Auto litter boxes: helpful or hostile?

Hello Kittens,

This week, I’m doing something a little different. My mother’s birthday is coming up, and seeing as she is a major Katzendame like me, I’m considering a cat-related gift.

Upon searching, I came across a self-cleaning litterbox. Now, I don’t know if any of you have ever seen one of these things in action, but it’s a pretty neat concept. There seem to be a few different models, each baring a different pricetag. 

Cat Genie - $250 to $340

Litter Robot - $280 to $340
Scoop Free - $130 to $180 ($60 manual model as well)
Simply Clean -  $99
Smart Scoop - $129
Litter Maid - $99 to $200

Litterloo - Still in demo process


In a purrrrrfect world, this mechanical miracle would do exactly what it claims and leave you with one less chore to do, right?

Potentially yes... or, you could encounter something like this.

But aside from the fact that there seem to be homemade videos of each of these models failing miserably, my concern is more to do with the cats themselves. In my search for truth and knowledge of these robo-rakers, I came across multiple videos of cats freaking out over these intruders.

I find the idea of making my cat uncomfortable far more troublesome than the price tag on these things, but in understand that many people are squeamish and would do practically anything to eliminate the whole procedure from their lives. My questions is this though: should we invest so much money in a thing that has our cats on edge, just because we want one less thing to do? Or should we accept that scooping is part of the responsibility of having a cat, and allow them to continue pooping freely without the fear of their litter box eating them? I understand that some cats warm up to the box and it is not an issue, but why should we even put them through that process? Cats don't ask for much in this world, just food in the bowl and litter in the box and a trip to the vet should they require it, and after all the love and joy they bring to our lives, isn't scooping a little poop the least we can do?

I'm curious to know your thoughts!

Until next time, purr on kittens.

-Katzendame

Scrambles, the stress-less mess.

Stress is an ignorant state.  It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important.

-          Natalie Goldberg

Scrambles, chillin.

For the last hour, Scrambles has been switching back and forth between napping and cleaning himself. Because he is quite fat, he tends to miss some spots. I see him rolling and flopping around like a beached fish, struggling to get his little pink tongue to reach those spots. Then, with a resounding sigh of “meh”, he plops back down and takes a nap.

Scrambles doesn’t stress; he knows that in time, everything will get clean, even if he has to get Liono or Little Cat to help him. Everything that needs to be done will be. Now, this doesn’t mean that Scrams is lazy; he’s always bookin’ it around the neighbourhood, keeping a watchful eye on Pleasant Ave. However, he also understands that things take time, and taking time for himself is just as important.

In watching this mildly hilarious flopping routine, I came to the realization that lately I’ve been allowing myself to get heavy with my troubles, and denying myself time for reflection.

So, I have decided that today, I say “NO” to stress.

Of course, many of you are saying “HAH! If only it was that easy...”

But, in reality, it is.

We are faced with countless choices every day: what we wear, what we eat, how much money we spend and on what, what people we surround ourselves with, whether we go to work or school or stay home, whether to skip town and join the circus or steer our cars into the opposing lane and end it all...

We may think of these choices as obvious because they are innate and subconscious, but they still shape your lives. So why then, can we not make saying no to stress another one of these obvious choices? Can we not train ourselves- just as I, a lactose intolerant-ee, have trained myself to avoid dairy products- to denounce stress from our lives? Of course, I tend to fall off the wagon sometimes, and scarf a bowl of ice cream, but I never feel good afterwards. The same can be said about stress. We have been conditioned by society to think that it is just a natural part of the human experience, and we just have to learn to deal with it, but do we ever feel any rewards from it?

The masters of relaxation.

I believe that while we most certainly will all encounter stressful situations and relationships in our lives, allowing stress to permeate your mind is a choice, and how deeply and how long we allow it to affect us is completely our decision.

Scrambles could roll around all day, getting frustrated at the areas he can’t reach and the vastness of his rotund belly. He could get worked up and feel down about himself, looking at the other cats and seeing how effortlessly they clean themselves, and allow himself to feel inferior and stressed. Or, he could just take a nap, and go on loving himself. He knows that we will certainly continue loving him regardless.

So now, I think I’ll have a bowl of dairy-free ice cream, let my belly hang out, and take a nap with Scrams. And I won’t feel guilty for doing it.

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non essentials.

     -          Lin Yutang

Until next time,
Purr on, kittens.


 -  Katzendame


P.S. Need some inspiration or just a chuckle? Check this out.

A Tiny Buddah, Covered in Fur.

Let us be clear: I truly love ALL the creatures of the world. The rodents, the reptiles, the fish and the fowl.


But it's no secret:


I LOVE CATS.


Like.... a lot.


Not just love them; I revere them. Respect them. Adore them. Learn from them, every day.


I love their grace, their innocence, their elegance, their wisdom.


I love their little faces, and the moods they reveal. Naughty and mischevious; content and loving; sweet and apologetic; bright and inquisitive; surly and irritated; to downright ghetto-fabulous. I love their smiles, and the heat of their little furry bodies when they lay in the sun.


I love all the different shapes, sizes, colours and coats cats can have. From slender and slinky to furry and fat;  from the wee little babies to your dog's worst nightmare.


I love their little quirks and eccentricities - like an obsession for licking patio stones, scarfing butter with both paws, or being slinky on the stairs(link to come!). You can identify a Katzendame (German for Cat Lady) by her ability to rattle off (in detail) these strange habits of all her furry children, and her expression of overwhelming joy as she does so. Potentially for hours.


She may also have specific songs she sings to them, which they in turn, coo and mrow along with. Like, "Do the Bearcat" to Smokey Bear, or some operatic rendition of "Baby Got Back" to Tiny Baby. (Yes, I do this. Loudly.)


Now you may be saying to yourself, "This woman is clearly a few kittens short of a litter, why should I listen to these delusional rants?"


To that I say:.....




........ well, nothing. I'm not here to convince you of my sanity, but merely show you how sunny life can be on the "crazy" and furrier side of this fence. It's no secret that animal companionship provides benefits far beyond the warm and fuzzy. Studies have shown that having a pet can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve healing. Pet owners are also more likely to pull through when faced with a serious illness or health issue (such as a heart attack). 


Although pertinent, these facts are not why I have pets. I feel there is something so pure about our animal relationships. Think of all the drama you encounter with other humans. Think of the stress and anxiety these relationships sometimes put on you. There are so many negative and complicated emotions that come with human relationships, and while this complexity is part of their appeal, it can also be... well, frustrating. 


Betrayal, secrecy, manipulation, spite, hatred - these things do not exist with animals.

There is a quote from Mark Twain that I think sums is up quite perfectly: 

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man."

Nothing done by an animal is done with malicious or vindictive intent. When a dog pees on your rug, it is not because he likes to see you angered. When a cat scratches at your drapes, it is not because it is part of a larger, intricate plan to make your husband leave you. When your ferret hisses at or bites you, know that she is not trying to swindle you out of 50 bucks. When you feed and brush and nurse and fully love your animal, you can be sure that the only thing you will receive in return is reciprocated love and gratitude. A lick on the nose, a rub on your leg, a smile through the whiskers. 

Now, some of you may still be rolling your eyes, but the Katzendames and other pet lovers are nodding their heads. They know this pure and simple love, and its ability to stretch like a freshly woken tabby into the corners of our lives and change the way we view the world. They show us why simple love is the best love. Not just with animals, but with everything and everyone in our lives.

So perhaps instead of the regular rigmarole of pet toy reviews and LOLCATS pictures (although there is certainly a time and place for both, and they may make appearances here if the situation calls for it), we will use this blog as a place of celebration for the simple love our animals bring to us, and the lessons we can learn from them.

Also, in attempts to provide each furry-burry with an opportunity to find their destined human companion, I will use this blog as an adoption hub, and will feature profiles on animals from shelters, foster houses, barns- where ever they are- in order to give them a voice. Maybe the right person will hear it.

If you have an animal that needs a home, drop me a line.

Until next time:

Purr on, kittens.

- Katzendame