On cats

I sat down at the computer and not two seconds later I heard a familiar sound. The revving up of my cat Ivan. He never lets me sit down at the computer without jumping into my lap. It makes getting things done difficult, but it's so nice to know that he can't be away from me. He is the inspiration for this post. Pets are the best companions. I know they can be expensive, but I have some tips on how to save costs when getting one or keeping one.

• Always adopt from the SPCA. Ivan cost $65 and came with all his shots and already neutered. To buy at kitten at a pet store you are looking at 4 times that much.
  
• Buy food in bulk and store it in large tins. Mine is stored in Christmas tins that I got at the Thrift store, but no one knows because they are in the basement. We keep a smaller tin in the cupboard above their food dishes and fill it as needed from the basement stock.
• Stock up on toys after the holiday and store them away. The cat does not care if he is playing with a snowman in the middle of summer.
• Buy the scoopable litter and keep in cleaned daily. It will last longer and you don't have to change it as often.
• Clip their nails yourself. Toby loves it, Ivan hates it. I hate to cut Ivan's because he howls, but it beats the groomers bill.
• When leaving going on vacation, check with neighbors and friends about checking in on them. If you can't find a friendly volunteer, a pet sitter can come every other day with cats.