No frumpy cat lady sweatshirts here! Check out these incredibly cool cat-themed tank tops, mini and maxi dresses, and over sized canvas tote bags from Etsy seller So You Think You Can Rock. Coming from Thailand, I wouldn’t expect anything but cool, plus they’re totally affordable. Everything is screen printed by hand. Check out the full selection on Etsy.

Polish artist and designer Marta Chojnacka created the Las Chicas de Manolo collection of fashion accessories by transforming her hand drawings into unique pieces. The collection is inspired by Henri Toulouse Lautrec’s drawings of ladies and classic cameos and pays tribute to women. Each piece is made of hand painted solid walnut, that is engraved and finished with a coat of varnish. Handmade and assembled in England.

Bufon the Cat is part of the Manolo collection. The brooch is available from bottica.com for $39.

The Dancing Cat is here to bring some chuckles to your Valentine’s Day! I just can’t look at these drawings without smiling. Jamie Shelman created a set of four Valentine’s Day cards featuring her signature Dancing Cat and this is your chance to win a set! To enter, please leave a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and announced on February 10, 2012 (hopefully in time to get the cards to the winner for V-day!) One entry per person, please. This giveaway includes free shipping to addresses everywhere!

Here’s a cool kitty bed in a mod flower print that’s perfect for a Valentine’s Day nap. It’s the Ramona Heart Bedavailable in red or green. On sale now at Amazon.

via Dog-Milk

Tomorrow is game day, but depending on where your interests lie, that may mean one of two things. The new limited edition collection created by fashion designer Jason Wu exclusively for Target hits stores tomorrow. The collection features at least three pieces (t-shirt, tote bag, and scarf) adorned with a beautiful black kitty named Milu. Jason Wu is a cat lover himself, admitting that his two cats, Jinxy and Peaches, are the “loves of his life.”

Milu has been seen plastered on buildings and billboards as the days count down to the launch. And check out this beautiful Target commercial where she helps out with the design process (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site):

Where will you be tomorrow? Maybe I’ll see you at Target.

via Catsparella

Here are some very special Valentine’s Day gifts for the cat lovers in your life! These are original cut paper sculptures from Matthew Ross. They measure 2.5″ x 3.5″ and each one comes with a decorative paper stand for display. Matthew only made a few, so get ‘em while you can! They’re all available now in Matthew’s Etsy Shop.

Moderncat Discount

Matthew is extending his special Moderncat discount through Valentine’s Day! Enter discount code MODCAT25 to get 25% off your order! (Expires February 14, 2012)

If you’ve been following Jackson Galaxy and his show My Cat From Hell on Animal Planet, you’re going to love this bit of news! Jackson’s first book, Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean, will be published by Tarcher/Penguin this May. Cat Daddy is a memoir/cat care manual telling the story of Jackson and his cat Benny, who together traveled the road to hell and back, setting Jackson on the path to becoming the amazing cat behaviorist he is today. The book also includes Jackson’s tips for raising happy, healthy cats.

Pre-order Now and Help Shelter Cats!

For every copy of Cat Daddy pre-ordered before May 10, Tarcher/Penguin will donate $1.00 to the cause of saving shelter cats. To make your pre-order count, simply e-mail a photo or scan of your receipt to: CatDaddyBook@gmail.com.

Jackson has chosen three wonderful charities to receive the donations: Best Friends Animal Society, Stray Cat Alliance, and Neighborhood Cats.

>> Pre-order your copy today from Amazon

But wait, there’s more!

For those of you on Twitter, Tweet a picture of your cat using the hashtag #CatDaddy from February 1 through 29, and Tarcher will donate 5¢ for every tweet!

Every once in a while we have a fun photo round-up over on the Moderncat Facebook page. Yesterday was “Show Me Your Teeth” day, with pix of kitties yawning, talking, or otherwise showing us their pearly whites. Here are some of the photos that readers uploaded, just for fun! (The stunning image above is from Nynke Wierda Photography.)

I think this one is just begging for a caption. What do you think?

Here’s a fun little craft for you to do this weekend! These sweet 3-D illustrations are from the one and only Tubbypaws, creator of happy things, often involving cats. Now you can make your very own Internet Box Cat or Keyboard Cat. Simply download the free files, print, cut out, and assemble. There’s even a little instructional video showing you the process (if you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site):

Now, you may be wondering “Who is Tubbypaws?” Apparently, it’s quite a mystery. I found this Tubbypaws interview with El Interrogador that is very entertaining. The best discovery, however, is this video by Tubbypaws showing his creative process. Check this out, especially if you’re a graphic designer. This cat has complete mastery of the pen tool!

Thanks to Gaby for the find!

Moderncat Studio just added a special limited edition Valentine cat toy set! This set includes one small ModKicker catnip kicker toy, two Felt Rollers cat toys, and a bonus pink pom pom for $8. Available from the Moderncat Studio Etsy shop. It’s really a limited edition so when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Congratulations to momm77 (comment #42), winner of the Comtempo Kitty Cat Breed Poster by Sarah Menzies! These colorful kitties are sure to bring a smile to your face!

DISCOUNT CODE

You can still get one of Sarah’s Contempo Kitty posters, or anything else in Sarah’s Etsy shop, with a special discount just for Moderncat readers. Enter code SARAHLOVESCATS15 and get 15% off your whole order!

Kitty deserves a sweet treat this Valentine’s Day! Check out this uber-adorable catnip chocolate sampler from Etsy seller Mycrobe Catnip Toys. Four handmade needle felted bon bons filled with yummy catnip come nestled in candy wrappers inside a cute green box. So sweet! Kitty will love you forever.

French designers Claire & Arnaud created a lovely line of origami-inspired jewelry, including this sweet silver kitty. Available from boticca.com.

via Dog-Milk

Paper artist and cat illustrator extraordinaire Matthew Ross just added some new wooden cat sculptures to his Etsy shop. Matthew’s hand painted sculptures are designed to sit on a shelf or hang on the wall. The sculptures are based on his paper sculptures, sharing the same whimsical style.

You can also get some of Matthew’s sculptures as a pair of bookends.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR MODERNCAT READERS!

Right now, all of Matthew’s prints are 25% off, plus he’s offering a special 25% discount just for Moderncat readers! Enter code MODCAT25 at checkout when shopping at Matthew’s Etsy shop now through January 31, 2012 to get the discount on your whole order.

The Cat Daddy himself, Jackson Galaxy, will be in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, February 17, 2012 for a special live presentation. Jackson will present Cat Mojo 101 at 7:00 pm at the Franciscan Renewal Center. Tickets are $10 per person and all profits will be donated to three area animal rescues.

Jackson’s Cat Mojo 101 lecture will begin at 7:00 pm in the center’s main chapel. Seating will be general admission. Tickets can be purchased in advance at CatMojo101.eventbrite.com. Seating is limited, so advance purchase is recommended.

In this live presentation, Jackson will give a brief history of our relationship with domestic cats, describing their innate motivations and explaining how those motivations inform their day-to-day lives. Prepare to put on your “cat glasses” and see the world through the eyes of your cat. Learn to solve current behavioral issues and prevent future problems, while strengthening the bond between you and your cat. There will be a Q&A session at the end of the presentation, when Jackson will answer questions from the audience.

In addition to the 7:00 presentation, an exclusive VIP reception will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. VIP reception tickets are $50 per person. Participants will gather in a private reception area where Jackson will be available for a meet-and-greet. The VIP reception package includes a reserved seat for the 7:00 pm lecture. VIP reception tickets are also available at CatMojo101.eventbrite.com.

This event is being sponsored by Moderncat Enterprises LLC. All profits will be donated to three area animal rescues: All About Animals Rescue, Safe Haven for Animals, and Hope for Cats.

I hope to see you there!

I’m a huge fan of Gracy Bonney, not only because she writes the beautiful and inspiring blog Design*Sponge, but also because she is a true animal lover. And today Grace did a wonderful thing by rescuing a tiny, underweight kitten from the alley behind her house. This little girl was found in freezing cold temperatures and she tested FIV+, which Grace points out is definitely not a death sentence, so there was absolutely no reason to give up hope on little kitty. Gracy brought this cutie home and posted her photos on the blog, and today little girl has a wonderful new home!

Read all about this wonderful rescue over on Design*Sponge, where there are links to more info about FIV in cats. FIV can be transmitted to other cats, but only through deep bite wounds, so if you have docile cats that won’t fight, you CAN integrate FIV+ cats into your home. My own Theo is FIV positive, and he’s a big teddy bear who fits into the family beautiful.

Thank you, Grace, for caring so much!

On episode 2 of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell – starring everyone’s favorite Cat Daddy, Jackson Galaxy – a fiery Bengal mix named City The Kitty clearly had some excess energy to burn. Jackson brought in The Cat Wheel, an indoor exercise system designed specifically for high-energy cats like Bengals. Well, as you can see in the video below, City The Kitty loves his new Cat Wheel! Jackson saves the day again! Make sure to tune in for episode 3 of My Cat From Hell this Saturday at 8 pm ET/PT on Animal Planet. (If you can’t see the video below in your email, click here to watch it on the site.)

I’m in awe of the stunning craftsmanship on these handmade laptop and iPad cases by Canadian Etsy seller Boutique ID. Each bag is made of 100% wool designer felt that’s sculpted into stylized animal faces. The cat design is currently available as an iPad 2 case for $76 US or a MacBook Air case for $89 US. Both come with a removable strap and you can choose from three different shades of gray. Each bag is made to order.

Add a little mid-century modern flair to your home with this cool cat print from Pool Pony Design. Available in two sizes from the Pool Pony Design Etsy shop.

Thanks to Carrie for the find.

Looking for some cute kitty style for your feet? Check out these kitty cat Mary Jane shoes from Etsy seller Em and Sprout. I’ve seen other similar kitty shoes, but they’re all leather, while the Em and Sprout Mary Janes are 100% vegan! Fabric uppers with rubber soles are hand embellished with a variety of kitty faces. Available in women’s sizes 4 to 11 from the Em and Sprout Etsy shop.

(click the image above to enlarge) The folks over at Found Animals wanted to shed some light on the good, the sad, and the changeable about the state of cats in the US, so they created this info-graphic to help paint the picture. Some of the statistics are truly alarming: in Los Angeles, 75% of cats entering shelters are euthanized, only 20% of cats in shelters are adopted, and less than 1% of feral cats have been sterilized. We have a lot of work to do to improve the lives of cats in this country, but every one of us can make a difference by promoting shelter adoptions, spay/neuter, and TNR (trap-netuter-return).

Thanks to Found Animals for the work they are doing to bring attention to this important issue.

Add just a touch of feline flare to your sweater with this cute kitty shawl pin from Etsy seller Wire Dreams Design. Made of polymer clay with a recycled bamboo knitting needle for the closure. Each one is made to order for just $10.

Thanks to everyone for your comments on the Spirit Essences giveaway! Jackson wishes he could answer all of you personally, but he had to choose five top comments that he feels represent some common issues, so hopefully you’ll see some tips here that you can use, too. Each of the following readers will receive the recommended Spirit Essences formulas. Keep an eye out for an email from me with details.

Note: Detailed instructions come with each of the Spirit Essences, plus you can find more information on how to use Spirit Essences on their website.

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1. Amanda – Stressed Out Kitty

“My 10 year old kitty has been having more issues with urinating outside his box. I took him to our vet who states he thinks my cat is stressed out due to my schedule change at work. I bought him a “cat condo” so he could have his own space, which appears to have helped him a little, but he still appears to be stressed and anxious when I leave. I can hear him crying by the front door and when I get home from work he is in the front window meowing. I really think that the Separation Anxiety Spirit Essences could be a great thing for him and would help him relax while I am away. I just wish there was a way for him to know that I will be back and for him not to stress so much. Help!”

Recommended Spirit Essences: Separation Anxiety & Stress Stopper
Use Separation Anxiety as the base remedy. Administer in food and water, and by physical application. Have Stress Stopper on hand for flare ups. Separation Anxiety keeps things grounded, while Stress Stopper is for when the cat is acting out, like when he meows while you’re home. Immediately apply Stress Stopper when you get home.

Jackson’s Tips
Don’t unconsciously support his separation anxiety. Because we know the cat thinks it’s a big deal when we leave, we tend to make a big thing out of leaving, saying things like “it’s okay, I’ll be back”, but you should break this habit. Shift your routine to take the focus off your leaving. If he’s food motivated, give him something to do while you’re leaving, like a treat ball or puzzle ball for him to play with. Try feeding at a different time or leaving music on or spoken word, like talk radio, at a low level. Leaving some lights on may help, too.

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2. Jessica – Is Benson a Bully?

“Wow, what an awesome opportunity! I loved Jackson’s show and completely trust any product he stands behind. My kitty boy, Benson could probably benefit from the Bully Remedy. He lived his first year as a feral cat, so his behavior is understandable, but he is particularly “mean” at feeding time, most likely because he is not used to knowing where his next meal is coming from. He has two kitty sisters, Kaleigh and Harper (who is new to the family). Prior to meal time he runs around and jumps on/bites them. He also tries to eat out of everyone’s bowl. Not only am I worried about the girls eating, but he is beginning to pack on the pounds. He also goes through spats where he will chase them around the house. Would love to find something to make the house a little happier!”

Recommended Spirit Essences: Feral Cat Rehabilitation
Actually, he’s not a bully, he’s holding on to the behavioral muscle memory of growing up feral. Use Feral Cat Rehab to build trust, not with humans but with the notion that his food source is secure. Use as the base remedy for 1 month, administering in food and water, misting the room, and applying topically 3 to 4 times a day.

Jackson’s Tips
Separate the cats if needed, and feed them in different places. Try using bowls that slow him down, like this one, or you can use a large rock in the middle of the bowl to make eating more of a challenge. Active play before mealtime will drain his unwanted energy.

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3. Teresa – Ubu’s Aggression

“Hi! I’m having trouble with my three cats. I love them all dearly, but they don’t seem to tolerate each other very well. Two are biological brothers and they get along famously, however their adoptive sister is another story. Her name is Ubu and she gets aggressive around cats and new people. Living with her brothers stresses her out so they are separated from each other, however, I would like to remedy this situation. Hopefully Spirit Essences will resolve this because I’m willing to try anything!”

Recommended Spirit Essences: Ultimate Peacemaker
The Ultimate Peacemaker kit is a three formula set including Peacemaker, Bully  Remedy, and Self Esteem Remedy. Peacemaker should be misted around the house and used in all water bowls. Use Bully Remedy topically for Ubu and Self Esteem Remedy topically and in wet food for the other cats. The three remedies used together help to promote getting along. The goal is to bring Ubu’s aggression level down while building up the esteem of the others.

Jackson’s Tips
Controlled reintroduction is recommended. The cats need to be reintroduced as though they’ve never meet before. Use mealtime to build positive associations.

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4. Linda – The Challenge Line

“My beautiful tabby Jules is painfully shy. I’m the only person he lets near him, otherwise he’s under the bed. Even the sound of a doorbell on a TV show or the sound of neighbors talking outside sends him running to my bedroom.”

Recommended Spirit Essences: Scaredy Cat & Stress Stopper
Jules is a perfect candidate for Scaredy Cat as the base remedy. It was acutally developed for “closet cats” or “under the bed cats.” Administer in food and water, mist around the house, and apply topically. Also, apply Stress Stopper topically as needed. Stress Stopper is a remedy that everyone should have in their kit. It’s like vibrational first aid.

Jackson’s Tips
Jules needs to have structured challenges, you can’t cater to the fear. Check out my video below where I talk about The Challenge Line. You need to challenge him everyday and not let him stay in his comfort zone. Try bringing someone else into the house everyday. Use food as an incentive, use toys, bring the bowl closer to the door. Find out where he’s comfortable and where he will go, and bring him to that line everyday.

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5. Holly – Arnold’s Trauma

“My husband and I are currently guardians to a cat clan of nine. All have been rescued in some capacity– some directly off the street, as I used to live in an area known as the local cat dumping ground– but my biggest and saddest problem is my 2-year-old shelter rescue, Arnold. Arnold came home from the shelter as a kitten with a terrible upper respiratory infection. Our vet prescribed antibiotics and lysine, and instructed us to keep him separated from the other cats until he was better. The sad part is that Arnold came to associate the arrival of humans in “his” space–especially if the human petted him or picked him up– with having to take medicine, which he hated, fought against, and cried about until we cried, too. To this day, Arnold runs away in fear when he is approached by any human, including us. He is a loving boy when he approaches on his own terms and he gets along well with the other cats, but he will run away even if we humans are just passing by to go from one room to another, and it breaks my heart.”

Recommended Spirit Essences: Trauma-Free & Stress Stopper
Arnold is trapped in a cycle of post traumatic stress disorder. He has a negative association with humans. One bottle of Trauma-Free over a month will help to peel away the layers of trauma. Use it as the base remedy in food and water, mist the house, and apply it topically 3 to 4 times a day. Also use Stress Stopper, because as the trauma is being remedied, it may get a little worse before it gets better. If there is an outburst, Stress Stopper should be applied topically.

Jackson’s Tips
Try to always make the opposite choices, for example, don’t pick him up, don’t do things that are not on his terms. Use an interactive toy for him to follow around the room. This will bring him toward you when he follows the toy. Clicker training may help. Find a treat that he loves. Put it on the floor near you until he comes to you, then use the clicker to reinforce the positive behavior.

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We hope these tips will help a lot of you resolve some of the issues you are having with your cats! Remember, you can get 10% off your order at spiritessences.com with coupon code MODERNCAT. Also, be sure to watch the season two premiere of Jackson’s show My Cat From Hell this Saturday on Animal Planet! Check out the schedule here.

Get ready for season two of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell staring everyone’s favorite cat behaviorist, Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy! The first of six brand new episodes will air on January 7. This season is full of fabulous felines and the challenges they face with their cat guardians, who sometimes need a little training themselves.

Here’s what Jackson has to say about the upcoming season:

“Season two definitely ups the ante from both the feline perspective and the human perspective. In a couple of the 12 cases highlighted this season, I saw behavior that I have never seen before in all my years working with cats. It was amazingly challenging and equally rewarding. As you watch, I hope you will learn something new about cats in general, as well as the cats you share your life with, because at the end of the day, that’s what MCFH is all about.”

If you’re a regular reader of Moderncat, then you’re already a cat lover and you know the incredible benefits feline family members bring to our lives — challenges and all. There’s no question you should be watching My Cat From Hell, but I’d like to point out that this show has a much broader mission than just entertaining cat lovers. This show can help other people discover just how great the human-feline bond can be. In the show, Jackson helps people overcome the issues they are having with their cats, which might have otherwise led to the cat being given away, or worse, surrendered to a shelter where the cat’s future would likely be grim. Through behavioral changes and environmental modifications, he helps solidify the relationship between guardian and cat. The way I see it, this show can help keep more cats in happy homes — that means fewer homeless cats on the streets and reduced numbers of cats being killed in shelters.

So, I want you to be watching on January 7, but I want you to help spread the word to others outside the inner circle of cat lovers. Do you know someone who has a cat but things aren’t going so well? Get them to watch, too. Like I said, this isn’t just a show for avid cat lovers, it’s for all potential cat lovers, too. And you know, cats make the world a better place.

My friend Luna the Fashion Kitty has a big heart and she’s using her celebrity status to help homeless kitties! Miss Luna is a fashionable Himalayan kitty with a wardrobe that puts mine to shame. I’ve actually met Luna, she and her mom Rocio live here in Arizona, and I have to say, Luna is the best dressed kitty I’ve ever met. If you haven’t heard of Luna before, you can learn more about her on her website lunathefashionkitty.com, follow her on Facebook, and watch all her videos (including a tour of her closet) on her YouTube channel.

This year, Luna made a very special 2012 calendar showcasing some of her seasonable fashions. Proceeds from the sale of the calendar will be donated to the Seattle Persian and Hamalayan Rescue. Luna knows that not all kitties are as fortunate as her, so she wants to do what she can to help. Here is a message from Luna:

I’m so excited about my new calendar! We will be donating to Seattle Persian and Himalayan Rescue because they do a pawsome job rescuing Purrsians and finding homes fur them. Also when they are out of Purrsians they take kitties from the shelters and foster them and find them homes, too.

Purrsians can’t survive fur long outside, because we get matted so bad that we cannot walk, plus our skin can tear and get infected, also our eyes are delicate, they need daily cleaning, we can even loose our sight. This make it impossible fur us to join a cat colony and live happily there.

Purrsons are surprised that there are so many homeless Purrsians, everypawdy thinks that is not possible, but it’s a big purrblem, because purrsons get us and they get “tired” of the care we need, they claim “is too much work” when I know it takes me just 10 minutes a day to look this FAB, and I even wear clothes! So bottom line is they are just lazy purrsons.

Thanks a lot fur purrchasing my calendar, Purrsians in need and I really appreciate it! Also, on my website is a rescue section that lists Purrsians fur adoption in your area.

–Luna

Luna’s 2012 calendar is available from Lulu.com for just $16.00. Luna thanks you for your support!