Lifestyle Review: National Pet Month

The UK are a nation of pet lovers. Much like many of you, I absolutely love to spoil my pet cat, Rosie and adore her every fibre of my being. Being National Pet Month, Ocean Finance offered to help me splash out and treat my favourite feline to celebrate...

Now in it's 27th year, National Pet Month celebrates those furry (and not so furry) friends that we all adore. Not only does it promote responsible pet ownership, but it also encourages pet friendly businesses, groups and individuals to stage and attend pet themed events to raise money for UK pet charities. Besides being Pet Month, April 2016 also happens to be the month and year of Rosie's 19th birthday. Now whilst I love spoiling Rosie, it's not always affordable to do so but Ocean* got in touch and asked what I would buy my cat I didn't have to worry about the cost. Here's what I picked out for her...

At first I wondered if these cat fountains were just another gimmick but then I did some research in to why they're actually better for your cat. If you're a cat owner, you may have noticed your cats tend to prefer drinking from the tap or out of ponds. This is because they often prefer running water as it tends to be fresher. If you think of it as drinking out of a puddle vs. a stream, it works in the same way. Being much older now, Rosie tends not to go outside and so her water bowl or the tap is her only option. The Cat Mate Fountain* filters the water in the bowl to keep it fresh and clean whilst the slide prevents splashing and getting the cat wet as they drink.

I wasn't sure if Rosie would go for this as she's very set in her ways, seemingly being the oldest cat in the world. When I first hooked it up, she gave it a good sniff and once over before walking away. She has since used it although I can tell that she's still confused as to where her old bowl is. I'm definitely happier knowing that the fountain is a healthier option and hopefully, she's getting used to her new gadget.

Being old (not to mentioned completely deaf), Rosie tends to howl at night or when she can't find anyone. Having researched this endlessly, it seems to common for old cats to feel disorientated and get stressed without company - much like us humans. I'd heard about these plug-in diffusers which work for a number of animals and aim to calm and de-stress your pet. When a cat is happy in it's environment, it uses it's facial pheromones to mark it's scent anywhere possible. This scent gives them a sense of security and comfort. The Feliway Diffuser Pack* is a synthetic copy of this pheromone which is said to help to calm pets.

I'd heard mixed reviews as they don't always work for all pets but I definitely thought it was worth a shot if it meant Rosie would be happier. I read that many people found them useful when moving home to help their pet adjust to the new environment and also for older cats who were showing signs of stress.Simply plug-in, similar to an airfreshner, one online reviews said that cats usually start to feel the effects within a week or so. In Rosie's case, it has yet to take any effect. I'm hoping to give it a little while longer and hopefully the 4am howling will stop.

Now, it wouldn't be a treat for Rosie without Dreamies*. Next to ham and cheese and onion crisps, she'll practically kill you for these babies. I have no idea what it is but these are essentially crack for cats and they bloody love them. I picked up a couple of packets in various flavours for my princess to enjoy. I know that a lot of people disagree with feeding their cats treats or 'sweets' but fear not, I'm always careful not to give her too many. Plus, she's 19 years old - she can have or do whatever she wants if it makes her a happy kitty.

Well, that's it for another crazy cat lady post for today. How do you like to spoil your pet? How have you been making the most of National Pet Month? Tell me about your pet. As always, I love reading your comments so please do leave them below.

Until next time,

*This post is a sponsored post for Ocean from which these products were paid for by the brand. All opinions are my own and do not reflect that of the companies named in this post.