{"id":17313,"date":"2016-11-17T00:10:58","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T05:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/?p=17313"},"modified":"2016-11-15T14:20:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-15T19:20:17","slug":"its-finally-here-makin-biscuits-weird-cat-habits-and-the-even-weirder-habits-of-the-humans-who-love-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/its-finally-here-makin-biscuits-weird-cat-habits-and-the-even-weirder-habits-of-the-humans-who-love-them\/","title":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s Finally Here! Makin&#8217; Biscuits &#8211; Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_17314\" style=\"width: 370px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17314\" class=\"borderGreen wp-image-17314\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review.jpg\" alt=\"makinbiscuits-review\" width=\"360\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review.jpg 900w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review-683x1024.jpg 683w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17314\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Makin&#8217; Biscuits by Deborah Barnes, ZZP Publishing, LLC.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It happened nearly two years ago &#8211; I got out of the shower one morning and bent over to wrap my wet hair with a towel. Moments later, I felt something land on top of my head &#8211; it was Mia, my extroverted cat who normally didn&#8217;t like close-up human contact. For whatever reason, she had decided it was the perfect place to settle for a\u00a0nap. Being that I&#8217;ve had cats my entire\u00a0life, I was accustomed to them doing weird things, but this was odd, even for my standards, and that&#8217;s when the idea of a book of weird cat habits formed in my toweled, cat-covered head.\u00a0<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I decided to test it out. Was there enough cat weirdness out there for a whole book? I issued an open call to\u00a0cat lovers everywhere I could think of, asking them to share some of the odd\u00a0things their cats had done (or some of the weird things they had done for the love of a cat) and the verdict was clear &#8211; Mia&#8217;s weird was only the tip of the weird yardstick and so it began. I compiled stories I received from people across the globe &#8211; bloggers, authors, celebrities, musicians, cat behaviorists, family members, friends, and more &#8211; all\u00a0who were\u00a0gracious enough to share a kitty anecdote or two. Fast forward to present day and several long months later, and\u00a0I&#8217;m proud to officially announce\u00a0the release of <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits &#8211; Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17318\" style=\"width: 470px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/1.Intro-a.Deb-and-Mia.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17318\" class=\"borderGreen wp-image-17318\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/1.Intro-a.Deb-and-Mia.jpg\" alt=\"1-intro-a-deb-and-mia\" width=\"460\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/1.Intro-a.Deb-and-Mia.jpg 500w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/1.Intro-a.Deb-and-Mia-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/1.Intro-a.Deb-and-Mia-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17318\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mia and I bonding after I got out of the shower. How weird am I? I stayed in that stooped position for so long, enjoying the attention from her, that I was nearly late for work!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It was an interesting process. I initially thought the book would consist strictly of people sharing some of the crazy things their cats had done, but as I started to collect the stories, I noticed behavioral patterns emerging in the submissions and I began to question the behaviors. <em>Why were cats doing all these weird things?<\/em> After some research, it became evident cats do the things they do because that\u2019s how they\u2019re instinctually wired, not just because it\u2019s a random weird habit.<\/p>\n<p>Once I made the connection, I knew I wanted the book to explore the feline mindset alongside the strange habits by explaining why these behaviors occur in the first place, as well as to offer well-researched, practical advice to help cat guardians provide their feline friends with the proper resources and environment to ensure they can live an optimally happy and healthy life.<\/p>\n<p>I grouped the common behaviors\u00a0into like-minded chapters, such as the one entitled &#8220;You Can Pet Me, Just Don&#8217;t Touch Me,&#8221; in which I discuss the tendency some cats have of not wanting to be held or touched, even though they otherwise enjoy attention. Each chapter begins by me narrating a story about my own gang (they&#8217;re an endless source of material) and segues to a &#8220;Mews From Others&#8221; section where I share anecdotes from other cat lovers, and ends with a &#8220;Purr Points to Ponder&#8221; section of information, advice, and tips to help readers\u00a0understand and bond with their feline charges.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17319\" style=\"width: 470px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2.Zoey-Lick-Rev1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17319\" class=\"borderGreen wp-image-17319\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2.Zoey-Lick-Rev1.jpg\" alt=\"2-zoey-lick-rev1\" width=\"460\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2.Zoey-Lick-Rev1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2.Zoey-Lick-Rev1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/2.Zoey-Lick-Rev1-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17319\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zoey is the epitome of a &#8220;you can pet me, just don&#8217;t touch me&#8221; kind of cat!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It&#8217;s a fun book to read &#8211; warm, lighthearted, and candid. You&#8217;ll relate to many of the stories I share and I promise you&#8217;ll smile on more than one occasion, like I did when I read the submission from blogger Sandra MacGregor of <a href=\"http:\/\/hairballsandhissyfits.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">hairballsandhissyfits.com<\/a> who was convinced she had a burglar in her house when she heard a loud, thumping noise in the middle of the night &#8211; it was her cat, Amarula, carrying one of her winter boots up the steps!<\/p>\n<p>But there is a larger issue at hand as well. I wrote <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits<\/em> to help make a difference in cat welfare. Each chapter gives practical advice to enhance the feline-human bond; or to enlighten readers on certain subjects, such as the need for spay\/neuter to help reduce the staggering numbers of cats in shelters; or to\u00a0provide readers with resources, tips, and advice to correct common behavioral problems that can land a cat into a shelter, such as litter box issues or scratching furniture.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17325\" style=\"width: 470px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/8.KizScratch.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17325\" class=\"borderGreen wp-image-17325\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/8.KizScratch.jpg\" alt=\"8-kizscratch\" width=\"460\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/8.KizScratch.jpg 500w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/8.KizScratch-300x163.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17325\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In the chapter, &#8220;Love Hurts,&#8221; I explain why it&#8217;s so important for a cat to have lots of safe and kitty-appropriate scratching options available to him or her.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Many of the stories will be from people you&#8217;ll recognize, like Vanna White, hostess of <em>Wheel of Fortune<\/em> and Carrie Ann Inaba of <em>Dancing with the Stars<\/em>. And many stories are from people you probably won&#8217;t know, but everyone has one thing in common &#8211; they love their feline friends, many of them going to extremes to prove it (if you don&#8217;t believe me, just wait until you read about veterinarian, Dr. Cynthia Rigoni, who once stole a barn cat to perform a life-saving operation on her after she had been kicked by a horse as a kitten). <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits<\/em> also features a special foreword by New York Times bestselling author, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gwencooper.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gwen Cooper<\/a> of <em>Homer&#8217;s Odyssey<\/em> and is endorsed by many top cat experts in field, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drmartybecker.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Marty Becker<\/a>, &#8220;America&#8217;s Veterinarian,&#8221; contributor to <em>Good Morning America<\/em> and <em>The Dr. Oz Show<\/em>, and three-time bestselling author of 25 pet-related books.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a great book on all levels &#8211; entertaining, educational, informative, and easy to read. It will make a wonderful\u00a0gift not only for yourself, but for any cat lover on your list. <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits<\/em> is available in both print and electronic formats and all purchasing options can be found\u00a0at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.makinbiscuitsbook.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.makinbiscuitsbook.com<\/a>. For those that would like to order an autographed copy directly from me (each book ordered directly comes with a custom bookmark and a tissue gift wrap sleeve), email me at <a href=\"mailto:info@zzppublishing.com\" target=\"_blank\">info@zzppublishing.com<\/a> for details.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17321\" style=\"width: 470px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Jazmine.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17321\" class=\"borderGreen wp-image-17321 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Jazmine.jpg\" alt=\"jazmine\" width=\"460\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Jazmine.jpg 460w, https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Jazmine-300x293.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17321\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This is Jazmine in her full, biscuit makin&#8217; glory!! It&#8217;s no wonder I wanted her for the cover of the book!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I want to thank all of you that helped bring <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits<\/em> to life &#8211; from those that provided personal endorsements, to those that provided submissions &#8211; I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. And a special thank you to cartoonist <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stephaniepiro.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Stephanie Piro<\/a> who created the incredible illustration of my Jazmine for the cover. Like most cats, Jazmine is obsessed with making biscuits &#8211; hence the title of the book &#8211; and I knew all along I wanted her to be my sweet and whimsical cover cat girl!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/hearts.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14490 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/hearts.png\" alt=\"hearts\" width=\"71\" height=\"30\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow <em>Makin&#8217; Biscuits<\/em> on Facebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MakinBiscuitsBook\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.facebook.com\/makinbiscuitsbook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow Makin Biscuits on Twitter: @Makin_Biscuits<\/p>\n<p><strong>Details:<\/strong> Paperback, 280 pages with black and white photos. Print copy retails for USD$16.95 and electronic version USD$5.99.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It happened nearly two years ago &#8211; I got out of the shower one morning and bent over to wrap my wet hair with a towel. Moments later, I felt something land on top of my head &#8211; it was Mia, my extroverted cat who normally didn&#8217;t like close-up human contact. For whatever reason, she [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1098,365,1092,1233],"tags":[175,1102,345,249],"class_list":["post-17313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cat-behavior","category-cat-humor","category-jazmine","category-makin-biscuits-book","tag-cat-behavior","tag-cat-books","tag-cat-habits","tag-feline-human-bond"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/MakinBiscuits-Review.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17313"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17331,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17313\/revisions\/17331"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}