Newsday Tuesday—A NEW Cozy Cat Site

lilysophie-030-2Lily’s shouting the news from the tallest buildings!

Sandy Penny founded Sweet Mystery Books (http://www.sweetmysterybooks.com) in 2012 as a place to showcase good books that happen to be self-published. Over the last few years, she has reviewed and posted numbers of books she’s found to be worthy, in many genres and categories, including cozy mysteries, historical, crime novels, pulp fiction, thrillers, paranormal and others

She’s so taken with the rise in mysteries involving cats that she has set up a new page called Cat Cozies. Check it out here. I’m pleased to say that some of the Klepto Cat Mysteries are at the top of the heap. http://www.sweetmysterybooks.com/cat-cozies.php

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Mindful Monday—Are Your House Plants as Innocent as They Seem?

photogeorgeCats and plants seem to go together. When you see a cat playing outside, she’s often batting a daisy, peering out from behind a tangle of ivy, diving for a butterfly as it flutters near a rose, or even nibbling on a patch of grass. It seems that an ordinary backyard is a purrfect jungle for your cat to play in. And you would think that bringing plants inside would be just as safe and natural for an indoor cat. But beware. There are numbers of plants and flowers that are poisonous to cats.

Knowing this, when I decided to replace a plant in my office, I visited the Internet to get a list of safe plants for a household with cats. I then went to several nurseries for additional guidance and discovered one sad fact. Not one of the employees and nursery owners I spoke with knew anything about which plants are toxic to cats. Two of them offered to look the subject up for me and were stunned to learn how many plants are on the list.

Now, granted, not every cat is going to gnaw on every plant. But if a cat is inclined to chew

Portrait of a Cat

Portrait of a Cat

on greenery, you sure don’t want to bring in one that will make her sick or worse.

Here are links to lists of toxic plants: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

http://www.petcaretips.net/plants_poisonous_cats.html

If you have cats and you enjoy bringing plants and flowers into your home, there’s more to consider than just your cat’s behavior. Sure, she might dig in the dirt of your Indian rubber plant or philodendron, topple over your gorgeous bouquet of lilies with babies breath and narcissus, or bat at your beautiful daffodils, but she might also take a bite or two. And you should know, all of these plants and hundreds of others are toxic to cats.

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Bring Your Best Game Thursday—New Book Giveaway

Today we’re celebrating the launch of two new Klepto Cat Mysteries (in December and January) AND another book in print. That makes 15 Klepto Cat Mysteries total—all formatted for your e-reader–and 12 currently in print. Moving right along.

PAWSitively Sinister, a Klepto Cat MysteryIn recent weeks we’ve announced the publication of Meow for the Money and Claws for a Cause--both formatted for your Kindle. Now, for the first time, you can also purchase a favorite of mine in print. PAWsitively Sinister has been delighting Kindle owners for eight  months. Now you can order the print version. PAWSitively Sinister is full of woo-woo stuff and crazy spirit action as well as interesting cat antics. There’s a surprise at every page turn. Read the reader reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/PAWSitively-Sinister-Klepto-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZB5WHNC/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1454589668&sr=1-6&keywords=klepto+cat+mysteries

Since this is “Bring Your Best Game Thursday,” I’d like to give away a copy of this book—either the print or Kindle version—to the first person who can name the first book in the Klepto Cat Mystery series. Either leave your comment here or email me at PLFry620@yahoo.com (Must have a US address to receive the print version.) Good luck!

 

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Wild (and sometimes crazy) Wednesday—Cats in Mourning

lilybirdsaprilmay-112Do cats mourn a loss? I met a woman on a shuttle in New York a few years ago. We were on our way to a Cat Writer’s Conference. She told me that her husband had passed away recently at home. She said that the cats who were in the room when it happened seemed to take the loss in their stride—she said that cats understand death and accept it more easily than we do. They were there when it happened and they understood.

But she said their cats who were in the basement at the time of his passing seemed to mourn for a long time. She said they’d walk from room to room as if looking for her husband and they seemed melancholy.

I think most cat people have observed a cat’s reaction to the loss of another pet in the household. While some cats seem to adjust quickly to the loss without missing a beat, others might roam the house and yard calling endlessly for their friend.

lily-007As many of you know, we lost our almost 18-year-old Max kitty last week. Left behind are Sophie and Lily. Sophie and Max never connected on an intimate or even friendly level. He had no use for her and she seemed to feel the same.

Lily, on the other hand, seemed to adore Max—look up to him. She followed him around like a puppy. She’d join him on my desk every morning, cozy up to him every afternoon for a nap on the bed. She showed concern when he was sick or when we were administering meds or trimming his claws. And she loved to tease him into playing with her. She loved him, but he only tolerated her.

When Max disappeared from her life last week, she definitely shifted gears. It was as if she

Lily and Sophie

Lily and Sophie

was sad, a little withdrawn, perhaps in mourning. Or was she feeding off of my emotions? I’ve  noticed that she’s been avoiding some of her usual daily activities. She sits and stares a lot. I’ve tried to give her more attention–seek her out and talk to her, pet her, and encourage her to play.  I’ve introduced a few new toys and games to distract her. For example, she loves small stuffed animals, so I brought home a baby eagle from the Reagan Library over the weekend for her.  I’ve also brought back some activities she hasn’t engaged in for a while. Last night I drug out a small quilt and made her a tent on the sofa. That seemed to perk her up.

Lily will be okay. But some cats seem to grieve very deeply and there are steps you can take to help them. Here are a few sites I found that you might find interesting.

Signs of grief in cat http://www.catster.com/kittens/Nine-Signs-of-Grief-in-Cats-146

http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/Do_Cats_Grieve_for_Other_Cats.htm

http://www.cat-health-detective.com/grieving-cat.html

 

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Newsday Tuesday—How Much is That Kitty in the Window?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAre you a cat person or a dog person? Take this test to be sure: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/1212/Are-you-a-cat-person-or-a-dog-person-Take-our-quiz/Any-time-someone-rubs-my-belly-my-first-impulse-is-to

Here’s an interesting story about how cats have taken over the Internet. However, did you know that the report that 15% of the Internet relating to cats is a myth? http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/arts/design/how-cats-took-over-the-internet-at-the-museum-of-the-moving-image.html?ref=topics&_r=0

Are you interested in taking better pictures of your cats? Here’s a video that might help: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAhttp://www.nytimes.com/video/magazine/100000002668190/lessons-from-a-master-cat-photographer.html

And finally, ever think about what your cat costs to maintain over a lifespan of say 14 years? Someone has tallied costs for you. Check it out here: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2137&aid=1542

 

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Mindful Monday—New Klepto Cat Mystery Available NOW

ClawsFor Cause-coverAnnouncing the first new Klepto Cat Mystery for 2016. Claws for a Cause is now available in the Kindle store at Amazon. http://amzn.to/1kAI8I2

Here’s the storyline: Just when Michael and Savannah Ivey think their tropical vacation is over, a stranger arrives from the islands with demands they cannot fulfill. Imminent danger follows as a frantic search for the mysterious missing item ensues. At the same time, Savannah is drawn into a friend’s dilemma when Colbi’s long-lost brother returns—an event that becomes personal for Savannah. When Rags, the klepto cat, finds incriminating evidence that this man might not be who he claims to be, chaos becomes the order of the day and Colbi’s life begins to unravel. In the meantime, there are rumors of wolves terrorizing the neighborhood and locals take up arms against them with some frightening results. All the while, Rags keeps a secret that puts his family in peril, but two unlikely friends team up to thwart a potentially bloody duel.

Note: Pictured on this cover are Rags (on top of the suitcase); Buffy, lying in front of it in her cute pose; Walter, the black cat we don’t hear much about, and, for the first time, we glimpse Lexie, the Iveys’ dog. Even I didn’t know what she looked like until Bernadette, Kazmarski, the cover artist, created him for us. She looks like a dog who could survive in a household of cats, don’t you think? Sweet, maybe a tad timid, but willing to join in for a fur family photo.

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Frivolous Friday–Meet my artist

People love my Klepto Cat Mystery book covers. Today, I’d like to introduce my artist, Bernadette Kazmarski at http://thecreativecat.net

As you can see, she does commissioned art, photography, poetry and she writes. Her site is beautiful and full of her artwork and photos of interesting cats.

ClawsFor Cause-coverHow does one work with an artist to develop a cover. I’m sure there are a number of possible scenarios. For Bernadette and me, I give her an idea of the storyline and, if I have an inkling as to what I want to feature on the cover, I’ll tell her that. Sometimes she nails it right away. Other times, we go back and forth a couple of times before we decide it’s purrfect. One thing I don’t have to spend a lot of time describing is the catitude I want. I describe it and she captures it. Check out her site and you’ll see how talented and intuitive she is when it comes to cats. Here’s a sneak peek at the latest cover–book to debut soon.

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Bring Your Best Game Thursday–Here’s MY Best Game

So what’s happening in the Klepto Cat Mystery factory this week? Book 14, Meow for the Money is collecting 5-star reviews like crazy.

Sales for A Picture-Purrfect Christmas (Book number 13) are soaring and the reviews are great.

Book 15, Claws for a Cause is close to being launched. The cover is finished and it is stunning. Once the formatting for your Kindle is completed, it will be ready for download. Check back here often.

PAWSitively Sinister, a Klepto Cat MysteryBook 16 is with the editor and we’re busy preparing book 11, PAWSitively Sinister for print. (Within a few days, 12 of the 15 books will be in print.)

As you know, we’ve been publishing the ebook first, then we come out with the print version a few months later. Well, we’re trying to catch up now, so the ebook and the print book are launched at the same time. We should reach that goal within a few months. Problem is, I keep producing new books faster than the speed of light.

What author publishes 15 books in 2 ½ years?

Here’s the short link to the Klepto Cat Mysteries Amazon page. http://amzn.to/1kAI8I2

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Wild (and sometimes crazy) Wednesday–The Concessions We Make for our Cats!

Winfield playing with a strawberry

Winfield playing with a strawberry

I’ve begun to realize that cats come with baggage. Think about it, have you ever had a cat for which you didn’t have to make concessions? At the very least you’ve indulged them, made compromises, and, in some cases, surrendered something—your comfort as kitty sits in your lap while you type; your peace of mind as you worry about a health issue or behavioral issues; an area of your home where their bed, cat tree, toys now clutter; your dreams or having a pristine, odor-free home; your favorite chair…

How many of you have installed a kitty door for cats who insist on visiting the out of doors, built a cat tree or rearranged your furniture altogether to accommodate a cat? You’ve probably lost sleep over a cat—because she’s nocturnal and wants to play all night, she’s ill and you’re worried, or she’s taking up too much space on your bed. Some cats interfere with their person’s meals. Some kitties are more passionate about food than others and simply demand bites of your macaroni and cheese, chicken sandwich, morning egg meal, etc.

Remember when you used to vacuum once a week and wear your favorite black slacks? lily-pianoThat quickly changes once you add a cat to the household.

Different cats have different demands. So if you’ve been kind enough to adopt siblings or you’ve collected cats for whatever reason, you might be faced with a variety of challenges. Some of the cats eat plants while others claw furniture. While one cat darts for the door every time anyone opens it, others might chew the cords off your pull blinds. Yes, I had a cat who did that. A neighbor has a cat who eats rubber bands and plastic or rubber cords, such as those that connect the components of her computer.

We have installed kitty perches on window sills for our cats, we’ve done away with all

Lily Has Spring Fever

Lily Has Spring Fever

ribbon and bows in our home because we have a cat who eats them—dangerous! We bought a water fountain for Lily because she loves drinking running water and we didn’t want her drinking from the bathtub after we had a softwater unit installed. I no longer enjoy a bouquet of flowers in my home. I don’t think I need to explain. If I do cut a particularly beautiful rose, I carry the vase with me from room to room so I can keep an eye on it. We’ve made a cover for my keyboard from a box lid off. I don’t think I need to explain the reason for that, either. And we use only valances at our windows—and blinds, of course. No more drapes. I never leave a hanger where a cat can get it. Yes, a coat hanger. I know of a kitten who got caught up in one and strangled. And I had a cat swallow a needle once. Thankfully, she survived once we realized what had happened and the vet removed it.

The Party is Over

The Party is Over

It’s interesting how these concessions we make become a part of our life. We take them for granted. We’re surprised when women guests ask why we put their purse in a closet—duh, because the cat steals things. Oh yes, and I caution my overnight guests not to leave a glass of water next to their bed, unless they plan to close the door with the cats on the outside. Lily will drink from any vessel if it is wide enough for her cute little face. Winfield, however, could drink water from any glass because he drank with his paw—dip it in, lick the water off; dip it in, lick the water off.

There are as many ways we accommodate cats as there are cats. My readers (and I) would love to hear some of your stories. PLFry620@yahoo.com. Or leave a comment here.

 

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Newsday Tuesday—Max: He Did it His Way

009Max is Gone. I knew his energy, his strength, and his very sense of awareness was diminishing. I was pretty sure he was suffering some pain, but I didn’t know how much until I saw him at peace—finally at peace.

One thing that didn’t diminish as he aged was his craving to be near me and to be scratched behind the ears. In his last years, the big wooly guy never turned down an opportunity to be in my lap. The empty space on my desktop this morning, where Max joined me daily, seems as vast as the empty spot he left in my heart. He never was one to curl up in a cat bed in front of the fireplace, like our two little girl kitties do. So I provided a large folded towel on my desk where he could sprawl that big body out and watch me, watch the birds through the window, and, as he did so much in his last years, sleep. Of course, he preferred snoozing on whatever paperwork I was involved in that day.

He could no longer get up on my desk by himself, so we bought pet stairs. They petrified him. He did trust their cat tree, however, so I laid it down for him to use as a step-up to my desk.

Max never lost his sense of humor it was sometimes annoying. He enjoyed knocking my

Peeek-a-Boo

Peeek-a-Boo

pen off the desk. I swear, he’d do it on purpose—with purpose. When it didn’t hit the floor and ruin the tip, it landed in the nearby trash basket. He reminded me of an ornery little boy who liked to pull pranks.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, Max never shed all of his feral roots. For years, something as simple as a sneeze would terrorize Max. If he was on my lap and I sneezed, he’d fly off my lap and look back at me with terror in his eyes. He was a wreck when I had a cold. As he matured, he settled down a little about sneezes. He’d only flinch when he’d hear one coming on. Finally, in his later years, he could take a sneeze in his stride. Progress.

I believe there were a couple of things that contributed to Max’s fairly long life. I mean, his stress level was over-the-top. I thought for sure he’d have a heart attack before he reached his teens. But he kept on keeping on. One reason he enjoyed relative longevity was, of course, the fact that we brought him inside to live. He was a totally inside cat. Also, when he was around 13, one of our younger cats was diagnosed with kidney disease and we had Max tested, too, because it’s generally a disease you find in aging cats. His numbers were slightly elevated and we put him on the same diet the vet prescribed for the younger cat. That probably gave him a few—maybe several—extra years of relative health.

MaxKitten1Max was the most challenging cat we’ve ever adopted. We made a lot of concessions around here because of him—removing all area rugs, most of the carpeting in the house, etc. I’m finding that the more concessions you make for a cat, the more difficult it is to find your center—return to what was normal for you before the cat interrupted the flow of things. And, as one wise pet owner told me yesterday, the more challenging the pet—the more you’ve been through together—the harder it is to let go.

I took step one yesterday, though. I bought a bath mat for my bathroom.

 

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