Transitioning Cats to a Holistic Lifestyle

Michelle Fern on Pet Life Radio

This week Michelle Fern and SoyKitty founder Ashley Hejlik, explore the concept of transitioning cats to a holistic lifestyle, covering topics such as diet, removing toxins from the home, alternative modalities, enrichment, and overall wellness. They touch upon other holistic practices that cat parents can easily incorporate into their routine.

The goal of the episode is to not only educate and empower cat parents but also inspire them to take a more proactive approach to their cats' health and wellness. The idea is to make it manageable for cat parents; making small incremental changes that improve their cat's whole health over time. 

Listen to Episode #236 Now:


BIO:


My name is Ashley Hejlik and I’m the founder of SoyKitty , an award-winning, eco-friendly cat care startup. We pride ourselves on creating premium cat litter that’s good for the planet, kitties, and humans alike! We are really passionate about cats, but even more than that, we are on a mission to keep the earth green and all its inhabitants safe.

Besides being a start-up founder, I’m also a crazy cat momma of four kitties living in Oaxaca City, Mexico.

Transcript:


00:00:01.860 --> 00:00:03.460
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.

00:00:03.860 --> 00:00:04.980
Announcer: Let's talk pets.

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Michelle Fern: Hello, feline friends, this is Michelle Fern, your host on Cattitude.

00:00:29.794 --> 00:00:32.534
Michelle Fern: So, you know, so many times I say, oh, it feels like Friday.

00:00:32.554 --> 00:00:36.894
Michelle Fern: Well, it's Friday, so this is gonna be one wild, crazy, fun show.

00:00:37.334 --> 00:00:39.674
Michelle Fern: So I am excited for you to listen to this.

00:00:39.934 --> 00:00:41.534
Michelle Fern: This is a kind of different show.

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Michelle Fern: I'm talking with someone who has gone on a journey of trying to bring a holistic lifestyle for her cats.

00:00:49.554 --> 00:00:52.354
Michelle Fern: And that's very, you know, on topic right now.

00:00:52.454 --> 00:00:58.194
Michelle Fern: People are really looking at holistic lifestyles for themselves, but wow, for your cats.

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Michelle Fern: To me, it sounds like it must be difficult, but I know a lot of people are doing it, and I'm excited to talk to our guest.

00:01:04.274 --> 00:01:05.894
Michelle Fern: So stay tuned, we'll be right back.

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Announcer: Hey, pet parents.

00:01:10.094 --> 00:01:15.154
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00:01:15.574 --> 00:01:22.394
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00:01:22.934 --> 00:01:29.274
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00:01:32.814 --> 00:01:37.654
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Announcer: That's petgreens.com.

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Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.

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Michelle Fern: Welcome back, everyone.

00:01:56.610 --> 00:01:58.850
Michelle Fern: I'd like to welcome Ashley Hejlik.

00:01:59.230 --> 00:02:01.630
Michelle Fern: She is the co-founder of SoyKitty.

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Michelle Fern: Welcome, Ashley.

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Ashley Hejlik: Thank you, Michelle.

00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:04.490
Ashley Hejlik: Glad to be here.

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Michelle Fern: I'm so excited to have you on.

00:02:06.310 --> 00:02:07.150
Michelle Fern: Happy Friday.

00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:08.310
Ashley Hejlik: Happy Friday.

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Michelle Fern: So Ashley, we're gonna talk today about creating a holistic lifestyle for your cats, which sounds like it must be quite challenging to do.

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Michelle Fern: So what exactly does that mean when we're talking here, you know, holistic lifestyle for your cats?

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Michelle Fern: Is it just all organic, all eco-friendly?

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Michelle Fern: What does it mean?

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Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, so for me, holistic lifestyle is looking at the whole of the cat, not just the symptoms, but everything that is involved.

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Ashley Hejlik: So the energy of the cat, the environment that the cat lives in, and of course the things that the cat plays or interacts with or eats.

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Ashley Hejlik: So it doesn't necessarily need to be all organic, all natural, but that helps.

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Ashley Hejlik: And it doesn't have to be anything crazy.

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Ashley Hejlik: I know for me, it's been a journey and I make small improvements every day.

00:03:03.370 --> 00:03:04.230
Ashley Hejlik: And that's the point.

00:03:04.310 --> 00:03:05.610
Ashley Hejlik: There was no end in sight.

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Ashley Hejlik: It's just making improvements.

00:03:07.610 --> 00:03:09.010
Michelle Fern: So what started your journey?

00:03:09.230 --> 00:03:25.570
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, so I've been on a personal journey for the last five years, just trying to learn more about myself, trying to heal myself, both energetically and some chronic health issues that I've had since I was 15.

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Ashley Hejlik: And that was the start of my journey.

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Ashley Hejlik: But my cat journey started about two years ago.

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Ashley Hejlik: My awakening cat that started this journey, his name is Joey, and he's four years old.

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Ashley Hejlik: And by the time he was three and a half, he had been to the vet over 30 times.

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Ashley Hejlik: So I got to a point where I was looking for answers and I was looking for another way, because going to the vet that many times for a cat that was less than four years old and not getting the answers that I wanted, or even my questions answered, and we were unable to find solutions.

00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:09.690
Ashley Hejlik: It was a waiting game.

00:04:09.950 --> 00:04:15.390
Ashley Hejlik: They just said, let's just wait and see until more symptoms come or the symptoms get worse.

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Ashley Hejlik: That wasn't going to happen for me.

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Ashley Hejlik: I wasn't going to wait for my cat to get worse.

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Ashley Hejlik: And so I thought there had to be another way, and I started looking for it.

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Michelle Fern: First of all, sorry to hear about your health issues and about your cat, Joey.

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Michelle Fern: That's one of the things that drives me crazy when I think with just regular medicine for people and for pets, there's a lot of good to it, but there's also sometimes, well, let's wait and see, wait and see.

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Michelle Fern: And with cats, it's hard enough if there's issues because they're stoic creatures, so you can't always tell.

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Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, exactly.

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Ashley Hejlik: So you really have to pay attention to their small little changes, right?

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Ashley Hejlik: The other thing that's interesting is, like you said, it's very similar to the human health care system.

00:04:59.010 --> 00:05:06.210
Ashley Hejlik: And it's interesting, a podcaster, kind of an influencer that I listened to, Peter Cron, he calls it a sick care industry.

00:05:06.450 --> 00:05:09.390
Ashley Hejlik: And it's very similar in the pet space as well.

00:05:09.990 --> 00:05:12.890
Ashley Hejlik: They're providing solutions to symptoms.

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Ashley Hejlik: They're not getting or looking at the whole person and the root issue.

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Michelle Fern: Right, makes perfect sense.

00:05:19.690 --> 00:05:24.410
Michelle Fern: So what were some surprises as, this is something that's progressive.

00:05:24.430 --> 00:05:29.270
Michelle Fern: It's not like you wake up one day and say, okay, I'm gonna be holistic in everything.

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Michelle Fern: This is how I work.

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Michelle Fern: It's a journey, as you said.

00:05:32.590 --> 00:05:35.890
Michelle Fern: So what did you come across when you started doing this?

00:05:36.230 --> 00:05:37.830
Michelle Fern: Were there surprises?

00:05:38.490 --> 00:05:40.310
Michelle Fern: Was there anything unexpected?

00:05:40.610 --> 00:05:44.690
Michelle Fern: Like right when you first started to be more holistic with your cat?

00:05:44.950 --> 00:05:51.570
Ashley Hejlik: I think the biggest surprise was the sheer amount of information and things that I didn't know.

00:05:51.590 --> 00:06:01.130
Ashley Hejlik: A lot of times us pet parents hear about the Western health benefits or traditional options for care for our cats.

00:06:01.750 --> 00:06:06.970
Ashley Hejlik: And we don't really hear about the other modalities or solutions that are available to us.

00:06:07.390 --> 00:06:18.250
Ashley Hejlik: So I think the sheer amount of options that didn't include more medicine or vaccines or just pumping them full of drugs.

00:06:18.510 --> 00:06:25.890
Ashley Hejlik: There are other things that we can do that are super simple that could change the lives and the wellbeing of our cats.

00:06:26.270 --> 00:06:28.550
Michelle Fern: So what's an example of something?

00:06:28.570 --> 00:06:31.290
Michelle Fern: Cause you said there was so many learnings and everything.

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Michelle Fern: What was an example of something that stood out?

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Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, the biggest thing for me was, and I should have known this, but I was following the guidelines and recommendations of my vet.

00:06:44.110 --> 00:06:51.650
Ashley Hejlik: So my cats were on like really expensive, high quality prescription kibble and wet food.

00:06:52.030 --> 00:07:01.890
Ashley Hejlik: And so the biggest surprise was, this is embarrassing to say, but it was integrating real whole foods into my cat's diet.

00:07:02.130 --> 00:07:12.650
Ashley Hejlik: That alone has been the biggest change for my cats in terms of their energy, in terms of their digestion and the health benefits that I've seen.

00:07:12.970 --> 00:07:19.390
Ashley Hejlik: So that was super surprising, but it's made the biggest impact hands down.

00:07:19.710 --> 00:07:22.870
Michelle Fern: I mean, they say you are what you eat and it's true for cats, for dogs.

00:07:22.990 --> 00:07:27.550
Michelle Fern: I'm sure for all the furry creatures and probably for everyone, every living thing.

00:07:27.890 --> 00:07:39.290
Michelle Fern: But speaking of that, when you said adding whole, one of the things I always like to mention talking in any conversations about cat's diets is you did not make them vegetarian.

00:07:41.050 --> 00:07:42.630
Ashley Hejlik: Cats are carnivores.

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Ashley Hejlik: No, cats are carnivores.

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Michelle Fern: Some people aren't aware.

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Michelle Fern: I always like to bring this up because some people are thinking holistic and whole foods and all this.

00:07:50.690 --> 00:07:54.470
Michelle Fern: And they think, okay, vegan, because vegan is the new buzz thing now.

00:07:54.970 --> 00:07:58.970
Michelle Fern: And I tried it before, but there was more use than I wanna admit.

00:07:59.370 --> 00:08:01.970
Michelle Fern: And there weren't all these things, but that's about me.

00:08:01.990 --> 00:08:03.370
Michelle Fern: They don't wanna hear about me.

00:08:03.550 --> 00:08:07.630
Michelle Fern: But some people think about, well, it's good for me, could be good for my cats.

00:08:07.650 --> 00:08:10.950
Michelle Fern: Or they think something healthy or holistic and all that right away.

00:08:10.970 --> 00:08:15.910
Michelle Fern: The mind thought is vegan, vegetarian, and no, cats cannot be.

00:08:16.110 --> 00:08:21.630
Michelle Fern: So how did you go about, did you decide, okay, this is fish night, this is chicken night?

00:08:21.930 --> 00:08:28.110
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, so the first thing that I did is I found a community that would help me learn about this.

00:08:28.510 --> 00:08:34.310
Ashley Hejlik: Stepping into creating your own homemade foods for cats is no small feat.

00:08:34.490 --> 00:08:49.590
Ashley Hejlik: And so I would recommend anyone that wants to start creating their own meals for their cats to find a community or a holistic veterinarian that has specialties in nutrition or a cat nutritionist to really learn from.

00:08:50.170 --> 00:08:55.310
Ashley Hejlik: And don't be afraid to put in the work and put in the research because there's a lot to learn.

00:08:55.690 --> 00:09:07.410
Ashley Hejlik: And so I have four cats and two of my cats have had urinary issues and my other two cats, Jackie and Joey, have had kidney issues.

00:09:07.730 --> 00:09:12.190
Ashley Hejlik: And so the first thing that I wanted to do is start really simple.

00:09:12.370 --> 00:09:17.530
Ashley Hejlik: Like what's a nutritionally balanced recipe that won't overwhelm me?

00:09:18.130 --> 00:09:21.970
Ashley Hejlik: And so there's plenty of resources that you can use to find this.

00:09:22.130 --> 00:09:22.570
Ashley Hejlik: Dr.

00:09:22.590 --> 00:09:29.570
Ashley Hejlik: Judy Morgan has a simple, holistic, homemade raw cat recipe on her website that's free.

00:09:29.910 --> 00:09:33.710
Ashley Hejlik: So I started with something super simple so I didn't get overwhelmed.

00:09:34.150 --> 00:09:38.530
Ashley Hejlik: And she's a holistic veterinarian with an emphasis in nutrition.

00:09:38.630 --> 00:09:42.410
Ashley Hejlik: So I know that it's nutritionally balanced.

00:09:42.690 --> 00:09:50.390
Ashley Hejlik: I think that's the main concern with anyone creating their own meals for their cats is ensuring that it is nutritionally balanced.

00:09:50.530 --> 00:09:55.450
Ashley Hejlik: Because it is very easy to leave out certain nutrients or vitamins.

00:09:55.510 --> 00:10:01.090
Ashley Hejlik: And so to make sure that they have a recipe or meal that fulfills all of their nutritional needs.

00:10:01.490 --> 00:10:01.870
Michelle Fern: You know what?

00:10:01.930 --> 00:10:11.010
Michelle Fern: That's a good point, because so many of us grow in absential pig vitamins, but we don't usually have anything like that to give to our cats.

00:10:11.370 --> 00:10:15.950
Michelle Fern: Come to think of it, I'm sure there's cat vitamins, but I really haven't heard of them many.

00:10:15.970 --> 00:10:18.710
Michelle Fern: And my other show is Best Pets for Pets.

00:10:18.730 --> 00:10:23.170
Michelle Fern: So I would have heard of it, but there are supplements, but that could be tricky.

00:10:23.650 --> 00:10:24.990
Michelle Fern: And I'm glad you mentioned that.

00:10:25.010 --> 00:10:26.270
Michelle Fern: How hard was the recipe?

00:10:26.290 --> 00:10:28.790
Michelle Fern: Was it harder than cooking for yourself or your family?

00:10:29.090 --> 00:10:30.210
Ashley Hejlik: No, for sure not.

00:10:30.430 --> 00:10:35.070
Ashley Hejlik: The recipe that I used, I think had maybe seven ingredients and it was all raw.

00:10:35.370 --> 00:10:37.370
Ashley Hejlik: So it wasn't difficult at all.

00:10:37.370 --> 00:10:42.830
Ashley Hejlik: The most difficult part was finding a meat grinder that could actually get through the meat.

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Ashley Hejlik: Oh gosh.

00:10:44.750 --> 00:10:48.610
Michelle Fern: I think that part would kind of be fun, even though I don't eat meat, but I don't know.

00:10:48.630 --> 00:10:49.670
Michelle Fern: I think it'd be kind of fun.

00:10:49.870 --> 00:10:59.270
Michelle Fern: And can you make, so say some people might be thinking, okay, how can I incorporate it into my lifestyle for my cats and all this?

00:10:59.290 --> 00:11:08.090
Michelle Fern: And they might think, wow, I don't know if I'm gonna have time all the time to just, okay, let's make dinner for the cats, or usually most cats eat twice a day.

00:11:08.290 --> 00:11:10.270
Michelle Fern: Can you make some and just freeze it?

00:11:10.450 --> 00:11:11.910
Michelle Fern: Have you done that in the past?

00:11:12.290 --> 00:11:13.410
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, of course.

00:11:13.610 --> 00:11:16.930
Ashley Hejlik: I have four cats, so I usually make a meal prep.

00:11:17.070 --> 00:11:21.370
Ashley Hejlik: So I create meals that are two weeks in advance and I freeze them.

00:11:21.650 --> 00:11:23.090
Ashley Hejlik: So it's totally doable.

00:11:23.150 --> 00:11:26.210
Ashley Hejlik: And that, for me, I have a pretty busy lifestyle.

00:11:26.290 --> 00:11:27.670
Ashley Hejlik: So that works for me.

00:11:27.930 --> 00:11:33.590
Ashley Hejlik: And I know, you know, if they're running out of food, I can take a container out and thaw it out in the fridge.

00:11:33.610 --> 00:11:35.950
Ashley Hejlik: And I know within two days, it'll be ready to use.

00:11:36.290 --> 00:11:36.690
Michelle Fern: Okay.

00:11:36.750 --> 00:11:56.090
Michelle Fern: And we're going to stop for our break in just a moment, but Ashley, you said something, and it just made me think while we have come a long way, when you said, you know, your cats, and when I get ready for meal prep, and I thought, boy, you know, even 20 years ago to hear I'm doing meal prep for my cats, people would think, what?

00:11:56.310 --> 00:12:03.530
Michelle Fern: And today it's the norm, or it's, you know, what we want to be the norm in the not so distant future, you know?

00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:05.410
Michelle Fern: So we're going to take a short break.

00:12:05.430 --> 00:12:06.290
Michelle Fern: We'll be right back.

00:12:09.510 --> 00:12:11.130
Michelle Fern: Hey everyone, Michelle Fern here.

00:12:11.150 --> 00:12:14.930
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00:13:27.983 --> 00:13:36.183
Michelle Fern: Welcome back everyone. We're talking to Ashley Hejlik. She is the co-founder of SoyKitty, and we're talking about how to create a holistic life for your cats, or lifestyle for your cats.

00:13:36.783 --> 00:13:47.523
Michelle Fern: So what are some tips for people that are, they're listening, they're thinking, I wanna start doing this, I want to create a more holistic lifestyle for my cats, I wanna get started.

00:13:47.983 --> 00:13:51.643
Michelle Fern: And I know you mentioned with food and finding a community.

00:13:51.943 --> 00:13:54.103
Michelle Fern: What are some other ways to transition?

00:13:54.123 --> 00:14:02.843
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, so I think that the easiest way to get started is to find simple ways to remove toxins or chemicals from your lifestyle.

00:14:03.143 --> 00:14:13.803
Ashley Hejlik: So for example, that could include your cleaning supplies, right, because your cats are on the floor and let's get whatever cleaning solutions you use are getting on their paws.

00:14:14.123 --> 00:14:26.883
Ashley Hejlik: So instead of using traditional chemicals or chemical cleaners, you could use things that are more natural, like vinegar or baking soda or essential oils or citruses.

00:14:27.243 --> 00:14:32.483
Ashley Hejlik: So that's an easy way to start removing chemicals from your household.

00:14:32.783 --> 00:14:44.543
Ashley Hejlik: Another simple thing you could do is instead of burning, for example, candles, you could start using an essential oil diffuser or you could use an air purifier, right?

00:14:44.563 --> 00:14:54.703
Ashley Hejlik: So finding ways to start cleaning out the air to make sure that there's no additional irritants in the air that could hurt your kitty's sensitive little lungs.

00:14:54.983 --> 00:14:58.283
Ashley Hejlik: So that's another simple fix that you can start working on.

00:14:58.503 --> 00:14:59.463
Michelle Fern: Those are great tips.

00:14:59.623 --> 00:15:20.223
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, another simple thing you can do is, and I think people forget about this, is you could just sit with your cats in the same room for 10 or 15 minutes and just play with them, pet them, take some long deep breaths to center yourself because your energy affects your cats.

00:15:20.543 --> 00:15:22.363
Ashley Hejlik: Cats are very, very sensitive.

00:15:22.383 --> 00:15:27.443
Ashley Hejlik: They can pick up on your stress, your anxiety, the chaos that's going on.

00:15:27.783 --> 00:15:38.983
Ashley Hejlik: So taking that five to 15 minutes and just breathing and relaxing yourself around your cats can really, really help them as well as yourself.

00:15:39.263 --> 00:15:43.503
Ashley Hejlik: So I think that's something people don't think about, that you don't have to do anything.

00:15:43.803 --> 00:15:46.783
Ashley Hejlik: You just sit in silence and breathe.

00:15:47.423 --> 00:15:51.643
Ashley Hejlik: So I think that's something everyone can and should incorporate into their life.

00:15:52.043 --> 00:15:53.003
Michelle Fern: That's a great point.

00:15:53.023 --> 00:15:54.583
Michelle Fern: And you really have to do nothing.

00:15:54.963 --> 00:15:57.643
Michelle Fern: Say at night, you're vegging out, you're watching TV.

00:15:57.883 --> 00:15:59.263
Michelle Fern: Cats just want to be with you.

00:15:59.323 --> 00:16:00.583
Michelle Fern: They don't need to be petted.

00:16:00.643 --> 00:16:07.483
Michelle Fern: Some of them like to, some of them want major cuddles, but sometimes they just like to know that you're close by and content.

00:16:07.723 --> 00:16:08.083
Michelle Fern: You know?

00:16:08.103 --> 00:16:08.483
Ashley Hejlik: For sure.

00:16:08.703 --> 00:16:19.583
Michelle Fern: They're engaged in their own cat way, whether they're, you know, just, I mean, my cat likes to sit facing the cushion like she's in a time out or something, but that's how she likes to sit sometimes.

00:16:19.923 --> 00:16:23.063
Michelle Fern: So I think of that as she's like chilling from the world.

00:16:23.083 --> 00:16:23.943
Michelle Fern: She doesn't want to deal.

00:16:23.963 --> 00:16:29.023
Michelle Fern: So she's just zoning in front of, you know, with the cushion right in front of her face, but great tips.

00:16:29.283 --> 00:16:33.943
Michelle Fern: So what would be for thinking long-term, what is the overall goal?

00:16:34.263 --> 00:16:39.823
Michelle Fern: Of course we want overall goal to be holistic, you know, lifestyle, but is it good cleaning products?

00:16:39.843 --> 00:16:42.303
Michelle Fern: We want to be eco-friendly, we want sustainability.

00:16:42.403 --> 00:16:48.123
Michelle Fern: There's so much right now, but what is the overall goal for all the pet parents for their cats?

00:16:48.463 --> 00:17:01.343
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, I think the overall goal is just to keep trying little things you can improve upon throughout the life of your cat, just to make their lives better and easier, healthier and more fulfilled.

00:17:01.363 --> 00:17:08.123
Ashley Hejlik: It doesn't have to be very difficult and it doesn't have to be extreme, but just finding ways to improve their health and wellbeing.

00:17:08.143 --> 00:17:10.483
Ashley Hejlik: I think that should be any cat parents' goal.

00:17:10.683 --> 00:17:11.403
Ashley Hejlik: Do their best.

00:17:11.803 --> 00:17:12.463
Michelle Fern: Thank you.

00:17:12.483 --> 00:17:17.163
Michelle Fern: I think that makes people feel kind of that's something they can attain.

00:17:17.523 --> 00:17:18.883
Michelle Fern: It's not overwhelming.

00:17:19.023 --> 00:17:22.743
Michelle Fern: You know, it's not that you have to do everything or some of it.

00:17:22.763 --> 00:17:23.883
Michelle Fern: You can do just parts.

00:17:24.223 --> 00:17:24.883
Ashley Hejlik: Of course.

00:17:24.943 --> 00:17:33.383
Ashley Hejlik: And you don't have to do everything all at once because I can tell you from my own experience, when I started this journey, I was completely overwhelmed.

00:17:34.183 --> 00:17:38.783
Ashley Hejlik: I saw all the things that I was doing wrong or that were hurting my kitties.

00:17:38.803 --> 00:17:41.863
Ashley Hejlik: And I was like, I have to change this all right away.

00:17:41.883 --> 00:17:43.323
Ashley Hejlik: No, you don't have to.

00:17:43.463 --> 00:17:44.943
Ashley Hejlik: You don't have to be overwhelmed.

00:17:45.023 --> 00:17:47.583
Ashley Hejlik: You can make small incremental changes.

00:17:47.743 --> 00:17:53.483
Ashley Hejlik: And as more information comes out and more scientific data comes out, your strategies may change.

00:17:53.803 --> 00:18:03.943
Ashley Hejlik: So just being open to explore and experiment and really see what works for you, your family and your cat, because your cat will tell you in their own sly way, they'll tell you.

00:18:04.403 --> 00:18:13.123
Michelle Fern: So what are some things you mentioned that you were overwhelmed and when you first started, do you have any tips or any amusing stories?

00:18:13.143 --> 00:18:19.083
Michelle Fern: Because I'm sure some of us have tried some things and not succeeded well that you can share.

00:18:19.443 --> 00:18:19.963
Ashley Hejlik: Sure.

00:18:20.123 --> 00:18:25.103
Ashley Hejlik: So some tips that I would give first, just take it slow and be patient.

00:18:25.183 --> 00:18:31.223
Ashley Hejlik: There's a lot of information out there and there's a lot of things that you can do, but you don't need to do them all at once.

00:18:31.543 --> 00:18:32.423
Ashley Hejlik: So take it slow.

00:18:32.763 --> 00:18:37.843
Ashley Hejlik: I think it's really important for a cat owner to be open and to be curious.

00:18:38.203 --> 00:18:47.243
Ashley Hejlik: Open to different healing strategies and modalities beyond what you've been told at the vet or traditional Western medicine.

00:18:47.383 --> 00:18:54.663
Ashley Hejlik: Being open to trying alternative approaches like Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, to name a few.

00:18:55.003 --> 00:19:04.183
Ashley Hejlik: And then be willing to experiment because not everything that works for one person or cat parent will work for you and your family.

00:19:04.423 --> 00:19:17.503
Ashley Hejlik: And one kind of tale that I'll tell about that is when I started creating my own homemade cat food, there were plenty of weeks where my cats barely ate any of their food, right?

00:19:17.523 --> 00:19:20.643
Ashley Hejlik: Because they were used to kibble and they were used to wet food.

00:19:20.663 --> 00:19:21.823
Ashley Hejlik: They weren't used to meat.

00:19:21.883 --> 00:19:24.223
Ashley Hejlik: They'd never had meat in their lives.

00:19:25.043 --> 00:19:37.763
Ashley Hejlik: And so I think it's really important to make the transition, especially with food, very slowly and not get frustrated because the more frustrated you get, the more frustrated the cats are probably going to get.

00:19:37.963 --> 00:19:41.563
Ashley Hejlik: So being really patient with the transition is super important.

00:19:41.943 --> 00:19:45.083
Ashley Hejlik: And the last thing I would say is it's a marathon.

00:19:45.283 --> 00:19:46.223
Ashley Hejlik: It's not a sprint.

00:19:46.503 --> 00:19:48.363
Ashley Hejlik: This is a lifelong journey.

00:19:49.003 --> 00:19:59.863
Ashley Hejlik: And just focus on making small little changes, both for your cat and for yourself is what I've found in my little community that I'm a part of.

00:20:00.003 --> 00:20:01.203
Ashley Hejlik: I'm part of Dr.

00:20:01.243 --> 00:20:05.603
Ashley Hejlik: Katie Woodley's Holistic Pet Group, which is absolutely amazing.

00:20:06.143 --> 00:20:16.583
Ashley Hejlik: And what I've found talking with these other pet parents is some people will start the holistic journey for themselves and some people will start the holistic journey for their pets.

00:20:16.943 --> 00:20:23.303
Ashley Hejlik: But in the end, both the humans and the pets find their way to a more holistic lifestyle.

00:20:23.543 --> 00:20:25.863
Ashley Hejlik: So it's really interesting to see that.

00:20:26.043 --> 00:20:26.863
Michelle Fern: I could see that.

00:20:27.063 --> 00:20:36.943
Michelle Fern: And I like the fact that you mentioned about transitioning slowly with your cats as well, because cats by nature don't like change.

00:20:37.043 --> 00:20:38.263
Michelle Fern: Most humans don't either.

00:20:38.283 --> 00:20:40.343
Michelle Fern: And patience is key.

00:20:40.483 --> 00:20:50.983
Michelle Fern: It's not something most of us have a lot of, including me, but I've learned with my cats, whether I'm playing with them or just hanging with them, you have to be patient.

00:20:51.003 --> 00:20:59.823
Michelle Fern: I mean, you should be patient with any four-leg or even reptiles or whatever you have along with your cats, but especially with cats.

00:21:00.283 --> 00:21:05.963
Michelle Fern: I know that you embraced the holistic lifestyle so well, you even created your own cat litter.

00:21:06.023 --> 00:21:07.863
Michelle Fern: Can you tell us about that real quickly?

00:21:08.043 --> 00:21:09.223
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, thank you.

00:21:09.243 --> 00:21:12.923
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, I'm the co-founder of a company called SoyKitty.

00:21:13.203 --> 00:21:19.703
Ashley Hejlik: We're about a year old since the inception, and we create eco-friendly, plant-based cat litter.

00:21:20.023 --> 00:21:22.983
Ashley Hejlik: And right now, we support the US market.

00:21:23.203 --> 00:21:26.303
Ashley Hejlik: We are currently in our pre-launch phase.

00:21:26.663 --> 00:21:34.643
Ashley Hejlik: So the West Coast, we are fulfilling orders to right now, and the East Coast will be fulfilling orders to within the next two weeks.

00:21:34.903 --> 00:21:36.683
Ashley Hejlik: So we're super excited about that.

00:21:36.983 --> 00:21:48.543
Ashley Hejlik: Yeah, so if you're looking for a plant-based, completely non-toxic clumping cat litter that is tough on odors, but not on your kitty or the planet, try SoyKitty.

00:21:49.703 --> 00:22:07.343
Michelle Fern: I'm excited for you and congrats on the year because it's a competitive market for cat litter, but it's nice that it's eco-friendly and it's plant-based because you have cats, you have cat litter, and they have it on their paws, it gets all over the house, it gets everywhere.

00:22:07.343 --> 00:22:09.963
Michelle Fern: So a more natural cat litter is always better.

00:22:10.303 --> 00:22:12.283
Michelle Fern: Well, Ashley, I want to thank you so much.

00:22:12.303 --> 00:22:14.423
Michelle Fern: I wish you great success with SoyKitty.

00:22:14.863 --> 00:22:17.043
Michelle Fern: And thank you so much for coming on Cattitude.

00:22:17.243 --> 00:22:18.943
Ashley Hejlik: Thank you, Michelle, I appreciate it.

00:22:19.023 --> 00:22:19.923
Ashley Hejlik: It was so much fun.

00:22:20.463 --> 00:22:22.423
Michelle Fern: I hope you all enjoyed this show.

00:22:22.443 --> 00:22:24.683
Michelle Fern: It was so much fun to have Ashley on.

00:22:24.923 --> 00:22:32.463
Michelle Fern: What great tips and ideas to incorporate your cat into a more holistic lifestyle.

00:22:32.803 --> 00:22:34.363
Michelle Fern: And hey, yourself too, right?

00:22:34.903 --> 00:22:40.183
Michelle Fern: It's amazing what, I mean, the holistic world is just, there's so many amazing things.

00:22:40.523 --> 00:22:42.623
Michelle Fern: Anyways, so thank you so much, Ashley.

00:22:42.643 --> 00:22:45.223
Michelle Fern: I wanna thank my cat crew.

00:22:45.243 --> 00:22:54.743
Michelle Fern: When I'm not fully holistic, I try to incorporate some holistic lifestyle because it's better for my kitties, it's better for me, better for people around me.

00:22:54.763 --> 00:22:57.903
Michelle Fern: So thank you, Dennis, Charlotte and Molly.

00:22:58.383 --> 00:23:08.483
Michelle Fern: And of course, thank you to all the cat people, feline friends, you know, people that like cats, but can't have them for some reason, or just like listening to Cattitude.

00:23:08.503 --> 00:23:09.283
Michelle Fern: Thank you, thank you.

00:23:09.303 --> 00:23:10.683
Michelle Fern: I appreciate it so much.

00:23:11.103 --> 00:23:14.143
Michelle Fern: I also want to thank my producer, Mark Winter.

00:23:14.183 --> 00:23:19.103
Michelle Fern: He works his magic and he makes myself and my guests sound amazing.

00:23:19.103 --> 00:23:20.303
Michelle Fern: So thank you, Mark.

00:23:20.423 --> 00:23:23.803
Michelle Fern: And hey, lose the attitude, have Cattitude.

00:23:24.543 --> 00:23:29.983
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