Happy Wednesday:

• 🐱 How one woman is saving neonatal kittens

• 🐈 Why are litter alternatives actually better?

• 🛒 See the litter made out of wood at Walmart

• 🥰 Cats can sense your emotions

Did You Know?

A kitten’s tiny claws do not fully ______ at first.

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

Seventeen years ago, Hannah Shaw spotted a kitten stuck in a tree. She climbed up and brought her down. She named her Coco, and had no idea at the time that this one rescue would change the rest of her life.

Shaw quickly learned something that stuck with her. Kittens under eight weeks old are the most vulnerable animals in any shelter. They need round the clock feeding and warmth that most shelters simply can't provide overnight, so a kitten who arrives without a mother often has just a couple of hours to find help before the shelter closes for the night. Shaw decided to become that help. She started training shelters and everyday foster parents on neonatal kitten care, and in 2016 she founded a nonprofit called Orphan Kitten Club to expand that work further.

The nonprofit has since supported over 250,000 kittens through shelter partnerships across the country. Shaw is quick to remind people that fostering doesn't take much. Kittens are small, most shelters cover the food and medical costs, and the commitment is only temporary. It's one of the easiest ways for an ordinary person to save a life.

Today, Shaw is known online as Kitten Lady to over four million followers. All these years later, that one kitten in a tree is still changing lives, just a lot more of them.

Most litter boxes run on clay and pebbles, materials that never break down once they hit a landfill. A growing number of cat owners are switching to natural alternatives instead, litters made from things like recycled paper, wood, corn, or walnut shells, and the reasons go well beyond the environment.

The materials themselves are the first win. Unlike clay, they biodegrade, so nothing sits in a landfill for decades. The second win shows up right in your living room. Most natural litters are dust free, which makes them easier on allergies and asthma, and it means far less tracking through the house. They tend to handle odor differently too. Instead of masking smells with added fragrance, they control them through natural absorbency, so there's no chemical scent layered on top of the smell it's supposed to be hiding.

Cats tend to notice the difference too. Many natural materials are softer to dig through than clay, which clumps hard once it's wet and gets harder to bury anything in. A cat that can dig comfortably is a cat far more likely to actually use the box.

It's a small swap, but it adds up fast, for your cat, your house, and everything downstream of that litter box.

Big news for cat parents: ökocat® Original Natural Wood Clumping Litter is now available at select Walmart stores.

Still using dusty clay litter? ökocat is made from naturally absorbent wood fiber to deliver powerful odor control, strong clumps, and 99% dust-free performance without artificial fragrances, harmful chemicals, or toxic dyes.

It’s lightweight, naturally effective, and lasts over 2 months in the average single-cat home, which means fewer litter runs and more time doing what your cat expects: serving them.

Whether you’re trying ökocat for the first time or already looking for an easier way to restock, it’s never been more convenient to make the switch from clay.

Head to your local Walmart to find ökocat Original Natural Wood Clumping Litter. Look for a $3 off instant coupon on the bag and get $5 Walmart Cash.

See why ökocat stands out.

Thank you to ökocat for sponsoring Daily Purr.

Cats have a reputation for being aloof, but plenty of owners swear their cat somehow knows when they're having a hard day. Turns out that's not just a coincidence.

A 2020 study found that cats can actually tell human emotions apart, distinguishing things like happiness from anger using a mix of visual and vocal cues. Cats pick up on a softer voice when you're sad, notice a stiffer posture when you're stressed, and can even smell shifts in cortisol through your sweat and breath. Some cats take it a step further and mirror what they sense, curling up and purring beside a sad owner or getting playful and energetic when the mood in the house picks up.

How closely a cat tunes in depends a lot on the individual. Social cats and certain breeds, like Ragdolls and Siamese, tend to be especially responsive, while shier cats may express it more subtly.

So the next time your cat parks itself in your lap for no obvious reason, there's a good chance it's not for no reason at all.

• 🐱 See this Maine Coon mom's dramatic reaction to bath time

• 🌱 Still using dusty clay litter? There’s a cleaner alternative

• 🐈 A vet shares her best tips for earning a shelter cat's trust

Now available at select Walmart stores, ökocat® Original Natural Wood Clumping Litter makes it easier to switch from dusty clay to naturally absorbent wood fiber with powerful odor control and 99% dust-free performance.

Find ökocat at Walmart and look for a $3 off instant coupon on the bag plus $5 Walmart Cash.

Daily Purr is brought to you with love from our cats. We hope they can brighten your day, just like they do ours. ❤️

Love,

Olive, Milo, and Yasmine.

🐱 Bite-Sized Treats

🧐 Did You Know: A kitten’s tiny claws do not fully retract at first. That’s why very young kittens may look like they have little needles out all the time.

😸 COTD: Give your kitty the spotlight by submitting them for Cat of the Day. Reply to this email with your best photos of your cat, their name, and a short description for the chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter!

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