Whisker Stress & Last Week's Contest Winners!

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Vibrissae. That is the technical name for a cat's whiskers. These amazing whiskers are not what you think. They are not fancy decorations, or just facial hair growth. They are embedded quite deeply into the cat and reach the muscular and nervous systems, providing a truly remarkable sense of their surroundings. Did you ever wonder how your cat can find his way around in the the dark when you are stumbling until you see the night light? Her whiskers tell her everything she needs to know.  They are extremely sensitive and you may also notice some sticking up like eyebrows. They are extremely sensitive.  If you didn't know this before, I want to you to know it now because, as a cat owner, you must be aware of their sensitivity in order to keep kitty happy and healthy. The position of your cat's whiskers will also tell you what her mood is like. If she's chasing a toy or another cat around the house, you'll see that her whiskers are forward, as they will be when she's startled. When she's relaxed, her whiskers will be in a normal position.  

Photo Courtesy of Lisette Brodey

What has made me even more aware of this sensitivity and the thought that my readers might not understand, was a recent trip to my local pet supply store, part of a large National chain. I was buying food for Aimee and as I came around the aisle, I saw and end cap display of cat dishes. The problem with this prominent display is that there were only a couple of dishes - almost the entire display consisted of bowls, may of them with cat designs on them. Innocent owners buy them without knowing that that's the last thing you should buy for your cat. It's nearly impossible to find a photo of a proper feeding dish for a cat. They are almost exclusively bowls. Why is this wrong?

Photo Courtesy of Claire Clayton

Cats are not dogs. Dogs do very well eating from a bowl. Cats, however, find their very sensitive whiskers rubbing against the bowl with every mouthful of food. Is it any wonder that some of these cats scoop out the food with their paw and put it on the floor to eat? Owners think this is some sort of cat trick, or a weird idiosyncrasy. No, it's not. The cat cannot be comfortable eating from a bowl. Imagine having something hurt you every time you ate. You wouldn't be very happy, would you? It puts stress on the cat.

The correct feeding dish for a cat is wider and has very low sides, or you can use a plate. Plates don't have to match your dinnerware. You can find perfectly acceptable plates in discount stores. Be sure that they are safe for you cat.  

As for the water dish, a neighbor recently asked me why Aimee's dish could be a swimming pool for a  cat whose weight hovers between 8 and 9 pounds. Simple: whisker stress. So what if it was meant for a big dog?  She loves it. The same with a water fountain. The big one is preferable to a small one for a cat's whiskers.

Photo Courtesy of Shara Rendell-Smock

And one more warning: Do NOT ever cut your cat's whiskers! Don't interfere with feline whiskers. You can look, you can admire them, but for cat's sake, leave them alone!

Now for the winners of last week's contest

Each has won one of Morris The Cat's Well-Groomed Kitty Kits Provided by Morris and his human friends at 9 Lives Cat Food!  

Drum Roll Please!  

And The Winners Are:

Lisette Brodey

and

Monica!

Congratulations, Ladies!  Please e-mail me via my website: www.darlenearden.com with your mailing address so Morris can have his personal assistants get a kit off to each of you!  Thank you for entering the contest!!

Getting Spiffy with Morris the Cat's Grooming Tips & Two Contests!!

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With spring coming up and after that, the dreaded bathing suit season (eek!), I know everyone's searching for ways to look their best. And my readers have a 'paw up' on the competition because we're about to get some style and wellness tips from someone who knows a thing or two about looking awesome... I'm talking, of course, about Morris the Cat. I love Morris. He has such style, such panache.

In case you're not familiar with this illustrious feline, Morris is the original celebricat, starring in over 50 9Lives cat food commercials from the 1970s up through today. He's even been called "the Clark Gable of cats," and that's about as debonair as it gets! In his "Dear Morris" column, he'll be answering some readers' burning questions about good grooming, and he's also giving away a human-sized, 9Lives-branded bathrobe, a $300 Spa Finder gift card, and a whole year's supply of 9Lives cat food! Enter at his website: http://prospurr.9lives.com/  

Dear Hairy Harry,

If your cat is shedding on you, the thing you should tell him is... "thank you!" Being covered in cat fur means you get to look like a cat, which means you get to look more awesome. However, if this isn't your desired effect (although I can't imagine why it wouldn't be), try wearing clothes the same color as your cat to camouflage the fur. Kind of like a cat camouflages himself in clean laundry--hey, come to think of it, that could be why you're always covered in fur! You can also try brushing Baxter a couple times a week to remove excess fur and redistribute the natural oils on his skin--now, that's what I call a win-win!

Dear Morris,

My teenage daughter spends 45 minutes in front of the mirror every day primping and brushing her hair. I think this is excessive but she tells me it's what makes her happy. Morris, since you always look fabulous, I thought you could give me some advice--what's the best way to get her to spend less time in front of the mirror?

Sincerely,

Frustrated Mamma

Dear Fur-ustrated Mamma,

I know it may seem like I just wake up looking this good, but believe it or not, I put in lots of long hours licking my fur. In fact, as a cat, I groom up to 50% of the time I'm awake. Grooming not only makes you look good, it can be used for meditation--kind of like focusing really hard on a red laser dot. So I say, take the time you need to feel your best--whether it's 5 minutes or 45. It's a very purrsonal choice. 

Dear Morris,

Lately I've been looking slightly less than my best, which is unfortunate because I just started a new job and I wanted to make a good first impression. But instead, my eyes are all puffy and I just haven't been my chipper self. I'm not sure how to get out of this style rut. Morris, can you help me get my grooming groove back?

Sincerely,

Fashion Faux-Paw

Dear Fashion Faux-Paw.

Let me shed some light (and some fur) on this situation. The main thing I took away from your question is that you're STRESSED! Starting a new job can be stressful and can lead to falling out of typical routines and lack of sleep.

 I should know because every time I start shooting a new commercial, I only sleep 15 hours a day instead of 16. But don't despair! There's one failsafe way to calm those nerves and give you back your glow. I'm talking about a massage, specifically a kitty massage. We kitties LOVE to give massages--well, we think of it more as kneading but you humans don't seem to know the difference. A kitty massage will help you relax, and in turn, feel and look better. Plus, it's purr-ty much impossible to feel stressed when you have the love of a cat.

There you have it! Thank you, Morris the Cat, for sharing this invaluable grooming advice. Readers, how many of you have a good-looking, well-groomed feline at home? You could win them a whole year's supply of delicious 9Lives cat food, plus a human-sized, 9Lives-branded bathrobe and Spa Finder gift card for you! Just go to Morris' Live Well & Prospurr website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/] to enter. Then, 'paw it forward' by tweeting #MorrisFeeds, and Morris will donate a bowl of 9Lives cat food to a kitty in need.

You've read this far. Now, here's an extra contest!  Morris the Cat is giving two of my lucky readers a Well-Groomed Kitty Kit!  To enter, post here and tell me why you and your cat want one of Morris' Well-Groomed Kitty Kits thanks to Morris and his friends at 9 Lives Cat Food! You have until Sunday to post. Winners will be announced on Monday!! This contest is open to U.S. Residents Only.

Dream Big - Part 3

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Welcome to the third and final edition of Morris the Cat's advice column, revealing need-to-know information on how to release your inner cat and get the best night's sleep of your life. 

As an iconic spokescat and star of over 50 9Lives cat food commercials from the 1970s onward, Morris has a prolific career envied by many of the Internet cat sensations of today. The secret to his longevity? Well, for one, the fact that he eats 9Lives. But more importantly, he has a disciplined sleep regimen – racking up about 140 hours per week!

Morris wants to teach YOU the tricks of the trade and give you all the tools you need, so he's hosting a giveaway on his Live Well & Prospurr site [http://prospurr.9lives.com/] to win a Morris-shaped plush bed that's big enough for you AND your cat to snuggle up on.

Dear Morris,

My cat and I are BFFs. We do everything together – play, eat, snuggle – we make a purrfect team. But in the bedroom, I prefer to have my space. My cat, on the other hand, thinks there's no better place to sleep than right on my head! Why does she do this? I'm not all that fun when I'm sleeping.

Warmly, 

Tired Tails

Dear Tired Tails,

You have been bestowed a great honor. As cats, we don't always wear our hearts on our paws, but one tell-tail sign we love and trust you is when we choose to make YOU our bed. Plus, you're warm. And getting our warmth from you helps us to conserve our own energy for more important things like eating. The rhythm of your breath also creates a calming effect and the curve of your face, stomach, or legs perfectly forms to our bodies. Basically, you're like a waterbed, heated blanket, and memory foam all in one! So the next time your cat goes to curl up on you, think of it as a compliment and drift off to sleep knowing you are loved... and you're very comfortable.

Thank you, Morris the Cat, for your wonderful nighttime tips! See the rest of them here [http://perpetuallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2016/02/dream-big-part-1.html and http://perpetuallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2016/02/dream-big-part-2.html. For more info on Morris' mission to help cats and humans live well – including his initiative to donate one million 9Lives meals to rescue kitties – check out his Live Well & Prospurr website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/]. And while you're there, enter to win the limited-edition, human-sized Morris the Cat plush bed along with a year's supply of 9Lives!

NOTE: I received no monetary compensation for this 3-Part Post.  Because of my Journalistic Ethics, I have asked 9-Lives to send the food they wanted to send me, to The Metrowest Humane Society, one of my my local cat shelters. The feed wet food to the cats in the shelter and feed dry food to outdoor Feral Cat Colonies. Aimee and I are delighted that 9 Lives is helping local kitties. 

Dream Big - Part 2

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Hi everyone!  I'm back with iconic 9Lives cat food spokescat Morris, giving advice to we poor humans so we can learn to sleep like a cat. Well, cats do sleep up to 140 hours a week – that's 3.5 times your typical 9-5.

To help on your quest to catch more Zzzs, Morris is also giving readers the chance to win a super-cool, human-sized bed in the shape of Morris himself... because who doesn't sleep better when snuggling up with a cat? Just go to his Live Well & Prospurr website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/] to enter and check out his video with more sleeping tips.

Dear Morris,

I'm a cat but as you know, even animals have 'spirit animals.' Mine is an owl – a night owl to be exact. I love to play "catch the speck of dust" or "chase your tail in the middle of the bed" into the wee hours of the morning. My humans have no idea what they're missing out on. They just lay there snoring and swat at me when I come too close. How can I make them see that daytime is lame, and the real party happens under stars (the stick-on, glow-in-the-dark kind)?

Yours truly,

Hyper Harry

Dear Hyper Harry,

Sadly, this is a case you may not win. Humans need their sleep at night. You get to spend all day snoozing and they only get a few precious hours when the sun goes down. Your humans can, however, make sure that they understand why it is you're pouncing about and provide things to make nighttime more fun. For instance, your humans could consider getting a kitty condo or put out bags or boxes for you to explore. For extra credit, they can hide treats around the house so you can go on a midnight scavenger hunt. Or, if you're really lucky, they'll bring home a kitty best friend for you to play with whenever you please. Other cats might be up at night because they get hungry, in which case their humans could try an automatic food dispenser to provide small meals throughout the night. Remember, the more you let your humans sleep at night, the more energy they'll have to play with you during the day!

Kitty hugs,

Morris

Thank you for the awesome nighttime tips, Morris! Read Morris' first advice column here [http://perpetuallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2016/02/dream-big-part-1.html]. Plus, don't forget to check back for the last installment of "Dear Morris," and in the meantime, check out his website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/] to see how you can live as well as a cat and enter the giveaway!

NOTE: I received no monetary compensation for this 3-Part Post.  Because of my Journalistic Ethics, I have asked 9-Lives to send the food they wanted to send me, to The Metrowest Humane Society, one of my my local cat shelters. The feed wet food to the cats in the shelter and feed dry food to outdoor Feral Cat Colonies. Aimee and I are delighted that 9 Lives is helping local kitties. 

Dream Big - Part 1

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It's not exactly a secret that I have insomnia. Sadly, I'm not the only one with the problem. There are an awful lot of us who are sleep-deprived. I'm always hoping for more of it and I do try to make the most out of what little sleep I get. 

I was watching my cat, Aimee, Power Napping and had a thought... why not ask someone who's truly an expert on the subject; someone who spends more time snoozing than most of us spend at work? I'm talking, of course, about Morris the Cat. If you're wondering why I didn't just ask Aimee, it's simple: Aimee doesn't talk to the Press even when the Press is her Mama.

For those of you who don't know him – or who've let sleep deprivation cloud your memory – Morris is the iconic spokescat for 9Lives cat food and has starred in over 50 commercials. When he's not in front of the camera or dining on 9Lives, you can bet he's napping in his trailer, uh, carrying case.

He's taken time out of his busy schedule to answer some reader questions about the very iimportant issue of sleep. What's more, he's offering fans the chance to win a Morris-shaped, human-sized plush bed AND a year's supply of 9Lives cat food. Just go to his Live Well & Prospurr website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/] to enter. Since Morris has a lot to say, I've divided this into a 3-part blog post.

Dear Morris,

I've been experiencing difficulties with falling asleep, tossing and turning once my head hits the pillow. I don't get it because I feel tired all day at work; then I come home, brush my teeth, flip on the TV, and just... lie there. I'm hoping I can learn from the expert. Morris, what am I doing wrong?

Sincerely,

Sleepless in San Fur-nando

Dear Sleepless in San Fur-nando,

Your case, unfortunately, is not at all uncommon. When you're going all day long at the speed of a cheetah, it's no wonder your mind darts around like a red laser dot at bedtime. Luckily, as a cat, I spend up to 140 hours per week sleeping and I can tell you there is hope! For starters, I notice you mentioned turning on the TV before bed. Cats don't watch TV – this is partly because the majority of us can't speak English that well, but mostly because it interferes with our snooze time. Scientifically speaking, the 'glow' emitted by an electronic screen enters the brain and slows the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep. So next time you want to turn on the tube before bed, try counting sheep instead – or better yet, mice!

Kitty hugs,

Morris

There you have it! After getting a good night's rest, tune back in for the next edition of "Dear Morris" and don't forget to check out his Live Well & Prospurr website [http://prospurr.9lives.com/http://prospurr.9lives.com to enter the giveaway and learn how you can help Morris feed hungry kitties with just the click of a mouse.

NOTE: I received no monetary compensation for this 3-Part Post.  Because of my Journalistic Ethics, I have asked 9-Lives to send the food they wanted to send me, to The Metrowest Humane Society, one of my my local cat shelters. The feed wet food to the cats in the shelter and feed dry food to outdoor Feral Cat Colonies. Aimee and I are delighted that 9 Lives is helping local kitties. 

Morris "Paws It Forward" - You Can, too!

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Morris is Hard at Work on His Website

We visited with Morris the Cat a few months ago when he showed us how cats and their humans could Live Well and Prospurr. Morris' website is well worth a visit. Morris is back with a new project. This time, for the holiday season, he is "Pawing It Forward." You and your kitty can help him do exactly that.

Cats enjoy their food but many cats aren't as lucky as ours, or Morris. They don't have enough food, or any food at all. Cats who have made it as far as a shelter have to eat until their forever human comes along and adopts them. Morris, who enjoys a good meal as much as the next cat, is sharing his dining tips and even better, donating food to shelter kitties via the ASPCA.  

Morris the Star Relaxing in front of his bag and cans of 9Lives

Morris has starred in over fifty 9Lives Cat Food commercials. The orange tabby has gone from shelter to star and he wants to paw it forward. Since today, Tuesday December 1st, is Giving Tuesday it's the perfect day to kick off Morris' new campaign. If you belong to Twitter you're set to go, if not, this is a great excuse to join!  Just tag your tweets #MorrisFeeds and Morris will donate a bowl of yummy food to the ASPCA. 

Morris, every the clever kitty and entrepreneur, has created a video in which he tells you exactly what his new project is about and how you can help donate food and it won't cost you a penny.




Enjoy the video and help Morris Paw It Forward during the holiday season. There's no better time to start than now!

NOTE: Morris sent Aimee a box of 9 Lives. Since her Mama (yours truly) is an ethical journalist, Aimee and I donated the box of food to a local cat shelter. We were happy to do so.