Thanks from the Cat Herder

I am incredibly thankful for your support in any way. Your generosity and encouragement have been invaluable to me. I am excited to continue working on the Cat Purrs and Drools site with renewed confidence! Knowing that I have your support means the world to me. I am eager to see what we can accomplish together in the coming year. Thank you again for everything! I have compiled a list. It shows all the ways—big and small—that my family, friends, clients, neighbors, and the community have supported us.

• baby blankets
• used newspapers
• cat toys
• tall scratching posts in good condition
• sponsorship for Betty B.
• tech help from WordPress staff
• bottles of nice wine
• hugs
• outdoor cat enclosure
• cat treats
• overnight cat sitting
• a live Christmas tree
• homemade dinner takeout
• Bundt cake pan
• taking me out to dinner treats
• decorated cupcakes from a bakery
• monetary donations
• plastic grocery bags
• going up in the thickly insulated attic to restore power
• wonderful books from the library
• cutting up a downed tree
• carpentry advice
• having a warm indoor community pool to do my laps
• pet hydrotherapy advice from professionals
• words of kindness

The Herd introduction is now here!

Click About the Herd. It is displayed as a navigation button text on the site’s homepage.

In our household, the cats are the stars of their own reality show, Days of Our Feline Lives. Unlike a soap opera, there is no acting or scripting; the cats are simply being themselves.

This current herd is unlike any of my earlier ones. My current feline residents are all ten years old and younger, which means they’ll be around for quite a while. I do not have any plans to foster more cats now. This herd will stay with me for the foreseeable future.

The cats and I appreciate our daily routines, although they differ. The cats enjoy a predictable schedule, while I, as their herder, prefer to mix things up.

As Amor Towles writes in The Lincoln Highway, some people “…choose to make every day into an every-day day…every day they would wake up at the same time, get dressed at the same time, get dressed in the same clothes, and have breakfast at the same table with the same people before heading off to attend the same classes in the same classrooms.”

That’s not for me! But, the cats thrive on routine. They appreciate having different meals for breakfast and going about their day individually or in a group. My routine includes opening the blinds and brewing a cup of coffee. The order of events may differ. Ultimately, we all go with the flow. We find a balance between predictability and spontaneity.

I made the right choices

The pandemic inspired me to appreciate residing in Cat Paradise. As a former world traveler, I discovered the joys of staying home with my cats and embracing the everyday beauty of nature. I’ve grown to cherish our little adventures in our cozy valley home, surrounded by majestic mountains, more than any foreign travels.

Things have changed. I used to have many senior cats living out their golden years here, and I fostered many newly rescued felines. Now, I have one senior cat. My cat-dog Ellie Mae has passed. My herd is at full capacity with mostly young cats. I still check on my elderly folks and a non-resident cat regularly. We will move ahead and hope for the best this year!

Live as if everything is rigged in your favor. -Rumi

Peace to all

I choose to focus on the positive and find inspiration in Cat, Wine, Love. I hope that you and your loved ones, both human and furry, will also find peace. Times are turbulent, and our country and the world face challenges for the next four years. Negativity, blame, and finger-pointing are toxic – we have enough problems already without the added fear and provocation.

 A strong community requires everyone to be a good neighbor and work together.

Cheers!

Time to fine dine and wine with my fellow felines.