Patti M. Walsh

Aloha Quarantine

All this talk of quarantine brings me back to sipping Kona coffee with my husband on a Pacific-facing lanai along Hawaii’s Kohala Coast. Lulled by pounding surf and sultry trade winds, Bob suggested we adopt a simple life: quit our jobs, abandon our belongings, and have the pet sitter ship our cats to us. SuchContinue reading “Aloha Quarantine”

Snapshot Time

I’m sure you’ve noticed it. Today is easily confused with yesterday—or maybe it’s tomorrow. Every morning seems like Saturday—or is it Sunday? You’re hungry for dinner mid-afternoon, or not hungry at all until sometime after dark, when you want breakfast. Without the commute, book club, aerobics class, school activities, or any other mundane marker ofContinue reading “Snapshot Time”

COVID-19, Meet Godzilla

Cats, like dogs and other animals, pick up on anxiety and other stressors in their homes. So when I noticed Nina diligently studying the coronavirus online, I realized that this was an apt time to update our emergency preparedness, particularly our Godzilla bag. That’s what Bob calls the satchel we can grab and go ifContinue reading “COVID-19, Meet Godzilla”

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

Mayday (from the French m’aider, “help me”) is a literal far cry from the festive and buoyant shout outs of a May Day celebration, especially when repeated thrice. “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! is a dire call for help, the verbal equivalent of the Morse Code SOS. The book, Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!, which I caught Ron readingContinue reading “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”

Retire Like a Cat

I recently spotted Nina contemplating How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free by Ernie J. Zelinski. The author posits that happiness in retirement is dependent on your willingness to be happy. Our cats posit that happiness is dependent on a place in the sun, adequate food and water, and doing what you want. What didContinue reading “Retire Like a Cat”

Approaching a Chronic Health Problem: Easy as 1, 2, 3

When your cat is diagnosed with a chronic health problem, you are often faced with the daunting process of balancing state-of-the art medical options with quality-of-life preferences. My journey into the world of specialized veterinary care began with a single step. A semi-annual well-kitty visit revealed that Ron, a 14-year-old black cat, had a cystContinue reading “Approaching a Chronic Health Problem: Easy as 1, 2, 3”