You might recall my mentioning Smokey, my mother’s cat, a time of two or three over the years in this blog. You’ve seen numerous photos of him. He’s also my model for Rags in the Klepto Cat Mysteries. I chose him partly because I thought it would tickle Mama (it did) and because of Smokey’s purr-sonality. He has a confidence about him that made me believe he could get into all of the trouble Rags does in the stories. He’s an adventurer and he’s full of surprises.
Well, six days ago, something happened to shake up Smokey’s world. My mother, his 
closest companion for all of his eight years passed away at the age of 97. Smokey became an orphan.
Gone is the only lap he would ever sit in. How he loved his daily snuggle with Mama. He also liked to ride around the house with her on her walker tray. He liked other people—all people—and he was never shy about making your acquaintance with head-bumps against your ankles. The more people around, the happier he was. He also adored petting and just being admired as he stretched out and rolled around in the middle of the floor enjoying an audience.
When Mama got to the point where she needed more care, we brought in a team of caregivers—some of them came either not caring for cats or a little timid about being around a cat. We told them that the cat was the second most important priority in that household. If they couldn’t deal with the cat, this wasn’t the job for them. Smokey is large and in charge and extremely important to us all.
No one walked away and everyone stepped up to the plate in a major way, even giving 
Smokey his meds when he had a health issue earlier this year. We were delighted that all of the caregivers grew to love Mama and adore Smokey.
How sad it was for all of us to realize that Smokey, in his cat-like way, seemed to be mourning his loss. He was totally off his game and confused and, probably sad. And we were all concerned about what would happen to Smokey. We all want the absolute best for him. As it turns out, although things will never be the same for Smokey, he will continue to be loved and cared for by a beloved family member.
My niece Kathy and her husband, Karl, drove Smokey, who was only about three months old, from my brother’s house in Idaho to live with Mama. They’ve visited often over the years staying with Mama and Smokey. He knows Kathy and Karl well. So when the discussion about Smokey’s future became serious, Kathy and Karl decided they wanted him to come live with them to their new home about three hours away.
Kathy had a plan. She stayed in Mama’s house with Smokey for a few days to bond and to 
help him adjust there before snatching him up into a whirlwind of change. She took him to his veterinarian for a well-check and a consultation about his condition. She also got additional tips about how to make the transition easier for Smokey and their other cat.
I visited him for, perhaps, the last time Saturday and whispered in his ear that he would be just fine—he is loved. I asked Kathy, tongue in cheek, if we had visitation rights. She said, “Of course, Smokey is everybody’s cat.” And that pretty much sums it up when you consider that he has been cared for and loved over the years pretty much by a village.
Yeah, I sometimes ask you to name your favorite Klepto Cat Mystery, I figured it was time to reveal mine. In fact people ask me that question a lot. And I usually do the same thing you do—I say, “I like them all,” or I simply hem and haw and dance around the question, saying, “I recommend you start with Book One, Catnapped or maybe read Meowmoirs of a Klepto Cat, first. I sometimes say, if you like horses, dig into The Corral Cat Caper or the more recent horsey adventure, FURever Friends.
Pawsitively Sinister. For a lovely Christmas story involving cats, A Picture-Purrfect Christmas is a must-read as is A Christmas to Purr About.
Yesterday we touched on a cat’s natural curiosity and how they seem to know where a guest sat even though they were several rooms away during the entire visit. I talked about how one of my cats immediately zeroed in on a something new in the room even though they were nowhere around when it was brought in. You probably have stories of your cats doing something similar. How do they do it? How is it they seem to know things that they shouldn’t know?
involved with most craft and needlework projects—yarn, the enticing movement of needles, string, ribbon, beads, and so forth. And what’s up about a cat and a sewing project? Mine think that a piece of fabric laid out to be cut is a playground for them. And try placing a pattern piece on the fabric when the cat’s in the vicinity. Super-duper playtime. But what gets me is that even though I wait until Lily and Sophie are sleeping to quietly dig out a knitting project, it’s mere minutes before they’re sitting there with me watching the needles or at my feet rolling around with the ball of yarn or—darn it—chewing the yarn in half so that I suddenly find myself knitting with a soggy, blunt end of yarn. Some of my knit slippers have numerous knots tied because of cat interference.
Cats are curious beings. Don’t you love seeing your little fluff-ball exploring new territory? I do—well, as long as it’s safe territory. Our kitties like to climb on furniture or leap up to a counter or tabletop to see things from a different perspective. They get excited when they see an open closet door, cabinet, or drawer. And when I bring in shopping bags, they make a bee-line to see what’s inside.
as soon as the coast is clear, they’re all over the lingering scents. They go right to the spot where the visitor sat and spend several minutes sniffing the floor and the chair. I’ll never forget the December night when neighbors walked up with gifts. One gift was a Christmas tree ornament, which we immediately hung on the tree. The cats, mind you, were in the back bedroom the entire time our guests were here. Yet, when the neighbors left, one of the cats returned to the living 
room, and, without hesitation, walked right up to that ornament on the tree and began giving it the kitty once-over.
We took care of a grandchild one day a week then and the two of them became great friends—well, they grew up together. Now, she doesn’t always greet children when they come, but she seems to delight in their quiet, gentle visits with her as she hangs out on the bed.
Today is weigh-in day for my mother’s cat, Smokey. He had a urinary tract blockage in January and was put on a special diet. In the process he has lost some weight. After discussing with the veterinarian exactly how much he should be eating, and putting him on a more regular feeding schedule, we need to check his weight today. Cross fingers he is either holding his own or even gaining back to where he was.
options or opportunities. For one that is losing weight, you might be instructed to change her diet, feed on a more regular basis, give a more calorie enriched food, etc.
Cats star in films and they do cameo spots. They also appear in commercials. If you pay close attention, you’ll sometimes see the cat in the film change into another cat. Yes, before your very eyes, a tiger cat’s stripes might change a little, the round eyes may suddenly appear almond-shaped, the tangerine coloring fades in some scenes. Is it the lighting? The angle of the cat? Probably not. It’s a whole ’nother cat.
playing the part of Goose. There were six stand-ins for Bob in A Street Cat Named Bob. Do you remember Disney’s That Darn Cat? Evidently one of the several Siamese cats that played the star, DC, also worked alongside a handful of cats all playing the starring Siamese in The Incredible Journey. You might find this article interesting: 
Have you ever been to a cat show? What is the point of a cat show, anyway? Well, there are breeders who take great pains to breed the best and pride in those best according to standards set by that breed association. Some breeders sell their kittens and they show their cats in hopes of getting high marks they can use in promoting their line. the higher their cats rank in the judging ring, the more valuable their resulting kittens are.
they show for the enjoyment. Can you imagine your cat enjoying a day (or weekend) spent traveling in the car, then being groomed and fussed with by the hour (for some breeds) and handled by strangers (judges) and ogled by dozens or hundreds of other strangers? Some cats seem to thrive on this lifestyle and others really aren’t into it.
The cats of the same breed are judged against each other with the judges following specific guidelines for each breed. It’s interesting to watch, especially when you know some of the specs–which you can find online. Just look up that breed for more information.
But don’t go there with the idea of petting the judging entries or holding them. It’s generally hands off for cats at a cat show lest you spread disease or, in some cases, muss the fur before judging. Some cats don’t tolerate a lot of handling and will get stressed–not a good demeanor for a cat to be in when meeting up with the judges.
It’s always wonderful to hear that a cat (or any other animal) that was considered extinct, is found to be alive and well. Just this month the Taiwanese Leopard Cat was spotted in the wilderness of southeast Taiwan. The Taiwanese Leopard Cat, a subspecies of the clouded leopard, was last seen in 1983.
other animals from going extinct—think again. Here’s a shocking rundown on the cats that are in danger of becoming extinct—at the top of the list is the beautiful snow leopard. 
I love these cat-licking photos. I guess it’s because they show the cat doing something other than simply looking cute. Well, a licking cat is a cute cat and boy do they lick a lot! Cats lick their fur, paws, face, after they eat, after someone has touched them, after their naps, before their naps, and just because they feel like licking—or so it seems. Sometimes cats lick humans. Is that because they think you need a bath or is it a sign of affection? Our white odd-eye cat Winfield loved hand lotion and perfumes and would often want to lick and chew on my hands after I’d washed them or used lotion or washed dishes. It became embarrassing when he’d practically attack a guest’s hands.
be because the cat’s lonely or suffering from anxiety. Here’s an interesting article explaining five reasons why your cat might lick you.
Yesterday we discussed kidney disease. Today I’d like to focus on dehydration, which can be a problem for cats who have the disease or not. As you’ve probably read before, cats in the wilds get moisture from the prey they eat. Pet cats are often fed a dry diet and some may not drink enough water to compensate for the lack of moisture in their food.
lost and can’t find a water supply, their water isn’t changed often enough and they don’t care to drink it when it tastes stale, dust has accumulated in the water bowl, or a kibble or two has found the way into the water bowl and contaminated it. As you know, cats can be picky about their food and drink.
