PETCO Cat and Kitten Shampoo

There is only one four letter word for Rufus and that is B-A-T-H.

Nobody in this house is a fan of cat baths. But it had to be done. Rufus had a smelly behind.

Rufus knew something was amiss when we got home from the pet store. He tried running but Cat dad, in his thickest claw-proof sweatshirt, scooped him up. There was a bit of resistance but the whole thing lasted no more than five minutes.

The shampoo was great. It lathered up nicely and didn't have an overly strong fragrance. I didn't wash Rufus' head so I can't speak about its tear-free qualities. We picked this particular shampoo because it was for kittens and figured it would be a gentle formula. The shampoo cost around $9, which is not a bad price as I expect to use it for a while.


Here are the few pictures I took before I felt bad and made Rufus the biggest stinkiest pile of dinner.

Ashamed to be photographed in this state, Rufus attempts to hide his face.

He may not be a happy camper but he sure is clean!

Even though Rufus did not enjoy receiving the bath, you could tell he was very pleased with the results. Rufus' coat was so clean and soft! The bath did a super job of washing away much of his loose fur. He was strutting around the house displaying his perfect coat to everyone.

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!


[FYI to those more timid about bathing their feline friends, Rufus thoroughly enjoys waterless baths a la Petkin Kitty Wipes!]

Frontline Plus for Cats

We had an unfortunate run-in with fleas recently. I was grossed out and had to quarantine Rufus until the fleas went away. Luckily, that didn't last long with Frontline Plus for Cats!

We bought a 6 pack from the vet on our last visit which sat in a cabinet unopened, collecting dust. As everyone now knows, I did not take the vet's warnings about fleas seriously and was not vigilant about giving Rufus regular doses. OK, OK I've learned my lesson!!

Frontline Plus is great. It's waterproof, so you can still give your cat a flea bath. (I personally did not do that. I felt bad enough about locking Rufus in our spare bedroom for a few days. Giving him a bath on top of that would just be too cruel.) It was easy to administer. Just snap the applicator open and drip the liquid directly onto the skin between the shoulder blades. Rufus didn't even know I did it. The package states it kills fleas, flea eggs, ticks and chewing lice and BOY, did it deliver. Within a few days, all traces of the bugs disappeared. I was delighted!!

Now the big question is - How does an indoor cat suddenly catch fleas? We think it has something to do with all the loose neighborhood cats running around at all hours of the night. I am convinced Rufus has a girlfriend who enters our yard and visits him at his window regularly. (My boyfriend swears he has seen the cat and had to shoo it away one night.)

Bottom line, we are very pleased with this product. Please note it isn't cheap but you can buy them in smaller increments (packs of three or six versus a year's supply). And most importantly, it works!

Woohoo, no more fleas!

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!!

Petromalt Hairball Relief

Rufus is getting older and is starting to get hairballs. Hairballs had only been the stuff of legend to me, the kind of thing I'd only see in cartoons. Never before had I seen anything like it and now that I have, I will do anything to make sure I don't ...ever again. This is where the Petromalt comes in.

Creepiest picture of Rufus ever.

Lapping it up!

Rufus loves the taste of this stuff. I give him a little strip each day and the hairballs have been gone since I purchased the product. One tube has been lasting us for weeks so that's also a plus.

I've given Rufus other hairball preventatives in the past but he usually reacts badly to them. When I gave him some of the Hartz Hairball Remedy or hairball control dry food, he itches himself to the point of breaking skin and scabbing. Rufus hasn't shown any adverse reaction to the Petromalt. We recommend this product!

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

Feline Greenies Treats

Rufus' favorite treats are Greenies. He's walked away from many treats, including but not limited to jerky treats and cheese flavored treats. I know, who would think a cat would refuse meat/cheese flavored anything!? Well, Rufus can't get enough of these babies. Once he hears the bag rustle, he scurries as fast as his little legs can carry him over.

These small, green treats help clean teeth and freshen breathe all at the same time. Though you are supposed to feed a certain number a day for those benefits to kick in. These are a carb-y treat so I usually watch how many I give to Rufus. (I am watching his figure and he's already being fed special food to help with oral care.)

Another plus, they are often on sale and one bag lasts for weeks and weeks. He loves the Salmon and Beef flavors best.

Oh and best of all, everyone can try these out. Greenies is offering free samples! Check it out and see if your meow machine will be a fan too.

Rufie Rating: Four paws! :)

Whiskas Temptations Treats

I usually buy everything for Rufus from a specialty pet stores but I took a walk down the pet aisle at my local supermarket and found these... Salmon Whiskas Temptations treats.


What a great move on my part. These are economical compared to the treats I've bought from pet stores. They are low calorie and good for Rufus' teeth. The first ingredient on the package is a meat product which I try to look for when I buy anything for Rufus to eat. The treats are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They come in a resealable pouch to help maintain freshness.

Rufus cannot get enough of them. He knows where I keep the bag of treats and when I step near them, he begins what I believe to be his attempt at mind control. He stares at me, trying to will me to reach for the bag and just dump all the contents out of the bag so he can SCARF them.

I can't wait to let Rufus try out the other flavors! (Which is really important now that I do my best to steer clear of fish treats & food because of an article I read. You can read more about that by clicking here.)

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

FURminator deShedding Tool

The FURminator is such a blessing. The amount of fur I have extracted from Rufus' body is downright scary. It makes me wonder how Rufus could have any remaining fur on his body after a de-shedding session. It's designed to remove specifically the loose undercoat hair. And boy, does it remove that undercoat... I have handfuls of fur tumbleweeds when I do this! I can't imagine how much fur he would be ingesting if I didn't help him out.

On top of that, Rufus really, really loves it when I FURminate him. It's actually kind of sick how much he likes it. I imagine it must be the equivalent of a very good kitty back rub.

The FURminator comes in various sizes for different sized pets. The purple one is meant for cats. I have the blue one and I don't think there's much a difference aside from being a few half-inches wider or what not.

I've never tried any other de-shedding tool or brush and frankly, I'm not sure I ever will. Also, they have come out with a FURminator with a double edge. (Two times as much fur out of my life with the same effort as before!!) If this one goes, I am going to pick that baby up for sure. This is pricier than most other brushes, but you definitely get what you pay for.

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

Pet Food Cover

Rufus usually gets a mixture of wet and dry food for dinner but I don't feed him whole cans at a time. What to do with the remaining wet food? Easy! After I scoop a few spoonfuls, I pop this on the can and stick it in the fridge door.

This baby keeps the food nice and fresh. None of Rufus' food smells mix with mine and none of mine with his. Plus they are re-usable and very easy to wash. Where would I be without a pet food cover??

Rufus' grandma bean was visiting last week and accidentally threw it away after making him a scrumptious dinner! Poor Rufus won't get any wet food till I pick up a new one. I bought this from Petco but I'm sure other brands work just as well.

Rufie Rating: Four paws!

Cosmic Cardboard Scratcher

Rufus has a tendency to scratch rugs and carpets, so anything that'll take those claws elsewhere is very welcome!

My cat took well to this product immediately. It might have been the catnip. I'm not sure there is anything more entertaining than a cat getting his catnip fix. It is stupidly delightful. :)

He scratches when he's bored, after he goes and following meals. I think having more than one really helps if your cat has a scratching problem.

This product is great because it's made of paper. Green is good! The part that is scratched can be flipped which doubles the life of the product. When it's scratched down to nothing, scratcher replacements can be used. There is less waste since you don't have to throw the whole thing away.

I love that there is a dangly toy inside the scratcher to keep him interested. Rufus actually didn't even notice there was anything in there until many months later. Hiding a treat or two in there will keep any cat interested and coming back for more scratches.

Here's Rufus sniffing out the catnip!

Rufie Rating: Four Paws!

The Rufie Rating System

Rufus rates all his products on a four paw scale.

Four Paws! is the highest honor. It's the best of the best and Rufus can't live without it.

Three Paws! denotes a very good product. It's recommended by Rufus.

Two Paws! signifies a good product. Rufus likes it!

One Paw! is an OK rating. Rufus doesn't care for or against a reviewed product.

Zero Paws! is a good sign to stay away, far far away from the reviewed product.


We occasionally get freebies from companies but all the products we review are done so without bias. Rufus, like all cats, cannot be bought! Either he likes it or he doesn't!