If you are a cat lover, then I’m sure you recognize Morris, the loveable face of 9Lives cat food.  Morris the Cat is on a mission to help humans live well and “prospurr” and I was lucky enough to get just a little moment out of his busy schedule for an interview.   Below he shares his best tips for living the good life and how you can help him donate 1 million meals to the ASPCA to kitties in need AND enter to win $300 towards a relaxing getaway for yourself!

You’ve been a TV star since the 1970s and yet you look as vivacious as ever. How do you keep your youthful glow?

People ask me all the time if I’ve had work done. But in fact, my whiskers stay perky thanks to a disciplined regimen of napping, sleeping, napping some more, eating (9Lives, of course), and just generally hanging out. I want to emphasize this last one because even though it’s categorically important for our health and happiness, it’s also the easiest to forget as we go about our busy lives. That’s why I developed my Official Guide to Relaxing, Chillin’, Unwinding & More. (I had to take some time away from hanging out to write it, but I hope you’ll agree it was well worth it.)

Are humans allowed to know what’s in this guide or is it for felines only

Oh no, the guide was written for all species, both two- and four-legged. And let’s face it, cats are pretty good at hanging out already. I know relaxing can be daunting—what with work, kids, errands, and chores—but that’s why I created the 5 levels of hanging out. Even the most stressed out person can master Level 1: Kicking Back. Then, as people get more comfortable with the idea of just relaxing, they can move on to the higher levels and ultimately achieve what I like to call Prospurr.

How does someone know when they’ve achieved Prospurr?

Excellent question, Mandy. Prospurr is the Holy Grail of hanging out. It’s not so much an action as a state of mind, but purr-haps I could describe it best like this: It’s like the moment you flop onto the couch after a hard day, mixed with the tingling sensation of getting scratched behind the ears, rolled into the drool-inducing taste of a bowl of 9Lives. You humans out there probably haven’t tried 9Lives, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one. For more tips on hanging out, go to this website that I built with my own four paws: http://prospurr.9lives.com/

I know working in show biz can mean very long hours. How do you keep to your hangout regimen while you’re on set?

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Just like Brad Pitt or Liam Hemsworth, I have a stand-in who sets up all my shots for me. That way I can rest in my trailer—ahem, carrying case—until the cameras start rolling. My stand-in is polyester and has a tag that says “Made in the USA,” but he does the trick. All I have to do is show up and look handsome… which is easy since I’ve spent the whole day getting my beauty rest.

Certainly the entertainment industry, and the world in general, has changed a lot since the 1970s. How do you keep up with the times?

I chase the times like a red-laser dot, and I’m always on the lookout for cool new tech gadgets that help cats and humans live well. One of my new favorites is the Apple Watch—it lets me track how much time I spend ‘napping’ versus the time I spend ‘sleeping.’ AND, today it told me that I took 19 steps going from my bed to my food dish—nothing like working up a sweat before a big meal.

What is the best advice you could give to someone who wants to live a better life?

Watch cat videos! A recent study conducted by some really smart people at Indiana University found that after watching a clip of Lil Bub, Nora the Piano Cat or of course, yours truly, participants felt increased levels of joy and energy. Science doesn’t lie, people! Bonus points if you watch said cat videos curled up in bed or on a fluffy couch.

If a cat watches cat videos, does it have the same effect?

Yes—in fact, the effect is multiplied. It’s like topping 9Lives Super Supper with even more 9Lives Super Supper. Some days I’ll watch cat videos the entire four hours I’m awake.

It seems like you’ve got a pretty nice life, Morris.

I’m very lucky, but to me, being a celebricat isn’t about paw-ty hopping or head-booping Hollywood royalty. It’s about enjoying the simple pleasures that let me live well—and helping others to do the same. You may not know this but I was actually a rescue cat in Chicago before I was ‘discovered.’ This year, with your support, I’m donating a million meals to the ASPCA. Every time you tweet using #MorrisFeeds I’ll donate a bowl of 9Lives to a kitty in need. And I haven’t forgotten about my human fans: Go to http://prospurr.9lives.com/ for a chance to win $300 towards a relaxing getaway… You deserve it!

Our family recently took a little fun summer adventure to Ship Island.  I will be the first to admit that getting on a boat and sailing 11 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico was a little scary for me, but it turned out that we had a wonderful time and the boat ride was one of the best parts of the whole trip!  We had a fun time exploring a new place and if you are looking for new adventures to share with your own child this summer in which you don’t even have to leave your own home, Netflix Streaming has some great shows to get you talking about new experiences and dreaming up some great ideas for future adventures of your own.

This summer, Hiccup and Toothless, from the critically acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon films are embarking on unparalleled adventures in the all-new Netflix original series Dragons: Race to the Edge. If you have a child that’s really into How to Train Your Dragon films, check out this preview below.

Dive deeper into the unknown with these picks.

▪ Sofia the First: S1E12, Two to Tangu
▪ Bo on the Go: S1E11, Bo and the Dragon Queen
▪ The Adventures of Puss in Boots: S1E6, Fountains

▪ How to Train Your Dragon 2
▪ National Treasure
▪ Planet Earth

Can’t get enough dragons? Find more epic dragon movies with a little help from our friends at Common Sense Media.

New on Netflix for Kids and Families

▪ Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie (7/15)
▪ H2O: Mermaid Adventures: Season 2 (7/15)
▪ Marvel’s Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.: Season 2 (7/28)
▪ Turbo FAST (new episodes 7/31)

I wrote this post as part of my participation as a member of the Netflix Stream Team. All opinions are my own.

I think I’ve mentioned before that out of all of my household chores, doing laundry is my favorite.  I’m very serious!  I would much rather do laundry than cook or wash dishes any day of the week.  Fortunately, the kitchen is an area my husband excels in and enjoys, so it works out for us.  He often jokes about how I won’t let him do our laundry, but it’s mostly true.  I have a certain way I like my clothes washed and I often fear opening my dryer to find shrunken clothes or whites that suddenly have a tinge of pink.  My mom taught me how to take care of the laundry when I was a teenager, and it’s worked for me for many years now. There are 5 rules of laundry that I always follow to keep our clothes looking great.

Rule 1-  Don’t let it get out of control.  I completely understand that life happens sometimes and laundry often gets put on the end of the to-do list.  Things come up and emergencies happen.  However, I always try to make sure I do a load or two during the week rather than letting it all pile up until the weekend.  Now that summer is here I don’t want to spend more time that I have to on doing household chores.  I want to be enjoying my time with my son and husband, and doing other little things I enjoy like reading and visiting friends. 

Rule 2-  Separate!  I always, always separate my whites and darks.  I also never wash my towels with my clothes, with the exception being underwear and socks.  Sheets are also not washed with anything else.  In a weird way, this actually saves me time when it’s time to fold and hang. 

Rule 3-  Temperature is Important.  The water temperature for washing my clothes is also very important to me.  Towels and sheets always get hot water and clothing gets cold water.  I think the cold water on our clothing not only saves a little energy, but it also keeps colors from fading, especially darker clothing.  Using the hot water on our undergarments, towels, and sheets gives me the feeling that those items are being thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

Rule 4-  Your laundry detergent matters.  The detergent you use on your laundry is just as important as they way you do your laundry.  I have very sensitive facial skin, so I make sure I always use a fragrance and dye-free detergent on our towels, washcloths, and sheets.  However, there is nothing I love better than fresh smelling clothes.  Most laundry detergent brands can smell harsh and overwhelming, but method laundry detergent gives our clothing a light, great-smelling fragrance.

Not only does it come in 4 scrumptious, unique scents (Ginger Mango, Spring Garden, Beach Sage, and Fresh Clover), but they also have a free + clear formula for those with sensitive skin.  It’s also important that the laundry detergent you use have some power behind it to get your clothes truly clean.  What can method do for your laundry?

• NEW 4x concentrated laundry detergent is a naturally derived cleaning power that is tough on dirt and stains
• Naturally derived cleaning power proven to remove tough dirt + stains.  This is great if you battle tough laundry stains on a daily basis.
• Keeps colors bright and whites white.  Very important to keep your clothing looking its best.
• Works great in cold water so you use less energy for every load.
• Biodegradable and hypoallergenic formula.
• Can also be used as a really effective pre-treat for stains

Rule 5- Fold and hang ASAP.  I’m completely guilty of letting my clothes take another spin in the dryer if I’m busy doing something else, but I find that hanging my clothes up immediately after they are finished drying helps to cut down on wrinkles and holds that great smelling detergent scent in longer. 
You can learn more about method laundry detergent here and also use the code THREEFORME for $3 off your online purchase.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer network campaign for the Depend brand. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Depend and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.

If you’ve ever been pregnant, given birth, or have diabetes, you may be interested to know that these are all common causes of bladder leakage.  Over 51 million American women experience bladder leakage. That’s 1 in 3 American women*.  When bladder leakage starts happening, it may catch you by surprise.  I used to think that it was something I would deal with when I was much older, but after having my son, things changed.  The stress of pregnancy took its toll on my body and my bladder isn’t as strong or predictable as it used to be.  I’m a busy teacher-librarian and frequent trips to the restroom are a common occurrence for me during my day.  As you can imagine, worrying about my overactive bladder is the last thing I have time for.

Depend brand is introducing Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs, a new moderate-absorbency brief that features a thin design for complete comfort with the trusted protection of the Depend brand and a lower rise for an underwear-like look, fit, and feel. 

Can you see how thin these briefs are?  This was a total surprise to me because I just assumed that protection like this had to be bulky and uncomfortable.  They also don’t have a plastic feel to them at all.  They come in beige and black and you can wear these and feel confident knowing that you’re completely protected from embarrassing bladder leakage.  They’re also light enough to feel comfortable in while you exercise and enjoy the activities you like to do.  I’ve made a promise to myself to become more active this summer, and here are some tips that I’d like to share with you about how I will be achieving this:

1.  Start small and don’t over-do it.  You don’t have to wear yourself out when first starting an exercise program.  Ease into your activity and build your strength and stamina.

2.  Stay hydrated.  Your body works best when you’re fully hydrated.  This is where Depends Silhouette Active Fit briefs helps you most.  Since you’ll be moving more and drinking more water, you will appreciate the peace of mind!

3.  Stay motivated.  Music motivates me to keep moving.  Maybe imagining yourself healthier or reminding yourself exactly why you want to be fit and active works for you.  Whatever gets you moving, make it a daily part of your activity.

Bladder leakage can be embarrassing and uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to keep you from enjoying an active lifestyle or doing the things you love to do.  In year two of Underwareness, the brand’s social movement and charitable cause to break down the bladder leakage stigma, Depend is joining forces with CVS Health to support women with bladder leakage as they navigate their path to better health.  Join the movement and request a free sample of Depend Silhouette Active Fit briefs at www.depend.com/products/get-samples. Together, we can show that wearing a different kind of underwear is no big deal.

Visit www.cvs.com/depend to learn more about Depend Silhouette Active Fit. To join the Underwareness movement, go to www.Underwareness.com.