Calling All Cat People

I was excited to read that Shout! Factory has just released a collector’s edition of Cat People, the 1982 remake of the horror/ film noir classic. The Blu-ray edition is complete with an exclusive, specially commissioned poster that surely will appeal to, and maybe even frighten, cat people–that means us. There are only 200 copies of the poster available, so order yours as fast as possible.

I hear that kudos go to the black panthers in the film. I wonder if my very own Panther has seen and approved?

L.B., CFO

Our very sweet cat L.B. has a head for numbers and a body that is built like a linebacker's.

Happily, we have noticed that L.B. has taken to eating less recently—which is helping control his diabetes—and is now spending much more of his time studying stock and mutual-fund portfolios. All of us at Catland are very impressed by L.B.’s ability to use a calculator and to create spreadsheets as needed.

 

We are proud to announce that L.B. has been appointed the new CFO at Catland, effective immediately.

Have you ever been tempted to post your cat’s “title” and “resume” on LinkedIn?

Of Mice and Cat Ladies

Move over, Ylvis, because I, too, have a catchy tune: “What Does the Mouse Say?”

It seems that Pye loves mice—not the real-life “gruesome offerings,” as Maeve Brennan wrote in her story “Cat House” (1955), reprinted in the recently issued Big New Yorker Book of Cats. Make no mistake: Pye likes her mice to be made of cloth, and preferably stuffed with catnip.

The newly anointed Pye Palace (formerly the Expedition Room; sorry, Cat Man) is stocked with about 20 toy mice, and Pye likes to play with, attack, and hurl them all. We hear Pye running furiously about the room, stalking her prey. At some point in the early hours of the morning, usually around 3:00 a.m., she becomes exhausted and retires from the hunt. But not before leaving a perfectly aligned row of mice for us to discover upon awakening. Sometimes Pye chooses three mice, other times five.

We cannot walk into the Pye Palace without stepping over mice. We get it, Pye! We are honored by your carefully chosen gifts to us and especially delighted that the rodents are fake.

Did You Know?

Today is the opening of the annual London Art Fair, which has long been a destination for top collectors from around the world.

The fair is featuring an exhibition dedicated to the renowned artist Barbara Hepworth. Did you know that she was a Cat Lady? Apparently her feline friend felt right at home among her modernist sculptures.

Dame Barbara Hepworth and Her Cat, Nicholas. Photograph by
Ida Kar, National Portrait Gallery, London

Art + Cats + Ladies: A Cat-Lady Trifecta!

Cold Shoulder

Panther is beyond stubborn. I am very fond of him, as much as he will let me get close to him. By Houston’s standard, the weather of late has been arctic. Yet Panther is still giving me the cold shoulder, as he cannot bring himself to cross the magic threshold that separates the outdoors from the indoors.

“Door” is apparently a dirty word to Panther. I know, because I tried again to close the door in the utility room behind him, and I nearly caused him to become the headless stray cat who visits us twice daily. I prefer that he present himself to us with a head and a torso; wouldn’t you want the same?

Please forgive this extremely soft-focus picture of Panther, which was taken today at about 5:15 a.m., before Cat Man had gulped his first cup of coffee.

Hooked on Cats

I know you feel the way that I do about cats. We are hooked, obsessed, and mesmerized by them.

I wish I would have been bidding at a recent auction for this handmade hooked rug, made in the early twentieth century. The charming design featuring seated cats, surrounded by floral borders, reinforces the sentiment "there is no place like home"..., especially a home with cats.

Photo from Conestoga Auction Co.

Say Cheese

Whoever invented Temptations’s new Cheezy Middles treats for cats is either a genius or a diabolical trickster. I’ll go with genius first, because surely the person—Cat Man or Cat Lady—who came up with the idea is now meowing all the way to the bank. Our cats quickly became addicted during the holidays, which is where the diabolical trickster also plays a part.

The Whiskas product description states that the "patented dual-pocket technology" now includes cheese inside each treat. The treats are 100% nutritionally complete and "balanced for all life stages," which, at the rate my cats were consuming the treats this past week, will likely mean their life stages will be defined by obesity. And yet, the Cheezy Middles contain no artificial flavors!

I explained to any cat who would listen to me yesterday that a new year meant resuming a healthy diet. But Leo, Linus, and Alvar will hear nothing of the sort and are begging especially for the tuna-and-cheese-flavored treats. It was a relief to return to the office today and to avoid their staring at the treat bag!

I’m betting that the Temptations product line will soon include Mac & Cheese, Salmon & Cream Cheese, and Flaked Fish Alfredo. If this thought makes you queasy, I understand. If the thought makes you smile, then say cheese.