the black cat bias

October 24, 2015 Kristen Carr

We all know the old wives' tale..."never let a black cat cross your path." But where did that come from? And why shouldn't we?

Do cats bring bad luck? And are they really the last to be adopted? The Black Cat Bias. wellmindedpets.com

the origin of the bad luck curse

Black cats started to get the shaft in Europe during the middle ages. Most people were paranoid and hysterical about witches and witchcraft during that time. Poor old ladies (with cats, some of which were black), were accused of being witches, and their cats were guilty of witchcraft by association. People started to believe that the black cats were actually the witches who'd transformed themselves, and this notion fueled the Salem witch trials in America. Some believed that a witch could transform herself into a black cat nine times...which is thought to have been the origin of the "cats have nine lives" saying. Still today, black cats are heavily associated with Halloween and spooky goings-on. For many in Western culture, a black cat crossing paths with a human signifies misfortune and death.

Huffington Post recently broke down the bad news about black cats.

bad luck for black cats

• black cats have a very difficult time being adopted

• some shelters offer reduced adoption prices or free spaying and neutering for black cats to encourage adoption

• 13% of Americans are superstitious about a black cat crossing their path

• some organizations and shelters do not allow adoptions of black cats during the month of October for fear of animal cruelty

• a Nevada shelter put on an "Adopt Your Own Mini Panther" campaign to persuade people to adopt black cats, and all 18 black cats they had were adopted

• black cats have the lowest adoption rate and the highest euthanasia rate

black cat fun facts

• there are 22 breeds of cats that can have solid black coats

• the Bombay is the most common black cat breed, a breed also characterized by intelligence, playfulness, and tendency to interact and seek attention

• the percentage of male and female black cats is slightly skewed toward the male gender

• the high melanin pigment in black cats causes most of them to have yellow eyes

• in many other cultures, a black cat is thought to bring good fortune and prosperity

the good news

As awareness is raised about the black cat adoption situation, more and more people are coming to shelters specifically requesting a black cat. Since these animal lovers know the struggle black cats face, they are helping the cause. Pawsome!

We recently worked with one of our favorite black cat clients, Jacopo. If you take a look at this outtake from our time together, you'll see the smart, playful, gorgeous "mini panther" that he is.

Uploaded by Kristen Carr on 2015-10-24.

Tell me about your black cat!

A back cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. -Groucho Marx

our d.i.y. cat plate gets licked clean: purina muse® natural cat food is a hit! #mycatmymuse #ad

October 22, 2015 Kristen Carr

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyCatMyMuse #CollectiveBias

As you may know, my junior pet sitters are obsessed with crafts, DIY, and anything that makes a giant mess. Me...not so much. I pick up poop all day, so I'm okay with not making a mess at home. When they want to get their inner-Picasso on, I try to find the least invasive-to-my-life project that will also satisfy their artistic yearnings. I'm a great mother in other ways. Swear. So when the junior pet sitters learned that we had the chance to check out a new natural cat food with our favorite black cat, they jumped at the chance to "add a little something special" to the whole she-bang, and it just SCREAMED Halloween!

Our DIY Cat Plate Gets Licked Clean: Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food is a Hit. #MyCatMyMuse wellmindedpets.com

As a professional pet sitter, I'm often asked for pet food recommendations. That means we're always on the prowl for nutritious, natural pet food. I went on a mission to find one of our favorite clients, Jacopo, a new quality food. We love browsing our local PetSmart for the best in pet nutrition because there is such a variety to choose from. When we went with Jacopo in mind, we discovered Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food, sold exclusively at PetSmart. I love exclusivity, but I'm going to fill you in on it, anyway. 'Cause I'm nice like that.

discovering the variety purina muse® natural cat food has to offer

I'm a firm believer in rotational feeding for cats and dogs, so I was on the hunt for a cat food that offered a lot of "recipes" and options. I found Purina Muse, and was totally impressed with the giant array of cans and clear tubs in the cat food section at PetSmart. In fact, I kind-of felt a bit overwhelmed and impressed. Who knew?

Purina Muse Natural Cat Food was easy to find in the cat food aisle of our local PetSmart.

Purina Muse offers over 30 recipes. What choices! With Purina Muse, you don't have to choose between nutrition and food that tastes great. Your cat can have both when you choose Muse. There were so many wonderful options that I had to reel-it-in and focus. You might benefit from my discipline...the food falls into five main categories, all of which include the essential nutrients cats need to thrive, and most of which are grain-free:

• in chowder (clear tub)

• in broth (clear tub)

• with toppers (clear tub)

• paté (can)

• in gravy (can)

Check out all of the Purina Muse Recipes at PetSmart.

I love that many Purina Muse Natural Cat Food Varieties come in clear tubs so you can see what you're getting.

My mind was blown when I started to consider the options. I don't know that I've ever seen such a great variety in natural cat food. There was chicken with tomato and carrot, turkey and spinach, sea bass and herring, tuna and tilapia with a baby clam topper, and ocean whitefish with an anchovy topper, just to name a few. Don't tell anyone, but I was getting a bit hungry, myself, just checking out the different options. Perhaps I should have had lunch, first. Never shop hungry. I selected a few different kinds to try so we could find out which would become Jacopo's favorites. I especially love the clear tubs that the broth and chowder varieties come in. You can see right through the package so that you know exactly what you're getting. That works. Oh, and–added bonus points for Purina Muse–the packaging is recyclable.

What's best about Purina Muse?

• all recipes are made with real fish or poultry

• there are no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives

• the recipes are 100% complete and balanced for adult cats

• there are thirty different recipes, twenty-four of which are grain-free

Learn more about Purina Muse on the Purina Muse web site.

Purina Muse offers a huge variety of grain-free natural nutrition options for your cat. We chose these to try first.

Naturally, we had to design a custom Halloween plate for Jacopo, our classic black cat Halloween muse. Because kids. Because crafts. Once we chose a few varieties for Jacopo to try, we set out to find the supplies we'd need to create our Halloween gift for him.

diy ceramic cat dish with sharpie embellishment

When my junior pet sitters, Porter and Campbell, were looking to get their creative on, I freaked a little, and then figured it out. They especially love to make things for our clients around the holidays, so something of that genre made sense to satisfy their monstrous craft-craving. I can sometimes be a bit of a disaster when it comes to creating anything too elaborate. When the kids asked me if they could make something Halloween-themed for Jacopo, a simple project a friend told me about came to mind as the perfect option: a ceramic-cat-dish-decorated-with-Sharpie-pens-and-baked-in-the-oven-to-set-the-design. Easy peasy, right? RIGHT? Looking for some support, here!

Let's make this!

1. SUPPLIES

Our DIY cat dish required minimal supplies.

THE DISH: In order to avoid whisker fatigue, it is important to provide cats with a shallow food dish. We poked around at a couple of local stores and found the perfect saucer-like, plain white dish at IKEA. It had a smooth surface for the kids to decorate on, was shallow, and was the perfect size. Since they were only a couple of dollars a piece, we purchased a few extras for future creations (or do-overs).

THE SHARPIES: We wanted to create something fun for Jacopo for Halloween, so we chose a simple orange and black color palette. Sharpies come in just about any color you can imagine, so this project would work great for any holiday or occasion.

2. DECORATING

Wash and thoroughly dry your dish before decorating.

Decorate your plate. The only limitation in design is your creativity! In keeping with the Halloween spirit, my son, Porter, created a spooky graveyard scene with a black cat, and my daughter, Campbell, created a jack-o-lantern face. They had a lot of fun embellishing their dishes and added Jacopo's name for that personal touch. BOO!

The junior pet sitters had a blast decorating their cat dishes.

After you're done with your masterpiece, let the design dry completely.

3. BAKING

After the artists finished their masterpieces, into the oven they went (the plates, not the artists).

By baking the decorated dishes, the Sharpie designs become permanent. There are quite a few suggestions and theories out there regarding Sharpie design and ceramics. What works best is hotly debated by those in the crafting scene. We tried a few different methods (good thing we had extras) and found the way that we achieved the best results:

• put the dish on a baking sheet in a cold oven

• set the oven to 450° and set a timer for 30 minutes

• once the timer goes off, turn the oven off, but leave the dish in the oven until it is completely cool

• once cooled, the plate can be washed (though ours have held up nicely in the dishwasher, you may wish to hand wash, just to be safe)

Trust me, if I can pull this off, you can, too. The kids had a blast decorating their plates with Jacopo in mind.

DIY cat dishes complete...complete with sibling antics.

the taste test

With our Halloween-inspired custom plates in hand, we ventured off to find our muse. We knew just where to go.

As you know, I'm a professional pet sitter, and Jacopo is a pretty awesome cat client of mine. His uplifting personality never fails to put a smile on my face. He's always up for some fun, and he was eager to try Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food.

Purina Muse provided Jacopo with great-tasting natural nutrition he couldn't resist even for a second.

Jacopo didn't want to miss even a tiny morsel.

He dug right in to the whitefish with anchovy topper. In fact, he devoured the whole portion, although he'd already eaten breakfast. He licked his plate clean, then looked under and around the plate end even tried to move it to see if there might just be a morsel he left behind. It was quite clear that he gave the taste a paws-up review. I loved introducing him to a healthy, natural food option, and his mom, Lisa, was thrilled, too. We had a great laugh together about how crazy Jacopo was about it. She is eager to let Jacopo try the other varieties, but we decided it best not to stuff him until he popped on the first go-around. I wouldn't be surprised if Lisa switches Jacopo and his siblings over to Purina Muse permanently. Jacopo and Lisa loved the custom plates the kids made, too, though I think Jacopo liked them better with a full plate of food covering the design.

feed your feline muse a great-tasting, natural food

Natural has never been so delicious. Put Purina Muse to the test with our clean plate guarantee! Be sure to check out all of the thirty varieties at PetSmart and let us know which one is your favorite...er...your cat's favorite!

Click here for a sweet coupon for Purina Muse® Natural Cat Food.

How is your cat your muse?

how to transition your dog to a new food with #PinnacleHealthyPets #sponsored

October 19, 2015 Kristen Carr

While some dogs have stomachs of steel, some don't. It can quickly become apparent when we've transitioned our dogs to a new food too quickly. While they pay in discomfort, we pay in messy clean-up duties. And nobody wants that. The two most important things to focus on when transitioning your pooch to a new food are QUANTITY (how quickly you transition) and QUALITY (how healthy the food is). When you transition your dog gradually to a food that has limited, quality ingredients, you set him up for success.

How to Transition Your Dog to a New Food. wellmindedpets.com

This post is sponsored by Pinnacle® and the Blogpaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Pinnacle's reformulated Grain Free Dog food, but Well Minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pinnacle is not responsible for the content of this article.

quantity: how to make the transition

Any time you switch your dog's food, it's important to make the transition slowly for two reasons.

1. Your dog will likely be more accepting of the new food.

2. Your dog's digestive system will have time to ease into the new situation, which is especially important for dogs with sensitive tummies.

I suggest a 1/4 over 4 days formula, which will gradually transition your pet over the course of 12 days. You'll switch 1/4 of your dog's food to the new food for four days, then increase the amount of new food by 1/4 every four days. It looks like this:

How to Transition Your Pet to a New Food Chart. wellmindedpets.com

quality: what you transition to matters

I am a firm believer that the quality of food you feed your dog affects their overall health. A poor quality diet (I'm not naming names) means your dog won't shine–literally. If you notice the dull coat and lack of energy on the outside, what do you think is going on on the inside?

Instead, do your research and read the ingredient list. Make sure the food your select for your dog is of the highest quality. What's not in the food is as important as what is in the food. Pinnacle® Pet Food is a great example of a high quality food that will provide your dog with the energy and nutrients he needs to be active and healthy. We've recently transitioned N.A.S.H.A. to Pinnacle's duck and sweet potato formula.

We believe in canine rotational feeding, which means N.A.S.H.A. is fed a few different high-quality foods, and we transition her frequently. We feel that this keeps her interested in eating and since each food has something a bit different to offer, we feel that it keeps her healthier. We have a few favorites that we come back to, and grain-free Pinnacle is now in our lineup.

Pinnacle is offered in several different recipes.

what's great about pinnacle

Pinnacle is all about holistic pet nutrition, an approach that focuses on the overall health of the pet. They say:

Natural foods, carefully chosen and meticulously cooked, are the basis of the Pinnacle concept. Our precise preparation and packaging of high quality natural sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats makes sure the full value of our fine ingredients remains intact for your pet's benefit. The vitamins, minerals, and probiotics found in Pinnacle foods are in to provide a balanced diet for complete nutrition. We've also taken great care to make sure that Pinnacle is made with limited ingredients, so even pets with sensitive systems may enjoy the fine flavors and health benefits of Pinnacle's superior ingredients...Our goal is to provide you with a clear choice of optimum nutrition so that your dog and cat will benefit from good health.

In order to have a healthier, more active, and happier dog, food choice is key. We tried Pinnacle's duck and sweet potato recipe, which has healthy ingredients focused on nutritional balance. And since the food is made in their California plant, they have complete control over production.

what's inside pinnacle's duck and sweet potato recipe?

• duck–provides an excellent source of protein that your pet needs to be active

• sweet potato–antioxidant-rich to support a healthy immune system

• quinoa seed–contains amino acids to support muscle development, essential for keeping active

• peas, canola oil, flax seed, and kelp meal–antioxidant-rich ingredients to support your dog's immune system and overall health

• fiber–essential for healthy digestion

N.A.S.H.A., eager to give Pinnacle a try.

the results of N.A.S.H.A.'s transition

First and foremost, N.A.S.H.A. loved the duck and sweet potato formula. We transitioned her gradually according to my formula, and, as we always do, we mixed in turmeric and apple cider vinegar. She took right to it and seemed very excited about the new culinary adventure. Most of the food she eats has either chicken, beef, or salmon as the meat-sourced protein, so duck is a fairly unique variety for her.

N.A.S.H.A. is a ten-year-old mixed terrier. Though she's getting on in years, her little legs keep up with our active family. And thank goodness it's fall so we can be more active outdoors. Those of us from Phoenix go into an indoor hibernation-like state during the sweltering summers, so fall is our time to shine. Whether she joins us for a family hike, splashes around in the pool, or plays catch (yes, she throws back, so it's more than fetch), she keeps busy and has a healthy, active lifestyle. We want to keep it that way, so we do a lot of research on the food we feed her. Her diet has to sustain her activity level and support her health as she's approaching her senior-ish (shhhhhh) years. Pinnacle is great for all life stages and definitely fits in with our standards for superior holistic pet nutrition, so we're happy to add it to our rotation.

Learn more about Pinnacle and purchase Pinnacle pet food on the Pinnacle web site.

Connect with Pinnacle on Twitter and Facebook.

Do you have an active dog who depends on great nutrition? What qualities do you look for when choosing a healthy pet food?

beyond business: the heart of the client/pet sitter relationship

October 17, 2015 Kristen Carr

Sometimes "professional" and "pet" are a dichotomy in my mind. I am a "professional pet sitter," but what does that mean in terms of relating to my clients? The day-in and day-out of pet sitting is mostly mushy-gushy. I love my clients' pets nearly as much as they do (most of them–wink, wink), so it sometimes just seems like a free-for-all love fest. But the professional aspect is also important. So, as a professional pet sitter, I get to play both sides simultaneously. Sometimes being a professional means I need to make sure to send a confirmation in a timely manner or be sure to give an injection in just the right way to a diabetic cat. Other times, it means rolling around on the floor wrestling a puppy or sitting quietly with a senior pooch in declining health. It's all part of my profession, and I love the variety it brings.

Beyond Business: the Heart of the Client/Pet Sitter Relationship. wellmindedpets.com

Though I'm all about the pets, and they are my top priority, I make sure I take care of their parents, my human clients. Often, I only see them once, at the initial consultation. In fact, I have ten-year-old relationships with clients I've only been physically in the presence of one time, ten years ago. And yet, they are valuable, solid relationships. We communicate via email, text, and phone, and we relate well. Some relationships are stronger and tighter than others, but they are all special to me. I consider the fact that I can be genuine and true with the humans involved a big part of being a pet professional.

Most of my clients understand the bond I share with their pets. Occasionally, one won't, and they'll be some meanie who doesn't pay their bill or treats me like a servant. Though I'm giving myself a high-five for dumping that variety, it breaks my heart because by breaking up with a human, I'm breaking up with their pets, whom I've inevitably bonded with. Thankfully, I can count on one hand how many of those I've had.

As you may know, a few months ago, one of my longest-standing pooch clients passed away. It was a big deal for my whole family. Not only did I have a close bond with this dog, my kids (jr. pet sitters) did, too. The family kept me posted during their dog's final days, which meant so very much to me.

It meant the world to me that a new client read about our loss and took the time and effort to purchase special books for us.

I wrote about the experience, and a couple of days later, one of my brand-newish regular clients told me she read about our loss and gave her condolences. And then she went above and beyond. She gave my jr. pet sitters and I four lovely books about losing a pet. Like, she actually went to the store with us in mind and purchased these amazing stories for us to share together. In the infancy of our relationship, this blew me away. I fought back the tears and thanked her, but didn't know what else to say. She felt a close enough bond to us to extend herself personally and provide us with an intimate gesture that will be forever remembered.

Though my professional pet sitting business exists so that I can make money for my family, it is so much more than that. It is something I am passionate about. I am passionate about the pets in my care. I treat all of them as if they were my own. I often say that being a pet sitter saves me from having a zoo of my own. If I didn't have clients who shared their pets with me, I'd bring home every stray anything, and you'd see me on that show where they out crazy people who hoard animals. Being a pet sitter is kind-of like having pet adoption birth control. I get my fix elsewhere.

Monetary tips are great. I'll take them with appreciation. But what's even more valuable to me are the texts and calls and email messages saying "Thanks for taking such great care of Fido. We don't know what we'd do without you," or "Wow. Bonkers seemed so calm and secure when we got home. You're a miracle worker," or "We're home, now, and really appreciate how comfortable we feel with you being in our home and taking care of our crew." My favorite? "Are you available again next weekend?"

It's a business. But it's personal. The two are not mutually exclusive. It's one, big, happy emotional mess-of-a-job, and I can't imagine doing anything else.

Do you have a special pet sitter or other professional that you've bonded with on a personal level?

pets and domestic violence

October 15, 2015 Kristen Carr

Did you know that a large majority of victims of domestic violence hesitate to leave their situation out of concern for their pets? There is a strong link between domestic violence and animal abuse, and offenders of domestic violence typically abuse all members of the household, including pets. Since many shelters do not accept pets, it can be a gut-wrenching decision for victims to leave their pets behind with their abuser.

the impact of pets in domestic violence situations

Since the link between animal abuse and domestic violence is so strong, it is likely that a perpetrator of domestic violence will also abuse the animals in the home. According to animal advocacy group RedRover, most animal abuse occurs in the presence of human victims in the home in order to psychologically control or coerce them. Threats against household pets can be powerful in controlling victims and keeping them quiet about the abusive situation.

In a violent home, pets may suffer injuries, health problems, permanent disabilities, or may disappear from the home entirely or be killed.

Here are some interesting statistics from the American Humane Association:

• 71% of pet-owning women entering women's shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control victims.

• 68% of battered women reported violence toward their animals. 87% of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women and 75% in the presence of the children.

• 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.

• Between 25% and 40% of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets should they leave.

• For many battered women, pets are sources of comfort, providing strong emotional support: 98% of Americans consider pets to be companions or members of the family.

• A child growing up in the U.S. is more likely to have a pet than a live-at-home-father.

• Battered women have been known to live in their cars with their pets for as long as four months until an opening was available at a pet-friendly safe house.

the link between domestic violence and animal abuse

According to the ASPCA, and other resources, there is a strong link between domestic violence and animal abuse. In fact, a history of pet abuse is one of the top four indicators of risk for being a perpetrator of domestic violence. Those who abuse animals are typically more dangerous, violent and controlling than those who do not. Since so many women (though men can also be victims of domestic violence, it is most often women and children who are at risk) delay leaving an abusive situation out of concern for the pets in the household, it is vitally important that we provide resources for families with pets.

In addition, the ASPCA cites other shocking facts about animal abuse and domestic violence. Children exposed to domestic violence are three times more likely to be cruel to animals, which seems to perpetuate the cycle of abuse. Interestingly, the Chicago Police Department found that 30% of people arrested for animal abuse had domestic violence charges already on record.

why do abusers batter animals?

According to the ASPCA, there are several reasons abusers batter animals:

• to demonstrate power and control over the family

• to isolate the victim and children

• to enforce submission

• to perpetuate an environment of fear

• to prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return

• to punish for leaving or showing independence

what can you do?

What got me thinking about all of this? I was listening to The Mathew Blades Morning Show here in Phoenix the other day, and I heard him talking about his support of the Sojourner Center. He announced that he will be the emcee of their upcoming 14th Annual Hope Luncheon on October 29th.

Blades spoke about how the Sojourner Center supports women with pets by allowing them to stay together. The victims of domestic violence can bring their pets with them to the shelter, which can provide safety for the pets and comfort and peace of mind to the women and children seeking refuge from their abusive situation.

You can attend the luncheon, volunteer with the Sojourner Center or donate to the organization.