The leaves are of a dark, rich texture and very pleasantly aromatic, more so in their dry state than when this tea is actually brewed. A cup of Ginger Peach is almost as dark as coffee, and until sipped, could easily be confused as such. Like coffee this beverage contains a fair amount of caffeine, and despite its touted salubrious effects, might keep you awake if you drink it too close to bedtime.
This tea is quite potable, and its strength is somewhere between green tea (which I find to be weak and lacking in flavor) and an average cup of regular coffee (which I generally require most mornings). Although the taste is pleasant, I cannot pinpoint it, although I am supposed to detect "the lushness of a fancy peach seasoned with the tingle of spicy ginger." Since this tea is potent, one well-measured teaspoon makes easily three to four cups. The label states that the 3.5 ounces will brew approximately 50 to 60 cups. I would say that this is accurate. This libation is also tasty in the iced variety, and certainly better than the half-gallon plastic jugs of iced tea sold in convenience stores.
Like any loose tea product, Ginger Peach requires a special receptacle; unlike instant coffee the tea will not conveniently dissolve in water. Spillage can be a problem, even if you are careful.
Distributed by the Republic of Tea in Novato, California, Ginger Peach Tea comes in a handy cylindrical container that looks much nicer than a plain old square box, and takes up less space in your kitchen cabinet. This container also seals neatly and tightly to keep the contents fresh.
But would I recommend this product? No, simply because I've never really been much of a tea drinker. For me to recommend a certain tea, I would have to be so impressed that I would start drinking it regularly. So while Ginger Peach is a good cup of tea, it's not my cup of tea.
© December 5, 2011 by Allan M. Heller
A Little Dab'll Do Ya (no, it's not Brylcreem®)
My official introduction to Sensodyne© came nearly two decades ago when a dentist pointed out that I had a receding gum. which was the cause of the pain in my lower third incisors (which are directly underneath the upper, canine teeth). The dentist's recommendation seemed odd: apply a tiny bit of the pink substance to my toothbrush, and gently brush only the affected areas. A toothbrush with soft bristles was a must, he cautioned. As for the rest of my teeth, ordinary brushing would suffice. After one or two attempts, I abandoned this awkward procedure, and my two lower third incisors do not trouble me today.
Sensodyne©, despite the fact that it originally came in pink, is a concentrated dental product. Sensodyne© is no longer pink, but a pasty white. I tried Sensodyne© recently after my wife, who has issues with sensitive teeth, purchased a one-ounce sample which was on sale. Even on sale, my wife told me, the one-ounce sample was pretty expensive. Since you are assumed to use this toothpaste sparingly, the high price is somewhat justified.
As for my experience with Sensodyne©, I used it every day for about a week, just a dab a day. The taste is difficult to describe, except to say that it wasn’t very pleasant. I was reminded of childhood trips to the dentist, and having my teeth cleaned by the hygienist. No matter what “flavor” the cleaning stuff was purported to be -bubble gum, cinnamon, blueberry- the taste was always the same -bad. And the horrible grinding sound as the mechanical tool polished my teeth added to the unpleasantness of the whole experience. This is what Sensodyne© calls to mind for me.
Sensodyne© works on the principle of cumulative resistance to sensitivity and pain. Do not think for one moment, however, that this toothpaste will reduce or alleviate the aforementioned dental distress: a receding gum. Even the dentist who originally recommended Sensodyne© to me admitted that once the gum line recedes, it remains in that position. True, my gums in those two spots still droop, but unless I deliberately bare my lower teeth no one notices them, and inexplicably, they have not pained me in years.
Made by GlaxoSmithKline, Sensodyne© toothpaste one-ounce contains 1% potassium nitrate to combat dental sensitivity and 1.5% sodium fluoride for fighting cavities. The inactive ingredients are: water, hydrated silica, sorbitol, glycerin, pentasodium triphosphate, PEG-8, flavor, titanium dioxide, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, cocamidopropyl betaine, xanthan gum, sodium hydroxide, sodium saccharin, sucralose (taken directly from the package). Sensodyne© contains no sugar, but has three sweeteners (sorbitol, sodium saccharin and sucralose). They don’t do much for the taste, though. Also, I wish I knew what the “flavor” was.
Some might argue that I had no business even using my wife’s Sensodyne©, as I am not currently plagued by sensitive teeth. But I wanted to experience its “extra whitening” power, I wanted to savor the flavor (yeah, right!), I wanted to write a review.
© December 6, 2011 by Allan M. Heller
Everyone Could Use A Little Polish
Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine (black shoe polish)
In a discreet corner of Philadelphia's sprawling Suburban Station are a pair of large, throne-like seats which customers of local bootblacks occupy when the latter ply their obsolescent trade. I haven't witnessed anyone shining shoes there for years, and only once in my 46 years have I paid someone to shine my shoes. Another time, a traveling companion, when I was a student visiting France for the summer, showed me how to properly shine shoes, with the brief, preliminary admonishment "I do this one time, Allan." So due to the dearth of available bootblacks and willing friends, I am today forced to shine my own shoes. And for that purpose there is Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine black shoe polish.
For starters, Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine black shoe polish is certainly cheaper than paying someone to shine your shoes or boots. I don't know what the going rate is -as I mentioned, I haven't seen any bootblacks in years- but over five dollars, plus a one or two-dollar tip, is a reasonable assumption. Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine is under four dollars.
I possess one pair of black dress shoes with laces. I generally wear them just to church or semi-formal occasions, but despite this they accumulate scuffs, scuffs which merit immediate obliteration! Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine does a good job, and as I have established, is reasonably priced. 2.5 ounces will likely last a long time, unless you polish your footwear twice or thrice weekly. (I get by with about once per month).
This shoe polish is messy, and if you haven't used shoe polish for a while, you will inadvertently squeeze too hard and make a mess the first, and possibly the second time. (If you're like me, maybe the learning curve will be three or four times. But I digress). Definitely spread several newspaper pages on a table prior to commencing this delicate operation. Because I didn't adequately prepare one time, I permanently blemished my dining room table.
In conclusion, I must state that Kiwi® Leather Instant Wax Shine black shoe polish works pretty well, dries fast, and is messy. (Didn't I already mention "messy?" Oh, well). The only other drawback is that the process is still a little time-consuming. According to the directions, you're supposed to wash the applicator after use to prevent the remaining shoe polish from clotting the sponge tip. This I didn't know until I decided on a whim to read the directions. Oh, I thought. That explains a lot.
© December 9, 2011 by Allan M. Heller
Here He Comes!
Jada Toys 110 Remote Control Speed Racer
During a recent Thanksgiving visit from my friend and his wife I received a gift that lived up to my friend’s description as “a killer present.” When I told my wife the exciting news -prior to my finding out exactly what the gift was- she was livid, convinced that it was a cigar. “You are not smoking it!” she warned. She was pleasantly surprised, and I was only mildly disappointed. . .until I had a chance to play with my new toy. My wife, far from disapproving, was a little jealous, and I had to keep reminding her that this was my present. She had, after all, received a very nice, fragrant package of Tuscany soap. (A review of the soap WILL NOT be forthcoming)!
Jada Toys 110 Remote Control Speed Racer -or more accurately, Mach 5- is a sleek, svelte, sexy little machine that will bring out the kid in just about anyone but the stodgiest of individuals. Race cars generally appeal to boys more than girls, but as I mentioned, my wife coveted my gift, and I had to let her try it first!
Operation of this 13” toy treasure is relatively simple: just insert several batteries and go! The remote control takes a single nine-volt D battery, and the Mach 5 requires four AA’s, located under the front end. To install the batteries you will need a small Philips head screwdriver, which is not as convenient as simply sliding or snapping the battery covers on and off. But this is minor.
The remote control unit is approximately 3” x 2.5” x .75”, has a 9” wire antenna capped with a red plastic tip, and contains two joysticks. The joystick on the left moves the car backward and forward, while the one on the right steers the vehicle. I had some initial difficulty coordinating speed and steering, but eventually was able to master miniature driving. There are two false controls in between and underneath the joysticks, which serve only a decorative function. I thought at first that one of them regulated the speed, but none do. Jada Toys 110 Remote Control Speed Racer operates on 27 megahertz. I tried moving it back and forth in the living room, but there are too many obstacles and I didn’t want a fender-bender. At first I reasoned that the cat would at least find it curious, but Rocky expressed no interest whatsoever.
I love this toy, and my wife and I had a blast racing the tiny vehicle around a nearby public park. A knowledge of the iconic Japanese cartoon series is not even necessary, although I think that because I grew up watching the cartoons I had a deeper appreciation than someone who did not. The Mach 5 has a range of about 200 yards, and although it does not go very fast, the attraction for me was practicing maneuvers and racing the car as far idea as I could, terminating the end of the range with a dramatic semi-circular spin. Then I would take the vehicle back, racing inches from where my eager feet were planted, to screech to a stop in front of the bench where my wife was sitting, eager for her turn. We did experience a few mishaps, crashing the Mach 5 into the grass, but this caused no harm. Once I accidentally collided with my own foot, which knocked out the power temporarily, forcing me to turn the switches on and off. (Both the remote control unit and the actual car have on and off switches, the former with a red LED indicating when the power is on). What would Pops say to that, I wonder?
A few minuses plague this toy, as minuses plague everything and everybody. Never in any of my reviews have I indicated that a product, item or service has no cons. There are always cons. First is the aforementioned inconvenience of installing the batteries. Second is the fact that the toy does not come with batteries, and batteries are a little pricey. Third is the irritating grinding noise, like the little car needs a muffler. Fourth is that the vehicle doesn’t go very fast. Fifth, and probably the most glaring, is that there is no Speed Racer! The vehicle is replicated down to the last detail, and looks great. But what about Speed? Trixie in the passenger seat would be nice, too, but at least the car should have a driver. In spite of everything, all of the aforementioned cons, this was a wonderful gift. I can’t play with my new toy without singing, humming or hearing in my head that classic theme song from the original show: “Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer. . .”
© December 9, 2011 by Allan M. Heller
I Didn't Go For It
Review of the book The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
I admit that I do not fancy the practice of writing fiction in the present tense. This has been the trend -particularly in literary magazines- for well over a decade now. For Erich Maria Remarque's novel All Quiet on the Western Front I was willing to overlook this: the book was that good. But for Walker Percy's 1961 opus The Moviegoer, the sin is one of several unpardonable.
Perhaps I exaggerate a tad. The Moviegoer is not a total loss, but falls far from the numerous reader testimonials proclaiming the book a work of genius. Where Percy excels is in his shrewd if somewhat arcane analysis of human nature, seen through the eyes of protagonist John Bickerson Bolling, aka "Binx." Binx spends much of the novel ruminating and reflecting on who he is, who he isn't, and who he's supposed to be. But identifying with this reluctant hero isn't so easy. Life as a stockbroker for a nearly 30 year old man in New Orleans, Louisiana is not that bad. Therefore neither Binx nor the reader sees any overwhelming need for Binx to exceed his expectations; he really hasn't any expectations. And this is the main reason that the book was so unsatisfying for me.
Binx is a boring character. By his own admission he has never done or achieved anything special. A perfect example is highlighted when he is describing an episode during his college fraternity days. An older, wiser fraternity brother by the name of Walter Wade-who, to be blunt, is something of an ass- tells Binx how confident he is that Binx will make him and the brotherhood proud. "I believe he'll make us a good man," Wade tells the assembled frat boys. But Binx admits to readers in the following paragraph: "As it turned out, I did not make them a good man at all. I managed to go to college four years without acquiring a single honor (38)." One possible mark of distinction for Binx, however, is that he served his country as a lieutenant during the Korean War, and was wounded in combat. But he considers himself no hero. That he was an officer at all I found hard to believe, considering his overall character.
Binx may be a racist, as he refers to blacks in dated offensive terms like "negroes" and "negresses," but considering that the setting is 1961 New Orleans, this might not seem as blatantly offensive when taken in context. What is indefensible is his admission that when his landlady Mrs. Schexnaydre is not present, he occasionally gives one of her dogs "a tremendous kick in the ribs and send him yowling (77)". Also, he sometimes expounds upon subjects which serve no purpose save to disgust, as on page 101, when he relates to the reader: "A rumble has commenced in my descending bowel, heralding a tremendous defecation." Thanks for sharing, Blinx.
Blinx's situation at the start of the "action" is this: he is summoned to his Aunt Emily and Uncle Jules' for a family meal and powwow. The latter, he accurately suspects, concerns his cousin Kate, Aunt Emily's stepdaughter. Kate has been through some serious ordeals, including the death in an automobile accident of her fiance, Lyell. Aunt Emily wants Blinx to take Kate to the upcoming Mardi Gras celebration, and in general, look after her. Through rather uninspiring plot twists and turns, Blinx formulates a spontaneous, bizarre plan which will either work wonders or cause complete pandemonium.
The main characters in The Moviegoer tend to be somewhat devoid of emotion, Blinx most of all. From the recollection of the death of his older brother, Scotty, to the death of his father much later, Blinx displays an appalling lack of grief. Similarly, when recounting the horrible car crash that claimed the life of her hapless betrothed, Kate displays a cavalier demeanor, even telling Blinx "[Lyell's death] gave me my life. That's my secret, just as the [Korean] war is your secret (58)." Another death occurs near the end of the story, albeit of a minor character, but one that should and doesn't upset Binx overly. Even his positive emotions are either lukewarm or false, like when he declares on page 67 "I am in love with Sharon Kincaid." Both the reader and he know that this is untrue. Two pages earlier he shares his true feelings about his current secretary: "Her bottom is so beautiful that once as she crossed the room to the cooler I felt my eyes smart with tears of gratitude." But his liaisons with Sharon -which consist of going to the movies and rolling around in the sand- are unsatisfying to the would-be paramours, the readers, and every licentious, hot-blooded American male. Sharon is preceded by a secretary named Linda.
For the reasons that I have enumerated, I do not recommend The Moviegoer, the inexplicable winner of the National Book Award for 1961. The story plods along at an uninspiring pace, and while I will not reveal the ending, I will disclose that the book hardly concludes with a flourish. I read this novel because a student whom I was tutoring was assigned the book for her 11th grade English class. If I had chanced to pick it up of my own volition, I would likely have set it down before I had finished half.
© December 29, 2011 by Allan M. Heller
An Absolutely Adequate Answering Accessory
Uniden® D1680 Digital Answering System
When I watch movies from the 1980's, I am always amused at those clunky, cumbersome cordless telephone handsets that the actors are using - which had the approximate dimensions of a small watermelon and sprouted lengthy antennae to boot. I remember the bulky model that my family had some 30 years ago, and how fascinated we were with the technology at the time. The Uniden® D1680 Digital Answering System is nothing like its obsolete forebears, which although they were imbued with the same basic principles of operation, had neither the finesse nor the sophistication of today's telephones. D1680 (not to be confused with C3PO or R2D2!) is the much-evolved, slimmer descendant of its ponderous electronic ancestors. What I love about my model is that I purchased the unit for less than $10 on Ebay, and with free shipping! The phone was refurbished and not brand new, but works perfectly; that is, within its own limitations, which I shall hereby enumerate.
The challenge in reviewing this model of cordless telephone is finding features in which it surpasses similar models. There are scarcely any truly new features to be found in telecommunications within the past decade, but improved or longer-lasting versions of previous perks are sufficient to tout.
Firstly, the recording time for incoming messages is over 12 minutes, and even the most garrulous of friends and acquaintances would have trouble exceeding that limit. The sound quality for digital recording is better than when the technology first appeared, although still not great. I remarked years ago in a review of another answering system that the recording made me sound like I was underwater. With the D1680 this is fortunately not the case.
The unit's directory stores up to 100 contacts, which can be accessed by either scrolling through the entire list, or searching by the first letter of the contact's name. This works well if you are looking up your friend Michael Xavier's number (Xavier, Michael), but try John and Jane Jones (Jones, John and Jane; Jones, Tom; Jones, Bob, etc). Although clear instructions are indicated in the manual that comes with the D1680, figuring out how to enter names and telephone numbers into the directory without first reading the instructions was fairly easy. I made a few mistakes at first, but soon was at ease with the process.
A little red light, located on the upper left of the handset, flashes when there are unheard messages on your voicemail. This is not as obvious as the loud beeping, which can be disabled, when there are messages on the regular answering machine. As a backup to the beeping, a large red display indicates the number of messages. My old telephone and answering machine, which was not cordless, at least announced the number of the caller, so that I didn't have to get up, walk over to the telephone, and read the display. You can program a two-digit security code so that you can securely access messages when you are not home. I much prefer the traditional three-numeral access code, however. I had difficulty coming up with a two-digit code that I could remember.
A speakerphone we take for granted on a telephone nowadays, and of course, the D1680 has one. Caller ID and Call Waiting are also features that the modern telephone user has come to expect, and the D1680 does not disappoint in that regard, either. Call Waiting is accessed by pushing the button marked TALK (in green) and FLASH (in white) underneath. I only found this out after reading the instruction manual, and losing quite a few calls! The default way to answer a call is to pick up the handset and then press the TALK/FLASH button. To me this makes little sense. You should be able to answer a telephone simply by picking up the handset. Of course, the D1680 can be programmed to do this, as well as to answer with any key, but the former should be automatic. A couple of times I inadvertently answered the phone without pressing TALK/FLASH immediately afterwards, and got an earful! I have since changed the setting.
Silent Mode, which is accessed by the push of the # button (located to the left of numeral 0 and directly beneath numeral 9 on the keypad, mutes the ringer instantly. I prefer this to fiddling with the ringer switch on the side of the handset and accidentally switching the phone from tone to pulse.
The Find HS button (located on the telephone base, of course) will cause a misplaced handset to beep loudly for one minute, or until it is located and subsequently silenced. This is an indispensable feature for a household with several family members. The fact that up to 12 handsets can be used with this unit makes the D1680 good for a small office (but not for a large one). If, like most consumer units, your D1680 has only one handset, this will be indicated as such on the screen as Handset #1. The handset or handsets must be charged for quite a few hours prior to use; the instruction manual recommends 15. You may be able to make one or two brief calls after installing the battery pack, but probably not many more. The D1680 handset requires a pair of rechargeable AA NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.
Putting a caller on hold is a little tricky: INTERCOM/CLEAR, located in the lower right corner of the keypad, accomplishes this. But the INTERCOM/CLEAR does not toggle the feature. To return to the call on hold, you must press the speaker button, which of course is not labeled "SPEAKER," but instead has a loudspeaker icon. If you forget about the person whom you placed on hold, there will be no gentle reminder. The D1680 simply hangs up on him or her.
Numerous icons may appear on the handset's tiny screen, most of which will confound you unnecessarily if you try to figure them out. A couple are pretty simple, but the D1680 has too many. You don't need an icon to monitor every single little function or contingency.
My D1680 gives me some choices, but not a great many. I can only choose from seven different ring tones: Aura Lee, Beethoven's 9th, Flicker, Clatter, Wake Up, Fur Elise and Merry Xmas. Not a wide variety, and the Beethoven selections hardly do justice to the great Ludwig! It seems strange to me that only seven ring tones were available, though, and I am wondering if it's just my unit. No matter, though.
© January 18, 2012 by Allan M. Heller
The Deal Is Sealed
Mead® security envelopes are very useful for most of my mailing needs. They come 40 to a box, and measure 4 1/8" x 9 1/2" inches, standard size for number 10 envelopes. The interior design is a discreet, attractive blue pattern of alternating lines that form tiny squares reminiscent of designs found on many kitchen floors. The envelope is slightly translucent, but while the blue pattern is discernible from the outside, the contents generally are not. These envelopes are both lightweight and sturdy.
There are some drawbacks, though. For one, the glue on the flap of the envelope is not distributed uniformly. Perhaps it does not need to be, and to my knowledge none of my letters, bills or whatnot have ever become lost due to the envelope unsealing in transit. However, I would feel more secure with an unbroken line of sealant instead of the current configuration comprising three discrete strips. Licking the envelope flap produces no immediate gustatory sensation -though a hint of mint would be nice- but a mild aftertaste soon ensues. I admit, however, that when using Mead® security envelopes I do not feel compelled to tape the flap shut after licking and sealing.
Some boxes of envelopes have a perforated portion on one side so that the box can be opened and its contents easily extracted. Mead® security envelopes do not come in such a package, and the top must be constantly opened and closed to prevent the accumulation of dust. A minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
Finally, this particular brand of envelopes is more expensive than a box of 50 smaller envelopes. But for sending business correspondence, you want a business-sized envelope, i.e. a number 10. When I submit poems to magazines and journals, those that still accept snail-mail submissions, I always use Mead® security envelopes. Folding a page of poetry until it had dozens of creases is so unprofessional, and likely a turnoff to editors. One or two creases on a neatly-folded page is perfectly acceptable. For letters to friends and relatives, Mead® security envelopes are excessive; I prefer the smaller ones. But for the look and feel of true professionalism paired with paramount security, Mead manages magnificently.
© January 20, 2012 by Allan M. Heller
A Condensed Classic
The order in which History™ presents its "comprehensive" compilation of the story of the states is arbitrary. Spread out over three DVD's and just about 10 hours of screen time, History Classics: The States DVD Set begins Disc One, Part One with California, North Carolina, Kansas, New Hampshire and West Virginia. Discs One through Three contain the abbreviated histories of the 50 states. The fourth DVD in the set ties everything together with the segments: The Mexican-American War, The Louisiana Purchase and Lewis & Clark: Explorers Of The New Frontier.
To me giving the presentation in some logical order would have been more effective. An ideal way to proceed would have been to chronicle the states' histories in the order of their admission to the Union (Delaware, Pennsylvania, etcetera). My second choice would have been based on geographical proximity: i.e. west to east or east to west. This is what I originally surmised when I saw that the first segment was about California; then Kansas blazed across my television screen, rendering me clueless. Lastly I would have opted for alphabetical order.
As the song goes ". . .once a story's told, it can't help but grow old." While this is true, that fact does not significantly impact the timeliness of this particular documentary, produced in 2005 by A&E Television Networks. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is still regarded as the birthplace of airplane flight; the California Gold Rush is still recognized as beginning in 1849, following the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill a year prior; abolitionist John Brown's murderous rampage is firmly entrenched in the annals of the mid-19th century (1859). Had the program been made a few years later, the segment on Hawaii (Disc Two, Part One) would have been mentioned that the 50th state was the birthplace of President Barack Obama.
Each segment is presented in a light, entertaining style, the sort of history that is geared towards the general public. Interesting tidbits of information hold sway over heavy historical happenings. Major events are not ignored, but tailored to the average viewer, who likely does not know much of his country's history besides the fact that George Washington was the first president and that World War II ended in 1945. Perhaps I'm being just a little unfair, but with history constantly accumulating, increasing public ignorance and apathy are sad facts. So while the program is in part guided and narrated by serious historians and professors, serious historians and professors would never use The States as a research source.
I liked how the producers skillfully flashed back and forth between the past and the present, and usually were successful in establishing how the former formed the latter. The present received more of the focus than the past, but it is much easier to interview living subjects than speculate on what our forebears might say. A few scenes were a bit awkward, one even comical, during the segment on North Carolina in which a NASCAR racer was interviewed. (He wore the most ridiculous hat)! Some would argue that the flamboyance of the interviewees adds depth to the program. They may be right.
Occasionally I felt that certain events and topics were dealt with too perfunctorily, although in some respects this is necessary when attempting to squeeze 50 states into three DVD's (the reader will recall that the fourth disc in the set deals with major historical events, not states per se). While the segment on California talked about the Gold Rush to some extent, I did not feel that it was sufficient. This was the watershed event that effectively founded the Golden State, admitted to the Union in 1850.
I found a few of the trivial, probably unimportant state facts to be pretty interesting, like the one about the New Hampshire "Gold Rush" in the late 18th century. Of course this was eclipsed by the California and later the Alaska Gold Rush, but might be a fun fact to cite at some future social function.
I would not recommend The States, because although I found this documentary to be mostly enjoyable, I felt that for the 11 hours invested in watching I received little in return. Attractively packaged and reasonably priced, The States might be a nice gift for a less-demanding viewer. But not especially so for me.
© January 22, 2012 by Allan M. Heller
Latin for "the cat family"
At approximately $9 per 4-lb. bag, or $2.25 per pound, Felidae Cat and Kitten Formula is not the cheapest brand on the market. Iams I believe is a bit pricier, or at least as expensive. But having spent much of my life in the company of cats, I don't want to feed them the least expensive brand; this kind of penury is not conducive to good feline health. Having lost a cat prematurely to kidney disease, I know this all too well.
Felidae is palatable to cats, but not overly so, as this would result in overeating and the subsequent obesity to which so many modern house cats are prone. Unfortunately, our cat Rocky is a little finicky where his food is concerned. He will finish most of his daily servings of Felidae, but always leaves "crumbs" in his bowl, sometimes a significant amount. "Rocky," I explain to him. "you still have plenty of food. Do you realize how many of your feral brothers and sisters would be happy to eat half of that?" His plaintive meowing in response indicates that he does not realize. Thus I am forced to empty the remnants of his breakfast before feeding him his supper.
I am grateful for small things, one of which is that Felidae Cat and Kitten Food does not stink, as a lot of pet food does. But neither does it have that pleasant, freshly-baked aroma that some brands do (I guess that would be too much of a temptation for some cat owners)! A little bit of sticky, oily residue remains after Rocky's bowl is empty, and since I like to clean his food bowl on a regular basis, Rocky meows impatiently when I am cleaning his bowl.
Assuming that you pay reasonable attention to the feeding chart on the label, your purchase of Felidae should last a long time. At 12 pounds, Rocky receives slightly more than two one-third cup servings per day (minus the "inedible" crumbs).
Felidae is seriously designed with cats' health in mind. This is one reason why the mixture contains cranberries, known to promote good urinary tract health (in people as well as animals, by the way)! Had I known this when I had Felix, I may have been able to circumvent the kidney failure that claimed him after a mere 11 years of life. Felidae also contains taurine, an amino acid deemed essential for feline health. The major foodstuffs in Felidae are chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, brown rice and barley. Felidae also is chock full of more vitamins and minerals than I care to enumerate here (but not too many of them)! Anti-oxidants, which are touted for slowing the effects of aging, also figure prominently in the makeup of Felidae Cat and Kitten Food.
I would be happier if Felidae contained something to ameliorate the problem of hairballs. Since Rocky is an indoor cat, he suffers occasionally from this. Giving him small amounts of petroleum jelly mostly remedies this, and he actually likes the stuff, but it would be easier to get that benefit from his food. However, Rocky used to throw up a lot more often prior to his introduction to Felidae, and it is certainly easier on his stomach than wet food.
Felidae Cat and Kitten Food is packaged in a light, sturdy plastic bag which can be cut at the corner for easy pouring. I prefer, however, to cut off the entire top of the plastic bag with a pair of scissors and scoop out the food in a measuring cup. This product is distributed by Canadae® Corporation of San Luis Obispo, California.
© January 23, 2012 by Allan M. Heller
Makes Litter Box Cleaning A Little Less Unpleasant
Petmate® Jumbo Liners
Cleaning out a litter box is one of the drawbacks to having cats. Outdoor cats, which mine is not, can often "conduct their business" in a more natural setting, although keeping an indoor facility for them is still necessary. I used to believe that dogs were much higher maintenance, but even though you must walk a dog twice a day, at least you don't have to clean his toilet. Unless your cat is one of the few who can actually use a human toilet -and there are some- you can prepare for the unenviable task of litter box cleaning by having clumping, dust-free kitty litter and sturdy, well-fitting litter box liners. I will address the latter here.
Because they are transparent, Petmate® Jumbo Liners give the initial impression of not being durable. This is an impression that is immediately dispelled after using these liners. I have carried out many a load of soiled kitty litter swathed in a clear Petmate® liner, and have never had any leakage or spillage. Other brands of liners have been prone to tearing, a problem especially with cats who are not de-clawed. Not this brand.
Petmate® Jumbo Liners are designed to fit large litter pans, specifically dimensions of 22 1/2” x 17” x 7”. They will of course fit smaller pans, but such an arrangement leads to folds in the liners, and subsequent difficulty in cleaning and eventually removing them. Petmate® Jumbo Liners fit my cat’s box perfectly.
Two complaints have I about Petmate® Jumbo Liners. First is the fact that they are made of clear plastic. It’s enough that I have to look at fresh cat waste every day while I’m cleaning Rocky’s box; I don’t particularly want to see the stuff (let alone show it to the neighbors) when carrying it down the hall, into the elevator, and outside into the trash bin. Some degree of discretion is desirable. Second, the shape of the bag makes lifting and tying the ends shut a little tricky. The eight liners come with 10 -yes, 10- twisty ties, but making the liners with drawstrings would be much more effective. This I know: I have used liners equipped with drawstrings. I suppose that the two extra twisty ties come in handy, though.
I purchased Petmate® Jumbo Liners for $4.29 in a local discount store, and unlike many of the items there sold, these liners were not of inferior quality. The above-mentioned issues aside, I don’t have any major biases against Petmate® Jumbo Liners.
© January 24, 2012 by Allan M. Heller
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