rescue cats get their play on with Vitakraft Purrk! Playfuls with #felinesilvervine #sponsored

This post is sponsored by Vitakraft and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Purrk! Playfuls, but Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Vitakraft is not responsible for the content of this article.

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Most of us enjoy a few extra libations during the holiday season, so why should things be any different for your cat? I know...vino is no bueno for felines and catnip is old news. But have you heard of feline Silvervine?

Vitakraft, a leader in pet products since 1837 (YES, you heard me right...1837) sure has, and they've brought us a line of stimulating cat toys that can be used with it to take kitty play to a whole new level. What is Silvervine, you ask? I hadn't heard of it, either, until Vitakraft invited us to try their new Purrk Playfuls line of toys. 

Silvervine is a plant that grows in the mountainous regions of East Asia. It's 100% natural, and is reported to be preferred to catnip in three out of four cats. Each Vitakraft Purrk Playfuls toy comes with a pack of Silvervine powder, or you can purchase five Silvervine powder packs separately to keep your cat in plentiful supply. Who knew there was something better than catnip? 

All kidding aside, using feline Silvervine to entice play has health benefits for your cat. By stimulating your feline with this safe, all-natural plant, your cat becomes more active and is likely to exercise more frequently. A cat who exercises regularly is typically healthier, just like us humans. When used with Silvervine, the Purrk! Playfuls line of toys will enrich your cat both physically and mentally. Vitakraft reports that cats play 2.5 times longer with Silvervine than they do catnip and return to toys with Silvervine more often.

Why is Silvervine the best?

• all-natural

• safe

• provides physical and mental stimulation

• cats play longer and return to toys more often

• three out of four cats prefer it to catnip

Vitakraft sent us a complete package of Purrk! Playfuls to try. We received two "Bouncy Butterflies," two "Deep Sea Bugs," and a Silvervine Pixie Powder Pack to keep us in supply. The line also includes "Desert Bug" as well as plastic "Marvy Mouse," "Purrky Bird," and "Frisky Fish" that have Silvervine infused right in them. Since the season is all about giving, my children and I decided to take our haul to the Lost Our Home Pet Foundation PetSmart Cat Room where we volunteer each week. We sprung our new cat toys on the following victims:

We'd seen Leah and Keegan before, but Lightening and Houdina were brand-new additions to the cat room, so we didn't know what to expect from them. Keegan is typically quite playful, so I figured she'd really dig the Silvervine-enhanced toys. Leah on the other hand...well, she typically likes to relax and kick back, so I wasn't sure how she'd react or if she'd even be interested.

I was wrong.

My daughter, Campbell, spent a good deal of time holding the Bouncy Butterfly for Leah.

My daughter, Campbell, spent a good deal of time holding the Bouncy Butterfly for Leah.

Leah wore us all out with her enthusiasm for the Bouncy Butterfly, so we made good use of the included doorknob clip.

Leah wore us all out with her enthusiasm for the Bouncy Butterfly, so we made good use of the included doorknob clip.

Needless to say, Leah took right to the Bouncy Butterfly. In fact, she wore us out with her enthusiasm. All three of us spent a good deal of time holding the Bouncy Butterfly for her, but since litter boxes needed scooping and food bowls needed to be filled, we used the handy-dandy doorknob clip that the Bouncy Butterfly came with so Leah could keep playing and playing. She played for about forty-five minutes before taking a break. Amazing. Here's some footage of Leah in action:

Since Keegan couldn't get a moment with the Bouncy Butterfly while Leah monopolized it, we offered her a Deep Sea Bug.

The curled shape made the Deep Sea Bug boing and bounce to Keegan's delight She stalked the bug, pounced on it, jumped all over the place, and lost it under the door several times. Perhaps she liked us to fetch it for her. 

The pursuit and the catch (and the swipe under the door).

The pursuit and the catch (and the swipe under the door).

Though Keegan is always quite playful, she played longer and harder than she normally does. Perhaps she was quite fond of the Silvervine. Check out Keegan in action with the Deep Sea Bug:

Speaking of being fond of Silvervine, our friend Lightening went bonkers over it. At first, she was quite amorous toward the Deep Sea Bug.

"Deep Sea Bug, I love you so."

"Deep Sea Bug, I love you so."

Lightening had a great time snuggling with the Deep Sea Bug, and then she went bonkers. Literally. She pounced and played with the toy for a good deal of time, then abandoned it for the dark side. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture her in a video because I was so busy replacing papers on the desk and making sure her bouncing off the walls didn't get too out of hand. Suffice it to say that we all had a great laugh, and Lightening got some very good exercise. She had a blast, and I think if she had thumbs, she'd give Silvervine two thumbs up.

And what about Houdina, our little shy girl? She hid. Perhaps if the three older cats had not been hogging the toys and bouncing off the walls, we could have coaxed her out for a romp, but she's new to the shelter and quite nervous, so we decided to let her watch from the comfort of her kitty condo. So Vitakraft's claim that three out of four cats prefer Silvervine held true for our sample. 

We had a great time watching the cats enjoy their new Vitakraft Purrk! Playfuls toys, and it felt great to know they were getting some good exercise, especially since they spend most of their days cooped up in a small space. I can see how these enhanced toys would be a great addition to the routine of any cat and would bring some great health benefits to felines of varying lifestyles from the over-active to the sedentary. Purrk! Playfuls is the first full line of cat toys to bring Silvervine to the U.S. The line of toys is guaranteed to make your cat purr, and Vitakraft places their money where their mouth is. Each product comes with a satisfaction guarantee: "If your kitty isn't 100% thrilled with this product, simply return the unused portion for replacement, substitution, or refund." 

Sweet. No risk.

So if you're racking your brain for that definitive gift for your kitty for the holidays, Purrk! Playfuls is the answer.

Feeling lucky? Well, you're in luck. The kind folks at Vitakraft are offering Well Minded readers the chance to win a Purrk! Playfuls toy and Silvervine pack. Please enter, below, for your chance to win.

Connect with Vitakraft on Facebook and YouTube.

satisfy your pet's holiday wish list and support the aspca, plus a #giveaway

Isn't it great to kill two birds with one stone?

Well, not literally...you know we're all about loving on birds, but you know what I mean. This holiday season, the ASPCA is making it easy to give to your own pets and pet lovers and to pets in need. They have put together a fantastic list of gift ideas for pets and pet lovers as well as some fun DIY gift ideas.

One of my favorite DIY gift ideas presented by the ASPCA won't cost you a dime and will be loved by nearly any pooch. Check out the instructions for making a t-shirt chew toy:

The color possibilities are endless, and it's free, so why not make a bunch for your dog to give to his furry friends?

For your feline friends, the ASPCA has suggested this awesome and affordable Catnip Toy 6-Pack. The pack includes two each of three distinctly different mouse styles, and a portion of the purchase price directly benefits the ASPCA's efforts in rescuing, rehabilitating and finding loving permanent homes for animals all across the United States. Other great gift ideas that benefit the ASPCA include:

• Dog 10-Piece Gift Set

• Taj Ma Hound Doggy Donuts

• Cat Play Ball

The ASPCA has some great gift ideas for pet lovers, too! 

If you're looking for something with a little bling for that pet lover in your life, Zales has a magnificent ASPCA collection. With prices starting under $50, these beautiful pieces are definitely worth checking out.

Other gift ideas for the pet lover in your life include:

• Walkers Shortbread Cookies

• Commonwealth Toys Plush Pets

In the spirit of giving, the ASPCA has offered Well Minded readers the chance to win an ASPCA Holiday Gift Pack! The gift pack includes:

• ASPCA Logo Travel Mug

• ASPCA Canvas Tote

• Walkers Shortbread Scottie Dog Cookies

• Commonwealth Toys Plush Set

• "Hello" Fresh Breath Products

• Swiffer Cleaning Products

• Catnip Toy 6-Pack

• Taj Ma Hound Doggy Donuts

• Cat Play Ball

• Squeeze Dumbell Dog Toy

• ASPCA Fleece Blanket

Whew! How generous! U.S. residents may enter, below, and show your support for the ASPCA by doing a bit of holiday shopping in their online store.

And there's even more holiday fun to be had! Join the #SantaPaws Holiday Twitter party and giveaway extravaganza on Thursday, December 18th from 7-8 p.m. EST and enter the ASPCA holiday pet photo contest by sharing a photo of your pet celebrating the holidays!

All images courtesy of the ASPCA.