Category Dirk

Gus & Bella’s Halloween Cat Box – Katzenworld

by Dirk

14
Oct

It’s October and that means it’s time for Gus & Bella’s Spooky Halloween Box! This has to be my absolute favourite of all their themed boxes.

And good news for those of us who are more lazy about trick-or-treating: Gus & Bella have us covered. There’s a super cute and warm pair of black cat slippers, black cat earrings and chocolate. I’m all set for Halloween!

The food in this box is from Arden Grange. I am a big fan of these sample packages of cat food because we all know how fussy cats can be about their food. Sometimes it takes a little while to get them used to new food so you can mix the new with the old. Sample size bags can also help you decide which one your cat likes best or needs (perhaps they have a sensitive tummy or are a little bit overweight). It’s always good to try before you buy.

One thing Dirk tried (and I will definitely have to buy) is the Arden Grange Tasty Liver Treat. Careful, because the claws will come out for this treat! Dirk absolutely loves it.

Now, the best part: the cat toys! Gus & Bella always put much thought into choosing toys for different types of play behaviour. This box contains a cuddle toy, a toy to chase or bat around and a feather wand which is ideal for interactive play and hunting behaviour. Perhaps needless to say they are all Halloween themed.

Some cats have a preferred style of play of type of toys, others like all of them. In any case, it is good to switch toys every now and again because that is more stimulating and will keep your cat entertained for longer. The cuddly toy has Valerian which helps keep cats calm, not a bad idea with Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night coming up!

To get your box or order one for a friend or loved one check out Gus & Bella’s website.

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Dirk and his 4cats Premium Cat Cuddly Cushion – Katzenworld

by Dirk

20
Aug

Dirk couldn’t be happier because 4cats has a new Cuddly Cushion!

You may have read the review about Dirk’s first cuddly cushion: he went absolutely mad. He loves this new one at least as much as the previous version, perhaps even more.

So what’s new about this Cuddly Cushion? 4Cats uses a different fabric for the new cushions. The fabric is soft but also a bit of texture to it. The previous one was soft and smooth and Dirk mainly cuddled with that cushion. With the new one he still cuddles a lot – he loves rubbing his face in it. He now also quite likes kicking this toy which he didn’t really do with the previous one. Rather than animal print these new cushions come in 4 different colours.

Those are the details, but I know you want to see Dirk in action 😉

Did I tell you he goes mad for it?

Part of it is undoubtedly the catnip effect as 4Cats use catnip of excellent quality. He rolls around with all through the living room and kicks it a lot.

Don’t try and take this cushion away from him – he’ll hold on to it with all his might! Use other toys to play tug-of-war 😉

Rolling and kicking are just two of Dirk’s favourite things to do with the cushion. The others are rubbing and licking/biting it. I have to admit he does this a lot. I think it looks super cute. It also makes this toy a bit different from other toys as Dirk doesn’t usually cuddle with his toys. The 4cats Cuddly Cushions are an exception.

Even though these Cuddly Cushions are quite small cats of all ages will probably like them. Initially I thought it would be best for kittens, but I’ve since given several of my cat sitting clients’ cats a Cuddly Cushion and it triggers similar cuddle&rubbing behaviour in those other cats too. Fun to watch and I’m absolutely certain it will make your cat feel happy too 🙂

Get your 4cats Cuddly Cushion in the Katzenworld shop.

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Dirk and his 4cats Premium Rustling Cushion Cat Toy – Katzenworld

by Dirk

09
Jul

Dirk is one lucky cat as he got to try the 4cats Premium Rustling Cushion. It’s soft, has strings, there’s catnip inside and it rustles when your cat kicks it so what’s not to like?!

I love teasing Dirk with the rustling sound. When he’s in a different room and hears the noise he is instantly curious and wants to find out where it came from. By now he knows the sound comes from the toy so he knows he gets to play with it if he can find it! This makes it a lot of fun to play together: I like to hide the toy behind my back and move it around when Dirk is looking for it 🙂 Not for too long of course, I don’t want him to get frustrated.


Finally!! I knew you had it!

It’s fun though as he get’s the feeling of chasing or hunting something and once he’s got his paws on the cushion or the strings he’s not letting go!

Now it’s all mine 🙂

Dirk loves tugging and kicking this toy a lot! I haven’t seen him cuddling with it quite as much as with other 4Cats Cushions, but it is quite soft so he does actually sleep on it!!

4cats Premium Rustling Cushion

As you know by now, there are lots of toys Dirk likes as long as he can cuddle or kick them. I would recommend this particular toy if you have a cat whose curiosity is piqued by interesting sounds such as rustling paper or aluminium foil. You may well be using foil or paper balls for your cat to chase around the house. This toy has the added beenfits of strings, catnip and durable soft fabric so your cat can really enjoy this toy for a long time & you can play with him too 🙂

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Dirk Versus the Amazing Cat Wrestler by 4cats – Katzenworld

by Dirk

02
Jul

4cats have a premium range of toys and Dirk was one of the lucky cats that got to test the new toys when they were first released! He loves his old 4cats toys so how about this new range?

This look says it all, right?!

This Cat Wrestler is a really great toy for him. Dirk loves kicking and hugging it. It has catnip inside – as you will have read in Renegade’s review the versions with the blue and green strings contain catnip. It’s not too much catnip that drives him nuts, but it’s enough to get him curious about the toy. The fabric is soft and quite strong, strong enough to withstand his kicks 😉


Dirk is not too interested in the tassels. As far as he’s concerned these tassels make it easier for me to take his toy away and he does not like that! However, I do like them as it makes it easier for me to play with Dirk and the Wrestler – not taking your toy away Dirk just trying to have fun together 🙂


Dirk is an only cat so the concept of sharing is alien to him. But then, most cats – whether they live alone or share a home with other cats – don’t like sharing anything anyway. If you live with several cats with strong hunting/kicking skills then I’d do the same as what’s recommended with litter trays: 1 for each cat + 1 extra, then there’s never a fight over who gets to wrestle with this toy 😉

You can find the toy here.

4cats Premium Cat Wrestler

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Because we Love our Cats: The 4cats Cuddly Heart – Katzenworld

by Dirk, Product Reviews

04
Jun

If cats gave each other presents to show they liked each other, I’m sure they would give their cat friends one of the 4cats Cuddly Hearts. That is if they can bear to part with this lovely and soft toy….

No, I haven’t seen the Cuddly Heart…

The Cuddly Heart is really super soft and feels quite luxurious. It’s quite big, so your cat can give it a proper pounce or kick, but Dirk prefers cuddling with it and then sleeping with it. It’s maybe not the most energizing toy or one that will give your cat some exercise, but then 4cats have plenty of other toys to do just that.

As you can see, Dirk is more than happy to snuggle with it.

Dirk’s Cuddly Heart actually hasn’t left his cardboard box bed for a while. He’s often asleep on top of it or just grabbing a hold of it. He tends to play with it when he’s chilling inside the box.

All this snuggling and cuddling is of course exhausting in its own way. So what better way to relax than one last cuddle and pose and then it’s time for a nap!

The Cuddly Heart comes with a catnip or valerian filling, so you can keep your cat happy no matter which they prefer.
The colour is actually a gorgeous deep red, but apparently a bit tricky for my camera to process.

Product used in this review:

4cats Cuddly Heart

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Dirk and his 4cats Premium Motif Cushion – Katzenworld

by Dirk

21
Aug

I think this picture says it all, no need for me to tell you Dirk loves 4cats Premium Motif Cushion 🙂

Those of you who are familiar with the 4cats toys will have noticed the green strings on this toy and you will know that means there’s catnip inside this cushion (they are available with valerian filling too).

When it comes to playing with this cushion, Dirk loves to cuddle this cushion. It’s bigger than the 4Cats Cuddly Cushion, but that’s no problem 🙂

Let it go mom, I want it all for myself

Another favourite game is the cat version of tug of war (a game loved by many dogs too). Though in Dirk’s case I’m obviously the opponent and Dirk always wins – well, I let him win 😉

Dirk doesn’t really kick this toy a lot, perhap just because it is slightly smaller than the 4cats Premium Rustling Cushion or their Wrestler Toy. I can imagine other cats won’t be put off by this though and will love kicking the cushion too!

Yeah!! It’s all mine now!!!

Dirk loves rolling around with his toy and sometimes even sleeps on top of it. I might be reading to much into that, but I really think he just wants to make sure I won’t “steal” his toy while he is napping.

Dirk’s version of this cushion has a bird on it, but there are others too and the toy also comes in various colours.

4cats Premium Motif Cushion

You can order yours with the catnip or valerian filling and pick your own colour too, so it’s almost perfectly tailored to your – or your cat’s – preferences!

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Dirk Versus the Premium Cat Wrestler by 4cats – Katzenworld

by Dirk

24
Jul

4cats have a premium range of toys and Dirk was one of the lucky cats that got to test the new toys when they were first released! He loves his old 4cats toys so how about this new range?

This look says it all, right?!

This Cat Wrestler is a really great toy for him. Dirk loves kicking and hugging it. It has catnip inside – as you will have read in Renegade’s review the versions with the blue and green strings contain catnip. It’s not too much catnip that drives him nuts, but it’s enough to get him curious about the toy. The fabric is soft and quite strong, strong enough to withstand his kicks 😉


Dirk is not too interested in the tassels. As far as he’s concerned these tassels make it easier for me to take his toy away and he does not like that! However, I do like them as it makes it easier for me to play with Dirk and the Wrestler – not taking your toy away Dirk just trying to have fun together 🙂


Dirk is an only cat so the concept of sharing is alien to him. But then, most cats – whether they live alone or share a home with other cats – don’t like sharing anything anyway. If you live with several cats with strong hunting/kicking skills then I’d do the same as what’s recommended with litter trays: 1 for each cat + 1 extra, then there’s never a fight over who gets to wrestle with this toy 😉

You can find the toy here.

4cats Premium Cat Wrestler

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Rustling Fun with Dirk the Tabby! – Katzenworld

by Dirk

17
Jul

Dirk is one lucky cat as he got to try the 4cats Premium Rustling Cushion. It’s soft, has strings, there’s catnip inside and it rustles when your cat kicks it so what’s not to like?!

I love teasing Dirk with the rustling sound. When he’s in a different room and hears the noise he is instantly curious and wants to find out where it came from. By now he knows the sound comes from the toy so he knows he gets to play with it if he can find it! This makes it a lot of fun to play together: I like to hide the toy behind my back and move it around when Dirk is looking for it 🙂 Not for too long of course, I don’t want him to get frustrated.


Finally!! I knew you had it!

It’s fun though as he get’s the feeling of chasing or hunting something and once he’s got his paws on the cushion or the strings he’s not letting go!

Now it’s all mine 🙂

Dirk loves tugging and kicking this toy a lot! I haven’t seen him cuddling with it quite as much as with other 4Cats Cushions, but it is quite soft so he does actually sleep on it!!

4cats Premium Rustling Cushion

As you know by now, there are lots of toys Dirk likes as long as he can cuddle or kick them. I would recommend this particular toy if you have a cat whose curiosity is piqued by interesting sounds such as rustling paper or aluminium foil. You may well be using foil or paper balls for your cat to chase around the house. This toy has the added beenfits of strings, catnip and durable soft fabric so your cat can really enjoy this toy for a long time & you can play with him too 🙂

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Tried and Tested by Dirk: Delicious KatKin Meals – Katzenworld

by Dirk

15
May

I’ve previously written about a new brand of cat food called KatKin. Run by brother and sister Brett and Nikki they create vet-formulated cat food with high quality ingredients and 95% meat content.

I absolutely love the story behind KatKin and was very impressed by what I read. However, there is really only one way to find out how good the food is so Dirk tested a trial box.

KatKin provided very helpful instructions about how to gradually introduce the food to your cat. Some cats tuck in straightaway and have no problems switching to a new type of food, but others can be a bit more fussy. In general, cats do not like change but on an individual level they cope differently. Confident cats seem to have little issues at all. Still, switching to a new type of food can be tricky if your cat has only ever had one type of food. Rest assured that KatKin have thought of that and also added ‘sprinkles’ – small chicken flavoured treats – to its trial box to help encourage the fussiest cats transition to its food.

What do you mean I’m not allowed on the worktop?

Dirk was very curious about his new food and loved the smell of it, but when it came to eating it he was a bit more fussy than I had expected. KatKin’s instructions came in handy! I started by giving him just a small amount of the new food so Dirk could get used to the texture of his new food. KatKin’s food required a bit more chewing from him than other wet food he’s used to (I always joke that Dirk’s style of eating is ‘chewing is for wimps’).

Within a week Dirk was happily eating his KatKin food and couldn’t wait for mealtimes, sometimes quite literally…

A great thing about the trial box is that your cat can try all the flavours and when you order your next box you can leave out the ones they did not like. Dirk’s favourites were gobble, cluck, quack and oink. This is not too surprising, as KatKin recently shared that their top three favourites are cluck, gobble and oink. He was not too big a fan of beef and lamb. I am really happy that you can order boxes of food which only contain flavours your cat likes. This means you can still feed your cat a variety of flavours but without the waste of throwing away food that hasn’t been eaten. And your cat will only need one pouch a day as KatKin already makes sure of the portion sizes.

Clearly, Dirk & I are both huge fans of KatKin food and unsurprisingly the delivery box proved a great hit as well 😉

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Creating the World’s Best Food for Cats – Katzenworld

by Dirk

01
May

That is the ambition behind KatKin, which is not just a new food brand but an entirely different way of looking at feeding our cats.

In my work as a cat behaviourist and cat sitter I come across a large variety of cat food. And then there’s my own cat’s food of course. If you look at the list of ingredients you’ll find that they contain sugar, rice, corn and grain, even though cats are meat eaters by nature. Many popular wet foods contain only a small percentage of chicken or beef when they are labelled as chicken or beef respectively. There are brands that are improving the standard by making sure there wet food doesn’t contain grain and consists of at least 50% meat. That still leaves some room for improvement though, which is exactly what Brett and Nikki, founders of KatKin, have done. KatKin consists of a whopping 95% real meat.


KatKin founders Brett and Nikki with Molly, one of their ‘Chief Tasting Officers’

KatKin’s Brett explains a bit more about the journey to creating KatKin that was inspired by Brett’s and Nikki’s aim to feed their own cats the best possible food.

“We started searching for a vet nutritionist that could help us reinvent cat food, to feed cats fresh, human-grade food that is specifically formulated for cats as obligate carnivores and to do so in a way that prevents overfeeding”

“We’re laser focused on providing the best possible nutrition for cats as obligate carnivores and personalising each of our recipes for your cat’s own energy needs and tastes. Our recipes are not simply vet approved, but expertly vet-formulated by Dr. Justin Shmalberg who is a world-leading and board-certified vet nutritionist. He has carefully formulated all of our recipes to make sure your cat’s food contains all the nutrients, in the right amounts, for optimal health.”

Personalised food for your cat, I can see cats everywhere giving it a paw of approval. But how does it work?

Based on your cat’s age, weight, activity level and current body shape KatKin creates a personalised, fresh and perfectly portioned meal plan.

KatKin sources fresh, human-grade quality ingredients from trusted suppliers and individually portion every meal into daily serve pouches. Your cat’s meals are then gently steam cooked to lock in all the nutrients, moisture and flavours your cat needs, and loves, to thrive.

Your cat’s meals are frozen and delivered straight to your door on a delivery cycle that works best for you. It is delivered in eco-friendly, insulated boxes to ensure meals stay fresh until you get home. Daily-serve pouches enable easy and accurate feeding for healthier and happier cats.

The first time you order you start with a trial box. This box contains all the different recipes KatKin offers. Once your cat knows its favourites, simply log in and update their recipe selection before the next delivery. You can also pause or skip deliveries when you need to. So less waste and your cat will never turn their nose up at their food bowl again!

All this sounds really good and very customer friendly, both for our cats and us 🙂
The proof will be in the eating! You can soon read about Dirk’s experience with KatKin as he is currently testing his trial box (spoiler alert: his favourite – at the moment – is ‘Gobble!’).

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