We’re going to take a break from our usual advice-dispensing ways today because we want to ask for your help. About.com is currently accepting nominations for its Readers’ Choice Awards, and we’d really, really like to get one.

Through Feb. 15, About.com is seeking nominations for hundreds of award categories, and we want to be a finalist for the Best Website About Cats. The more nominations we get, the better our chances of being selected by About.com’s cat experts to be one of the five finalists.

April 2012 will mark the ninth anniversary of Paws and Effect. That’s right, nine years of answering letters from readers every single week. We’re delighted that we’re starting to get recognition in the wider blogging world, and becoming a finalist in the About.com Readers’ Choice Awards could be huge for us — and it would be a super-awesome purr-tastic anniversary gift, too!

It’s simple to nominate a site, too. First, log in through your Facebook or about.com account, then go to the Best Website About Cats nomination page to submit nominations for up to five cat websites, and then there are only three things you need to enter:

• The name of our website, Paws and Effect
• The URL of our website, http://www.paws-and-effect.com
• A brief comment about why you’re nominating us.

Here’s a screen shot showing you just how easy it is:

Thanks in advance for your support. If we make the finals, we’re going to call on you again. We’re just purring with delight at the possibilities!

Jackson Galaxy and one of his feline friends. Image from Jackson Galaxy's Facebook page

We’re so very excited! Yesterday we got to interview the awesome Jackson Galaxy, star of the Animal Planet series My Cat From Hell, whose second season premieres Saturday, January 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. Ooh, that’s four days from now! Our tails are twitching with anticipation!

But there’s a lot more to Jackson than his TV show. He’s a musician, author, entrepreneur, and a passionate advocate for stray and feral cats. Check out our conversation with America’s favorite cat counselor.

The Paws and Effect Gang: How did you get into working with cats?
Jackson Galaxy: It was kind of accidental. I started working at the shelter because I was working as a musician and I just wanted a job where I could scoop poop and help some animals and not have to deal with office politics. I just wanted to have the least amount of investment into humans as I could so I could keep my head fresh for writing music.

[But] I found myself in this position that I just “spoke cat.” Everyone kind of knew how to deal with dogs, how to enrich their lives and keep them from going cage-crazy, but there wasn’t that much expertise with the cats. In the end you just grab onto whatever you can, in order to save lives — and I ended up being the shelter’s “cat guy.”

P&E: How did you end up doing private consultations?
JG: As I sank into the role of the cat guy and the people who ran the shelter recognized that I was starting to affect euthanasia numbers, their next step was sending me out to help people keep from surrendering their cats to the shelter. Returns after adoptions are pretty frequent, too, so they began sending me out one week post-adoption to help cats settle into their new territory and help the people resolve issues to keep the cats in their new homes.

P&E: What got you interested in working with flower essences?
JG: As I got to the point where I wanted to take my practice public, I was introduced to a great holistic cat vet, Jean Hofve. We met at one of those professional mingling sessions, and it took us 15 minutes to figure out we were going into business together. We launched a website called Little Big Cat, where we do mind-body consulting for cats.

In the process of getting to know each other, Jean explained flower essences and their healing properties to me. I was skeptical. But at that time, we had a terrible outbreak of upper respiratory infections at the shelter – cats on feeding tubes, etc. – so she gave me a flower essence mixture and said “try this.” My volunteers gave it to the cats about three times a day, and the average time in isolation went from 12 days to seven. Nobody’s going to say flower essences made them get better, but [I think] bringing that vibrational comfort to them really affected them.

I started working with Jean on Spirit Essences and eventually bought the company from her. [I use flower essences] in basically every one of my consults. One essence I use every time is Safe Space, for territorial issues and just about every litterbox problem that’s not physically based.

I always want to present holistic modalities as a go-to before we start with the more hardcore pharmaceutical cures. I’m not dead-set against these options, but I feel they force animals into a state, where flower essences allow them the choice to move into that state. This may seem like a lot of “woo-woo,” but maybe it’s easier to take the concept of flower essences from a guy like me.

Benny was Jackson's first "cat teacher," so to speak. Image from Jackson Galaxy's Facebook page

P&E: You’ve got a book coming out this spring. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
JG: The book is called Cat Daddy — the subtitle, “My Life with the Original Cat From Hell,” is still under debate. It’s a memoir about how a cat named Benny not just turned my life around but deepened my understanding to the point where I couldn’t have done what I do without him. [Benny had a number of behavioral issues and] every single day I’d be banging my head against the wall with him. I would immediately figure out something about him, go to the shelter and help 12 cats with what I’d learned, and then I’d come home and he’d be doing something completely different. Ultimately it’s about how I had to take ownership of being a grown-up so I could help him.

Cat Daddy is available for pre-order on amazon.com. The release date is May 10.

P&E: So, you’re a musician, too. What kind music, and where can we hear it?
JG: For much of my life I did a lot of solo, acoustic types of things. I started writing songs when I was 11. It’s the only way I’ve ever known how to process emotions. I’m going to do some recording this year and get some music out there. It’s time to get that going again, and I’m totally looking forward to getting back in that saddle.

P&E: Between your consultations, your book and your line of flower essences, it seems to us that you have a larger goal in mind. What’s your big dream of how all of this will come together … what do you want to be when you grow up, so to speak?
JG: I’m already doing it. This is more than I could have ever hoped for. It’s amazing because as a songwriter you trust the process enough that you write, you don’t judge — and sometimes I have no freaking clue what I wrote but it just sounds right. The songs I wrote 15 years ago, the breadcrumbs I dropped for myself, are now coming together in a way that I never could have predicted. I couldn’t possibly be more humbled.

I worked in the shelter system for a long time, I’ve seen things and I’ve done things that the general public is shielded from. My ultimate goal is to work toward a no-kill world. We’re far away from it still, but I think the movement is gaining more steam. No-kill isn’t as sharply divisive as it was when I started 17 years ago. We still have to push the spay/neuter message, the TNR message, and we still have to do a lot of education, but we have to avoid finger-pointing. Anyone who says we can drop everything and become no-kill today is delusional. There are solutions, and if we work toward [no-kill] in a more cohesive way, we can get there.

Thank you so much, Jackson, for taking the time to speak with us — lots of purrs and head-bonks to you!

If you want to keep up with Jackson Galaxy, you can become a fan of his Facebook page, visit his website or follow his blog. And if you don’t have access to the Animal Planet channel, episodes of My Cat From Hell will be available for download on iTunes. (iTunes currently offers the three episodes of Season 1 for $1.99 each.)

Over the last year, we’ve found so many wonderful goodies for cats and their people that we honestly can’t remember them all. But today we’re going to share some of them with you, in the hope that you’ll consider doing some of your holiday shopping with these wonderful craftspeople, authors published by small houses (or even self-published), and independent merchants. So, without further ado, let’s get on with it!

Okay, maybe just a little more ado: You can click on the photos to enlarge them, and prices listed are in US dollars.

Gifts for Cats

Beautiful Basics Cat Bucket

The Beautiful Basics Cat Bucket, hand-made by designer Barb Joyce exclusively for Moderncat Studio, is the perfect napping spot. Seriously. We like it even better than our purple fleece blanket! Each bucket measures 20 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall — plenty of room for two cats, as you can see. It comes in five different colors. Cost: $45 + shipping.

The Cat's Trapeze

The Cat’s Trapeze comes in two- or three-level styles and can be suspended from the ceiling or the top of a door. It’s a perfect toy for cats that like to climb, and a great bed for when that crazy kitty energy runs out. Check out some videos of the Cat’s Trapeze in action. Cost: $75 to $115 + shipping.

The Purrfect Gift Kit

The From the Field Purrfect Gift Kit is a delightful combo-pack of eco-friendly hemp and cork toys, a bottle of catnip spray, and half an ounce of potent locally grown organic catnip leaf and flower. This company is committed to making products that are environmentally friendly, pet-safe, and very appealing. Order online or see if From the Field products are available in a pet store near you. Cost $19.99 through OrganicPetBoutique.com.

The Glamorous Cat collar

If your kitty loves bling, check out this gorgeous pink cat collar with silver contrasts, offered by The Glamorous Cat. This Etsy shop offers an amazing variety of deluxe cat and kitten collars designed to make your cat look like the royalty she is. Cost: $12.50-$18.50 ea. + shipping. This shop is based in England, so if you’re ordering outside of the UK, order by Dec. 3 in order to get your goodies in time for Christmas.

Tipsy Nip catnip

And, of course, we couldn’t finish up our awesome cat gifts section without mentioning Tipsy Nip! As you may recall, we got the chance to test some Tipsy Nip products a while back and gave them rave reviews! Everything used in Tipsy Nip toys is made, grown, or manufactured in the USA. Their catnip is certified organic cut and sifted leaf and flower. We can’t say enough wonderful things about Tipsy Nip! Cost: $4 to $10 each + shipping.

Gifts for People

You don’t have to buy silly shirts or tacky collectibles for your favorite cat lover. We’ve found a few wonderful and special gifts that are bound to please the cat slave in your life.

Wendycats double-strand turquoise cat necklace

Wendy Christensen is a multi-talented woman: she’s a well-known cat writer, and she’s also a gifted illustrator and amazing jewelry maker. At her Etsy shop, Wendycats, she sells cat-themed bracelets and necklaces made of semiprecious gems, silver, copper, and beautiful beads. If you see something you like but you’d prefer different stones, all you have to do is ask: she’s glad to create custom-made pieces. Prices range from $32 to $56 + shipping.

The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey by Deb Barnes is the story of the deep and heartwarming relationship between two cats, told through the lens of Barnes’ own life and the transitions she’s gone through. The book is beautifully designed, with amazing typography and beautiful photos. We’ll be posting a more in-depth review of this book later, but let’s just say it would make a very nice holiday gift! Cost: $21.95.

While we’re talking about books, our favorite children’s book of the year is Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw. This award-winning story is the true tale of the growing friendship between her young son and their adopted cat, Mai-Tai. Wardlaw says, “As for why I wrote their story in haiku? It seemed fitting. Cats embody haiku. They live in the moment; their beauty is compact, simple, vivid; they speak volumes in only a few words. If cats could talk, I’m pretty sure it would be in the poetry of haiku.” Cost: $16.99.

Goths and cats: what more natural combination could there be? If there’s a kitty-loving darkwaver on your holiday list, check out More Than 9 Lives. This 2-CD compilation, put together by Dean Troxell and Joe Scott of Philadelphia’s Digital Ferret Music Store, showcases some of the best artists in post-punk, gothic, deathrock, rhythmic noise, minimal wave and other experimental music. All profits from sales of this collection benefit Philadelphia Animal Wellness Society (PAWS), the city’s largest rescue and its only no-kill shelter. Cost: $14.99.

Of course, we couldn’t complete a holiday gift guide without shilling for our own shop mentioning the Paws and Effect Boutique at Zazzle. You can get a wide assortment of gear, ranging in price from $2 to $50, emblazoned with our famous Purr More, Hiss Less logo. We also offer merchandise with the Triple Moon Cat and Witch Cats designs, for those of you with people of a more pagan persuasion on your holiday gift. And best of all, your purchases help fill up our treat allowance jar!

Whatever you decide to get for the cats and cat lovers on your holiday gift list, we encourage you in the strongest possible terms to spend your money locally and/or buy from independent merchants and craftspeople. If nothing we’ve shared appeals to you, just search Etsy for cat toys, cat supplies, cat jewelry, or whatever — there’s absolutely tons of stuff available! You might also consider making a donation to your favorite cat rescue group in your giftee’s name. Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone! Peace and love to you all!

The votes have been tabulated, and the results are in. Paws and Effect is a finalist in the Best Designed Blog category of the 2011 Pettie Awards! We’ve got some stiff competition, we’re not gonna lie … so we need your help. Please vote for us and tell all your friends to do the same.

Winners in each of the eight categories will have the chance to make a $1,000 donation to the animal rescue group of their choice — and if we win, ours will go to PurrEver Ranch Sanctuary, a tiny rescue for “senior kittizens and wayward pussycats” located in Tennessee. PurrEver has been doing great work for years, providing a loving and safe home for these feline friends to live out their remaining years.

We have so many wonderful, passionate blogging friends who are finalists in other categories that we hesitate to make recommendations. But please go through the list, look at the blogs and posts, and make your choices. We’re sure each of the other finalists will announce their nomination today and who will receive their donation if they win, too.