Pawsome

This page showcases a list of pawsome things which are currently (or were previously) loved by the author’s kitten Harry (Harriet). It was created to help readers find the best products for their pets and give them a way to support this website financially. (As an Amazon Affiliate, the author of this website earns from qualifying purchases.)

WET AND DRY FOOD

Like the ASPCA, Rachel believes cats need a meat based diet for optimal health because they need taurine – an amino acid found only in animal based proteins. The cat foods below were chosen by Rachel based on their nutrient contents and personally evaluated by Harry in semi-scientific taste tests.

• WELLNESS Complete Health Grain Free, Deboned Chicken and Chicken Meal Recipes are modestly priced, nutrient dense (40% protein, 0.20% taurine), naturally preserved, and made in the USA. Harry seems to only like (not love) the flavor. Given any other choice, she will postpone consuming her Wellness Complete (dry or wet), so I now mix it with the Natural Balance (described next) to entice her to consume it.
• Dick VanPatten’s NATURAL BALANCE is more expensive than Wellness (depending on where and how much you buy) and contains slightly fewer nutrients (38% protein and 0.15% taurine). However, when served this flavor – chicken, duck meal, and salmon – beside the Wellness chicken recipe described above, Harry chose the Natural Balance five out of five days.
• Harry was given a free sample of Stella & Chewy’s DUCK DUCK GOOSE Freeze Dried Raw cat food as a treat one of the first times she visited Montcito pet shop and loved it so much we had to take some home. It can be served dry or rehydrated (moist) and is crafted in the USA from poultry, bone, and organs. Harry eats it as a dry food “topper” or treat (not re-hydrated) so she can get the nutritional benefits of eating raw food without the worry of it spoiling as it sits in her dish.

TREATS

Rachel believes cat treats should be just as nutritious as their regular diet and/or serve some other purpose towards bettering their health. She never gives food from her plate to her cat (though she sometimes lets Harry lick a bit of peanut butter from her finger).

• Real Meat Company’s All Natural LAMB & LIVER JERKY TREATS – This is a dog and puppy treat which Harry fell in love with at first bite when the pet store gave her a free sample. It’s made (in the USA or New Zealand) from all-natural, free-range lamb raised without hormones and contains no artificial colorings or preservatives.
• VetriSCIENCE Laboratories’ COMPOSURE is a cat treat with calming effects which Harry comes running (and jumping) for anytime she hears the rustle of the bag. She mostly eats them on days when she will be alone for many hours (to calm her kitten anxieties).
• To Harry, N-Bone CAT CHEW STICKS are more of a toy than an edible treat. (She likes to carry them around and swat at them, but rarely chews up or eats the stick.) However, they hold the power to remove plaque and tartar while delivering a healthy snack if your cat decides to consume them.

TOYS

Playtime is a very important part of a cat’s life. It helps them indulge their predatory instincts in safe ways. Harry once played with the traditional feather and string wands used to entice cats to exercise, but now mostly plays with balls and toys which can’t be as easily consumed and trapped in the digestive system (like feathers and strings can).

Harry enjoys going outside more than any of the toys listed below. She uses a harness similar to this one and has recently begun clicker training. (We will share more info about how to train your cat as soon as we are able.)

NOTE: Please contact us if you have toys to donate! Harry is very smart and requires new (and increasingly sophisticated) toys to stay entertained.

• PETSTAGES CHASE MEOWNTAIN – Currently, she is ignoring this toy, but it reigned as Harry’s favorite for several months (longer than any other) so we consider it her favorite. Every time I’d move it to a new location she would come running to play with the four tiered ball-game again. Although she popped the top layer off the meowntain once (the first time she played with it), it was easily reassembled and has stayed together ever since.
• The Jackson Galaxy SPACE STATION was Harry’s favorite for a few weeks. It is a bowl shaped ball game with holes throughout which allow the cat to “attack” the ball from all angles as it spins around the track at the base of the bowl. Although there is a spot where a human can easily insert or remove the ball, it usually takes Harry just as long to get the ball out of this game as it does for her to remove it from a supposedly impenetrable track.
• The Leaps & Bounds SEEK AND SWAT made Harry crazy happy for a few days. She truly looked like a cat hunting her prey! The first play session she was afraid and watched the bug more than she swatted at it. By the end of the second play session she was biting the toy and chewing off bits of the plastic feet as she carried it. The third time she figured out the bug wouldn’t move around on carpet. By the time I gave her the bug to play with a fourth day in a row, she was barely interested and let it get stuck (lost) under the couch.