15 Must-Haves for New Cat Owners

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Many of you know I recently got a kitten. This is the first pet I’ve owned in my adult life, and in the beginning I was a bit clueless about what I needed to keep her comfortable, happy, and entertained. For anyone who has ever owned a kitten, you know they want to play constantly, and a bored kitty is a naughty, annoying kitty. We’ve found many things she loves, so I thought I’d share my 15 must-haves for new cat owners here.

Necessities

There are so many things to keep your cat happy and entertained, but let’s start with what your kitten actually needs.

Food

Cats are carnivores. You don’t see cats in the wild munching on grass or other grains; they are hunting live prey because they eat meat. That’s why it’s best to choose a grain-free cat food. Most commercial pet food contains grains as fillers, but this brings unnecessary extra calories and may even cause a variety of health issues, from inflammation to digestion problems. 

One good option is Blue Buffalo Wilderness. It comes in both dry and canned wet food. I love that both varieties are loaded with protein and vitamins and antioxidants from natural ingredients like flaxseed, fish oil, alfalfa, and berries. Plus, they are free from animal by-products and common allergens, such as corn, gluten, and soy as well.

Food Dish

The ideal food dish is functional, easy to clean, and easy for your kitten to access. This double diner cat food dish has one bowl for food and one for water. The cute stand elevates your pet’s bowls for better posture, and that means better digestion. The stainless steel bowls are also dishwasher safe for convenience.

Cat Litter

Gone are the days of messy, smelly, clumpy cat litter. Pretty Litter is seriously the bomb for cat owners. Not only does it absorb odor instantly and eliminate moisture, it actually changes colors to alert you to your potential health issues, so you can get your cat help before it becomes an urgent medical situation.

This could save you big money on expensive vet bills, not to mention it could ultimately save your cat’s life. Plus, it is so much more appealing and less messy than traditional clay litter. If you have a cat, you really need to give Pretty Litter a try. And don’t forget a basic litter box too!

Cat Crate

It’s a smart idea to have a cat crate just in case you need to take your kitten to the vet. Cats are not always the best travelers, so a crate is a must if you plan on taking your pet on road trips or airplanes. The security of a crate will prevent travel anxiety as well as motion sickness. Plus, it will protect your vehicle from cat hair and scratched seats.

Comfort Items

Cats are notorious for being lazy. I have learned that my kitten spends as much time playing as she does sleeping, but when she finally slows down, she seeks out a comfy spot to completely zonk out!

Cat Hammock

Cats will sleep in the strangest places. My kitten loves her hammock. There is something about the floating sensation and support it provides. This cat hammock has a super soft cover and is light weight and portable. It’s also generously sized to provide plenty of growing room.

Pet Blanket

Of course, you will want a place for your cat to snuggle up next to you. This anti-skid pet blanket is perfect for protecting your furniture and providing a cozy place for her to settle down. It is waterproof and has anti-skid PVC backing to keep it in place on your couch, chair, or even in the car. Plus, it’s machine washable and will not shrink or fade. 

Snuggle Kitty

Bringing home a new kitten can be a trying experience. If your pet is recently weaned, the initial separation from his or her mother may cause crying, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Snuggle Kitty is the perfect solution to help transition your kitten to his/her new home. This cuddly stuffed animal combines gentle heat and a real-feel heartbeat to help your pet feel safe and secure.

Toys Galore

Kittens are so playful, and the more you interact and play with them, the better they’ll sleep. Plus, studies show that cats develop stronger bonds with their owners through socialization and play.

Peek and Play Toy Box

Feed your cat’s natural predatory instinct with the Peek-and-Play Toy Box. This unique box allows them to “capture” their favorite toys by fishing them out of strategically placed access holes. You can also drop kitty treats into the toy box for your cat to retrieve. This toy creates mental and physical stimulation to help your cat’s development.

Feather Wand

You and your cat will enjoy hours of active play with this simply designed feather wand. It seems like kittens never tire of chasing the feather! This interactive, entertaining toy is made with all-natural, biodegradable materials, such as cork, hemp and wood. Only natural, dye free feathers are used.  Every cat needs this most basic toy!

Chew Toys

If you’ve ever tried brushing a cat’s teeth you know that it’s no easy challenge. However, dental health is an important part of keeping your cat healthy. These Petstages Dental Health Chew Toys will help satisfy your cat’s need to chew while helping to clean his or her teeth as well. The chews are filled with either catnip or mint.

Training Aids

Cat Scratchers

Cats have an innate desire to scratch, but that can mean damaged furniture, carpets, and more. Scratching allows your cat to hone his claws, stretch his muscles and relieve stress. Cats also scratch to mark their home turf; with every scratch, special glands in the pads of his paws release a scent that makes your house smell like home sweet home. Provide your cat with an approved and satisfying place to scratch with the Imperial Floor Cat Scratcher. It’s eco-friendly and made of 100% recycled materials, and your cat will appreciate a place to exercise her desire to scratch!

Cat Tree

If you have the space, you can also feed your cat’s instinct to climb. The Animaze Cat Tree provides plenty of space for your cat to scratch, as well as 6 levels to climb, frolic and nap. Each level offers a comfortable place to hang out, while the floor and first landing features coconut rope-wrapped scratching posts for clawing pleasure. The sturdy design means it will offer years of climbing and lazing opportunity for your pet.

Cat Harness

Whomever said cats can’t be trained probably didn’t try very hard. Cats are extremely intelligent, and if you start training them at an early age, they will actually enjoy going for walks just as much as dogs do. This Kitty Harness is a great way to keep your pet secure. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors to match your feline’s unique personality.

Health Insurance

For incidental trips to the vet, you may want to consider health insurance for your pets. From sick exam fees and vet visits, to dental injury and disease, Petplan Cat Insurance protects pets (and your pocketbook) with the most comprehensive cat insurance coverage.

Owning a new kitten is such a rewarding experience. Having the right equipment and toys will make the journey more enjoyable for you and your beloved furry friend.

Want to follow the crazy, cute antics of my newest family member? Come follow Beatrix Kitto, aka Not the Puppy, on Instagram!

Keeping your cat healthy is your number one concern. There are so many options when it comes to nutritional and supportive care for pets. Want to learn about the safety of using essential oils with cats? Check out this post.

5 Signs of a Healthy Menstrual Cycle

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How do you describe your menstrual cycle? Predictable or erratic, heavy or light, painful or just inconvenient? I’m sure you can think of dozens of adjectives to describe your monthly cycle, and yours would be different than every other woman. Because just like every other parameter of health, there is no perfect way to have a period. Due to the diversity among female bodies, what is normal for one woman may be totally unusual for another. Rather than look at what’s normal, then, let’s discuss what it means to have a healthy menstrual cycle.

What a Healthy Menstrual Cycle Looks Like

Premenstrual Syndrome

Most women don’t feel their best in the days or week leading up to their period. Mild fatigue, irritability, appetite changes, and bloating are common period precursors for many women. While mild PMS symptoms do not warrant concern, severe symptoms may be a sign of an issue.

If, for example, your PMS symptoms are severe enough to cause you to miss work or school, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Debilitating cramps, uncontrollable mood swings, migraine headaches, and chronic fatigue are not normal. These are all manifestations of an imbalance between estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol.

If you experience severe PMS, there are a few things you can do.

  • Get adequate sleep. Just like every other body system, your reproductive system depends on sleep to function properly.
  • Nourish your body. Nutrition is super important during your period, when your body needs a little extra boost of some key vitamins, like magnesium and B6.
  • Engage in light exercise. No need to go crazy, but studies show that light exercise actually helps regulate your cycle.
  • Find ways to relieve stress. I can’t emphasize this one enough. When you stress, your body produces more cortisol, which directly affects your progesterone levels and can totally mess with your cycle and exacerbate PMS symptoms.

Regularity

Most women’s menstrual cycles are between 25 and 35 days long. Wherever your cycle falls within that range, it should be relatively consistent from month to month. If it varies widely each month, you may be dealing with fluctuating hormone levels.

If you tend to skip periods or have excessively short or long cycles, it may be a sign of a hormonal imbalance or another health issue. Irregular cycles usually indicate that ovulation is not taking place, and this may be due to an underlying illness, such as thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian cysts, adrenal issues, etc.

Duration

The duration of your period should also be somewhat regular. Most women’s periods last from 4 to 7 days. In most cases, there’s no need to worry if your period is a couple of days longer or shorter than the average.

However, if you bleed for more than 7 days—especially if your flow is particularly heavy—or if you only experience spotting or light bleeding for less than 3 days, it may be time to consult your doctor.

Color

Period blood should be bright red in color. Red blood is a sign of good blood flow to the pelvic region. On the other hand, dark red or brown blood can indicate that blood is stagnating in the uterus. This may result from poor circulation or a hormonal imbalance.

One simple remedy for stagnant blood flow is castor oil packs. The heat from a castor oil pack increases blood flow and may improve oxygenation to target tissues.

Cervical Fluid

Throughout your cycle, you should experience changes in your cervical fluid. These changes indicate the fluctuation of hormones and are a sign of a healthy menstrual cycle.

  • Leading up to and right after your period, estrogen levels are low, and you may feel more dry as cervical fluid decreases.
  • As your body approaches ovulation, estrogen levels rise, and your cervical fluid should be wet and may appear slightly opaque.
  • During ovulation, cervical fluid is more slippery and even a bit stretchy.
  • Immediately after ovulation occurs, progesterone levels increase causing cervical fluid to become more sticky and decrease.

Keeping Comfortable During Your Cycle

Throughout your menstrual cycle, you’ll experience a range of fluids. My favorite way to stay comfortable—and free from leakage—throughout my cycle is with Thinx period underwear. Thinx feel like regular underwear, and I trust me, I don’t miss using bulky pads or uncomfortable tampons! To learn more, check out this post about 8 Ways Thinx Makes Your Period More Bearable.

But don’t take my word for it, get $10 off your first pair of Thinx with their 60-day satisfaction guarantee.

The Health Benefits of Owning a Pet

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There’s a reason why dogs are dubbed man’s best friend. Dogs, cats, and other pets make wonderful companions and provide many emotional and physical benefits. Some of the health benefits of owning a pet may surprise you. Let’s have a look at some of the ways you may not even be aware that your furry companion enhances your life.

Decrease Stress

Numerous studies show how pets help us cope with stressful situations. Have you ever noticed how animals seem to have an innate ability to detect when we are sad or stressed? So many pet owners describe how their compassionate pooch knows just when a therapeutic cuddle is in order. And this doesn’t just bring comfort on a surface level. Studies show that interaction with animals can actually decrease cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and also increase oxytocin levels (the happy hormone).

Combat Loneliness and Depression

Any pet owner will tell you that nothing is quite as comforting than cuddling up with a furry friend. In fact, one study found that owning a pet significantly reduced college students’ risk of becoming depressed or lonely. Another interesting study noted that petting various animals—from rabbits to turtles—decreased subjects’ anxiety.

Bolster Our Self Esteem

For many people, owning a pet helps foster a sense of purpose and validation. This is especially true with the elderly and people who may be confined to their homes more. Dogs and cats provide unconditional love that helps improve security and self esteem. Knowing that someone is always happy to see you no matter what can go a long way to improving self image.

Encourage Physical Activity

Rain or shine, hot or cold, your dog never wants to miss out on her exercise regimen. The responsibility of owning a pet causes most people to get outside more. One study showed that people who included pets in their exercise routine were more likely to stick to their weight loss programs. On average, dog owners engage in up to 60% more physical activity than those without dogs.

Improve Heart Health

Not only do pets have the endearing ability to melt your heart, they may help keep your ticker in tip-top shape. Studies show that pet ownership is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors, as well as increased survival in individuals with established cardiovascular disease. In fact, pet owners typically have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Even if you don’t have the space or time for a dog or a cat, you can reap this benefit of pet ownership. For some people, fish are the ultimate pets. They don’t need to be walked or played with, and this study shows that just watching them swim can make you healthier.

Ease Pain

There’s a reason service dogs are frequent hospital guests. They provide comfort and distraction from physical pain, but even more importantly, they help reduce anxiety and stress, which can contribute to pain perception. When researchers observed patients recovering from surgery, they found that those who received animal-assisted therapy requested less pain medication.

Improve Immunity and Reduce Allergies

Pets introduce another interesting health benefit in our homes that may actually improve immune system function and decrease the occurrence of allergies. Studies show that children who live with furry pets in infancy develop a more diverse microbiome. This directly correlates to a reduced risk of allergic disease and overall better immune system function. Researchers believe that this could be because pets expose children to different kinds of bacteria and dirt at an early age.

Pets Make You More Attractive

One sure fire way to meet new people is to take your picture perfect pooch for a walk in the park. A pet provides an instant ice breaker and an easy conversation starter. Not only that, but most people agree that pet owners exhibit more compassion and empathy. Owning a pet also encourages and shows responsibility and commitment, two qualities would-be partners commonly seek. In fact, a survey of single men and women shows that they both view pet owners as more attractive.

Improve Sleep Quality

Okay, so if you have a 200 pound Great Dane or 14 cats, this may not hold true for you. But according to researchers from the Mayo Clinic, people who sleep with their dogs in their bedroom experience more sound, restful sleep.

Improve Longevity

With all the emotional and physical health benefits of owning a pet, it’s no surprise that pet owners also live longer. According to a study of more than 3.4 million people, pet owners have up to a 33% reduced risk of death compared to people without furry companions.

Treat your pets right and give them the benefits of pure, therapeutic essential oils. Learn all the dos and don’ts of using essential oils with pets here.

Zodiac Blends for Every Season

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When I saw the new Zodiac Roller Bottle Collection from Whimsy and Wellness, I just had to come up with some fun recipes for the zodiac signs. This year especially, it seems we can use some grounding and focusing, and these blends are just the trick. You can mix up all of them and use them throughout the year for various emotional needs, or maybe just create the blend for your own sign. They also make great gifts for pretty much everyone on your list. Trust me, these cute roller bottles won’t last long, so better order your set today and then start making your own zodiac blends.

FYI, you can click on any of the hyperlinked essential oil names in this post to learn more about that specific essential oil!

Aquarius Zodiac Blend

Just Focus

Try this blend to help promote focus and balance.

  • 5 drops cedarwood 
  • 4 drops orange
  • 3 drops cardamom
  • 3 drops rosemary
  • 2 drops cinnamon bark
  • Aquamarine crystals

Learn more about the season of Aquarius.

Pisces Zodiac Blend

Rejuvenate

The Pisces zodiac blend is the perfect thing to help you wind down and relax for some needed rejuvenation.

  • 2 drops bergamot
  • 2 drops cedarwood
  • 3 drops sacred frankincense
  • 2 drops lemon
  • 4 drops ylang ylang
  • Amethyst crystals

Learn more about the season of Pisces.

Aries Zodiac Blend

Chillax

Sometimes you just need to chill. This blend will help slow down those racing thoughts to help you mentally and physically slow down.

  • 6 drops frankincense
  • 6 drops lemon 
  • 4 drops citronella 
  • 5 drops Eucalyptus globulus
  • 2 drops clove
  • Carnelian crystals

Learn more about the season of Aries.

Taurus Zodiac Blend

Clear the Air

Try this blend to encourage mental clarity, relaxed purposefulness, and sensuality.

Learn more about the season of Taurus.

Gemini Zodiac Blend

Ride the Wave

This is a great blend to mix up and wear topically while chasing down your next adventure. Or try it in a diffuser or even a car diffuser.

Learn more about the season of Gemini.

Cancer Zodiac Blend

Visualize

Use this blend to help encourage intuition and relaxation.

  • 4 drops German chamomile
  • 6 drops lavender
  • 4 drops tangerine
  • 2 drops myrtle
  • 1 drop spearmint
  • Moonstone crystals

Learn more about the season of Cancer.

Leo Zodiac Blend

Roaring Lion

Apply this blend to wrists, neck, and behind the ears and knees to mobilize your dreams and bring your inspiration to reality! 

  • 3 drops ginger
  • 2 drops lemon
  • 2 drops tea tree
  • 3 drops grand fir
  • 1 drop ylang ylang
  • Carnelian crystals

Learn more about the season of Leo.

Virgo Zodiac Blend

Time to Chill

Try this relaxing blend to calm and restore balance and harmony.

Learn more about the season of Virgo.

Libra Zodiac Blend

Harmonious Balance

Feeling out of balance? This blend will help bring you back to center and encourage mental and physical balance.

  • 8 drops frankincense 
  • 6 drops bergamot
  • 3 drops basil
  • 2 drops pine
  • 2 drops Melissa
  • Aquamarine crystals

Learn more about the season of Libra.

Scorpio Zodiac Blend

Feet on the Ground

The Scorpio zodiac blend helps promote grounding and a sense of calm, especially if you struggle with control issues.

  • 5 drops lavender
  • 5 drops sandalwood
  • 4 drops sacred frankincense
  • 3 drops vetiver
  • Garnet crystals

Learn more about the season of Scorpio.

Sagittarius Zodiac Blend

Free Your Spirit

Try this blend to help you harness your inner child and encourage more fun in your life. 

  • 6 drops frankincense
  • 5 drops lavender
  • 5 drops kunzea
  • 2 drops ravintsara
  • 2 drops ylang ylang
  • Amethyst crystals

Learn more about the season of Sagittarius.

Capricorn Zodiac Blend

Let’s Get Moving!

Need to put the pedal to the metal? Roll on this zodiac blend to stimulate motivation, energy, drive, and a positive attitude!

Learn more about the season of Capricorn.

Get your Zodiac Roller Bottles here! If you create any of these zodiac blends or even your own modifications, comment below and let us know how you like them!