If you’re reading this blog, you’re either an avid reader of my books (thank you very much), you like cats, or you’re one of my family members (love you guys!). If you fit into the “like cats” category, you probably have things around your house related to cats, right? And this is not necessarily of your doing. When people learn that you like something in particular—horses, the beach, pansies, inkwells, apple motif, etc.—people start bringing related things to you. I know someone who doesn’t like snails, yet she has a collection of snail items—all given to her by friends and family.
I have cats everywhere—cat calendars, note cards, jewelry, figurines, vases, bookmarks, key ring, blanket throws, pillows, pictures, clothing, dishes, posters, pencil holders, and even stuffed kitties. (One of them is a computer screen wiper.)
But, of course, my favorite cats are the real cats that grace our home—Lily and Sophie. Without them, life would sure be…less fuzzy and sandy and fun.
Some authors of cat fiction write scripts for their cat characters—and sometimes the dog, horse, and chicken characters, as well. Others have created cats who can communicate with their owners through telepathy.
my mother’s cat, Smokey. I tell people he actually choreographed this picture. I was focusing on his face as he peered through a flower bush. When I took the picture, he leaped at a bee and this is the result. It won a People’s Choice First Award at our county fair a few years ago.
Don’t you just want to tickle that tummy?
was nowhere to be found. And she’s the one who never misses a meal. If nothing else brings her to the forefront, it is mealtime.
Do you have hidey cats? I thought we’d discovered all of our cats’ special hiding places—in the linen closet among the folded towels, up in the lining of an old mattress, in the closets (of course), under the beds and under the blankets. Where are your cats’ favorite hiding spots? One of my grandcats hid in the car engine once. Could have been disastrous. As it was, he only got a bit of a haircut. Another grandcat liked to explore the inside of the oven. Once, he burned his paws—yes, the oven was hot that day—and he immediately jumped into the sink and walked around in cool water.
Did you send a photo of your favorite tortie/calico to the email I gave you yesterday? How many of you have torties or calicos? Have you ever notice that some of them behave differently than the other cats you’ve had in your life? I often hear stories of naughty calicos and out-of-control torties. In fact, I had a calico once who was the most defiant and ornery cat I’d ever had. She was into everything she wasn’t supposed to bother. Even a spray of water didn’t deter her from destroying household plants, scratching furniture, etc. Yet, I loved her dearly. We’re quick to forget and forgive when it comes to our furry friends, aren’t we?
Lily in the act of bringing me a toy. I’ve told you before that every morning she brings me a toy from her overflowing toy basket—a baby possum, hedgehog, eagle, cat, bird, etc. And I’ve yet to get a good shot of her with the toy in her mouth. She drops it at my feet or just outside my office door before I can get my camera ready.
Did you remember your cat on Valentine’s Day? Perhaps you put her plate of cat food in a heart-shape when you fed her. Or you presented him with a new toy. Maybe you just spent more time scratching him behind the ears.
who doesn’t smile when they see a kitten at play. But even an older cat will bat at an object or attack something that intrigues him. As sick and tired as Max was, I caught him reaching out to play with something that caught his attention just days before he passed.
Just as cats have different appetites, they also have different play techniques. That’s why there are so many toy choices at your local pet store. But then each type of toy brings out different instincts for cats. I like to offer my cats a variety of toys for a variety of activity.
straw and let it fly in the air toward her. On a good day, she’ll play with that piece of plastic for a long time, hiding it and finding it, stalking it, batting it all around the room, etc. She also loves her small stuffed animals. While she doesn’t play with them so much anymore, she carries them around and drops them in strategic places throughout the house. At night, she moves them to new spots. This game of musical toys keeps her busy, indeed.
Michelle over at Miki’s Hope has posted a new review for my latest Klepto Cat Mystery, Claws for a Cause. Check it out at her site. 
