Website Re-Evaluation

I've been re-evaluating the website again. I do this every year, about renewal time. This year, however, Google has played some mean games with their algorhythm, and it's hurt me pretty badly.

My traffic, which is the backbone of any website, has dropped to a small fraction of what it should be. It's down to about 30% of what it was just a few weeks ago. That means it isn't getting found, sales aren't made, and no one is asking for counseling.

 I haven't done much to it, or added anything new, for a while now, so part of it is my fault. The poor thing needs some new content, and I could make folks dig a little deeper for information, instead of laying it all out on one looooong page.

If I re-do the site, those issues will be addressed. I've learned a lot in seven years, including what mistakes I made seven years ago.

There are other issues, and I've been working on them, too. Broken product links, for one. I've also learned who I want to work with and who I don't.

Back in 1998, when I first began playing around on the internet, looking into what are called "monetization models" or ways to make money on the internet, I joined up with a few folks who were making it possible.

I've since found better partners - ones who make it easier for me, not who pay me more, although that's always a nice idea. I've partnered with them, and made some strong ties.

How I get paid is through commissions - like any other sales person.

I buy stuff on the internet, and figure it's kind of nice to get a small discount, in the amount of 2%-5% as a commission, when I buy from my internet partners. Some of my partners are a bit more generous, hoping to stimulate sales, I guess.

It sure helps, but I look at the product and how it is used before I recommend anything. And then I try it myself. If I like a product, I'll tell you and give you a link to get it yourself, if you have a need. That's my way. I don't "gush" over stuff very often. I just tell you how it is and how to use it.

If I don't like it, sometimes you hear about it, but most of the time you don't. If I don't like it, I won't give you a link to it. That's just my way. And if I've had a link to it available, I'll pull the link or re-direct it to a better product, instead. It's just easier to not make you think I love something when I don't.

So, that's been my philosophy for a while now, about the website. Sure, I want to give quality information, timely information, and accurate information. I want to give you referrals to places that enhance your experience with your cat.

It's all about the cats, anyway. It's just nice if the website pays for itself, because hosting a website isn't free, and my time is worth something.

 So, I've been re-evaluating again, and wondering if it's worth continuing. Right now, it's a toss-up. On the one hand, yes, the site is paying for itself, but on the other, I'm not making anything for my time.

And if I'm going to spend time on the website, e-mail, counseling, finding products, posting information and sharing updates and notices, I need to get a little something out of it, too. After all, I have 5 cats to support, and I'm barely making ends meet.

Without the website, I can't make ends meet, and I'll probably lose the house - which means the cats will have to find homes someplace else.


So, I'm giving it a month while I work on it, and then I'll give it 6 months to grow my traffic back. If I don't see a marked improvement, I'm taking it down.

I have other things I can be working on, and I don't need the aggravation and worry.

Does Your Cat Caress You?

Does your cat caress you with his tail? That's a sign of deep affection.

I've noticed my cats will come to me and rub against me, then lean in at the tail end, with their tails toward me from the base to tip. This is the start of a caress.

Other times, I've noticed Beasley, since it's his spot in the bed, lay with his back to me, and put his tail up (if he were standing) and caress my arm. He actually wraps his tail around my arm and moves it up and down, like he's petting me.

Fluffy likes to lay on my lap, and will wrap her tail around my middle. If I move her tail to something that looks more comfortable for her, she will move it back to where she had it. She then twitches the tip of her tail to "pet" me. It's a way of saying "thank you" for the lap space.

Cats have many uses for their tails. Check your cat's tail out and let me know how s/he uses it...

How Old Is Your Cat?

I found a cool post from the HSUS that tells you how to figure out the approximate age of your cat. Use this link...

Cat Age

It also shows how to figure out the age of dogs. Pretty cool!!!

Update on the Furpeople

My furpeople are like humans in some ways.  They live with me all the time, and I forget that not everyone has cats that they can relate to like I do mine.

Beasley is my baby, but he's also a very demanding, spoiled child.  I take full responsibility for it, too!  He's extremely communicative, and he misbehaves just because he can.  He has the cutest look on his face when I'm covered up with the girls and he wants to be on my lap...  It's not quite a pout, but a "wanting" that's so plain it almost hurts to see it.  He waits for the girls to clear a space (usually by mistake) and then he comes up.  One day, he was on my lap, Queenie jumped to the arm of the chair, and Fluffy took the other arm.  They were sitting on top of him!  He took it as long as he could, and then left.


Princess has been very ill.  She lost about 1/4 of her bodyweight to some worms, and not being able to get to the food bowls without the pack barring her way and challenging her.  So, I made some concessions in her feeding location, and treated her for worms.  She's doing better,  but she hasn't regained the weight.  She feels like a feather.  Imagine a cat that's bigger than a chihuahua dog, and weighing less than 11 pounds...  On the positive, she's very snuggly, and she demands attention now, which she hasn't since we moved into the house, almost 18 months ago.  She regressed from sitting on my lap when she got sick, but she's back.  It's nice to see.

Fluffy, my little (?) sweet bear-kitty, is as snuggly as ever.  She's finally stopped grieving the roommate we had who was her favorite person in the whole world.  At least I think she has.  She's snuggly again, but if he ever comes back to see us, we'll see how she acts.  If she's aloof, I'll know she still cares too much, but if she's OK, then all is well.  Cats are shy when they've been hurt- they love to see you, but they are also afraid they'll be hurt again.  I know she'll remember him!  Anyway, her mats are bad again, but I haven't had the time to groom her like she needs it.  Otherwise, she's doing very well.

Queenie - my wanna-be-owner pest, is very possessive of me.  She doesn't want anyone to get near me.  If I sit on the chair, she has to come be next to me.  I've told her to stop, and she's better, but she still wants to be on me or next to me all the time.  However, she hasn't slept with me for quite a while.  I greet her when she comes to bed, but she's been fairly distant there.

Finally, Missy Bugs.  She's still snuggling anyone, anytime, anywhere.  But she's taken to wrapping herself around my arm when she gets the chance.  She sits on me, instead of next to me.  She will wrap herself into as small a ball as she can manage, and sit just barely on my lap.  When the others leave, she stretches out.  In some ways, she's almost human.  The poor girl really needs a home of her own where she can get all the cuddles in the house.  I don't know how she'd do without the others, but since she still gets a lot of harassment from them, I think she would do well.  She loves to play, snuggle, and sleep.  Just like any cat, but she's using 100% of her attention doing whatever it is she's doing.  She's very smart, focused, and imitates well.  She's a fast study, for sure.  I still think she will be good for training purposes.  I haven't had the time....

That's the second time I've used that phrase.  I went back to school, so my time is not my own as much.  Things got tough about a year ago, when I lost my job, so to make things better, I went back to school.  I figured improving my skills wouldn't hurt.  But it takes time away from the house, cats and website.  Scheduling becomes an important part of my day, and if I get off schedule, things go downhill quickly.  Everything suffers.

I'm writing an article this month on "toxoplasmosis" for the e-zine, so I hope you are all subscribed.  It looks to be quite informative.

Articles on the website

Did you know I publish articles on my website? I do. Not all of them by me, either. You can read other author's articles, too. I try to add at least one a week, so the website is always growing. Some of the articles are in a feed, so you get a teaser. Other articles are printed in their entirety on their own page. There are links toward the bottom of the page with all the articles listed that are currently on the website.

Check back often so you can get the latest!

Who Am I? What do I Do?

I was asked to tell folks about my site and me, and how it works. This is what I came up with...


I am a cat lover and "cat whisperer" and I assist cat owners to keep their cats happy and keep the cats in their lives. I assist with badly-behaved cats and any situation where the owner or human involved cares to get counsel. I publish a monthly e-zine with training tips, health tips, and product reviews. My approach is as much holistic as it is mainstream.

Cats think differently than people, and sometimes it's just a matter of knowing what the problem is to be able to solve it. Other times, it takes a bit of detective work, and the owner's patience, while we sort it all out.

A cat that is attacking the owner is not likely to be kept in the home.

A cat that has turned mean to other cats or people can disrupt the peace and harmony of a home.

A cat that is urinating outside the box can be a true nuisance!

All these cats are in a real danger of being sent to a kill-shelter, and losing their lives, if not just their homes. So, I assist the people to resolution, helping the cat to remain in the home, and alive.

I work with cat owners, veterinarians, rescue organizations and adoption facilities. I also assist folks who want to work with cats as Veterinarians, Pet Sitters, Trainers, and Vet Techs, by offering resources and research to help them achieve their professional goals.

Question: Do you think I meet my objective?

ONP Community

My strength is in animal (cat) training. I have an uncanny ability to figure out what a cat is saying by it's behaviors when the behaviors are described thoroughly. That's how I do what I do.

I am restricting my comments at the Only Natural Pets Community Forum to the behavior area. I recommend some products, but I also talk about the training involved. This link will take you to the actual Forum topic I'm monitoring....

http://onlynaturalpetcommunity.com/forums/32.aspx

Please - contribute! I read all the posts and respond when it's right for me to. I am not "running" the topic, but certainly do contribute a lot. There are many folks who are gifted with cats out there, I'm just more visible than most.

Cats and Holidays

There is so much hubbub during the holidays, that sometimes we forget our pets' feelings and needs. By thinking ahead and anticipating your cats' needs, you demonstrate your love.

Read the full article:
http://www.for-the-love-of-cats.com/CatsandHolidays.html