Caturday Art: Coffee Truffles

Did you know that Monday, September 29, is International Coffee Day? I am a total coffee junkie; I with there was a way to pipe it through my veins intravenously. I also love looking at latte art. I wonder if a barista could create this, though? (I made this with Photofunia.)

I did a little investigating and discovered that many coffee chains are planning special freebies and deals on Monday. If you've heard of any others, please let us know! Remember that all of these offers are valid at participating locations.

Dunkin’ Donuts: free medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee, with a limit of one per guest. Then, beginning September 30 through October 5, guests can enjoy a medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee for the special price of only 99 cents.

Krispy Kreme: free 12oz cup of Krispy Kreme House, Decaf or Dark Roast coffee, or treat yourself to a 12oz Mocha, Latte or iced coffee for $1 at participating Krispy Kreme US locations.

McDonald’s second national Free Coffee Event kicked off on September 16 and will end on National Coffee Day, September 29th. Guests can get a free small McCafé coffee during breakfast hours at participating McDonald’s restaurants across the country.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea: purchase one beverage and receive a second beverage of equal or lesser value free.

Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop is celebrating National Coffee Week with the launch of any size coffee in Regular or Dark Roast for just $1.

Caribou Coffee: Free samples of their newly released Amy's Blend coffee on Monday, 9/19.

We're participating in Athena's Caturday Art Blog Hop. Check out more artsy kitties here.

Solving the Mystery of Cat Agility by Sheila Webster Boneham (w/Catwalk Review & Giveaway)

Over, Under, Around, and Through—Solving the Mystery of Cat Agility!

By Sheila Webster Boneham

When I announce that Leo, the lead cat in my Animals in Focus mystery series, goes to his first competitive agility trial in my new book Catwalk, people respond with everything from disbelief to uproarious laughter. A few even show interest in learning more!

Most people know about canine agility by now, since it’s become popular enough over the past twenty years to be televised regularly. Although the most spectactular runs tend to be by lightning-limbed Border Collies and other speedy mid-sized animals, dogs of all sizes, breeds, and mixtures compete successfully. Check out these videos:

* Yes, that’s a Chihuahua!

* All kinds of dogs, and people, too!

It looks fun, doesn't it? Well, it's not just limited to dogs--cats compete in agility, too!

In cat agility, the handler directs or—more often--lures the cat through tunnels, up and down ramps, over jumps, and through weave poles and other obstacles. Although it's a fairly new sport, it's growing in popularity in The U.S. and Europe. Here’s a dose of cuteness—a kitten beginning to learn about agility on a kitten-sized course.

My lead mystery dog, Jay, and his Labrador buddy Drake get to indulge in lots of sports in the series—obedience in Drop Dead on Recall, retriever training in The Money Bird. In the interest of interspecies fairness, Leo insisted that it’s his turn in Catwalk. So Janet MacPhail, animal photographer cum amateur sleuth, has entered him in their first feline trial just a week after a doggy trial with Jay. She’s running her socks (if not those extra twenty pounds) off! The trial takes place at a cat show, and the mystery in Catwalk involves the politics of feral cat colonies and trap-neuter-release programs, so it all fits together. Oh, and Leo’s furbrother Jay is a hero when some newborn kittens are lost. Good dog!

Too many people still believe that cats can’t be trained. Not true! Cats are smart, athletic, and fun-loving animals, so the trick for would-be trainers is to find something that the individual cat finds motivating. Clicker training (operant consitioning) is a very effective way to teach new behaviors in a positive, reward-based way. Here are some more happily trained cats:

 * Spectacular clicker-trained agility cats

* Getting started

* Beginners in competition

Like all good training, feline agility provides a wonderful way to strengthen the bond between cats and their owners. It also gives participating cats a fun way to keep their bodies and minds in shape.

To be successful in agility, your cat must

* have an outgoing, confident personality;

* be in excellent health and physical condition;

* love to play.

The sport is open to all kinds of cats, so it might be just the thing for you and your feline athlete. Even if you aren't ready to participate, why not visit a trial when the leaping, tunneling cats come to town and see what it’s all about. You can learn more at http://agility.cfa.org/index.shtml

Want to help name a new puppy and two kittens who are coming to the Animals in Focus series? Pre-order Catwalk by September 30, and then go to this site -- http://writersandotheranimals.blogspot.com/2014/09/help-name-mystery-kitten-and-puppy.html -- and follow the directions. Sheila's intern will select her favorite 5 names for each of the two kittens and the puppy, and Sheila will make the final choice. So put on your thinking cap!

Author Bio:

Sheila Webster Boneham writes the Animals in Focus mystery series. Drop Dead on Recall, the first book in the series, won the 2013 Maxwell Award for Fiction from the Dog Writers Association of America and was an NBC Petside Best Ten Dog Book of 2012. Sheila is also the author of 17 nonfiction books, six of which have won major awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association. For the past two decades Boneham has been showing her Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers in various canine sports. She has bred top-winning Aussies, and founded rescue groups for Aussies and Labs. Boneham holds a doctorate in folklore from Indiana University, an MFA Stonecoast/University of Southern Maine, and resides in Wilmington, N.C. Sheila writes literary nonfiction and poetry as well, and teaches writing. You can keep up with Sheila’s latest news at  www.sheilaboneham.com and www.facebook.com/sheilawrites , learn more about animal-oriented writing—with some of your favorite authors!—at her Writers & Other Animals blog at www.writersandotheranimals.blogspot.com .

Blurb: When animal photographer Janet MacPhail gets a frantic call from champion dog owner Alberta Shofelter about a "cat-napping," she and her Australian Shepherd Jay jump in to assist. Fur flies when the search turns into a nasty run-in with local big shot Charles Rasmussen, a bully who enjoys throwing his weight around. As Rasmussen makes good on his promise to cause trouble, Janet tries to keep up with her mom's romantic travails, figure out her own relationship with Tom, and train her animals for the upcoming agility trials. But when a body is discovered at the Dog Dayz event, it stops the participants dead in their tracks—and sets Janet on the trail of a killer.

"Animal photographer Janet MacPhail's latest adventure will delight dog lovers, cat lovers, and mystery lovers. Janet is excellent company, and although Leo the cat plays a starring role, I'm happy to report that Leo does not eclipse Jay the Aussie, who has become one of my favorite fictional dogs. Indeed, if Jay ever needs to move out of the pages of Sheila Boneham's mysteries and into a nonfiction house, he'll be more than welcome in mine. Five stars for CATWALK!" ~ Susan Conant, Author of BRUTE STRENGTH and other novels in the Holly Winter series of Dog Lover's Mysteries http://www.sheilaboneham.blogspot.com/p/mysteries.html

Tortie Shorties

Book reviews that are short and sweet...just like Truffles!

Already one of my favorite cozy series on the shelves, this third book in Sheila Webster Boneham's Animal in Focus series is the BEST ONE YET. Janet finds herself knee-deep in trouble once again trying to solve the murder of a local big shot, a real scumbag who deserved his fate more than just about any other fictional character I've come across.

What Made Us Purr:

* Feline Agility: I've always been interested in reading about dog agility trials, and have always said that if there is ever a dog in my life it's something I would love to participate in. In this book Janet's cat Leo performs at the Tri-State Cat Show & Feline Agility Trial. I never even knew this was a sport and now that I've read about it I think it would be so much fun! I think Truffles may be a bit concerned...

* Feral cats: A wonderful new character introduced in this book, Alberta Shofelter, has recently adopted a little calico from the feral cat colony in her neighborhood. She is very active in caring for the ferals and the TNR (trap, neuter, release) program, and a lot of valuable information is provided on the topic.

* Scene of the crime: The worthy victim is found dead in the middle of a 20' agility tunnel.

* Family, romance, and new friends: A good part of this book revolves around Janet's relationship with her beau Tom, and also with her elderly mother, who has found herself madly in love with another resident of her assisted living facility. New four-legged family members for both Janet and Tom are also introduced.

* The killer: The final reveal of how the victim died is the BEST TWIST EVER! I never saw it coming, but it is oh so fitting.

Final Catcall: This isn't a dog mystery series, it's an animal mystery series, but the fact that this one is more cat-centric makes it even more special to me. It has earned a spot on my Favorite Books of 2014 list.

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#LIGHTFORPETS Remember Me Thursday & Less-Adoptable Pet Week

Hey everybody, Truffles at the keyboard. I realize everyday what a lucky little girl I am. I was rescued from the streets and brought to the shelter last July and I found my forever home in August. I have yummy food and treats, warm beds and blankies, and a Mommy who loves me to pieces. I know that millions of kitties just like me aren't so lucky; they live without food, warmth, and love, and then either die on the streets or in a shelter because no one ever shows up to adopt them.

Did you know:

Each year in the United States 3.4 million orphan pets lose their lives without finding a home.

Yet only 30% of pets in US households come from rescue facilities.

That's why animal-lovers and animal welfare organizations across the globe will unite today, Thursday, September 25, 2014 (the fourth Thursday of September, annually) with a Remember Me Thursday pet candle-lighting ceremony. The candles, which will be lit on the exact same day across the world, will honor the millions of pets who lost their lives without the benefit of a loving home and shine a light on the millions of healthy pets who are still awaiting adoption. The Remember Me Thursday global awareness campaign encourages individuals to light a candle this day (literally or virtually) and to opt to adopt, reducing the millions of orphan pets euthanized each year.

Orphaned pets can't speak for themselves. We are their only voice. Spread the word about Remember Me Thursday on Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. Don’t forget to use #LIGHTFORPETS to share your thoughts and feelings about the importance of pet adoption.

Did you also know that Petfinder has designated Sept. 21-27, 2014 as Adopt A Less-Adoptable Pet Week? "Less-adoptable” pets (such as pit bulls, black cats and dogs, seniors, special needs animals) wait for a home nearly four times longer than the average adoptable pet does … sometimes more than two years!

The two lady cats that came before me, Sashi and Tara, were both less-adoptable because they were mature ladies of over 8 years old. I was only in the shelter for a month but may have been considered less-adoptable because even though I'm a tortie, I'm primarily black!

Every animal out there deserves a safe, loving home, so please encourage anyone you know who is thinking about adopting a new family member to take a second look at the animals who might be having a harder time finding their forever home.

DIY Projects for Shelter Animals #PetBloggerMonth

Last week I participated in a BlogPaws campaign where I was challenged to create a project or craft for my local shelter that would have an impact on the health or well-being of the animals in the shelter, their ability to get adopted, the communities' desire to adopt from the shelter, or the shelter staff’s ability to care for the animals, using supplies purchased with a $25 gift card from Tractor Supply. This was done in association with the store's annual Pet Appreciation Week celebration.

On Saturday I attended the #Paw2014 event at my local store and picked up some fun freebies, including the bandana Truffles is modeling above and a sample package of TSC's exclusive 4Health brand pet food (which gets four paws up!)

I haven't been asked to post this wrap-up, and am not being compensated for it, but I have been so inspired by the creativity of my fellow bloggers that I decided to collect the links to each DIY project in the hopes that all of you might be inspired to create something fun for your local shelter as well.

Kitty Condo by Oh My Dog!

Foraging Toy, Wand Toy, & Cat Kicker by Tails from the Foster Kittens

Rope Welcome Mat by Two Little Cavaliers

Tug of War Toys by Bichonpawz

Treat Dispenser by Daily Dog Tag

TeePee for Pets by Pets Weekly

Dog Leash Holder & Cat Scratch Post by My Rotten Dogs

Puzzle Feeder Scratcher Combo by The Tiniest Tiger

Shelter Cat Toys by Pawsitively Pets

Interactive Feeder or Toy by Dog Tipper

Treat Container by Barking from the Bayou

Kitten Korner by Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

Beware of Dog Kisses Signs by At the Fire Hydrant

Gourmet Pet Gift Basket by Miss Molly Says

Rope Tug Toy by To Dog with Love

Tripawd Recovery Survival Kit by Tripawds

3 Little Extras That Make Truffles Purr #GetHealthyHappy

While we understand that physical health depends on proper nutrition and regular medical care (whether you have two legs or four), how much time do you spend thinking about mental well-being? I know that for me personally, treating myself to a mocha at my local coffee shop or a blissful afternoon of reading while snuggling with Truffles is chicken soup for my soul.

Our pets' mental well-being is just as important! "Little extras" such as treats, toys, playtime, exercise and grooming all provide essential bonding moments with your pet, and give them the mental stimulation and fulfillment they need for a happy, healthy life.

Here are 3 "little extras" that make Truffles purr with happiness:

1) Toys & Playtime. When I adopted Truffles I went out and bought her a multitude of toys to choose from...interactive toys, catnip bags, feather toys, wand toys. I even put new batteries in an old laser light I had long ago put away in a drawer. Guess what happened? Nothing. She was not impressed with a single thing. In fact, with the exception of grabbing at a pen or stick under a paper bag, her play instinct was pretty much non-existent. I'll admit that I was slightly disappointed, but hoped that maybe in time she would come around. Then at Christmas she received a fabric-covered, plain blue ball and went absolutely crazy. Biting it, kicking it, tossing and chasing it around the house. I had never seen her experience such absolutely joy before and it brought tears to my eyes. My little girl was finally coming out of her shell!!!

What started out as a breakthrough moment has become a special moment that we now share every day. Each morning after breakfast Truffles immediately pulls out her beloved blue ball and starts playing. Those 15 to 20 minutes every morning spent with my special little girl before I leave for work are so, so special to me. It's "our time" together that I look forward to and it remains with me as I go about my day. Playtime gives pets physical and mental stimulation vital to health and happiness, but it's pretty darn therapeutic for me too!

Better still, that simple little ball has kicked her play drive into high gear and now she's more willing to try out new toys...although blue ball is always right there in the mix and still her "go to" toy each day. She loves balls with bells inside for extra stimulation, and she also enjoys batting around an empty toilet paper roll, proving once again that the simplest toys are usually the most fun.

Generally it is best to rotate toys so your can't doesn't get bored. Keep trying until you find what they have the most fun with! And when choosing a toy, be careful to avoid ones that are small enough for your cat to swallow or has pieces that could be chewed off and become a choking hazard. I recently had to throw away one of Truffles' favorite straw balls because it started to come apart.

2) Treats. Truffles is not a big eater at all, but she LIVES for her treats. I have several bags open at once and keep them in a basket in the living room. Whenever she wants a treat she sits in front of the basket and gives me "the look". At that point resistance is futile. It's important to me that her treats are as healthy as possible and that she's not snacking on the equivalent of potato chips all day, and thankfully Hill's has several treats that feature balanced nutrition that pet parents can feel confident in giving their dog or cat. You can read in interesting article on the ingredients that are in cat treats here.

3) Retail Therapy. I love shopping at pet stores for "little extras" to make Truffles happy. My favorite things to shop for are fun cat beds because she is a champion napper! She currently has a lounger that stays in the living room, and also a snuggler bed in my bedroom on top of a bookcase right beside my bed. It's in front of a window too, so she can relax and check out Bird TV at the same time! Fancy collars and cat towers are other great ways to pamper your pet with retail therapy.

If you have questions or need advice about any little extra that you’d like to give your pet, a perfect opportunity is at your pet’s annual checkup with your veterinarian.

To celebrate these little extras, Hill's is giving away bundles of goodies every pet parent can enjoy sharing with their dog or cat. The dog bundle includes a stainless steel dog bowl, a bag of Hill’s Science Diet Dental Chews, a bag of Hill’s Science Diet dog treats and a Healthier Pets, Happier Lives tote bag. The little extras bundle for cats includes a laser pointer toy, a stainless steel cat bowl, eight micro cans of Hill’s Science Diet Grain Free entrees, and a Healthier Pets, Happier Lives tote bag. I have two bundles to give away! (Open to the US only, but our International friends are more than welcome to enter and donate their winnings to a shelter in the US!)

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In addition to the little extras bundles, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is offering a $10 off promotion on select Hill’s Science Diet products. Check out www.ScienceDiet.com/GetHealthyHappy to download your rebate today and also to enter to win $100 toward your pet's next vet checkup!

Remember, don’t just get happy. #GetHealthyHappy with Hill’s ScienceDiet.

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Science Diet® Healthier Pets. Happier Lives.™, but Mochas, Mysteries and Meows only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

The Corpse Who Walked in the Door by Jackie King: Guest Author & Giveaway

In My Own Defense

by Trouble Cassidy

First of all, let me say that I was misnamed by my Person, Grace Cassidy. I’m anything but trouble. It’s Grace who is always in trouble. If I could rename myself, I would be Chalmers, which means, “lord of the household,” which I am. Sometimes Grace forgets how hard I work.

Don’t let my inert position fool you. I’m ready to spring to help Grace at any minute. Cats have huge responsibilities looking after their special Person. There’s this odious fellow who tries to lord it over my Grace, named Wilber Wimberly. He owns the place where we live and Grace has to do everything he orders her to do. He calls her, his inn-keeper. His? Who does this fellow think he is? Grace, as everyone knows, belongs to me. She has since that first day when we met. I was just a kitten then, and have a sort of blurred memory of this, but I’ll tell you what I can.

Grace was stumbling around in a rainstorm and almost stepped on me. I looked up at her and meowed as loud as I could. She muttered something I can’t remember, but she finally had the presence of mind to pick me up and tuck me inside her somewhat cluttered handbag. Immediately I knew we were supposed to be together and I settled down to take a catnap.

This part of my life is recorded in Jackie King’s book, THE INCONVENIENT CORPSE.

Jackie’s next book, THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR, starts with an amusing little story about me. The evil Wilbur Wimberly chased me around the drawing room with a poker. All I had done was catch a mouse and showed it to him. Aren’t cats supposed to catch mice?

“It’s still alive!” he shouted, dancing about the room and screaming like a little girl.

Well, of course it was alive. I didn’t want to murder him, I just wanted to play for a spell. And I did have a good time, until Grace came in and took the poker away from him and picked me up. The mouse, alas, got away. But I’ll catch him again.

What I really wanted to do was give that Wilbur a good talking to. The man has no manners at all. And he’s even put me to work! Me! The reigning feline.

It seems that folks who come to this quaint old B&B miss their own tabbies left back home in Cincinnati or Wichita or Oklahoma City. The deal is, if I stay the night in their room, Wimberly bills them. Five dollars, it is. Does that sound as if I’m some kind of freeloader? Absolutely not! I’m a working cat. It wears a fellow out just going around looking adorable all day. But at least Grace gets part of the payoff. My Person is learning to stand up for herself. She wasn’t any good at this at all when we first met, but I’ve taught her a thing or two.

I’m also the cat who found the body in the bathtub! If you’re interested in knowing the scuttlebutt about this, you need to read Jackie King’s latest book, THE CORPSE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR. Starring me, Trouble, AKA Chalmers, Lord of the Household.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Published by: Deadly Niche Press

Publication Date: June 2014

Number of Pages: 206

ISBN: 978-162016-112-8

Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

Former society wife Grace Cassidy is learning to live on the minimum wage she earns as a bed & breakfast inn-sitter. Grace finds her cat’s bloody paw prints leading away from a bathtub and wants to run for her life. But she can’t. Her 19-year-old son is accused of pushing his pregnant girlfriend down a flight of concrete steps and she won’t abandon him.

Read an excerpt:

Blood colored paw prints trailed from the white tile bathroom onto the faux Oriental rug in the bedroom where Grace stood. The cat-feet marks immobilized Grace. She closed her eyes and prayed that she had been claimed by stress-induced insanity, that there were no dark-red blots before her eyes, but a hallucination. A nice long rest in a mental hospital didn’t sound too bad. Anything except another dead body in this inn where she worked.


Jackie King loves books, writing tall tales, and murdering the people she dislikes on paper. Her latest mystery The Corpse Who Walked in the Door is available in ebook format. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Oklahoma Writers Federation, and Tulsa NightWriters.

Catch Up With Jackie:

Giveaway:

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Sunday Smorgasbord

Since Sunday features a multitude of blog hops, instead of doing a single post for each one, Truffles and I have decided to merge them all into a Sunday Smorgasbord. Each week we will start with whichever hop Truffles is participating in (Sunday Selfies, Easy Sunday, B&W Sunday) followed by my customary weekly blog recap and what showed up in our mailbox this week.

Today we're joining the Sunday Selfies Blog Hop hosted by The Cat on My Head. This is Truffles' "Sideways Selfie". I know what you're thinking...how is it possible that she just gets cuter every week? I don't know...but she does.

* This week we got a Halloween makeover thanks to Glogirly Design. Doesn't it look great? If you're looking to spiffy up your online digs, you can't go wrong when you treat yourself to a Glogirly Design. More info can be found here as well.

* We haven't done this before, but Truffles asked if she could mention her favorite blog post of the week. Earlier this week she received some treats from Chewy.com to review, Primal Turkey Liver Munchies Freeze-Dried Dog & Cat Treats. Her review will be coming soon, but you absolutely have to check out Emma the GBGV's review of the same treats. How hard can it be to make your own freeze-dried turkey at home, anyways? You might be surprised!

Last week on Mochas, Mysteries and Meows:
* Sunday Selfies: NASCAR Edition
* Introducing Our PAWS Sponsor Kitties!!!
* DIY Kitten Korner for #Paw2014
* Gotcha Day Treats & #WholeBodyHealth Survey
* Tea Time with Truffles: Blood of an Englishman by M.C. Beaton Review & Giveaway
* Talk Like a Pirate Day
* Caturday Art: Country Girls

Bought:

  

Feline Freebie:

Thank you, Kensington Books!

NetGalley: