No Tricks, Just Treats and Cuteness!

Today we are happy to be pawticipating in the No Tricks, Just Treats for Shelters Blog Hop that is being sponsored by our furiends at LLB in Our Backyard. You can pawticipate too by publishing a Halloween post letting them know some way you plan to/or have helped a shelter or pet in need, and link up to the hop. They will be donating $1 per hop entry AND 50 cents  for each comment they receive on the 30th and 31st  Money raised this year will be split between Legacy Boxer Rescue, Marg's Animals and to our local Cat Rescue, HART(Humboldt Area Rescue Team) in Brian's name.

We are going to share some of our favorite Halloween photos of Cody that we have featured over the past ten years (and there will be a brand new one without Cody but of a different "cat") at the end, and beneath each photo we will share how we have tried to help shelters throughout the years.

This photo is from 2013. One way we try to help is we donate to our blogging friends and the shelters that are closest to THEIR hearts whenever possible.

This collage is from 2018. For the past few years we have featured the Petfinder widget on our sidebar that highlights an adoptable pet.

This photo was for a collage we did in 2015. In July we featured a local adoptable cat on our blog who ended up finding her furever home.

Don't remember what year this collage is from, and am too lazy to look it up, but back in June 2012 I attended an adoption event that was held at Kitty City II here in Michigan. It was in honor of Adopt A Shelter Cat Month. I decided to PAY THE ADOPTION FEE for a family that wanted to adopt a kitty that I had fallen in love with. You can read that post here  (I did end up hearing from the people who adopted that kitty but have fallen out of touch with them over the past few years)

This photo was actually taken last weekend when I attended Zoo Boo here in Detroit with my granddaughter, her parents and my husband. I dressed up as a LION!!!!

 Throughout the years I have given back in other ways by:

• featuring local shelters on our blog frequently
• featuring local shelter fundraising events on our blog frequently
• donating toys etc. to some of our local shelters
• purchasing holiday cards from Michigan Humane

There are more things that I do, but none are as important as the things that SO MANY OF YOU DO by helping feral cats, practicing TNR, fostering cats,  volunteering at your local shelter, adopting your own cats and sooo much more! 

Kudos to ALL OF YOU in this caring community because you ALL give back sooo much!

Have a happy and safe Halloween! Love from,

National Cat Day 2019

In our home (and I KNOW in YOUR homes) National Cat Day is EVERY DAY. But today is the "official" National Cat Day. Check out the Top 20 Ways to Celebrate National Cat Day!

Give your kitties extra kisses from us today too!

Love, Caren and Cody

A Decade of Cats, Chats and 8 Great Gift Ideas for Cat Lovers!

Today, Cat Chat With Caren and Cody TURNS 10!

 That’s right friends, today we are celebrating 10 YEARS OF BLOGGING!!

 A WHOLE DECADE! Holy Cat! Where has the time gone?

A Special Thank You to Ann
Of Zoolatry
for this special badge!

 First and foremost, we could NOT have been around for 10 YEARS if it wasn’t for YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, OUR VALUED READERS! We THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HUMAN AND FELINE HEARTS!

 In honor of this momentous occasion, Cody and I have pawed through TEN YEARS of products that we have featured and chose the ones that are our FAVORITES to present to YOU!! The people/companies behind the products we are featuring are each special and dear to us as well. In regards to hand/custom made gifts the talent we have assembled has us purring with delight. Cody and I have also made sure we have featured the best of the best in the cat world for every budget. Be sure to read carefully because a number of these pawesome people included DISCOUNT CODES!!! So, grab a snack and maybe a lap, and check out these catabulous gift ideas below!

THIRSTY CAT FOUNTAINS
Handmade Ceramic Cat Fountains

Handmade Ceramic Cat Fountains – Food Safe, Quiet, Easy to Clean.

New designs each week with styles for every breed and temperament. In our opinion the ThirstyCat Fountains are the most beautiful and functional fountains for your cat. They are works of art! ThirstyCat Fountains are also Veterinarian recommended. 

Visit www.thirstycatfountains.com

 Use coupon code – catchat for 10% off

PET TREE HOUSES

Look familiar? It should because Pet Tree Houses has been featured on our blog NUMEROUS times, not always in an obvious manner, ours is often photographed with Cody on it because he is on that tree ALL OF THE TIME! Cody has had his Pet Tree House for YEARS and it is STILL his favorite place to nap and watch the world go by every...single....day. I love the tree as much as Cody and that is the reason I will never feature another cat tree on our blog, why when this is the BEST? The incredible people at Pet Tree Houses are "Purveyors of Natural Feline Fun".  Their mission is simple: Offer the highest-quality handcrafted real cat trees so that your feline companion feels as if they are living in their true nature. Of the many styles available, their most popular real cat tree is the Sycamore, and it is unlike any real cat tree you’ve ever seen before. See for yourself! Visit www.pettreehouses.com 

Use coupon code CHAT10 for a 10% discount!
Expires November 30, 2019

LENNYMUD

LENNYMUD is a small company owned by a husband and wife team that handcrafts ceramics in their New Jersey studio.  They named their business after their rescue cat Lenny- a mischievous and clumsy tuxedo cat whose accidents always ensure ample shelf space in the workshop.  As cat owners (and now new dog owners as well) many of the items they sell have sentiments that are purrfect for cat lovers with a sense of humor.  LENNYMUD was recently featured on our blog and I am simply CRAZY about their products! I am going to peruse their site some more for possible holiday gift shopping! Their website isn't just for cat lovers, they have something for EVERYONE! All items are dishwasher, microwave safe and created with all non toxic, lead free materials.

  Visit them online at http://www.lennymud.com
 and use special coupon code CAT2019 for 15% off
 to celebrate this 10th blogversary!

SCRUFFY PAWS NUTRITION

Recently featured on our blog, the Daily Multi Health bites multivitamins  are "designed to keep cats of ALL AGES in peak condition "These tasty bites contains over 20 balanced nutrients you can't find in most supplements and foods." The Daily Multi Health Bites are the first in class Health Bite chews that are designed to fill the 'Nutritional Gap' found in the modern, overly-processed feline diet. Whether your cat eats wet or dry, the Scruffy Paws Daily Multi Health Bites will support your kittys health and vitalize his or her body! 

Visit the Scruffy Paws Nutrition website and receive 10% OFF!

The 10% off discount code is CATCHAT10

CAT AMAZING SLIDERS

Cat Amazing SLIDERS is their most interactive treat puzzle – with shifting and sliding inner sections to continually change the maze and refresh the challenge! We have featured various products of theirs numerous times over the past 10 years and their mazes are the ONLY mazes that Cody owns, by choice!  They help slow down his gobbling of treats/kibble and encourages him to think and use his natural hunting instinct, while having FUN at the same time!

The Cat Ball®

"Tribal Orange"

"Navy Turquoise Geometric"

The Cat Ball® is a modern, cave-style, cat bed. This designer cat bed has two openings, one larger than the other, and has six foam-filled panels. Made in the USA with high quality cotton fabrics that look great in the home. The Cat Ball® was one of the first products that Cody reviewed back when our blog was a baby! It remains a favorite in our home!  Available at www.thecatball.com and www.amazon.com/thecatball

SQUARE PAWS
ANCHOVY CAT CANDO

Cody and I are huge fans of Square Paws and we are captivated by their unique, creative, quirky, beautiful, unique and stunning creations! The Anchovy Cat Cando is the newest offering of theirs that we are lusting over! Made of solid, paint-grade plywood, bendable plywood, and solid wood, this cat condo is hand-cut and hand-assembled with a series of routed grooves at front and back to simulate the industrial canning process.  It comes outfitted with plush nylon carpeting, gray at the top surface and golden beige at the interior to cradle your cat in comfort.  The exterior is hand-painted with a hammered-finish silver metallic paint, while the interior is painted golden yellow to mimic the interior and exterior of an actual sardine can. A fixed wood post on the exterior is adorned with woven sisal carpeting, which is an ideal scratching surface for your kitties.  The top has a screw-in hook to help complete the sense that this can is open for feasting!
  Learn more at: www.squarepaws.com

MUNCHIECAT

Regular readers of our blog will recognize this hilarious and adorable Wine and Cheese set from munchiecat.com  When I photographed Cody with their items for the blog, it was one of my most FUN photo sessions ever. I chuckle when I walk into my office and find Cody's "wine bottle" laying on the floor as if he just finished a bender! This Wine & Cheese set by munchiecat is made with soft minky fabric and includes catnip, crinkle, and jingle toys to bring out your cat’s playful yet sophisticated side! Munchiecat’s toys are made from durable, non-toxic materials, so you can feel good about offering them to your cat. Plus, unlike many other pet toys, their toys are designed to be safe.  They do not  use any small plastic parts, feathers, string or beads that could break off and pose a serious safety issue. In fact, they follow strict safety guidelines and constantly try to improve through their customers’ feedback and extensive research.

So, tell us! Which gifts will you be getting for the favorite cats/cat lovers in YOUR life? 

We have our ears perked wanting to know!

Once again, thanks for joining us throughout this past decade, sharing the good times, the sad times, the exciting, loving, fun and sometimes crazy times as well! Your support and caring are unsurpassed and deeply appreciated. Without YOU, there would be no Cat Chat With Caren and Cody!

Much love and gratitude from,

Caren and Cody

Michigan Pet Adoption:Paws for Life Rescue’s Annual Halloween Fur Bowl To Take Place In Madison Heights

Every fall, Paws for Life hosts one of its largest fundraisers of the year, the annual Halloween Fur Bowl. Costume-clad kids and adults pay $25 each to bowl three games, which includes shoe rental and pizza and pop for lunch. For 2019, the annual Fur Bowl moves to Astro Lanes in Madison Heights on Sunday, October 27, starting at noon. Astro Lanes is located at 32388 John R Rd. in Madison Heights.

“We have always received strong support from the Madison Heights community,” said Courtney Protz-Sanders, executive director of the non-profit animal rescue Paws for Life. “Several years ago, we donated canine oxygen masks to the Madison Heights fire department and our partnership with the city has only grown from there.”

Photo courtesy of Paws for Life

Paws for Life’s Fur Bowl goes beyond bowling, which means there’s something for everyone, even non-bowlers. Everyone is welcome to come out and play the raffles, bid on the silent auction items, enter the Halloween costume contest for kids and adults (prizes will be awarded), check out the Buy It Now board and partake in the plethora of goodies in the bake sale.

Photo Courtesy of Paws for Life

“We are sweetening the deal this Halloween,” said Protz-Sanders. “Each ticket purchased in advance of the event will come with a free raffle ticket.” Those advance ticket purchases can be made at https://2019furbowl.eventbrite.com.

Photo courtesy of Paws for Life

All Fur Bowl proceeds benefit the homeless pets of Paws for Life. Since Paws for Life has no paid staff and receives no government support, every penny donated and raised goes directly to the animals in its care.

About Paws for Life Rescue
Founded in 2007, Paws for Life Rescue is a 501(c)3, tax-exempt, non-profit animal welfare organization run by dedicated volunteers. PFL is an Adoption Guarantee organization that rescues homeless, neglected, abused and abandoned dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from overflowing shelters. PFL does not believe that time or money are acceptable reasons to end a life, ever. PFL uses a network of loving foster care homes where animals stay until their forever homes are found. PFL’s goal is to find the best homes possible for the homeless pets in our care. PFL operates under the philosophy of do no harm. The organization focuses on humane legislation and education initiatives to permanently improve the lives, safety and future of companion animals in Michigan and surrounding areas.

Follow Paws for Life on:
Website: www.pawsforliferescue.org
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pg/pawsforlifeanimalrescue
Flickr:  www.flickr.com/photos/pawsforliferescue/albums
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pawsforlifemi
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Paws4LifeRescue
YouTube: www.youtube.com/pawsforliferescue

So, it is no longer "Many Years from Now"

Sorry I told your age Mom but we already knew you were OLD! Now I just confirmed it!
Love, Cody

This card was made by Glogirly in 2018 and I am so happy Mom kept it! Glogirly made it easy on me! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! Love, Cody

Friday Fun! LennyMud Handmade Funny and Functional Ceramic Gifts that are the Cat's Meow!

Hi friends!! Oh you are going to LOVE this teaser that we are sharing with you today! While preparing for our TENTH BLOGOVERSARY BLOG POST that will appear on Friday, October 25th, we had the pleasure of learning about a "new-to-us" company:

Ok, with a husband named "Lenny" how could this NOT capture my eye? Then, when I visited the Lenny Mud website I fell INSTANTLY in love!

Who is LennyMud?

Lorrie and Kip Veasey are a husband and wife team that make funny and functional handmade ceramic gifts in their New Jersey studio. Everything they make is kiln fired, lead free, and dishwasher and microwave safe and ships immediately.   They  named the company after their clumsy studio cat, Lenny!  

I was beyond tickled when Lorrie sent me the above Travel Coffee Tumbler and the cat mug! Oh how that cat mug is Cody to a "T"!!!!!

You MUST check out the LennyMud website and you can find them on:

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

You are going to LOVE what you see! Be sure to visit us on our TENTH BLOGGING ANNIVERSARY ON OCTOBER 25TH to see what else they and some other fabulous companies have up their sleeve!!

We were not monetarily compensated for this post. They didn't even know I was blogging about this today, they ARE participating in a sponsored blog post for our 10th blogging anniversary on the 25th.

'"A Little Cat TV Anyone?"

Doesn't get any cuter! That is my precious granddaughter and her constant companion "Mimi" (aka "White Cat")  in the Unicorn chair that I bought her. A special thanks to her Mama for taking this photo and allowing me to use it!

We also would like to wish our Northern friends a Happy and Blessed Canadian Thanksgiving!

We are happy to be participating in "Awww Mondays" sponsored by Comedy Plus. Be sure to check out the other great posts there!

This Kitty Cat Loves his Scruffy Paws Nutrition Daily Multi Health Bites! #sponsored

Scruffy Paws Nutrition  has sponsored this post, but all opinions are my own.

Hi my furiends!! It's Cody and I would like to take this time to tell you about a really cool product that my new furiends at Scruffy Paws Nutrition suggested that I try. 

Meet the Daily Multi Health bites multivitamins that are "designed to keep cats of ALL AGES in peak condition!"

"These tasty bites contains over 20 balanced nutrients you can't find in most supplements and foods."

Photo taken from the Scruffy Paws Nutrition website
if you can't read the bag
you can check out the nutritional information here

Mom has often wondered if I am getting the sufficient amount of nutrients from my food, especially since I am a senior kitty. She didn't quite know where to turn for something that would supplement my diet, so when the people from Scruffy Paws Nutrition contacted her, she decided to give these a go.

Now, I will tell you I haven't been taking these long enough to see if they are making a difference, but I was quite intrigued when Mom opened up the package.

Mom says they are a little bit "stinky" when you open the package ( more often than not that is the case with vitamins, vitamins for humans are oftentimes stinky too!). Some kitties might be a little put off by that but I certainly wasn't! Mom is also happy that she is giving me a supplement that is GOOD FOR ME! I LOVED the taste and I LOVED the cute fish shape:

I gobbled my vitamin right up with NO PROBLEM!!! (be sure to ONLY GIVE ONE SUPPLEMENT DAILY! THESE ARE NOT TREATS!!)

In the unlikely event YOUR kitty (or kitties) is put off by the vitamin smell, the people at Scruffy Paws Nutrition shared some handy tips on how to administer the vitamins:

• Present the chew in a pill pocket or a gel cap, then administer to your cat
• Cut up/Crumble the chew, and mix into your cats wet/dry food
• Put the chew into any kind of soft treat, or inside a piece of tuna or chicken
• Mix and dilute the chew in water, then mix the water into your cats wet or dry food

The Daily Multi Health Bites are the first in class Health Bite chews that are designed to fill the 'Nutritional Gap' found in the modern, overly-processed feline diet. Whether your cat eats wet or dry, the Scruffy Paws Daily Multi Health Bites will support your kittys health and vitalize his or her body!

The Scruffy Paws Story meowed STRAIGHT from their mouth!

"When we began on this journey, we were just a group of down-to-earth cat lovers fed up with the lack of healthy, nutritional supplements for our feline friends. Now we’re feline-feeding superheros, making the nine lives of your cat better by the day. (Or something like that...)Not so long ago, we spent our days scouring pet store shelves. Pale and exhausted, we read labels, over and over, looking for products that had both the nutrients we needed to address our cat’s ailments and an explanation about WHY they work."

Their Values:

Each of their supplements is formulated by either leading veterinarians, holistic experts, feline nutritionists or world leading PhD’s .

(They have supplements for kidneys, "hip 'n joint" and UT Wellness.

As well as some other cool stuff too!)

Using their teams wealth of experience alongside the latest scientific research, they carefully select each individual active ingredient.

 You can read more about them here!

Now for Some Fun!!

Are these people the BEST or WHAT?

They make great products, they understand the needs of kitties (especially senior kitties like ME!)

 and I can tell they GENUINELY LOVE KITTIES!

THEIR PRODUCTS ARE DELIVERED

RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR!

 Can't beat that! I am so certain you will be happy with their products

 that my new furiends have provided a special discount code just for MY readers!

The 10% off discount code is CATCHAT10

and it will be active for 30 DAYS!!

Head on over to the Scruffy Paws Nutrition website and give them a try!

 You can also like Scruffy Paws Nutrition on Facebook

 and Follow Scruffy Paws Nutrition  on Instagram ! 

if you want to, tell them that your pal Cody sent you!!! Here's to continued good health my furiends!

Love, Cody