When Zee first arrived at our house on November 12, 2005, he was a tiny, fuzzy brown tabby 9-week-old Maine Coon kitten I gave Dan as a housewarming gift when he moved in with me. He joined furmates, Bandit (a dog), and cats Kit, Jazz, and Harley, all long since angels. How he would change our lives could not have been predicted at the time, but he quickly stole our hearts and it was evident early on he was a very special cat. 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

30, 40, 50, 60…Typically these are milestone birthdays, not 61. But for me this year, when I turned 61 last month on September 26, it was a milestone, because it’s a day I’ll never forget. Maybe it’s because last year when I turned 60, it was rather anti-climactic. It’s not that I wanted pomp and circumstance and a big celebration, but Covid thwarted everything anyhow, making the day a quiet hurrah as I celebrated at home with Dan and the cats. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but the day didn’t have the impact I thought 60 would bring. Read more

When you’re a parent you never want to see your child suffering. From infancy when you hear a cry in the middle of the night, coming from the room where your child is sleeping, causing you to bolt from bed to care for someone who is utterly reliant on you for their very survival, to a toddler with a scraped knee that you kiss to make them feel better, to those first break-ups or awful moments of peer pressure that most teenagers have to deal with, that you try ever so gently to reassure them are not the end of the world, even though it seems so to them. Even when they become adults, the instinct to protect and shield them from suffering doesn’t end. Read more

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