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The Magic of Cats… Because We Could All Use a Little Magic Right Now

July 16, 2020 By Joi

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats

I’ve always loved the Chicken Soup for the Soul books and have always gotten excited when a new one hits the shelves (or in the modern era, Amazon). I’m EXTRA EXTRA excited about the newest book, The Magic of Cats, for three distinct reasons.

First Reason… 2020

2020 has been trying, to say the least. Every single day, we read about (and pray for) people who are sick or families who have had to say goodbye to loved ones they were in no way ready to say goodbye to. You simply can’t see these gut-wrenching real life events DAILY without them affecting you. The more empathetic you are (I’m a solid 10 out of 10 on the scale, myself), the more you feel each loss and sympathize with each tear.

This year, as much as any year I can remember, has caused me to focus on one of my favorite “focal” words: BALANCE. We have to make a point of balancing the negative with as much positive as we can and we have to respond to the ugliness with as much beauty as we can find or muster.

My favorite ways to bring balance into my world are prayer, family (which includes our cats, of course), inspirational reading, cooking, old movies, flower gardening, and classic television. Balancing acts such like these keep what’s out there from eating you alive from the inside out.

Chicken Soup for the Soul books are incredibly inspiring and uplifting. Each book is a collection of stories that remind you that, often… very, very often… good ultimately wins and love is the most powerful emotion of all. I honestly feel like these books could be prescribed as effectively for stress and anxiety as any medication on or off the market. They fill you with hope and happiness and, could we ever use a daily dose of those right now??!

“Eddie” Hard at Work on a Puzzle

Second Reason… Cats

Okay, I have a cat blog, so it’s no secret here that I am obsessed with and completely in love with cats – all cats… big, small, domesticated, feral, fat, slender, long hair, short hair, no hair, yours, mine…. All cats. I don’t only approve of the title of this book, The Magic of Cats… I applaud it with a hearty “AMEN!”

Earlier, I was having one of those busy human moments – wondering what I was going to make for supper, when I’d have a chance to finish this very post, how I could convince the dishes to do themselves… all while basically going around in circles as the neck tension began to gain momentum. I happened to glance at one of our cats, Guennie, looking especially beautiful and peaceful soaking up the afternoon sunshine. Instantly… literally instantly… the tension melted away.

Obviously that doesn’t happen in every instance and certainly not for everyone – but it happens regularly for me with my cats and I’m sure you can relate.

There is a certain magic to cats and you’ll never convince a cat lover there isn’t.

Eddie, Wondering if He’ll Be Required to Sign Autographs

Third Reason… and the Biggest Reason, if We’re Being Honest…. Emily!

Who’s Emily? She’s Emily Dill – my beautiful oldest daughter… and recently a first time mother of a human baby (she and her husband have had cat babies for years.. awesome great pre-game). She is a writer and her story about their cat, Edgar Allan Poe (Eddie, for short), is one of the stories in the book.

As her mother and Eddie’s MiMi, I am unspeakably proud of both of them!

Eddie’s story (he insists I call it that, since he is, after all, the star) is in the chapter about cats that “choose” their forever home and, more importantly, their forever family.

Emily and Dill (her husband) had recently moved into their home, with their “princess” Janie, a gorgeous shiny black cat who has been a real character since day one. She was adopted as a tiny kitten and had run of the house since day one.

Eddie showed up one day, on the brink of death (literally – I don’t exaggerate) to their home. He may or may not have realized it then, but he had just chosen his forever home and forever family and could not have done a better job. I’m still convinced that Princess Janie consenting to accept a brother was an answer to prayer. If you knew this little girl like I do, you’d know it couldn’t have been anything but Divine intervention.

I hope you will buy the book to read all of Eddie’s story – as well as the many, many other heart-warming and uplifting stories. So many (including Emily’s story… I’m sorry… including Eddie’s story) moved me to tears – fortunately, I know by now to always sit down to the beautiful Chicken Soup books with a box of tissues. These stories are so beautiful… so precious… so MAGICAL.

Cats bring a certain amount of magic to our homes and to our lives and this wonderful book is an extraordinary reminder.

The Magic of Cats is available on Amazon and would make the most amazing gift for cat lovers imaginable. Just be sure to package it with a box of tissues to catch all of the happy tears.

~ Joi

P.S. Chicken Soup is just as healing as it ever was.

Eddie… Living His Best Lives!

Review: I Draw on Cats!

June 27, 2016 By Joi

You are looking at fun just waiting to happen. I Draw on Cats: A Connect-the Dots Activity Book by A.R. Coffett is almost as fun as an actual cat. The book (which fans out, allowing several people to draw at once – see the picture below) includes a lot of especially cute pictures of cats in all their larger than life glory.

The pictures, alone, make the book more than worth it!

Since the dawn of time, humans have looked into the enigmatic faces of cats and wondered who are you? In this collection of connect-the-dots adventures, expert illustrator and cat motive decoder A. R. Coffelt takes us into the secret worlds of our feline friends— complete the puzzles and solve the mystery of what each adorable cat is really up to!

I Draw on Cats: A Connect-the Dots Activity BookEach picture becomes a live-action scene when you take pen in hand and connect the dots. Suddenly the adorable cats are superheroes, super divas, and knights! This adorable, made-for-people-who-adore-cats book would make any cat lover’s day – seriously, any age. It’s actually pretty darn relaxing to sit and doodle, connecting the dots along the way.

I Draw on Cats: A Connect-the Dots Activity BookI’m thrilled to add this to my cat book collection and everyone who has seen it has gotten a huge kick out of it. A perfect conversation starter, there isn’t anything about this book I don’t love.

From the Inside Cover: For centuries humans have looked into the enigmatic faces of cats and wondered, “Who are you?” Join expert illustrator A.R. Coffelt in this collection of connect-the-dots adventures and transform a cat into a detective, a kitten into a wizard, and a feline into a rock star just by completing the puzzles.

About the Author: A.R. COFFELT is an artist living in Atlanta, Georgia, with her family and their very handsome cat, Bob.

Find I Draw on Cats: A Connect-the Dots Activity Book on Amazon for yourself and grab one as a gift for a fun loving cat lover in your life!

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

Cooking for Two: Your Cat and You! (Review)

December 17, 2015 By Joi

Alexa and Her First Cookbook

“Dogs eat. Cats dine.” – Ann Taylor

My cats and I were sent a beautiful cookbook to review on the cat blog a few weeks ago: Cooking for Two–Your Cat & You! We’ve been enjoying it more than I can even tell you. Not only are the recipes are fantastic (whether or not your cat actually shares with you), the book is filled with adorable cat pictures, quotes about cats, and fun “cat facts.”

Speaking of which, did you know that only about half of all cats have any sensitivity to catnip? (page 65)

One of the Adorable Pictures Inside the Cookbook

Recipes Include:

Mini Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Vegetable Stir Fry
Baked Chicken (my cats’ favorite)
Vanilla Sundae
Tuna Salad
Salmon and Steamed Broccoli
Deli Rollups
Scrambled Eggs with Rice
Chicken Soup with Carrots
And more!

“If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.”- Mark Twain (page 61)

There’s also a great “No No List” of foods you should never feed your cat. You’ve probably heard how dangerous it is to give chocolate to a cat, but did you know that avocado, citrus, garlic, fruit seeds, grapes, mushrooms, and nuts are very bad for cats? Also, salt and sugar in excess are also bad.

From the Inside Cover:
Cat lovers can forget about eating solo, and cats no more have to look longingly at the meals their caretakers have prepared in hope of getting a bite. Now, with the help of Cooking for Two: Your Cat & You, felines and their friends can share a meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

In this new two-species cookbook, Brandon Schultz has adapted dozens of unpretentious recipes for “people food” to fit both the palate of humans and the dietary limitations of cats. He covers what foods are and aren’t safe for our furry companions, suggests resources for making day-to-day cat food, and gives tips on making food for special occasions appetizing for both human and cat. Each recipe has instructions and ingredient lists for both types of diners.

If you click through and order from Amazon, you can actually have this beautiful book in time for Christmas – whether as a gift to another cat lover or a gift to you and your cat. See Cooking for Two–Your Cat & You! for more information.

I am absolutely smitten with this beautiful book – front to back – and I know you will be too.

Review of a Book I’m In LOVE With – Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges

November 14, 2014 By Joi

The book shown here, Furry Logic, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges, is honestly too adorable… to clever.. to witty.. to perfect… to do justice to with a book review, but I’m going to try.

First of all, are you at all familiar with Jane Seabrook’s work? Allow me to just say, right up front, she’s a genius. A creative, talented, animal-loving genius.

My favorite kind of genius!

The Furry Logic books are filled with the most adorable paintings of animals you’ve ever seen. Each time I flipped the page, I thought “I want a larger version of this to hang on the wall…” By the time I reached the end of the book, I’d made plans for every room in the house.

I haven’t looked yet, but I can only hope these adorable paintings are available on coffee mugs, calendars, art work, etc.

I’ll spend a fortune, but my home will be one smile waiting to happen after the next.

The pictures, themselves, would be enough to make this adorable little book a MUST HAVE for cat lovers and animal lovers, but it’s also filled with wonderful humor. Each “character” (and they really are characters!) comes with a wonderful quote or quip. Some make you think, some make you laugh, and all make you fall just a little bit further in love with the book.

The thing that really impresses me is how the artist (you know, the animal-loving genius) manages to capture the emotions of each quote with a painting. Somehow she manages to create furry (or feathered) characters that perfectly convey the emotions – and it’s all in the eyes. Any cat “parent” can tell you that animals most definitely have expressions and Jane Seabrook captures them perfectly.

About the Furry Logic Series:

The adorable and high-profile Furry Logic series celebrates its 10th anniversary with a menagerie of illustrated animals and hilarious sayings about life, love, and everything in between.
No one understands the ups and downs of life’s little challenges better than the frisky critters of Furry Logic. The inspirational and tongue-in-cheek advice from series creator Jane Seabrook and her plucky animal characters will tickle the fancy and the funnybone of readers everywhere. Each intricately illustrated spread features a member of the animal kingdom with a unique take on life, from the adorably grumpy owl who advises “Smile first thing in the morning. Get it over with” to the fluffy hawk who admonishes, “If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.” So join the original flock of penguins, bears, frogs, and more in celebrating a decade of wit and wisdom with ten new illustrated spreads for fans looking for fresh inspiration.

About the Creative Animal-Loving Genius:

JANE SEABROOK is the creator and artist of the Furry Logic series. Known for her paintings of wildlife, Jane cares for her own furry menagerie of two cats and a dog with help from her husband and two children.

There are other Furry Logic books available on Amazon as well – I highly recommend all of them. There’s just something incredibly relaxing and enjoyable about curling up with these books. I’ve shared them with and recommended them to everyone I know. While the Furry Logic books ARE available for Kindle, I’d definitely suggest getting a physical copy.

This is a “hands on” kind of book!

You’ll definitely want to go check out Furry Logic, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges on Amazon. This book is less than $10 and would make a PERFECT gift for any animal lover on your list. It’s one of those rare gift ideas that’d be ideal for just about any age. From teenagers to senior citizens, everyone loves to smile and everyone’s looking for their next laugh.

Just be sure to grab a copy for yourself – why should you miss out on the fun, right?!

“You’ll always be my best friend…. you know too much.“

Note: I received this book from theBlogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

Purrfect for Cat Lovers:

Purry LogicAn all-new, all-feline collection of adorable illustrations, humorous sayings, and unadulterated cattitude from the creator of FURRY LOGIC.

Filled with wry witticisms to perk up even the most finicky cat lovers, PURRY LOGIC puts a distinctly feline twist on Jane Seabrook’s popular FURRY LOGIC books. This delightful collection presents cuddly cats offering purr-worthy pick-me-ups like, “My only purpose in this life is to rest and recover from my previous lives,” “If you didn’t make the rules, just ignore them,” and “When fat, arrange yourself in slim poses.” Watercolor-painted in loving detail, Seabrook’s sleek and sassy kitties remind us that the best things in life are furry. – Louisville Courier Journal

Other Furry Logic Books:

Furry Logic Laugh at Life

Furry Logic Parenthood

Furry Logic: Don’t Worry!

Furry Logic Love

Furry Logic Wild Wisdom

Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges

Tabitha: The Story of a Much-Travelled Cat

March 30, 2011 By Joi

Fellow cat lovers, here’s a book you’ll want to add to your collection immediately, if not sooner.

Tabitha: The Story of a Much-Travelled Cat is a gorgeous little book starring an even more gorgeous cat. Her name is Tabitha and she has more resilience than a lot of humans.

From the Back Cover:
Like all cats, Tabitha loved to lie in the sun. She would stretch out on the patio or in the sun-room, and roll over onto her back, displaying the soft, light-brown, dark-spotted fur along her tummy. When she could, she made her way upstairs and settled on her mistress’s bed. She would wait for her mistress to come home from work, and would soon be curled up on her lap, purring, while Jane enjoyed a cup of tea.

Tabitha’s memoirs were lovingly written by her grandmother, author Helen Harris. The beautiful photographs throughout the book were lovingly taken by Tabitha’s mother, Jane Tirard.

This absolutely precious book is a must-have for all cat lovers. You’ll adore every second of the fast-reading tale almost as much as you enjoy the pictures of Miss Tabitha.

Since we cat lovers are sensitive people, I thought I’d set your mind at ease right up front – there is, thankfully, no sad ending involved. I thought you’d like to know because, if you’re anything like me, you avoid sad-ending animal stories with every ounce of your being!

Tabitha: The Story of a Much-Travelled Cat is definitely a feel-great book and I hope you’ll grab a copy right away.

The Secret Adventures of Louie V: Perfect for Small Cat Lovers!

December 30, 2010 By Joi

As a cat lover, book lover, and home-schooling mother of three daughters (I home-schooled my daughters all the way from Kindergarten through High School), I have fallen in love with a couple of children’s books. They’re The Secret Adventures of Louie V children’s books and they are beyond excellent. WAY beyond. I was sent two beautiful books to review on Cat Pause and it is my supreme pleasure to do so!

When I taught our daughters to read (when they were between 4 and 5), I relied on beautiful, colorful children’s books filled with fun stories and colorful pictures. I chose books that didn’t talk “down” to the reader – as in keeping the vocabulary ridiculously simple. As they got older, I always sought books that would expand their vocabulary. If my daughters were in grade school today, the Louie V books would be right up my alley… and their little alleys as well.

These books are fun, beautiful, colorful, and ideal for young readers. Best of all, they feature a main character (Louie V, a precocious Siamese cat…. then again, is there any other kind of Siamese cat? I’ve had 3 and each was delightfully unpredictable!) that the reader will love.

Something else occurred to me while reading through these books, the illustrations are IDEAL for teaching children their colors – there are so many bright beautiful illustrations to choose from. There are also “counting opportunities” with many of the pictures. They are outstanding and it’s obvious the author has had many, many, many dealings with precious children – she truly “gets” them and knows exactly what a young reader wants and needs.

Book Description:

When ‘SHE’ is away, Louie V will play! The Secret Adventures of Louie V series details the escapades of a mischievous Siamese cat when his doting—and unknowing—owner leaves the house. The colorful caper is meant to inspire the imagination in new readers and consists of two volumes, with a third (and more) on the way.

The debut volume introduces us to Louie V’s world unseen as he explores the closet belonging to ‘SHE.’ In the second, “Louie V Takes the Cake,” the sneaky feline is on a mission to figure out why his owner has been so busy. The answer, of course, is just for readers.

The books are available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com, and a variety of “Louie V” merchandise is available for purchase on www.LouieVAdventures.com. The website also features Louie’s blog, quizzes, and activities perfect for young Internet explorers.

About the Author:

Author Tracey Delio, M.A.CCC/SLP has been providing speech and language services to toddlers, preschoolers and school age children on Long Island for the last 15 years, and she was recently inducted into the Hicksville High School Hall of Fame for her work. Her areas of special interest include motor speech disorders, sensory integration disorders, early language development and PDD/ Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has worked side by side with ABA teams to facilitate speech and language development in the Autistic population. Tracey is a Certified PROMPT Instructor and teaches workshops in various locations throughout the United States.

Tracey is deeply involved in a number of charitable organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Autism Speaks and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Secret Adventures of Louie V will be donated to the aforementioned charities. Each of the charities Tracey is involved with support children and strive to make their future bright and prosperous.

If you are a parent or grandparent of small children, I know you’ll want to order both of these beautiful books for the precious little ones in your life – the one’s without fur, that is. The one’s with fur are probably too busy to read. I’m sure you’ll also want to order a Louie V stuffed animal as well. He’s absolutely adorable and children LOVE to hold a toy that appears in a book they’re reading. It seems to make everything extra special for them. Visit Louie V’s Website to order your books and adorable stuffed animal today!

The Magic of Cats… Because We Could All Use a Little Magic Right Now

Review: I Draw on Cats!

Cooking for Two: Your Cat and You! (Review)

Review of a Book I’m In LOVE With – Furry Logic: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges

About the Furry Logic Series:

About the Creative Animal-Loving Genius:

Other Furry Logic Books:

Tabitha: The Story of a Much-Travelled Cat

The Secret Adventures of Louie V: Perfect for Small Cat Lovers!

#1 Best-Seller on Amazon

An Ingenious Litter Box…

Christmas EVERYDAY!

Cat Tunnel..

Photographs on the Blog

Keep Your Indoor Cat Active and Entertained