Could Siri Be a Cat Lady?

When Dr. O. paid a house call recently, she needed to use her iPhone 4S. Dr. O. was hoping that Siri, the famous personal digital assistant, could give directions to the next house call. I challenged Dr. O. and asked if we could conduct a little test, to see if Siri could get into some cat talk on the spot. Is there anything that the much-hyped Siri can’t say or do?

If Siri and I become friends, I will instruct her to recite the following whenever an IPhone user calls to search for feline adoption agencies: “I’m very happy about this, and I can always take the request. I, too, am a Cat Lady.”

Query of the Day: Does Siri recognize your “cat voice”?

The Aloha Kitty

I love reading stories about cats who find their ways back home. I first came across this story when it was flagged as “breaking news,” about a week ago. I keep returning to this story because it is slightly different from the standard “Lost Cat Was Found” fare.

The owners had left their home with their cat named Madison Grace in tow. Along the rest stops between Hawaii and Tennessee—how’s that for a broad swath of land—kitty got loose in Michigan when she bolted from her carrier and ran from the car. Her devoted parents waited six hours, hoping their cat would return to the same spot from where she escaped. Leave it to a kind-hearted gentleman who volunteers for an animal-rescue shelter in Centerville, Ohio, to reunite Madison Grace with her rightful, transplanted owners. A microchip saved the day.

The reason I love this kind of story is that it encourages me to think about picking myself up and starting all over again. Young Madison Grace persevered, and no amount of snow, sleet, hail, or fleas deterred her. She kept her eye on the prize, and she was rewarded by her stamina and belief in all things good. She also resumed a healthy diet.

This week, I lost a dedicated colleague and dear friend. Cynthia was determined to fight her battle against cancer with tooth and nail, as she herself put it, and to be positive every day—no matter the considerable challenges. I also will remember Cynthia fondly for her love of cats. She gladly wore the moniker of “Cat Lady” and was one of the early followers of this blog. May Cynthia rest in peace, and may her children and beloved Kit (the cat) know that she set an inspiring example for this Cat Lady.

Cat Cam

I’ve just discovered the cheapest game in town for entertaining our cats.

I diverted Lucius from sitting on top of a stack of papers, as seen here, and placed him at the center of a flannel blanket on the kitchen countertop. He struck his cat pose, looking very comfortable knowing that he was, quite literally, the center of attention. I gently turned the blanket clockwise, making a complete, 360 circle, which gave Lucius the sense that he could watch me at all times.

Before this tale spins out of control, let me admit that I got the idea for the Cat Cam by watching the “Glam Cam” on the E! channel’s “Live from the Red Carpet” show that preceded the recent Golden Globes award ceremony.

I promise your cat will love the spin zone. Try it today!

Query of the Day: Would the Cat Cam work best on a red carpet?

Wham! Bam! Alakazam!

Let’s give a big hand to a Cat Lady’s favorite action figure—and first cousin—the one-and-only Catwoman!

I am indebted again to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles newsletter, which this month touts the recent auction of Mego Corp.’s plastic “Superhero” collectibles. Leading the pack, naturally, was Catwoman, c. 1974, dazzling in her purple polyester suit and matching-purple removable boots and gloves. Apparently, Mego Corp. offered wardrobe variations after Catwoman was first introduced, but “purple power” proved to be popular and groovy in the mid=1970s. I remember the decade well. The fist-pumping verbiage on the accompanying package is a winner, too: “World’s Greatest Supergals!”

Catwoman sold for a super-hefty $2,349. Case closed. Not only do cats rule, but so do their ladies.

Query of the Day: Do you own a Catwoman Mego Supergal action figure?

Salad Days

Even though I’ve been a Cat Lady for more than a decade, I learn something new about cats every day.

Just yesterday, Cat Man's gout returned to haunt him. For some weird reason, my husband had a craving for an egg-salad sandwich and was convinced that the protein found in eggs would cure him of his Big Foot problem. I dutifully indulged his craving and delivered the sandwich to him at bedside. Suddenly, Lucius, Leo, L.B., and Linus appeared, meowing in unison, as if to say, “We, too, want egg-salad sandwiches”!

Cat Man wasn’t about to share, but the cats persisted. The full-court press went into effect, and I’ve never seen my husband eat so fast. “No, it’s mine," said the grown man with a gruff tone, and to think he usually plays well with all felines. “This is my sandwich. Go to your food bowls.”

Query of the Day: What ever happened to Cat Man’s salad days?