The Pet Fountain--Oh, How They Are Spoiled

Since we've brought Duncan home from the shelter, he's been eating only dry food. When cats are on a dry food only diet, they (need to) drink more water because they are not getting as much moisture from their food. He didn't seem to be drinking enough the first few days though. I had seen those pet fountains while I was shopping for toys at the pet specialty store near us and decided to return to buy one. While there, I signed up for the store's member card and received $10 off the fountain, which happened to be on sale that week. The pet fountain cost only $39.99 (+ sales tax, of course).

When Ricky and I got home with Duncan's new gift and assembled it, Ricky picked him up and plopped him in front of it. "You better like this little man," he told him. "We just spent 40 bucks on this thing." Luckily, Duncan loves it. And he's pretty finicky about toys and accessories, mostly ignoring what we buy for him.

The fountain gives him two drinking options--the reservoir is shaped like a regular water bowl where he can drink, or he can drink from the running stream of water. He loves drinking from the stream, but I see him drinking from both areas.

Okay, so he is just a tad spoiled.

But it's not that expensive and now Duncan is drinking plenty of water, so I have one less thing to worry about when it comes to my baby kitty. Also, Duncan loves running water. Before we got him the fountain, he jumped on the kitchen counter every time the faucet was running. Now, he is still interested in the water coming from the faucets--but instead of having to leave the water running for minutes at a time so he can flick his tongue out and catch it, he can drink from his fountain instead.

The fountain does need to be assembled, but it comes with directions. It didn't seem too difficult to put together, judging from watching my boyfriend do so. It should be completely taken apart about once a week and cleaned because grime does build up. But the good news is that it's dishwasher safe. Otherwise, all you have to do is change the water at least once a day.

Treat Your Kitty to Cat Grass

As I sit writing, I have the perfect view of the kitchen counter where the cat grass resides, and he is up there chomping away. His mouth opens wide before he chews down vigorously on the grass strand, tearing off as much as he can for a little snack.

The one and only cat I had before Duncan was an outdoor cat, so growing cat grass never crossed my mind. But these days, it seems even more dangerous for a cat to be roaming the streets. My neighbors had three cats--the only one left has been converted to an indoor cat since the other two went outside and never came home. There are too many bad things out there--other animals can hurt them, and they also pick up diseases and health problems that they'd never otherwise encounter. That said, we're keeping Duncan inside. Although it is tempting to see how he does on a lease, so he could accompany me on a walk on a beautiful summer day. For now he's staying indoors.

So, I purchased a little container of grow your own kitty grass that comes with dirt and seeds that you plant yourself. It only cost about $3.50, so I figured what the hey. I was kitty shopping with my boyfriend's brother who told me he had success growing it before. The package boasted that the seeds will sprout within days, though I was still skeptical. But they do not lie--the seeds sprouted in days and merely a week later there is a container of flourishing kitty grass residing on the counter that my cat cannot get enough of.

The package says to place the container in a place accessible to your cat as soon as the grass is 4 inches tall. I decided to put it on the counter--not that I want him up there, but he is constantly venturing up there anyways. I'll be cooking, and he conveniently decides to walk all over the kitchen counter, distracting me and trying to get a lick of whatever food happens to be lying around. I thought maybe if I put his grass on the counter, he will be distracted by it and leave my food alone.

This actually works. He knew immediately that the grass was meant for him, and now when he jumps on the counter he goes straight for the grass and then jumps down when he's done snacking. He loves his grass--it seems like a treat to him, too.

You can get cat grass at any specialty pet store, or even stores like Walmart or Target. It's a worthwhile investment and though it might not last for more than a few weeks, it's cheap enough to replace it when need be. The only maintenance the grass involves is watering it every day just enough so the soil is moist. Plus, it contains nutrients, adds variety into your cat's life, and brings a little of the outdoors inside.