cat VOL 2
NO 1
FEATURES 28
Company For Your Cat? The benefits and challenges of a multiple cat home.
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Cats in Mythology A pantheon of reigning felines. BY RAMONA MAREK
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BY STEVE DUNO
I L LU ST R AT I O N K I M SM I T H
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P H OTO CI N DY J E R R E L L
ILLUSTRATION KIM SMITH
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THE GOODS
40 Behind the Scenes: Meet This Issue’s Cover Cat Meet Little Bear, the little cat whose disability doesn’t stop him from enjoying life and winning hearts along the way. PHOTOGRAPHED BY DONNIE KELLEY
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Best Beds Terrific cat beds for your best pal.
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Bargain Buys Steal these deals.
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Smart Food Living longer, getting stronger: how to optimize your cat’s health BY ELIZABETH PASK AND LAURA SCOTT
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Cool Cat Fab finds for your feline.
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DIY Craft: Menswear Mouse Toy Treat your kitty to a game of cat and mouse with these dapper DIY toys.
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DIY EAT: Get Into Summer! Make it! Easy, frozen cat treats to delight even the most discerning cats. BY DANA FOX
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10 Fun Ways You Can Help Shelter Cats Interested in volunteering some of your time and talents but simply don’t know where to get started? We’ve got fun, easy-to-implement ideas to get the ball rolling!
72
Art Attack: One to Watch Our kind of girl. Hip, young painter Allison Schulnik is obsessed with cats. BY ROSE FROSEK
BY ROSE FROSEK
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BREED PROFILE 22
The Siamese Delicate and sophisticated, the aristocrat of cats. BY KELLY CALDWELL
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BODY AND SOUL 44 Cats Make Babies Healthier; Make It! Cat Salad 45
In a Cat/Dog Quandary? Ask Dog Lady; Cat Fact; Chirping Cats
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The 10 Warning Signs of Cancer Early detection is key to successful treatment. A veterinary oncologist shares what to look out for. BY DR. GERALD S. POST
REGULAR FEATURES
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6 Editor’s Letter 8 Contributors 12 The Scoop 20 Meow! Photo Contest 76 Marketplace
COVER CAT Meet Little Bear, winner of our second Modern Cat Cover Contest with over 56,000 votes! Little Bear was photographed by Donnie Kelley of Kelley and Company Photography. Read Little Bear's story on page 40.
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LIVING 10
Stuff We Love Modern Cat staffers’ picks of the litter.
12
The Scoop Cat news and reviews.
26
We’re Giving It Away! We've got six months of groovy giveaways, from farm-to-friend treats to hip and joint supplements, just waiting to be won!
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Aristocats In marrying the feline visage to traditional portraiture, artist Carol Lew delights with cats decked out in 17th century finery. BY NASTASHA SARTORE
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The Scoop on Kitty Litter Don’t go to the pet store without this guide!
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How I Met My Cat A cat of few words. BY PAT KOLBERG
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Bad Romance Nine foods to never give your cat. BY LORI-LEE EMSHEY
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Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good cat and a good book. Editor-in Chief Connie Wilson’s selection of must-read titles.
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Last Lick : Goldie A feral, orange tabby shows his love from across the great divide. BY SUZANNE BEECHER
BY SARAH PLATT
PA I N T I N G A L L I S O N S CH U L N I K
P H OTO BY DA N A G A L L A G H E R . CO U RT E S Y O F M A RT H A S T E W A RT L I V I N G . CO P Y R I G H T © 2 01 0
make ! these
F
irst of all, let me start off with a huge thank you to you, our readers. Because of you, the premiere issue of Modern Cat magazine was an overwhelming success. We received many, many heartwarming and encouraging notes, which we just loved reading. I especially liked the ones that communicated pleasure in finally having a magazine as smart, interesting, and cool as it’s readers! Keep the comments coming, especially feedback on how we can make Modern Cat magazine even better... we couldn’t do it without you. I love that we’re building a community, one bound by a shared love of cats and commitment to their happiness and welfare. Not that there isn’t something in it for we cat lovers— numerous studies have shown that stroking, snuggling or playing with a cat will help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and create a feeling of wellbeing. Even just watching a cat can bring you into the present moment and help you surrender thoughts of past events or future obligations, lowering stress levels. In a lot of ways, they’re our very own therapists—but, for the most part, a lot cheaper! Our cats make our lives complete and our houses homes. A portion of their appeal (How do we love our cats? Let us count the ways…) is just how darn interesting they are. As I’m sure you can attest, they definitely keep one guessing. Cats are a bit of an enigma; of the animals with which we share our homes, they arguably retain the most wildness. This is partly what makes them so intriguing and endearing. At times they’re solitary, independent, and aloof, but then at the drop of a dime, they can be just the reverse—needy, demanding, playful, loving. They often cause their guardians (like a cat can be “owned!”) to wonder just what they’re thinking and why they do the things they do. Of course, like anyone you spend a lot
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of time with, they can be totally frustrating, too, especially if you’re trying to puzzle out a sudden change in character. It’s our goal to help you gain insight into your cat’s behaviour (we love tackling the “whys” behind some of the more inscrutable things our cats do) and help you to live your best and happiest life with your cat. Which brings me to this issue! It’s packed with all manner of goodness, from the best beds, bargain buys, and cool finds to awesome DIY projects like the frozen little fishy treats you’ll find the how-to for on page 68. We also have two veterinary nutritionists give super advice on how to optimize your cat’s health and manage chronic health conditions. And we’ve got great art galore, from nifty digitally-altered portraits that will have your cat suited up like a Victorian dandy to hip, young artist Allison Schulnik’s cat obsession and the resultant paintings that have Art Review naming her one of the “ones to watch.” And there’s more! We’ve got 10 fun ways you can help shelter cats (Cake baking! Toys drives!), we take a look at Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington’s feline fancy, delve into cats in mythology, explore the benefits and challenges of a multi-cat home (page 28), and so much more. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
With love,
Connie Wilson, Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief
What is it that so many people find enchanting in animals? Their essence – their Being – is not covered up by the mind, as it is in most humans. And whenever you feel that essence in another, you also feel it in yourself. —Eckhart Tolle, Guardians of Being
P H O T O M A R K VA N M A N E N / CO U RT E S Y O F T H E P ROV I N C E
ED ITO R ’S LE T T E R
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C ON TRIBUT OR S Ramona D. Marek is an awardwinning freelance writer, member, and former director of the Cat Writers’ Association who has written for many print and digital magazines internationally. Ramona writes about various topics including the role and symbolism of the cat in fine arts (art, literature, mythology, and history), animal health, and welfare. She finds inspiration in her two feline muses, Tsarevich Ivan, a pedigreed Siberian, and Natasha Fatale, a full-time diva adopted from the local shelter. In this issue, turn to page 36 to check out Ramona’s fascinating article,”Cats in Mythology: a Pantheon of Reigning Felines.”
SPRING/SUMMER 2013 VOL 2 NO 1 Publisher
Modern Cat Inc. Editor-in-Chief
Connie Wilson Editor & Creative Director
Jennifer Nosek Circulation Manager & Marketing Director
Jessica Nosek Circulation Supervisor
Jane Hope Design & Production
Maxine Matishak Design & Production Assistant
Vanessa Dong Sales & Marketing
Sara Lima, Mary Liu Accounting and Subscription Services Assistant
Celine Benipayo Controller
Cecilia de Roca Chan Editorial Intern
Aisha Tejani
To photograph this issue’s heartwinning Cover Cat contest winner, Little Bear, we enlisted the wonderful Donnie Kelley of Kelley and Company Photography. Located in Milford, New Hampshire, Donnie has been loving and photographing pets for over 10 years now. With her fun and relaxed style, she exposes the true spirit and beauty of her subjects, capturing those sweet looks, silly expressions, and crazy antics that her clients love. Turn to page 40 to meet Little Bear. To see even more of Donnie’s work, go to kelleypets.com.
Donations Program Liaison
Jessica Nosek Honourary Editor-at-Large
Jytte Wilson Subscription inquiries call (800) 417-6289 Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERNCAT (ISSN 1929-3933) Volume 2, Issue 1. Published semi annually by Modern Cat Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Cat, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERNCAT (ISSN 1929-3933) Volume 2, Issue 1. Published semi annually by Modern Cat Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 061114003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402. PHONE
(604) 734-3131
OR TOLL FREE
Kim Smith is an illustrator from Calgary, Alberta. She grew up drawing, but never really considered a career as an artist until high school, when she was forced to choose between her two loves, science and art. Lucky for us, art won out. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Design in character design. Her passion is narrative illustration for magazines, children’s books, and comics. Check out Kim’s totally awesome illustration for “Company For Your Cat” on page 28.
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FAX
(866) 734-3131
(604) 734-3031 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3031
The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements. Copyright 2013 by Modern Cat Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Cat and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Cat Inc. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Cat Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4
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