Sick Kittens & the Battle of Humidifiers

The kittens are back at normal speed, running around the house and climbing all over their new cat tree. But when they were sick two weeks ago, it seemed like forever. Probably because I was also sick at the same time and let's face it, that's not fun either. Shiva had to have multiple trips to the vet to be checked out and was given lots of medication. Then he passed on that sickness to his brother, who luckily didn't get it as badly.

Sadly, the kittens got confined to our bedroom where I had a humidifier running for them. When we first saw the signs of sickness (which seemed like conjunctivitis but it might have been something else), I started doing the research to figure out if I should have a vaporizer or a humidifier running for Shiva (since he was sick first). It didn't take much research for me to settle on a humidifier simply because a kitten cooped up in a room with a vaporizer who may or may not be attended just didn't equate to a good scenario for me.

I ended up picking up the V3100 Vicks Cool Mist Humidifier because basically it's made for a smaller room and... well, I didn't check the reviews on it before I purchased. At this point, I will warn you... just don't. After I got it, I read the reviews but realized that it looks as though they switched the caps around so I figured that maybe they fixed the problem. Nope. For the first few days it worked out incredibly well but then the trouble started and that was mainly the leaking. No matter how much I fought with it in the bathroom to stay on correctly, by the time it back into the bedroom it would leak. There were one to two times whereby it leaked a little bit, but not enough to warrant concern. Then one day the whole gallon leaked out and you can imagine on a wall to wall rug, that it took a few days to dry.

We ended up returning it to the store and after much research into a better alternative, we decided (well rather, it was the only one we could get our hands on immediately for the sick kittens) on "Elliot the Elephant." I personally wanted Merlin the Dragon but we couldn't wait for it to be shipped out.

Elliot the Elephant

Yep, so it turns out that this particularly odd shaped humidifier has some of the best reviews around the web:

• Amazon
• Babies R' Us
• Diapers.com
• Target
• Walmart
• Co-workers who saw it and started raving about it.

The kittens have been feeling better but as a precaution, we've been running the humidifier at night. Partially because I also feel a lot better waking up with it. So the moral of the story is that baby websites are pretty awesome sometimes when you have two sick kittens. 

Blast from the Past: Almay Pure Tints Protective Lip Care in Berry

In my previous post, I mentioned that I went digging through my makeup storage and I had to get through all my different shades of red lipgloss to get down to the bottom. Well, this one was one of them. A few years ago, I used to work very close to a Revlon retailer, who also carried a bunch of other products. During the time I was on the hunt for a good red lipstick and came across a lot of other items in the process. Given at the time that I had accumulated so many, several of them went into storage.

This lip "tint" is in Berry and while there's no scent, there's SPF 25 (which probably by now has greatly deteriorated as SPF has a shelf life and when it's in makeup, it's sometimes a lot less than just the normal tubes of sunscreen). Anyhow, the shade itself is quite berry as noted by the picture on the right.

While I do enjoy the colour since it seems like a nice shade, it seems to be much lighter when I apply it. That in itself isn't a huge problem however the formula has a grainy feel to it. It goes on smoothly and seems to be still quite moisturizing. But that grainy feel is hard to ignore. Overall, I think that while the colour and idea is nice, the tint is probably not something I'd want in my makeup bag (or storage, at this point).

This line has been discontinued however you can still find tubes of it offered through some vendors. 

Blast from the Past: Jaqua Caramel Cappuccino Lip Whip

I remember when I first stumbled upon this brand back in 2005 (maybe it was then, I'm not sure) as they were Jaqua Beauty that specialized in scents that were that of candies or pastries. Basically, they are deliciously scented and happen to not taste as bad either. I think I recall seeing them at New York's Dylan's Candy Bar but my memory is a bit hazy about it. Anyhow, I managed to get one thing and that was the Caramel Cappuccino Lip Whip which I put into storage because I loved it so much.

The problem with the storage routine is that sometimes I buy way more lip balms and end up not ever getting back to my lip glosses. So here we are in 2013 and I found it at the bottom of the lip gloss storage that I had (conveniently underneath all the red lip glosses that I've accumulated).

Now sure, this many years later the scent is somewhat gone and replaced with a scent of sugar. Specifically stale sugar. But it still works just fine. Just as moisturizing as I remember it, the taste was a bit off (but nothing hugely off-putting, the colour is just as vibrant so the only real change is the scent. 

Now obviously I can't issue a real review on this based on the memories I had of this tube as a teenager and compare it to what it is now. It's pretty old and that's not fair to the company nor the product itself. This product is currently discontinued as it was part of Jaqua Beauty -- they are still in operation but they are now Jaqua Bath & Body and as the name denotes, they only offer bath and body products. 

Review: L'Oréal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains

When I saw these on the shelves, I wasn't sure how I felt about it but I figured I'd grab two and give them a go anyway. After all the packaging themselves look nice and the thing that sold me was that it was a stain. My boyfriend has shown a dislike for lipsticks (or tinted moisturizers) so I've been trying to find better alternatives. Stains has quickly shot up the list as an important item in my makeup bag.

I grabbed Endless Red (on the right) and Infinite Fuchsia (on the left). The first one I tried was Endless Red and at first, I didn't quite like it. It came off a bit splotchy and I couldn't get an even application. It kind of bunched in the center making my lower lip super red and the rest just barely okay.

I assumed that maybe it was because of the applicator itself which was unique in it's flower petal shape (click here for an image).

A few days after the initial application, I was planning out what to wear for a friend's wedding and found out that their colours were black, red, and white. So, I decided to give the Endless Red another try. I wish I had photos of it but we were in a bit of a rush to leave and I forgot my camera.

The second go though was magnificent. I did have to reapply 2-3 times throughout the night but overall it had a great sheen, good colour, and great on moisture. I will say that with the stains in general, if you didn't get a nice even application for the first go, try again later.  

The Infinite Fuchsia seems a bit darker in the photos but it's a bit pinker and a slight bit lighter. They are quite comparable in colour with just a slight variation. I do like that they are both buildable though so the Endless Red gets redder with each application (please remember that they are stains, so each new coat after one dries adds on a bit more colour). I haven't tried building upon the Fuchsia just yet, but I assume it will work out the same as the red.

I really like these -- I'm having a bit of a hard time convincing my boyfriend that it won't rub off on him but it's true. Sure if the coats are still wet then they'll rub off but over time with the application of each new coat, the red will remain and then you can switch over to just coating with lip balm.

---

Product: L'Oréal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains in Endless Red and Infinite Fuchsia
Price: ~$10
Would Recommend? Yes, if you like stains.
Takeaway: Stains take a bit of patience so if you want the perfect application in one shot without much touch up then this might not be for you. They do have longevity with colour, but it might take a few applications and once it's all set then you're good to go. At first I was kind of expecting to be disappointed but I was quite happy with their performance, colour, and moisturizing aspects. 

Review: Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream

I'm a bit behind on my reviews -- I've got a bunch of things lined up but between moving and then adding two kittens into the mix, I've had my hands full. Not to mention that one of those kittens is sick which is creating a whole other issue which brings me to this review. A bit of context here: We have two kittens that have not been separated since birth which now have to undergo a bit of separation since one is sick. As a result, of his brother missing, he has decided that I as Momma-Kat can sustain his rough play. So he's been batting, pouncing, and nibbling at my hands at night. 

All the cremes and lotions that I have cannot withstand kitten playtime apparently. Now I remember a while ago in a trade on Makeup Alley, someone asked if I could get them this hand creme as part of the trade and they raved about it. The problem was that almost every jar I had found at my local drugstores had been unceremoniously sampled. We worked out something else, but I did keep her raves about the product in mind.

So after very little deliberation (once you try 3-4 different lotions on your hand and they don't work, it leaves very little room for thought about what to do next), I purchased the hand creme (which was also unceremoniously sampled, but at this point since my hands were burning I decided to forego my OCD in the matter). 

To start, I love the scent as almond is one my favourite scents in general (dreams of marzipan). This has a strong almond scent that is mixed with a bit of beeswax which you can make out quite well. It does leave my hands a bit greasy but I'd rather that. Given the circumstances, all of my lotions were drying out too quickly leaving my skin parched. I already have dry skin, but having to wash my hands after touching the kittens or the cat each time means that my hand washing has skyrocketed leaving my skin ashen and a bit flaky. So greasy? Sure. It doesn't inhibit my work or bother me at all, plus is keeps my skin moisturized and protected.

Now while you can just spring for a tub of cocoa butter and shea butter, which will probably do the same job they are a bit more greasier than this hand creme. So while it's a bit pricier ($9) it's still worth it, especially since I have to wash my hands so often and reapply it equally as much (which is a lot).

---

Product: Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream
Price: $9
Would Recommend? Yes!
Takeaway: If you find yourself washing your hands frequent, have dry skin, or notice that your kitten is mistaking your hand for a cat and attacking it, then this is a great buy. Lovely scent that is like marzipan and while it's a tad bit greasy, that's up to you to figure out if it's worth it. For me, it is.

Hiro & Shivanand Rafhman

For almost all of my life I've wanted a cat. Or a dog. Either way, I remember as a kid I would write to Santa asking for a cat or a dog (preferably all black) and even when I found out that Santa didn't exist, I'd still write (up until my parents found out about my trickery). I had come close twice in my life to sneakily bringing home kittens but that didn't quite pan out but I'm happy to report that they are both in happy homes (well, they are in one home since my cousin decided to keep both of them).

On the day before Christmas Eve, we were checking out Petfinder and we came across two kittens that were so adorable -- two sibling black kittens -- and we just had to have them. Given that it was right before Christmas, we anxiously awaited to hear back about them and even went as far to try to see them the next day. Unfortunately for us, Animal Care and Control is located right next to ASPCA and we didn't realize the difference and ended up going to the ASPCA who happened to be closed.

So on the 26th we went over to the ACC (this time, the correct building) and while we didn't find the two black kittens, we did come upon sibling Siamese kittens. I signed the adoption papers but was told that we couldn't take them home right away so began my preparation for the kittens.

---

Pet Insurance

My very first order of business was to get pet insurance. Now I know that a lot of people don't deem it necessary but being the child of a former medical claims specialist, I rest more assured when I have it. Now there's a lot of insurances out there but luckily for me, my boyfriend is much better at processing this type of information. He found this nifty chart that breaks out a few different insurances and compares them by level.  (This isn't all of them, so please do your research if you opt for insurance and note that it doesn't work like normal insurance; you have to pay upfront and then they reimburse you based on the policy). By the time I came back from shopping for kitten goodies, he had selected PetPlan. Their customer service was incredibly helpful as they helped me complete my policy and within 10 minutes, both kittens were set up.

Veterinarian & Emergency Hospital

If there's anything I've learned from my cockatiels it was to make sure I keep the numbers of emergency hospitals on file. I can list the ones I chose, but this is very location specific. In addition to knowing your vet, where they are located, and their hours of operation, you should know where you can take them in case the vet isn't available during an emergency. If you're in the Outer Sunset area, then I'd recommend the Sunset Veterinary Hospital as the primary veterinary care and the All Animals Emergency Hospital or VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists (this one is located in the Mission) for those odd hours that your primary veterinarian isn't operating. Note: I haven't had to use either emergency hospitals, but I do keep their numbers listed in my phone as a precaution. 

Emergency Preparedness Kit 

If you haven't gathered, I live in San Francisco. Part of that means that for this East Coaster, there is something I never really had to contend with and that is earthquakes. I also didn't have much of my emergency supplies as I did when I was back home so after much consideration last year, I ended up purchasing a 3 Day Emergency Preparedness Kit. So it comes as no shock that I needed to get one for the kittens.

While the ASPCA Emergency Ready Cat Survival Kit was a strong contender but then after chatting with my boyfriend about it, we thought that it might seem strange to get two of those kits since they were a bit on the pricey side and we do have a lot of those items already.  After searching for more alternatives, I found  the Quakekare Deluxe Multiple Cat Survival Kit which works out pretty well. Just as a note, as with any preparedness kit, make sure you "customize" them by adding in items that are specific to you and your pets.

Pet Pal App (for Droids)

I have a very specific place that I keep the documentation for our little minions -- both hard and soft copies. But one thing I absolutely wanted was the ability to access some of their information while on the go (specifically during their vet visits). Pet Pal has been great about keeping the information about the two in one solid place -- while this doesn't beat having the hard copies of their policy information or their medical history, it does help me keep quick notes about them (such as what to ask the vet or what have I learned for future reference for them). Not to mention the reminders that you can list out on your phone.

Microchipping

I hesitated to add this one since the ACC automatically microchipped the cats upon adoption. I will list this out only because I do think that it's rather important and even if the ACC didn't automatically do it themselves, I likely would have taken the cats in to be microchipped. I did find a few nearby clinics that would do it for under $50 and there are also certain places that you can take them in to get it done for free.

---

The items mentioned above are the things I took care of right away. Now I'm not an expert and this is my first time owning cats so obviously there's going to be a bit of trial and error. As I figure it out, hopefully I'll update the blog alongside. 

Review: Hollybeth Organics Grits & Honey Scrub

Let me preface this by saying that I love honey but for some reason it just never struck me that you could use it in a scrub. Well, maybe because I'm the kind of person that can eat them by the spoonful and they are a necessary part to tea, so it just never occurred to me to do that even though Maria has told me many times to just try it. I'm weird like that.

Anyhow, Maria gave me this sample of the Grits & Honey Scrub from Hollybee Organics (which was featured in the December Kara's Way box. Based on her suggestion, I tried it as a mask first.

Now I don't normally use exfoliates on my face; I stick with my usual mask and I tend to not deviate too much from that. I know that honey masks are good for acne and helps with glowing skin -- you supposedly need to use them for a while (so you won't see results immediately) but I can see the benefits of having this scrub around for that purpose if you don't feel like mixing them yourself.

I don't have much issues with acne but I did keep the "mask" on for about 30 minutes. Honey isn't like a traditional mask (I know, obvious) so it ends up dripping a bit so be careful about that. After washing it off, my skin appeared to glow a bit and felt wonderfully moisturized. The grits weren't too bad (my face tends to be a bit sensitive about exfoliation) and I did make sure that I followed up with a toner afterward.

After the mask, I tried it in my shower along my arms and legs. The grits kind of feel like sand and with the mixture of the moisturizing honey, it ends up being a complementary blend. After slipping out of the shower, the parts where I used it on my skin felt softer and way more moisturized (to the point where I felt that I didn't need to put on lotion [but I did]).

---

This product was featured in the December Kara's Way box and was given to me complimentary for my evaluation.

Product: Hollybeth Organics Grits & Honey Scrub
Price: $25
Would Recommend? Yes.
Takeaway: It's a great scrub overall since it doesn't feel as abrasive with the blend of honey. It can double as a mask as well which gives it the angle of multipurpose. I know that honey is well suited for those with acne, but those with dry skin can benefit from the honey as well.