Category Archives: Pets

Cameo Finds Solace

When she arrived at her new home with Kacy Cooney a year ago, then-three-month-old Cameo was distressed. She didn’t know where she came from—maybe Alabama, maybe Mississippi; she didn’t know her mama—she was one of two litters nursed by one mama when the other died; she arrived at the rescue site in a Chick-fil-A drinkContinue reading “Cameo Finds Solace”

On Vacation with the Estrogen Club

Peanut Hartofelis is surrounded by males—two cats and a dog as brothers; a cousin dog; and a cat and a dog who live with grandparents. She gets along quite nicely with the pack, but sometimes she craves female company.  “The Estrogen Club!” She purred aloud with anticipation of female companionship when she saw the novelContinue reading “On Vacation with the Estrogen Club”

Molly and the Feline Siam

When Siam arrived in our household, he let us know he didn’t belong. “I want to be a terrifying tiger,” he mewed from what has become his favorite spot on the sun-drenched ottoman. His voice was so high-pitched I almost couldn’t hear it. Could it be that I imagined it? While I pondered that possibility,Continue reading “Molly and the Feline Siam”

CiCi Fancies a Rim Adventure

At 19 years old, Cici Brannen may be slow, deaf, and nearly blind. To accommodate her limitations, her human mate, Pam, anticipates her every need, like a water fountain, a daily brushing, and a good book to read. In return, the fragile feline accommodates Pam by watching her fish and photograph birds. “Life is good,”Continue reading “CiCi Fancies a Rim Adventure”

Reading and Relaxing at Cattyshack

While June is National Adopt a Cat Month, sometimes, all you need is a quick kitty fix. My husband Bob Markle and I get ours at the Cattyshack Café, where you can sip your favorite beverage, read a book or digital messages, and play with cats. Lee County, Florida, is home to more than 250,000Continue reading “Reading and Relaxing at Cattyshack”

What the Ek? Prey-ing for Birds

Jinx Yengst likes to read about the cardinals, finches, and other birds in his dog- (eh, cat-) eared Golden Guide: Birds. Not only does he like to learn about them as he watches from his favorite cat seat, but he also likes to chirp—or is it chatter? chitter? trill? Or is he reading aloud toContinue reading “What the Ek? Prey-ing for Birds”

A New View of Old Birds

While engaged in her favorite pastime of backyard birdwatching, Miss Kitty found herself distracted by a copy of Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird that I had left for Tania and Nancy, Kitty’s humans. Naturally assuming it was a field guide to her fine-feathered friends, Kitty pawed through the pages. Finding neither pictures nor plates, however,Continue reading “A New View of Old Birds”

Purr-fectly Understandable

John Caskey, an avid reader of this blog, shared with us the article, “Your Cats Can Tell When You’re Speaking to Them,” which appeared in the January 2023 issue of Scientific American. The author, Tanya Lewis, reported on a study published in Animal Cognition that found cats, like dogs, can discriminate speech addressed to themContinue reading “Purr-fectly Understandable”