Happy 6th Birthday Dakota! Thankful Thursday

Dear Dakota,

I remember the day you came to live with us invaded my space, as if it were yesterday.

Prior to your arrival, I knew something was up because Mom and Dad came home with this ridiculous stuffed Sheltie. For weeks, Mom got on all fours with that dog, that was a sight to see let me tell ya! and proceeded to chase me with it, she even BARKED. And to think she hasn't been locked up yet. I guess this was done to prepare me for the inevitable. YOUR ARRIVAL

Mom even put stinky perfume on herself, Dad, me and YOU so that when she brought you home we would SMELL alike. I thought she was certifiable when she did it, but guess what? It WORKED!

Even though you are two months older than me, I have to give you credit. You learned super fast just WHO is the BOSS around here!

I hissed at you once and ONLY once and you got the message! I guess your breed IS rather intelligent after all.

Anyway, I'm not gonna get all mushy and gushy but I have to say that I am awfully glad that you were born.

Because of you:
1) I get fed whenever you go through ridiculous gesticulations and auditory assaults to get a bone or a treat, or whatever else it is that you act as if you will die without.  Calm down my furiend, be more like ME. Your over exuberance and vocalizations are annoying.

2) I have company whenever Mom and Dad decide to leave abandon us.

3) I have someone to sleep near every night. Mom still can't figure out why I prefer sleeping by YOU instead of by her. Have you heard her snoring lately?

4) I have someone to play with, control, annoy, tease and completely send over the edge whenever I feel moved to do so.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAKOTA!
I wouldn't trade you for any cat toy in the world!
Love, Cody

Oh.. I nearly forgot to mention that Dakota has a blog too. Why not stop by and wish him a Happy Birthday? Don't tell him that I sent ya!

Winners! "Will Kitty Play With It?"

Thanks to everyone who entered our give-away !!

The winners, (as chosen by www.random.org) of:

ARE: 

HPO

MOMM

MAXWELL, FARADAY & ALLIE

ELIZABETH B.

CONNIE

GLOGIRLY

THE CAT GUY

WE ARE FUR EVERYWHERE 

HILARY

KATIE AND COCCOLINO

CRAZYKITTYKAT 1

COLEHAUS CATS

CHERI OF WILDCATWOODS

LAYLA

KATNIP LOUNGE

DEB BARNES

RUMPYDOG

SHELTER-CATS-.COM

MOM2aCAT

OUI OUI

World Spay Day – What it Means and Why it is of Significance: An Author and Cat Advocate Shares her Personal Story:A Guest Blog by Deb Barnes

When Caren and Cody of Cat Chat asked me if I would like to guest post on behalf of World Spay Day, I jumped at the chance. Nothing makes me happier than an opportunity to  promote the virtues of spay/neuter as not only a safe and humane means of reducing cat overpopulation, but as a procedure that helps to ensure your cat live a longer, happier, and healthy life.

       Deb and Caren meeting for the first time

 at BlogPaws 2011

I first met Caren several years ago when I began blogging to promote the book I was in the process of writing, The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey – A Journey of the ExtraordinarilyOrdinary. I was a complete novice, the blog was barely read, and I was under the naive and ridiculous assumption that it did not matter, because I was going to become a famous author once the book was published.

Caren and I clicked instantly – both of us cat-loving Libra soul sisters who shared the same sense of humor and passion for books. I asked her if she would be willing to read a rough draft of my story and give me her recommendation for the back cover, which she did. Back then, the book was written primarily as a heartfelt means to celebrate the feline species. I had gone through an extremely dark time in my life as a result of being laid off at 48 years of age and it was during that timeframe that I was also helping my cat, Zoey, raise an unplanned litter of kittens she had at 10 months of age as a result of mating with our male Maine Coon, Zee.

      Book Cover

I can honestly say that the relationship I shared with these cats saved my life and pulled me out of my severe depression. I began to appreciate life again and I wanted to share the story of Zee and Zoey’s kittens and my inspirational message with the world and that is how and why I wrote the book. Did I know about spay/neuter and cat overpopulation on the streets and in shelters? Did I realize just how subject to scrutiny and criticism I could be opening myself up for because of these kittens?

Let’s just say that I did to some degree, but certainly not to the point where I would have published a book if I felt I would be drawing attention to myself in a negative light, especially about a species that I love with every fiber of my being. When I wrote the book, it was meant to uplift people as I shared the behind the scenes journey of my life with Zee and Zoey. I felt I wrote with authority and if you asked me if I thought I was an expert on cats, I would have said, “yes.”

Well, as a result of social networking in a largely based cat circle of peers, I soon came to realize that I knew very little about cats at all and that much of my understanding of them was fraught with misconceptions and misinformation, especially when it came to the subject of spay/neuter and cat overpopulation. Count me in the categories of “someone who thought she had plenty of time to get Zoey spayed before she became pregnant” and “what’s the big deal with one more litter?”

Zoey with kittens

I was shocked by what I was learning - the numbers were staggering – even one homeless cat is one too many in my opinion, but millions is inexcusable and I became consumed with educating myself about cat overpopulation. I could not comprehend how a country as well off as ours could be responsible for such alarming figures, let alone that we were euthanizing millions of cats as a means to controlling the population. I came to the simple conclusion that if me, someone who is relatively well educated and has had cats her whole life, did not know all the facts about conception, then how could the mainstream public possibly fare any better? How could we get a grip on cat overpopulation if we were not armed with accurate information to make better informed decisions as a collective society? I quickly realized two very important points – that you can never assume, no matter how ridiculous it might seem, that everyone knows what you think is an obvious fact, and that change cannot occur if you leave the problems of the world for someone else to solve. You must become invested, however small or large the effort, in what you want to change.

Dorian, Christine & Deb

And so that is what World Spay Day means to me. I am now an award winning blogger who has raised thousands of dollars and awareness for shelters worldwide, a freelance writer for Cat Fancy Magazine and Catster, as well as Secretary for the nonprofit Organization, Pawsitively Humane, of Miami, Florida. Not only do I know that kittens can conceive as early as 4 months, but I know that they can be safely spay/neutered at 8 weeks of age or when they weigh at least 2 pounds.

I know that there are over 70 million cats on the streets and in shelters. I know that approximately 75% of kittens that are born outdoors will die. I know what a feral cat is and how effective TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) can be to managing their population and I also know that spay/neuter significantly decreases the chances of uterine or testicular types of cancers and infections in cats and virtually reduces the negative behavioral issues associated with an unaltered cat such as loud yowling, spraying and territory marking, and aggressive fighting.

I also know all the reasons and excuses people give for not spaying or neutering their cat. I know all of it because I have made it my purpose in life – to educate others about just how vitally important spay/neuter is if we are to reduce the overwhelming numbers of cats living on the streets and in shelters, or worse, tragically euthanized because the number of these animals is far greater than the number of people willing to adopt them.

I am by no means the hero. The heroes are the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly each and every day in the physical trenches of the shelters and rescues trying to help cats. The heartache that they have to witness is unbearable, yet they do it with such love, conviction, and dedication. I can’t do that. But, I can write, and I can care. My voice and passion does provide a crucial function and it is the torch to empowering others with factual information so that misconceptions and misunderstandings don’t continue to dangerously perpetuate. I can’t change the fact that Zoey had kittens. But, I have no regrets, as they have led me on a journey I am certain I would not have otherwise traveled. I took full responsibility for them and I love them all very much. They have made me a better person and the strong advocate I am today. I don’t feel that laying blame, pointing fingers, or making judgments is the right way to handle problems. We all make mistakes and we all can learn, but what is the point of those lessons if we can’t teach others?

Kizmet-Adopt

My greatest gift is when I know I have made a difference for a cat – when I get an email or a comment on my blog that I have enlightened someone with a certain something they did not know before. Or when my post is compelling enough that it is shared with others. My greatest wish is that the message of RESPONSIBILITY and why spay/neuter is so important becomes part of mainstream society and not just banter in our current cat circles. Cat overpopulation was created by people and people alone are the only ones that have the wherewithal to change it. Let’s give meaning to this day and make it a lifelong commitment to helping make the world a better place for cats.   

I thank Caren and Cody again for the honor of guest posting on World Spay Day. For more in depth information on the subject of spay/neuter, please visit Zee & Zoey’s Chronicle Connection for my month long series which includes:

Part One - The Facts of Life: The 101's of Kittens and Conception

Part Two - The Overall Health, Behavioral, and Emotional Benefits for Cats and Society at Large by Spay/Neuter

Part Three - Debunking the Misconceptions, Excuses, and Reasons Why People Don’t Spay or Neuter Their Cats

Part Four – The Difference Between Theory Versus Reality When it Comes to the Subjects of Cat Conception, Cat Overpopulation, and Spay/Neuter

 Part Five - Cat Overpopulation and the Moral Ethics of Time  

FROM CAT CHAT: Cody and I couldn't be more honored to have had Deb Barnes guest post today. We cannot stress enough the importance of Spaying/Neutering your pets. For this day, we wanted something truly special appearing on our blog. Thank you Deb for accepting our invitation to guest post and for all of your efforts in educating the public about the importance of Spaying/Neutering.

Important Update! Chairman Waffles and Mr. Burns Find Their New Home!!

This is just the BEST NEWS! Remember the blog post that Monica Drake of The Oakland Press did about the kitty whose mouth was burned by chemicals and how he and his friend needed a home? Well..........check this out!




This just made our Monday the BEST ever!!
Thank you Monica for letting us know!
We couldn't be happier!

Cat and Dog Art by Tiny Confessions: Enter to win an 8x10 Print! #Worldwide Give-Away!

I couldn't be more ecstatic with the artwork/give-away that I have for you today!  I am happy to present to you the artwork of Christoper Rozzi, the talented artist who created Tiny Confessions.

To many of you who follow a number of blogs as I do, you will have noticed that Tiny Confessions has been featured on a number of them. Each and every time I ran across a give-away, I entered. I hadn't won UNTIL, I entered the give-away held by one of my favorite blogs/jewelry/gift websites, For Love Of A Dog (don't let the name fool you, they have CAT items too!).  They also have a BLOG! I have bought (yes I don't win everything!) and have reviewed a number of items from For Love Of A Dog.  Their jewelry/gifts are spectacular! In fact, they are so spectacular that you should mark your calendars for a give-away of their items that I will be having HERE on April 8th!

 The Tiny Confessions cat and/or dog art  come in a variety of sizes and feature some adorable and hilariously funny quotes. Christoper has a knack for knowing just what our fur babies are thinking, if only they could tell us! I know if you peruse his shop on Etsy you will find a print with a quote that will suit YOU or your cat or dog,  to a TEE!

Here is the item that I selected when I was chosen as the lucky winner! This was taken with my phone so I apologize for the poor photo quality.

I chose this print for obvious reasons! 
1) I am the walking QUEEN of insecurities
2) The cat on the print is Cody's TWIN!
I couldn't be more thrilled that I won it! I do need to go and purchase a frame and will do that soon!

Here is another photo of the same print in a different color, but this photo is from Tiny Confessions (as is the first photo), so the photo quality is purrfect.

Aren't these just the CUTEST!?

The prints are available in a variety of formats and sizes.

From For Love Of A Dog: Our art print arrived very quickly, carefully packaged in a high quality plastic sleeve and non-bendable mailer.  It is an 8x10 inch print of an original painting with a white border.  

The image itself measures 7.75" x 9.75" and is printed on professional quality archival matte paper with archival pigment ink.  Plus, it includes the artist's original signature.  Retail price is $20 plus shipping.

To purchase visit Tiny Confessions on Etsy

 From For Love Of A Dog: Christopher Rozzi is an artist, writer, and comedian living in New York City.  Tiny Confessions are his way of combining comedy with art. His new book Tiny Confessions: The Secret Thoughts of Dogs, Cats and Everything,  will be released May 7, 2013.  Published with Perigee/Penguin, it is available for pre-sale at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Indiebound.

This  print is another that will be added to my collection and will be proudly displayed on the wall in my office. I couldn't be more thrilled with it!

Guess what? TWO OF YOU FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD will have your choice of an 8x10 print  from the Etsy Tiny Confessions shop.

There is ONE MANDATORY way to enter. VISIT Tiny Confessions on Etsy AND LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHICH PRINT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE SHOULD YOU BE ONE OF THE TWO LUCKY WINNERS.

IMPORTANT! Any comment left WITHOUT this information will NOT count as an entry.

The winners will be chosen by www.random.org. The give-away is open NOW and will CLOSE ON MONDAY MARCH 4TH AT 5PM. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6TH.

GOOD LUCK!!

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I won a print from a contest held by For Love Of A Dog. I chose to quote For Love Of A Dog (with their permission) because I agreed with EVERYTHING that was stated.

Friskies has a new interactive video game show for cats: Twenty lucky readers will win their own #willkittyplay kit!

We all know the frustration we experience when we bring home a new toy for our finicky friends and they rush straight for the BOX or for some other obscure item lying on the floor such as pens, paper clips, rubber bands, you know, things that you DIDN'T purchase for them to play with!

Understanding how the felines in our lives think, the  folks at Friskies are at it again!  Ever on the cutting-edge, they devised a kit which contains  common household items such as spoons, crumpled paper, paper cups, yarn, etc. to answer the age old question "Will Kitty Play With It?"

Friskies recorded videos of cats playing with various household items the first of which appeared on February 15th and you can see it right here:

The remaining videos of the series can be seen on the Friskies Facebook Page by clicking here and other DIY toys will be available for viewing on the Friskies Pinterest page  on their  DIY Homemade Cat Toys board.

Friskies even had their cat blogger panel get in on the fun! We were sent a "Will Kitty Play With It?" kit that contained a purple box, magic marker, red plastic cup, string and paper to crumble. We received an instruction sheet and were on our way to see if our kitties would "play with it!"

I had a nagging feeling about testing these items with Cody. Why? Being the laziest and often most uncooperative cat (when it comes to videos) what do YOU think happened? Check these out...and if nothing else you should get a laugh at my miserable video skills!



Think your cat(s) will do better than Cody? Friskies wants you to find out! They have generously offered 20 "Will Kitty Play With It" kits for my readers!

If you would like one, leave a comment on this post telling me what unusual household object your cat(s) like to play with! Give-away is open to U.S. ONLY and starts now and will end on Tuesday, February 26th at 5pm ET. Be sure I have a way to contact you if you are one of the lucky winners! Winners will be chosen by www.random.org and will be announced Wednesday, February 27th.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!




I was not compensated for this post. I was sent a "Will Kitty Play With It?" kit to review and share with my readers. All opinions are mine and Cody's!

Winners!! Cat Laughs by Gary Patterson

Oh we are going to have some happy people today! We are announcing the WINNERS of  the book Cat Laughs by Gary Patterson!

Some of the winners have blogs, for those who have blogs I linked to their blogs and you can click on the winner's names to visit them.

So, without further babbling, the winners

(as chosen by random.org)  of:

Mario

Andrea

Abby

Sue S.

Momm

McGuffy Ann

mom2acat

Nellie

CRichman

Glogirly

Clooney

Melmuff

Congratulations to the winners

and thanks to all who entered!!!!

Book Review: Crazy Critter Lady by Kelly Meister

After having reviewed a delightful book by author Bob Tarte, I was contacted by author Kelly Meister, a friend of Bob's, asking if I would be interested in receiving her book, Crazy Critter Lady, to review as well.  I eagerly accepted figuring that if she was a friend of Bob's, whose writing I greatly admire, then the odds were pretty good that I was going to enjoy her book as well. My instincts were correct.

Kelly Meister, spent years in therapy as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Her life, for many years, was spent in "darkness and chaos." Lesser people might have shattered to bits, never breaking free of the depression that ensued as a result of having endured such horrific experiences.

The "saner" Kelly became, the less she chose to spend her time with "dysfunctional humans." She turned to animals instead.

From the publisher: Crazy Critter Lady takes readers on an emotional roller coaster ride, as Kelly discovers the hitherto-unknown delights of friendship with a band of flightless ducks, deals with Spanky the cat's low self-esteem, and learns life lessons taught by an aged horse. The author spends money she can't afford on creatures others are content to leave dying at the side of the road, and often risks rabies, and drowning in the process. Sharing her life with a quirky cast of characters, Meister invites you to come along and meet the gang.

Kelly and "Spanky"

Some of the "gang" include:

Winkie the leash/harness wearing "soul kitty" who passed much earlier than he should have. The pain and love in Kelly's words will touch the hearts of anyone who has lost a beloved "soul" pet.

Zoe the Barking Dog who was virtually ignored by her owners, but every day would wait by the fence of her yard, delighting in the biscuits and love that Kelly would give to her.

Kelly touched the lives of birds, frogs, mice, raccoon, her uncanny ability to sense what an animal was feeling had a Dr.Doolittle-esque quality.

Kelly's life now is about healing. She is healing the wounds of the past by helping a vast array of animals either "heal" or helps them cross the Bridge with loving kindness, in many cases it is kindness that the ailing animal probably never had experienced before, but at least was able to experience in it's final hours.

Kelly feels that the "critters" helped her to become "whole", helped her to heal the wounds of the past.

Crazy Critter Lady is touching, in many instances, humorous,  it is raw, honest, and throughout the entire book, it speaks the language of love. There are moments when you will rejoice, some where you will shed a tear, but in the end you will marvel at how through helping to save animals, with a dedication that is truly a passion, you will cheer for the woman who learned how to save HERSELF.

Kelly learned how to save herself by the lessons the animals she has touched have taught her. She learned how to be patient, loving and trusting through the animals that she met along the way. In her mind, "she owes them BIG."

There are many of us who can relate to wanting to return the gifts that animals have given to so many of us. If more people felt this way,  the world would be that much better.

In my opinion Kelly is hardly "crazy", those who can turn their backs on animals in need are the "crazy" ones, not Kelly.

"Duck Hug"

In this world we need more Kelly's and many of you who are reading this review ARE like Kelly. True animal lovers  can relate when Kelly says when referring to the gifts the animals have given her, "I owe them. I owe them BIG. It's a debt that I'm happy to spend the rest of my days repaying. So I'll keep chatting with chipmunks, I'll shoo squirrels out of the road. I'll rescue flightless ducks from frozen ponds. I'll stop to help injured raccoon and I'll worry about things like rabies later. If that makes me crazy, then so be it."

To that, I say, "YOU GO GIRL!!"

Kelly and the ducks!

As is stated in the early pages of this inspiring book: "The greatness of a nation, and its moral progress, can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
-Mohandas Gandhi

From Cat Chat: God Bless you, Kelly Meister, for all you have endured, for the creatures you have touched, for the lives you have saved. God Bless you for loving and fighting for the rights of those that cannot speak for themselves.



To purchase Crazy Critter Lady on Amazon click here
It is also available via Barnes & Noble by clicking here
Buy the e-book here

Connect with Kelly on her blog by clicking here
Visit her website here

There's a new LITTER comin' to town! #WorldsBestMysteryLitter

Hi every furry! It's Cody and I can barely contain my excitement! As many of you know, I have been a World's Best Cat Litter customer for quite some time now. Once I first reviewed it on May 6, 2011, I was off to the races litter box and I NEVER looked back! Our household, and my litter box became a World's Best Cat Litter household all the way!

Did ya notice THIS on the side of my blog?

Click here to visit
World's Best!!

I am one of a fine clowder of kitties who were chosen to be "Catvocates" for World's Best! We all are honored to share the responsibility of letting you all know about new products that World's Best is coming out with. The Catvocates will have fun give-aways, reviews and all sorts of good stuff that we will be the FIRST to give ya the SCOOP on, from our mouths, right to YOUR litter box!

Today I have something that will have your whiskers twitching with anticipation:

Oh what fun this is gonna be! I can't tell you what scent it is yet, it's  World's Best Mystery Litter, but my bag that I will be testing  is on a truck making it's way to Michigan as we meow! Once it arrives I will be testing it, Mom will be scoopin' it and we will give you our honest opinion as to what we think of this product!

Our review will be posted the week of March 11th and we will be having a special GIVE-AWAY the week of MARCH 18th!

So....if you aren't subscribing to us and we can't figure out why you wouldn't be, you will want to so you don't miss out!

So, from MY litter box to YOURS...

It's Catvocate Cody signin' off til next time!!

"Easy Sunday?" Not for my Mom

This is what Mom was doing on Sunday.......

It's name is "Pebbles"

Mom really ROCKS

doesn't she?

No worries, I laid on the couch

with Mom and took good care of her.

I had to be sure she would be

well enough to feed me

Love, Cody

A furry bundle of kitten joy!!

Our dear friends at Feeling Beachie are now the proud kitty parents of:

Marc and Hilary's beloved Alex

 crossed the Bridge this past summer.

Alex is  purring with delight

over the Bridge, because I am certain that

he sent little Lucy to help heal their broken hearts.

Alex  wanted Lucy to have the same

amazing home and love that he had 

for so many years.

We couldn't be happier for them

and wish them a lifetime of happiness!!

Stop on over and welcome Lucy

by clicking here

Kitten’s mouth burned off after drinking chemical is healing and seeking his forever home: Guest Blog by By Monica Drake Of The Oakland Press

A 5-month-old mewing kitten was found living on the street with chemical burns on his face and tongue, hardly able to breathe.

"Chairman Waffles"

It’s likely the cat tried to drink a toxic liquid before he was found in Detroit, said Kevin Hatman of the Michigan Humane Society in Bingham Farms. Hatman said if the cat continued to live outside, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

“He was obviously in a tremendous amount of pain,” said Hatman, a resident of Ferndale.

Humane Society veterinarians performed three surgeries on the tiny kitten after he was found in September — one to remove the necrotic skin around his mouth and nose, the second to remove the hard palate in his mouth that had been damaged, and the third to perform reconstructive surgery.

“The mouth is constantly exposed. You can see his tongue. And there are potential medical issues, but our veterinarians are pretty confident that, because (issues) haven't developed yet, there's a very low risk for future severe medical problems,” said Hatman.

Staff named the now 10-month-old domestic short-haired kitten Chairman Waffles, and, although his injuries are still healing, he is now ready for adoption.

“We're looking for a really special adopter. This is a condition that will have to be managed his entire life,” said Hatman. “He is going to need regular observation and to be looked at by a vet every year at least.”

  Chairman Waffles is currently living in Oakland County with his foster mom Dr. Amy Koppenhoefer, a veterinarian at the Humane Society, and another cat named Mr. Burns. Hatman said Chairman Waffles and Mr. Burns have become friends. He’s hoping, if possible, that the two cats could find a home together.

Koppenhoefer said, “I always end up fostering the special needs guys who come in here. He just happened to be exceptionally special.”

Hatman said now, Chairman Waffles is a “typical cat.”

“He's happy, always on the go, jumps around and likes to explore. He likes to cuddle and purrs a lot. If you didn't look at him, you wouldn't know that he's been through what he's been through,” said Hatman. “His recovery, both physically and emotionally, has been incredible.”

Hatman said the surgeries and antibiotics for Chairman Waffles cost the nonprofit thousands of dollars — money which all came from donations.

He said, “A lot of people don't know that we're a private, independent nonprofit. We're not the city pound. We exist solely because of our supporters. We don't get any money from the government. What we do is entirely possible because people support us. ... The need is very great.”

For more information about adopting Chairman Waffles call 313-872-3400. To donate to Michigan Humane Society, call 1-866-MHUMANE, visit www.michiganhumane.org or go to the administration building at 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220 in Bingham Farms.

MONICA DRAKE is the Community Engagement/Suburban Life Editor Reporter at The Oakland Press.

Fun Friday Find: Celebrity Cat Names by Christina Hamilton

One of a number of things that I love about Twitter are some of the connections that I have made there.

A few weeks back I was lucky enough to connect with author Christina Hamilton and learned that she had just published a book entitled Celebrity Cat Names. I was delighted when she mailed me a copy to read and share my findings with you, my dear readers!

From Christina: CELEBRITY CAT NAMES – CAT TALES OF THE RICH & FAMOUS by Christina Hamilton

Discover the sometimes strange and bizarre names of your favourite celebrities’ cats in a book bursting with photos, stories, poignant tributes, cat quotes and poems. From Cleopatra’s Charmain to Robert Downey Jr’s Dartanian; from Thomas Hardy’s Kiddleywinkempoops to Frank Zappa’s Fightey Bitey, these true tales of famous cat lovers, past and present, will make you realise you didn’t really know them at all!

Part I of Celebrity Cat Names is a collection of Famous Cat Lovers, all listed in alphabetical order with their names, the names of their cats and a little bio about the individual and their cat. In this section I was delighted to find people such as:

Halle Berry and her cat Playdough

I learned that Halle got Playdough to help her study the movement of cats for her role as Catwoman. Halle loved the cat so much that she ended up keeping it and the cat appeared as an extra in the film.

Beyonce and her cat Master P who was named after the rapper who was the first to promote her in the early days of her career.

Robert Downey Jr. and his cats Montgomery and Dartanian who were 2 male kittens that he rescued when he found them in a bush in West Hollywood.

I had known that John Lennon loved cats but until reading Celebrity Cat Names I never knew that his love of cats was deeper than I could have imagined. Throughout his life he lived with cats and demanded that he have cats, at one point he had 10!

Having difficulty finding a name for your new cat? 

No worries! Part 2 of Celebrity Cat Names lists Cat Names A-Z

Next to each name is the name of the celebrity owner. Here are some examples:

Ashley-Regis Philbin

Cake-Warren Beatty

Dancer-Walter Cronkite

There is also a section devoted to Fictional Cats. It is also alphabetized  and has snippets of information about the cats in this section. It features cats such as:

• Felix
• Figaro
• Garfield

Celebrity Cat Names is an almost 200 page book that should be in every cat lover's library. It's fun, informative and is a handy resource that I am certain you will refer to again and again. Just think of the interesting cocktail party conversations that you will be able to start armed with all of this interesting information!

 From Christina: "The name we give our cat is personal and reflects a private part of our personality."

To purchase Celebrity Cat Names  on Blackbird Digital click here

You can also find Celebrity Cat Names on Amazon in paperback form by clicking here

To download on Kindle click here

It is also at Smashwords for other ebook formats. Click here

Like Celebrity Cat Names on Facebook here

Follow on Twitter: @Celebcatnames

Dancin' With The Dogs (and CATS!) On Valentine's Day! Or Valentine's Day as WE Know It!

I am one lucky kitty!

I didn't have just one date,

I had TWO!

I escorted two of Dakota's friends

the beautiful

Roxy and Torrey

of the blog 

Roxy the Traveling Dog

to the

Which actually took place
before the U.S. Valentine's Day
Here is a video of some
of the cats/dogs that attended



You can visit the blog

right here!

and see who 
the King and Queen
of the ball were


Aren't Roxy and Torrey
just beautiful?

Now, I am escorting
Roxy and Torrey 
to the fun pawty going on
over at the 
Tabby Cat Club!!

Hope to see you there!!

Have a Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!

Love you!!

Cody and Caren

Wondering what "single" cats are doing for Valentine's Day?

Well now you know........

Winners! Famous Cats Of The Internet Charity Playing Cards by AmazeCats!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the:

We know you are going to LOVE your cards!!

The lucky winners

as chosen by www.random.org are:

Dorothy A.

Furries of Whisppy

The Island Cats

CONCATULATIONS!!

Enjoy your cards everyone

and thanks to all who entered!!

Also, be sure to enter our current give-away

Click here to read the blog post and enter to win!!

Cat Artist/Cartoonist Extraordinaire: Gary Patterson, "Better than a batch of fresh catnip"

Many of you who have been following Cat Chat for a while, know that I come from a family where the patriarch was a gifted and brilliant Editorial Cartoonist.  Having an artistically gifted father was so much a part of my life, that at the tender age of five I glared at a friend's father with disgust, when after I asked him to draw me a picture of Mickey Mouse he stated that he couldn't. I was aghast. What did he mean he COULDN'T? Didn't ALL fathers know how to draw? I guess not.

"Bee-Wildered"

When I was contacted a few weeks ago via LinkedIn by a gentleman named Sean Patterson asking if I would be interested in viewing his father's work, the first thing that touched me was this proud son, who possessed the passion of wanting to share  his father's artistic gift with the  world. I could relate. He had piqued my interest.

Sean emailed me samples of his father's work and links to his website. To say that I was captivated is an understatement. I was mesmerized, smitten, I fell head-over-heels (or should I say paws) in love with the creations of Sean's father,  Gary Patterson, "Creator of Smiles".

I nodded in recognition when I visited Gary's website and discovered that Gary wanted to be a professional artist for as long as he could remember. Gary's father was a cartoonist for the Navy and the Los Angeles Fire Department and he used to stand by his father's  drawing board watching him draw and wanted to do the same. As a little girl, so did I. My dream was to "draw like my Dad" and write and illustrate a children's book, but for me, life went in another direction. Let's be honest here, if I had one iota of the talent that Gary Patterson has I would have written/drawn 50 books by now!

Gary Patterson
from his website

Gary's style reflects what I can only WISH that I could do.  Drawings/cartoons that are not only hilarious, but to me, are visual perfection. They fill my heart with delight.

Gary's depiction of cats are now my absolute favorites. The comical expressions on the faces of the cats that he draws are often cherubic and  chubby. One of many things that I love about Gary's drawings of cats is that it isn't just black or white cats that are featured. He draws orange cats, tabby cats, gray cats and every cat in-between! Gary is spot-on in his drawings of cats because he captures what makes cats, CATS, their essence their "purrsona". Other than being incredibly gifted, Gary probably is better able to capture the essence of cats,  because he is "owned" by 2 cats. He has a cat named Bandit who "likes to walk in the rain on a leash" and "enjoys riding in the car with his head out the window like a dog". 

"Dogs Eat, Cats Dine"

 I could sit and look at his work for hours. They make me smile, they touch my heart. They don't call Gary the "Creator of Smiles" for nuthin my friends!

"Boo"

While viewing Gary's work you will notice the presence of another creature: a MOUSE! Sometimes you have to look closely, but he is always there!  The mouse is named "Boo" and Gary first "met" him in 1982 when he was "sitting at his drawing board on New Years' Eve" trying to finish a deadline and was feeling lonely. Out of nowhere a mouse appeared and sat by his drawing board. The rest is history. 

After agreeing to feature Gary on Cat Chat, I was sent the most incredible box of goodies that I could ever imagine! I received a precious magnet, note pads and a book that Gary illustrated called Cat Laughs. (you can view the magnets, notepads and so much more on Gary's online store by clicking here)

From Cat Laughs: "Enjoy funny stories and quotes and this laugh-out-loud collection of cartoons. And only here will you discover the top 10 things cats do when you aren't looking."

This  book may be pint-sized in stature, but that is the only thing SMALL about it. It is jam-packed with quotes, stories, humor, it is the purrfect gift for any occasion for the cat lovers in your life. Mine is signed by Gary and will have a place of honor, not just on my book shelf in my office, but on my desk. It's THAT delightful.

Happy Valentine's Day

Guess what? Because WE LOVE YOU and because Sean is incredibly generous and Valentine's Day is this week, we are having a GIVE-AWAY!!!

TWELVE PEOPLE from the U.S. and/or Canada will be chosen to win a copy of Cat Laughs for themselves! (A $9.99 value). The winners will be chosen by www.random.org. THE GIVE-AWAY BEGINS NOW and will END at 5pm Monday, February 18th. Winners will be announced WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment telling me what it is that YOUR cat does to make YOU laugh. Be sure I have a way to contact you should you be one of the lucky 12 winners!

Good luck and enjoy a couple of snippets from the book to tide you over:


"They say the test of literary power is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, "Can he name a kitten?" Samuel Butler

"Cats love one so much-more than they will allow. But they have so much wisdom they keep it to themselves." Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

To purchase Cat Laughs click here

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this post or give-away. Gary's son Sean sent me the items listed in the blog post as a thank you for featuring his Dad on Cat Chat. It was my immense pleasure to do so!

Cats Own The Runway At New York Fashion Week!!

Purina ONE^® teams up with Tracy Reese 

to showcase the True Nature^TM of Cats

Purina ONE^® showed the world how to really work the runway, turning heads at this year’s New York Fashion Week with cats on leashes during the 2013 Fall Collection Show by Tracy Reese, one of America’s most celebrated designers, on February 10.

As part of the Purina ONE brand cat food’s True Nature^TM of Cats movement and the launch of Purina ONE^® SMARTBlend^® Healthy Metabolism^TM wet and dry formulas, Purina ONE is challenging misconceptions about cats, beginning with the idea they can’t be leash-trained.

Purina ONE challenges misconceptions by featuring leash-trained cats during Fashion Week in New York as part of Purina ONE's Healthy Metabolism launch, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013.

 (Jason DeCrow/Invision for Purina ONE/AP Images)

I was shocked to read that some people think that cats can't be leash-trained because my first cat, Bobo, ALWAYS walked on a leash! It was one of his favorite activities! I often took him to the park where he would walk on his leash like a dog, he would even sit on my shoulder and from the rear view people thought he was a raccoon! 

“The True Nature of Cats movement is about letting our cats be who they were born to be by providing proper nutrition and enriching experiences,” said Nida Bockert, Purina ONE spokesperson. “For example, leash training is a great way to incorporate activity into your cat’s life and give them an enriched experience, and we showed that in a big way at Fashion Week.”

Purina ONE and Tracy Reese put a leash-trained cat center stage to highlight the True Nature of cats during the Tracy Reese Fall 2013 collection show at Fashion Week, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 in New York. 

(Jason DeCrow/Invision for Purina ONE/AP Images)

Tracy Reese is the perfect partner for this unique event. “As a designer, I draw inspiration from everything around me, including cats,” she said. “I loved the idea of incorporating cats into the runway show; cats have a lot of energy, which was the perfect complement to the models and my new line.”

Through domestication, it can be harder for cats to live according to their true nature. So Purina ONE is examining how to awaken your cat’s true nature and enrich their life at home every day. By studying African wildcats, believed to be the closest ancestor to the domestic cat, Purina ONE identified several ways to help your cat be who she was born to be, including the right activity and proper nutrition. This was the inspiration behind the new Healthy Metabolism wet and dry formulas, which are specially formulated for the changing nutritional needs of spayed and neutered cats. Find out more about Healthy Metabolism wet and dry formulas and how to discover your cat’s true nature at 

www.PurinaOne.com/TrueNatureofCats and on Facebook.com/TrueNatureofCatsbyPurinaONE.

With clients like First Lady Michelle Obama and partnerships with some of the biggest brands, Tracy Reese is a mainstay in America’s fashion industry. Along with her flagship store in New York, you can find her lines at retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom.

About Purina ONE brand cat food

At Purina ONE, we closely study every aspect of cats, and do our best to provide products that reflect their nutritional needs, while empowering owners to gain a deeper understanding of their cats. Our goal is to provide cat owners with outstanding or excellent nutrition for the cats they love, helping promote whole body health.

All Purina ONE SMARTBlend™® formulas contain real meat, fish or poultry, along with dual defense antioxidants and Omega-6 fatty acids. Our products give cats the taste they love and the nutrition they need. Our Targeted nutrition formulas are optimized for your cat’s lifestyle, providing balanced nutrition for each life stage.

About Nestlé Purina              

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company is a global leader in the pet care industry and promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestlé Purina is part of Swiss-based Nestlé, the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company.

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I am a Member of the Purina Cat Blogger Panel where I help spread the word about all of the things that Purina is up to and I am proud to do it!