A Guide to Spoiling Your Cat

At this current point in time, my cat is the "man in my life". Some may tease me about this, most are dog owners ;), but I love my little cat. He is my baby. Sometimes, I tell my mother that he may be the closest she ever gets to having a grandchild (let's hope not!). My cat, Bentley, is by far the best thing that I have ever bought.

I thought it'd be fun to write an article as a tribute to him and give some tips & advice to my readers on how to spoil and bond with your cat. Anyone out there who owns a cat will enjoy reading the following tips and anecdotes of a (spoiled) cat owner.

I adopted Bentley about 4 years ago at my local Humane Society Shelter. It was the day of my parent's divorce (after 20 years of marriage). To say it was a hard day is an understatement. However, adopting Bentley was definitely a good decision and as strange as it may sound, that little cat really helped me through a tough time. He didn't ask me what was wrong, I didn't have to talk to him, we could just co-exist in peace and quiet. Friends & family mean well, but sometimes, the quiet 'understanding' of a pet is priceless.

4 years later, this little cat probably thinks that he owns ME. I spoil him so badly. I cook him meals (see recipes below), I buy him toys & buy him all of the latest kitty gadgets such as electronic litter boxes, electronic mice & kitty videos. Bentley has got it made. A lot of my friends joke around that he is gay; he is a VERY flamboyant & he is certainly very feminine. I've owned a male cat before and he was completely different. Bently chirps & trills, crosses his paws, plays with make-up brushes (he loves to carry them around...I have to hide them!). One day, he knocked a bottle of pink nail polish on the floor and got it all over his paws. Was he trying to paint his nails?

Things I Do to Spoil My Cat:

• I give him bathes.
• I dry him off when he comes from outdoors soaking wet (he loves the rain!)
• He has a cat bed in almost every room, including the foot of my bed.
• He has a HUGE box of toys as everytime I'm out shopping and see cat toys or anything that looks like he'd like, I purchase him one.
• I grow catnip and cat herbs for him on the windowsill.
• He has an endless supply of his favorite treats "Pit'r Pat" in Liver flavor (we've tried others...liver is his favorite - much to my dismay!)
• This may be the kicker - I cook him little meals. When I have time, I love doing this.

I don't necessarily have a name for this and I don't really measure anything out. Just be creative.

Sometimes I cook individual portions with leftovers and sometimes I make larger batches and freeze them. I don't like cat food that has artificial color, so sometimes I make my own. I've never sat down and calculated the cost of food I purchase in the store and homemade cat food, but it's probably quite comparable and certainly a lot healthier. You can serve this meal hot or cold...it really depends on the preference of your cat.

The base of any meal that you make for your cat should have rice. I use brown rice, but white rice would work fine, too.

Then you can add lots of different ingredients, I usually add a little olive oil, obviously Bentley's favorite is Cod Liver Oil (but ugh, I hate the smell!). The oils are very good for your cat and really help their fur. My kitty has fur as soft as a kitten and he is four.

I then add some meat or fish. Leftover chicken breast from a restaurant works well, or sometimes I use shredded slices of luncheon meat (turkey, chicken). I don't use ham because of the high salt content. Frozen Wild Salmon is very inexpensive at Wal-Mart and that is a great addition that will flavor your homemade cat food. Canned tuna works well too, as well as canned shrimp.

Next, add some veggies. My cat LOVES asparagus (he'll actually eat this by itself). I'll also add spinach, peas, shredded carrots, etc. As long as you flavor it with meat, fish or poultry, you can probably get your cat to eat anything. 

Good luck and remember to be creative! Your cat will appreciate these meals and they are very fun to make when you have the time to do so. Remember, you can make large batches, freeze them and unthaw them later for a quick meal.