another "Top Five"! In our previous post, Lola and I discussed the top five signs your cat may need dental care. If you missed it, you can catch up on it here. 

Many cat parents do not spay or neuter their cat because they believe some of the myths that are floating around, and they don’t fully understand the benefits of this procedure for their cat. Since February is Spay and Neuter Awareness Month, and today is World Spay Day, Lola and I think this is the perfect time to bust some of these myths for anyone who is unsure.

Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Signs Your Cat May Need Dental Care

Hello, and Happy Friday! It's me, Lola, and I'm welcoming you back to another of our "Top Five" posts. In our last post, we discussed the top five things responsible pet parents do. One of those things is making sure your cat gets regular medical care, which gave us the idea for today's post.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Both Lexy and I have had dental work. I had a cleaning and I had my canine teeth (plus a few more) removed, and Lexy had a cleaning with a few tiny teeth removed. We weren't very happy about it, but we know that it was important for our overall health. 

Today we are sharing our top five signs that your cat needs dental care. 

Keep Your Cat Refreshed With the Petlibro Automatic Pet Water Fountain

Disclosure: We received an Automatic Pet Water Fountain from Petlibro in exchange for our fair and honest review. Petlibro is not responsible for the contents of this post. Lola The Rescued Cat only shares information we feel will be of interest to our readers. 

Making sure your cat has proper hydration is so important for their overall health. One of the ways you can ensure your furry loved one gets enough freshwater is to have a fountain they enjoy. Lexy loves drinking from fountains, and I like finding new ones that meet both of our criteria. 

When the folks at Petlibro contacted me to review their automatic pet water fountain, I was very happy. I was sure it would check off all my required boxes. 

Lola and Lexy's Top 5 Things Responsible Cat Parents Do

Hello, and happy Friday! It's me, Lola, and I'm welcoming you back to another of our "Top Five" posts. In our last post, we discussed household items that are poisonous to cats. Today Lexy and I have a topic that is very important to us.  

If you look at our About Page, you’ll see that one of the things we like to do on the blog is to promote responsible pet ownership. Too many pets in the world are abused, neglected, or just not taken care of properly. Lexy's first family (and I use that term loosely) moved away and left her behind. They put her outside and never looked back. In addition to being very mean, it was very irresponsible.

Keep Your Home Fresh With the Okaysou AirMax8L

When you live in an apartment, there are times when the air isn't very fresh. The space is small and odors tend to linger in the air. Cooking a delicious meal can result in smelling onions for days, and litter box odors can be a bit overwhelming at times. When pet hair and dust are added it can get very stuffy and smelly very quickly. I tend to experience winter allergies during the colder months, with a runny nose and frequent sneezes. I also have a sneezy cat (Lola), and her upper respiratory issues worsen when she's around dust. I

It's My 10th Gotcha Day! And I'm Having a Giveaway!

Hello, and Happy Monday! I'm very excited because I'm celebrating my 10th Gotcha Day! Okay, it was actually a couple of days ago, but I wanted to post this on a Monday so more people would see it. 

Time sure flies, because it feels just like yesterday that I came home forever. I was only about seven months old, and now I'm a mature cat (almost to be considered a senior! *shudder*) My life has been pretty amazing, and I'm grateful for every single moment of it. Mommy, Lexy, and I have accomplished so much and have helped so many cats and people over the past decade, and we're hoping to continue for the next ten years! 

Building Winter Shelters for Outdoor Cats

I always worry about the community cats in my area when the weather turns frigid. Luckily, there are many kindhearted people in my neighborhood who take care of them. Today, in the second post in our Community Cats Awareness series, we will be discussing building winter shelters for outdoor cats.

Secret Paws 2020!

Hello, and Happy Friday!! Lexy and I have something fun to share with you today. Our Secret Paws package finally arrived! Who was our Secret Paws this year? I'll reveal that in a minute. 

The mail was SO slow this year! Our package took over three weeks to be delivered! Can you believe it? Well, the important thing is that it got here safe and sound, and Lexy and I had Christmas in January!  Now, onto the big reveal! 

Lessons I Learned From My Rescued Cat

Ten years ago this month I adopted Lola. Well, it’s probably more accurate to say that Lola adopted me. My life has changed so much over the past ten years, and everything that has happened is because I instantly fell in love with a skinny little cat with a snotty nose (that she wiped all over me) who was so sick she couldn’t even meow.

Five Winter Weather Tips to Help Community Cats

Happy 2021 to all our readers! This time last year as I was brainstorming content ideas, I decided I wanted to focus more on community cats. I developed the idea to start a Community Cat Awareness series, but unfortunately, COVID-19 put the big kibosh on my plans. I refused to be deterred, though. 

Throughout the pandemic I attended numerous webinars, took copious notes, made connections, and learned so many exciting things that I cannot wait to share. I plan on writing posts full of great information on how to enhance the lives of community cats including colony care, TNR, TNR ordinances, and more. I am also hoping to interview some people immersed in the world of community cats. 

So, after that long intro, welcome to the first post in our Community Cat Awareness series; Winter Weather Tips to Help Community Cats.