Editors Note: I was driving to a dental appointment yesterday, planning in my head the new post I was going to write for World Spay Day. When I got to the office, naturally I had to wait, so I opened up my phone to check my emails. It was then I saw the devastating news that a dear cat loving friend of mine, Darlene Arden, had succumbed to her long fight against ovarian cancer. Darlene was a huge advocate for cat care and she and I initially struck up a friendship as fellow members of the Cat Writers’ Association back in 2012.

As time went on, our relationship took a unique turn. She turned me on to my most beloved, guilty pleasure – playing a game called Fairyland on Facebook. She warned me once I started the game that I’d become addicted and she was right! She and I had a ball growing our gardens and sharing conversations with one another that way.

She was also part of my most recent book, Makin’ Biscuits – Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them. When I reached out to her to let her know I included her book The Complete Cat’s Meow – Everything You Need to Know About Caring for Your Cats as a resource in Makin’ Biscuits, I know that pleased her to no end. She didn’t always love social media but she did love Twitter and I was so honored that she tweeted to her followers that they needed to add Makin’ Biscuits to their library! 

That was Darlene. She had a sharp wit and a sharp tongue. She was brutally honest and pulled no punches. She didn’t believe much in competition – her thought was simple – she wanted to help cats, so why not cross-promote the work of others? In her memory, I am sharing a post from last year that I wrote for World Spay Day. I’m just not capable of new words at the moment – I’m going to take a break and go play Fairyland while thinking of the times we shared together. 

It only takes one brief encounter for a female cat who is not spayed to become pregnant – please share this informative graphic to help spread the word.

While every day is a good day to promote the virtues of spay/neuter – not only as a safe and humane means of reducing cat overpopulation – but as a procedure to help ensure your cat live a longer, happier, and healthy life, with today being World Spay Day, it makes it all the more relevant. It’s a concept I like to call “Spay it Forward,” meaning we need to put as much factual and useful information as we can into tiny, digestible sound-bites so it can easily be shared to educate and impact change. To aid in the effort, to follow are some basic 101’s of kittens, cats, conception, cat overpopulation, and how spay/neuter relates to it all. Read more

It’s Valentine’s Day and I love my cats dearly. But sometimes with love, comes pain. That’s what I discuss in the chapter entitled “Love Hurts” in my book Makin’ Biscuits – Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them. Like the time Zee used Dan’s head as a launch pad to fling himself across the room in pursuit of whatever dangerous predator fabricated itself in our living room. Or like when Peanut makes biscuits on my tummy with such gusto that my stomach starts to gurgle in protest because it feels like she’s rearranging my innards! Or when Zoey attacks my toes when I sit on the couch because she thinks they are monsters that are going to harm me! Read more

Despite coming from the same parents and living in the same house their whole lives, and despite the similarity in their spotted pattern, Rolz, Mia, and Peanut couldn’t be more different from one another! This was them at about 12 weeks.

Noooooooooooooooooooo!!! Another year couldn’t have possibly flown by, but alas, it has! Seems like just yesterday I shared a post about Mia, Peanut, and Rolz turning 7, and now I’m sharing one to wish them a happy 8th birthday! So, without further adieu, Happy 8th Birthday to my precious, sweet darlings! Despite your adult age, you will always be kittens in my heart and I love you all so very much. I’ve watched you grow up – literally from the time you were in your mama Zoey’s belly, to now, where you’ve grown into such distinctly unique and wonderful beings. Read more

Timeless words to remember and live by as we begin 2017.

It’s 2017 and as we venture into a new year it’s time once again to reflect on life. Rather than focus on resolutions, I like to focus on a particular mindset to guide me through the days. I’ve been doing it for several years now and having a clear focus helps me to balance my mental and physical health,  emotional clarity and well-being, and the direction I want to take my professional and personal life. Read more

Sharing a lovely photo moment with my sweet Jazmine.

From our house to yours, holidays wishes from all of us at Zee and Zoey’s Cat Chronicles for a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, or whatever you may celebrate this time of year. We hope you are blessed with a beautiful day and wishes for a happy, content, and peaceful upcoming New Year.

Love from all of us – Deb, Dan, Zee, Zoey, Mia, Peanut, Rolz, Kizmet, and Jazmine.

Some of you may have already seen this, but for those of you that haven’t, I thought I’d share our holiday card from this year. This is Rolz and Jazmine.