Kitty Bytes - June 2014

Picture of the Month: Happiness!

"Happiness is like a cat. If you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you. It will never come. But if you pay no attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing up against your legs and jumping into your lap."

For cat lovers, 'cats' and 'happiness' have a beautiful association. With that in mind, this month we are looking for a cat picture which expresses your own association with these words. It can be a peacefully content cat or a "smiling" one. The interpretation is all yours, and once we have the submissions in, our community will vote on the cat picture that best expresses "happiness".

You can submit your picture here, or just take a peek at other members' submissions.. Hurry up though - the last submission day is Wednesday, June 18th.

Now's also the time to share last month's winner of the Cats & Other Animals Photo Contest. Congratulations to our member CatNamedPanda who submitted the winning photo:

Congratulations!

Members KoolKatz and pinkdagger are our Reviewers of the Month for May, each contributing several great new reviews to the site! Congratulations!
Congratulations to our member Luv2Cats too, who won a $30 Amazon gift card this month for a review she submitted for Royal Canin Canned Adult Instinctive!

Want to be our next winner? Review cat products that you use and you could be the winner of this monthly draw!

Raw Food for Cats - Interview with Pet Nutritionist Dr. Martha Cline

Raw Food - Is it Better?

Join us as Veterinarian and Pet Nutritionist Dr. Martha Cline talks about the science behind the raw vs. processed cat food debate. Dr. Cline shares the findings of the latest studies on the topic and also addresses the risks associated with raw.

Click to read: Raw Food for Cats - Interview with Pet Nutritionist Dr. Martha Cline

Feeding Raw to Cats - Safety Concerns

Feeding raw? Should you be concerned about safety?

The answer is yes, so let our guide take you through the basic safety measures necessary. In fact, even if you don't feed raw you should be reading this for the invaluable tips regarding pet food safety in general.

Click to read: Feeding Raw to Cats - Safety Concerns

Types of Raw Diets & Feeding Options

Commercial? Homemade raw? Ground? Prey Model?

There are many ways to feed raw, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Check out this new guide by Laurie Goldstein, taking you through the various options of raw food for cats, and see which one, if any, might be suitable for you and your cat.

Click to read: Types of Raw Diets & Feeding Options

Homemade Food for Cats: Consider Your Recipe!

Which recipe should you follow when feeding raw?

There are numerous recipes and menus for homemade raw cat food and they're not all made the same. What are the considerations in assessing specific raw food recipes? Laurie Goldstein sums them up along with links to relevant discussions.

Click to read: Homemade Food for Cats: Consider Your Recipe!

Skin Conditions in Cats

Why does my cat itch and scratch?

Scratching? Excessive licking? Red or flaky skin? These can all be signs of any number of feline skin problems. New guide reveals the checklist of skin conditions, symptoms and what they might indicate.

Click to read: Skin Conditions in Cats

Raising Cats & Birds In The Same House

Can fur and feather live together??

As many of our members attest, the answer is "Yes, but..."
Keeping both cat and bird safe can be a challenge, so make sure you read this article for some important safety tips for having both birds and cats in the same household.

Click to read: Raising Cats & Birds In The Same House

Cats and Pet Reptiles

How can a turtle hurt a cat?

You'll find out if you read this installment in our series about cats and other animals. Reviewing the potential interactions and safety considerations involved in keeping cats along with turtles, snakes or lizards in the same household.

Click to read: Cats and Pet Reptiles