When April showers don’t bring May flowers, the best thing to do is improvise… especially when it involves a sweet kitty!

They say “April showers bring May flowers.” I’m not sure who “they” is. Here in South Florida, April was a really dry month and as a result, some of our outdoor flowers have been suffering. But to keep in spirit with the saying, I thought I’d share some May flowers – just the kind that don’t require any rain!

That’s our sweet Jazmine from 2014 – doesn’t she just melt your heart? She looks like such a baby there! She’s all grown up now, with a full and fluffy coat to boot! Have a great Wednesday everyone – and what’s the weather been like where you are?

Jazmine… you embrace all the wonderfulness there is in weird and we love you all the more for it!

On another note, I want to thank everyone thus far who has contributed snippets on the weird, strange, or crazy habits their cat has for my upcoming book project. I’ve gotten some really great responses and I’m so happy to see the stories.

If you haven’t sent anything yet, you still have plenty of time – the submission deadline is Sunday, May 22, so put on your thinking-cats and give it a whirl. And don’t forget, it doesn’t necessarily have to be weird cat habits or behaviors – it could be the weird habits YOU have as a result of loving cats so much!!

For further information on submission details and examples of what I am looking for, please visit the following post, Got Cat Weird? Open Submissions for Upcoming Zee/Zoey Publication!

I also want to thank Katie, Waffles, and Debbie Glovatsy of Glogirly. They put together a fantastic post, debating which crazy thing Waffles did was the craziest. Please be sure to stop by and offer your insight – you can even vote on which scenario you think would make the better submission!!

Thank you again – I will share more details about what the book will be about in the months to come, but for now, I’m keeping the cat in the bag. But the bottom line is this – far too many people think cats are solitary creatures – too standoffish and aloof to make great pets. All of us know that’s just nuts! Sure, some cats can be quiet, or aloof, or independent, but that’s fine.

They can also be funny, silly, quirky, charming, and so much more. Just like people, they come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and personalities and we should love them for their uniqueness! They make incredible, loving companions and we want more of them to be adopted in forever homes!!

If you’ve got a cat with a great story to tell, we’d love to hear from you!

Cat sleep on your head? Bring you gifts at night? Act like a dog? Steal your food? Cause you to LOL or scratch your head in puzzlement with whatever funny, strange, silly, or oddball behavior they are exhibiting at the moment? The weirder the better and I say bring it on! As a matter of fact, I’m reaching out to you, my dear Zee/Zoey readers, with an opportunity to be featured in my next book (title to be disclosed at a future date) to share the zany!

I know you’ve seen it firsthand – let’s face it, if you read this blog, you’re already an expert in cat weird. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to be featured in a book about cats?! It’s simple – all I need is a few sentences or a very brief paragraph (75 words or less) describing either the weirdest habit your cat has (or had – this can be an angel cat), OR the weirdest habit YOU have as a result of being a cat parent.

Let me give you a cat parent example – regardless of the fact I know I lock the front door when I leave the house for work, I will still shake on the handle several times to make sure. Then in an act of complete paranoia, after I walk a few steps away, I will walk back to the door to check it again to make sure it’s locked. I know, weird, huh?

How about a weird cat habit? Hmmm… my cat Mia likes to jump up on top of my head to settle in for a nap after I get out of the shower and wrap my head in a towel.

So, you tell me – what weird do you have to share? Strange stuff your cat eats, litter box etiquette, weird toys your cat likes to play with, outrageous stuff your cat has done to your boyfriend, or odd places your cat likes to nap. Or maybe your cat has done something heroic, like woken you up to let you know you left the stove on. Or how about you – just what crazy lengths have you gone to for the love of your cat – the sky’s the limit when it comes to stuff we can share and I welcome thoughts across the board.

Now that you’ve got an idea of what I’m looking for, I’ll fill you in on the basics. I’m writing the book – the input I get from you is to compliment the story and is not the book itself – that’s why I only want very brief examples to pepper within the book. The bottom line is, with over 70 million cats living on the streets and in shelters, I want to bust the myth that cats are too aloof and independent to make good pets (a reason they are often passed up for adoption) by writing a book that exposes all the wonderful personality quirks cats have that make them so endearing!

I’m hoping for a fall/winter 2016 publication date, but I really won’t know for sure until I get closer to completing the project. If you’d like to participate, please send me your crazy to info@zzppublishing.com for consideration. Be sure to include your name and how you would want me to credit you in the book if chosen. For example, Your Name, Title/Occupation, City, and State. And if you have a picture to document the weirdness, even better! I can’t say it will be used, but you never know (high-resolution photos only 240dpi or 300dpi).

I’ll keep you in the loop as things progress – I’m super excited for this new project and I think you’ll love it too!! Submissions are open world-wide – if you are chosen, I will send a standard follow-up permissions form for you to sign and we can go from there!

Thanks everyone! I look forward to hearing from you and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Oh spam… how do I hate thee… let me count the ways…

Once again my love/hate relationship with technology continues. I marvel at the endless capabilities at our fingertips to make our lives easier, yet ironically all this convenience seems to cost more time in the long run. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel nearly every day I am wasting away precious minutes of my life as I try to fix whatever glitch, upgrade, conversion, or whatever else that crops up out of nowhere to make what was running smoothly one day, now an inexplicable living nightmare the next. Read more

Cats, hats, books, reading, and Dr. Seuss – it truly doesn’t get much better and that’s why today is one of my favorite days! Click image to enlarge.

When it comes to me and my life, a cat on my lap will more than suffice.

A cat on my lap with a good book to read, I can tell you honestly that’s all I really need.

A cat on my lap for me to pet, I really would be absolutely set!

Perhaps a cup of espresso too, if you wouldn’t mind, thank you.

And while you’re at it, if it’s not too much trouble, could you rush it and make it a double?

That’s all for now, my leg is asleep, the cat won’t move and I don’t dare make a peep… Read more

Happy 7th Birthday to three of my favorite felines – Rolz, Mia, and Peanut

I remember the day like it was yesterday – Zoey was pregnant and nearly bursting at the seams. She came into my bedroom early on the morning of February 12, 2009, to wake me up to let me know she wanted me to be with her. It was still pitch dark and I grabbed my robe to follow her into the living room where I curled up with her on the couch. Her silky body was toasty warm and she tucked herself into the crook of my belly, purring up a loud storm. Read more