Books | Books

Author Gwen Cooper Sees the World Through Her Cat's Eyes

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:00:00 -0800

Cats know our secrets. They watch us rush through our morning routines, celebrate our triumphs, and weather the ups and downs of our relationships. When our feline roommates perch on the windowsill or hunker down beneath the couch to observe our daily dramas, believes bestselling author Gwen Cooper, they understand more than we think they do.

"Cats are predators, so they, by design, are going to notice very small changes in posture, expression, body language, and even the way we smell," Cooper says. "I think on a really fundamental level, they do understand [our emotions], because they notice so many of the small details that we do not notice in each other."

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Gwen Cooper and her cat Homer

As members of such an astute audience, cats could tell one heck of a tale. That's why Cooper's new novel, Love Saves the Day, has a feline narrator.

The fictional tale explores human relationships from the perspective of a precocious cat named Prudence, who lives with a woman named Sarah. When Sarah does not come home one day, Prudence moves in with Sarah's newly married daughter, Laura. As Laura and Prudence get to know each other, they "help each other with the healing process and rediscover the joy in their shared memories of this person who they both lost," Cooper says. With Prudence's help, Laura also finally has a chance to heal from her difficult relationship with her mother.

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Homer has been hitting the catnip pretty hard.

To master Prudence's voice, Cooper channeled her own cat, Scarlett, a classically aloof princess who loved Cooper and Cooper alone. Many of Cooper's fans will remember Scarlett from Homer's Odyssey, Cooper's coming-of-age memoir about her life with blind "wonder cat" Homer, who taught her to live and love fearlessly.

"Writing from a cat’s perspective, I didn’t want a feline narrator who was too kind of cloyingly in love with humans to be able to observe them without a certain kind of objectivity," Cooper says. "So I figured Scarlett was the perfect cat for that."

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Cooper channeled her cat Scarlett while writing from the perspective of a kitty in "Love Saves the Day."

Through its third-party examination of the mother-daughter dynamic, Love Saves the Day reveals how our relationships with our pets can strengthen our relationships with people, a theme Cooper also explored in Homer's Odyssey. She believes that loving and caring for her cats has made her a better person by connecting her with the best parts of herself.

"Love is love, whether the love goes on two legs or four," Cooper says. "And love is never wasted. It’s not something you just throw out there and get nothing back in terms of your own growth. Just the experience of caring for someone and loving someone else is always going to be meaningful and enriching. I think that’s definitely true of our relationship with animals."

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The human-animal bond is especially important when the going gets tough. Recently, Homer has been suffering from health problems; according to Facebook posts, for a while Cooper was not sure that Homer would live to see the new year. Considering all that Homer has overcome, that's quite a statement. He entered Cooper's life 16 years ago as a malnourished, unwanted kitten whose eyes had been surgically removed due to severe infection, and he grew into a sleek, confident daredevil who could catch a fly in midair. When he became ill and Cooper took him to the vet for blood work, she received some startling news.

"The phrase that the vet used was that his numbers were incompatible with life, which is a really harsh thing to hear," Cooper says. "It’s basically saying this cat should already be dead. But he’s really rallied in the last few weeks. He’s eating really well, and he plays and purrs. This is obviously a cat that has a remarkably strong constitution, but we’re just very grateful that he continues to do so well."

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Homer happily licks some string.

Love Saves the Day is scheduled to come out today. For her Love Saves the Day tour, rather than bookstores Cooper is partnering with Arm & Hammer Ultra-Last Cat Litter and visiting 15 no-kill animal shelters across the country. Each shelter will receive donations of Arm & Hammer litter and various other supplies. The tour is still in the early stages of planning, so watch Cooper's website, Twitter, and Facebook for further announcements and shelter selection criteria.

According to Cooper, private corporate financing for a national book tour -- especially a tour not held in bookstores -- is highly unorthodox. She is thrilled to have Arm & Hammer's support and "commitment to improving the lives of cats everywhere."

"I wanted to do a book tour of shelters instead of bookstores, because love does save the day for so many unwanted and abandoned animals through the work of shelters," Cooper adds. "What I’m hoping will happen is that, between Arm & Hammer and me, we can select shelters that are doing incredible things and let the communities know about the incredible volunteers they have right in their midst."

Arne Svenson's Gorgeous Photo Book Celebrates "Strays"

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 07:00:00 -0800

If your cat-loving holiday giftee is an aficionado of avant-garde art, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more on-point present than Strays. This gorgeous coffee-table tome collects portraits of abandoned kittens striking all sorts of playful, kittenish poses.

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The richly colorful images by fine-art photographer Arne Svenson are interspersed with wordy yarn-balls tantalizingly tangled by the likes of Henry Alford, John Berendt, Swoosie Kurtz, Laraine Newman, and Ann Magnuson.

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In case the book's title gives you pause, have no fear: The book's sweet supermodel subjects are all safe and sound now, successfully placed into loving forever homes, their stray status permanently revoked.

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Strays was printed in a limited edition of 1,000, and each copy comes with a print ready for framing. For that feature alone, this book is a steal -- prints of Svenson's work sell for much higher prices, without the accompanying book.

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Watch a behind-the-scenes video of the photographer in action:

Here's more incentive to pounce: A portion of proceeds from the book's sales will be donated to Animalkind, which rescued and rehomed the tiny ones so artfully captured by Svenson's lens.

Buy the book exclusively from Siman Media Works.

Win a Copy of the Cat Poetry Book "I Could Pee on This"

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0800

Psychology Today has identified eight key elements of highly effective speech -- and believe it or not, only one of them involves words. All others are nonverbal cues such as eye contact, facial expression, disposition, and “expressive hand and body gestures.”

Hmmm. Body gestures. No words. Yes! By this rationale, cats are master communicators -- we humans just need to learn how to understand what they’re “saying.”

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Lucky for us, Francesco Marciuliano has assembled the virtual Rosetta Stone for translating cats’ body gestures and other actions into language. It’s called, fittingly, I Could Pee on This. It’s a collection of poetry by cats from around the world -- how they wrote it down without opposable thumbs we’ll never know, but its verse is so convincing we’ll give Marciuliano the benefit of the doubt.

And lucky for you, we have two copies of the 111-page volume published by Chronicle Books that we’re giving away.

Marciuliano was thorough in collecting works on multiple feline points of view. The book has sections on Family, Work, Play, and Existence.

“Through the power of poetry and a publishing contract, cats everywhere can fully welcome people into their hearts, minds and souls,” Marciuliano writes in the introduction. “[B]y the time you’ve finished reading this poetry anthology, you’ll not only completely understand everything your cat thinks and does but even applaud him for it. Maybe give him a medal. Or throw him a parade in your hallway.”

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The title work, “I Could Pee on This,” suggests that a cat peeing on something is a reminder of her presence.

Her new sweater doesn’t smell of me
I could pee on that

Or maybe it’s revenge.

Her new boyfriend just pushed
my head away
I could pee on him

It then gives a warning: Discount your cat, however, at your own peril.

She’s ignoring me ignoring her
I could pee everywhere

In “Forever,” a cat explains the often-contradictory nature of feline existence.

I could lie by your side for the rest
of our lives
I think I’ll walk away right now
I could let you pet me for
a hundred years
I think we need some time apart
I could be kissed a thousand
thousand times
I think I’m needed somewhere else
I could sit on your lap forever
I said I could sit on your lap forever
Don’t you even think of trying to get up
Well, you should have gone
to the bathroom beforehand
Because forever is a very, very long time

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In some works, it’s clear that cats’ gestures are aimed at exposing the folly of human existence. “That Top Shelf” reads, in part:

I missed that top shelf by a good six feet
And now everything is on the floor
And I’m left wondering
Why people even bother buying china
If it breaks so easily

The only thing we can add to that is and emphatic, “Word!”

HOW TO ENTER

Have your cat dictate a short poem to you and leave it in the comments section of this post. We stress "short" for this contest -- limericks and haikus are encouraged. We'll choose our two favorites from what's posted and contact them by e-mail.

All entries must be received by Monday, Dec. 10, at noon PST. Entried from all countries are welcome.

To be eligible for the prize, use your Disqus account to comment below. Creating a profile and avatar takes just a minute, and it is a great way to participate in Catster's community of people who are passionate about cats. (And note that if your Disqus account doesn't contain a valid e-mail address, you can't win because we can't contact you. Boo! So please check your account.) We'll notify the winner by e-mail, and you have two days to respond. If we don't hear from you we'll pick someone else.

Good luck, everyone!

Gina Gershon Talks About Her Book on Life and Lost Kitties, "In Search of Cleo"

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:00:00 -0700

Have you ever had a mischievous cat go MIA on you? For an hour, a day, or longer? If so, you can relate to Gina Gershon's recently released book, In Search of Cleo: How I Found My Pussy and Lost My Mind.

It's the true, titillating, twisted tale of how the actress' beloved black cat went missing while in the care of a clueless cat sitter -- and how Gershon spent two months tirelessly following up on every lead from every crackpot (each more convincingly film-noirish than the last), going to impressive lengths to retrieve him. (It's not a spoiler to say Cleo makes it home, especially when that info is proudly placed right there in the subtitle.)

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But to call this simply a book isn't entirely accurate. Sure, In Search of Cleo is full of pages, 162 of them, covered in paragraphs of type as well as photographs and illustrations. It's more like the transcript of an entertaining one-woman show, in which the narrator talks to the reader one-to-one, telling her hard-to-believe story in a conversational style like one friend giving another juicy gossip on the phone.

And that, she tells Catster, was her goal.

"I really wanted to keep it like I was telling a story, to make it seem like you're right there, but I didn't want to depend on some fancy ghost writer," Gershon says. "It was a strange balance." By the end of the book's last chapter, one wishes there were a few more to laugh through. "I'm so glad you weren't my editor!" the author says with a laugh, adding, "I didn't want to stretch it too much."

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Photo by Deborah Anderson

Throughout, memorable characters, from psychics to psychotics (including, memorably, an obsessed fan who poses as a dental technician), drop in to give Gershon leads. Some are quite helpful, others less-so, but the sum total yields an eye-opening life lesson about love, trust, and letting go -- whether you're a cat person in search of a lost feline companion or you're just missing someone dear to you.

In fact, In Search of Cleo is less a literary book than a tour-de-force multimedia monologue, in which Gershon -- whose own persona is perhaps even bigger than any of the larger-than-life roles she's played in such cult films as Showgirls and Bound -- reveals a raw, engaging dramatic voice. Plus, she plays a mean Jew's harp. This singular talent, first displayed during her childhood in L.A., is featured in the audio version of the book, which features her musical collaboration with jazz bassist Christian McBride. "I love the book, but the audio is really fun," Gershon says.

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Self-portrait by Gina Gershon

Gershon notes at the end of the book that a portion of In Search of Cleo's proceeds "will be given to these excellent animal organizations that are close to my heart: Green Chimneys, The Lange Foundation, Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary, and North Shore Animal League." What made her select those particular groups? "There are a zillion I could've listed, and they all do great work," she says. "But these are ones that friends of mine are working really hard with. Green Chimneys is amazing," she adds. "It's so incredible what they do with animals and kids."

In Search of Cleo also reveals another of Gershon's talents: Drawing. Several of her line drawings are reproduced in the book, and her self portrait with Cleo might remind modern-art mavens of Modigliani. "I'm, like, a doodler," she says, adding that she plans to explore painting in the future. Asked whether she's ever donated one of her artworks to a cat charity for auction, she said, "No, but that's a great idea!"

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In the department of happy endings, In Search of Cleo does not disappoint -- kitty comes home in the end, mysteriously, almost magically. What does Gershon suspect Cleo was doing for the excruciating two months of their separation? "I think he was in survival mode, waiting for me to come get him," she says. "He never really told me!"

Throughout the book, we hear of Cleo's predilection for canned tuna. These days, however, Gershon reports, "He's getting older -- he's 15 now -- so we had to change his diet. No more tuna!" But don't feel too sorry for this pampered puss: He still gets his choice of Chinese takeout: "Chicken with broccoli, his favorite."

"Crafting with Cat Hair" Book Giveaway!

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:39:13 -0700

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Crafting With Cat Hair

Finally, something to do with all that cat hair we cat people have lying around. We all know there's no point in trying to fight it, so if you can't beat 'em, craft with 'em! (That's how the saying goes, right?) You'd be surprise how crafty and cute cat hair can be!

Catster is giving one of our lucky readers a chance to win a copy of the book Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make With Your Cat so you can find out for yourself!

This fun book shows you how to transform stray clumps of fur into soft and adorable handicrafts. Originally published in Japan in 2009 and featuring nine distinct projects from kitty tote bags and finger puppets to fluffy cat toys, picture frames, and more this charming book is perfect for any cat lover, crafter, or crafter who loves cats!

The pictures inside alone make this book worth having. The author's kitties are adorable! And the crafts seem like they are really easy to do and super creative. You'll love it!

HOW TO ENTER

Leave a comment on this post telling us where you find the most cat hair in your house on your pillow? The far-left couch cushion? Your cleanest laundry pile? We want to know!

Entries must be received by Tuesday, October 25. I'll pick a winner using random.org and announce it shortly after that. Good luck, everyone!

Friday Giveaway: What If You Woke Up Tomorrow as a Cute Kitten?

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:05:31 -0700

Today is an exciting day because we're doing a little giveaway! I love my readers and that's why I want to shower you with gifts just for coming by. Scroll down to enter the giveaway!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a cat? I know I have. It seems like cats have the life, doesn't it?

Well, in a new book that just came out called "The Meowmorphosis," one guy gets to find out...

"The Meowmorphosis" is a retelling of Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", where the guy wakes up as a giant insect (a cockroach, I think). This fuzzy-wuzzy kitten version, as I'm sure you'll all agree, sounds way cuter!

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The Meowmorphosis book

"His family must admit that, yes, their son is now OMG so cutebut what good is cute when there are bills to pay? How can Gregor be so selfish as to devote his attention to a ball of yarn? And how dare he jump out the bedroom window to wander through Kafkas literary landscape? Never before has a cats tale been so poignant, strange, and horrifyingly funny."

Sounds like a purrfect read to me!

If you'd like to win a copy of "The Meowphosis," just leave a comment below. Five lucky winners will get their very own copy of the book, plus a poster to go with it!

Winners will be picked using random.org. Leave a comment by midnight EST, May 18 to enter.

Five Finds for the Frantic Feline Shopper

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:32:02 -0800

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Feeling a little frantic this week? As the clock ticks down to Christmas/Kwanzaa/Boxing Day, at least some of us are wondering how the heck we're gonna finish all of our holiday shopping.

The good news is, you still have time to buy some great gifts and get them shipped to arrive by the big day -- and it won't necessarily cost you an arm and a leg. Even better, you won't have to venture out into the crazed hoards at your local mall and listen to bad musak versions of Feliz Navidad.

(TIP: If you go through Amazon and you're a prime member, you get free 2-day shipping and $3.99 overnight shipping. In most cases, you don't have to pay sales tax.)

Here are a few last minute feline-themed gift suggestions:

Everyday Cat Excuses

Cats are full of excuses, so any human who happens to be owned by one should use Everyday Cat Excuses: Why I Can't Do What You Want to prepare for your cats' sly explanations and justifications. A charmingly line-drawn, highly humorous, and personality-filled kitty presents all the reasons why I cant. Im shedding, Im salivating, Im kneading (but not needing) you, my ears are rotating. Or she cant be bothered listening because shes having an intense catnip experience. Cat lovers will recognize every funny scenarioand their pets will want to sneak a peek to discover new ideas!

Click here to buy.

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Crazy Cat Lady Board Game

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One can never have too many cats? Or can one? Pull on a ratty bathrobe, and play the Crazy Cat Lady Board Game with your cat lady (and guy) friends.

The goal is to collect more cats than your fellow competitors as you make your way around the board. Gain more cats by landing on spaces like "Save a Cat Stuck in a Tree" and "Rescue Grumpy Old Cat From Pound."

Click here to buy.

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Gift Certificate for a Pet Portrait

Find a cat artist you love, and buy a gift certficate for a work by that artist. Pet portrait artists like Purrfect Pet Art and Darlene Pucillo are just a few of the Etsy artists offering gift certificates for immediate delivery:

Purrfect Pet Art creates mixed media masterpieces on canvas:

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Click here to go to Purrfect Pet Art.

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Puci creates evocative oil paintings of a pet or pet and human:

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Click here to go to Puci's Etsy Studio.

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Gift Certificate for Handmade Cat Toys

Here's a great stocking stuffer! A gift certificate for handmade cat toys by Oh Boy Cat Toys. Various denominations delivered immediately via email.

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Click here to go to Oh Boy Cat Toys.

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Careers for Your Cat

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Think it's about time for your furry friend to bring home the ~~bacon~~ Fancy Feast? Then Careers for Your Cat by Ann Dziemianowicz (with charming illustrations by Ann Boyajian) could be a purrfect gift for Fluffy this Christmas. Order through Amazon for delivery before Christmas.

Bonus Gift Suggestion

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I also have it on good authority that cats LOVE playing Risk.

GIVEAWAY and Interview with Quasi, Author of "The World is STILL Your Litterbox"

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:25:16 -0800

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Hey evrybuddy, Skeezix heer.

I am THRILLED to be interviewing my best frend Quasi today. Quasi has ritten two grate books fur cats: The World Is Your Litter Box: A How-to Manual for Cats, and The World Is Still Your Litter Box. We'll be giving away both books, so be shur to leeve a comment -- yoo could be getting yerself a grate Krissmiss gift!

Skeezix: Quasi, how did yoo become an author?
Quasi: I was William Shakespeare in a previous life, so I didnt have to do anything else except change my style a bit and write in a way that normal cats (and humans) could understand. And, taking writing classes would have been far too disruptive to my napping schedule.

Skeezix: What was the inspiration for The World Is Your Litter Box?
Quasi: I really just started writing it for fun, and to amuse myself when things got a little dull around the ole homestead. But then I showed it to a couple of my kitty pals and they said, Hey, Quaz, this is pretty informative. You should put this out. Also, I felt it was my civic duty to help other cats improve their mastery over their humans in some new and different ways.

Skeezix: Why did you take time away from napping to rite The World Is STILL Your Litter Box?
Quasi:Originally, I didnt intend to write a second book. I thought I would just kick back and enjoy the life of a retired writer. But then, I started getting letters and emails from kitties who had many more questions that begged for answers. This made me realize that there was much more wisdom to convey. So, I put paw to paper and voila! All this is explained more extensively in the introduction to The World Is STILL Your Litter Box.

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Skeezix: I have heard that Steve guy (photo, right) taking credit for what you have written. How does that make you feel?
Quasi: A very good question, Skeez. Now in all fairness, I must admit that Steve (my human) helped me with some of the multi-syllable words, and because I have no opposable thumbs, he also did the typing. Of course, now he thinks hes the new Ernest Hemmingway or something, but let me assure you all the truly creative stuff in my books came from my fertile brain, not his! But you know how humans are they always want to take credit for everything.

Skeezix: Do you rub your fur all over Steves black clothing before he dashes out the door for an important meeting?
Quasi: Oh, most definitely! And I do the same with Steves female. Since they both wear black clothing a lot (they do live in L.A. after all!), and since my fur is white well, Ill leave the rest to your imagination. Mainly I do it to teach them a lesson for indiscretions such as failing to pay attention to me or doing my bidding in a timely manner!

Skeezix: How many litter boxes do you own?
Quasi: Now that I have my two housemates, Bo Diddley and Piglet, we co-own two litter boxes, one upstairs and one downstairs although most of the stinkiest deposits are usually left in the downstairs box, which is in a more convenient location. And naturally, its an ongoing challenge to make sure Steve keeps our litter boxes clean.

Skeezix: Do you find you do your best work inside the litter box?
Quasi: Actually, I spend as little time inside the litter box as possible for obvious reasons. And, as all cats know, when dealing with your humans, its often necessary to think outside the litter box.

Skeezix: How have cats responded to your books?
Quasi: Quite honestly, the response to my books has blown my little kitty mind! I had no idea they would be so well received by the cat community. As a result of having two books out, Ive made feline friends all over the world (including you, Skeezix) and it always makes me purr with contentment when they tell me how much they enjoy the books. And as I said earlier, Im glad to be doing my little part to improve the lives of cats everywhere!

Skeezix: Is there a therd book in the werks?
Quasi: There will be a third book, but it will be a little different than the first two so for now, Im keeping it a secret. Stay tuned!

Skeezix: Any closing thoughts you want to impart?
Quasi: I just want to thank every cat who has read my books so far. And if you havent read them yet, let your human know that there will be NO PEACE ON EARTH until they buy them for you!

Skeezix: Well, Quasi, I'm thrilled to annownse that The Cat's Meow is giving away one set of Quasi's books to a lucky Cat's Meow reader, and they'll be shipped to arrive by Christmas!

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Yoo can keep up with Quasi on The World is Your Litterbox blog.

How to Enter

To enter, leave a comment on this post.

Rules and Stuff

Only one cat per household may enter.
Only comments posted by 11:59 pm PT on December 21st are eligible to win.
Get a SECOND chance at winning by tweeting this post, then leaving your twitter ID in a separate comment with the text "I tweeted".
Winner will be selected at random via random.org.
Any cat on the planet is eligible to win.
Only entrants who leave valid email addresses (which are not published) are eligible to win.
If you dont respond within 24 hrs of the announcement of your win, you will forfeit your prize, and another winner will be drawn.

GIVEAWAY: Dear Sparkle

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:02:46 -0800

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Today we're giving away a copy of Dear Sparkle: Cat-to-Cat Advice from the world's foremost feline columnist by our glamorous supermodel friend, Sparkle the Cat.

Sparkle is an Internet sensation as an advice columnist offering help on a range of topics from how to manage your humans to proper catiquette.

You'll get sage advice straight from the mouth of the world's most pointed puss, including the answers to questions like these:

My human is moving in with her boyfriend, so we'll have to leave our apartment and my perfect birdwatching perch. I need to know how to get rid of him!
Our pet sitter smells weird. Is there any way to make her less stinky?
My humans like to sleep when it's obviously the best time to play! Have any ideas for how to wake them up?

Whether you're a confused kitty who doesn't understand why you're supposed to stay off the couch, a cat who's furious because the new puppy ate your catnip stash, or a freaked-out feral who wants to return to the wild, Sparkle has the wise and often hilarious answers for your woes.

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The winner of this giveaway is Blizzard, a very special cat from Oregon. Blizzard is a blind tripod with an autoimmune disease, yet he's a happy, loving, and active boy who loves to chase toys, roll in catnip, and carpet surf. Concatulations, Blizzard!

Follow Sparkle Online

The Cat's Meow Interviews Reiki Practitioner and Cat Author Ingrid King

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:50:58 -0800

In a reader? Click here to watch the interview.

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Last month at the Cat Writer's Association conference in New York, I had the opportunity to meet a number of cat authors I've long admired.

I knew one of these authors, Ingrid King, from her extraordinary account of her cat, Buckley. Buckley's Story is the tale of one small cat and how she changed Ingrid's life in ways she never could have imagined.

Ingrid is also the author of The Conscious Cat, a great blog focused on feline health and wellness.

I talked with Ingrid about her Reiki practice for both animals and humans. Reiki had been on my radar for a while, but I didn't really know how cats would benefit from the therapy. After talking with Ingrid, I had a better understanding, and plan to give it a try in the future.

We'll be giving away a copy of Buckley's Story this week... so stay tuned!

Do Your "Kids" have Mouse Breath and a Nip Habit?

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:32:13 -0800

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(This week, Petside is celebrating the familial relationships that pets have as members of our families. Click here for more.)

My cats are my kids.

And like any parent, I make allowances for their transgressions, whether it's pooping on the floor or puking in the parlor. I'll clean it up with little complaint (little white lie: expletives are often involved), because, after all, they're my kids.

It's not always easy. There are days when their sole raison d'etre is to see how bad they can be before I throw a hissy fit. But just as I'm at the breaking point, they curl up in a catastically cute position and purr like a jet engine to melt my heart.

My husband and I made a conscious decision not to have kids. Part of it was practical.... we were ancient by the time we married and had a lot going on in our lives. But a lot of it had to do with the fact that we already have a happy little family and they fulfill us. Totally.

Some people with traditional kids consider that to be a sacrilege. When I was growing up in the Don Draper era, my mom frequently commented on a childless couple in our town. He was a vet and they were well-heeled, and yet -- they didn't have kids! They had a gazillion animals, but none were 2-legged tantrum throwers. My mom, a quintessential animal lover, still felt a family was only complete when human children were part of the equation.

Those who go the more traditional kid route often think that cat lovin' couples are mental. Spending money on pets when they could be donating to end world hunger? It's nuts!

This weekend I interviewed cat humor writer Dena Harris who, like me, made the conscious decision not to have human kids. Is her life incomplete without them? Heck no! She's one of the nicest, smartest, most self-actualized people I know:

In a reader? Click here to watch the interview.

If you're already considering Christmas gifts, any of Dena's three books should be on your shopping list. They are:

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You can read Dena's blog here: http://www.denaharris.com/blog

We'll be discussing more this week. Do you have a story to share? Email me: karen AT catster DOT com.

[PHOTO CREDIT: Awkward Family Pet Photos]

In VA? Check out This Adoption Fair and Book Sale

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:57:06 -0700

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There's a great even going on this weekend in northern Virginia -- an Adoption Fair and Book Sale to benefit Fancy Cats Rescue.

Time : Saturday, October 16 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Felix & Oscar, 6671 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA

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Created By Buckley's Story.

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Join author Ingrid King and the Fancy Cats Rescue Team for a cat and kitten adoption fair at Felix & Oscar, a pet store featuring healthy, wholesome and natural pet foods along with home baked treats and unique accessories.

A portion of proceeds from all book sales of the day will go to Fancy Cats.

Buckley's Story is a bittersweet story of how one small cat changed the author's life in ways she never could have imagined. In this warm-hearted memoir, Ingrid King shares the story of Buckley, a joyful, enthusiastic and affectionate tortoiseshell cat she meets while managing a veterinary hospital. When Ingrid leaves her job at the veterinary hospital to start her own business, Buckley comes home to live with her and Amber, another tortoiseshell cat who had adopted the author several years earlier.

Buckley is diagnosed with heart disease after only two years of living with Ingrid, and caring for Buckley through her illness only deepens the bond between cat and human. Interspersed with well-researched information about cat health in general, and heart disease in particular, the author describes the challenges and rewards of managing illness in a feline companion, and ultimately helping her through the final transition. Ingrid shares both the day-to-day joys of living with a special cat as well as the profound grief that comes with losing a beloved animal companion.

Buckley's Story is a celebration of the soul connection between animals and humans, a connection that is eternal and transcends the physical dimension.

Here's your chance to meet Ingrid, and help out some adoptable animals as well!

(If you attend and take pix, please share with us!)

We Have Winners!

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:57:29 -0700

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The paperback edition of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale was released today. To celebrate, author Gwen Cooper is giving an autographed copy to 3 lucky Cat's Meow readers!

Drawn at random via random.org, the winners are:

Max
Gabby da Tabby and
Riley

Each described what they would do if they had superpowers like Homer does:

Max the Psycho Kitty said, "OK, Ill be honest. If I had superpowers I would use them to open any can of stinky goodness that I wanted, and to grab onto all the real live fresh dead shrimp I could. But to be fair, I would also share it with my kitty friends, because Im just awesome like that"

Gabby da Tabby said, "If I had superpowers, Id share a lil bit wif efurrybody so all da skeerdycats would poof. Den I would fly all over da world to say be pawsitive, be strong, be all u can be, & do what u can to help others less fortunate in yr lil piece of da purrth. Let der be peas on Purrth!"

Riley said, "If I had superpowers, Id make sure no kitties would ever be homeless. Id give them good food and a warm bed."

Concatulations to all the winners!

Click here to buy Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale.

You're Invited to the "Homer's Odyssey" Paperback Launch Pawty!

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:10:22 -0700

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New York Times bestselling author Gwen Cooper and Homer the Blind Wondercat have extended an open invitation to all readers of The Cat's Meow

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to join her and Homer as they celebrate the release of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat in paperback:

"Join Homer and me (and readers from all over the world) at 7:00 ET (4pm PT) tonight for a live video chat as we celebrate the paperback release of "Homer's Odyssey"--containing brand-new cover art, a new Afterword, and never-before-published photos of Homer and the gang. Hope to see you there!"

Click here to RSVP on Facebook!

Click here at 7pm ET/4pm PT to join the pawty.

To celebrate the launch of the paperback, The Cat's Meow is giving away three pawtographed copies of Homer's Odyssey. The lucky winners will be announced here after Gwen and Homer's launch pawty. (You still have time to enter: click here!)

GIVEAWAY: Pawtographed "Homer's Odyssey" in Paperback (3 winners)

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:52:17 -0700

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Yesterday, The Cat's Meow shared what Homer the Blind Wondercat has been up to: he's starring in his own superhero comic book, the Handicats.

But that's not all.

The paperback edition of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale is being released on September 7th, and to celebrate, author Gwen Cooper will give an autographed copy to 3 lucky Cat's Meow readers!

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How to Enter

Leave a comment in the comments field of this post describing what you would do if you had superhero powers. To be eligible, you need to leave a valid email address (which is not published) so that we can contact you if you win.

Rules, Eligibility and Other Stuff

Only one cat per household, please.
Only cats who leave a comment before 6:59pm ET Sept 7 2010 are eligible.
3 winners will be drawn at random from random.org on Sept 7th after the Launch Pawty.

Good Luck!

Homer the Blind Wonder Cat is Now a Comic Book Superhero

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:57:13 -0700

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If you're a longtime reader of The Cat's Meow, you'll remember the story of Homer the Blind Wonder Cat and how he changed his catmom's life.

The book, Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale was a New York Times bestseller and is scheduled to be released in paperback on Sept. 7th.

The Handicats! is a new online comic book starring Homer the Fearless Feline and his super-buddy sidekick Ajax the Bionic Kitty. In their first adventure, Episode #1 Of Origins and Oil Spills, Homer and Ajax save the world and plug the Gulf oil spill using a bionic furball!

Homer's mom, Gwen, explains the genesis of the Handicats project:

Back in June, a news story about a bionic cat in England whod had his two hind legs replaced with artificial limbs spread throughout the online Catverse. Were long-time comic book fans in this house, and we compare the real-life Homer to the Marvel Comics superhero Daredevil all the time. We should

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team Homer up with a bionic cat, I said to my husband, and the two of them could fight crime and have adventures together. We were amused by the idea, although we didnt plan to actually do anything with it. Then, while we were watching the July 4th fireworks, my husband had an image of two catsone black and one whiteparachuting together across a fireworks-strewn sky.

Thus, The Handicats! was born. It seemed appropriate to have them tackle the Gulf oil spill. As a Florida native who grew up in the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf, I viewed the daily news stories about the disaster with horror. Watching the oil spreaddestroying the communities and ecosystems and marine life that formed some of my earliest memorieswas like watching my childhood disappear. It seemed like the only solution would have to involve some sort of superhuman intervention.

I was ready for a hero.

A cat might not seem like the obvious first choice for that herounless, that is, you know Homer. The real-life

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Homer is much like his comic-book alter-ego. Like Homer the Fearless Feline, Homer the housecat is a crime-fighter from way backever since the night when he chased off a full-grown man who had broken into my apartment at 4:00am. You can read that story (which is also a chapter in Homers Odyssey, the memoir I wrote about Homer) here. Nothing is too tall for Homer to climb, nothing too high for him to make a daring leap off of. Like the comic-book Homer, our Homer routinely catches buzzing flies in mid-air, sniffs out the can of tuna from all the other canned goods in our pantry, and navigates his world with such seamless dexterity that casual observers never realize hes blind until it occurs to them that theres something odd-looking about his face.

You can see video of Homer in action here.

Best of all, through the sales of Homers Odyssey, this September I will be able to donate $10,000 to Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc.one of only a handful of shelters in the U.S. that provides a permanent, safe, and loving home for blind cats. Homer was once considered unadoptable because of his blindness. Most blind cats are. I still hope, however, that Homer will prove once and for all that a special needs pet can live as long and happy a life as a normal oneand provide some inspiration along the way.

Not everybody gets to live with a real-life superhero. Ive been lucky enough to have that privilege for 13 years. And wherever Homers and my adventures may take us next, I will always be grateful.

Read The Handicats Comic book.
Reserve a copy of the paperback edition of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat.
Friend Homer on Facebook.
Check out The Cat's Meow's interview with Gwen Cooper.

Oscar the "Death Cat" Subject of New Book

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:40:50 -0800

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I was thinking of "Death Cat" a couple of days ago when I saw a House rerun of the Death Cat episode. Ever the skeptic, House thinks he's proven by episode's end that Death Cat was merely a self-serving heat-seeking feline. Those in the throes of death gave off more body heat than other patients, and Death Cat opportunistically jumped in bed them to share the warmth.

Then I learned that a new book has been released which describes Oscar the Death Cat's transition to Chief Comfort Officer in a Rhode Island nursing facility (Oscar is the "real" death watch cat, not the one in the House episode).

PROVIDENCE, R.I. The scientist in Dr. David Dosa was skeptical when first told that Oscar, an aloof cat kept by a nursing home, regularly predicted patients' deaths by snuggling alongside them in their final hours.

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Dosa's doubts eroded after he and his colleagues tallied about 50 correct calls made by Oscar over five years, a process he explains in a book released this week, "Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" (Hyperion, $23.99) The feline's bizarre talent astounds Dosa, but he finds Oscar's real worth in his fierce insistence on being present when others turn away from life's most uncomfortable topic: death.

"People actually were taking great comfort in this idea, that this animal was there and might be there when their loved ones eventually pass," Dosa said. "He was there when they couldn't be."

Dosa, 37, a geriatrician and professor at Brown University, works on the third floor of the Steere House, which treats patients with severe dementia. It's usually the last stop for people so ill they cannot speak, recognize their spouses and spend their days lost in fragments of memory.

He once feared that families would be horrified by the furry grim reaper, especially after Dosa made Oscar famous in a 2007 essay in the New England Journal of Medicine. Instead, he says many caregivers consider Oscar a comforting presence, and some have praised him in newspaper death notices and eulogies.

"Maybe they're seeing what they want to see," he said, "but what they're seeing is a comfort to them in a real difficult time in their lives."

The nursing home adopted Oscar, a medium-haired cat with a gray-and-brown back and white belly, in 2005 because its staff thinks pets make the Steere House a home. They play with visiting children and prove a welcome distraction for patients and doctors alike.

After a year, the staff noticed that Oscar would spend his days pacing from room to room. He sniffed and looked at the patients but rarely spent much time with anyone except when they had just hours to live.

He's accurate enough that the staff including Dosa know it's time to call family members when Oscar stretches beside their patients, who are generally too ill to notice his presence. If kept outside the room of a dying patient, he'll scratch at doors and walls, trying to get in.

Nurses once placed Oscar in the bed of a patient they thought gravely ill. Oscar wouldn't stay put, and the staff thought his streak was broken. Turns out, the medical professionals were wrong, and the patient rallied for two days. But in the final hours, Oscar held his bedside vigil without prompting.

Dosa does not explain Oscar scientifically in his book, although he theorizes the cat imitates the nurses who raised him or smells odors given off by dying cells, perhaps like some dogs who scientists say can detect cancer using their sense of scent.

At its heart, Dosa's search is more about how people cope with death than Oscar's purported ability to predict it. Dosa suffers from inflammatory arthritis, which could render his joints useless. He worries about losing control of his life in old age, much as his patients have lost theirs.

Parts of his book are fictionalized. Dosa said several patients are composite characters, though the names and stories of the caregivers he interviews are real and many feel guilty. Donna Richards told Dosa that she felt guilty for putting her mother in a nursing home. She felt guilty for not visiting enough. When caring for her mother, Richards felt guilty about missing her teenage son's swimming meets.

Dosa learns to live for the moment, much like Oscar, who delights in naps and chin scratches or the patient who recovers enough to walk the hall holding the hand of the husband she'll eventually forget.

The doctor advises worried family members to simply be present for their loved ones.

Richards was at her mother's bedside nonstop as she died. After three days, a nurse persuaded her to go home for a brief rest. Despite her misgivings, Richards agreed. Her mother died a short while later.

But she didn't die alone. Oscar was there.

Oscar fascinates me, especially if he is in fact, at the bedsides of the dying solely to provide comfort and a transition from one world to the next. Even if you don't believe in an afterlife, it would be nice to think that your last moments on earth are spent in the company of a gently purring tabby.

What about you? Do you believe Oscar has a gift? Or are his death watches completely random events?

[LINK: Yahoo News]

Homer's Odyssey Update

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:59:26 -0800

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If you're a fan of the book, "Homer's Odyssey," you know that Homer has two kitty housemates: Scarlett and Vashti. The sad news is, Vashti's kidney's are failing, and Gwen (Homer's person) is providing updates on her blog. Drop by and send some purrs Vashti's way.

But beyond just the updates, Gwen eloquently describes how the illness or loss of a pet can isolate us. Unlike the cocoon of support most people have when a family member is gravely ill, many pet owners sit it out alone, even though the pain and grief over the loss of a pet is as real as losing a child.

Fortunately, a lot of us have a cocoon of support called Catster. When a cat is ill, or goes to the bridge, members rally around each other in a way that only fellow cat lovers can understand. It's a blessing and a curse. A blessing to receive a few hundred virtual hugs when you need it most. But a curse when you get to know the Catster cats so well that they become extended members of your own feline family -- and you mourn their passings as you would your own cats.

Here's an excerpt from Gwen's post.

Yesterday morning, I left Vashti at the veterinary hospital where she will spend the next several days receiving intensive treatment for her kidneys, which are failing. Theres a range of scenarios for her eventual prognosis, some very positive and others, obviously, far less so. We should know more in a couple of days.

I brought her in yesterday at around 10:00am, and spent the rest of the dayuntil I eventually passed out at around midnightwellI spent it drunk. I am not proud of this. The only other time I can remember having used alcohol as a coping mechanism was the night of September 11th. Ah, wellthere are always good reasons to do what you know you shouldnt.

Vashti has been declining for several weeks. Ive avoided writing about her, or about any of the cats, not wanting to talk about her illness until we knew more, but also feeling that it would be dishonest, somehow, to write about the cats as if everybody were fine. But, since I left Vashti at the hospital, I havent been able to think about much else. Out of the full heart, the mouth will speak, the saying goes. And so, at last, I speak.

I think one of the hardest things about the illness or loss of a pet is the way in which it isolates us. There are no rituals, no protocols, no acknowledged bedside vigil when youre waiting for news about your cat. If (god forbid god forbid) it was Laurence in the hospital fighting for his life, I could stay at the hospital around the clock, waiting for updates from the doctors. Friends and family members, both of ours, would be there to wait with me. Calling them and telling them what hospital and what was going on would be, in itself, a mercy of temporary productivity. They would hold my hand, bring me food or things I needed from home, or take turns relieving my vigil while I ran my own errands or caught a couple of hours of sleep. I wouldnt even have to think about doing any of these thingsthey are simply What One Does when someone we love falls ill.

But Laurence and I are waiting here alone. Weve told a few friends, of course, whove been wonderfully sympathetic and supportive. Still, the illness of a pet isnt acknowledged by society as the kind of thing that uproots your life, that hollows you out with fear and grief, that leaves you incapable of doing anything else or that others should rally to your side to help you bear. And so we have only each other as we wait and worry, worry and wait. I dont mean to minimize thishaving Laurence with me, and knowing that Laurence loves Vashti as much as I do, is the only thing holding me together.

Ive received thousands of letters from readers since Homers Odyssey was published. Ive been extraordinarily lucky, in thatout of those thousandsI can literally count on one hand the number of negative letters Ive gotten. One of them was from a teenaged girl in Roanoke, who claimed that she would have liked the book except it was so obvious that I had replaced Scarlett and Vashti with Homer, and then eventually replaced Homer with Laurence.

I wrote back to the girl (I answer every reader letter I get), and explained that, when youre a writer telling a story, you have to be selective of what you tell and where you put the emphasis, for the sake of creating a narrative. For example, I told her, because this was a book about Homer, I never wrote about things that had nothing to do with him, like the boyfriend I was madly in love with who was unfaithful and broke my heart; or the boss who made me so miserable that, for a year, I dreaded getting out of bed in the morning; or the time the drycleaner lost my favorite shirt; or the day when, out of the blue, I found the birthday card my grandmother had given me on my second birthday (signed, Love, Bamma and Bampa), and how, even though I was in my thirties by then, I slept with it under my pillow for a month because it made me feel closer to her than I had since her death.

None of those things had anything to do with Homer, or his story, or the story of our lives together.

And because the story was Homers, Scarlett and Vashti ended up being cast in the roles of supporting characters. This was necessary for story-telling purposes, I explained, but in no way reflected the strength of my feelings for them, or their individual importance in my real life. more...

Read the full post here.

Do you feel isolated when your cat is ill, or do you draw strength from the Catster community?

Catsmas Giveaway: Day 12 - Buckley's Story

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:13:06 -0800

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On the 12th Day of Catsmas, my kitteh gave to me: Buckley's Story!

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Buckley's Story is the tale of how one small cat changed the author's life in ways she never could have imagined. In this warm-hearted memoir, Ingrid King shares the story of Buckley, a joyful, enthusiastic and affectionate tortoiseshell cat she meets while managing a veterinary hospital. When Ingrid leaves her job at the veterinary hospital to start her own business, Buckley comes home to live with her and Amber, another tortoiseshell cat who had adopted the author several years earlier.

Buckley's Story is a celebration of the soul connection between animals and humans, a connection that is eternal and transcends the physical dimension. Have you ever had a cat you feel was "sent to you" and destined to be part of your life? Buckley is such a cat.

This is a great book for any cat lover, especially those who are dealing with health issues -- and specifically, heart disease -- in their pets. Far from being a "downer," it celebrates the power of one special feline to change your life.

The drawing for this prize is open to cats anywhere in the world.

TO ENTER

Leave a comment on this post. Be sure to enter a valid email address so we can contact you if you win.

RULES:

Only one entry for each prize per household.

Winner will be drawn from all valid entries using random.org.

If the winner cannot be contacted successfully, another winner will be drawn.

ENTRY DEADLINE:

The winner of Buckley's Story will be announced later this week, after an interview with author Ingrid King, so enter by leaving your comment right now!

Throughout the 12 Days of Catsmas Giveaway, we'll be drawing winners, but not necessarily in order. So the Day 4 prize winner could be drawn on December 5th, and the Day 1 prize winner could be drawn on December 12th. Winners will be announced on the original prize post, so you'll know when entries have closed for each prize.

Good luck! Have you entered all the giveaways that are still open?

Enter the drawing for Day 4's prize: Pet's-Eye-View Cat Cam.
Enter the drawing for Day 5's prize: 3 mini cat prints from Gingercat Press
Enter the drawing for Day 7's prize: A Fling-ama-String cat toy
Enter the drawing for Day 8's prize: A Catnip Lover's Grab Bag from Siamese Rescue
Enter the drawing for Day 9's prize: 4 Bags of Premium Cat Food
Enter the drawing for Day 10's prize: A custom Cat Portrait
Enter the drawing for Day 11's prize: 111 Zealies and a Pet First Aid Kit

Catsmas Giveaway: Day 3 Homer's Odyssey

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:45:34 -0800

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On the Third Day of Catsmas, my kitteh gave to me: bestseller "Homer's Odyssey".

The winner of this prize has been announced. Click here to see if it's you!

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Earlier today, The Cat's Meow interviewed Gwen Cooper, the author of New York Times bestseller, Homer's Odyssey. Here's your chance to win a copy!

The drawing for this prize is open to cats worldwide.

TO ENTER

Leave a comment on this post. Be sure to enter a valid email address so we can contact you if you win.

RULES:

Only one entry for each prize per household.

Winner will be drawn from all valid entries using random.org.

If the winner cannot be contacted successfully, another winner will be drawn.

ENTRY DEADLINE:

We're not telling, so leave your comment right now!

Throughout the 12 Days of Catsmas Giveaway, we'll be drawing winners, but not necessarily in order. So the Day 4 prize winner could be drawn on December 5th, and the Day 1 prize winner could be drawn on December 12th. Winners will be announced on the original prize post, so you'll know when entries have closed for each prize.

All prize winners will be drawn no later than December 13th, and a complete list of winners will be posted on that day.

Good luck! And come back tomorrow to enter to win Day 4's prize!

Click here to enter the drawing for Day 1's prize: "The Cat Lover's Daily Companion."
Click here to enter the drawing for Day 2's prize: The Calvin Memorial Holiday Gift Set