The gang’s all here! Zoey, Mia, Peanut, Rolz, Kizmet, Jazmine, and Shadow.

Technically speaking, I’m not a childless cat lady. I gave birth to two wonderful sons way back in the dinosaur age of the 1980s. But, if you do the math, they’ve been adults for eons, and I haven’t had to provide for their food, shelter, or basic needs for many years. My current gang of seven cats, however, is a different story. Ranging in ages from five to sixteen, I do provide them with food, shelter, and more daily. At this point in my life, I may as well be a childless cat lady. Read more

Kizmet is using my head as a pillow. He lives for these happy moments and so do I.

Kizmet is an “I’m happy if I can be sleeping on my beloved human’s head,” kind of cat. Politics is not his thing to pontificate, nor as his human, is it mine. However, with today the 4th of July, 248 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it’s hard not to think of politics as America ponders its future.  Today is also Kizmet’s 12th birthday and the only wish he has, is the same one I have: regardless of where you stand, or what your beliefs are, we hope we can come together as a race, with compassion, empathy, tolerance, and fairness.

Happy 12th Birthday, Kizmet!

Take care everyone, and be safe. And don’t forget,  the 4th of July can be a rough, scary, and dangerous time for our feline friends. Please visit here for my previous post on how to keep our cats safe and secure during the 4th of July festivities and the hot, summer days.

Kizmet from November, 2012. This was a few days after we adopted him from Pet Supermarket (he had been found, abandoned on the side of the road as a kitten).

Happy 15th birthday to Mia, Peanut, Rolz, and Zeuss!

It’s the “kittens” 15th birthday! That’s a biggie! I’m happy and excited for them, but it’s also a bittersweet happiness, as this darn clock of life keeps moving ahead, seemingly at a quicker pace the older I get. I want it to slow down so I can spend more time with them, not less! Fifteen years ago, but it almost seems like yesterday… I will never forget the day they were born. Before that, Dan and I were on pins and needles, waiting for their birth. We could hardly wait to “meet” our newest feline house members and we doted (some might say, obsessively so) on Mama Zoey day and night in anticipation of their arrival. Read more

Beautiful Jazmine in all her peach fuzz glory.

The Pantone Color Institute named its 2024 color of the year, PANTONE 13-1023 “Peach Fuzz,” declaring our need for compassion and human connection in the year ahead. It’s a velvety and soothing tone meant to represent “our desire to nurture ourselves and others” and “whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.” For Jazmine, our feline diva cloaked in luxurious peachy, fuzzy fur, the announcement was met with some dismay, because to her, every year should be the year of Peach Fuzz. Truth is, she has a valid point. The correlation between the power of peach fuzz and feline fur to enrich one’s mind, body, and soul is a strong one indeed, and one that should not be overlooked. Read more

November is Adopt a Senior Pet month, and with five of our seven cats officially seniors, it’s hard not to dwell on their age. International Cat Care states, “Feline ages and life stages have been redefined. Cats are elderly once they reach 11 years, with senior cats defined as those aged between 11 and 14 and geriatric cats 15 years and upwards.”

That means my Zoey, who was just a tiny kitten a mere fraction of a minute ago in my mind, is now geriatric at 15 years of age. It’s tough to wrap my head around the notion, as she looks and acts as young as ever. Age is but a number to her. Her most recent checkup came back with great results, and she’s as spry, alert, and overly vocal as ever. The only thing the vet recommended was some B-12 to help support her metabolic processes, and thankfully, she happily eats her Cobalequin chewable tablets with no fuss. Her eyes remain bright and clear, and her fur is as soft as silk, too, with no grooming issues. Read more