Kinky, quirky, silly, fun—whatever your terminology, we all agree that cats can be a little bit crazy. Olivia has brought a lot of laughter to this house with her antics. She gets the zoomies and tears around here like a crazy monkey. She plays fetch. She has this interesting leap where she flips herself around almost in a backward somersault at times. I can’t even begin to imagine what that’s about. It’s quite a unique acrobatic move.
I sometimes devote blog posts to crazy things cats do. Here 
are some I came across this week.
https://www.meowingtons.com/blogs/lolcats/cat I love this site because it shows cats doing what cats do in video—knocking things off a dresser, for example. At my house it’s pens. I lost more pens when our snowshoe-type cat, Max used to knock them off my 
desk. They’d either go into the trash bucket and I didn’t know it or they’d land on the tip and ruin the pen. Olivia started that habit, so I adopted a new habit as well. I keep a pen with the top on it on my desk where cats are allowed. I keep my writing pen, lid off, handy on my computer desk, where cats are not allowed. No cat seems interested in pushing the capped pen off the desk. Maybe because they know I rarely use that one. Mom doesn’t get upset when we knock that one off, so why bother?
What about cats getting the zoomies? It’s like a cat gone crazy—oh the energy. The video at this site of a beautiful Persian with this affliction is adorable.
There are a lot of comments at this post I’ve shared—sometimes we learn things from comments. Enjoy.
We’re all counting on there being life after the pandemic, but this may not be something your cat is looking forward to or that she will adjust to easily. Experts are especially concerned about pets that were adopted during the pandemic, and that is a lot of cats and dogs. They’ve never been alone—at least since you brought them home. And we all know how cats, especially, like routine and dislike change.
adjust when you go back to work or resume travel or just ramp up your life outside your home. Whether you’ll return to a job of volunteer work, socializing, spending time with your grandchildren or an ailing friend or relative, or you resume an active travel agenda, your absence may be difficult for your pet. It’s recommended that you take baby steps. Make gradual changes to your routine now to help acclimate your cat or dog to what’s to come. Already we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. You may already be venturing out a little with the opening up of things.
You’re walking because the weather is nicer and maybe starting to spend small pockets of time with neighbors and friends. If you’ve been off schedule—getting up at odd times—try to get back on schedule, as you were before the pandemic.
ways you can help your cat or dog to adjust. Animals react differently to separation anxiety. Some might become lethargic, sleep a lot, and seem depressed. Others will tear up things and become aggressive. Olivia (our calico kitten) dismantles her drinking fountain when we’re gone for long. That may not be a symptom of separation anxiety, she’s probably just thirsty for that fresh-running water.
This has been quite a year. We’ve had the opportunity to learn a lot of things we never thought we’d need to learn—how to be more self-sufficient, how to ask for help, how to be alone, new ways to reach out to others, new hobbies and activities, and we’ve learned the value of our pets.
affected our pets, you’re wrong. It has affected them in many good ways—adoptions are up, for example. We’ve been home with our cats and dogs more. But there have been issues—stress, being a big one. When we’re stressed, often our pets are stressed and I’ve discovered a few things that could help with our stress and with our understanding of some of the behavior our pets may be exhibiting.
Available only at her website. 
rough time with the changes that have come with the pandemic. More people are at home now for longer periods of time—in the cat’s space. He says the cat’s “rhythm” has been shattered by the changes in the household. He calls cats “energetic sponges,” and he cautions that your cats may be stressing 
without you knowing it or knowing why. He suggests a good balance of more enrichment for your cat—interesting new toys, perches at the windows, cardboard box tunnels, etc. along with more exercise play and more snuggling. He also suggests giving your cat his space. Cats, especially those that are used to being alone, like their space at times—just as you do.
household were playing.
For example, dogs that are accustomed to greeting other dogs and people while out walking with their human become a bit depressed, and at least confused now that people are reluctant to pet other people’s dogs. And then there’s the overeating problem that so many of us have encountered ourselves. Yes, our pets are engaging in stress eating and some veterinarians are suggesting that we don’t free feed our pets at this time.
pandemic and she only knows people outside of our household by sight–through the windows or through brief moments at the front door. She’s seen delivery people, for example. Will she become stressed when we start inviting in guests? Will she ever warm up to people other than us?
veterinarians care for stress-related issues. On the other side of that coin, some pets are not getting the veterinary care they may need because of COVID fears and restrictions. If you’re aware of changes in your cat, this article may be comforting and helpful. Follow the link below.
We talked about whiskers being kitty radar this week. But what about a cat’s ears? They could be considered a cat’s antennae. If you watch a cat’s ears, you’ll see that he has quite a range of motion. While the ideal for photographing a cat is forward, perky, pricked up,but if there’s anything going on around the cat or even outside, or a few streets over, he may be wriggling them from side to side and all around listening to sounds that you can’t even begin to hear.
—along with bats, elephants, owls, and can you believe, pigeons and moths?
I thought a cat’s ears helped to diagnose a fever. But I learned today that when the cat’s ears are warm or hot, it might be that they’re simply stressed. Have you ever noticed one ear being quite warm and the other cool? I have. I figured the cat had been napping and maybe laying on the warmer ear. Maybe not. Evidently the right ear is the only one that responds to stress. When a cat is stressed, the right ear will become heated and the left ear is maybe still cool.
One of the most remarkable and intense aspects of a cat is the eyes. There’s something mesmerizing about a cat’s eyes. You’re attracted to them. When a cat looks at you, you can’t look away. You sometimes feel drawn into those eyes. They’re just fascinating.
sizes, and colors. Lily had the largest round eyes—they almost took up her whole face. Sophie’s eyes are kind of squinty and Olivia has smaller round eyes. But no matter the size, shape or color, boy can cats use their eyes to express their mood. And you’ve probably noticed that the eye color can also change—with the lighting, of course, but did you know that the eye color can change by mood. One expert 
claims that a mellow, happy cat’s eyes might appear a shade darker than they do when they’re stressed. We’re all going to be watching our cat’s eyes this afternoon, right?
dark than we can. And they don’t understand why we step on them or trip over them at night. They see us, why can’t we see them. Yeah, especially if you have dark-colored cats, you have to use a 
nightlight or bedside light when you walk around at night.
brain work together. If you’ve ever wondered, yes cats can see color, but the ability is much diminished by human standards. In fact their close-up vision isn’t very sharp, but they can see much better than we can in the distance. Experts say that while our vision is 20/20, a cat’s might be more like 20/100.
I’m not conducting a scientific study here, I’m just curious about what makes cats choose certain sleeping options. But then, like you, I’m curious about a lot of things cat. In the past, our cats would sleep in the little cat beds we provided, but only in winter and only when those beds were in front of the heater or fireplace. Most of our cats have chosen to sleep on the bed with me at night. During the day is another story—and cats do 
sleep a lot during the day.
feeding time, or whatever. Sophie, for example, likes one end of the love seat and she has a thing for an old arm chair we have in the living room. I’ve put cushy blankets for her in both spots and when I need her, 
that’s where I’ll find her.
behind a chair next to the piano, on my office chair…yes, she’s all over the place. It would seem to me that this practice could come from her wild heritage. In the wilds a cat wouldn’t sleep in the same place for long.
I’d like to share two happy cat stories today. One involves a cat who found her way home because of a chip—and I don’t mean a potato chip. The second story tells of cats changing minds and lives.
when Laken was just four years old. Muffin was up there in age when she disappeared and the family had little hope of ever seeing her again, except for micro-chipping. Yes, Muffin had been chipped and that’s how she found her way back home.
She hadn’t traveled far. She’d found a home with another family a short distance away, where she lived for the next four years. When she became sick, that caring family took her to
the veterinarian and that’s when it was discovered that she had a chip—a chip that would lead her back to her beginnings.
pleased. He was not. He expected that she would find another home for the cat when they married. She did not and, guess what, he fell in love with the cat—so much so, that they adopted two more. They became so enthralled with their cats that, during the pandemic, they began featuring them on the internet. I got a kick out of their recent spa day video showing their cats getting the full treatment of a spa day.
Cat lovers go gaga over a nice set of long cat whiskers. And some cats sure have them. Whiskers are an interesting part of the cat, but did you know that they’re also important? Some call whiskers kitty-radar.
naturally, but they will grow back. Some say that if you find a cat’s whisker you should save it for good luck. That’s up to you. I have one of Lily’s whiskers that I found after she died—that one I did save.
You know how I like talking about all things cat—including items in my cat “collection.” Last week I received two sweet old-fashioned-style post cards with cats—Oh, so cute. My daughter and great granddaughter had found them at a rummage sale and sent them to me for fun. Always a delight.
at the doorstop was picked for the cat-a-day calendar in—I believe it was 2018.
Thinking about my “collection” reminded me of a woman I met at a Cat Writers Association conference. Sandy Lerner, evidently always loved cats, but her husband was allergic to them, so she started collecting cat artifacts, figures, bric-a-brac—you know, everything cat. She became so serious about this hobby that she eventually put together a book—an amazing, fascinating book she calls, Caticons, 4,000 Years of Art 
Imitating Cats. This book includes some of the most unusual pieces depicting cats that I could ever imagine—a metal piece featuring a cat at a sewing machine, a cat wine cork, and what appears to be a very ancient cat lock. I was also surprised to see the very painting (print) I have hanging in my bedroom of a mother cat and her kittens. Come to find out, it’s by Henriette Ronner-Knip, an artist who painted mostly adorable, plump cats way back in the 1800s.
It’s been an unusual year for us all. I’ve been snug as a bug in a rug most days as I continue in my daily ritual of writing the Klepto Cat Mysteries. I produced 8 books in 2020. That’s a record for me and probably for most of the authors I know—not that I was trying to break any records. Up until this time, since 2013, I’ve averaged 6 books a year. Frankly, as much as I love the process of writing the Klepto Cat Mysteries, I hope, like the rest of you do, that I’m unable to keep up the pace because I’m busy spending time with my family, hanging 
with friends, traveling, going out to eat and SHOPPING!!! Soon.
What am I working on now? Book One—yes, Book One of a brand new series. It’s an experiment and a challenges and I have to say that so far, things are looking good. I can tell you that this book will feature a beautiful, spunky, and interesting calico named Olivia. Since it is in the works and I may change the title of the series or the book as I progress, I won’t share that now. Just know, I’m having fun with this and I think you’re going to love it.
mysteries. This is quite a popular category for writers and readers these days. My books were already selling like crazy and then the pandemic hit. From the sounds of it, cozy mysteries have become a sort of medicine for those who are isolating and feel isolated over these many months. Former AP journalist and new cozy mystery writer, Tamara Lush says that cozy mysteries are “A pandemic-era balm.” She believes that a group of readers are hungrily consuming cozy mysteries and greeting old friends. I know that my fans often say they wish they knew the people in my stories—they’d love to sit down and have tea with them.
