September is Happy Cat Month, a month created by the CATalyst Council to assist in spreading the word about the health, welfare, and value of cats as companion pets, as well as to educate cat guardians what they can do to ensure their pet is happy.

Making sure a cat’s basic needs are met – food and water, safe shelter, clean litter, and regular veterinarian checkups are all important to that happiness, but it’s also important to provide a cat with fun and stimulating challenges that cater to their natural predator instincts to keep their minds sharp, their bodies fit, and their hearts happy and healthy.

It could be a cat condo that provides options for climbing, hiding, and scratching, or sometimes it’s an empty box, an unmade bed, or a puddle of sunshine to nap in. Or maybe it’s an unexpected treat, or a fun, catnip toy, or just the simple love and companionship from fellow catmates, or human caregivers.

Just some of the many things that make my cats happy!

A few more things…

Whatever it is, nothing gives me greater joy than knowing I’m making my cats happy, because the happiness they bring to my heart and home is returned a thousand times over. What are some of the little things you like to do for your cats to make them happy?

While the worst of it is over and I’m grateful for the success of my recent vitrectomy eye surgery, the recovery period was intensely difficult and one that gave me an unexpected virtual perspective of the life of my cats. For nearly two weeks, I was confined to a 3’ x 4’ cushion on the couch. I had to remain in a seated position, with my head upright, including when I was sleeping. After day 10, I was in tears, exhausted from the monotony, and it hit me like a lightning bolt – this is what it must be like to be a cat, captive to the 24/7 same old, same old of whatever world we provide for them. Read more

This is an older photo, but it gives you a sense of me at home on Tuesday prior to surgery.

Tuesday, June 26^th was a hectic day. I was squeezing every last thing I could possibly jam into my life prior to 12:30 p.m., the designated time Dan was going to drive me to my scheduled vitrectomy surgery to remove a macular pucker that had developed my left eye after I had emergency laser surgery in January to repair a tear in my retina.  I did laundry. I cleaned my office. I paid my bills and like a mad lunatic, I sent about a dozen emails to various people at my day job, outlining projects they were already fully aware of what needed to be done with. Read more

As the Project Manager for the military department, I dig in – whether stepping in to help production on the floor – or managing tedious contracts and paperwork in my office to ensure all our orders get out on time.

I work for a manufacturing company, managing the shipment of products for our military department. It’s both a physically and mentally challenging job, with lots of critical deadlines that have to be met, and when I leave for the day I’m already exhausted. My drive home is stressful – the traffic crawls and the roads are not equipped for the heavy flow of drivers, meaning sometimes you have to wait for several light cycles to turn green before you can even move forward from one intersection to the next. My point being, I’m completely drained by the time I walk in the door and all I want to do is grab a glass of wine and put on my comfy sweatpants. Read more

Happy 10th Birthday to my beautiful leopard kitty!

My sweet Zoey was born on April 9, 2008 and it’s so hard to believe that 10 years have zoomed by so quickly. Zoey is the love of my life and I adore every bone in her quirky little body. She’s the ultimate yin and yang of her own self. She’s both sweet and snarly. Aloof but loving. And quiet when she wants to be left alone, but alarmingly loud when she wants attention, normally about 5:00 a.m.

Happy birthday my darling girl. For your special day, I thought I’d share a photo montage from the day we first got you to present.

Zoey came into our lives on June 14, 2008. She was a tiny thing and practically fit into the palm of my hand back then. This was her first picture in our home.

On 2/12/2009 Zoey had a litter of kittens. We kept 3 of them – Mia, Peanut, and Rolz. The 4th – Zeuss Catt moved on to Boston. These kittens have forever changed our lives and Zoey was an incredibly proud and loving mama.

In 2010 Zoey had enough of motherhood and looked forward to moments in our backyard when we’d bring her out on a leash to explore the world.

In 2011 Zoey matured into a beautiful cat with a gorgeous coat that mimicked that of a leopard in the wild.

When Zee and Zoey first met in 2008, it was love at first sight. Zee is the father of Zoey’s kittens and years later in 2012, they were still madly in love.

2013 – Zoey is a true sun goddess. If there is a sliver of sunshine to be found, she will find it.

All the cats love to nap in the guest bedroom that has a window view. This was 2014 and a bittersweet moment – Zoey shares the space with her now grown kittens, as well as Harley who unexpectedly passed on a few months later.

One of my all-time favorite pictures. This was 2015 – Zoey has been sleeping on my lap when I sit on the couch ever since she’s been a young cat. This rare moment was the whole gang sharing the couch with me – Zee, Zoey, Mia, Peanut, Rolz, Kizmet, and Jazmine.

2016 – Zee and Zoey still remain a couple in love.

Zoey loves Christmas, typically enjoying a nap under the tree. This is her with Zee, Mia, and Rolz in 2017.

2018 – my girl has matured into such a beautiful cat. How can it be that 10 years have gone by?

Thank you for letting me share my trip down memory lane. I hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I did!