Former Alley-Cat

Who'd have thought. Female cats have two uteruses.

You might ask how I discovered this fact, and if you did, I would tell you a professional told me. Dr Carrie, a vet at Nate's Place, was relating the story of Sophie, a cat looking for a home.

Sophie was semi-feral, meaning that she wasn't part of a feral cat community, and was being fed by a human. Someone noticed that Sophie was pregnant, but didn't ever give birth.


Caught by the folks at the Honor Sanctuary, the Doc had to conduct an emergency c-section. The result was the birth of one kitten (Samson, since adopted) and the removal of Sophie's infected uterus.

(Sophie, by the way, had been quite busy, having at least five litters of kittens to her name. No longer. She's been a mother for the last time.)



All in all, Sophie is fortunate to be alive, and luckier still to have received the first-class veterinary treatment that saved her and her kitten's life. But she needs just a little more luck - someone to take her home and keep her off the streets.




As you can see, Sophie is a very pretty white and silver tabby. Still somewhat shy from her life outside, I can see her reciprocating human love very quickly. In the thirty minutes I spent with her, she was purring and nuzzling with abandon. She's a beautiful little cat.

So if you live near Tampa Bay, and are looking to give a sweet cat a home, please think of Sophie. And if you are interested in keeping your house safe from the bad effects of mass-market cleaning products, have a think about changing to a more green lifestyle. Even if it's only for your pets. And hopefully, Sophie.

Black and Beautiful

Once upon a time there were four black cats. Their names were Bigboy, Kitty, Blacky and Blacky II.

They were all rescued by Sally and the folks at the Honor Sanctuary in December of 2008, which makes them the longest-staying guests there. If any of the cats deserve a nice home of their own, it is these four, because this isn't their first stay at an adoption home, it is their second. The first one just couldn't cope.



Apart from being young, healthy, and all-around wonderful cats, these four come fitted with extras - extra toes, to be precise. They're all polydactyl, meaning that they have more than the standard number. Another name for them is Hemingway Cats, after the author's famous brood on Key West.


The four of them are well looked after at the Honor Sanctuary, but if you live on the Suncoast of Florida, and are looking for a housecat (or more!) please consider the four Black Beauties.



And if you are interested in doing the one percent things that make the smallest, and sometimes most important differences in our lives, then consider turning your household green by changing to more natural products. For your cats.

It is easier than you imagine.

cleanfloorsforyourpaws@gmail.com

Creamello

Vacuum cleaners and cameras are the two mechanical items cats hate most, at least that's what I thought until recently. Maybe it's just my girls.

Meet Flop. Flop is not at all camera-shy, but his reaction to the dreaded vacuum-cleaner is unknown. What we do know about Flop is that he was rescued by Lilia of the Honor Sanctuary in Sarasota, and he's now looking for a home. If you're looking to adopt a calm and happy cat, Flop's your guy. (Even though he's not a full guy any more, if you know what I mean.)

Flop is so named because his first action upon being taken to the shelter was to flop down in the entrance-way and greet everyone arriving there with....a big lie down. That's so unlike a cat, right? So it's Flop by name, and flop by nature.



The folks at the adoption agency keep an eye on some feral colonies around the place, and that's where they found Flop. He was obviously not a feral cat by his looks, and his manner around people. So rather than leave him fend for himself, they took him in, hoping to find more caring owners this time around.


Have a heart. Adopt a cat. And look, when he's not flopping, he fits into a very small box!

If you already have pets, please consider keeping them safe from household toxins, by making your place a Green Place. It's simpler than you might think. I can show you how.


Thanks to Flop for his patience being photographed, and thanks to Lily and everyone at the Honor Sanctuary.

No Homeless Pet Community

There's no escaping it, cats are wonderful.

Which makes it hard to believe how people can give up their pets after years of them being part of the family. I would give up everything before I gave my two cats away.

Which brings us to Snickers. I found Snickers at the Honor Sanctuary Animal Rescue facility in Sarasota. The Sanctuary does noble work looking after abandoned and unwanted cats and dogs, doing as much as possible to make our town a "No Homeless Pet Community".

Walking into the Sanctuary is a slice of heaven for a cat person like me. This morning when I was there, over seventy cats were in residence. But this isn't a cage-and-feed kind of place. The cats are free to walk about, there's furniture (cat and human) on which they can lounge, and visitors are encouraged to be affectionate. With the animals, not each other.

And so I was introduced to Snickers. Snickers is an altered long-haired female around four years old. Her story is that she didn't fit her owners' life any more, and she's looking for a home. The pictures tell you everything you need to know.





If you live anywhere between Bradenton and Venice (in Florida) and are looking for a sweet pet, please visit the Sanctuary, and consider Snickers. She will only be an adornment to your home, elegant beauty that she is.

And if you have enough pets already, consider doing the entire household a favor by going green with your cleaning products.

Being the best parent you can be

Is there anything as good as knowing that your pet is happy and healthy because of your care?

Peace of mind comes from being mindful of your pet's needs - good food, regular exercise and quality veterinary care. I went one step further by changing my household over to a family of low-toxicity, more natural products. They don't cost me any more than other brands, but the peace of mind I get from knowing my girls are in a safer house is immeasurable.

Protecting our babies from harm and doing the right thing by them is a big job, but a rewarding one. If you're interested in learning how I make that job easier with the right pet-friendly products, email me. Or click on the links in the margin to the left for more information.

Tim

Want to watch a YouTube video on this?

The Neighbors' Dogs

Time to take Clean Floors for Your Paws to the world. I think I'll start small, and begin locally by meeting as many neighbors' dogs as I can.
 
Here is My Neighbors' Dogs #1.

I don't know where he lives. I don't know his name. I don't know if he's a he. 

But he ain't heavy, he's my neighbor. 



The way he was bouncing around, it's possible he's half rabbit.

I might call him Thumper.







Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Yorkshire Terrier, Dogs, My Neighbors' Dogs, Safe for Pets.

Pippi Pit Bull

Tom and Ruth have a child star - yes, their daughter is a star of course, but so is their dog, Pippi. Abandoned as a puppy, Pippi had a dislocated or broken shoulder, and wasn't in good shape. Lucky for Pippy, she found a family to care for her, and now look - no-one can resist her charms.

As you can see, the shoulder story didn't end well. Pippi's front right leg had to be amputated because of infection. Three-legged dogs remind me of the story about a dog called Lucky, but that's for another time.

Meanwhile, Pippi is fêted wherever she goes, particularly by the folks at O'Leary's Tiki Bar.

If love your pets as much as Tom and Ruth (and everyone else) loves Pippi, I hope you'll contact me about making your house less dangerous for your favourite cat or dog. 


cleanfloorsforyourpaws@gmail.com

Or check out this YouTube video.

Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Pit Bull, Dogs, Green Your House, Safe for Pets.

Don't Kill Bill

On fine Sunday mornings in my coastal town, folks are out drinking coffee, walking their dogs. This is the story of Bill, or Mr Bill as everyone around here knows him, a Husky living in Florida, by way of Kansas City.


What a sweetie. Bill is such an individual that he stops traffic. He looks kinda out of place here in Florida, what with the big coat and the paws designed for snow, but he's so placid and happy, I think Jimmy Buffett is playing in his head. 

....wastin' way again in Margaritaville....

Bill is one cool dawg.



There is the idea that owners take on the personas of their dogs...or is it the other way around? In either case, Bill and his boss and buddy Rai are a perfect match.

Nice meeting you both, I hope it's not the last time.

Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Husky, Dogs, Green Your House, Jimmy Buffett.

Fun with dogs

Some dogs are camera shy.

Here's Bowie, a supremely well-loved chocolate labrador.


Bowie is a well traveled dog, a family member like all the humans. 

Here, Bowie! Would you mind if I took your photo?

Okay, fair enough. Hopefully I'll catch you next time. 
 

Communicating what I'm trying to do with Clean Floors for your Paws isn't always easy. 

But that's fine, I'm still learning that the message of making your house safe for your pets (and, coincidentally, yourself) by lowering the toxic baseline is an idea whose time is coming. 

That's something I'm sure Bowie knows.  

Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Chocolate Lab, Dogs, Green Your House, Family Pets.

A real Pearl

Sweet stories sometimes fall into your lap. This sweet story stars Pearl, a doberman pinscher, and her owner, Jim.

I found Jim and Pearl by sheer fluke, but we quickly became acquainted. Pearl is training to become a service dog, to spend her life helping a human whose life will improve by having her. Jim will spend six months with Pearl, ensuring she's accustomed to being in all kinds of situations, keeping the best interests of her owner in the front of her mind at all times.

Pearl is a very calm and disciplined dog, in beautiful condition, clearly very well looked after. She attracts lots of attention, but despite that you can see that she's focussed on what she needs to do.

I am hoping that owners of all dogs - service dogs like Pearl, family pets, or household mutts - decide to use my products to keep their houses as safe and non-toxic as possible. They're totally worth it.



Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Doberman Pinscher, Service Dogs, Green Your House, Dogs.

Roger and Me

Meet Roger. Roger's a really sweet twelve-year old golden retriever mix...mixed with pussy-cat if his nature is any guide. He's a cute old fella.

His owner, Sue, didn't want to be photographed, and was quite dubious about me even taking some pics of Roger. People are so weird about this. All I'm doing is highlighting how nice it is to see well-cared-for dogs and cats, and how, if you want to, you can do a little more for them and for you.

Even Roger got bored with me at that point.




Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Roger and Me, Retriever, Green Your House.

Rocky, the Miniature Poodle

Say hello to Rocky.

Rocky is my friend Tommy's miniature poodle, a feisty wee full-of-life pup.

Like many folks, Tommy found Rocky at an animal shelter, and instantly knew what had to be done. Rescue complete, Rocky now lives in a loving household. And all he wants is to have 24/7 fun.

Bounder the Stealth Watchdog

It's a dog's life.

This RV and its owner I see around town all the time. I didn't know he or she had a pet dog as well.

Thinking I could have a chat, I knocked on the door. But no-one was home. They might have been swimming, being, as we were, at the beach.

So I don't know the dog's name, but he's very trusting. Not a bark from him. Perhaps he's a stealth watchdog. I think I'll call him Bounder.

My lens for dogs.

Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Dogs, Watchdog, Pets.

Mouseover

There's a new pet in my life, and it's not furry. It's black and chrome-coloured, about the size of a nice atlas, (without the weight) and connects without wires to the internet.

It even has a mouse, although not the regular one Moneypenny is familiar with. That doesn't stop her wanting to play with it.

Very smart, my cats. I am sure yours are too.

Technorati: Clean Floors for your Paws, Cats, Mouse, Pets.

Dachshund

Behind every pet there is a story, often one of unexpected love or a surprise family addition.

This is Zoey. She was lucky enough to find her owner, Kim, who saved her from the pet store short-legged and cute aisle. Zoey lives with two cats (and Kim), has rottweilers for neighbours, and fancies a pint of Guinness at the bar.

Okay, one of the above facts is incorrect, and it involves alcohol.

In any case, Kim has a thriving pet-sitting business in my small Floridian town, which I shall promote relentlessly when she creates a web site.

Oh, and we'll be talking about keeping floors safe for paws in the near future.

Nice to meet you, Kim and Zoey.

Lost puppy

I think the picture says it all.

Cirrus and Sophie

Days are just all around better when we have pets around.





I delivered Cirrus to his Aunt's place, where he was really pleased to see Sophie, his look-alike cousin.

Or maybe that's the other way around. In any event, I think Robin has a fun few days ahead.

Can cats smile?

Of course they do. Just ask any cat lover.

Cat acne

Who forgets about one's acne-marred years? Not I. Which is why I find it kind of amusing that cats too, suffer from a certain spottiness.

Not that I think Moneypenny is overly concerned with the odd outbreak. She is blessed with enough beauty to overcome something as minor as a few chin pimples. In truth, I didn't even know she suffered until a vet pointed it out. When she did, I was surprised, and set about finding how to cure it.

In the end, she just stopped getting them, exactly the same as me.

Cat Claws

Did you know that kittens are born with claws extended, and only after they mature a little do they develop the muscles to sheath them?

Oh, you did?

I didn't.

More cat claw information.

Cat Marketing

A cat strolls into a Cadillac dealership, walks up to a salesman and says:

Show me something that will make me purr.

Puzzling over this for a second, the salesman returns with a saucer of milk, placing it on the floor in front of the cat.

The cat takes one look at the milk, one look at the salesman and walks out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In polls of professions most disliked by the public, car salesman, and salesmen in general often rank highly. However honest an individual might be, they are dragged down by perceived untrustworthiness of their peers. In my experience the generalization is true.

Why is this the case? Why do ethics, honesty and fair dealing elude those in the selling side of business? Don't we all understand that business is selling, and that quality control in software development can equally be applied to sales staff?

This is an experiment I'd like to try: let's find one hundred sales people, from all types of business. We'd put them in a room of, say, twenty cats, and see how their sales pitches work.

This, another beauty of the cat, is that they know what they want, and what you think they want makes no difference...except over a long period of being together, when they trust and know you.

Imagine missing out being the person who sold the cat a Cadillac because you didn't listen.

Catnap

Accepted wisdom is that cats sleep approximately fifteen hours a day. No wonder I have an affinity for them. Lazy day fantasies aside, I notice my girls indulge in three different kinds of sleep.

The first is a really deep sleep, when they're obviously out to it. In the curled up position, they often cover their eyes, and when woken, are clearly coming to consciousness. Just like us, they can be seen twitching and moving, as if dreaming...or at least there's something going on in there.

The second is what I call light snoozing, kind of like napping would be for us. Their body position is less protective, and can often be fully stretched out. Eyes closed, relaxed, slow breathing, they have the lot. But it takes less to wake them, and they're not as startled if I do wake them accidentally.

The third is almost not sleeping at all, more like a dozy wakefulness. Although they can be in almost any position for this, they're often in the cat-loaf mode, with all the legs tucked neatly away. If need be, they can spring to action quickly, if, for example, they smell food. It's almost like they're meditating. Who knows, perhaps they are.

Are yours the same?

Here are some more catnap facts.

Edit: And for good measure, a cat in deep sleep.

Cats and Vitamin D

An old saw has it that "cats lick the sunshine from their coats." Apparently that isn't so, and they mostly receive their Vitamin D from their food. The vets here tell us that cats are poor at converting light to vitamin D, unlike their human owners.

Facts over folklore.

Cat ears

When I was taught to draw a cat (at age 5) there were four components to remember. The body, the head, the tail and the ears. Sure it's only a silhouette, but nonetheless recognizeably a cat, mostly because of those triangles at the top.

It's obvious they're great for hearing mice rustling in the hay. Like so much about cats, their hearing and processing is utterly tuned to keep them alive and in food. Talk about a perfectly designed killing machine!

I love watching an alert cat rotate those things around so they catch the minutest (mouse-ee-est?) wee noise. You just know they are interpreting what each sound means, whether it's a threat or lunch. Luckily for me, my two are indoor cats, and there are precious few mice around for them to kill and show me.

In any case, when they're in the mood, they both love having their ears scruffed and rubbed, just like some people.

Whiskers

Years of observing cats makes one aware of their subtle ways. The whiskers don't tell you much about what you're cat is thinking, but they're interesting nonetheless. I have noticed that a happy or confident cat will push the whisker pads forward, which positions the whiskers more perpendicular to the body.

If scared (or asleep, or eating) they're faired against the cheeks for that streamlined look. Funny how they're integral to the cat "look", and so easy to overlook. This link will tell you all about the whiskers.

I guess everyone's aware that the major use of the whiskers is to determine if a space is too small for their body width. Pity it doesn't tell them if they'll have to reverse out. (Smile.) Imagine if we had that system on our cars telling us that the parking spot is a fraction too small.

Hey, that's not a bad idea! Car-skers!

Affection

The cats' ability to absorb affection always amazes me. Let's be clear; cats are wild animals. As all the feral bubbas out there demonstrate, surviving without direct human contact works for them, although their life-span and health suffer. (Word is that the average feral cat only lives three to five years.)

Socialized and cared-for pets like yours and mine are a world apart from that. My two were handled lovingly from the time they came home, and have never been mistreated. So when they have the urge for some affection, they don't hesitate.

Moneypenny in particular can spend an hour at a time being the object of my attention. Her favourite position is when I lie on the bed, and she lies down next to me, back to my side, head at my thigh, hind q's at my ribs. She wraps her body around my arm, so that my hand can rub and scruff around her head and chest, but my forearm has contact with her belly. She rubs her nose and whisker pads, and head and ears on my hands, with true and obvious pleasure.

If we don't do this once a day, she's not happy. Neither am I.

Tortoise love

There are many cat resources on the internet. One I found recently is Tortie Love. The link takes you to some fun tortoiseshell facts.

Miss T-Tail is my first tortoise cat. She's a white tortoise, meaning that she has white belly and paws. It's clear that these cats have a different air about them. Miss T wants to be the boss - she and Moneypenny are at odds over this, but Miss T wins by dint of perseverance.

I'm trying to put my finger on exactly what's different about her. When she was an outside cat, she was always getting into scrapes. As a kitten, she once spent a night atop a palm tree, because she could get up, but not down. She's adventurous and careful, affectionate and aloof, totally mine, and totally her own.

Miss Tortoise-Tail, Miss T-Tail, Miss T. She's my tortie, and she's the best.

Rough tongue pleasure

If you're like me, a cat lover, you will likely be fascinated by this photo. This one, or one similar, ranked highly in a nature photography competition a few years ago. I haven't managed to find the exact photo, nor the photographer, so I'm unable to give proper credit.

Moneypenny, my tabby tiger, uses her tongue to wake me in the morning. She starts at my forehead - or nape of my neck - and I'm usually awake by the third lick. Those tongue-bristles are sharp!

Part of the reason I'm so finicky about keeping my house free of dangerous products is because cats are so clean. It's almost compulsive, their thorough, if random grooming. The point is that the tongue touches every part of the cat.

If there's nasty stuff on their paws, they will ingest it.

If something toxic spilled on their coat, they'll lick it.

If they walk on a floor that's been cleaned with bleach, they'll get some in their system.

That's just the way it is. It's up to us to keep all that stuff away from them.

If my day didn't start with Moneypenny's rough tongue, I'd be mighty unhappy.

She sees everything

Cat eyes transfix me. When Moneypenny - shown here with her bag packed for spring break - looks at me with those big golden-green peepers, it's all I can do to not stare back.

But, as I discovered years ago, not looking into a cat's eyes is a good thing. Apparently they interpret returned stares as aggression, or at least as confrontational. I'm imagining now, but that would likely give rise to confusion in the cat's head.

As her owner, I try to look after her by showing every sign of wanting to be close and friendly. And yet if I stare without looking away, I am giving her a nasty look that she thinks means "Hey, I might want to fight you!"

As in any relationship, mixed messages aren't good. So I look away from those eyes, in the interests of domestic cat-harmony.

Age shall not weary them

Moneypenny and Miss T0rtoise-Tail are both approaching twelve years old this year. Various sources say that indoor cats generally live somewhere between twelve and sixteen years, although it is possible for them to reach much higher: some have been known to reach into their thirties. (Uncorroborated.)

To my mind, there is a difference between living and just surviving. Staying healthy in those senior years is really important, just as it will be for me. To help, every little thing we do now, for ourselves and our cats, will make a difference. I call them the "one percenters". For me, it's walking a little extra each day, or resisting that muffin. For my girls, it's giving them the best quality food, and keeping their environment as safe as possible.

That's why I'm so keen on getting the junk out of my home, knowing every little thing adds up.

Cat's don't care for your ego

Cats don't care. Not one iota, not in the smallest way do they think who we are is important. However important we think we are, none of it has any bearing on your cat. Your money, your degrees, your erudition...they're all for nought to a cat, for a cat has no use for such things.

It's a quality that un-nerves people. A staring cat sees straight through you, right through the carefully constructed face we present to the world, and right through your ego.

What is important to the cat is how well you live up to their requirements. Are we attentive when required? Are we hands-off when not required? Do we provide regular, tasty food? Do we drop everything when affection is the cat's priority? Do we provide a selection of warm, comfortable sleeping places? Do we play well when it's playtime?

You are nothing.

The cat is everything.

And don't forget it.

Invisible cat

Subtlety is the cat's strong suit. They never talk when they can hint, refrain from action when a look will do.

Miss T either wants the classifieds, or requires my attention.

Sensitive Paws

Like most cats, Miss T-Tail has very sensitive paws. Veeeery sensitive. There is no time when she's happy for me to touch them.

As you can see, they're funny wee things, because some of the pads are pink, and some are black. It seems the tortoiseshell random colour distribution also applies to her feet.

She has this most human-like quality, which is when she's very happy (such as when I'm scratching her belly) she extends and separates her toes.

So. Cute.

I'm unimpressed. I'm a cat.

No matter how rich you are, a cat will never be impressed.

Good looks or hotness are as nothing to your cat.

Drive a Ferrari? Nope, the cat doesn't care, except if the hood is warm and comfortable.

In short, the only way to impress a cat is to love her, no matter what she does.

Bringing you down to earth: that's the beauty of the cat.

Cats are family.

Look, I don't want to get too sentimental about this, but for lots of us, our pets are our family.

My two are as important to me as real children, although I understand that it's not quite the same as actually reproducing. It's a relative thing. (Ha ha.) As I don't have kids of my own, the furry ones assume the same position as my own crumb-crunchers would.

Is that tortured logic, or what? But I'm sure you get what I mean.

Moneypenny and T-Tail are VERY important to my mental health, too. For all these reasons, I take their well-being seriously. Sometimes I think I go overboard, but that's because they are domesticated and socialized, and they really do rely on me for everything. Food, water, healthcare, subscriptions to Cat-Nip (the weekly news magazine for felines) - it's all up to me.

Oh, and cleaning out the catbox, too. Even that I don't consider a chore. (Okay, I told you I was nuts.)

My cats are my family.

I am a cat nut.

Yep. I'm a total cat nut. Over the years I have tried to figure it out, and came up with the following ideas.

1. I am a reincarnated cat.

2. I am a reincarnated member of Egyptian royalty circa 5000 BC (and worship cats.)

3. There was a misallocation somewhere higher up, and I was supposed to be a cat.

4. I noticed as an infant that my mother treated the cats better than me, and wanted a part of it.

Joking aside, observing, pondering and currying favour with cats makes me feel good. Sometimes (when I'm being particlarly poetic) I think I can see God in cats because they are so perfectly adapted to their environment, so adept at thriving in an often cat-hostile world. In my opinion, cats show us how intelligent design and evolution work together - the two ideas so clearly complement each other (in cats) I don't know why others can't see it.

But enough of that: let's create a world - particularly a domestic world - that's as safe for our precious puss-cats as possible.

My Cats: The Story

I was living in Sydney, Australia, with my (then) girlfriend. Everything in my life was grand: I had the career of my dreams, a nice house in a great neighbourhood, my health, a future. But my job took me all over the world, which meant no pets. Being away for up to fourteen days at a time, it never seemed fair to leave them for that long, so I did without.

Until one Saturday morning, when I came home, and the ex said she had a surprise for me. It turned out to be two six-week old kittens she had saved from death row. One was white tortoise, the other was a silver tabby.

Giving her credit, she had been listening. When we went for walks, I was forever stopping for cats. I would pet them as long as they allowed, and generally ooh and ahh over whatever strange (and stray) moggy crossed our path. At one point I even said that the thing I wanted most in life was a pet cat.

So at least she was being considerate at that point of the relationship.

It's as clear as today, when the two furry ones jumped out of the box. They were so small, and as scared as anything. I had just had a shower, and was still in my robe, but the first thing the tortoiseshell did was to scamper up my leg and cuddle into my arms.

From that day on, my life was never the same.

What's on your dog or cat's paws?

I found her one day sniffing around under the sink. Moneypenny, my tabby housecat, was exploring as cats do, discovering new worlds by smell. That was fine, until I noticed she had knocked over a bottle of cleaner, creating a small spill. She wasn't drinking any of the liquid, but it got me thinking.

Looking at the label, I saw that floor cleaner is made of weird stuff I'd never heard of. Naturally, a warning not to ingest it was right there too, along with directions of what to do if you accidentally did.

Which is great unless you're a household pet and can't read, and don't know how to call the vet by yourself. Then matters are more tricky.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, I was watching Moneypenny clean herself. She was licking her paws, being as thorough as always, when it hit me: cats and dogs ingest lots of stuff from the environment without knowing it. A lot goes into their mouths simply because whatever ends up on their paws or their coats is likely to end up in their mouths.

So I tossed away all my horrid toxic cleaners, and started again, with my pets in mind.