It’s been a rough several weeks for most of us—horrifying news each day, and everything around us rapidly changing. Some people are struggling in many ways—financially, emotionally, physically. So today, I thought I’d promote laughter. We all know it’s good for the soul and for our outlook. Here’s a site that I sure enjoyed and 
will again.
You like cats. You love to laugh. Even a smile is welcome. Well, visit this site and spend some time there—make this your outing for today—your bright spot. Trust me, you won’t be able to look at these pictures without being touched.
It’s seriously unprecedented times. We’re all shifting gears and finding new and different ways to cope and to fill our time. That’s why I’m offering CATNAPPED, the first in the Klepto Cat Mystery series (Kindle version) for 99 cents for a week starting today. Order your copy at Amazon.com.
Occasionally, however, the cats cooperate or I happen to get a winning shot. Like the time I won third place with my Turkish van cat, Rosie. She was sitting on the windowsill looking out at an otter that had found its way into our pool one rainy afternoon. At the time I took the picture I didn’t know what she was looking at. She turned and posed and the rest is history.
I’ve since placed with my photography in the Ventura County fair, but rarely with a cat photo. I’ve also entered pictures in the Cat-a-Day Calendar contest. Don’t you love the Cat-a-Day Calendars put out by Workman? Twice they’ve chosen my photos and both of them were of Lily.
March 26, 2020, you’ll see Lily perhaps intrigued by a silly Buddha cat doorstop a neighbor gave me. This is one of those candid shots I happened to get. I sent it to the contest along with several other pictures that I happened to like even better than this one, but the judges evidently liked the message in this shot and it won a spot on the calendar.
“blur of fur” photos have you taken of your cat? I have pictures of a tail, the back of a kitty head, even blank space where a cat, only moments before, sat looking beautiful, silly, or impish…
While cats seem to love posing for us, they don’t appreciate that darned thing you aim at them. Or so it seems. They like to see your bare face, not your face in their face hiding behind a rectangular or, heaven forbid, a bulky black pointy thing that goes clickity-clickity.
props—preferably behind closed doors Assemble things they aren’t used to seeing and that would be a curiosity to them. When the doors open, the cats will most likely enter and begin examining whatever’s new in the room. It may be a bouquet of flowers, a display of stuffed teddy bears, a wagon, basket, or old typewriter. Whatever it is the cats will surely express an interest. Watch and wait and you’re bound to get your shot.
I’ve posted before about the value in choosing a godparent for your cat. In these precarious times, there will be many pets in need of temporary and in the most severe situations, permanent care. Some of our pets will outlive us. Do you have a plan in place for your beloved cat (dog, bird, horse…)?
trusts for pets—and as I understand it, there are many.
This guide is even better—clear, concise, detailed, and simple to follow. It’s also somewhat entertaining. 
Among other things it’s tax season. If you’ve had an expensive year with your cats you may wish their care and that medical procedure, vaccines, special food, and boarding/pet sitter were deductible. Believe it or not there are tax breaks for some cat people in certain situations. For example, if you use cats in your business—you breed them, show them, use them as ratters in your warehouse, or foster cats, some of your expenses might be tax deductible. If you must or you choose to move because of your job, some of the moving expenses involving
your pets might also be deductible. And you can deduct a percentage of donations to animal-related charities or services. I think you all know that I know beans about taxes, but here’s a site with the particulars presented by people who do know. 
While we’re on the subject of donations, there are many organizations set up to care for abandoned and unwanted cats. This might be a good time to learn about those in your area and choose one or two or more to help out with food, toys, cat beds, etc. or cash. Most of them operate on donations. This year I gave items and cash to three animal-related causes—well, four if you count the Ojai Land Conservancy which manages land that’s home for many wild animals and birds of all kinds. You probably know of local cat sanctuaries. To learn of others use key words such as, “cat rescue+your city/state.” Make a difference for the cats in need. Make this the year you foster cats or join a team that manages a feral cat colony. It will do a cat and your heart good.
Today I thought I’d share photos of sweet kitty moments. Those of us who subscribe to facebook and other social media and news programs are bombarded by hard news, fake news, alarming news, alarming opinions, and scare tactics along with lovely sunsets, rainbows, kittens, bunnies, and baby bears. I pretty much always flip past the hard stuff and I concentrate
on the sweet puppies at play, the dog and cow or deer and cat who have made friends, the chicken 
who meets her little girl at the bus stop after school every day, the dog and cat who take a walk around the block together every day, the colt that frolics in a field of wild flowers, the baby goats who hop and skitter like popcorn on a not skillet…well, you get it. I also stop to read messages of hope and caring and kindness. And I like preserving moments like these that bring a smile to our face anytime, especially in this time of uncertainty.
After being sick for three weeks and slow-moving and creaky for another several days, we’re behind here in the Klepto Cat Mystery Factory. Cats of a Feather—Book 41 came out almost two months ago. Prior to this we were producing books every four to six weeks.
Sunday. I have to get it to my editor before her shoulder surgery. With the last book we worked around my cover designer’s hip surgery.
As near as I can figure, it all started with a look between the two cats. Sophie had taken over the couch blankie after Lily had finally left it. Lily had claimed that blankie all afternoon and into the evening, leaving Sophie to curl up on the bare loveseat for her nap.
floor as Sophie snuggled happily into the blankie, then Lily disappeared. We didn’t think anything of it. Lily often curls up in my office chair in the evening or she spends time lapping from her water fountain and maybe stares out the patio door hoping to catch a glimpse of a squirrel. But that evening, as we lounged in the living room with Sophie, we heard something in the kitchen. We listened and waited. Suddenly there was a loud clatter and crash. We leaped to our feet and rounded 
the corner into the kitchen in time to see Lily leap off the countertop and scurry to parts unknown.
gnat? Maybe she was digging in the succulent pot. She wouldn’t fess up to the reasons for her bull-in-a China-shop-behavior, but one has to wonder if it had anything to do with that darned couch blankie.
I love reading stories of camping, hiking, mountain-climbing, canoeing cats. I generally check out the photos for any indication that the cat is frightened or that he has been coerced into taking the hike or swim against his wishes. On the contrary, generally it appears the cat is enjoying the outing with his humans.
extreme (for a cat, anyway) hiking/camping trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
If you’re interested, there’s also a book featuring adventuring cats. It’s called Adventure Cats by Laura J. Moss
strain might sicken household pets. While, as of March 6 no animals had been diagnosed with the virus, officials are saying they just don’t know. Here are some guidelines set up as precautions.
strain of the virus as humans get. After all, they spend an awful lot of time washing their little paws.
