For a cat, it’s not a matter of being naughty or nice, it’s a matter of a cat just being a cat!

It’s officially the holidays and for our cats, perennial creatures of habit, it can be a time that literally turns their everyday world and routines completely upside down. They are instinctually wired to be both curious and cautious, depending on the circumstances, so every day presents new stimuli to process. For example, seemingly out of thin air, a tree magically appears in the house – a tree with dangly, tantalizing shiny objects hanging from it! Furniture is often moved, boxes and bags filled with goodies pile up in the house, and the kitchen can become an intoxicating den of foods not typically experienced throughout the rest of the year. Read more

It can’t be December! I wasn’t done with January through November yet!

Yesterday was December 1st and rather than lament the fact that time is going by at much too rapid a speed, and that I have far too much to do before the year ends, I decided to post a photo montage of some of my favorite festive-feline holiday images over the years. It won’t slow time down, but it is nice to take a trip down memory lane. But in all seriousness, how is it December already when I don’t even feel I’ve caught up to June yet? Is it just me, or do you all feel life is traveling by at warp speed lately?

Remembering my sweet angel Harley from Christmas 2012.

My angel Jazz back in 2012. Napping under the tree was one of his favorite holiday activities.

Kizmet’s first Christmas with us back in 2013.

Zoey and Mia sharing some mother/daughter snooze time.

Zee, our ever regal holiday King.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without me holding a cat while wearing a leopard Santa hat!

Rolz (and Jazmine) are always happy to keep watch of any gifts that might make their way into our house.

Jazmine and Kizmet help with decorating…

I wonder who knocked that ornament off the tree, Kizmet?

Christmas isn’t just for cats, it’s for people and dogs, too!

It sure is, Mia! It sure is!

The best way to make a holiday gift bag look more festive, put a cat next to it! Thanks, Peanut!

That special moment when all the lights are off, except the soft glow from the Christmas tree. Even Rolz seems impressed.

The best way to get through the holidays…act like a cat and don’t stress!

From big things, like my friends, family, and my cats, to the little things, like popcorn and leopard print, I’m grateful for so much in my life!

You’ve seen it all from me before – I share these same pictures every year, and I also say it every year – I love Thanksgiving. Not just for good food, good football, sharing time with family, and not working, but for counting the blessings in my life I’m afforded to have every day despite that life can be messy, complicated, stressful, and downright disagreeable. Here are some of the everyday things I’m grateful to have in my life:

My cats, my family, my friends, coffee, chocolate, sweatpants, wine, Cheez-Its, a great book, board games, the good health of my loved ones, when the Miami Dolphins win (this one is happening less and less), when a cat gets adopted, my Fitbit, leopard print, nature, trips to the beach, Netflix, feeding my birds and squirrels, Facebook, talking to a real person on the phone (this is also happening less and less), Photoshop, riding our Harley, wearing cat ears, Christmas cookies, chia seeds, family photo albums, my iPhone 7plus, yarn & crocheting, popcorn, music, when people are kind to one another, fun fonts, having a job and being able to pay my bills, the privilege of having food to eat every day, a safe home to live in, and the freedom to be me.

How about you all? What are some of the everyday things in your life you’re grateful for? Have a blessed day from all of us at Zee & Zoey’s, and as I do every year, here’s my favorite picture of my gang for Thanksgiving and a visual reminder that despite what certain kitties might tell you, NOT ALL FOODS ARE SAFE FOR THEM TO EAT!

Can someone please hurry up with this blog post and say grace so we can eat!

It can be stressful for us to leave our kitties when we travel but it’s also stressful for them and they shouldn’t be left alone without supervision.

Halloween has come and gone, so its officially that time of year when the holidays – Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s – rapidly descend upon us. For many of us, our lives become completely topsy-turvy, especially for those that pack their bags to go visit with friends and family for some, or all of these special days. In these instances, even if it’s just for an overnight stay, if you’re a cat parent, it’s important to make arrangements for your feline friend and not leave her unattended because her life has become topsy-turvy as well. Read more

Zee, very busy assisting with our home renovation project.

Dan used to lament that Zee, our brown tabby Maine Coon I got for him as a kitten as a housewarming gift when he moved in with me in 2005, did not grow into the cuddly lap cat he was hoping for. But Zee was perpetually busy. It began with him instigating rabbit-kick fighting with our adult Ragdoll cat, Jazz, (twice his size), and when we renovated our house a few months after Dan moved in, he was curiously involved in every aspect of it, as the tell-tale paint on his tail and spackle on his ears would reveal. Cuddling? Who had time for that? Read more