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GIVEAWAY! Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food

Friday, February 5th, 2010

shopcat default

Shopcat is FAMOUS. Yup. She’s rocking out to Lady Gaga and wearing Dior sunglasses right now. …Or maybe she’s sleeping. But on the shirt I wanted to wear! To disturb her would mean certain death, so she’s won this round… and she also got something great in the mail today, too! Fanmail? Nah. But the people at The Nutro Company took notice of Shopcat and her unmistakable flair, and generously suggested that Shopcat sample their Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food with Ideal Nutrient Balance. And not just that, another lucky cat who has a ShesSmart.com reader for a pal will also receive some.

Going out of your way to buy a special kind of cat food? I would wholeheartedly recommend this.

Going out of

Yummy, apparently!

Today we received the packaged in the mail. You can tell that this is a company that really embraces the fun about animals, because the packaged MEOWED! When we opened the box, inside was a smaller box with air holes and a message stating an animal was inside. Worried that something might be in there, I opened the box to find…. a stuffed animal cat :P Whew! It’s very soft, and I kind of want to snuggle with it. Along with a big bag of the Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food there was a bowl provided, as well.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure how I was going to review the food. No way was I going to eat it myself. And I can’t get Shopcat to talk to me. But as it would turn out, actions speak louder than words. Despite having a bowl of her normal cat food right there, when I poured this stuff into another bowl – she went right for it. And rather than sniff at it and come back to her food later (like she usually does) she started chomping into it RIGHT away. It seems that she really, really liked it. I even gave a small handful to Shopdog, because she was looking jealous.

All of that, and can you believe it’s healthy for cats, too? I don’t think OUR diet food usually tastes so great. Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food gives your cat the ideal balance of protein/carbs/fat while also including “essential vitamins and minerals to give cats the balanced nutrition and satisfaction they naturally desire every day.” If this can make Shopcat feel better and live longer, that’s a really good investment for me to make. We received the “Adult” dry food, but there is also cat food (dry and wet) made specifically for kittens, seniors, cats who need to lose weight, strictly indoor cats etc.

My favorite thing about this food is that it helps clean Shopcat’s teeth as she eats, and freshen her breath (because of the shape/texture of the food). Since I let her lick me all the time, that makes me (a self-proclaimed germaphobe) feel much more at ease. I never let Shopdog lick me – that would be way grosser.

Image from Nutro Natural

Image from Nutro Natural

Shop Nutro Premium Pet Food: Great Cat Food

Giveaway: ONE (1) winner(s) will receive a bag of Nutro Natural Choice Cat food with Ideal Nutrient Balance, along with a cat bowl, plush kitty, and more! This is courtesy of The Nutro Company.

“Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food with Ideal Nutrient Balance gives cats the perfect mix of protein, carbohydrates and fat along with essential vitamins and minerals to aid in a healthy immune system, good vision and heart function, and easy digestibility for sensitive stomachs.”

IMPORTANT!
- You must be a subscriber of the She’s Smart daily newsletter.  
- Your e-mail subject line should be: Nutro Natural Choice Cat Food
- Mail to shescontests@gmail.com with your name AND address for each entry.
- Please note that you’re a subscriber in your initial e-mail.

Mandatory First Entry – Subscribe then Share! Mail me from your subscribed e-mail account then visit this page and tell me one of the bolded points about the food.

Increase your chances of winning! You don’t have to do these in order – you can pick any of them, and often our winners are the people who enter the contests more than one way!

Additional Entry #1 Tweet! Provide your Twitter name so we can see if you’re following Jessica Rae on Twitter , and provide a link to you tweeting about this contest with the exact phrase “#Win a #free bag of premium cat food! #giveaway @shessmart (link to this page)”. Not sure how to show a link to a tweet? Just click on the date and it’ll provide you with the individual tweet you made.

Additional Entry #2 Stumble! Provide your StumbleUpon name – stumble this page or site.

Additional Entry #3 Blog! Provide a link to a blog post you’ve written about this contest of at least 100 words. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

Additional Entry #4 Blogroll us! Provide a link to a blog where you’ve put us on your blogroll. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc. It cannot be a nofollow link.

USA residents 18+ only, no P.O boxes. Winner chosen by random.org. The winner(s) will be e-mailed. If you win but are not a subscriber with a validated e-mail you forfeit your prize! If you win but haven’t followed the rules, you are disqualified. This has already happened! We thrive on organization! Leaving comments does NOT enter you into this giveaway. The winner is picked on February 15th, 2010!

Good luck to all of you smart ladies, and have a sparkling day of genuine smiles. You KNOW that you deserve it. XO – Jessica, Eve, Nancy, Shopcat and Shopdog

She shops smart – she’s you! Smart shopping is always in style.

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Posted in Pets, Reviews & Giveaways | Comments

‘Making Rounds with Oscar’ Book Review & Giveaway

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

making the rounds with oscar

A therapeutic book on death, dying, and one almighty cat.

I’ve just loaded the above picture into this post, and who should appropriately appear? Shopcat. Of course, she didn’t. That’s not her way. Instead, I felt the  soft brush of fur against my leg, as she moved about in the shadows under my desk. And just like that…I was convinced cats were psychic!!!  …Kidding. Kidding. Even after reading “Making Rounds with Oscar” I am not “convinced” that cats are “psychic”. And to be fair, that is not the premise of this book. Not at all. It’s what lured me in, but it’s not what kept me turning the pages.

I was sent a copy of “Making Rounds with Oscar – The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat” authored by David Dosa M.D., and as an obvious lover of cats, I — well, quite honestly I’ve lost my train of thought because I went off to play with Shopcat! It wasn’t a “need” to do at this moment, but I think that taking the advice of this book is important. And at its core, this book talks about the curative power of animals – cats in particular. And after I’ve played with Shopcat, freed my mind of everything other than pretending the toy I’m using is a little mouse and we’re in a chocolate factory that Shopcat guards, I do feel a restorative sense of power over my work capabilities. And on this dreary Tuesday morning in the midwest, Shopcat helps me feel less alone.

Helping people fight loneliness is something Oscar the cat does for the patients of Steere House, a nursing home in New England. I am a strong advocate for Animal Assisted Therapy, and truly believe the presence of animals helps people in even their most terrible situations. Heck, maybe especially during the terrible ones.

What makes Oscar such a unique cat to study is his supernatural-like ability to predict patients deaths. That sounds spooky, but it wasn’t like that. Dr. Dosa interviewed many of the patients families and found it was not the case at all – Oscar was not seen as a bad omen or grim reaper. He was seen as a guardian, or someone to help with an impossible transition.

While there are a couple different theories for why Oscar could be able to know when a patient is about to die, it still wouldn’t adequately explain why he does what he does. So even if there’s a science to Oscar being able to smell something in the air that signals a body preparing for death, it doesn’t explain why he’d go lay with them in their final hours. Oscar was there for the patient and the patients families, like a fuzzy ball of warmth.

And Oscar wasn’t just there for the patient. In some cases of  “the final hours” he’d be in the room, but be near the visitor instead. He lent his support. This cat, like I’d say all cats, has a sense of empathy. And like many cats, he’s not generous with it – the book describes him as your typical antisocial cat who makes up his own rules. Now, while this book talks a lot about why having a cat around a nursing home is helpful for patients and visitors to feel a sense of ease, much of this book surprisingly wasn’t about cats at all.

The book talks about the disease of dementia, in particular. A disease that is scary to so many because of it’s horrible power of your life (to erase the memories of someone’s) and because it has no cure. The first time I ever heard about Alzheimer’s disease I thought it couldn’t be actually true. “A disease that wipes someone’s memory? That sounds like a curse in a fairytale!” Curse though it is, a fairytale it is not.

I’ve thankfully not had anyone in my family affected by any type of dementia, but I have had a family member in hospice care due to a massive stroke. Almost too easily I can remember the long generic hallways lined with sad patients dulled into silence, and the sadness and uncertainty of those more difficult visits towards the end. I still found this book a compelling read because of it’s insights into what doctors vs. patients experience when confronted with end of life care for family members. I think this would be a reassuring read for someone who has gone through it, or is currently going through it. You could consider it your weekly therapy session. And just like therapy sometimes does, this book will undoubtedly make you cry a little.

Oscar is famous, although I doubt he would care to be told that. He’s like the Meryl Streep of the celebrity world. Fame doesn’t phase him, and he does not try to exploit it. He just keeps doing what he’s doing. Naturally, Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to Oscar the cat. CBS news recently published a piece titled “Furry Angel of Death? Meet Oscar the Cat” and The Boston Herald warns us to “Beware the Death Cat“. People need to make it funny, or question it. But to people who aren’t afraid of the label of “cat people” I don’t think we are all that surprised by Oscar. Cats are a little bit mystical (as are most animals, in my experience) and they are great comforts.

In the end, the thesis of this book backs up something I’ve long touted as fact to my family:

Life is unfair. But cats make it better.

Shop: Making  Rounds with Oscar – The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Cat

Giveaway: TWO (2) winner(s) will receive a copy of “Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Cat” by David Dosa MD. This is courtesy of Hyperion Books. (more…)

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Posted in Mixed Bag Misc, Pets, Reviews & Giveaways | Comments

GET SERIOUS Pet Stain & Odor Remover Review & Giveaway!

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

shopcat sleeps

As an animal lover, something you find yourself dealing with are stains from your pets. They happen because they are young, or old, are sick or have an accident. Whatever the reason, the smell that lingers and the stain that stays is no ones friend.

Shopdog had several accidents earlier this year because she was sick, and it left yellow stains. Shopcat hasn’t had any accidents, but previous cats have sprayed into the corners of the place which means that some people can ‘always’ smell cat urine, and when other cats visit they are compelled to spray (pee!) in the exact same place. This is where pheromones come in. Cats are very competitive about wanting to mark their territory.

I was happy to receive a bottle of GET SERIOUS Odor, Stain & Pheromone Extractor for cats, and one for dogs. Even after using other cleaners on Shopdog’s accidents, the yellow stain had stayed. But when I used GET SERIOUS on these OLD stains, it STILL considerably lessened the stains color. The product was so easy that even my friend with a new manicure dared to use it. It’s very gentle, and there is no bad or ‘clinical’ smell like you get with other cleaners.

For Shopcat, we worked in the GET SERIOUS product where other cat’s have sprayed because if I introduce another cat, I cannot have them peeing everywhere. Now I feel more secure about adopting again – especially if I rescue a male cat, which supposedly are more prone to spraying.

GET SERIOUS works on the stain, odor, and pheromones to be a 3-in-1 product that pet owners should all try. There is currently no other product like this that I’ve seen that extracts pheromones – which is really a crucial step!

get serious

Shop the site: Good Pet Stain Remover / Also:
GET SERIOUS on Amazon /  GET SERIOUS at PetSmart

Giveaway: ONE (1) winner(s) will receive  1 pint for cat odors/stains and ONE winner will receive 1 pint for dog odors/stains. This is courtesy of GET SERIOUS.

(more…)

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The Best Use of your Snuggie Yet!

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Shopcat says she doesn't want to WEAR a snuggie, but she wants you to donate one for her shelter friends to cuddle up on. You better listen to her, she's a fiesty kitty! Did you know Shopcat was adopted from a nonprofit animal shelter, herself? She was the runt, and they found her in a storm drain! Shopdog was ALSO adopted from an animal shelter. And now they have happy homes.

Shopcat says she doesn't want to WEAR a snuggie, but she wants you to donate one for her shelter friends to cuddle up on. You better listen to her, she's a fiesty kitty! Did you know Shopcat was adopted from a nonprofit animal shelter, herself? She was the runt, and they found her in a storm drain! Shopdog was ALSO adopted from an animal shelter. And now they have happy homes.

We’ve all heard of Snuggies by now. And you’ve probably heard that they even make Snuggies for dogs. Which…okay. That’s weird. And they’re not very attractive, so you’re submitting your dog to look ugly! I digress! There is a great use of Snuggies that does involve dogs. But not just dogs. Cats and rabbits and all sorts of animals. Animal shelters could really use your unwanted snuggies. And let’s be honest – who really WANTS their snuggie? You got one for Christmas and now you don’t know what to do with it? Donate it!

I talked with some different nonprofit animal shelters like the Helen Woodward Animal Center & the North Shore Animal League America, and they all said that Snuggies would make a great donation item since they’re really just blankets with sleeves.  (Imagine that, that’s ALL a snuggie is! Hehe.) Animal shelters can ALWAYS use your support and donations of any kind. What can you donate to an animal shelter? I’m glad you asked! (Check with your closest local shelter to find out what they specifically most need!)

  • Blankets (like a Snuggie!)
  • Cat toys & dog toys
  • Paper towels
  • Large, clean towels
  • Laundry detergent
  • Clean newspapers
  • Nail trimmers for cats or dogs
  • Canned food for cats or dogs
  • Flat fabric collars in all sizes
  • Cat litter (non-dust usually preferred)
  • Digital Cameras (so they can take photos of the animals for websites)
  • Money talks with animals, they don’t know what it says other than ‘I care’ – awwww :)

Alright guys, I’m going back on my mini vacation. Look for more updates on January 3rd – including great new giveaways!

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FroliCat BOLT Interacative Laser Toy Review & Giveaway

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

best cat toy

The BOLT thoroughly impressed me, and faithfully entertained my cat beyond my expectations.

Shopcat isn’t the first cat I’ve ever owned. My family growing up had three other cats for long periods of time. I say this so you know that I’ve bought and tried plenty of cat toys. You see, I was recently sent the BOLT Interactive Laser Toy by FroliCat to review, and I can wholeheartedly say that this is one of the best cat toys I’ve ever used.

It's difficult to see the red dot in this picture, but I'd wanted to include this gorgeous pillowcase that my friend, Kerstin, made for me!

It's difficult to see the red dot in this picture because of the fabric folding, but I'd wanted to include this gorgeous pillowcase that my friend, Kerstin, made for me!

Many cat toys leave your arm tired from playing, so companies  invented all of these other toys that are meant to let your cat play by itself. In my experience? Those ‘hooked over the doorknob’ toys never work or capture a cat’s interest. Those toys are a waste of money.

But the BOLT is completely fun for me to use when playing with Shopcat (you just hold it and move it around a bit to aim it different places), and also works as a babysitter if she wants to play alone as I’m trying to work dutifully on the blog! This s the toy that cats love even if you’re not there to help play. But the toy goes off after 15 minutes, so you needn’t worry that your cat will play to the point of exhaustion. (And I’m a worrywort, I always worry about things like that!)

bolt shopcat

Shopcat loooooves the BOLT, and when I turn it off she goes hunting for the red laser like it has escaped her! The instant I turn it on she gets excited.

The automatic function that lets you turn it on for 15 minutes and move the laser dot on its own causes a noise to happen. Shopcat is skittish, but it didn’t bother her at all! Success! I was so glad the noise didn’t freak her out.

If you want to give a new cat toy a chance, I would absolutely recommend trying this toy. I openly and earnestly would recommend the BOLT to any cat owner.

Shop the site: FroliCat

Giveaway: ONE (1) winner(s) will receive a FroliCat BOLT Interactive Laser Toy courtesy of Brilliant Pet .

IMPORTANT!

- You must be a subscriber of the She’s Smart daily newsletter. You can subscribe via a link on our right sidebar. Winners will be checked, if you win but are not a subscriber with a validated e-mail you forfeit your prize! 
- Your e-mail subject line should be: Bolt.
- Mail to shescontests@gmail.com with your name/address for each entry.
- Please note that you’re a subscriber in your initial e-mail.

Mandatory First Entry – Share!: Tell me the name of your pet(s)!

Increase your chances of winning! You don’t have to do these in order – you can pick any of them, and often our winners are the people who enter the contests more than one way!

Additional Entry #1 Tweet!: Provide your Twitter name so we can see if you’re following Jessica Rae on Twitter , and provide a link to you tweeting about this contest with the phrase “Amazing Cat Toy Giveaway”. Not sure how to show a link to a tweet? Just click on the date and it’ll provide you with the individual tweet you made.

Additional Entry #2 Stumble!: Provide your StumbleUpon name – stumble this page or site.

Additional Entry #3 Blog!: Provide a link to a blog post you’ve written about this contest of at least 100 words. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

Additional Entry #4 Blogroll us!: Provide a link to a blog where you’ve put us on your blogroll. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

USA residents 18+ only, no P.O boxes. Winner chosen by random.org. The winner(s) will be e-mailed. The winner is picked on January 3rd, 2009!

Good luck to all of you smart ladies, and have a sparkling day of genuine smiles. You KNOW that you deserve it. XO – Jessica, Eve, Nancy, Shopcat and Shopdog

She shops smart – she’s you! Smart shopping is always in style.

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Posted in Pets, Reviews & Giveaways | Comments

Giveaway! Why Don’t YOU Have an Automatic Litter Box?

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

litter box

I know you don’t want to deal and touch a cat box more than you have to. The ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box is the perfect solution.

Is there anything more annoying than cleaning out a cat box? Well, I’m sure there are some things that are more annoying – but it’s still definitely a major pain! As someone who’s has lived with both a cat and a dog I also know that a dog will (an eww moment is about to happen – brace yourself) go into the cat box and eat what’s there because of the protein content. So, keeping that box clean is not only important to ensure your cat uses it (cats are neat freaks) but in keeping your dog from being super-de-duper gross!

Enter, the ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box, which is a great self-cleaning litter box for your cat(s). After your cat has used the box a rake will go across the box and sweep the waste into a covered area. You never have to touch the stuff, because you throw away the tray. And the trays you buy have pretty blue Fresh Step® Crystals which will contain odor better than that normal, ugly litter. This means you can put this cat box anywhere – it won’t smell, and it’s actually pretty cute with it’s purple color! (You can even buy a version with a hood for privacy and to make sure the cat doesn’t paw anything out out of the box, and no one has to see anything going on in there.) I know, I know, only cat owner’s could call a cat box cute, huh? But these are the kinds of things that responsible cat owner’s have to think about!

I received the ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter box to review with Shopcat. What’s special about this version of the ScoopFree Self-Cleaning litter boxes is that there is the privacy hood, you can have the rake timed to go across at different intervals, and it’ll even count the number of times the box is used. You might wonder why on earth you’d want to know how many times your cat has used the box – and it’s because you can track your cat’s health, and also more easily track when it’s time to replace the litter tray. It’s like having a perpetual post-it that reminds you of things.

As you can guess, you do plug this litter box into an outlet. But if you’re worried the motion will scare the cat – don’t! The rake stops if your cat ever enters the box. Gratefully, the  raking mechanism is quiet and not disturbing -  and unlike other automatic litter boxes the rake returns to its starting point (making sure the litter gets redistributed instead of piled at one end).

I was worried about assembling it  because I’m not really good at assembling things. But I still managed to do it (I didn’t take a victory lap, but I did have a victory Diet Coke)! I was way more worried than I should have been.  I never had to call up anyone at all, except to gloat. The hardest part was making sure I took away all of the packing materials used to pack it safely. I’d left these little green hooks on the bottom because I thought they were part of the unit, but they weren’t. Once you do that, you really just make sure the litter tray is inside the unit (there’s magnetic snaps that help) and you plug the unit in. Voila.

Shopcat did seem intimidated about getting into the thing, so I used the suggestions of putting some of the crystals in her old litter box, and some of the normal litter in the new box. I also kept the hood off at first. Other than getting your cat adjusted to the new box, the only con about this litter box would be that you  do have to buy the special trays with the crystals and magnetic snaps, and they’ll cost you about $15.00 a pop. But for many people, that’s an expense they’re willing to pay to save them the trouble of dealing with the cat box on a daily basis.

This litter box comes packaged in a big ol’ box, which means while I assembled it Shopcat got to play in a box! Yea, she was noooo help.  Psh!If you’re looking for a self-cleaning litter box, I would highly recommend ScoopFree’s version.

The carpet just looks weird because of the flash/lights.

The carpet just looks weird because of the flash/lights.

Shop the site: ScoopFree

Giveaway: ONE (1) winner(s) will receive a ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box courtesy of Brilliant Pet .

IMPORTANT!

- You must be a subscriber of the She’s Smart daily newsletter. You can subscribe via a link on our right sidebar. Winners will be checked, if you win but are not a subscriber with a validated e-mail you forfeit your prize! 
- Your e-mail subject line should be: Scoop.
- Mail to shescontests@gmail.com with your name/address for each entry.
- Please note that you’re a subscriber in your initial e-mail.

Mandatory First Entry – Share!: Tell me the name of your pet(s)!

Increase your chances of winning! You don’t have to do these in order – you can pick any of them, and often our winners are the people who enter the contests more than one way!

Additional Entry #1 Tweet!: Provide your Twitter name so we can see if you’re following Jessica Rae on Twitter , and provide a link to you tweeting about this contest with the phrase “Automatic Cat Box Giveaway”. Not sure how to show a link to a tweet? Just click on the date and it’ll provide you with the individual tweet you made.

Additional Entry #2 Stumble!: Provide your StumbleUpon name – stumble this page or site.

Additional Entry #3 Blog!: Provide a link to a blog post you’ve written about this contest of at least 100 words. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

Additional Entry #4 Blogroll us!: Provide a link to a blog where you’ve put us on your blogroll. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

USA residents 18+ only, no P.O boxes. Winner chosen by random.org. The winner(s) will be e-mailed. The winner is picked on January 3rd, 2009!

Good luck to all of you smart ladies, and have a sparkling day of genuine smiles. You KNOW that you deserve it. XO – Jessica, Eve, Nancy, Shopcat and Shopdog

She shops smart – she’s you! Smart shopping is always in style.

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Posted in Pets, Reviews & Giveaways | Comments

Bamboo Pet & Fat Cat Review and Giveaway

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

great cat toyAs a pet owner, I adore giving my pets treats and toys. I recently learned about the website for Bamboo Pet and Fat Cat, and the company graciously sent Shopcat and Shopdog some products so that we can see how they like them. And because we ended up loving this stuff so much, we’re Zoom stuffers Toys_purpledoing a giveaway so that you guys can win some products!

Shopcat has gone just about flippin’ CRAAAZY for this Zoom Stuffers Catnip Toy that’s shaped like a funny-looking, cute-tastic bunny. The bunny has a pair of shorts on (with a carrot design – because this bunny is stylin’!), and there are these really amazing catnip “pods” included (2) which are little satchels of organic catnip. You stuff the pods into the bunny’s pants! Now, I’ve stood in aisles and looked over cat toys. You may have seen pictures of Shopcat where there’s a little green sock toy? That toy is supposed to be a catnip toy and it has a little bell. But Shopcat doesn’t like it at all. I suspect because the catnip isn’t accessible. Who knows. When I bought that green sock toy it was a waste of my money. But you’d never waste money on this Kitty Hoots toy. I’m not lying – she went CRAZY for it. She loved it like I haven’t seen her love a toy in a long while. She naps with it, then wakes up and acts amazed that it’s there with her. It makes her so happy that I fear to take it away from her would promote a nervous breakdown!

We have never seen Shopcat
love on a toy like this!

shopcat zoom

shopcat zoom 2

shopcat disguise

shopcat mine

Shopdog might not know this, but I hate picking up her…uh…you know! When we walk? Yea. Come on. I’m trying to seem dignified here :P (Poop!) It’s annoying to carry around a random bag because they’re so big and sometimes the wind knocks them away from me and I have to chase after them in a really ungraceful jog. So we (read: I)  really love the Bamboo Pet Disposable waste bags & dispenser. The bags are easy to tie to close, and naturally eliminate that unfortunate ‘waste’ odor by using “Arm & Hammer® Baking Soda, plus a soft scent”.  The scent is lavender, and I can seriously smell it – it’s very nice.

dog waste bags

And did I mention that the entire thing attaches easily to just about anything from a leash or bag? If you have kids (other than your pets), this could be clipped onto something you have on the stroller. I think it works great attached to the leash.It’s a small little attachment, actually cute, and I was able to figure out how it works (you just pull the bags out from the opening – hah!) in under a minute. Oh! And it’s light, so it doesn’t clunk around or feel annoying to carry along. You can also use these for cats if your cat gets furballs and sometimes throws up – and you need to pick it up without touching it.

cat brushShopcat is feeling neglected so let’s talk about something else that SHE got sent. The FurBuster® cat de-shedding tool & blade works really well. Because shopcat has short hair, I usually just brush her with a soft brush (which she never ever, ever, ever likes). But I was amazed by two things: She didn’t fight me off like a ninja when I used this de-shedding brush, and it actually removed a lot of her excess ‘fluff’. And yes, I’m a dork and I roll the fluff in my hand and throw it at her to see what she makes of it. (But then I take it away, I wouldn’t let her try to lick and eat it up or anything.) The blade of the comb doesn’t both her at all and I’ll admit – it’s fun for me to use. Eliminating some of her fur also helps make it easier for me to vacuum. And since I’m a bit of a neat freak? That’s very helpful!

dog clippers

If you’re looking a pair of quality, safe dog nail clippers or qualify, safe cat nail clippers, the Bamboo Pet site offers those as well.

Shop the sites for great cat and dog products. For any product on Bamboo Pet, you can enter your zip code and then quickly a map is pulled up for you to show you what pet stores in your area carry that item. Even stores like Target and Wal-Mart carry Bamboo Pet products. That’s great for me because then I can go to Target and buy myself treats (Starbursts, mm), and some for my animals too.  Then I come home and EVERYONE is happy! It’s like I’m Santa.

Bamboo Pet makes great-quality items for pets, and Fat Cat makes me just as happy as it makes my cat!

Bamboo Pet runs a Pet of the Month Contest, go enter!

Giveaway: TWO (2) winners will receive a Zoom Stuffers toy and Disposable Waste Bag product courtesy of Fat Cat and Bamboo Pet.

IMPORTANT!

- You must be a subscriber of the She’s Smart daily newsletter to be a verified winner for any contests on our site. You can subscribe via a link on our right sidebar. Winners will be checked, if you win but are not a subscriber with a validated e-mail you forfeit your prize! That’s no fun!
- Your e-mail subject line should be: Bamboo.
- Mail to shescontests@gmail.com with your name/address for each entry.
- Please note that you’re a subscriber in your initial e-mail.

Mandatory First Entry – Share!: Tell me the name of your pet(s)! Then go to one of the websites and tell me what item they’d love to get (other than what I’ve already mentioned here).

Increase your chances of winning! You don’t have to do these in order – you can pick any of them, and often our winners are the people who enter the contests more than one way!

Additional Entry #1 Tweet!: Provide your Twitter name so we can see if you’re following JessicaRae on Twitter , and provide a link to you tweeting about this contest with the phrase “Pet Products Giveaway”. Not sure how to show a link to a tweet? Just click on the date and it’ll provide you with the individual tweet you made.

Additional Entry #2 Stumble!: Provide your StumbleUpon name – stumble this page or site.

Additional Entry #3 Blog!: Provide a link to a blog post you’ve written about this contest of at least 100 words. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

Additional Entry #4 Blogroll us!: Provide a link to a blog where you’ve put us on your blogroll. This can be a blog hosted anywhere – blogspot, livejournal, etc.

USA residents 18+ only, no P.O boxes. Winner chosen by random.org. The winner(s) will be e-mailed. The winner is picked on December 29th, 2009!

Good luck to all of you smart ladies, and have a sparkling day of genuine smiles. You KNOW that you deserve it. XO – Jessica, Eve, Nancy, Shopcat and Shopdog

She shops smart – she’s you!

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Our Amazing Discount Offer on Pet Goodies!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

best cat box

If you have a cat or dog  then you better perk up your ears (or eyeballs) right now! We are being offered an exclusive offer on She’s Smart. For $99.99 you can get 1 ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box, 1 FroliCat BOLT, & FREE shipping on top of that. It’s amazing as a deal because the Bolt is $20.00, and  the ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box is $139.95. I may not be a math genius…but I know that THIS means you’re saving tons o’ money if you get them both in this deal.

ScoopFree® Self-Cleaning Litter Box is the only litter box that you can leave alone for weeks at a time. ScoopFree uses disposable litter trays to provide unbeatable odor control & hassle-free convenience. Simply throw away the disposable tray every few weeks & replace it with a new one. Give the Gift of Never Having to Scoop Litter Again! (Trust me, that’s a fabulous gift!)

FroliCat™ BOLT™ is the award winning interactive laser toy that provides hours of fun for you & your feline friend. Simply hold BOLT in your hand or place it on a flat surface, turn it on & watch your cat pounce, chase & bat at the exciting laser patterns. Dogs love it too!

*Until December 31, 2009, you can get both ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box and FroliCat BOLT for only $99.99 plus FREE SHIPPING! To receive this special offer, please visit our special ShesSmart link! (You must use that link to get the deal.)

*Free shipping available only within 48 contiguous US states.
*Order must be placed on or before December 31, 2009

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Smart Cat Facts to Utilize as a Saavy Cat Owner

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

shopcat grooms

I’m not just someone who “owns” a cat (no one can “own” a cat but that’s another discussion), I’m someone who loves animals (especially cats). Because of this, I’m never content to just do the basics. I like to do research like the nerd I am. I get excited about new ways to engage Shopcat (again, I’m a nerd). And when I saw this cool comic from The Oatmeal about cat facts, I was inspired to write this post.

shopcat captivated

Amazing Hearing

I’d always assumed that dogs could hear better than cats, because that’s what people always say. But my research says that cats hear better because their inner-ears are more evolved than a dogs.  Cats can actually hear higher frequencies than a dog can. When Shopcat pretends not to hear me, she’s just ignoring me! A cats’ hearing stops at 65 kilohertz and a humans’ stops at 20. I may not know much about kilohertz’s, but the numbers give me a pretty good idea about the sensitivity of a cats ears vs. mine.

cat laser

No Night Goggles Needed

You might have already known this, but cats see really well in the dark. Shopcat doesn’t mind when I turn lights off – she actually prefers it. A cats eye has another layer of reflecting cells to absorb light so they can see about 6 times better than us. Cat’s would be the perfect burglars. You can dim the lights, and your cat can still navigate the room easily. And cats love to chase beams of light! (Pictured: FroliCat BOLT Automatic Laser Toy for Cats)

Color Blind-ish

Cats can see blue and green, but most studies say they cannot see red. This is why I try to make all of Shopcat’s toys and blankets blue and green when I can.

Faster than a Speeding Bullet

Domestic cats run at about 30 mph. I cannot run that fast. The only wa to catch Shopcat is to trick her – I can never chase her and win.

Cat’s Let You Read Their Minds

A cat tail that starts twitching means the cat is aggravated. If a cat rolls on its stomach, that means he/she trusts you to that vulnerable spot. When Shopcat starts twitching her tail, I know she’s feeling frisky and wants to play – and I better watch out or I’ll get bitten.

Cat’s Hate Your Boyfriend

Because cat’s respond to high frequencies better, they respond to women’s voices better!

shopcat pony

Adapting to your Schedule

There is a term ‘crepuscular’ which means animals that are busiest during twilight. Does your cat seem to be most engaged in the morning and evening? They’re likely doing that because that’s when you’re around to entertain them. Shopcat likes to snooze all day and be all crepuscular. Other animals that do this are owls, red pandas and deer. Probably vampires, too.

On the Hunt

Cat’s love to play – shopcat does for sure. They play in a way that is how they hunt. Because of that, cat toys are often like what their prey would be – tiny fuzzy mice and such. Something interesting is that cats lose interest with toys they’ve played with a lot. People tell me not to buy Shopcat new toys, but the truth is (and I instinctively KNEW this) she wants NEW things to be interested by. She’s ‘killed’ the old toys!

Kneading out of Love

Kittens knead their mother’s to get them ready to produce milk. When a cat is on you and starts kneading their paws on you repeatedly, it means they are pleased. When I am laying down with a blanket on me, Shopcat comes on me and kneads me for a long period of time before settling down. Cats pretend you are their mother, how cute is THAT?

shopcat pony 2

Weird Affection

When your cat rubs their head/body against you and  licks you as their mother licked them that means you are totally ‘in’ with this cat! They want you to smell like them.

Ankle Biters are Playing

When I go up the stairs Shopcat OFTEN runs up and attacks my ankles and lower legs. It HURTS. What I’ve learned is that she’s just playing. It’s like she’s trying to play with another cat in a fake battle. But I try to stop her, because for this fake battle I seem to need real armour!’

Whisker Etiquette

Shopcat moves her food from her food bowl onto the floor. Why? Because whiskers interview and they don’t like them being brushed. They like shallow bowls.

best cat bowls(Pictured: Smartcat Elevated Shallow Food Dish 3 oz Wet Food Bowl Blue or Natural,  Sassy II 5.5″ Shallow Dot Bowl, Sweet Stripes 6.25″ Bowl – Pawprint shallow, Diva Time Bowl – Shallow – Spoiled)

Hissing

It’s protection, saying ‘back off!’

Declawing a cat is Horrible

It’s like chopping off your fingers to the first knuckle. There are so many alternatives! I trim Shopcats claws! Many countries do not let you declaw, by law. I’m told that America is the only country that does this often.

shopcat sleeps

Insurance People Should love Cat-Owners

The studies all over confirm that petting a cat can lower blood pressure – in fact, people who own a cat tend to live longer with less stress, and have fewer heart attacks. Is it magic, who knows?

Things I love about Shopcat

- She follows me around to “monitor” me, and she tries to be very nonchalant about it.

- She makes a little happy yelp when she jumps down from my desk.

- She tries to train ME, by luring me over to her food bowl!

- She  is sassy and demands respect.

I vow to…

- Talk to her more. Cats like the security of your voice. Hey, people talk to plants, so you can’t call me crazy!

- Ask for a “Kindle” for Christmas. But I won’t mean the Amazon Kindle. A group of kittens is called a kindle!

tall cat tree

- Make better ‘high’ places for Shopcat to be because cats love high places. (Pictured: Molly and Friends “Sequoia” Extra-Large 7-Foot-Tall Premium Handmade Cat Furniture with Sisal, Beige)

- Pet Shopcat slower, and also behind her ears. “To your cat, petting feels a lot like licking. When you pet your cat slowly and gently, she knows you are taking good care of her. You are showing that you love her!” & “[Ears are] a sensitive area that can’t be easily reached. Cats can’t lick themselves behind the ears, however they do clean themselves with their front paws.” – Breeders Choice

- Not be confused when Shopcat zooms around like a wild cat. “A cat has a lot of energy to use up. Nature gave cats energy to use in the wild to chase other animals. She may not need to run like that now, but she may be having fun pretending that she is wild.” – Breeders Choice

She shops smart – she’s you!

xo

Jessica Rae

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Shopcat Openly Defies My Shopping Efforts!

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Do you guys remember when I was talking about shopcats’s problem with scratching new furniture? I bought her a new scratch box, but all she wants to do is lick it. And now I have PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF!

shopcat 4

shopcat 2

shopcat 3

shopcat

What do you suggest I get Shopcat for Christmas? She seems to enjoy boxes… you know, destroying them ruthlessly!

P.S.  Shea Terra Organics products are awesome, I mentioned them earlier.

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