Saturday, May 31, 2014

Special

I needed to get some special-formula flea medication for the kids, and so off I went this morning to a nearby veterinary hospital that dispenses the greasy stuff.

It was easy to spot the hospital from a block away. A billboard-type sign, just like the kind you see outside a restaurant, advertised the daily special.

The sign read: NEUTER SPECIAL. Short, but not so sweet.

I can't speak completely for my male cats, but by the similar look on their faces after they had been neutered (now ages ago), I would venture to say that "special" was not at the forefront of their minds.

What is the "going rate" for neutering these days?  How much should a Cat Lady pay for a "neuter special"?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

The Other Hat

I am delighted today to be wearing my other hat (the one without cat ears) and making a guest appearance on the Yale ARTbooks blog.

There is a "crazy" theme that runs throughout my post, but it certainly does not apply to Cat Ladies (never!).

My thanks go to my colleagues at Yale University Press for inviting me to blog in their space. You can check out my post here: http://artbooks.yupnet.org/2014/05/28/museum-quality-books-the-shadow-behind-the-scenes-in-the-crazy-business-of-museum-publishing/#comments

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Here Comes the Bride



No, not that one. You know who. The bride who had a small, intimate affair today at Versailles or some such palace.

I am feeling nostalgic tonight about the kind of private family wedding where the woman to be married wore a tasteful bridal gown. And, if she was a Cat Lady, the bride not only wore white but also posed for her formal wedding portrait with her beloved cat by her side.

I was not a Cat Lady on the day I was married. But if Cat Man and I ever renew our vows, we'll need to find a venue with a sufficiently wide aisle to accommodate the procession of many furry ringbearers.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Like-minded Cat Ladies

You know that when I start spelling "like" as "Like," especially in the middle of a sentence, that this incorrect usage can only point to one thing: it's Facebook time.

I hope you will "Like" my new Facebook page announcing my next book, CAT LADY CHIC: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cat-Lady-Chic/538937699549807

You, fellow Cat Ladies, inspired me to write this book. I have brought together 100 images of notable and accomplished Cat Ladies who collectively prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the Cat Lady is "purr-fectly" chic!

As if "Liking" me isn't enough, I hope you also might consider this proposition. You can preorder your copy of CAT LADY CHIC today. Just click here:http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Cat_Lady_Chic-9781419714023.html

Thank you!

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Hero Cat

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Hero Cat!

How many times have you watched the video of Tara the cat, who instantly achieved heroic status when she chased down a neighborhood dog who was attacking her best friend? 

Tara's friend is a human, no less : a defenseless four-year-old boy who was outside his house in Central California. The dog didn't know what hit when, and Tara has moved on to become a huge hit online.

Watching the video reminds me of when Cat Man and I first rescued Lucius. We had been living in our house only a few years before he arrived as a stray at our back door. Our neighborhood was considered funky then, although the realtors on both sides of the negotiating table emphasized that the area was up and coming. Strangers knocking on the front door at various hours, day and night, indicated otherwise.

Lucius was always suspicious of potential intruders, and I always knew that he would do for me as Tara has done for her family. 

Thank you, Tara, aka Hero Cat, for silencing the naysayers. Cats are demonstrative creatures who profess their love and devotion to us every day. 




Thursday, May 15, 2014

Site-specific Projects

Leave it to a modern and contemporary art curator to send this cartoon to me!







Saturday, May 10, 2014

Community Property

I can still remember, back in the day, when "sharing" meant something philanthropic instead of  a warning sign of TMI.

I have been trying to teach young (7 months) and impressionable Kippy about the joys of sharing his toys with Pye. "Let's not be greedy and selfish," I say to our newest furry kid. You live in Texas, a community property state.

How does Kippy respond? "Pye doesn't share, so why should I?"

Kippy has taken to taunting Pye by sitting on her favorite "Hail Britannia" carpet.

 

Is this TMI for your taste, or may I continue to share my tales of Kippy?

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Ancestral Connection

Kippy's ancestor had the right idea: dim the lights and unwind with an elegant Cat Lady who likes to sip a Dubonnet for her nightly aperitif!

File:Plakat Cheret 95.jpg

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Cat Man's Essential Toiletries

After blogging the other night about good grooming, I happened to notice that Cat Man had rearranged some of his toiletries atop the campaign chest that occupies a place of honor in the "Expedition Room."

I recognized the familiar bottles of Acqua di Parma (Cary Grant's favorite cologne, so I hear from Cat Man) and D.R. Harris's freshening cologne. But the bottle of Sentry, a feline calming spray, gave me pause. Is this part of my husband's male bonding routine with Kippy? Is Sentry a Cat Man's go-to scent?

I hope you like this awkwardly framed still-life shot of what are apparently Cat Man's essential toiletries.


Thursday, May 1, 2014

Well Groomed

Like you, I want to be known as a well-groomed Cat Lady. Recently, I have been able to take grooming to new heights.

Lydia, who is about to turn 14, was recently diagnosed with feline senility. She howls a lot during the night, wandering about our house, then calms down after hopping into bed beside me. One of the ways she gets her bearings is by grooming me.

Lydia likes to brush my hair with her paws and to lick my hands. She coos and purrs while doing so. Because my daily grooming by Lydia typically begins at 3:30 a.m., I whisper into her ears, "too early, too early." But nothing stops Lydia from keeping me in spitting-good shape.

Here is Lydia, personal groomer to this Cat Lady.

What time is it? Groom time!