How I Decide What To Write About on PoC
It may be useful for people to understand how I choose the content for articles on PoC. This short post explains things.
My options for deciding the subject matter of articles is limited. To a certain extent it is dictated by circumstance.
This is because there are around 12,000 pages on PoC and ancillary sites (subdomains). Those pages cover all the information on all aspects that one needs to know about domestic, feral and wild cats. Therefore it is tricky to find fresh content and I am loathe to repeat myself even though that does happen rarely.
The issue of finding fresh content affects all website owners. The only content which constantly changes is news. But even then, news of all kinds, not only about cats, has a habit of repeating itself. The same problems crop up and news is nearly always bad news. So even cat news presents problems and there are limitations.
Cat rescue always provides useful information because there is a constant need to work on behalf of cat welfare, to save lives and find ways to protect cats. Domestic cats struggle sometimes to fit in with the human lifestyle.
Sometimes, moreso recently, I have answered questions that internet surfers enter into Google search. I use the original search term as the title to the article. This helps I believe with Google finding the article. Depending on the title and how popular it is, I have had considerable success with these articles. They are quite dry in their content but that does not prevent them being visited and boosting the pageview totals for the day.
Elisa writes about cat rescue because she is supremely qualified to do so and she has a good network of online colleagues and connections to help spread the word.
All the articles concerning hard facts to do with cat breeds, cat behaviour, wild cat species et cetera have more or less been covered. You just have to search for them using the Google custom search.
Where suitable I like to write about surveys and studies because these are effectively news items albeit scientific. They should help us understand domestic cats better which should improve cat caretaking standards. However, I have to be cautious with scientific studies because they are not always of the best quality, they can mislead and, rarely, they can be biased against the cat.
In conclusion, my hands are tied on the subject matter that I decided to write about. I diligently search for the best news items while trying not to simply regurgitate what competitor sites have produced.
I always try and add my thoughts in an effort to add fresh content. The underlying objective at PoC is to create fresh content that informs and improves cat welfare.
If any visitor would like to share their experiences please do so in an extended comment. Elisa has, through her connections, been able to create some articles by cat owners who would normally be visitors. This is great. Finally if anyone has some nice ideas please share them. This site is a collaborative effort.
I love reading your articles, Michael. I always seem to find something that I did not know before. I check out PoC every day. Thank you for your hard work and consistently unique approach.???
Elisa is such a great asset and has contributed so many articles, not just here.
I’m delving hard to retrieve my articles for my book right now. I think Elisa could, herself, write an awesome book too.
I would love to write a book but my moods swing too much. I wouldn’t be able to stay at a consistent level. Haven’t you notice I have a manic/happy ending style of writing. I write whatever I’m in the mood to write for the day. Sometimes it’s abuse and sometimes it’s about a rescue.
I’m going to be writing a LOT more. We have to get PoC back in the #1 spot. Michael writes health and technical articles. I can’t do those. I’m not good those and this whole writing thing can’t seem like work. I HATE work. LOL.
Thank you to all who write articles on cats. POC is one site I visit daily. Please keep it up (although I know it is sometimes difficult).
Thanks Susan for your sweet comment. The hard bit is figuring out what to write about!
I honestly don’t know how I got so many supporters. The more I ramble and go into a frenzy the more people read my articles. And whenever something occurs in the cat advocacy world, my Facebook inbox is swarmed. There are so many things happening on any given day that I just fly blindly into Google and see what pops up that I’d personally want to know about.
Trust me: you wouldn’t want to live inside my head 🙂
I did a survey recently and people like a mix of topics, as long as the photos aren’t too graphic. Most will share an article their friend has shared on Facebook, but it’s a toss-up as to whether a person will visit the page just to see what’s new. Readers want good and honest writing more than anything and they LOVE the happy endings most of all.
People need to understand the internet has changed in the past decade and if you don’t go with the changes you get booted off by more interesting sites.
Thanks for sharing this, Michael. POC is one of the few sites I visit daily when possible. I like to share on Facebook and Twitter as a way to inform and also to promote POC. Your content is so much more than pictures of cats, I tell people it’s more like an encyclopedia of “all things cat”.
I enjoy contributing content that I come across online, and of course also personal experiences with my rescued cat, Mitzy.
Because of some unpleasant experiences with vets (and even being rejected by one because I asked too many questions) I began to immerse myself in studying various aspects that affect domestic cats. These include diet, environment, drug reactions, behavior issues, flea treatments, diseases and preventative strategies, in addition to home remedies.
Since I started a FB page called CAT Advocate, I have people contacting me with questions. One common health issue in males is UTI. It’s unusual to have a male cat (fixed or not) that hasn’t suffered from UTI blockages.
A few years ago I was fortunate to speak with the owner of Vitality Science when my female cat had a UTI. He recommended UroCleanse, with D-Mannose to keep the urinary tract clear of bacteria. D-Mannose also helps people who experience frequent UTI. I sprinkle 1/4 tsp in each of my cat’s meals, as a preventative. I’ve mentioned it to vets, and none of them had heard of it. Not surprising!
Although it’s mainly a preventative, I’ve read that when used in larger quantities it has been used to treat UTI. But many times anti-biotics are needed, so I wouldn’t rely on it as a treatment.
I appreciate reading informative content from your regular contributors. It seems that there’s always something new to learn about the wonderful wild world of cats. It continues to fascinate me. I have an extensive reference library and a complete first aid kit.
I’m not sure if you have an article on what might be included in a first aid kit, or a “go bag” for cats, since I haven’t checked.
Another helpful hint that none of my friends do, but I highly recommend is to create a medical history, with copies of vet records and personal notes about any issues. I bring this updated version whenever I visit a vet. They tell me that they’ve never had anyone do this. Past drug reactions are highlighted in RED, and this entire document goes in the file.
I’ve taken my cat to 5 different vets this past year in an effort to decide on one I found compatible with my own beliefs, and one that doesn’t push vaccines, heartworm meds and other products. I only found one, and he’s actually retired and lives about an hour away. He’s in his 80’s, and seems to reflect the attitudes of the “country doctor”.
Thank you and your readers for enriching my cat’s life!
Thanks a lot for this Sandy. Your comment:
Interested me. I am going to research that now and see what I can come up with. If I write about it I’ll include your preventative advice. Good info.