Articles written by Judy Lin

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About me - Judy Lin

I am:

A writer, a photographer, vaguely intelligent, somewhat attention-challenged, very intense, loving cat-mommy to two black fuzzbutts, living in Holland, and a Mac addict.

I like writing about:

Food, science, nutrition, medicine, pets, my cats, the writing

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Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health What to feed your cat: 1 of 12
It is far easier to dissect why one shouldn't feed certain foods, and then arrive at the optimal food choice by process of elimination. Kibble: This is by far the worst thing you could give a cat. Kibble is loaded with carbohydrates, whereas cats are meant to process protein and fats. As a matter of fact, the ideal diet for a... More..
Personal Finance > Smart Spending Tips for living a frugal lifestyle: 6 of 49
Frugality is taking on a new level of importance in the minds of many in these days of high gas prices. Unless you're like us, and don't have a car. Still, this doesn't mean that we (Charles and I) can afford to live in the lap of luxury. Or, depending on your definition of "luxury", maybe we do. Below is a list of things we ... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health Signs of a sick cat: 1 of 8
Most feline diseases, if caught early, are manageable, whether it's something as scary as chronic renal failure or feline diabetes, or something as mundane as the feline equivalent of the common cold. How early is "early"? It can be something as simple as drinking water. My CRF cat, Tibbles, was drinking water, even though sh... More..
Personal Finance > Budgets & Saving Cost management: Sticking to a budget: 7 of 39
The art of sticking to a budget lies in having a budget that you can stick to. Many people approach budgets like they do a diet: "I'm going to save $1000 a month and become a millionaire by the time I'm forty!" Except they forget that their income is only $2000 a month and winter's high gas prices are just around the corner.S... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Psychology Cat fights: Making your cats get along: 5 of 26
My parents adopted Shelby as a kitten from the SPCA six years ago. She's utterly fearless around dogs-living side-by-side with an 80 lb Doberman sort of makes that a requirement, and as a matter of fact she's been known to discipline the poor dog by scratching his nose. Although she's shy around children, she's an attention-w... More..
Pets & Animals > Cats (Other) Inexpensive toys you can make for your cat: 4 of 17
Cats don't know or care about the difference between the dollar-store cat toy or the super-duper-fancy-pantsy-deluxe toy that cost a small mint. What cats like are things that rustle, are attractive to touch, and are preferably shiny. My cats love...beans. Dried beans, the kind that cost $1 for a pound of them. Especially on ... More..
Pets & Animals > Pet Ownership Tips on dressing up and photographing your pets: 1 of 4
I've been taking photographs of my cats for almost four months now; they have a loose fan club online that makes regular demands to see their photos, so I take a few pictures once a month, and post the best ones. What makes for a good pictures?First: NO FLASH. The cats squint when there's a flash, which makes them look evil a... More..
Pets & Animals > Dog Breeds The most dangerous dog breeds: 6 of 22
EVERY dog is potentially dangerous. No one breed is any more dangerous than the next-and I say this after having met plenty of pit bulls, Rottweilers, owning a Doberman, and snuggling with my in-laws' Labrador. I have met plenty of dogs, many of them from the so-called "bully breeds"; I have only ever been attacked by a Labra... More..
Pets & Animals > Cats (Other) Buyer's guide to litter box accessories: 3 of 11
The best litter box accessory is five minutes, twice a day, in which you scoop it out. This is by far the best means of keeping the litter box clean and pleasant for you and your cat. Scooping poop needn't take very long, and personally, I think it's worth the little effort to make sure that your cat doesn't crap in places yo... More..
Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Tips for easier travel: 10 of 33
Being in a transatlantic relationship means traveling at least twice a year. When your relationship is five years old, like mine, that's a lot of airline miles and a lot of traveling. Of course, I also make many small trips, overnight or slightly longer, as my family lives an inconvenient-yet-not-disastrous-distance from me, ... More..