Early on the morning of February 12, 2009, four gloriously beautiful and healthy kittens were born to cat mom, Zoey, and cat dad, Zee. We kept three of the kittens – Peanut, Rolz, and Mia. And the fourth, Zeuss Catt, moved to his wonderful forever family in Boston, MA. How absolutely surreal is it, then, that thirteen years later we are all seniors! The “kittens” are 13, which equates to 68 human years according to the guidelines of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).* I’m 61, clearly a senior and so are Zee and Zoey. Read more

I’ve been working remotely from home on and off since March 2020 when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and President Donald J. Trump declared a nationwide emergency. I actually prefer it – I’m highly efficient in a home environment, I don’t need supervision, I don’t have to worry about commuting, I don’t have to stress over health issues associated with my eyesight, and I’m grateful for any extra time I’m able to spend with my cats who are also thrilled when I’m home all day.

Last week, I got the news I’ll be working permanently from home. While I’m happy about the change it doesn’t come without challenges. One of them being my physical fitness because if I don’t make a conscious effort to step away from my computer for some exercise, I could be sitting for hours on end without a break. Not healthy. Now, imagine your indoor cat – in a sense, they have always been working remotely, trapped in whatever four-wall environment we have created for them, and their need for exercise is equally important. As guardians of our pets, it’s up to us to provide them with the exercise and stimulation they need to keep their bodies fit and their minds sharp because the fact is, a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy for us and it is unhealthy for a cat, too. Read more

The best rule of thumb – decorate with faux flowers, and if you’re not sure if a plant is poisonous, look it up at www.petpoisonhelpline.com

Thanksgiving is over. December is here, and there’s a cool nip in the air which can mean only one thing – for many of us it begins the mad dash of holiday decorating, shopping, baking, and more. It can be a wonderful time of year, but it can also bring certain dangers to our feline friends, especially all those gorgeous plants associated with the holidays, such as poinsettias, mistletoe, lilies, holly, amaryllises, and paperwhites, to name a few. Read more

It’s National Cat Day, what else can I possibly say?

Hmm…shall we start with my house?

Mine is a kingdom ruled by eight feisty felines, and certainly nary a mouse.

The living room is lived in – oh yes, it is – with dozens of cat beds, kitty trees, and blankets scattered about.

Psst…need a toy? Just come over here, under the couch!

Add to that the mountain of cat toys – what would you like – squeaky, feathers, fur, or stuffed? Let me check, I’m sure I can find what you like under the couch.

Or perhaps you’d prefer some peace and quiet?

Did I mention I have eight felines, so every day is quite the rambunctious riot.

Never mind that how about you just sleep in? Just remember, with my cats, anything past 5:00 a.m. is considered a sin.

Weekday, weekend, the time has no boundaries when you’re a cat.

Chop, chop out of bed, human, the howls start. Time to feed us breakfast, who cares if it’s pitch dark.

I stumble out of bed, an athlete at her best, maneuvering a feline obstacle course as I strive to walk to the kitchen without a misstep.

The feeding begins – this one gets this, and that one gets that. No wait, it’s that one gets this, and this one gets that.

Feeding time is always an ordeal when you have 8 hungry cats with individual diet needs!

Pick up the dishes and on to the next, scooping the litterbox and moving on to the rest.

If you scoop it, they will come.

Scoop I do, followed by pooh. Scoop again, kitty says thank you. A clean box for me, now here’s a new gift for you.

The day ends with me on the couch. Like a moth to a light, I become covered in cat. It’s a glorious moment and I think to myself, National Cat Day, that’s every day in my house.

Happiness is being with happy cats!

National Cat Day was founded in 2005 by Colleen Paige, a pet and family lifestyle expert, in support of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their life for the unconditional love and companionship they bring us.

I realize it’s been forever since I posted and I wanted to let you know all is well, just many personal and work-related commitments that have been keeping me busy and off the radar. Now that the world is starting to normalize a bit more, I wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a wonderful summer before time escaped me and to share some tips to keep our cats safe, happy, and healthy during this time of year, as they can be adversely affected by the upcoming 4th of July, the searing summer temperatures, and the influx of gatherings that will be occurring in the months to come as we begin to invite more family and friends back into our homes. Read more