A Cat's Limerick On Inappropriate Scratching (& A Solution...)

A tortie named Mudpie was fearful

That Mommy would give her an earful 

She scratched all the chairs

No fabrics were spared

And Mommy is getting quite tearful!

Meows from Mudpie!

Okay, so my limerick written in honor of National Limerick Day is kind of an exaggeration. By now I'm sure you've seen the unsightly piece of cardboard rubber-banded around the recliner in our living room. In spite of my having several cardboard scratchers around the house I'm drawn to that particular spot on that particular chair, and that's how Mommy decided to deal with it. For the most part (ahem) I tend to leave the rest of the furniture alone.

I reminded Mommy that I have a Gotcha Day coming up this summer, and hinted that maybe I'd stop scratching the furniture if she bought me The Cone by WISKI, billed as "the world's most beautiful scratching post and nap space for your cat." We have to agree, it's a gorgeous scratcher, and The Cone's Kickstarter campaign just launched this week!

This isn't a sponsored post (although the links are affiliate links), we just wanted to share this project with you because we think it's an incredibly nice looking piece of cat furniture. You can read all about The Cone and secure one for your very own by visiting here.

Tell them Mudpie sent you!

Giveaway: Irish Proverb Cat T-Shirt from Triple T Studios

"Beware of people who dislike cats."

Have truer words ever been spoken? I know in my own life I have a tendency to turn a watchful eye on anyone who mocks my adoration of all things feline. (Including some in my own family, unfortunately.)

Our friends at Triple T Studios have imprinted these words to live by on a brand new, super soft women's V-neck t-shirt that's cozy, flattering, and a real conversation starter! It's available in both charcoal and green, and we have one to give away! (Winner's choice of color.)

This is a WORLDWIDE giveaway, so good luck everyone!!!

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FTC Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Triple T Studios. Also, the links are affiliate links, which means if you click on one and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!

Condiment Conundrum

Meows from Mudpie!

Today's post isn't wordless because it requires a bit of a set up.

You see, we go through a lot of mustard at our house so Mommy buys it at the dollar store in the largest size they offer. She hates the plastic squeeze bottles though so she transfers it into a glass jar.

I decided to snoopervise the process and didn't know quite what to make of it. The look on my face as I watched the mustard plop into the jar cracked Mommy up.

Do your humans ever do things that perplex you?

The Cat Rescuers Documentary: Bringing Awareness to Cat Overpopulation & TNR

It's difficult and heartbreaking to fathom, but the streets of New York City are "home" to a million abandoned and feral cats. These cats are the victims of irresponsible and uncaring humans, left to fend for themselves and face the harsh reality of life in an often very cruel world. Their only chance at escape is the city's overloaded shelter system where a happy ending is still far from guaranteed.

Thankfully there are hundreds of cat-loving activists who take to the streets day and night in all weather, making personal and financial sacrifices to care for these forgotten felines and implement TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), a technique that, along with adoptions, can humanely control and reduce the population. The Cat Rescuers documentary is about four of these dedicated volunteers - Claire, Sassee, Stu and Tara - all rescuing in Brooklyn where the problem has exploded in the last decade.



This isn't a story unique to New York City though...it's a situation that is playing out in cities and towns all over the world, which is why it's so important for this documentary to come to completion. Animal lovers everywhere need to learn not only about the problem, but also the solutions. The Cat Rescuers is destined to become an invaluable tool to put into the hands of rescue organizations to raise awareness and promote change in their communities.

Can you help? 80% of the project's $50,000 goal has already been funded, with less than $10,000 left to raise. Awesome rewards are available to backers, from digital downloads and DVDs of the completed movie to totes and t-shirts and cat toy, even art prints and healthy pet consultations.

Please consider making a pledge if you can, and spread the word among your friends! For more information about the documentary, visit CatRescuersFilm.com, and follow The Cat Rescuers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too!

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a contribution after clicking on the links, we will get a small commission.

Mudpie Interviews...Sneaky the Library Cat from the Cobble Cove Mystery Series

Book 1: A Stone's Throw

Widowed librarian Alicia Fairmont needs answers… After her husband is killed in a hit and run accident, Alicia travels upstate to his hometown of Cobble Cove, New York. She hopes to locate his estranged family and shed light on his mysterious past. Anticipating staying only a weekend, her visit is extended when she accepts a job at the town’s library. Secrets stretch decades into the past… Assisted by handsome newspaper publisher and aspiring novelist, John McKinney, Alicia discovers a connection between her absent in-laws and a secret John’s father has kept for over sixty years. Her investigation is interrupted when she receives word her house has burned and arson is suspected, sending her rushing back to Long Island, accompanied by John. Back in Cobble Cove, cryptic clues are uncovered… When Alicia returns, she finds a strange diary, confiscated letters, and a digital audio device containing a recording made the day her husband was killed. Anonymous notes warn Alicia to leave town, but she can’t turn her back on the mystery—or her attraction to John. As the pieces fall into place, evidence points to John’s involvement in her husband’s accident. The past and present threaten to collide, and Alicia confronts her fears… Has she fallen in love with her husband’s killer?

Book 2: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Librarian Alicia McKinney has put the past behind her… Two years ago, Alicia discovered both a terrible truth and lasting love with John McKinney in the small town of Cobble Cove, New York. Now a busy mother of twin babies and co-author of a mystery series, Alicia couldn’t be happier. Alicia’s contentment and safety are challenged… Walking home alone from the library, Alicia senses someone following her, and on more than one occasion, she believes she is being watched. Does she have a stalker? When the local gift shop is burglarized, the troubling event causes unrest among Alicia and the residents of the quiet town. John and Alicia receive an offer they can’t refuse… When John’s sister offers to babysit while she and John take a much-needed vacation in New York City, Alicia is reluctant to leave her children because of the disturbances in Cobble Cove. John assures her the town is safe in the hands of Sheriff-elect Ramsay. Although Alicia’s experience with and dislike of the former Long Island detective don’t alleviate her concern, she and John take their trip. Alicia faces her worst nightmare… The McKinneys’ vacation is cut short when they learn their babies have been kidnapped and John’s sister shot. Alicia and John’s situation puts them between a rock and a hard place when the main suspect is found dead before the ransom is paid. In order to save their children, the McKinneys race against the clock to solve a mystery more puzzling than those found in their own books. Can they do it before time runs out?

Book 3: Written in Stone

Alicia McKinney is confused . . . .

Was the strange email her husband received from the fictional detective in their mystery series a threat? Did the killer mistake the woman shot in the library for Alicia or the victim's twin sister?

Cat vs. Dog . . .

After Sneaky goes missing from the library, will he turn up before a young girl becomes ill with worry over his disappearance? And will he return in time to outsmart Fido by being first to find the perpetrator's smoking gun?

Alicia is worried . . .

While waiting for the killer's next move, Alicia has other concerns. An old flame of John's is in town and her friend, Gilly, has adopted the role of Miss Marple to aid her sheriff boyfriend in his investigation.

When all clues point to one of her co-workers, Alicia joins Gilly in searching for the answers to the mystery.

Will they survive . . . .

or is their ending written in stone?

Welcome Sneaky! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to meet Alicia?

Hi, Mudpie. I'd be happy to fill you in about that. It's a question that I'm often asked by readers. The full story of how I met Alicia is included in the first book of our series, A Stone's Throw, but I will give you the condensed version. Alicia visited Cobble Cove to find out some information about her dead husband's family. Although her intention was not to stay nor get involved with John, the town's newspaper publisher, and the last thing she expected was an offer of employment from the library Director, all three of these events took place. Upon accepting the librarian position, she was invited to stay in the apartment above the library which was my abode at the time. We bunked together and became fast friends. The rest is history and described in more detail in the book including how I became the library cat in the first place.

What's a typical day like for you at the library?

I do a lot of napping by the books. My friend, Mac, an old gent who is in the spotlight in our first book, placed a bed for me by the local history collection. Now I actually have a whole room to myself outside the staff lounge, and I often attend children's storytimes. I keep the Cobble Cove Library rodent free and also help solve the town's mysteries or at least poke my nose into them.

Tell us about the Cobble Cove mystery series that you star in.

I star in all three of them: A Stone's Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, and Written in Stone, although I play a particularly large role in the latest, Written in Stone, where I go missing. This book also has my cover image on it, although I have to admit the Siamese model is not as handsome as I am.

Do you assist Alicia in any way in solving the mysteries she becomes involved in?

I have to admit that even though I help Alicia find a clue in our first book, Fido, my dog co-star actually has more of a role in solving that mystery. In our second book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, I play an even smaller role regarding the mystery, although I am featured in other important scenes. Fido again sees most of the action, but he doesn't help solve the case. In Written in Stone, both Fido and I find some clues to the mystery, but Alicia and her friend Gilly do most of the investigative work to the new sheriff's chagrin.

Is your character based on a real life kitty?

Physically, I bear a resemblance to Debbie's Siamese cat, Oliver, although I am younger. In our books, I am only 3 years old while Oliver will soon be 17. Personality-wise, I can say that most cats are similar in their need for food, attention, and sleep not necessarily in that order. I, however, am a character cat and while I act as a normal cat in our books with perhaps a bit more perception, I can enjoy more than nine lives if readers keep reading my books.

You're also a fellow blogging kitty! What made you decide to start putting paw to keyboard and what will readers find at your blog?

I'm so glad you've heard of Sneaky the Library Cat's blog. I purr-suaded Debbie, who is a librarian as well as an author, to create this blog for me where I could interview fellow cat and other pet characters to give them a voice in their author's careers and to promote their books. I also run a Feature Friday Film section where I show cat videos, and I'm planning two new columns featuring new pet book releases and reviews. As it says on my blog, my mission is "Scooping the shelves of cat Litter-ature" but my blog goes further than that and features pet characters of all species. In one case, I even featured an alien cat.

Can you give us any clues as to what's next for you guys?

Debbie is working on some other projects, and I'm busy with my blog, so we are going to wait and see how the first 3 books of the series are received by readers. There is, however, talk that Debbie may start the 4th of the series this summer because a fellow author has suggested offering the services of one of her character cats in our the next book. That may mean that I would have more competition but maybe a detective buddy to help me with the mystery.

****************************

About the author: Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Cat Writer’s Association. She has a BA in English and an MLS in Library Science from Long Island University. Her published novels include Cloudy Rainbow, A Stone’s Throw, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, and Written in Stone. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Cobble Cove Mystery #2) has been on the Amazon bestseller list for cozy mysteries. Debbie has also written articles and short stories for several anthologies of various genres and a romantic comedy novella, When Jack Trumps Ace. She is currently seeking agent representation for her psychological thriller, Sea Scope. Debbie lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.

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#SundaySelfie

We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!

Pretty in Purple #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

Today for my Caturday Art project I chose a blurry, crooked picture Mommy took of me last weekend, applied the Purple Dawn effect in Lunapic, then popped on a frame.

Don't you love it when photos destined for the recycle bin can be repurposed into a work of art?

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and McGuffy's Reader!

1. I still have a landline. I prefer using it over my cell phone too!

2. My most treasured piece of jewelry is my Cherished Paws gemstone bracelet honoring my tortie girls.

3. This year, I have learned the value of choosing your battles. I've become much more outspoken in some aspects of my life while deciding to keep my mouth shut in others.

4. I would like to take some blogging and pet-related e-courses before this year is over.