Cat Fancy (1-year)

The articles comprising Cat Fancy include a featured (centerfold) breed, "Ask the vet," "Humane Matters," and various other articles including topics such as how to know what various cat noises mean, and how to handle cats when you have allergies. The articles never go too in depth, but merely give the reader a taste of the subject matter, to be researched further should an interest be generated. Cat Fancy is also full of gorgeous photos, some of which are taken by readers and sent in to the magazine. The "Feline Bookshelf" section highlights more in-depth reads, as well as children's cat books. There is also an event calendar in which you can look up feline-related events in your area.

One of few things I really don't like in this magazine is all of the advertisements, as well as the huge directory included in the back. The directory may be useful if you are searching for purebred cats, perhaps for showing, but the majority of cat owners out there probably aren't. Furthermore, the magazine tends to be rather short.

Nonetheless, I find Cat Fancy to be a useful resource and an interesting read. It's a great way to stay current with kitty-related issues and items without constant visits to the vet. As with any magazine, certain articles are going to be more intriguing to certain people than others. However, at a price like this it really is worth the money for a year-long subscription!


A little disappointing   May 27, 2004
Lisa A. Ewing (Pennsylvania)
20 out of 20 found this review helpful

I received a subscription of Cat Fancy as a gift from a friend who knows I'm a cat lover. More often than not, though, I find myself disappointed with the magazine, especially after I've finished reading it. The magazine mainly consists of a heartwarming story or two, a page of new products for cats or cat lovers, a breed profile, and a couple feature stories about selected topics (e.g. kittens, older cats, some medical condition). About a quarter of the magazine is comprised of ads for breeders.

Most of the time, the articles don't relate to my cats, and when I do see something interesting, the article turns out to be pretty vague. For example, there was an article on alternative/natural cat litters. The article listed a few different types of litter, but there was no information on the benefits or drawbacks of each kind. The gist of the article was pretty much: X, Y, and Z are different litters, look them up and see what's best for you. Most of the information in the magazine is either too general or too specific. I won't be renewing my subscription, but I would probably buy off the newsstand if I saw an article that applied to my cats.

As a cat magazine it's OK, but compared to magazines in general, it's not that great.


for those of us who are cat people...   August 24, 2003
Alejandra Vernon (Long Beach, California)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful

Cat Fancy is especially useful for anyone who has recently adopted a cat, as it emphasizes feline health and maintenance, and how to keep your cat safe, happy, and comfortable at home; a recent issue for instance, was "Paws Off That Plant !", giving tips on the best ways to keep your greenery from being chewed up, and also which plants are toxic, with a chart showing what the symptoms and treatment are if ingested, along with photos of the plants for easy identification.
There was also an article on declawing, what exactly the procedure is, why it has become a controvesial topic, and the reasons most animal experts and veterinarians do not recommend it.

As part of Cat Fancy's regular features, it has marvelous and usually humorous photos sent in by readers, and is also a source for breeders, with a large directory, and a "Cat Calendar", which lists all the shows and events throughout North America.
"Cat Care 101" always has useful information, and then there is "Fancy Shopper", with every product imaginable for your four-pawed pal, from the useful to the ridiculous. Who would ever think that there were so many ways to make a litter pan ? There is sure to be one that is perfect for your kitty, and she will also thank you for all the good stuff you learn in this magazine.


Cat Fancy is more ad and breeders than real info   August 26, 2006
Kuma
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

I found Cat Fancy Magazine to be mostly advertisements and breeders advertisements than real meat of information for cat owners. I'm also very unimpressed with their Cat Channel online board they advertise in Cat Fancy and cannot recommend it to others. They seem to have poor management of their online board especially on weekends so inappropriate posts stay there for a long time and a professional magazine advertising their own online board in their magazine should have their online board perfected before offering it. Also Cat Fancy pushes a ridiculous high renewal rate for their magazine, but if you go onto Amazon, you can get a renewal rate of almost half the Cat Fancy renewal price. So I have come to the conclusion that between the Cat Fancy magazine, their poor online Cat Channel board and the high renewal rate Cat Fancy charges, they are not interested in keeping their readers or online members.