It’s all over but, for some, the cleanup. And if your cat didn’t join in on the fun during the celebrations, she is surely enthralled now with what’s left of Christmas—gift wrap, Christmas tree needles, turkey scraps here and there, and maybe a favorite new toy.
Did you give your cat a gift at Christmas? I actually turned the tables and bought a couple of things for ME from Sophie and Lily. (Love my new long-chain necklace with tiny antique clocks dangling from it.) I gave my mother’s cat a bag of his favorite treats and he actually opened the package himself. One of my grandson’s and his equally cat-crazy girlfriend gave their cats an amazing new cat tree that will delight them for years and provide plenty of exercise.
Earlier this month we talked about the dangers for cats
around Christmastime, but certainly they also have a lot of fun examining all the new and interesting things that are brought into the house, getting new toys, and some of them even enjoy greeting new people.
If I know cats, however, they won’t be much help (and could be a hindrance) in the clean-up process.
Need Help With Something
I plan to enter a series of my posts in the Cat Writers Association annual contest. Are there any posts you’ve read this year that you’d like to nominate for this contest. Sure would appreciate the help–any subjects you are particularly interested in or that were especially helpful? Leave your comment here or contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas everyone. How many of you bought your cat a gift this year? Did you wrap it and put it under the tree? Do you have holiday rituals with your cat? I’ll bet you have pictures of her rolling around in wrapping paper, batting at a Christmas tree ornament, hiding in a box or doing something equally charming and cute.
The big day is almost here and if your cat is still healthy and unharmed despite holiday hazards in your home—good for you. But there could still be dangers lurking. During the last few days you’ve had the opportunity to learn how to keep your cat safe amidst a lot of changes and temptations in your home this time of year.
let out or running outside because she’s frightened.
Sarah Ann Taylor is our guest blogger today. She’s here to remind us of the many dangers to our pets this time of year. I imagine most of you have stories of accidents or near accidents occurring during the holidays involving your cat or dog. Sarah can help prevent some of them. Please visit her link. You might be surprised to learn of some of the potential hazards in your home this time of year.
throat, a broken glass decoration piece cut through the pet’s paws, or a pet got an electric shock while playing with the lightings. Cats especially love climbing trees, and it is very likely she might climb the Christmas tree inside the house. If the tree is not anchored properly the tree can come crashing down and your cat can get hurt.
Cats are expressive, athletic, curious, and full of purrsonality. Thus they are natural photo and art subjects. But it’s not always easy to capture their essence.
when your cat seems so camera shy? I think a lot of them are staged. The cats are coerced into doing some of the cute, amazing, silly, funny, smart things they are photographed doing. And I’m sure that, in many cases, treats are involved.
Here we are back to the topic of traveling cats. You probably read about Kitty Bitty, the five-year-old tabby who went missing from her Georgia home July fourth (probably frightened by nearby fireworks) and was found in Riverside, California. She evidently rode all that way in a Pepsi truck. Good thing she still wore her tags so she could be identified and reunited with her owners.
in the cab of his 18-wheeler. Sometimes cats are too smart for their own good. Percy evidently, while his truck-driver-owner slept, lowered the electric window and escaped. When his owner couldn’t find him, he sadly continued on his trip and 400 miles later, when he stopped, out popped Percy from underneath the truck. Yes, he rode the 400 miles on the undercarriage of the semi.
There’s nothing like a devoted fan or an enthusiastic reviewer when you’re an author. And the Klepto Cat Mystery series has both. Here’s a new review that just came in from Missi for the second book in the series, Cat-Eye Witness (Book 2 in the series). the review is by Missi at Cozy Mystery Book Reviews. She’s new to the series and sure is enjoying the books. 
more than once? Have any of you introduced the series to your children or grandchildren? I’ve had people ask if these books are for children. I always say, “I write them for adults. If you want to give one of the books to your child, read it first and you decide.”
No one loves a positive book review more than an author. The Klepto Cat Mystery series has garnered hundreds of them. I LOVE reading how much readers have enjoyed my books, how touched they were by the characters, that they learned something important, that they appreciate the quality of the writing, that they found the plots entertaining and exciting, and that they’re inspired by the storyline. Rags has fans. People really love him. He makes them smile and sometimes shake their head. Cat people can relate to some of Rags’s antics. And they appreciate that the human characters are genuine. Some readers comment that they feel they actually know the characters and others would like to know them in real life.
personal pet peeves –“too many plots,” “too much preaching about cat rescue,” “not enough preaching about cat rescue…” A recent reviewer said, “I don’t like audio books.” And that was her reason for giving the book one star. I’ve had snarky reviews. One of the first reviews my Klepto Cat Mysteries got was down-right mean spirited. Believe me, I pay as much attention to a critical review as I do a positive one and I learn along the way. But this particular mean-spirited review, I do believe, came from someone who wanted to direct people away from my book and, perhaps, toward one they wrote or someone they know wrote. What that person doesn’t understand is that someone who likes cozy mysteries with cats is going to devour any and all of them that they can find. Cozy mystery writers support one another. You’ve seen me recommend other cozy mystery authors right here in this blog.
Cats are survivors. Or so it seems. We hear of cats finding their way back home when being uprooted and showing up at the new home when left behind. Cats will sometimes leave a home that isn’t working out well for them—the family adopts a dog, a catastrophe has displaced her, etc. I met a cat once in Santa Barbara who must have run from a horrendous wildfire they had one year. My friend said the beautiful Himalayan showed up at their door several days after the fire exhausted and with singed fur. After an attempt to find his owner failed, my friend decided to keep the cat and a beautiful relationship blossomed.
was shaved to the skin when he was caught up in the engine of a car. Just recently, I read the story of a litter of very young kittens who were caught in a weed-whacking accident. Thankfully the gardener realized he’d invaded a hidden litter of kittens and he rushed them to a veterinarian where they were treated. One lost an eye, one lost an ear, but they all survived and are thriving.
