Pip-Pip-Pooray!

on November 5, 2012
in All Posts

Meet Pippa. 

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We adopted her from a rescue group over the weekend.  It seems spontaneous, but it was not.  We’ve been considering the idea to bring a kitty into our house for a few weeks. 

 

It all started when our friends Nicole and Isaac rescued a cat named Roo from the shelter.  Roo is so sweet.  I cat-sat him one day, and while we were hanging out, I started to think about all the cats in shelters and foster homes without forever homes.  Cue the waterworks.  You guys know I’m a softie for furry creatures.  Kristien and I talked it over, and we decided to go ahead and bring a third pet into the family. 

 

Maggie is from a private rescue group, and James is from a no-kill shelter.  We got Pippa from a rescue group called Kitty Angel’s Rescue.  A few women run it together, and they bring many of the foster cars to PetsMart on the weekends in hopes of finding them new families (if anyone is interested, their email is kittyangelsrescue@gmail.com).  We headed to PetsMart on Saturday, and Pippa – then Sweetie – caught my eye right away.

 

We adopted Maggie and James when they were adults – 2 and 1 years old, respectively.  We didn’t want to get a kitten for several reasons:  first of all, one baby in the house is enough!  And secondly, it’s harder to rehome adult cats.  What can I say… I’m a sucker for a sob story.

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And Pippa sure has one.  Shot twice in the hip with a BB gun, and left to starve to death while pregnant.  Delivered her kittens in a shed.  Everyone was saved by a nice lady who contacted the rescue group.

 

Pippa is probably a year and a half old and is some sort of bobtail mix – she’s missing her tail (not intentionally, it just genetics).  The Husband said that Pippa being tailless is a good omen.  Henry will have nothing to tug on!

 

Pippa is a ‘dog cat.’  She comes when called and likes to snuggle.  She getting along just fine with everyone and lets Henry stroke her.  Maggie is all “whatever,” about her, and James is highly intrigued by this pretty lady who won’t seem to leave.  I think they’re going to have to duke it out to decide alpha status (spoiler:  James will, without question, squeal and run away like a baby, and Pippa will be forever in charge).

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So, now our family includes:  the Husband, baby Henry, Maggie Thatcher, James Bond, and Pippa Middleton.  And me.  It’s a little crazy at times, but it sure is fun. 

I would love some cat advice!  What should I fed her?  Any rules we should try to set immediately?

{ 166 comments }

 

  • bo November 5, 2012, 8:26 am

    Good luck setting rules for a cat! They tend to do what they like no matter what you have to say about it. The only thing that has ever worked in my loooong expirence with cats is the squirt technique. If you catch them in the act give them a quick squirt of water, spray bottles or water guns work. But you have to be super vigillant, can only squirt them when they are in the middle of thier mischief and if you ever retire the water works they will know and go back to whatever it was they wanted to do in the first place. If you keep at it though, you won’t have to spray them, you can just shake the water and they will boogie out of range.
    My cats are obviously poorly trained. But I love them anyway! Enjoy your new family memeber!

    • Whitney November 5, 2012, 9:12 am

      I agree with the water bottle. We don’t even have to squirt them anymore. We just point it at them and they know to stop what they are doing! haha

      • Barbara November 5, 2012, 10:01 am

        I second this. I have gotten my cat to stop jumping on all tables using a spray bottle and chasing her around the house. Now if I could just train her to stop waking me up in the morning..

    • Emily November 5, 2012, 2:02 pm

      My cat is impervious to water. When she was a kitten I tried over and over again to get her off the curtains with the spray bottle technique and she would just hang on up there like a champ. She does.not.care.

      • Liz November 5, 2012, 2:17 pm

        We did the spray bottle with my kitten and he managed to love water and now LOVES to be under the faucet any chance he gets. Cats sure have personalities of their own, they’re wonderful!

  • Dori November 5, 2012, 8:27 am

    Pippa seems like a really sweet cat. Funny story — a canary flew into the school where my mom teaches. The bird is tiny and yellow and adorable. My mom somehow was the one who brought him home, and they named him Pippa. This was long before anyone knew who Pippa Middleton was, and my mom told me how they came up with the name but I can’t remember anymore. I know that at first I thought it was Pipper, because I never heard the name Pippa before. He’s a funny bird.

  • Beth November 5, 2012, 8:27 am

    The biggest advice I can give is make sure you figure out a good location for the litter fast! Our cats have never liked litter box moves!

    We feed our cats Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul. It’s an all natural cat food and our cats have healthier coats and GI systems since they started eating it http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/products/cats/

  • Elizabeth November 5, 2012, 8:27 am

    Pippa is adorable! If you don’t want her on the furniture or the counters, start training now. Once you let her up there once, she’ll assume she can hang out on the counters and dining room table forever. My cats think they own our table. 🙂

    • Tiffany November 5, 2012, 10:28 am

      I have two cats -Oreo – the big man of the house who is black and white we got him from my Aunts cat who escaped and came back a month later pregnant and Puddy – the graceful feline who is a totally white cat. We rescued her, her momma and her siblings from a cliff during hurricane Igor a few years ago.

      As for rules – which are hard to make for cats as they are not the obedient type is too use a spray bottle or loud noise. A couple of no nos are: up on the counter, or table, ripping open garbage bags, doing 1 and/or 2 on the floor, using her claws on the furniture -side note on that get her a kitty play house or a scratching post as she will tear carpet, curtains, furniture and even walls apart (well at least Oreo does). When you discover her being up to mischief spray/ make noise – i hiss at my cats and they boot it from what ever they are doing.

      As for food – get her what ever you feel is best, your health conscious individual and I’m sure you will make they appropriate decision for your new furry friend. wet food and dry food are both made for cats just do your research and decide what is best for you and her – but give her a treat once in a while, my kitties LOVE cooked cod or streak (cut up in to chewable pieces), i know your vegetarian and the thought of cooking meat might turn you off (there is always temptations) but giving her a treat once in a while is good for her mental state, just as you would give Maggie and James dog biscuits as a treat to make them happy.

      and the best thing you can do for your cat (and the other furbabies in shelters) is to get her spayed – i dont know if she was already fixed or not – but if she is that’s great.

      Congrats on your new furever baby! She is absolutely gorgeous!

  • Jill November 5, 2012, 8:28 am

    What a great story about Pippa! She is so lucky to have such a loving forever home! In the last two years, I have adopted two cats from rescue groups. We started out by feeding our cats the “Goodlife Recipe” cat food, but they weren’t crazy about that at all. Then one day I read the ingredients and I knew why. So we switched over to the Blue Buffalo brand, and now they are more playful and happier than ever! It is a little expensive, but I don’t mind if it will keep my cats healthy for a long time. Congratulations on adopting Pippa! She is a beautiful cat!!

    • Laura November 5, 2012, 11:36 am

      I second Blue Buffalo, we’ve been feeding it to our kitties for years (but any good quality/no corn/no or low by product food is good). Pippa is a great name, and she’s such a beautiful kitty :). And seriously, if everyone is curious but basically getting along, you’ve hit the new pet lottery! Adjustment periods can be rough, and a lot of people give up their animals too soon because they don’t wait out the rough times. Not having any rough times–that’s wonderful and amazing :).

      And that video of Henry is awesome! I love his look of sheer delight at the kitties and wanting to hug them, and then sucking his fingers when he got too stimulated by all the excitement. You have a little animal lover on your hands 🙂

  • lisa fine November 5, 2012, 8:34 am

    I love the video with Henry! Would you do more of those? It’s fun to see babies grow bigger and have more personality.

    Pippa seems like a sweetie, and a toughie. She’ll fit right in with those pups.

  • abbi November 5, 2012, 8:34 am

    Very cute and glad Pippa now has a great home!!

  • Jen November 5, 2012, 8:34 am

    Pippa is beautiful! Seems like she will be a wonderful addition to your home!

    What to feed is a tricky question. It depends on a lot of factors. A big one is budget. Cat food varies in price big time (probably similar with dog food, I’d guess!) We feed our cats wet and dry Science Diet, they are the same age as Pippa. They are healthy, with shiny fur and clear eyes, lots of energy! Science Diet does contain grain, which some owners try to avoid altogether. Of course, the foods that are 100% protein are more expensive (higher protein content = $$.) Watch portion sizes so she doesn’t become overweight. It’s really hard to get cats to loose weight once they gain it.

    Some suggestions for nail clipping. Sometimes a human nail clipper works better on cats. Smaller and easier to maneuver – this is what we use. Also, if Pippa will allow it, make a habit of touching, stoking and gently squeezing her paws, this will help make her accustomed to paw touching and make clipping nails easier! Plus she might like it, our kitties love getting paw massages now!

    Consider cat litter options other than clay litter. Also, not all clay litters are created alike. My fiance has a rare auto-immune type disorder and he cannot tolerate clay litters. What we use now is Blue Buffalo litter made of crushed walnut shells. There are lots of options, clay, corn, wheat, walnut, paper, pine. Don’t feel trapped by clay!

    Clearly the length of this comment shows me as a crazy cat lady! The thing is, I could write a lot more! Would be happy to answer any questions.

    -Jen

  • Silvia @skinny jeans food November 5, 2012, 8:35 am

    Poor Pippa! At least now she has a home and new family. I don’t understand people who can do something like that, shooting at a cat and abandoning them.

    As for ‘cat rules’ I think it is more Cats Rule anyhow, but they like routine (getting food at the same time), they like private snuggle time (1:1) so that they can truly relax, they like play time (fetch toys, laser pointer, etc.) and some high quality cat food (science diet or wellness). It might be better to not let her outside for 2-3 weeks (or at all) until she is used to her new home. Otherwise: I think she needs some extra loving!

  • Marlène November 5, 2012, 8:42 am

    Yay for Pippa! What a cute cat. Cat’s get such a bad rap for being aloof. And yet I know SO MANY cats who are cuddly and friendly. They make great pets and the purring is amazing!

    I do suggest investing in healthy cat food (I know I’m preaching to the converted here…). When I got my cat ,my vet told me the best thing for him was high quality cat food, and not too much of it. Poor diet and excess weight are the worst enemies for cats. If you can keep her lean, she’ll be healthy for years and years.

    Will she be an outdoor cat? How is she coping with being in the house (since she was used to freedom in her previous life)? My cat LOVES the outdoors, so I’m thankful that he’s extremely street smart. (he was a rescue too – and he was an adult cat, too.)

    • Shady November 5, 2012, 9:43 am

      Cats belong indoors, unless supervised and controlled, exactly the same as dogs. There are too many risks (cars, other animals, risk of FIV/FeLV etc) and are annoying to your neighbors (I love cats, have three of my own and spend much of my life cleaning litter boxes. I hate and resent having to clean cat poop out of my garden too). In my experience fostering cats (about 70 have passed through my home in the last 3 years), every cat can be made happy indoors, even former tom cats (my specialty). If not, invest in a harness and leash and let them outside, when they can be supervised. I think cat owners who let their cats roam free are irresponsible and asking for trouble and. More so, most rescues (in Ontario anyway) include a blurb in the adoption contract that forbids unsupervised outside time. This gives them the legal right to take your adopted cat away if you follow to adhere to their rules.

      • Caitlin November 5, 2012, 9:45 am

        Our rescue doesn’t have rules re: indoor and outdoor, but I think Pippa will be an indoor cat because we are pretty close to a major road. If we were in a quieter neighborhood, I would feel differently!

        • Shady November 5, 2012, 10:01 am

          I hear what you say Caitlin (and appreciate that you’re thinking about keeping Pippa indoors) but I want to ask, would you ever allow Maggie and James to roam free and unsupervised? If not (and yes I’m assuming the answer is no), why would you ever think it’s an acceptable thing to do with a cat?

          Not necessarily directed at you but at others who let their cats roam free without considering the possible ramifications.

          • Laura November 5, 2012, 11:45 am

            Every outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) cat I’ve ever known has met an untimely death to being hit by a car or being hurt by another animal (we have coyotes and the occasional wandering dog here, for instance) or person. They don’t tend to live as long as properly cared for indoor cats, and if they contract FIV/FeLV they can pass it on to other cats (who then will experience shortened lives) and it lessens their chance of recovery when they do get injured as outdoor kitties. I think that everyone does the best they can for their kitties and it’s your decision, but most cats are happy indoors (our 6 were all rescues and all are, they love to watch out the window and chirp at the birds and squirrels) and they’re safer, too.

            Congratulations again 🙂

          • Bron November 5, 2012, 12:55 pm

            wow I consider myself a very responsible cat owner and our cats are predominantly outdoor cats – of course they sleep inside when they want to but if the cat wants to go outside a night then that’s up to them. They are pretty independent animals! Our last cat lived for 17 years this way (until he died from a stomach tumour), and our current cat is extremely healthy and happy. But total indoor cats I think are pretty rare in New Zealand? but to imply that you are irresponsible as an owner because you let your cat go outside unsupervised seems pretty harsh – maybe its a difference between countries but that is definitely not an attitude I’ve encountered over here before…..

          • bonnie November 5, 2012, 8:36 pm

            Not really a fair arguement- dogs are much more dependent upon us, and people have to let their dogs outside to do their business. People are significantly less likely to take their cats outside on a leash at all, I feel. Granted, no, you’re not wrong about the potential hazards, but if i was locked inside a house for my whole life, i would go INSANE. Case in point, our family cat lived to be 22 human years, and was sweet as can be. Our current kitty is mean as a snake to anyone that isn’t me or my dad, and has a slew of health problems. First cat had free reign, but spent nights indoors; current cat is fully indoors. Might be unpopular, but i just don’t think animals should be kept indoors permanently, its unnatural.

        • Jessica November 5, 2012, 2:01 pm

          Outdoors cats are a devastation to North American songbirds populations – they kill up to a BILLION birds a year (http://abcnews.go.com/US/roaming-cats-kill-billion-birds-year-american-bird/story?id=13194701#.UJgMS2_W4no). Some bird species are now actually threatened because of irresponsible cat owners – I would hope you would never have an outdoor cat!

          • Bron November 5, 2012, 4:58 pm

            then perhaps we shouldn’t domesticate cats at all…….

        • M November 5, 2012, 11:19 pm

          I’m really surprised the rescue has no rules on this. I would never, ever allow any cat of mine to go outdoors for any reason. Once, when I was out in the yard with my dog, I took the cat out there with me. I was watching him the whole time and he ran and got under the fence in the smallest spot I didn’t ever think he could get through. I freaked out – like almost had a heart attack, because he had lymphoma at the time and could not be roaming anywhere. I literally had him out there for 5 minutes just to get some fresh air because I knew he didn’t have long to live. Luckily I found him next door but I never did that again. No cat of mine would ever be allowed outdoors because I can’t imagine something I love roaming around and me not knowing where it is. Too many things can happen. Cars, people, other animals, etc. Whenever I see a cat outside it just makes me really sad because I can’t imagine anyone could care about it very much if they would expose it to anything that might happen.

          I will get off my soapbox now but I guess you can see how passionate I am about this. Anyway, welcome Pippa!

  • Alison November 5, 2012, 8:44 am

    We have three rescue animals too! Elma Fudge (she was Elmer until she had kittens) was a stray that adopted us. She had kittens under our neighbors house but our neighbor only wanted the kittens. We adopted her, had her fixed and vaccinated and she is such a sweet addition!
    The best thing we did for OURSELVES was get a kitty litter box that had a top on it – keeps litter inside and not on the floor!
    We use Fresh Step scoopable cat litter and after many years and many different kinds of litter that’s the best we’ve found.
    Also, the expensive cat foods might seem ridiculous but in the long run it will save you money. A cat with a bladder stone or kidney infection from eating cheap food is SUPER expensive. The expensive food = less waste and less stinky waste!!!!

    • Jen November 5, 2012, 10:02 am

      Agreed on the cheap food causing bladder/kidney issues. My cat growing up had serious problems from eating cheap food. I believe it’s because the cheaper foods contain minerals and compounds that produce crystallization in the bladder and kidney. We switched him to Science Diet at the vets recommendation and he never had a problem again.

  • hillary November 5, 2012, 8:45 am

    For a long healthy life I suggest not getting cheap cat food. It basically is like the cat eating mcdonald’s everyday. Look for something like Science Diet or along those lines.
    As long as she drinks regularly you don’t ever have to give her wet food. Get a little fish oil from the vet or ask for a rec on an oil and put a few drops on the dry food to keep her coat healthy and help prevent hairballs.

    Regarding rules. You don’t mean rules FOR the cat right? Because good luck with that! If you mean rules around the cat I would say they HIGHLY recommend more than one litter box. Also really think about indoor vs outdoor. Indoor cats have been proven to live a much longer life. In terms of trying to “train” cats punishing them when they are bad doesn’t work. I have done lots of research and talked to many cat behaviorists about this the best thing is to reward when the cat does something right instead. Yelling and spraying is just mean and it actually doesn’t help modify the behavior. But when you say “get down” and she does get down. Give treat. You can do it with a clicker too. Works really well. Another trick a friend does and works for her is she shakes a can with a few nuts in it when the cat is being bad. It didn’t work for mine but worked wonders on her naughty twin cats.

    • Nina November 5, 2012, 10:15 pm

      Science diet is expensive low quality food. How they get away with that combination I’ll never know.

      • Amanda November 6, 2012, 5:40 pm

        Recommendations for alternatives?

  • Amanda November 5, 2012, 8:47 am

    She’s so gorgeous and lucky!

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More November 5, 2012, 8:48 am

    Love the name and she really is so pretty. Congrats on the extension of your family. 🙂

  • hillary November 5, 2012, 8:49 am

    oh oh one other thing. I don’t know if you think of this as an issue with a Celiac husband I do. Keep you eyes out for gluten free food. Our science diet is. Since my husband is so severely sensitive it just makes sense to make sure something he touches all the time is GF as well. I know he isn’t eating it but the cats eat it. Come lick him, cleaning up spills, etc.

  • Kara November 5, 2012, 8:49 am

    Definitely try and do a mix of dry and wet food. Try and pick a food that has real protein (not by products) as the first ingredients. Something like Nutro, Authority (PetSmarts brand), or Blue Buffalo are good. Everyone else’s recommendations are great for training…just remember sometimes it doesn’t work! They are cats afterall 😉

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats November 5, 2012, 8:56 am

    I LOVE that you named her Pippa, so cute! I also like that she’s a dog cat, I’m not a cat person but I can handle dog type cats. Granted I’m allergic however they act…

  • linda@adventuresinexpatland.com November 5, 2012, 9:00 am

    Congrats on adding Pippa to your family. Don’t worry about Pippa and the dogs, if she needs to she’ll hiss for a warning and then give them a swipe. After that, they’ll all know who not to mess with. We’ve always had a dog(s) with a cat(s) and it helped the cats be less neurotic, more doglike (in a good way). Cats do SO much better indoors (plus cleaner/healthier for them and you); even our feral kitten became a happy indoor cat. Never had much trouble with them clawing or climbing on counters.

    My favorite cat story is when we got a cairn terrier puppy, he desperately wanted to play with our cat. That cat would actually run a loop around our house, letting the puppy follow her. The puppy would get so excited that the cat would step out of the race, and the puppy would keep going while the cat would stare at him like ‘you idiot!’

  • Natalie @ Free Range Human November 5, 2012, 9:08 am

    I can just imagine a lot of really funny cat/dog stories in the future! Can’t wait!

  • Sarah November 5, 2012, 9:11 am

    Congrats on your newest family member! I had cats most of my life until I adopted my first dog 4 years ago. They are pretty low-key, we never tried to teach ours anything or train them. Just get a good quality dry food and some tartar control treats for her teeth.

  • Stacy November 5, 2012, 9:11 am

    We feed our 2 cats Fromm’s. You have to get it at a specialty pet store (the kind that carries healthy foods). The 15 pound bag costs about $48 after tax and lasts my 2 cats about 2 months, so should last your 1 cat about 4 months. It is always on the vet’s recommended list.

  • Ali @ Around the VeggieTable November 5, 2012, 9:11 am

    Yayyyyy this makes me happy 🙂

  • Joanne November 5, 2012, 9:13 am

    What a great way to start my Monday, with a rescue story.
    Thank you so much.

  • Bethany November 5, 2012, 9:20 am

    Thank you for adopting from a feline SPCA organization! My mom volunteers with Cat’s Angels in Fernandina Beach, FL and they have their own building but do cat adoptions at Petsmart on the weekends too.

  • laine November 5, 2012, 9:23 am

    Did the rescue group tell you what she had been eating? When I got my cat, they gave me feeding instructions based on what she’d been eating at the shelter – 1/2 a small cat of wet food morning and night, and leave a bowl of dry out for her to pick at as needed.

    Also, get her tons of stuff to scratch on, the cardboard trays from Amazon are good. You sprinkle cat nip on them to let her know they are hers.

    Make sure she has high things to jump on to get away from dogs and babies. Mine has little tables in front of some windows that I put a fake sheep skin throw on so she can lie there and look out the window. There is also a high bookcase behind the sofa where I put her cat grass. Get her some of those high cat condos.

    There isn’t any training of a cat to be done. Just make sure she has enough toys and playtime with you and affection and she will be fine. Things like peeing out of the litter box or destructive behavior are a sign something is wrong with her, not a sign of a bad cat.

  • Jennifer November 5, 2012, 9:24 am

    Yay for pets!! I would recommend doing research into GRAIN_FREE food for all of your pets, but especially Pippa. Cats in the wild would never go out into a field and munch on wheat. Grass, yes, but grains no. Lots of cats have food allergies that can cause many problems and avoiding grains can be very helpful. My cat used to have eczema that has totally cleared up since switching. Some vets also think grains in cat food might be a reason that so many cats have kidney failure in old age.

    And I swear by World’s Best Cat Litter. 🙂

  • Mary November 5, 2012, 9:31 am

    Pippa is a great name!!

    I would suggest a low-dust/dust-free litter for her little lungs and a good quality food! I like World’s Best brand litter which is made from corn (it actually smells a little bit like cornbread, lol) and BLUE /”Blue Buffalo” brand Indoor Cat formula dry food.

    Enjoy your new kitty!

  • Caitlin @ This Bride's Joyride November 5, 2012, 9:34 am

    Ahhh, Pippa is so cute!!! I am so jealous, we had to put my cat to sleep a few months ago and I really miss having a cat (mine was also a dog cat). We would always get our cat food from BJs or Costco — it’s a large tub/bag to store — but it saves so much in cost!

  • Laura @ My Pink Thumb November 5, 2012, 9:35 am

    Congrats on the new addition – and thank you for giving Pippa a new home!!! 🙂 Makes me so happy to see people adopt adult cats. 🙂

  • Ali November 5, 2012, 9:38 am

    When I adopted my cat (named “Francie SPECIAL” by the humane society and I wish I were kidding) I was told that she was allergic to corn so I used to feed my cat a corn-free Science Diet dry food. Somewhere within the first 1.5 years I had her, the company started putting corn into the food and while I wasn’t aware of the switch, she didn’t seem bothered by it and really does not have the allergy. But she started seeming sluggish and had really dry skin (read: flakiness) around age 2. I switched her to Blue Buffalo and within 2 weeks she was acting like a kitten again and had beautiful skin and fur. She is still on BB four years later and loves it. I only feed her dry food. The next time you open a can of pureed pumpkin, try to give Pippa a little and see if she’ll eat it. If so, feed a little to her every morning as pumpkin naturally prevents hairballs. 🙂

    I use Blue Buffalo litter. I just switched over and am so glad I did. Cats can develop respiratory problems from the dust in clay litter and they track that stuff all over the house. The BB litter is expensive but lasts much longer and is much cleaner so I feel like I’m coming out even. I do suggest measuring out food and feeding on a schedule as cats can become overweight easily.

    As for training, I think it’s a myth that you can’t train a cat (well, most cats, I’m sure there are the untrainable ones just like there are untrainable dogs). The biggest one for me is keeping my cat off the counters. I’ve moved 8 times with my cat and every time was able to train her to stay off the counters by simply picking her up off the counter when she’d go up, saying “no”, and putting her on the floor. You have to be consistent but they’ll get annoyed enough to just stay off the counter. Get Pippa used to brushing (if she doesn’t like it, try running the brush lightly down her back while she’s eating to get her to associate brushing with something positive). Brushing, especially during shedding seasons, is super important to prevent hairballs (gross….). Otherwise – cats are GREAT and take care of themselves which is so nice when you are very busy! 🙂 Have fun with Pippa!

    • Sonia the Mexigarian November 5, 2012, 11:32 am

      didn’t know BB makes cat litter. going to have to give that one a try 🙂

      • Jen November 5, 2012, 11:47 am

        I think the BB litter is new. It’s made of walnut shells! My family really likes it!

        • Ali November 5, 2012, 12:54 pm

          It is newer – within the last year or so I think. I like that it doesn’t smell and is dust free! So nice.

  • Erin November 5, 2012, 9:39 am

    Caitlin! I love the newest addition to your family – Pippa seems wonderful! I am a huge animal lover and believe in having both dogs and cats (dogs are so playful while cats are very relaxing). My tip :: get a laser pen for the cat! They LOVE chasing the little red dot and it provides hours of fun. Good luck with everything!

    • Jen November 5, 2012, 12:51 pm

      I second the laser pointer – we have a lot of fun watching our boys stalk and catch the dot!

  • Krista November 5, 2012, 9:44 am

    Pippa is gorgeous! I adore her markings and her grey reminds me of suede! I’m sure she’ll be a lovely addition to your family. 🙂

  • Bridget November 5, 2012, 9:47 am

    What a beauty Pippa is! My apartment now doesn’t allow pets, and I’m never at home anyway, but I really miss my cat, Nicholas, who is back in my hometown.

    Nicholas is a mostly outdoor cat, and he’s almost 19 years old. However, if I had it to do over again, I would never have let him go outside. (My parents wanted him to be an indoor/outdoor cat). He also was shot a few months after we got him, and it was found last year that he has neuropathy from a 22 bullet that has been lodged in his spine for a long time. He’s still healthy overall, and he doesn’t usually go far from home. In the Wyoming winter, he can’t be bothered to leave my bed, which is where he has always chosen to sleep when I haven’t been at home.

    We had two litter boxes, always kept in the same place. One was in my room since he was my cat, and if I moved it to a different area of the room, he would not use it. So, placement of litter box(es) is very important. Of course, keep the box(es) out of Henry’s reach! 🙂

  • Ruby Leigh November 5, 2012, 9:47 am

    La-La-Love! that you have a cat. I have three, so I’m officially in the nuts camp.

    Anyway, my food reccomendation is Chicken Soup for the Cat’s Soul. It’s affordable as better, organic cat foods go and all my cats seem to like it. I buy it from a local cat and dog food co-op, but I’ve seen it elsewhere.

    Also, I would reccomend thinking long and hard about removing Pippa’s claws, it’s very hurtful to them, so I’m opposed to it – but I understand it’s every cat owner’s choice. Since she’s adopted, you may not have had a choice in the matter.

    • Caitlin November 5, 2012, 9:50 am

      I would never remove her claws!

  • Sara November 5, 2012, 9:51 am

    What a sweet story. We rescued all of our cats too (0nly they were all kittens.) She’s so pretty. My husband has always wanted a bobtail-mix cat. They have great personalities. We feed our cats Purina One tuna/fish. Seems cats tend to do better with fish vs. poultry. We feed our cats a little bit of soft food in the morning and then they get hard food in the evening. We have two overweight cats so we have to watch how much they eat. The vet said soft food is lower in calories than hard food. If Pippa stays inside only and you treat the dogs for fleas and ticks, you shouldn’t need to do so with Pippa, at least that works for our family of three cats and two dogs. We’ve never had any fleas! Oh and make sure the dogs don’t have access to the litter box. Our dogs like to eat the uhm, “treats” in the box. Just a thought! Avoid extra strength litters. They are so perfumey and strong smelling! Enjoy her! I find cats are much less work than dogs and usually healthier! But we love our dogs and cats!

    • Sara November 5, 2012, 9:53 am

      I saw a comment about declawing. We didn’t declaw ours. We just have a lot of scratching posts and a cat tree in the living room. (Our pets are all very spoiled.) Just put one near the furniture and they shouldn’t bother it. Their back claws won’t really get sharp, just clip the front ones regularly. Oh and our cats LOVE big boxes from Costco. They love sleeping in them 🙂 And we never bathe our cats either. They stay clean on their own.

    • Jen November 5, 2012, 10:12 am

      That’s a good point about the fish vs poultry (and beef too!) Our girl kitty won’t eat the beef and loves the chicken. She won’t eat the tuna flavor anymore, but will eat the oceanfish. Go figure. If Pippa doesn’t seem to like one flavor, just try another one!

  • Brit November 5, 2012, 10:04 am

    I’m so jealous of pretty Pippa! We have a dog, but lately I’ve been pushing for a little black cat, too. Boyfriend says no… but I’ve been known to wear people down 🙂

  • Eliza November 5, 2012, 10:07 am

    Congratulations on Pippa!! My Stella is grey too and they are just so sassy and personable. I’m looking forward to reading kitty stories!

    I’m guilty of feeding her “cheap” food – she is naturally very fit and has a great coat – but after reading the comments I think I’m going to try to switch her to something better. She just turned 4 years old and I want to make sure I avoid any health problems down the road. If you guys can afford Blue Buffalo I would recommend it… our dog has done great on it.

    One thing Stella kitty loves to do is bat a ping pong ball around in the bathtub (without water, of course!) It keeps her busy while I’m at work. Also, cats spend a huge part of their days looking out the window, so it would be great if you could give her a chair or a box or platform of some kind so she can gaze out during the day!

    Congratulations… enjoy her!

  • Kristy @ Kristy's Health Revolution November 5, 2012, 10:10 am

    You’re awesome for adopting an adult cat!! I have 3 rescue kitties, and they are the MOST entertaining. I almost started crying when I heard Pippa’s story — who does that to an animal!? It seems like Henry really likes her too! I have a tail-less cat, so I’m partial.

    A couple cat tips: You can either free-feed, or measure out the food for her twice a day. Some cats will stop eating when they are full and others won’t, so just keep an eye on it. If you do free-feed, you’ll want to watch to see if you see cat puke that looks like undigested food. I have a cat who will just eat and eat until she throws up, so I have to monitor her intake. If she still has her claws, you might want to make sure she has plenty of things to scratch so she won’t destroy your furniture. If you see her scratching at your furniture, redirect her to the posts every time. She’ll get the hang of it. Good luck!

    • Caitlin November 5, 2012, 10:20 am

      i think she is an emotional eater so she is definitely not going to just have food down!

      • Rebecca B. November 6, 2012, 9:44 am

        Don’t know how Pippa is, but we have one VERY food-driven cat, who would wake us up in the middle of the night wanting breakfast. After a lot of Googling, we have trained our kitties to respond to a special alarm tone on my cell phone. When it goes off, they know it’s dinner time, and it has drastically reduced the crying and begging. Just an FYI, they are definitely trainable.

  • Rachel Starr November 5, 2012, 10:17 am

    Yeah for kitties! My only “advice” would be to discipline her. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t disipline a cat. No jumping up on counters or tables. My SIL’s cat walks all over their kitchen counter & even sleeps there. It’s gross! A firm no & a little smack on the bottom gets the point across. Similar with trainig dogs, you must be consistent. Other than that, lots of snuggles :). Congrats!

  • Reenie November 5, 2012, 10:20 am

    Cute video… and Pippa is so cute.

    I feed mine Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formula. And they (I have 2 cats) split a can of food at least once a week.

  • deva at deva by definition November 5, 2012, 10:23 am

    We have four cats and Pippa is precious!

    If she jumps on the counters or table, put aluminum foil or double-sided tape up there. It is environmental discipline, so she associates the fell of foil or tape on her feet with the act of jumping up there and wont’ jump when you aren’t home – instead of associating you with the discipline (IE; they arent’ home with the spray bottle so I can climb on the counter to my heart’s content). My cats know they’re not allowed in certain areas but we know they get up there when we aren’t home. It may take a few days of full-time but she’ll figure it out eventually!

  • KSW November 5, 2012, 10:32 am

    Congrats on getting Pippa! She is gorgeous 🙂

    I have two kitties – one is declawed (already was when we got her from the shelter) so when we got our new baby I did TONS (and I mean TONS) of research on the best cat scratching posts to use. I would never declaw a cat so I wanted to make sure that I trained her immediately so our furniture wasn’t damaged.

    These posts are the best ones to buy hands down. It’s proven that a cat likes to stretch up their whole height when scratching which is why they love furniture so much because it’s tall. So those short little posts from Pets Mart are useless.

    They also love the straw/sisal material as they get maximum satisfaction from them.

    I ordered two of these (it’s good to have at least two in the house) and the shipping was pretty pricey for me since I am in Canada, so it would hopefully be less for you.
    They might seem expensive, but they are much cheaper than buying new furniture.

    They are shipped to you with good quality cat nip. You rub cat nip on them up high so they will stretch up to get it and we did this everytime she tried to scratch somewhere she shouldn’t. After about two months of being consistent, she never tried to scratch anywhere else again.

    AND they are pretty sleek and fit in with modern decor. Many of my friends have purchased them and are really happy with them. Good investment 🙂

    Purrfect Post:
    http://www.purrfectpost.com/

  • LMN November 5, 2012, 10:36 am

    Keep the pups and baby away from the litter and put an air purifier in the same room as the litter :-).

    • Jessica November 5, 2012, 12:42 pm

      Yes, air purifiers work wonders for the litter box!

  • Kevin November 5, 2012, 10:40 am

    Please DO NOT declaw her. People think declawing is no big deal, but it’s actually like amputating your fingers from the second knuckle, it’s extremely painful for the animals and takes a long time to heal.

    I’ll echo the comments about ensuring she has something to scratch. People get mad at cats for stratching the back of their couch, but if they haven’t provided the cat with any alternatives, then the cat has no choice. They have to scratch to remove dead cells from their (constantly growing) claws. Get a nice, shag-carpet-covered scratching post and get her in the habit of using it, and she should leave the rest of your furniture alone.

    • Jessica November 5, 2012, 11:01 am

      This! Declawing is basically clawing their fingers off and not allowing them to do something that is instinctual for them (Using their claws)

  • Annie November 5, 2012, 10:45 am

    Yay for adult cats! I adopted mine when he was three, and am really happy with my choice. As for recommendations, I highly suggest getting a laser pointer. Hours of entertainment. You’re welcome.

  • Mary November 5, 2012, 10:46 am

    I’m so excited to see you added a kitty to the family! Adults are harder to get adopted and in my mind a 1.5 yr old is still a baby! I’m glad you were able to find a kitty you could bond with! Sisal Rope scratchers are essential for a house with cats! I would steer away from any carpeted scratchers-it gives your kitty the idea that carpet scratching is okay. And like others have said-being consistent is the key to establishing rules. And reward for good behavior is FAR more successful than disciplining for bad behavior! My kitties like freeze dried shrimp and chicken for treats-low calorie and healthy for them! Great to use for rewards if you’re going to clicker train (I highly recommend it if your kitty is food motivated).

    finally, you MUST get Da Bird (search Amazon). It’s the best thing in the entire world for cats. It will help you exercise her and let out her energy that could potentially turn into destructive behavior! Just like dogs, it’s important to keep kitties active and engaged! Congratulations on your new fur baby!

  • Elizabeth @ Southern Color November 5, 2012, 10:50 am

    She is such a pretty cat!! It sounds like you lucked out with her temperament. I think its great you rescued her from a shelter. My family found my childhood cat just waiting for us at the front door when we arrived home from a vacation. He was the perfect cat! It makes me sad to think there are so many cats out there without a home 🙁

  • Alison November 5, 2012, 10:52 am

    I’ve never commented before, but we have two cats and just had to say how beautiful Pippa is! We feed our cats a mix of dry and wet food, they absolutely LOVE the brands we buy, but they are from a specialty pet food store, so I am not sure how easy they are to find.

    Here are the links for the brands, we switch up the flavors so they don’t get bored. I agree with the comment about pumpkin, our cats love it!

    http://www.bestfriendsfoods.com/aboutfood.html

    http://acana.com/products/regionals

  • Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction.com November 5, 2012, 10:53 am

    Awww Pippa is a cutie!!! So nice that you adopted from a shelter! I don’t know anything about cats, I’m a dog person, but I think it is great that you are giving her a home. What a sad story 🙁 I can’t take animal cruelty!

  • Morgan November 5, 2012, 11:01 am

    I love Pippa, she is beautiful:-) We are a cat family as my husband is allergic to dogs, and I love all animals. My biggest advice when it comes to cats is high protein food, and make sure you measure out her portions. I have had cats my whole life, and even measuring food I have had to put 2 of them on a strict diet with prescription food (very expensive). If you don’t stay on top of what she is eating it is very easy for cats to become overweight. Also, and I am sure you know this from the dogs, put flea/tick preventative medicine on her even if she is going to be indoors all of the time. We had 2 indoor cats when we lived in Florida and they still ended up with fleas, it turns out our male cat is allergic to fleas and he lost half of his fur, it was nasty and expensive to take care of. Enjoy your new friend!!!

  • Allie Q November 5, 2012, 11:05 am

    What I’ve learned from living with 4 strictly indoor cats and watching a lot of My Cat From Hell is that if a cat is acting up, there is usually a reason for it. Their needs are probably not being met in one way or another. For instance, if they continuously jump on tables and counters they probably need more vertical space (like those tall cat houses). If they are clawing up furniture they may need more scratching posts, an upright scratching post (versus flat/horizontal), or they’re not getting enough attention. Playing with your cat for 10-15 minutes a day also seems to help a lot. They are hunters and have hunter instincts. Sometimes if they don’t get to “hunt” and get their energy out they start channeling it into other bad habits.

    Also, I’ve had a hell of a time getting my cats to not jump on tables and counters. I spray them with a water bottle, but I think all that does is teach them that they can’t jump on the table when I’m there. And they still tend to do it when I’m up there. What I’ve read (but have yet to implement) is that you can’t really set rules for cats. You have to make whatever it is they’re doing seem unattractive so they stop doing. For example, they sell these little plastic panels with nubs on top of them that are uncomfortable for cats to step on. You put them on top of tables and counters so the cats learn that jumping on there is not a pleasant experience. Also placing scents that cats don’t like is supposed to help keep them out of certain areas. I’ve heard that cats HATE citrus smells but I haven’t tested it myself.

    Well, I’ve written a novel already. Congrats on your new kitty and hopefully everything will run smoothly!

  • Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel November 5, 2012, 11:05 am

    I love her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

  • Danielle C. November 5, 2012, 11:09 am

    So pretty! Her history is similar to my grey tuxedo girl Jada…they even look almost identical (Jades has the half stache on her left side) and she does have a tail! 🙂

    Hooray for rescue kitties finding good homes. 🙂

  • Corrie Anne November 5, 2012, 11:11 am

    How sweet!! My baby girl (chocolate lab/Vizsla mix) shares her name!! 🙂

  • Jenna November 5, 2012, 11:20 am

    Most important.
    Dogs like to eat cat litter and more importantly the cat turds in the litter [high in fat content]. Ensure your litter box is not within access of your dogs. Clumping cat litter in a dog can equal a very hefty vet bill. At my house, I have the door to the basement hooked at the specific gap distance to enable the cat to go downstairs but the dog to not fit through the gap. Alternatively when they are at my parents, the litter is placed on top of the freezer so again the cat can reach – the dog can not.
    I’ve also heard you shouldn’t feed your cat in the same location as the litter – it didn’t seem polite – anyway so I never did.

  • Rika November 5, 2012, 11:25 am

    Pretty kitty! I’m not a fellow cat-owner but I heard that dogs can be fed a vegetarian diet and be okay but cats can’t! I believe they lose their eyesight without animal protein? It’d be cool if you did a post about how you tackled that problem as a vegetarian. 😀 Good luck!! p.s. Henry is so gosh darn cute.

  • Sonia the Mexigarian November 5, 2012, 11:26 am

    We have 3 cats and they are now indoor/outdoor cats. They love going outside in the morning and hang around the patio to be called in at night. Though I do have mini panic attacks when Gambit (the dumb one) doesn’t come when called. We live on a court by the foothills so our streets are relatively quiet but I worry about coyotes. Chloe and Gambit we got from a rescue, and Lobot I found abandoned in our old apartment complex.

    Anyways, CONGRATS on bringing Pippa into your home. She is absolutely gorgeous.

    Suggestions:

    Scratching posts! A must or she will scratch up your furniture.

    A cat tree. Medium to large where she can see above things (if she is a climber) and at least a cubby hole where she can retreat to for her own time. Expensive in stores, but check out Craigslist! I got several for cheap and bought more rope to wrap around the arms so my cats could claw. Position near a window for her to watch outside or near enough to family so she could keep an eye on her people.

    I feed my cats Blue Buffalo/Bison dry food, Greenies dental treats, and some wet food.

    Do you plan on clipping her claws? We use a regular human nail clippers and clip our cats claws ever 2-3 weeks or so. It will keep her from accidentally scratching you badly if she is laying on your lap and gets startled. I think there are youtube videos how to clip their claws. I hold my cats in my lap, by their neck as a mom would do to her kittens and Eric clips their nails. We give them treats after 🙂

    Toys. They love the laser game, balls with feathers, string. Be ready for acrobatic moves.

    Squirt bottle to keep her from places she shouldn’t be. She has to be caught in the act though.

    Kitty litter. You might have to go through a lot that will work best for you, her and the family. I tried the eco friendly, toliet disposable ones (I really did) but they just didn’t stop the smell. (granted i have 3 cats).

    that’s all i can think of for now. Good luck! <3

  • Lindsay @ Trial By Sapphire November 5, 2012, 11:27 am

    I’m so happy that you rescued a cat! I grew up with three cats, and my husband and I adopted our third after one passed away last December. I have a lot of cat experience, I guess! Call me a crunchie cat lover, but please use the spray bottle as the last resort for training. It doesn’t hurt the cat, but well, would you appreciate being squirt in the face for something that can’t be explained to you? If it must be done, go for it, but please use it as a last resort. My husband and I have adopted two adult cats, and we were able to train them without spraying them.

    Also, I know you appreciate your family’s health, so I’m sure you are mindful of the furry ones’ health too. The popular cat food brands are primarily filler and yucky stuff. Just look at the labels. Try Wellness and Avoderm canned food or B.G. (Before Grain) dry food. They are the healthiest foods we’ve been able to find.

    Welcome home, Pippa!

  • Lauren November 5, 2012, 11:31 am

    Pippa is so pretty! Congrats for doing such a great thing for a kitty in need! Adopting from shelters and rescue groups is the only way to go! I just adopted a 2yr old Sheltie from a Sheltie rescue group a week ago, and he has been the sweetest! Enjoy Pippa 🙂

  • Chrissy November 5, 2012, 11:35 am

    I love the video! I am usually not a big fan of babies, but Henry is the. cutest. baby. ever.

  • Christina November 5, 2012, 11:36 am

    If she has her claws, I suggest getting a cat scratcher. I know they kinda scream crazy cat lady, but my cat loves her scratcher so much. If the clawing gets bad, try out Soft Paws nail caps (http://www.softpaws.com/), they work great for us. We are very strict about not letting our cats on the counters and tables. However, I’m sure they just go on them when we aren’t home. It’s pretty hard to train a cat. We also don’t let our cats in our bedroom, especially at night because they are nocturnal and drive us nuts at night. We feed our cats Purina One dry food and they seem to love it. We also get the cat litter that you just bag up and throw out every few days because we hate scooping. Good luck, cats are awesome pets!

  • Suzanne November 5, 2012, 11:38 am

    I highly recommend getting dry food from Costco if you have a membership. It’s really affordable and cats love it. If you plan to feed her wet food as well (talk to your vet- if she’s prone to urinary tract infections as many cats are, you’ll need to every other day or so), Trader Joe’s has the best- and they’re only about $1 a can. I’d also recommend Purr and Simple litter; it hides smells a lot better than other natural brands. It’s cheap and you only need to replace it once a month. Plus you get flush it down the toilet, which is really convenient!

  • Suzanne November 5, 2012, 11:40 am

    Also- I’m not sure if someone has recommended this yet or not, but if you don’t want to use the spray bottle technique to discipline her, try putting some pennies in an empty soda can and shaking it when she misbehaves. It’s worked really well for my cat!

  • Andrea November 5, 2012, 11:44 am

    Start training her not to go up on the counters and tables right away! We also love our cardboard scratching box. Our cat was never interested in the scratching post, and once we got the box she pretty much stopped scratching the furniture. I love cats. Enjoy!

  • Kamy November 5, 2012, 11:46 am

    Pippa is a beutiful girl! Rules and cats don’t mix very well! Maybe just trying to get her used to grooming, like brushing her coat, touching her paws for when you have to clip her nails and walking on a leash. I have two cats and I am trying to get one of them used to a tooth brush… so far he likes to lick it… baby steps! Then my big project will be toilet training and getting rid of litter! That will be a tough one!

  • Julie (A Case of the Runs) November 5, 2012, 11:50 am

    My (also ‘adopted’) cat seems to stop any bad behavior when he hears the sound of a plastic bag, so we’ve generally been able to discipline him. One thing he used to do a lot is claw at the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom, so either don’t let her in or teach her that it is NOT for scratching.

    As for claws, he used to use them more in the earlier days, but I think he’s kind of stopped using them… even when I get swiped sometimes, I don’t feel a scratch. They get worn down by scratching or sometimes a trim (ack).

    I second the window thing, he loves looking out all day! And when my dog accidentally gets in the same space as the cat, he just jumps up someplace ‘safe.’

  • Ali November 5, 2012, 11:52 am

    I don’t have a cat (or a baby!) but I was just wondering – are there health concerns about bringing a cat in with a such a young baby? I have heard some scary stories about cats suffocating small children in their cribs – this isn’t to scare you, but I was just wondering how true those stories are and what people do to prevent any injuries/harm?

    • Caitlin November 5, 2012, 12:23 pm

      I think thats an old wives tale!

      • Ali November 5, 2012, 12:34 pm

        Ah good! Thanks for letting me know!

        Congrats on the cute kitten AND the cute baby!

      • Jessica November 5, 2012, 2:07 pm

        You do want to make sure though that your cat does well with toddlers/little kids (of course this is true for all pets)… my sister had to re-home her cat of 8 years because it kept scratching her young toddler – they did NOT get along! The tipping point was when the cat scratched her girl on the face and she’ll have a scar. 🙁 It was heartbreaking for everyone.
        I’m sure, though, that you talked to the rescue people about all that already!

        • Ali November 5, 2012, 3:34 pm

          That’s really sad, Jessica. One of the reasons I am curious is because my boyfriend and I keep talking about getting a kitten in the next year or so, but hopefully we will also have a little one in the next few years and I would hate to have to make a decision to rehome a pet because of my poor planning/timing. It’s helpful to hear what other people have gone through so we can make a good decision!

      • bonnie November 5, 2012, 8:48 pm

        When i was a baby, my cat would sneak into the crib with me to cuddle (probably not because she particuarly liked me, rather because i was warm… or maybe she was a dogcat who was kinda protective.) Otherwise, it would scare the bejesus out of my mom because she’d lay on my stomach. So definitely just to be safe, you should close the door to the nursery when Henry’s napping 🙂

  • Heather November 5, 2012, 11:54 am

    She’s amazing! Thanks for adopting her! There’s so many without homes and rescues are truly the best “breed”.

  • Anne November 5, 2012, 11:55 am

    Very happy to see this “publicity” for adoption, we should never buy an animal in a pet store, so many animals don’t have a family and killed because there are too much… // I give my cat dry food called Orijen, it’s 80% proteins, they need less cause its nutrients dense and it’s better then cereals based cat food for many reasons.

  • Verna November 5, 2012, 11:55 am

    Bahahaha! I tune in for the animal stories almost as much as the baby stuff!! You guys crack me up! “Cue the waterworks.” “James will run away like a baby and Pippa will be in charge.” Bahaha! I love it! Keep up the good work! Pippa is so pretty! I love her!

  • Chantal November 5, 2012, 11:56 am

    Gorgeous cat! When you were talking about getting sad thinking about all the cats that need homes, it made me think of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTTwcCVajAc

    Cracks me up every time.

  • Michelle November 5, 2012, 12:00 pm

    Aw Pippa is such a cutie! My advise would be to stick with wet cat food as cats don’t know to drink water and that can end up in bladder infections when they only eat dry food. This happened to Tillman, who then became the most expensive kitty ever. Great to see you and Henry on Saturday!

  • Michelle S November 5, 2012, 12:02 pm

    I’m not a huge cat fan, but Pippa is adorable! Congratulations on the new addition!

  • Liz November 5, 2012, 12:09 pm

    My biggest piece of advice for feeding is to spend the extra money for the high quality cat food. My little guy only eats Science Diet. He gets the kind for adult indoor cats. I also don’t free feed and measure out his food in the morning and night. Trust me, he wants me to let him get fat, but the vet was pretty hardcore about not having a diabetic cat.

    Years ago my family had a cat that we fed the cheap wet food and he ended up getting really…sick. The food was basically get stuck in his intestines and he had to go through some painful and expensive surgery. Ever since then I always stick to the food that may cost a little extra, but is worth it in the long run for their health.

    Enjoy the newest member of your family!

    • Morgan November 5, 2012, 4:56 pm

      I’m sorry but Science Diet is terrible. Vets carry it because they are paid to. Do some research and choose a higher quality food for your cat!

      • emily November 6, 2012, 4:18 pm

        agreed! It is made up of meat byproduct. Not good!

  • Bryna November 5, 2012, 12:10 pm

    Awww, Pippa is a super cute kitty! I love a good rescue story 🙂 Also, I remember you writing that you wanted to own an original art piece. Another one of the blogs I follow does an event to raise money to get water to people in Africa and they auction off one of a kind paintings with all the proceeds going to The Adventure Project. I thought you might be interested in it. Hopefully you don’t end up wanting the same piece I do 😉 The blog is called “I’m a flawed mom”. If you want the link to the auction pictures, just let me know. (Just an FYI, I am in no way affiliated with the blog or the person who runs it but wanted to give you a heads up for a unique opportunity).

  • Jessica November 5, 2012, 12:34 pm

    I have two elderly kitties. A 20 year old that I’ve had since I was 9 and a 21 year old that we adopted when she was 15. We feed them both Blue Buffalo it they love it. The 20 year old has had digestion issues in the past probably due to feeding him crappy Fancy Feast for most of his life, luckily we discovered Blue Buffalo and the problems stopped almost immediately.

    The best advice I could give you is to keep her indoors. People are always amazed at how long my kitties have lived and it’s all because they’ve been kept inside where it’s safe and warm. Everyone I know who has let their cats roam free haven’t had them around as long as they could have =( there are just too many risks. A girl I know adopted her cat from a shelter that specifically asks that you keep them indoors, if you give any indication that you won’t then they won’t let you adopt. Well, she adopted the cat and let ended up letting him outside. She had him for about a year before a neighbor dog attacked and killed the poor kitty in their own backyard. Very upsetting.

  • Jessica November 5, 2012, 12:50 pm

    Thought of something else! This doesn’t apply to you yet, but I was told by our vet that when your kitty gets older it’s a good idea to try moving their food around rather than keep it in the same place all the time. It’s good for their hunting instincts and it keeps the mind active which is really important as they get older. 🙂

  • Andrea November 5, 2012, 1:10 pm

    Yay for cats!!!! I’m so excited for you. My vet (a cats only hospital–full of cat ladies) recommends both wet and dry food. Wet food helps keep moisture in her system and will be easier for her to eat as she ages.

    I adopted my cat Edgar in May and I am totally in love with him. Not to be a total sap, but it makes me (tearfully) grateful for the no kill shelter that I adopted him from. No kill shelters/rescue groups are amazing!

    • Nina November 5, 2012, 10:20 pm

      Except that they turn away animals that are less than 100% adoptable. I’d rather have the option of adopting a one eyed dog then only pristine candidates that ‘made the cut’.

  • Caroline November 5, 2012, 1:29 pm

    I love the name choice- Pippa is great and very English:) I’m glad the transition into your home is going well for her. Cats can be really great when they’re social, and it’s great to have a baby with them too. I think our cats when I was growing up were tolerant of anything because my parents had them before we were born.

  • Kristina November 5, 2012, 1:30 pm

    Congrats! Looking forward to seeing lots of pics of Pippa!

    I’m a lifelong crazy cat lady (and seven year pet store employee) and would recommend enforcing rules ASAP, or else it will be nearly impossible! I have three and they used to be terrible about jumping on kitchen counters because we went easy on them when they were little. I took advantage of moving to a different apartment and having a new environment to lay down the law (previous attempts at our old place didn’t work). Now they’re much better behaved, but I would say consistency is the key! :]

    As far as food goes, I second what others say about the best quality you can afford. Cats are true carnivores (not like dogs, which are just on the carnivore end of the diet variety spectrum), so a grain-free formula is ideal. But depending on your kitty’s constitution it might not be possible, but Wellness, Innova, Taste of the Wild are all good brands!

  • deepsouthrunner November 5, 2012, 1:39 pm

    I love her! So pretty! We are switching our cat from dry food to canned food right now, and it’s all because I was told about this site written by a vet who recommends canned food as better for cats’ health. http://www.catinfo.org

  • Jess November 5, 2012, 1:46 pm

    Henry is so beautiful and happy! Congrats on him!

    The cat is lovely too. We have one and sadly lost one earlier in the year after 10 wonderful years but they’re really lovely animals. I guarantee you won’t remember the house without here before long! I hope Pippa settles well!

    As for rules. Don’t give in to treats/snacks. I swear our cat is greedier than the dogs! If it’s possible to out do labradors on the food-love front, cats will try darn hard…ours steals the dog’s food out of the bowl before they even get a chance! He is a boy though, so maybe that’s where the manners deserted him! 😉

  • Cindy November 5, 2012, 2:15 pm

    What a sweet looking cat!! Congrats! We have a 4 yr old cat that gets along great with our baby, they have become friends and like to chase each other around the house and play with the same toys 🙂 I hope the same will be true for Henry and Pippa!

    I def agree that a water spray bottle for discipline is the way to go, I just have to pick it up now and my cat knows to stop whatever he’s doing. The only boundaries we really give him are to stay off the dining table and kitchen counters and out of the baby’s crib (which was mostly an issue before he arrived).

    We feed him Purina Pro Plan for indoor cats (dry food) and he’s always liked it. I think it’s a good food for a decent price. No animal by products, which I know is important.

    Good luck, I’m sure she’ll be a great fit into your family 🙂

  • Rebecca November 5, 2012, 2:15 pm

    I LOVE THIS!! 🙂

  • Rachel November 5, 2012, 2:22 pm

    I hope you enjoy your new addition! I adopted my cat at age 6 (-ish), for many of the same reasons you chose not to adopt a kitten. She has been absolutely great! Cats have very interesting personalities, and it will be fun to hear her stories and adventures–cats are so different than dogs!

  • Melanie November 5, 2012, 3:21 pm

    Congrats on your new kitty! She looks like a sweetheart! My husband and I have 5 cats (don’t ask how that happened) but they pretty much run the house. I am 8 months pregnant and am a bit worried about how the cats will react to the baby – I plan on keeping them out of his room when he is sleeping.

    I would just suggest to have cardboard scratchers for her to use – I get mine at Target. Also plenty of fresh water and some toys for her 🙂 Hard to set rules for a cat or even discipline them so hopefully she’ll just fall into place with your house! Sounds like she’s already figuring our the dogs and where they all fit in.

    Also I am having a boy too and we are also thinking about naming him Henry! Your son is just adorable!

    Congrats too on your 5K!

    Melanie

    • Caitlin November 5, 2012, 4:11 pm

      Congrats on your pregnancy! Henry is a great name. 🙂

      • Melanie November 6, 2012, 1:19 pm

        Thanks! Forgot to mention too that wet food really is better for cats (in my opinion). There are quite a few good brands that create real food for cats – just read the ingredients before purchasing which I’m sure you already know. My cats love Tiki Cat – it’s human grade cat food. Looks like real chicken when you open the can!

        Have fun!

  • Socal Rachel November 5, 2012, 4:43 pm

    I feed my cat dry food only and always leave out the food, mainly because I’m a lazy cat parent. If you start to feed on a schedule they will train you and become bothersome until they get food.

    Once you choose the food, don’t change it. I thought it would get boring for my cat to eat the same thing all the time, but if you change it you will notice it bothers them when you clean out the litter box.

    Enjoy the new fur ball.

    • Nina November 5, 2012, 10:12 pm

      Ahhh! Please do cat nutrition research.

  • Jolene (Homespun Heritage) November 5, 2012, 4:47 pm

    We rescued a pregnant Manx cat and she gave birth to 4 kittens. Of the 4 born only 1 survived. One died because it was giganto-kitten (twice the size of the other kittens) and passed away during birth because Mama Cat couldn’t push it out due to size…and two had severe nerve damage due to no tails (a routine problem for the “breed”). The one who survived had a tail. Personal opinion here is that it is not a breed…simply folks manipulating a genetic defect…and many cats suffer nerve damage and other defects all for the sake of a “look” they are after in a cat.

    Sad opinionated story over! I think your kitty is super cute and glad she’s done with being pregnant and can just enjoy being loved on! Congratulations on Pippa!

  • Jen November 5, 2012, 4:56 pm

    I’m typing this with my dog-like-kitty patrick asleep across my arms. I volunteer with the Western PA Humane Society in Pittsburgh and was out at PetsMarts this weekend with adoptable dogs and cats and I’m so excited you adopted Pippa!

    Best toy ever: laser pointer

  • Tricia November 5, 2012, 5:40 pm

    Random but the husband kind of sounds like Jesse Spencer (used to be on House and now Chicago Fire). And I agree more Henry videos!!!

  • Nina November 5, 2012, 5:58 pm

    Yay, kitties! I would recommend doing research about food, there are a ton of great resources available (catinfo.org, feline-nutrition.org among others). I recommend wet, grain free food. My cats go through a rotation of Weruva, Primal raw, Nature Variety raw and ZiwiPeak, with the occasional egg/cheese treat thrown in. Cats don’t eat like we do, so when you see a bunch of vegetables in their food it’s usually to appease the owners. I totally recommend getting vertical scratching posts, but see what Pippa likes. Catnip is an easy plant to grow outdoors and you can infuse it in oil if you need to rub it on something to entice her, or you can make a hydrosol out of it to spray! Cats are awesome, I’ll look forward to more Pippa posts!

  • Kate November 5, 2012, 6:11 pm

    Pippa is adorable.

    One thing to note about kitties is that they are true carnivores and their tummy’s cannot handle gluten or most grains. There are a lot of grain free foods on the market these days. Natures instinct and Blue Buffalo are a couple good brands.

    Also did the shelter spay her after her kittens? You may want to so she and you don’t experience her going through heat.

    Kitties are great!

  • Kim November 5, 2012, 6:22 pm

    The rule to establish is that Pippa now runs the place. I love cats!

  • A November 5, 2012, 6:37 pm

    You mentioned that you got both dogs from private/non-kill shelters and that’s awesome, but there’s nothing wrong with adopting from kill shelters. The animals can’t help they end up there, especially in NC where 1/4 of the counties gas them.

  • Courtney Leigh November 5, 2012, 6:47 pm

    Yay Kitty! I love the name Pippa for a kitty and she’s so pretty. We currently own 4 cats. (Two of them by accident/they found us.) We have five cats in the house just now, as we have a long term foster for a friend. And this summer when we found 3 starving orphaned kittens on our back patio we had seven.

    One of the kittens became ours when no one adopted him. There was no way anyone else was taking my Jack Jack after I’d had him three months. Cats personalities are so unique. NONE of ours are even similar. And when we found the 3 kittens even at just 6 weeks they already had distinct personalities that have definitely stayed in place .

    I agree with those who have said decide what places are off limits and start training now. I won’t say that our cats never, ever get on the counters or dining room table, but it’s rare. Another option to the water bottle is an air horn thing, but probably not the technique I’d recommend with a baby and two dogs, especially when Maggie is one of the dogs. 😉

  • Calla November 5, 2012, 6:58 pm

    Congratulations on your beautiful kitty! I love her name, too!

    This weekend we celebrated the fourth “adoptiversary” of our rescue cat. She’s also a “dog cat”, and we were lucky in that she doesn’t really have any bad habits that we’ve had to break or adapt to. We were looking through pictures of her last night and I noticed that before we switched her to her grain-free food, she was chubbier despite being pretty healthy and active. She seems leaner and more energetic now; we would recommend a grain-free food. (We live in Montreal and the brand we have is Nature’s Harvest, but I don’t know if it would be available south of the border.)

    Also, we’d recommend treating her for fleas/ticks, at least during the summer and the fall, even if she’s an indoor cat. Fleas can come in on people’s shoes and then attach to animals, so it’s definitely not just an outdoor cat problem.

    One more thing, which may or may not work for Pippa: our cat is an indoor cat, but she likes to go outside when it’s warm and poke around and eat some grass (which as far as I’ve heard is OK for cats so long as it isn’t full of pesticides). We have a leash for her that clips onto either her (quick-release) collar or her little harness, and we attach the other end to a post of our balcony. She likes getting fresh air and a change of scenery, and we’re happy knowing she isn’t wandering far.

  • Bec November 5, 2012, 7:28 pm

    I didn’t take the time to read through all 180 previous comments and who knows if you’ll make it this far, but I’ve had cats all my life so I have some knowledge. Most vets are going to recommend Science Diet because Hill’s funds a lot of vet schools so that what the vets recommend. Both a friend and I have had to put cats down who were fed Science Diet and it is linked to kidney and liver failure (which was the case for both of our cats). Our two current kitties are fed Natural Balance (Blue Buffalo is also a good one). They get wet food 1 meal a week. Supplementing in Royal Canin S/O food can help keep her from having troubles with UTI issues which is common in cats. Invest in a furminator as it helps reduce shedding by A LOT. Catnip is hilarious and helps their digestion/gets kitties to exercise. Enjoy your kitty!

  • Deanne November 5, 2012, 7:39 pm

    I have two cats both rescues. Cats are the best and they really aren’t as bad as people say they are. Both our cats are trained. They sit on command, know their names, Flair fetches, Trouble knows that when she sits at the dinner table she is not allowed more than one paw on the table, they can be bathed (Trouble joins husband in the shower regularly), walk on leashes. Sure they scratch but we bought them scratching posts and that helps a lot. Flair likes to chew but when she chews on something she shouldn’t (the Christmas tree). I snap my fingers and claim it (like the dog whisperer) she will then leave the item alone. Just be consistent. The water bottle becomes a game so you have to be sneaky with it. We got a nerf gun for Trouble because she enjoyed being chased off items and we didn’t want water all over the place. It worked till we got Flair, she would get all excited about the nerf gun and fetching the darts while Trouble would hide, so claiming the item worked better (http://youtu.be/oKsMvgUDr_k). Also positive re-enforcement, Flair loves to play so when she is cuddly we play with her it took only a day for her to learn that jumping in our lap for a hug got her time with the laser but scratching the couch did not. Each cat has their own personality and different things work for each.

    As for food I recommend Orijen. Most dry food is made at the same plant just under a different name. This is why when there is a recall it effects most brands. Orijen is made independently, they don’t do wet food because they can’t make it in house and don’t trust sending it to another factory. All the meat is fresh and the meat content is high 80%. Cats are not omnivores they are carnivores. That is the only problem with Orijen there is fruit and veggies (20%) and cats don’t need fruits and veggies like dogs do. The best diet for any pet is a raw diet, but that’s not always feasible so look for a good quality food without grains/gluten. Orijen isn’t a raw diet but it’s the best you’ll find in a dry food IMO. In a raw diet cats would eat bones and that would clean their teeth naturally but dry food doesn’t provide that so brush Pippa’s teeth. Tartar builds up fast and is expensive to have removed. It also can cause very serious health problems.

    Have fun with Pippa!

  • Amber November 5, 2012, 8:48 pm

    Yay! I have a cat and a dog and they both have the BEST personalities. My cat is also a “dog cat” that comes when called and cuddles like crazy. I love him to death! Him and the dog play too and it’s hilarious! Congrats on your newest family member. Thinking about all the cats in the shelters that can’t be re-homed makes me get super weepy…

  • Caroline November 5, 2012, 9:09 pm

    Congratulations!
    I recommend buying one or more of those cardboard scratching posts and placing them around your house to encourage Pippa to scratch her claws there. I’ve found it’s easy to train cats to use scratching posts (although my two still prefer to try to rip the bed to shreds). Cats are extremely routine-oriented and might surprise you with some of their quirky habits – unrolling a roll of toilet paper the minute you put a new roll on, waking you up the same time every day (even though it’s at the crack of dawn!), drinking water from the shower or tap. The best advice that I can give a new cat owner is that you are likely going to be owned by the cat! Cats rule. A cat is the alpha in the house. : ) You might think that you have trained a cat to not climb on the counters or table, but the minute you aren’t looking, she will likely make a beeline to the table. Have fun!

    I hope that Pippa is a big purrer!

    Caroline
    PS – One of my cats loves pumpkin from a can. There are a lot of unsafe human foods (raisins, for example), but pumpkin is safe.

  • Carrie @ The Cook's Palette November 5, 2012, 9:10 pm

    Love the name choice. For all your pets , really. 🙂 She seems like a wonderful addition to the family and you will provide such a good home for her. Henry already has several playmates!

  • Nicole November 5, 2012, 9:13 pm

    Congrats on the new addition to your family! We have a cat and she is the biggest butthead in the world but I would never change it. She is sitting on my neck (not kidding) as I am typing this. One recommendation would be if she is a jumper and likes to jump on counters start putting barricades up where she can’t jump because once cats start getting in the habit of something they never stop it seems. When I adopted Talula (my cat) all she wanted to do was get on the counters and tables but luckily I was able to break her of that habit.

  • luv what you do November 5, 2012, 9:42 pm

    Our cat used to LOVE bacon and tuna : )
    As for rules, staying over the countertops is a good one to start with!

  • Emily November 5, 2012, 10:31 pm

    I LOVE cats! Dogs take a while to trust humans, but cats approach stranger – that is also a bad thing but let’s roll with it. I have a blind 11 – nearly 12 year old – cat called Wilson. He became blind after a car accident, costing us three grand! – but he is so worth it and so happy:-D, which you wouldn’t expect from losing his eyesight.

    Cats are full carnivores so they need a diet very high in protein as they would if they were wild. We feed our cats Whiskas, usually the fish variety for their coat and they should be fed a mixture of dry food – to graze on in the day – and wet food so they get added water intake.

    Only thing is, feed Pippa in a different room to the dogs because there’s no doubt they’ll take her food:P And do you have a litter tray? I assume you’re making Pippa an indoor cat?

  • Aja November 5, 2012, 11:04 pm

    Pippa’s name was originally Sweetie? That’s the name of my cat who had a bit of a sob story herself before we rescued her.

    Congratulations on the new addition!! 🙂

  • Kristin November 5, 2012, 11:11 pm

    Awww so sweet. What a survivor. I feed my cats Blue Buffalo food. It isn’t full of crap fillers and they seem so much more active and healthier since the switch.

  • Brittan November 6, 2012, 12:18 am

    What an adorable kitty! I have 2 cats, one of which doesn’t have a tail either! My cat is a manx, I am not sure but are manx and bobtail cats the same? Maybe just similar. Either way I know manx cats are incredibly loving and loyal. I have never seen another person who has a tail-less cat so I was a little surprised to see one on your blog! Good luck with your new family member 🙂

  • Alicia November 6, 2012, 6:30 am

    Just wanted to let you know that while considering your kitty’s food, remember that cats cannot eat a vegetarian diet. The cat will become very ill and die without some kind of meat or seafood in their diet.

  • Erin November 6, 2012, 7:53 am

    Yay for a new kitty! I love them – I only have one right now but I’d love to adopt another.

    For food, as other readers have said, it must include meat or she’ll go blind. There’s an enzyme or something that cats must have since they’re carnivorous.

    There’s a pet food company in Charlotte that actually DELIVERS (a lifesaver in my opinion!). It’s called the Pet Pantry and I used them when I lived there. (and still do – there’s another franchise in Raleigh). Their food is high quality and they carry all different kinds. Check it out – http://www.petpantrydelivers.com and you can get a free sample to try it out. My cats and dogs have loved it and have done really well on their food.
    I’m not a paid endorsement or anything – I just love them and have used them for years. My least favorite chore used to be hauling about huge bags of dog food and I love things that can be delivered to my house.

    • Caitlin November 6, 2012, 9:53 am

      Awesome!

  • Clare November 6, 2012, 12:16 pm

    There’s so much I would add because I would be a total crazy cat lady if my husband weren’t allergic. Lame. I shall leave you with the “best cat video on the internet.” I cry laughing so hard every time I watch it.
    http://gawker.com/5939766/the-people-have-spoken-and-this-is-the-best-cat-video-on-the-internet

    • Caitlin November 6, 2012, 12:55 pm

      hahahaha!!!

  • Lara November 6, 2012, 2:06 pm

    Aww, we have a Pippa! Except ours is Pippa the Poodle 😉

  • beth November 6, 2012, 3:04 pm

    I walk my dog every single day and religiously pick up his poop upon defecation. My neighborhood is littered (pun fully intended) with people’s “outdoor cats” that shit ALL OVER my yard. If I let my dog run around doing that there would be an uproar. Cats can go roaming outside when their owners want to pick up their crap. That’s my vote!

  • Caitlin November 6, 2012, 3:58 pm

    I didn’t read through the 8 million posts above. Cats are carnivores, so make sure the first ingredient is meat. I would not say wet food is better, dry food helps to get tarter and plaque off of teeth- one of mine loves wet and the other prefers dry.
    As for toys, you have to experiment. 1 of my cats is a horizontal scratcher only and the other one likes vertical posts. 1 lives for little mice that “jiggle” when you shack them and the other goes nuts for a shoe string with a pony tail holder tied to the end.
    In regards to training and obedience this quote, “People don’t own cats, cats own their humans” sums it up quite well.

  • Kristin November 6, 2012, 8:29 pm

    Congrats on the new addition! I wish I had advice to give, but I’m allergic. Have fun!

  • Cortney November 9, 2012, 11:36 am

    Congratulations on adopting Miss Pippa! She is a beauty 🙂

    We had a rescued cat for 7 years and fed her nothing but dry Purina Cat Chow Indoor formula for years (wet food would make her bonkers and never leave the kitchen). I liked it because there always seemed to be a coupon for it, and she liked it because turns out it was like Cheetos for cats with all the grain and fillers in it. She was always on the heavy side, and relatively happy so we went with what worked for us. It wasn’t until last year, when she developed kidney failure (terminal) and we had to give her subcutaneous fluid injections every day for 7 months until her passing that I really researched what we were feeding her. I still live with the guilt that feeding her that Purina crap is probably what made her body give out before its time.

    We adopted two year-old rescue cats last January and have fed them Wellness (the regular line – not Core) from day one (Wet at lunch time, dry at night). It’s not the BEST food out there, but it’s definitely much better than the supermarket brands. We make sure to exercise before feeding both times, since that helps them use their Hunt, Kill, Feed instinct. It also helps keep them from waking us up at 5am looking to be fed first thing in the morning (Win!) If you have cable, check out “My Cat from Hell” where Jackson is a “cat whisperer” much like Cesar Milan (Dog Whisperer) . Taught us a lot about how to “behave” with our two! Have fun 🙂

  • Jessi November 11, 2012, 7:55 am

    Although it’s more fun to feed them other things, dry food is best for long term kidney function. She’s adorable by the way!

  • Amanda Hollenbaugh November 11, 2012, 11:01 am

    Welcome to the family, Pippa! She’s so gorgeous! I have a couple of blog posts about cats and cat foods. I finally decided on EVO. Canned food is best as it keeps them hydrated and prevents urinary issues. Their natural diet is also low carb and no refined grains. Have you ever seen a cat drool at corn? No, you haven’t 🙂 EVO is super low carb (7% max, less than 10% being ideal, so it fits the bill). I used to feed Blue Wilderness, but it was still too high in carbs which will can cause weight gain and feline diabetes, even with it being all natural, etc. Although EVO is more expensive, you don’t have to feed nearly as much as other foods because there’s no fillers. It’s super nutrient dense so your cat needs less of it. Because it’s nutrient dense, there is also less waste. Less waste = less stink in the litter box! This has been WONDERFUL because Tango used to drop some horrible box bombs. He also wouldn’t cover it. As it turns out, cats will not cover if they feel they need to assert themselves as the alpha as covering their business covers their scent, and their scent is how they mark their territory. It sounds like common sense, but it was life changing advice for us 😛 Also, EVO is more expensive, but it’s actually cheaper per pound, and better for your cat than other “all natural” high end brands out there. I could go on and on all day about cats and their nutritional needs (again, I have a rather lengthy post on my blog about it). I know you will choose what you feel is best! I would highly recommend against Science Diet and Iams and SD has WAY too many carbs is one of the worst brands you can feed your cat, and Iams tests on animals. House rules…our cats are not allowed on counters. That’s just dirty and gross. They also know not to beg for food or get in the chairs or on the couch while we’re eating. We have “dog cats”, too, so they’re pretty perceptive to discipline. Kurumi is trained to sit which is great when I take her to the vet because we don’t have a carrier. She also sits nicely for baths and nail trimming. It freaks the vet out, but it is certainly useful.

  • Amanda Hollenbaugh November 11, 2012, 11:02 am

    Also, this is a great website. http://catinfo.org/

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