Our Kitten Invasion and How I #KeepItFresh

This post is sponsored by Febreze ™Air Purifiers and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping Febreze Air Purifiers but Adventures in All Things Food only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Febreze Air Purifiers is not responsible for the content of this article.

We have been invaded by cuteness this summer.

Our family has swelled in number and until we find proper homes for our 4 new kittens the cat shenanigans are at an all time high. The four kittens are just starting to explore the house on their own and I never know when a little furry face will pop up.

It has gotten wild enough in the house that the older cats go outdoors to rest. Even Hook has been known to duck the little ones now and again for the safety of the hay barn.

So this brings our current (and temporary!) total to 7 cats and 3 kids. I promise it is a summer we won't soon forget. But, with our little bundles of fluff learning to use the litter box, our house has started to smell like we have 7 full-grown cats.

Ugh.

I love my cats, but I also want my house to smell fresh and clean. Let's not even think about the added dander and fur roaming loose in the house. And if my kids weren't messy (and occaisionally) smelly enough... now I have a bunch of little furry kids to contend with.

Yes, our growing feline family is not to blame for all the smells in the house. There would also be the toddler diapers, my love of seafood and two very busy and mess-seeking kids.  My family doesn't always smell like a rose, but I don't want friends or company to know that the minute they walk in the door.

I could open up the windows and air out our house... but this summer has been a scorcher and now with forest fires blazing through the state we have had all the windows closed up tight. Instead, I decided to get an Air Purifier - the Febreze™ Air Purifier which should help me clean the air, eliminate odors and refresh with a Febreeze scent. 

Yes, Febreeze has been a lifesaver on my upholstery and carpets, as I have posted before, but now it can help our full house with the air we breathe. 

This small device easily fits on my side table in the living room. It is amazing to think that such a small appliance can capture up to 99% of airborne pollutants such as dust, pet dander, pollen and smoke. I can't wait to try it out for a few weeks and then share my thoughts. I should also have some cute updates on our growing litter of kittens.

I love the cats and the kids, but I could really do without the lingering odors they create.  You can learn more about the Febreze™ Air Purifiers on the Febreeze™ website. Is there one that would fit your home and needs?

Would you have more pets if pet odor wasn't an issue?

Do you currently use an Air Purifier?

7 Tips for Living with Multiple Cats

I participated in this sampling on behalf of Smiley360.com. All experiences and opinions are my own. You can join Smiley360 at www.smiley360.com. #ClumpAndSeal

Wherever you go in our house, you are likely to be watched. Our cats are very social and never seem to be far away. I would much rather see our cats watching us than know they are around by lingering cat odors. It is bound to happen with them inside the house, but I have a few new tools from Arm & Hammer to help my cat's watchful eyes be the only thing people notice when they come over to visit.

We have a few cats in our house. Okay, we actually have 3, and I know I am pushing the borders of crazy cat lady. But, I do love my cats. I always had them growing up, but three was the most we ever had. I should point out that currently having three cats ruling our house was not intentional, it just kinda happened.

When we moved in we got Chloe.

Chloe has made several appearances here on the blog. She was a mature cat when she came to our home but adapted to life on the farm quite well. She likes to spend time outside and her favorite place is the hay barn. She comes in at night to eat and sleep, but spends most of her day mousing around the farm.

Then there is Loo-Loo. Loo, so named for her first few weeks in our downstairs bathroom was abandoned on the farm with her sisters. We took her in adding to the cat craziness... She has it in for my husband but tolerates me and the kids.

Then we come to Hook. Hook was born in the same bathroom that Loo-Loo started out in. Loo almost gave birth to her 6 kittens in my daughter's bed. Instead, I helped to make her a nice spot in a laundry basket downstairs. Hook can be spotted slung over a little shoulder or being toted around the house by one of my 3 kids. Somehow I find him happily tucked into my daughter's bed each morning. He also is notorious for settling in on my craft projects when I turn to grab my camera.

This was for the No-Sew Captain America tutorial and it definitely didn't need a kitten planted in the middle!

All of our cats have one big thing in common, they each create more for me to clean up after. It isn't just the occasional messes on the floors from a hairball or getting sick, but there was litter box training fiascoes for the kittens and then the day to day needs of keeping up a communal litter box.

For weekly upkeep of our carpeted areas in the living room and bedrooms, I have started using Arm & Hammer with Oxi Clean Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator and Pet Fresh Carpet Odor Eliminator.

I have found the key to living happily with 3 felines (and retaining my sanity!) is to keep things clean and smelling fresh for everyone. Having these products on hand means I can get stains cleaned up when they happen, giving me a better chance of erasing the mess without a trace. With small children we still play on the floor a lot, so I need my floors to be clean and smelling fresh.

The Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator has been great for both kitten and puppy stains. It is a great way to treat a bad spot.

Then to keep my carpet smelling it's best, I can sprinkle on the Pet Fresh Carpet Odor Eliminator on my floor and then vacuum it up. It doesn't add any extra time to my cleaning schedule, but I love how it leaves my floor smelling afterwards.

But my absolute favorite way to keep my house smelling less like cat and more like a home is the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Naturals. This Odor Sealing Litter does a great job of keeping our litter box odor down, and moisture-activated micro-granules clump well for easy and quick removal of waste. It is made of plant-derived particles, so natural and safe for everyone.

Because multiple cats can be a little overwhelming, here are my 7 Tips for Living with Multiple Cats:

1. Treat Stains as they happen - Pet odor is much easier to manage if cleaned up quickly. Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean, Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator can be sprayed directly on the stain and then wiped/blotted or deep cleaned.A small spot carpet cleaner is also a great tool to have handy. I like to treat the stain right away with spray, then deep clean it to remove all traces, both visible marks and odors.
2. Refresh Carpeted Areas - Even if there aren't any visible spots on the carpet, pet odors can linger. The Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean is a great way to refresh the carpet during my regular cleaning.  I just sprinkle it on the carpet and then vacuum the room as usual.
3. Get a high-sided litter box - Cat litter just seems to get everywhere, doesn't it? Once we added our second and third cat, there was more fervent scattering of litter. You can find litter boxes with high sides to help keep more of the litter where it belongs.
4. Get a Clump & Seal Litter - I have been using the Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal Naturals to help keep the litter box odor down, and make for easy cleaning. The finer litter helps to cover and dry pet waste, making it easier for me to scoop. With multiple cats, I try to scoop several times a day, usually when I am going in and out of our laundry room. This keeps our litter box and the whole room smelling better.
5. Scoop more often with a Litter Genie - Since I scoop multiple times a day to keep our litter box pleasant, I needed a good place to put the waste. The Litter Genie allows me to scoop as little or as much as needed and it pushes the waste down inside keeping it smelling better. I do scoop more often now that I have this gadget. I even decorated my Litter Genie with vinyl to fit into the decor. 
6. Place the Litter Box in a well ventilated area - Keeping the litter box near a window or well ventilated area can help everyone get along better. Our laundry room was the perfect place to station the cat box. They cat's have privacy and I can have the window open for fresh air.
7. Control stray sand with Cat Litter Mat - Though the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal litter does a great job of cutting down on the litter getting tracked through the house, there is a little that finds it's way outside the box. A Black Hole Cat Litter Mat paired with the new litter eliminated any problems. It has holes to help trap stray litter, and soft rounded ridges on top to help knock sand off of paws. The litter collects in the bottom and the pocket design allows me to easily pour collected sand back into the litter box. 

Be sure to visit the Arm & Hammer site to grab a $2 coupon on Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal litters. And be sure to check out their Facebook page for more great cleaning solutions and products.

Do you have any tips for living with multiple cats? I would love to hear them in the comments below.

Look What Just Showed Up. A Furry Cat Surprise

This little black and white ball of fur just showed up... along with two of her siblings on the road in front of our house. The tractors and life on the farm had then terrified and hugging close to the road. My husband jsut walked over and scooped one of them up.

In the end they spent part of the day terrified on our front lawn and then I had to coax the hungry kittens out of the cold room across the street. Luckily a little cat food is a powerful persuader. They were dirty, hungry and happy to start purring like chainsaws when they were held and petted.

With the farm all around us and  the way the three kittens hung to the road, we think they were dropped there. They didn't come from any of our neighbors.

So besides wanting to remind everyone the importance of spaying and neutering your four-legged friends, I wanted to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Loo.

Not planned, but Loo has surprisingly interesting addition to the family. We couldn't afford to keep them all, and I am not sure I could have handled more than one kitten at a time. Even the baby gets a kick out of tossing the ball to Loo. We are never quite sure where she will pop up next.  Of course, I will happy once she grows out of some of her kitten quirks, but I am happy to have a potential mouser around the farm.

Photos have been hard to get. She doesn't stay still long enough to get them.

As for the name? Well, if you have kids you might have seen Safety Patrol with Lou, Lou and Lou. Since our little stray has been bunking in the downstairs bathroom we decided to call her Lou... but with a nod to the Loo she has called home.

Creating a Good Life - 10 Essentials for Adopting an Adult Cat

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. This cat food shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. All opinions and experiences are my own. #goodlifepet

One of the best things our family decided to do was to take in an adult cat named Chloe. Growing up around cats, I have experienced my fair share of kittens... but also have fond memories of an adult cat we adopted, when I was in high school, named Leo.

Leo was a very friendly, soft and snuggly cat who entered my life as a confident adult. There were no shredded items or tiny paws snagging my ankles at every turn. He arrived and then promptly took a center position on the couch and our laps.

Though kittens are adorable, with my own young children I didn't want to deal with the boundless energy of a tiny terror, sharp little milk teeth and litter box training. No, I opted to take on an mature cat and it is a decision I have never regretted. You could say that Chloe and I have provided each other a mutually beneficial good life.

In my experience, kittens are often impulsive decisions. Based on looks and tugging at heartstrings, kittens come home and are flexible enough to take on a new family and experiences. The truth is, the patience a kitten would require is currently being sucked up entirely by my 3 young children. Adult cats require more forethought and planning, but also come with great benefits.

• Mature cats do not demand as much time as raising a kitten
• Already litter box trained
• Often spayed, neutered and fully vaccinated
• You know what to expect in the way of temperament, size, coat, etc.
• Are a better fit for children and older adults

Of course, once you decide a mature cat is a good fit for your family's needs, you will need to prepare for bringing them home. Having everything in place and ready to go when they start to explore their new home will help reduce the new family member's stress.

I have compiled a list of 10 essential items to get you started and prepared for your new friend. Believe me, your new cat will thank you.

First lets look at the general items you will need.

1. Carrier or travel box for vet visits and coming home. An older cat will require more vet visits and having a carrier will make travel easier and safer. Make sure it is well ventilated and your pet may appreciate being able to see you there.
2. Identification. You can find an I.D. engraver in most large pet stores and there is even one in my local Walmart. Make sure there is a way to contact you if your pet becomes lost or injured. A newly adopted pet may wander off before they become accustomed to their new home. I like to keep an extra I.D. handy because cats have a talent for slipping out of their collars.
3. Brush or Grooming Supplies. Depending on your cat's coat, you may want to get a grooming glove or brushes to keep your pet's coat at its best.
4. Treats. Treats are a great ice breaker with a new pet and a great way to build trust. I also keep some handy for Chloe when I want to introduce a new peice of cat furniture or entice her into her carrier.
5. Flea & Tick Prevention. Growing up we used flea collars, but now I use an easy treatment to keep parasites away. It only needs to be reapplied every few months. This helps to keep fleas down on my indoor/outdoor cat as well as in my carpet.

Then you will need to make arrangements for a cat box. I like to find an out of the way place to put my cat's litter box but that is also well ventilated. It needs to also be in an area where I will remember to keep it scooped and changed. For us, the laundry room was the perfect place for these items.

6. Litter Box. This should be clean and free of scratches that can harbor smells and bacteria. I like to change the box itself once a year.
7. Cat Litter. There are so many choices out there for litter - clumping, scented, all natural...your choice.

Not essential, but an item I have grown to enjoy is a Litter Genie. This has helped  keep the litter box cleaner and has cut back on the indoor cat smell.

An older cat may be overwhelmed by the excitement and activity in their new home. When Chloe first came to live with us she found a quiet place to rest during the day and safely explored our home in the evenings. Eventually I created a little area for her in our laundy room. It seemed like the perfect place after I found her curled up on top of the dryer several mornings. The laundry room has a baby gate on it so she can retreat from small grabbing hands. She has a bed, and everything she needs in this room. Some days I still find her hanging out in the laundry room shen she needs a little break from the three children or there is company in the house.

8. A Safe Place. We put up a bed and the blanket she came with to create a   safe area with familiar smells. The window also lets in enough light that she can warm up on Winter mornings.

And then, last but not least, you need a place for fresh, clean water and food.

9. Food & Water Dishes. I prefer a self-waterer and gravity style feeder since we are busy and I don't want Chloe to run out of food. She doesn't have a problem with overeating so this has worked best for us.
10. The Right Food. I chose GOODLIFE™ dry cat food Indoor Recipefor Chloe because she primarily lives indoors. It is available in my local Walmart and reasonably priced. Chloe enjoys the taste and I appreciate that chicken is the first ingredient on the bag.

There are 3 different recipes, Indoor Recipe, Real Chicken Recipe and Real Salmon Recipe, all available at Walmart. Chloe spends much of her day inside, enjoying the good life, so the indoor recipe made the most sense for her. The protein contect is a little lower (but, she isn't as active, either) and it contains added fiber to help control hairballs. That is really important when you have a long haired cat.

None of the GOODLIFE™ brand recipes contain corn, soy or wheat. Either chicken or salmon top the list of ingredients. Yes, its a grain free cat food option. You can get nutrition information, see how other leading brands stack up and even score a $1 off cat food coupon for GOODLIFE™ Cat food on the brand site.

 

If adopting a cat is in your future, give adopting a mature cat some thought. Ask around because a cat you know may need a new home.

How did we find Chloe? After posting a humorous "Cat Wanted" letter on Facebook, a old high school classmate responded by saying that her growing family had one too many cats. Over a direct message photo of Chloe, we knew we had found our cat. She has proven that mature cats have just as much love to offer a new family as a kitten.

I would even say, she has more.

Do you have cats? Have you ever adopted an adult cat?

Wait, you Have a Cat? - Hiding the Evidence with the Litter Genie

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Litter Genie, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #petparents http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

I am not sure that I have ever owned a cat.. my cats have always had a way of owning me. I gladly put up with their scratching, shedding and litter box because they were part of our family.

Chloe is no different. Even though she joined our family as an adult cat, she immediately fit right in. Now, I still don't feel like she is my pet, she is just family. Any cat who is this patient with three young children is okay in my book.

To further cement her place in our home, she was there for me during all the aches and pains of my last pregnancy. She snuggled up with me or laid at my feet as I went through morning sickness and frequents nights of insomnia. Yeah, I couldn't imagine our home feeling as welcome without her.

But, that doesn't mean I want guests to know we have a cat the moment they step through our door. No, I think I would rather leave it up to Chloe whether she wants to make her presence known... or not.

Now, all through my pregnancy, my husband took over the litter box duties. Well, at least when I reminded him. It was his least favorite chore and I don't really blame him. I mean, I usually have to get out a garbage bag, scoop and then throw it out. I don't always get around to it until it has been a day or two.

That is no good.

So now that the duty is back on my shoulders full time, I wanted to try something different. I use a special pail for my dirty diapers, so would a Litter Genie help me not only control the odor from Chloe's catbox, but also make it faster and easier to clean regularly?

We grabbed ours at Target in the pet section. Yeah, they have everything, don't they? The initial kit contained all the essentials for fighting litter box odor: a Litter Genie pail, litter box scoop, and one refill.

Have you seen this? To help me scoop more often, I just open the pail, scoop, pull the handle to drop the litter into the bottom of the pail and it is sealed away (with the odors) for 14 days. My cat box cleaning just got faster and easier.

The sleek and classy white design fits easily into any home. No need to try and hide it in a corner. Since mine will be sitting right next to my cat's litter box in the laundry room, I wanted to personalize it.

I haven't had a chance to finish decorating our laundry room. I still need to finish the trim and find the perfect fabric for curtains. I am searching for yellow and white daisies. I also have plans to put up a small window box with flowers, african violets, to make fun and cheery. So to continue with that theme I decided to dress up the Litter Genie.

With my Silhouette Cameo I cut grass strips and flowers out of brightly colored vinyl. I love how it turned out and it only took me about 10 minutes to cut and finish.

Yes, the Litter Genie was just a blank canvas begging to be decorated. Would you decorate yours?

The Litter Genie system has been great. Now I can quickly scoop and move on as I am working on laundry or grabbing something from the laundry room. I know Chloe appreciates the cleaner cat box. Cats are finicky like that.

And a cleaner cat box is so important on keeping cat odors away. Frequent scooping is just one part of the pet odor solution. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve, too.

5 Tips for Taming  Litter Box Odor

• Put the litter box in a well ventilated room. Ours is near a window.
• Look for a cat litter with baking soda or other odor-fighting ingredients
• Use a litter that clumps for easy cleaning
• Clean the litter box daily & replace all the litter weekly (Made much easier with a Litter Genie)
• Replace the litter box yearly. They become scuffed and scratched over time making it harder to keep germ free and holding onto odor.

If you want to try out the Litter Genie for yourself, grab this $3 off Coupon for Target.

Chloe isn't going anywhere anytime soon. She is too important to my family. Of course, I am thrilled that I now have a better solution to our cat box. The biggest compliment I could receive now as a pet parent is hearing, "Wait, you have a Cat?"

Check out the whole Litter Genie scoop on twitter and follow #petparents for other great conversations on beating liter box odor.

Do you own a cat? How do you handle litter box odor?