Cats, you say?

Yes, cats. We've got two of them in our family - Wiggy (on the left, basically the alpha male of the house) and Wolfie (on the right, the formerly feral kittie).

We don't usually post about cats, 'cause we pups are superior, of course! But this article really got our attention. It's an interview from Time.com with Tracie Hotchner by Andrea Sachs. Tracie is the author of The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know.

There is a lot we like about Tracie's advice in this article - no declawing, no dry food, no food grazing, what to do about hairballs, indoors is the best place for cats, and last but certainly not least, cats and dogs can get along. She's off to a great start with us - we'll have to read the rest of the book.

Mum has had cats all her life, a lot longer than us pups. She's seen and gone through a lot with her companion kitties and thinks that Tracie is right on with her advice - especially about the wet food. This advice (Mum got from our all natural vet about five years ago) saved Wiggy's life.

I was lucky enough to snatch up the only hairball Wiggy has dislodged in those five years since Mum started giving him wet food. And equally lucky, Mum got it away from me before I downed it.

For his first three years, Mum had Wiggy on a super premium dry food. But after he turned three or so Wiggy started going through all kinds of medical problems - urinary crystals (ouch!), stuck hairballs, throwing up blood from burst blood vessels - you name, he had it. And it all went away when Mum put him on wet food (a really good super premium brand, of course).

Now Wiggy is an amazingly healthy, happy Maine Coon mix, that rules the roost here at our 'ranch'. He's a stubborn little guy, but I love him just the same. He's the first cat I ever met, and I respect him - yes, sireeee I dooooo!