Organizing for Your Pets: Purina Health & Wellness App

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As many of you know, here at Simply Sweet Home, we have two resident cats, the adorable Rebel and Dixie. We've had them since they were kittens (nearly 4 years), and we love them very much!  We always try to provide them with the best care possible, which is why I was interested in learning about the Purina Pet Health App.

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Morton Safe-T-Pet Review & Giveaway

Winter can be hazardous for people living in cold-weather regions – and for our four-legged friends. To help keep pets safe this winter, Morton Salt’s Safe-T-Pet® brand ice melt and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) announced a public service campaign that kicks off on the first day of winter, Dec. 22, with “National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day."

The purpose of the campaign, which runs through January 2012, is to share important pet safety tips with as many pet owners as possible to help reduce winter weather-related pet injuries and fatalities. These tips can be found on Morton’s website and Facebook.

Here are just a few tips to keep in mind:

• Using pet-friendly (salt free and chloride free) ice melters such as Morton® Safe-T-Pet®.
• Keeping anti-freeze high on shelves in sealed containers and quickly cleaning any spills/leakage.
• Limiting outdoor time for pets when temperatures drop below freezing.
• Checking warm spots on cars, such as hoods, where animals might seek shelter from the cold.
• Keeping pets on a leash, especially dogs, which can become disoriented or lost when once familiar surroundings are covered in ice and snow; and
• Making sure pets are wearing identification tags and proper outerwear as needed.

Help ASPCA with One Click

 The Simply Sweet Home Cats are proud supporters of the ASPCA..

As part of this campaign, Morton is making a $20,000 donation to the ASPCA to help continue its life-saving work and provide resources to pet owners on pet wellness.

And when you "like"  Morton's Facebook page  from Oct. 1 through Jan. 31, 2012, Morton will donate $1 to the ASPCA, up to $55,000. This additional funding from Morton will be used by the ASPCA to raise awareness about the importance of proper winter pet care and safety.

Morton’s Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt - I was happy to receive a review pack of items, which included the Morton Ice Melt.  Since we had two big rounds of snow last year and are expecting another cold winter in 2012, I'm sure this will come in handy.

Our kitty cats are happy little indoor cats, but we can still use the ice melts, and I know our Neighbor Dogs, Buddy and Barney, who often frequent our yard, will be happy to know we have the Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt.

Other deicers form a liquid brine, often containing chlorides that can irritate pet's paws and if ingested, irritate the pet's stomach. The Morton's product contains a chloride-free organic compound called Urea, making it a non-toxic, non-irritating alternative to salt based ice melters. The product is also less corrosive to metals and concrete.

Giveaway! One Simply Sweet Home reader win a Morton Safe-T-Pet Prize Pack, which includes the following:
- One Jug Morton Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt
-Fleece Blanket
-Ice Scraper
-Retractable leash
-Dog Paw Shaped USB
-ID Tags
-Sharpie
-Shopping Bag

How to enter: Use the Rafflecopter form below below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




 
Disclosure: I received a review pack like the one that is being given away. However, I received no other compensation. The opinions posted are my own.

World's Best Cat Litter Review and Giveaway

As you do a little fall cleaning for the upcoming holidays, consider freshening up your cat's litter box with World's Best Cat Litter.

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Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition. All opinions are 100% mine.

I absolutely LOVE animals.  As many of you know, we have 2 kitty cats named Rebel and Dixie.  Our cats make every day in our house an adventure, and I have to admit, they've got me wrapped around their little paws!  And I want to have them around for a long time.  

I recently learned about the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge at Hill's Pet Nutrition.  The site challenges you to switch your dog's  (on in my case, my cats') food to Science Diet Healthy Mobility Food  to promote an active and healthy life.  They also want for you to track your pet's progress over 30 days and then come back to their site and share your story.

When you register for the challenge, you not only get the chance to improve your pet's lifestyle, but you will receive $30 in Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon offers. And registering automatically enters you in a sweepstakes where 30 winners will receive FREE pet food for a year!

If you're like me, you've probably seen the Science Diet commercials on television.  Up till now, I thought they only sold dog food, particularly formulas for adult and older dogs, but I was surprised that they actually have products for puppies as well,  And they have cat food for cats of all ages.

The site is also very informative, providing articles on pet care and also explaining which products are best to fit your pet's age and special nutritional needs.

I encourage everyone to go over and learn about Hill's Science Diet, find out which products are best for your four-legged friend, and then take the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge to help your pet live an active life.

Also, check out Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook.

Simple Solution Stain + Odor Remover Review and Giveaway

As a cat mommy, I'm always interested to learn about cleaning products that are safe to use around my kitty babies. Simple Solution is a complete line of pet products from Training Pads and Diapers to Household cleaners.

For more than 30 years, trusted pet lovers have relied on the extensive Simple Solution product line to take care of their furriest family members.  In 2010 they introduced their Paw Safe™ Household Cleaners, a line of safe cleaners made without harmful chemicals.

Our family had the chance to try the Simple Solution Stain + Odor Remover.  This product is the only formula with both Pro-Bacteria & enzymes to totally eliminiate stains and odors, and like the other Simple Solution products, it is safe for use around pets and children.

This product is made to be used on carpets, upholstery, bedding, clothing, and any water-safe surface.  And it is so easy and convenient to use.  You just add a little cleaner to the soiled spot; wait 10 minutes for it to work in, then blot the excess moisture, and let dry.  Very easy!

You can also add this to your Carpet Cleaning Machines, or you can use it to pretreat your stained clothing before washing.

Our kitty cats were well trained as kittens by their cat-mom Molly, so we don't ever have a problem with urine and feces.  The one problem that we do have occasionally is throw-up, usually due to hair balls.  And you never know when this may occur, so it's good for me to have a product like this around for a quick and easy cleaning job.  IApart from the ease of use, I was very pleased with the pleasant and clean smell of the product.  And most of all, I love that it's chemical free and safe to use around Rebel and Dixie.

And I think you'll also be excited to learn more about the other products in this line, including their toy cleaner, multi-surface cleaner, carpet shampoo, and so much more!

Win it!  Two of my readers will win a bottle of the Simple Solution Stain + Odor Remover. 

Mandatory Entry:  You must be a follower of my blog. Then just visit the Simple Solution site. Then come back here and tell me a product that you'd like to try.

Deadline: Feb 25

Extra Entries: Leave a comment for each.

1 for liking Simple Solution on Facebook

1 for following Simple Solution on Twitter

-2 if you follow @SimplySweetHome on Twitter.

-1 for subscribing to Simply Sweet Home via email.

-1 for "liking" Simply Sweet Home on facebook.

-1 for subscribing to my RSS feeds through Feedburner.

-1 for sharing this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook. 
(Sample Tweet:  I want to win Simple Solution Stain  + Odor Remover! Safe for pets and chemical free! http://bit.ly/h1CUAq @SimplySweetHome @Simple_Solution )  (Limit one tweet entry per day.)

Disclosure: For hosting this giveaway, I recieved a bottle of Simple Solution Stain + Odor Remover.  I was not otherwise compensated for this post.  If you have a product and would like for me to write a review or host a giveaway, please contact me via email.

Kritter Kondo Review and Giveaway

Rebel and Dixie got an extra special Christmas gift this year!  They were curious and intrigued when Lisa at Kritter Kommunity offered to let them review her Kritter Kondo Deluxe!

If you've been searching the internet for cat enclosures or cat runs this product is for you!

The Kritter Kondo Deluxe is a product that allows you to let your indoor cats (and small dogs) go outside for a little playtime without having to worry about them getting into trouble. 

It's also a great thing to have if you ever have a large group of people or children around and you need to keep Fluffy separated from your guests.  When I was little, my Mamaw Veal had a small dog that I was terrified of.  They had a little gate to keep him out of the room and away from me, but I was always afraid that he'd still be able to get me.  It's too bad Mamaw didn't have a Kritter Kondo back then!

Our Video Demonstration
When we first tried out the Kritter Kondo there was snow on the ground outside, so we decided to set it up indoors. And I got a short video of them inside because I love making videos of the cats and I thought it would be a good way to show you just how much room is inside. Mind you, it's not the greatest video in the world, but I'm sure you'll get the idea!

Our Review:

I think this product is a work of genius! I can't believe someone didn't think of it before.  I can't wait for spring to get here so we can let the furbabies have a trip outside.  And I also love the idea of actually using it indoors.  If you have a pet that you needed to "lock up"  temporarily for some reason, and you didn't really have a room to put them in, this could be a viable solution. 

My husband also pointed out that if you ever went out of town and needed to leave your pet at someone's house, this could be very useful.

I especially love that it's very portable and the set up is very quick and easy!  It's also the perfect size for two or mayb even 3 cats.  In the video you can see that we placed a scratcher and cat bed inside, and our cats still had plenty of room to walk around.

And the cats seemed to like it inside.  They've never seen anything like this, so once they got inside they immediately started playing with their toys and with each other.  So I'd say that this is a great product with a potential to be used in a number of ways and overall it's a good quality product. We definitely would recommend it.

Buy it!

You can order the Kritter Kondo Original and the Kritter Kondo Deluxe directly from theKritter Kommunity webpage.

Connect!

Website: Kritter Kommunity

Twitter: @KritterKondo

Facebook: Kritter Kondo Fan Page

Blog: Kritters That Twitter

Party!

The guys at Kritters that Twitter are also having a Valentine's Day Blog starting February 5th, with lots of product reviews and prizes, so please go check that out!

Win it!  Lisa at Kritter Kommunity has generously offered a free Kritter Kondo Deluxe to one Simply Sweet Home Reader.  This is a $154.99 value!

Mandatory Entry:  Be a follower of my blog, and visit Kritter Kommunity. Then come back here and tell us something you learned/saw on the site. Deadline: January 25

Extra Entries: Leave a comment for each.

-1 if you follow @KritterKondo on Twitter.
-1 if you like Kritter Kondo on Facebook.
-1 if you follow @SimplySweetHome on Twitter.

-2 for subscribing to Simply Sweet Home via email.

-1 for "liking" Simply Sweet Home on facebook.

-1 for subscribing to my RSS feeds through Feedburner.

-1 for sharing this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook.  (Sample Tweet: Win a Kritter Kondo Deluxe for your cat or dog! http://bit.ly/gzixr3 @SimplySweetHome @kritterkondo #giveaway) (Limit one entry per day.)

Disclosure:  We received a free Kritter Kondo for review.  This is not a paid post.  The opinions expressed here are my own. If you'd to see your product featured here at Simply Sweet Home, contact me via email.

CitiKitty's TunaTreats Review

Here's something that will make your cat purr with delight. CitiKitty's TunaTreats are 100% All Natural Bonito (Skip Jack Tuna).  They are a healthy treat for both cats and dogs.  They are high in portein and amino acids, and they promote both a shiny coat and healthy lifestyle.

Rebel and Dixie recently had the opportunity to try a sample of CitiKitty's TunaTreats.  The TunaTreats are very different from the crunchy bites that they are used to eating, but it would appear that they were no less enjoyable. After just one sniff, they immediately recognized that these flakes were indeed something to eat, and they quickly devoured the flakes I served them.

What I love about the TunaTreats is that they are an all natural product.  As much as I'd love to buy my cats the most expensive, high quality food, that's not really financially possible for, so it's great when I can find them a nice, healthy treat like this.

Another thing that I like about this is that it comes in flake form.  Ordinarily as a treat we give can food or little crunchy treats, and what I like about the flakes is that we can actually add them to the cat's regular meals as, which is great for a little change at meal time.

And the cats really seem to like them.  When we've added them to their food bowl or given them as a separate treat, they flakes have been eaten, which is a real testimony to their taste because my cats are constantly given the chance to try new foods (including human foods), and I can tell you that they will sniff anything you put in front of them, but they will not eat just anything.  All in all, I'd have to say that we give the CitiKitty TunaTreats 2 paws up!

Where can you buy TunaTreats?

Place your order at Tunatreats.com or on Amazon.

Connect with CitiKitty:

Website - CitiKitty
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Twitter





Disclosure: I was given a free sample of CitiKitty TunaTreats.  I was not paid for this review.  The opinions are my own.  If you'd like to advertise or sponsor a review/giveaway, please contact me.

Cat Tree Review from CSN Stores

I've been so excited about the opportunities that CSN Stores has given me to review products and host giveaways. And I'm happy to present this fun product review to all you cat owners out there.  We first purchased a cheap climbing toy for like $20 when Rebel and Dixie were about 3 months old, and my husband often says that it's the best $20 we ever spent.  But now it's really too small for them, and it's tearing up after two and half years of use.

So when I was given an in-store credit for CSN Stores over the summer, I decided to purchase the Majestic Pet 52" Casita Fur Cat Tree.  I debated for a while on which tree to buy, and in the end I have been very satisfied with this purchase!  Unlike a lot of products you see online, I believe this one actually looks better than the online picture lets on.  It's also the perfect size for our cats and they love it!  And to prove just how much they love it, I'm including some pictures with this review.

As you can see, the cats were playing on the cat tree before it was even assembled!

They loved the little white toy attached to the top tier.  Unfortunately it didn't last very long, but no toy with an elastic stretchy cord lasts long around here.

And as you can see from these pictures, the tree is the perfect size.  Each platform is just right for the cats to stand and lounge on.  The tree is also a great height at 52 inches tall.  We placed the tree in front of a bookshelf.  These two bookshelves stand alongside a desk which doubles as a loft bed that the cats often sleep on, so the tree also serves as a ladder for the cats to get up to the loft.

Besides lounging, climbing, and play, the cats love to use the scratch posts.  I don't have any pictures of them using them, but I can tell you that they get a lot of use.  Dixie (the calico cat) usually stands on the second tier from the top and uses the top scratcher,  while Rebel (the black and grey cat) likes to show off his height by standing on the floor and using the scratchers above the little house.  He also likes to show off his skills, laying on the top tier and scratching the post beneath.  (He's so talented!)

Speaking of the little house/knook....or actually I call it "the apartment,"  you can see Dixie here checking it out the very first night.  They don't use the apartment as much as they do the other parts of the cat tree, but both cats do use it occasionally, and sometimes I'll walk in and find one of them asleep inside it.

I also just had to show you that Rebel can fit inside the apartment too.  Whenever I ordered this and whenever I buy scratchers I have to think of Rebel's size.  He's not a fat cat; he's just a big cat, that is, he's long and lean.  So I was very pleased to find that he could fit inside rather comfortably.

And as it turns out, the cat tree also makes for a good fighting ground!

As you see, we LOVE this cat tree!  It's multifunctional, and the cats get a lot of use out of it that.  It's also very sturdy and well made with easy assembly.  It's a great size for adult cats and multiple cat homes but would also be great for kittens to grow into. (Wish we'd had it when they were kittens!) And it actually looks attractive and blends in well with the room.

Disclosure: I recieved a credit from CSN Stores to purchase any product of my choice.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Kitty Cat Treat Canister Tutorial

After seeing so many great mod podge projects last year, I finally starting trying it out this year.  So far I've only done a few projects, but I know they'll be more to come soon.

For one of my first projects, I decided to make a treat container for my kitty cats. By placing the treats out on the counter, I figure it would save me a little cabinet space and also serve as a reminder to give the cats their treats. And I was right! Plus, I now have a cute container to go along side my canister set. (And it's color coordinated. Yay!)

And even though Rebel and Dixie cannot read, they know exactly what's inside!  I simply have to hold the canister up and give it a shake, and the excitement begins.  And since it generally means that they get treats more often, they kitties give this idea 2 paws up!

What You'll Need:

An old container (I used an oatmeal canister, which can hold 2 pouches of the treats we buy, more if I took them out of the pounches, but I keep them in to maintain freshness.)

Scrapbook paper

Stickers

Mod Podge

Paint Brush

Ribbon (optional)

Instructions:  Choose two sheets of scrapbook paper that go well together.  Next lay your canister (or other container) down so that you can decide how much paper you'll need.  I used 12x12 sheets.  And my container was 6 1/2 inches tall, so I made the strip of paper for the bottom about 4 inches tall., and the strip for the top about 2 1/2 inches tall.  Just be careful not to cut it too short.  (You can always trim some off or allow the papers to overlap if it's too long, but if it's too short, you'll have to start over, use additional paper or trim.)

Before wrapping the paper around, make sure it will go all the way around.  My paper lacked about a fifth of an inch from going around all the way, so I had to mod podge a very thin strip of paper on first before wrapping the paper around.  (I put this towards to the back, but in fact it actually doesn't look too bad.  However, it does blend in better with the plaid paper than with the solid.)

Apply a thin coat of mod podge to your paper with your paint brush.  Then wrap the paper carefully around the container.  (It doesn't really matter which order, but I chose to mod podge the top piece first.  Smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles.  Also be sure that the edges (seam) of the paper are well coated with the mod podge.  I used the tip of my brush to light press on the seams.  Allow mod podge to dry.

Next add your stickers.

Now wrap your ribbon or trim around the container for measuring purposes.  Cut off the amount your need.  Apply a coat of mod podge to the ribbon, and place the ribbon around the container.  Again smooth out any wrinkles, and make sure the ends of the ribbon are well attached.  All to dry.

Finally take your paint brush and apply a light coat of mod podge over all the surfaces of your container.  Allow to dry. And you're done! 

Now place your treats inside, give it a rattle, and watch the pets go crazy!

 

-Jerri

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I'm posting a link to this post at:
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Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes For Mom
It’s So Very Creative & It's So Very Thrifty hosted by It’s So Very Cheri
Make it for Monday hosted by Cottage Instincts
Made it Mondays hosted by The Persimmon Perch
Making the World Cuter Monday hosted by Making the World Cuter
Make Your Monday hosted by Twice Remembered
Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Between Naps on the Porch
DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land
Market Yourself Monday is hosted by Sumos Sweet Stuff
Marketing Mondays and Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
What Your Working with Wednesday is hosted by Me and My Bucket
Show & Tell Wednesday is hosted by Blue Cricket Design
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Week End Review is hosted by Tator Tots & Jello
Star on Saturday is hosted by Craft-Werk
Penny Pinching Party is hosted by The Thrifty Home
Show & Tell Friday is hosted by Romantic Home
I'm Loving it Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom

Blog Hoppin' Tuesday: My Funny Fridge Cat

I have more cat pictures for this week's blog hop. This week's theme is Funny pictures, quotes, stories, etc. And I couldn't think of anything funnier than a cat invading my fridge...

Dixie Belle loves to look in the refrigerator. I think she knows what it's for! And one day I was putting away the groceries, and I turned around to find her actually in the refrigerator. And of course, being the picture freak that I am, I had to grab my camera right quick and snap a few photos. (Don't worry, I checked the fridge for hair and wiped it down before putting the rest of the food in. And besides, Dixie assured us that she was clean as a whistle.)

Here Dixie Belle is posing for the camera, as if this is exactly where's supposed to be. Doesn't she look innocent?

Here she's gazing at the potatoes in the crisper and trying to figure out why she can't get them. (And if you think she looks intrigued by the potatoes, you should see her when there's a bug or a tree frog on the outside of the windows!)

And here she is going for the food that's not under glass. She's reaching for the cottage cheese here, but what she doesn't realize is there's some fresh chicken just above her head.

...And still intrigued by the potatoes.

And I think she's a little mad at me here because I'm telling her it's time to come out.

And here she's taking one last look at the place before she has to exit. What an exciting tale to tell her brother!

-Jerri

Blog Hoppin' Tuesday: New Photos

For this week's bloghop, we're sharing some favorite recent photos. So I picked out a few funny pictures of my kitties to share with you, complete with my fun and cheesy commentary.

Anytime my husband goes out of town or even leaves the house, the cats seem very "interested" in what's going on.

In these pictures Rebel is....um...rebelling! I'm not sure if he's trying to keep "daddy" from leaving or if he wants to go too. You make the call!


Dixie was a little mad that Rebel got to the suitcase before her...after all, she is the queen and is supposed to have first choice of all items to sit on and play with. But she decided to put her personal feelings aside and focus on the task at hand: Keeping Daddy From Leaving.

While Rebel remained entrenched in the suitcase, Dixie successfully held and defended a pile of clean, just-folded shorts and underwear. "This oughta stop him!"

"If Daddy wants to leave, he has to go through us!"

But in the end, they could not stop the inevitable....Daddy had to leave!

So they retired to the office with me where they napped and snuggled together. Just before falling asleep they had a top secret discussion about future campaigns, including a "Welcome Home Ambush."

....and they did a little grooming too, of course!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures and story. Thanks for stopping by!

-Jerri