Help Meowt - Remembering the Cats of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and My Life Changing Visit

This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats®

As the holidays approach, our hearts are filled with gratitude. Gratitude for a safe and warm home. Gratitude for healthy food. And most of all, gratitude for the love of our family, friends and furry companions who enrich our lives with their unconditional love. 

Our hearts are also with those who are not as lucky we are. Those who need just a little help, someone to share their love, and those who are waiting for a forever home. Through their Help Meowt campaign, Tidy Cats® is helping us give back to a rescue organization we hold very near and dear to our hearts. On behalf of GLOGIRLY.com, Tidy Cats is donating two palettes of litter to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. 

When we were asked to select a shelter, one that we perhaps had volunteered for or had touched us in some way, Glogirly was flooded with memories of her life-changing trip to Best Friends last year.

So today, we're turning over the blog from our paws to our girl. No funny quips between us kitties, just lots of love for some beautiful cats who although may not have their own family or soft sofa to curl up on, but are truly loved and cared for as they wait for that purrfect person to walk into their lives and say, "You're the one." 

~Katie and Waffles

A Little Best Friends History

A shared passion and dedication to kindness for all living things is what brought a group of 21 idealistic people with a dream together a little over three decades ago. This shared passion is what helped them to create the world's largest no-kill animal rescue organization. The sanctuary sits on 3,700 majestic acres of the Utah landscape Best Friends has appropriately named Angel Canyon. With a family of over 1,500 Best Friends Network Partner shelter and rescue organizations across the country, it's all about a common goal. Save Them All.

Cat World at the Sanctuary

Love.

If I had to sum up my visit with the cats, volunteers, and caregivers of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary's Cat World, it would have to be Love. My prayers answered would mean forever homes for every single one of the 550 beautiful cats that Best Friends cares for in their 11 kitty-comfortable and well-appointed cat houses. But if you're a cat waiting to be adopted or being helped to become adoption-ready, this is surely the place to be.

It's so peaceful. There's this calming energy present that reminded me of how important it is to slow down and appreciate the small and the subtle. I had visited all the other areas of the sanctuary before I arrived at Cat World, and was on such a high, taking everything in. From the ruckus of the chatty parrots to the boundless energy of puppies taking their first leashed walk outside, it was like a marathon for my animal-loving senses. But when I walked into Benton House, the original and first cat building on the sanctuary grounds, everything slowed down. It was like I'd found my zen.

My friend and traveling companion Maggie with one of the sweet cats from Benton House.

Benton House is home to many of the special needs cats at Best Friends. I quietly entered one of the five cat rooms, each home to 10-15 cats, and sat down on the floor. I suppressed my desire to scoop them all up in my arms. I knew that I needed to give them a chance to investigate and accept me. One by one, the cats came over to check me out, say hello, and take a peek at the big camera I was toting. 

Saying hello back is something you have to take slow. But gaining trust came easy. The cats reminded me of the importance of taking the time to enjoy the simple things. Neck scritches, head butts, soft and gentle conversation. 

And love.


Volunteering

There are two 3-hour volunteer shifts everyday at Best Friends. People come from all over the country to volunteer, often as part of a family vacation. I met Numi, the sweetest young girl who was volunteering with her mother, Isabelle. They had driven in from Salt Lake City. Their job, just like mine, was to simply socialize with the cats. They were just peacefully sitting on the floor in one of the rooms with cats all around and on top of them. Numi was reading a story to the cats.

The gift of just being with these beautiful cats was so moving. And Numi's soft voice filled the room with a presence that meant the cats were anything but alone.


Catio Heaven




Each of the 11 houses has about five individual cat rooms where a small group of cats reside together. The spacious rooms each have places to sleep, climb, scratch, play, hide, look out the windows, eat, drink, and use the litter box. And each of these rooms has it's own catio.

The catios (shown above) are glorious. The cats can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors in a safe and stimulating environment. Some can even catch a passerby leaf or lizard through the mesh walls. The climbing structures are made from repurposed wood originally used to build some of the first structures on the sanctuary grounds and provide a perfect path up into the rafters where a kitty super-highway awaits.


Hello Slidell

The first cat to greet me when I walked into Benton House was the sweetest little girl with huge green eyes. Slidell is a 5-year-old special needs kitty. Shel can't use her back legs, but they don't cause her any pain or slow her down. She's FIV+ and incontinent, so needs to have her bladder expressed and she also takes some daily medications. She's not a fan of her daily baths, but she always cooperates.

Like all the special needs cats of Benton House, Slidell doesn't know she's any different. She just knows she's a cat.  A beautiful, loving and trusting cat. She just needs the right person to come along and be her 'one.'

Have Stroller Will Travel

Some of the kitties at Best Friends enjoy going for walks, both on harness and leash as well as in strollers. The Meowzers Meander is a beautiful path created just for the cats. It winds through the trees and bushes, connecting many of the cat houses. There's a shaded gazebo with benches for resting in the breeze.

Holly, the beautiful calico girl pictured above, LOVES going outside in her stroller. I took her for a stroll and roll so she could smell the sunshine. 

The Lovers Room

One of the things that touched me the most about my time in Benton House was how special each and every cat is to the caregivers. They know them all by name, they know their stories, their personalities, and silly little habits. They know who their buddies are and what makes each of them happy. They do absolutely everything they can to help each cat become ready for adoption, at their own pace and in their own way.

One of the last cat rooms I visited was called the Lovers Room. All of the cats in this particular room were incredibly affectionate with one another. They groomed each other, exchanged head butts and literally stuck together like glue. If two cats have bonded, the caregivers make sure they are adopted together. No exceptions. 

Angels Rest

The most moving experience of my visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and one of the most moving experiences of my life was Angels Rest. It's the final resting place for sanctuary animals and beloved companions of Best Friends members and staff. It's much more than just a cemetery. It's a place of peace and reverence. It's evidence of the love and respect we hold for our pets and for all animals.

The gorgeous grounds took my breath away. Walking paths wind through the entire space and small markers are placed at each grave. Every single animal is celebrated and honored, both in name and in-ceremony. Each month, memorial services are held on the grounds of Angels Rest for those animals who have passed away.

With so much to take in visually, I was completely focussed on getting just the right photos. Everything I saw...I just knew everyone would want to see it. 

And then it hit me.

The Voices of Angels

It can be windy in the canyon, but when I first arrived it was eerily quiet. Then suddenly, like someone tapping me on the shoulder, the breeze wafted through the air and the flutter of a thousand wind chimes began to ring. Soft at first, then a concert of notes as the powerful gusts took over.

And I realized what I was hearing.

The sound of a thousand angels. Those animals who may not have experienced love and compassion in life were loved and respected in death. I cried.

I cried for the souls of the cats who never had their own sofa to curl up on or a human companion to sleep with at night. I cried for the dogs that never had their own yard to play in and the Champions rescued from unspeakable acts. I cried for the young ones who didn't make it and the elders who could wait no longer. I cried for all the animals and their caregivers.

Gratitude

I want to thank the volunteers and staff at Best Friends. The dedication they have to their cause to Save Them All knows no bounds. They continue to inspire me through the unconditional love and compassion they show for the animals in their care. 

I want to thank Tidy Cats for allowing me the opportunity to give back to Best Friends and to share my story and images with you.

I want to thank ALL the tireless volunteers and advocates across the country for the love and care they give to animals less fortunate. Bless you.

And finally, I want to thank you, my friends and devoted readers of this blog, and all the Katie and Waffles fangirls and fanboys out there for allowing me to share my life with you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Love,
Glogirly

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats®, which means that we were paid to create and feature this content. Regardless of payment received, you will only see products or services featured on our blog that we believe are of interest to our readers.

Waffles' Smells are Ringing Bells GIVEAWAY - Win Tidy Cats® New LightWeight Ammonia Blocker and $1,000 Container Store Gift Card

This blog post is sponsored by Tidy Cats®.

WAFFLES:  Do, Do-Do.  Do, Do-Do.




KATIE:  Seriously, Waffles. Enough already with the Do Do-Do. I know what's going on and that smell rings a bell.


WAFFLES:  You mean like a doorbell? Or Christmas bells? It's not even Halloween yet, Boss.

KATIE:  Waffles, just Do, Do-Do your business and move on. You're not the only one who has to use the litter box, you know. The quicker we make this, the less I have to smell–


WAFFLES:  But Boss, Glogirly says our new litter blocks the smelly stuff. Something about ammonia, whatever that is.

KATIE:  If only they could make a litter that would block you from my peace and quiet.

WAFFLES:  *raspberry*

KATIE:  WAFFLES!

WAFFLES:  Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the litter box.

No Ammonia Smell? Really.

One of the fringe benefits of Katie and Waffles' whole food diet is a greatly diminished litter box smell when it comes to #2. But there's been little we could do about the ammonia smell that often lingers behind when it comes to #1. We've been very pleased with how the new Tidy Cats LightWeight with Ammonia Blocker has performed. When they say it blocks ammonia odor for two weeks, they really do mean it. 

We have three litter boxes, each located in different areas of our home. We tried out Tidy's new litter in two of them and even left one unscooped for a few days more than our normal scooping schedule. Both of the Tidy boxes remained odor free...even the one with more clumps hanging around than normal. 

Lightweight...aaahh!

With just two cats, we don't go through nearly as much litter each month as some of our friends. But even still, the weight can really add up. With a standard-weight litter, we go through about 40 pounds every 3-4 weeks. And we order it online, 120 pounds at a time! (Apologies to our UPS man.) Tidy's lightweight litters cut that amount in half. 

Dust, Tracking & Scent

Many lightweight litters can tend to be a little dustier than their standard-weight counterparts. We were thrilled to discover this is not the case with this new formula. The dust was very minimal, even when pouring the litter into an empty box. 

Tracking was on par with virtually all the litters we've tried out. There's always going to be some just outside the box, but it's not excessive and in our experience, doesn't track outside the bathroom into the other rooms at all.

We'll be honest, we're not fans of scented litters and that's something we've shared with Tidy Cats before. We would LOVE it if they were to offer a fragrance-free formula, lightweight or not. So when Glogirly went to the store to pick out our litter for this test and review, she opened up all of the new Ammonia-Blocker jugs so she could compare the various scents. One, in particular was very subtle, with a mild, clean and fresh scent. It's the Tidy Cats LightWeight with Glade Tough Odor Solutions, 'Clear Springs'. It's just as mild at home as it was in the store and we've been pleasantly surprised at how much we don't even notice the scent at all. 

If you're sensitive to fragrance like we are, we highly recommend this particular formula, though we also understand if you suffer from asthma or allergies, you may need to stick to a strictly fragrance-free litter. 

Available Now and $2 Off

We picked up the new Tidy Cats LightWeight with Ammonia Blocker at our local grocery store, but it's also available in pet supply stores and at plenty of online retailers. Tidy Cats has a spiffy retailer locater to help you find it HERE. 

Click HERE to download a $2 coupon so you can give it a try too.

An INCREDIBLE Giveaway Opportunity!

Tidy Cats LightWeight with Ammonia Blocker has helped us improve our litter boxes, litter rooms,  even our whole house. Think of it as a mini-home improvement project. So we're tickled to be able to offer our friends and readers an opportunity to do a little home improvement of their own. 

*Drum Roll* ...are you ready?

We're giving away five product coupons for Tidy Cats® LightWeight AND a $1,000.00 gift card to The Container Store! (One of Glogirly's favorite home improvement and lets-get-organized places to shop.)

WAFFLES:  Wait, what?

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCER VOICE: Yes, a $1,000.00 gift card to The Container Store. 

WAFFLES:  A store with nothing but containers? You mean like boxes? Me-WOW. 

One winner will be randomly selected to receive five free product coupons for Tidy Cats® Lightweight Litter with Ammonia Blocker and one $1,000.00 gift card for The Container Store. Though prizes can only ship to a US address, readers worldwide are invited to enter. Should the winner reside outside the US, they may gift their prize to a US friend or shelter. Winner will receive an email notifying them of their win and must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, their prize will be forfeited and another winner will be randomly selected. Deadline to enter is September 12, 2017 @ 11:59pm EST. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Void where prohibited. Giveaway is sponsored by TidyCats®. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC Disclosure: This post and giveaway is sponsored by Tidy Cats®, which means that we were paid to create and feature this content. Regardless of the payment received, we only feature products and services we use and/or feel would be relevant to our readers.

Tidy Cats Direct & Amazon Prime Membership Giveaway

WAFFLES:  It's here! It's here! Our new litterbox is here!

WAFFLES:  Boss, you'll never believe it! Our new litterbox is a real, live BOX! This is the best day EVER.

KATIE:  It's alive?

WAFFLES:  No, Boss. It's a BOX. 

KATIE:  Boy, nothing gets past you, Waffles. 

Direct to Our Doorstep & Disposable Too!
It was an exciting day for Waffles when the man in purple shorts delivered our new Tidy Cats Direct disposable litterboxes. You'd have thought he won the kittycat jackpot.



Open, Scoop, Toss & Repeat
It truly couldn't be easier. And convenient too.

Tidy Cats Direct is a self-contained disposable litterbox that arrives at your doorstep filled with litter and ready to use.

It's been years since Glogirly lugged litter home from the store. She's been buying litter online since before Waffles was Waffles.

But she still had to heave the big bags up the steps, dump out the old litter, clean the box, dump in the new litter, carry the old out to the garbage, being careful not to rip the bag (yes, it's happened more than once)... you get the picture.

Setting up the box is super simple. Just pull the tab.

Then gently tear open the flap. The box is perforated to make opening a breeze. And it doesn't rip where it's not supposed to either. Fold the flap back and you're ready to go.

And by go, we mean go. 

Waffles was in such a hurry to get inside the box, Glogirly didn't even have a chance to fold the flap and tuck it under the box. You'll notice the flap is scored in the middle - that's so it's easy to fold back and under. 

The Scoop

• No cleaning is required, just scoop as you would any other litterbox.
• The box comes prefilled with 30 days worth of litter. (That's for 1 cat.)
• The bottom of the box has an anti-leak coating that actually works!
• Once opened, the top folds back and tucks underneath the box. 
• When you're ready to dispose of everything, just fold the top back over and toss. 

KATIE:  Seriously Waffles, Glogirly just opened this up and you're already digging to China. 

WAFFLES:  Maybe I want to go to China.

What on earth will Glogirly do with all this free time?
One of the most fun benefits of using Tidy Cats Direct is all time you'll save. Waffles and Katie have a few suggestions for Glogirly on how she should spend that time.

KATIE:  This means she'll have even MORE time to prepare our food. I'm seeing 3 squares a day plus snacks in my future. 

WAFFLES:  I'm seeing extra wand toy and red dot tournaments. 

It's a GIVEAWAY!
Our friends at Tidy Cats have generously offered one of our lucky readers not only a chance to try out Tidy Cats Direct, but a free one-year Amazon Prime membership so whenever you order Tidy Cats Direct through Amazon, your shipping will be fast and free.

If you're selected as the winner in our random drawing and already have an Amazon Prime membership, you'll receive a $99.00 Amazon gift card instead. How cool is that?!

Although the prize may only ship to a US address, readers worldwide are invited to enter. Should the winner reside outside the US, they may gift their prize to a US friend or shelter.

Just enter via Rafflecopter below and be sure to leave us a comment sharing what YOU would do with a little extra free time.

Good luck, everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats® for Purina®. As a TidyCatInsider, we are being compensated for sharing our experience with Tidy Cats Direct and offering a giveaway to our readers. GLOGIRLY only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tidy Cats is not responsible for the content of this article.

Life, Love & Litterboxes - A Conversation with Real Life CatLady Angela Kinsey plus a Giveaway!

WAFFLES:  Don't look now...

KATIE:  Yes. DON'T look now, Waffles. A little privacy please!

WAFFLES:  Glogirly's going to make that face again.

KATIE:  What face?

WAFFLES:  You know, the squinty-scruchy-that-really-stinks face. Stank Face. 

KATIE:  What exactly are you saying, Waffles?

Stank Face: The universal expression of disgust often caused by litter box odor
This summer, TidyCats is partnering with actress and cat-lover Angela Kinsey (best known for her role as cat lady Angela Martin on NBC's 'The Office') on a public awareness initiative to shed light on Stank Face and how their new TidyLock™Protection technology can help to combat it's ill effects by better locking away the odors that so often lead to scrunched noses and squinty eyes.

As part of the TidyInsider program, Glogirly had an opportunity to interview the real cat lady behind the cat lady. Turns out Glogirly and Angela have quite a bit in common... from Stank Face to much more.

Glogirly & Angela - A Conversation About Cats, Compassion & Laughter
I had a chance to chat with Angela a couple of weeks ago about her cats and her own Stank Face experiences. But the universe had different plans. After quick introductions, the brightness in her voice diminished as she told me her dear cat Otter had just passed away. I could just feel the hurt and loss in her voice and my heart broke for her. So we spent some time talking about her Otter. Her heart cat.

Angela: "Pets become healers and buffers to our world." 

Otter was her constant. By her side since her 20s, from tiny apartment to tiny apartment, Otter was right there. Otter was there for Angela when she was alone and just starting out. And with her as she enjoyed successes and milestones in her career, playing Cat Lady Angela Martin on NBC's The Office,  and in her family life, including the birth of her daughter Isabel, now eight years old.

Photos courtesy of @angelakinsey on Instagram

The way she talked about Otter reminded me so much of Nicki, the cat that came before Katie & Waffles. Nicki and I moved six times together in his short little life. It was a time that I too was just starting out and was alone. I don't know what I'd have done without him. Like Otter, Nicki was my constant too. By my side as I grieved the loss of my mom and right next to me as we moved to unfamiliar cities to begin new jobs and adventures.

Adopting Otter
Almost 20 years ago, Angela went to Much Love Animal Rescue in Santa Monica, CA to adopt a cat. One cat. At least that was the plan. A sweet little girl named Lucy curled up in her lap and essentially picked her. I think we've all been there. That moment you just know that you were meant for that cat and that cat was meant for you.

There was a catch though. Lucy had a brother. And the shelter wasn't going to split them up. Peering out from the corners was this kind of crazy looking cat. Wild eyed and perhaps still a little bit feral. That was Otter.

And so it was meant to be. Angela came home with brother and sister, Otter and Lucy. At least she thought she'd come home with a brother and sister. For the longest time, Angela thought Otter was a boy until one day at the vet the doctor exclaimed, "You have a really nice, sweet girl!"

Angela to Otter: "I'm so sorry all these years I've been calling you a dude!"

Otter and Lucy, now sisters, were best of buddies for many years until Lucy passed away. In her later years, Otter loved her porch time. No longer a jumper or a climber, the enclosed backyard was like a slice of sunshine heaven where she could be happy and safe.

Otter was her heart cat.
And for her daughter, this was the first time experiencing loss. Our sweet pets, they teach us so much. Even in death.

Photos courtesy of @angelakinsey on Instagram

Today Angela shares her life with Snickers and Oreo, her boyfriend's cats and two tiny rescue dogs. So tiny they're smaller than most cats. We talked about the awesome cat men in our lives and the joy it brings each of us to see the love they show them each and everyday through cuddles and conversations.

All of Angela's pets are rescues. "If you adopt from a kill shelter, you really ARE saving life."


It's a Tidy Giveaway!
One lucky GLOGIRLY reader will receive a prize of five manufacturer's coupons to buy the TidyCats litter of their choose and squelch the stank in their own litter boxes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Even a cat loving celeb like Angela isn't exempt from Stank Face. Learn more at StopStankFace.com.

Special thanks to Angela Kinsey for sharing herself and Otter's story with us.

This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats® for Purina®. As a TidyCatInsider, we are being compensated for creating awareness about Stank Face and TidyLock™ Protection and sponsoring a Litter Giveaway for our readers. GLOGIRLY only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tidy Cats is not responsible for the content of this article.

Littervention Makeover

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss! You didn't do a very good job cleaning our litter room mirror.  Can you–

KATIE:  I'm a little bit BUSY right now, Waffles.

WAFFLES:  But Boss, it's time for our litter invention thing. 

KATIE:  You mean Littervention.  

WAFFLES:  Litter what???

KATIE:  It's like an intervention, except for our litter room. Like a makeover. Can we please talk about this later?

WAFFLES:  What's wrong with my litter room? It doesn't need any stinkin' ventioning.

KATIE:  Seriously? Have you SEEN the state of the litter room after you've done your business???

It's a LITTERVENTION! 
When our friends at Tidy Cats® told us they were going to do an intervention on our litter room, a "Littervention" they called it, we realized the first step to coming clean was going to be admitting we had a problem. (See photo above.)

They sat us down at our computer screen and proceeded to ask a myriad of questions -

• How many litter boxes do you have?
• Where are your litter boxes located?
• What's your biggest litter box pet peeve? 
• What would you do if you could give your litter room a makeover?

A few answers and a couple of weeks later, two HUGE boxes arrived. They were filled with a cornucopia of cool stuff.




All the Right Tools
We received shiny new litter boxes, litter mats, a VERY effective metal scoop with a handy hanger and even a Litter Genie litter disposal system. We keep one of our litter boxes in a fiberglass shower enclosure and the addition of the perfectly sized mat is making clean up a breeze. The Litter Genie means fewer runs to the garage to toss out our clumps.



Taking It to the Mat
These are the first litter mats we've tried out and we love them! We never realized how much litter Waffles and Katie were shaking out on the floor as they left the box. A simple (and cute) litter mat is a no-brainer solution.

A Little Math
Do you know how many litter boxes is the perfect number for your furry family? One per cat plus one extra. For us that makes three. So simple, even Waffles can figure it out. We hope.

Glogirly's Biggest Litter Box Peeve
When Glogirly opened up the new boxes, you'd have thought she won the lottery! You see, her biggest litter box pet peeve is the gunky stuff and clumps that stick to the bottom and corners of the litter box. Besides cleaning regularly, the best solution to sticking is making sure your boxes are replaced regularly. Over time, all that scratching really takes a toll on the bottom of the box. It's not only difficult to scoop, but it's hard to clean and sanitize. Depending on use, it's a good idea to replace them every year or so.

FUN FACT:  Speaking of use, did you know that Katie and Waffles use the same litter box?  No His and Hers in our litter room. Of course, Katie would never admit it.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

And that's especially true when it comes to litter boxes. We scoop daily, adding in additional litter as needed. Then once a month, we do a soap and water deep clean. We always use fragrance free, pet friendly cleaners.

Scratch, Scratch, Scratch
We're not sure if scratching and litter boxing goes hand in hand for other cat households, but they do in ours. We keep a couple of scratchers nearby and adjacent to our primary litter room. Whenever there's scooping going on, chances are there's an occupied scratcher in the vicinity.

Finishing Touches
Cool little storage boxes with French kitty art make perfect storage cubbies for disposable bags and other small necessities. And for those who don't mind a soft scent, Tidy Cats new deodorizer can be lightly sprinkled into the litter for a fresh, outdoorsy smell. 

Do you need a Littervention too? 

What's YOUR biggest litter box pet peeve?

Thank you so much to everyone who entered our Littervention Giveaway! 

Big congratulations to Team Dash! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats® for Purina®. As a TidyCatInsider, we are being compensated for sharing our Littervention experience and offering a Littervention Giveaway to our readers. GLOGIRLY only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tidy Cats is not responsible for the content of this article.