Pea of Sweetness

Dress it up for the Holidays with Soft Claws

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Disclosure: I received the product mentioned to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products I feel would be good for my readers. All opinions are my own.
Soft Claws
Photo credit: softclaws.com
We have a pretty big cat. Although he is pretty good about not scratching inappropriate things, there are things he does that aren’t really intentional. He really loves a good stretch, and because he is so tall, it really is a BIG stretch. He likes to do this on the couch – or us! Of course, when he stretches, the claws come out! Ouch! At night he also gets a little feisty. Usually I am the only one awake since I am the “night owl,” and because it seems this time of year in particular I’m trying to keep up with my blog posts. Because of this, I get that extra time with him. It’s not usually calm, quiet time, though. He will randomly jump on me from behind or even from beside me when I least expect it! Sometimes he latches on when he does this, which is also unpleasant!
So what are we to do? We do not believe in declawing. I could explain in detail, but in short, declawing is like removing fingers at the top knuckle. For the most part, since he hasn’t been clawing things he shouldn’t we just dealt with the minor incidents here and there. Luckily, though, we have been introduced to an alternative – a very festive alternative at that!
Soft Claws
Soft Claws (also known as Soft Paws) are nail caps for cats that slip over their claws easily. They allow their claws to function as usual but without the sharp scratch! Although our cat, Bart, was a bit wiggly when we applied them, they were pretty easy to slip on, and once on we could tell they didn’t bother him at all. He went right back to his usual day without a fuss! Now he’s ready for Christmas in his holiday green and red!
Not only are Soft Claws a humane way to address a scratching problem, they are also extremely safe and non-toxic. Plus, they are so simple you can apply them at home! You simply follow the included instructions and slip them over the front claws. It does recommend adding the adhesive to each nail cap prior to applying so you are ready to apply all of them at once, and I can definitely see how this is a good suggestion! Even a docile cat could become antsy after waiting for so long! I added the adhesive first, and then I got Bart and put them on. This way he wasn’t sitting and waiting in this “something is about to happen” moment. Then I just had to slip them all on! That’s it! Their nails do need to be trimmed prior to application, though. Because our cat isn’t very patient I did the trimming and the capping in separate sessions but within a close amount of time to each other.
Each Soft Claws home kit comes with 40 nail caps, 2 tubes of adhesive, 6 applicator tips, and application instructions. So one kit contains enough nail caps for four front paw applications. Each application should last approximately 4-6 weeks, so that means in one kit you could get 4-6 months of use from it! Bart has had his nail caps on for a couple weeks now, and not only does he seem to not be bothered by them, I can clearly see his claws function normally, and the nail caps are definitely still there! It’s hard to miss the fun Christmas colors!
Soft Claws are available in a variety of sizes, so if you have a kitten, a small cat, a “normal size” cat, or a larger cat like Bart, you can choose the size that fits best. Soft Claws also has nail caps for dogs! Soft claws are the perfect, safe and humane solution for a scratching problem, and it’s extra fun that they come in such a variety of colors and styles!
If you have a furry friend, you can spruce up their look for the holidays with Soft Claws and perhaps keep your Christmas Tree and other decorations looking nice as well! Soft Claws make a great holiday gift for pets and your friends and family that have pets. Do you know somebody who is getting a new pet for Christmas? Many people get a new pet for Christmas and then feel overwhelmed by problem behaviors like scratching. Introduce them to a safe and effective solution for scratching for a smoother transition as their pet becomes part of their family!

For More Information:

Visit the Soft Claws Website
Connect with Soft Paws on Facebook and Twitter

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If you’d like the chance to win some Soft Claws, be sure to check out the Paw-fect Giveaway I am helping Savory Savings promote!
 
 

Groovy Gravy Review

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Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are mine and those of my pets.
Groovy Gravy
Groovy Gravy provides highly absorbable Omega-3s into tasty gravy pets enjoy! They use nano-technology that allow the Omega-3s to be absorbed at higher rates and help promote pets’ health
Groovy Gravy comes in multiple flavors and is available for both dogs and cats!
For our review we received a variety pack for both our dog and cat. We have a bizarre feeding situation in our home because our cat actually eats the dog food. He doesn’t refuse cat food, but he’ll still eat the dog food, too! It’s actually rather amusing to see a 125lb dog eating with a cat! So, I had to feed them separately so they could each enjoy their gravy and I could see how they enjoyed it.
Groovy Gravy
Our mastiff loved the groovy gravy. She would eat it by itself or in her food, and she seemed to enjoy all flavors. She actually started waiting for me to add it to her food! I love that she really enjoyed something that I know is beneficial as well!
Our Maine Coon cat liked the Groovy Gravy in his food the best. He’s not one to eat a lot in one sitting. He prefers to “graze,” so the gravy by itself wasn’t as appealing for his type of eating style, though he didn’t refuse it, either! He definitely does enjoy it most in his food, though, and it actually encouraged him to eat more of his food rather than the dog food! He didn’t seem to favor one flavor over another, either. He really seemed to like them all.
Groovy Gravy is a great gift for your pets this holiday season because it’s a treat they will love with many benefits for them, too! If you hang stockings for them like we do, Groovy Gravy would make a perfect stocking stuffer! Plus, Groovy Gravy gives back, so not only are you giving your pets a wonderful gift, a portion of Groovy Gravy’s Proceeds go to the Onyx & Breezy Foundation! Find out more about the Onyx & Breezy Foundation.

For More Information:

Visit the Groovy Gravy Website
Connect with Groovy Gravy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

*Giveaway!!!* {ended 12/19/13. For more chances to win great giveaways check out our current giveaways or find more great giveaways on our sister site Deals of Sweetness!}

Co-Hosted by Deals of Sweetness

Would you like to give Groovy Gravy to your pet(s)? Here is your chance to win some Groovy Gravy! Two lucky readers will win a Groovy Gravy Product plus a promotional item! This giveaway will run from December 5, 2013 through December 19, 2013 at 11pm Central Time. It is open to US residents ages 18+. All entries are optional, but you can’t win if you don’t enter! Please refer to the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools. Good luck!

 
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Cat's Pride Fresh and Light Litter {Review}

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Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cat’s Pride. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All opinions are my own. For more information see my Disclosure Policy.
one-eyed cat
Our cat, Bartholomew, is a special part of our family. It’s been a little over a year since we adopted him. They were afraid he wouldn’t get adopted since he was born with only one eye. That didn’t matter to us at all, though! He has an amazing personality, and we just knew he would be the perfect cat for our family! We mostly call him Bart for short.
Bart turned one on Christmas Eve. He is still young and energetic, but he grew big so quickly! We joke that it’s because he eats our dog’s large breed dog food! He really has such a great personality and is wonderful with the kids and our mastiff! He has so many fun quirks and plays back and forth chasing games with our daughter. It’s so much fun!
With the joy of a cat also comes the not-so-joyful litter box. Unfortunately, we’ve had many litter box problems, too – particularly with the odor. It’s not only unpleasant for us, but I imagine it’s not very nice for him, either. We want to make sure he is happy as well! I have found a helpful solution to add to the litter, but overall I decided we need a completely new litter solution. The expense of the litter that we HAVE to get for the self-cleaning litter box coupled with the fact that it just isn’t an effective litter has just gotten too frustrating. So, I was excited to have the chance to try Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light litter.
Cat's Pride
For our review we received two 15-pound containers of Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light Litter. We received Fragrance Free Odor Control and the Quick Action litter. Being an eco-conscious consumer I generally err on the side of caution when it comes to fragrance. This definitely is the case with our pets as well. They are part of our family, and our eco-friendly lifestyle most definitely applies to them as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Quick Action litter that is scented carries the seal of the American Humane Association. It states Cat’s Pride products offer safe and effective odor control without harmful chemicals or overpowering fragrances. It also means they do so without the use of captive live animal testing. That is something to be proud of!
I can contest that the Quick Action litter did NOT have an overpowering scent. In fact, it was a very light almost unnoticeable (but pleasant) scent. Although we did enjoy the Fragrance Free Odor Control as well, this subtle scent of the Quick Action litter won me over as being my favorite. Bart was happy either way. He much preferred the light texture of Cat’s Pride over the rough crystals we have been using.

Here are some additional Cat’s Pride fact:

Cat’s Pride is 25% lighter than other scoopable clay litters.
I found this to be true! For the size of container I definitely expected they would be heavier. Growing up with cats I have used many varieties of scoopable clay litters, and containers that large were definitely heavier. I loved how the texture of the litter was “lighter” as well.
Cat’s Pride is low-dust.
One of the things that I always disliked about clay litters was the dust. When it said “low-dust” I wasn’t sure what to expect. What is considered a normal dust level? I discovered it barely had any dust at all. In fact, I didn’t notice any!
Cat’s Pride is quick clumping.
The litter box is in our laundry room, so I don’t generally have a habit of checking in right away, but I was curious about this “quick clumping.” I have to admit I don’t know what the typical clumping time is, but I did notice it clumps right away, and it clumps well. I didn’t have problems when I would clean it out, which is always good because it’s mostly unpleasant to clean the litter box, so every little thing helps!
Cat’s Pride is the only litter recommended by the American Humane Association.
I already mentioned they are recommended by the American Humane Association, but the fact is they are the ONLY litter that is recommended by them.
Overall, we’re happy with Cat’s Pride, and Bart definitely seems happier as well! Although it’s unfortunate we can’t use it with the self-cleaning litter box I would much rather have a happier cat and less odor! Plus, with the the nice features of Cat’s Pride it really isn’t that bad to have to clean the litter box!

For More Information:

Visit the Cat’s Pride Website
Connect with Cat’s Pride on Facebook and Twitter
 
 

Catch-A-Poop Review

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Disclosure: I received a Catch-A-Poop in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Catch-A-Poop

Catch-A-Poop is a new way to make cleaning up after your pup(s) a lot easier and much cleaner! Dog waste actually contaminates the ground and can pass intestinal parasites and infections to dogs as well as people. So not only is it important to clean up after our pups for sanitary/health reasons, but many of us HAVE to.
I know I would clean up after our mastiff regardless. Who wants that mess and contamination in their backyard? When you have young children on top of it (and a small yard to boot) it is most definitely important to not only clean up, but also to do so quickly! Many, like us, also live in rentals that require us to keep our yards clean!
Catch-A-Poop
There are so many options out there made for such a task, but most of them require bending over or aren’t very “clean.” Catch-A-Poop offers an alternative to all of it. It truly is a hands-free way to clean up after your pup. It is eco-friendly and includes bio-degradable bags that automatically seal ready for disposal! No messy clean-up and no mess left behind!
Plus, Catch-A-Poop has an adjustable pole. If you have back issues or just want to keep your distance, it is the perfect alternative! I found I can move a chair to the end of our patio and sit down while using it! No more bending over and scooping, which has always been hard on both my back and knees due to my chronic pain condition.
See more information:

Because our mastiff is always a little nervous it did take a couple of uses until she got used to the idea of the Catch-A-Poop being behind her. I imagine smaller dogs may feel this way at first as well, but it is really worth the patience! I just used positive reinforcement, and by day 3 it was no big deal! Our yard is now cleaner and safer for her and our family!
As I mentioned, Catch-A-Poop is not only more sanitary but also a better option for me as scooping can be painful. Now I can sit down, and clean up is a breeze! I don’t even have to tie the bag! I love that the bags are self sealing and bio-degradable as well!
As a former dog trainer I used to recommend products to my pet parents that I felt are beneficial, and Catch-A-Poop is definitely something I would have mentioned because it protects the health of both the dog and family and is convenient and environmentally friendly as well!

For More Information:

Visit the Catch-A-Poop Website
Connect with Catch-A-Poop on Facebook

*Giveaway!!* {ended 9/2} For more chances to win great prizes check out our current giveaways!

Catch-A-Poop is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a Catch-A-Poop with bags! The giveaway will run from 8/19 through 9/2 at 11:00pm Central Time and is open to US residents ages 18+. Please view the full terms and conditions in the Giveaway Tools.

 
review and giveaway