What does a Cat Lady look like? What does a Cat Lady wear?
These are among the questions that I am asked frequently, especially now that I have written a memoir about being a Cat Lady.
In Cat Lady Chronicles, I did not portray a composite figure or attempt to describe myself as the personification of the fascinating photograph pictured here. All I was equipped to do was to tell my own story, and I am gratified that my “Catland” has become yours.
We have universal tales to share, but that is not to say there should be a definitive, “I-can-spot-one” personality profile of a Cat Lady. I would be hard-pressed to pick the “real Cat Lady” in a crowded room. The one seated—not the one already standing—could be ready to pounce and to make maximum impact upon landing.
My new year’s resolution is to continue my always interesting conversations with Cat Ladies and to revel in the glory of all things feline. If you are just getting started as a Cat Lady, 2013 promises to be full of rewarding opportunities.
Query of the Day: Party hat or velvet cat ears for tonight’s celebration?
Pictured above: Wanda Wultz, Io + Gatto, 1932, Alinari Archive, Florence, Italy
Long before I became a Cat Lady, I confess to having quietly hummed a few of the opening bars from "My Favorite Things." I'm sure you know the ones I mean: Those "whiskers on kittens" bring back fond memories of simple times and childhood innocence, of waiting for Santa to come for cookies and milk, and, of course, to deliver some hoped-for presents under the holiday tree.
One of our ten cats sits peacefully under the tree without fail, every year. Ever since Leo spent his first Christmas here at Catland, in 2001, he has ushered in the season with an unforgettable spirit of playfulness and generosity.
I'll never forget the Christmas morning when I asked him if he knew what was about to happen that day. Leo responded by grabbing (he has huge paws) a Santa ornament from the tree and tossing it by his plate. I am not kidding. As if on cue in December, Leo's whiskers function as Santa-tracking radar.
Leo also loves to share his toys on the biggest gift-getting day of all. While Lucius pushes his loot of catnip mice and shiny crinkles into a corner, all the while perfecting his hoarder routine, Leo distributes his spoils.
I wrote in my Cat Lady Chronicles that Leo quickly became our cat who loved Christmas, and I am a bit haunted wondering still why he has such an affinity for the holiday.
If you believe that a cat has nine lives, and most of us Cat Ladies do, then I suspect you will not make fun of me for cherishing the thought that Leo experienced some form of Christmas before he entered our life as a kitten. Perhaps Santa simply scratched his beard a few times, and then he made his glorious decision.
Thank you, Santa, for sending Leo our way.
Query of the Day: Which of your cats loves Christmas best?
I’m back on the beat, and it’s great to be here.
I took several weeks off to prepare Catland for the holidays, and I also was in need of a personal “reboot.” I think all of us Cat Ladies can relate. Sometimes the need to be on-call for felines is overwhelming because our duties converge at once. Also, a certain alpha named Lucius had indicated that he was looking for even more “incessant stroking” to keep his spirits jolly and bright.
At this time of the year, material temptations are also potentially overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong; I am a firm believer in retail therapy. But, as this year draws to a close, I am thinking especially about the infinite gifts of unconditional love that our cats deliver to us every day. As Cat Ladies, we have our own version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
My reboot worked, and I was reminded recently of the simple joy of being a Cat Lady when I read an opinion piece by Peggy Noonan. She had asked a colleague, who serves as an editor of a news site, about what makes him grateful. He lives near a forest and responded that he is grateful for “love, nature, and innocence.” She wrote back and rephrased the question slightly. Yes, but, “what do you love right now?” He replied with a photo of his beloved cat, appropriately named Buddy. He went on to write that, while the topsy-turvy world of news is spinning around him 24/7, he looks to Buddy to help him “slow down” and to savor each moment. Buddy’s world “ends up being the preferred reality.”
I guess it goes without saying that I, too, prefer the reality of a life surrounded by cats.
Query of the Day: Do your cats allow you to slow down during the holidays?
