Denise Brixey's Blog

It’s that time of year again. The time for decorations, Christmas trees, Santa Claus and presents. It’s the time for parents to make their child’s fantasies come true. It is so tempting for ˜Santa” to give their darlings a cute and cuddly little kitten. The common belief is they will grow together.

However, we must remember a kitten is not a toy,  and needs a guardian who is a knowledgeable about raising a cat. The excitement of waking up Christmas morning to a brand new furry kitten will soon wear off when the child is charged with caring for Fifi. Often the child will grow tired of feeding her and cleaning the litter box. Then it falls to the parent to take care of the needs.

A cat is a full-time responsibility that can last for up to twenty years. In that time, Johnny or Janey will probably go their separate ways, leaving the cat behind. Over the years, she has grown to depend on her people for love and attention. To suddenly withdraw it can be traumatic and unfair for her.

In my opinion, one of the main reasons not to give a kitten as a present is that some pet stores, etc. receive their supply from disreputable breeders and kitten mills. In a kitten mill, cats are bred in tight quarters with no medical attention until they can no longer breed. When that day comes, they are either euthanized or sold. When they are given away, the kitten has the chance of being unhealthy. This might cost more money and heartache in the long run.

The next time you take your child into the pet store to gaze at the cute little furry things, remember, they are not toys, so look, and fight the temptation to take one home.

I don’t know about you, but my cats are my family, and as such they deserve nice gifts for the joy they give me all year round. Now, I could go all out and spend too much money for things that they have no interest in, or I can use my imagination and a $20 bill.

First, I will start off my saying that, like children, if you put all of the new toys out to play with on Christmas morning, chances are they will become get bored with them by Christmas night. My advice is to hold back, only giving them a few toys at one time, until they get bored with them. Then, pick them up and replace them with some of the new toys that you have in reserve, that way, it’s Christmas all over again.

Some of the toys you can pick up in the local pet shop. However, they usually jack the prices sky high to cover their overhead. That being the case, the only time that I go into the pet shop is to look, not buy.

Your next option is the Internet. Now, there are a lot of places out there that charge just as much as the pet shop does, but if you scour the pet outlets on the Net, chances are you will find deals. Two stores that I shop at are Amazon and Chewy.

Then there are toys that you can make with a little imagination and a lot of love. I suggest that you watch your cat play. Do they like to stalk, pounce and jump high in the air, like my Mimi? Or are they lazy cats who only grab the toy from where they lay and chew on it, like my BoBo?

For cats like Mimi, a ping pong ball works great to help get their energy out. Bounce it and see them go for it. The higher you bounce the ball, the higher they will jump. Another good one is a lazar pointer. Now you can get them from any pet store, but why not use your flashlight on your cell phone (assuming you have a cell). A substitute for a ball is a cork. I keep several on hand just in case she gets too rambunctious, and it goes under the stove or refrigerator. I had both of the appliances replaced last year and was slightly embarrassed when the installer found all the corks that had gotten away from the cat.

BoBo is a bit different. He’s older and has always been a lazy hunter. For these types of felines, you need to be resourceful. You may be able to entice them with a feather attached to a stick, straw or anything that is tubular. Bo even goes after the lazar, but only if you point it right in front of him. Just as long as he doesn’t have to get up, he’ll play.

Help your cat have a merry Catmas!

Until next time, let’s play!

It’s that time of year when people all over the world decorate for the holidays. Many people adorn a tree for the season. A few years ago, I learned about the real dangers of these trees and ornaments.

Ii astonished me to learn the statistics regarding Christmas trees. According to National Christmas Tree Association, there are approximately 350 million Christmas trees planted by farmers in the US alone. Of those, 350 million, 25-30 million are sold. These numbers pale compared to people who buy artificial trees, which amounts to 80% of those who decorate Christmas trees.

You may wonder what Christmas trees have to do with your cat.

The obvious answer is if your cat is prone to climbing, or as I like to put it, be a “tree baby” (pun intended), there is a chance for injury. There are other reasons, too.

The sap from the tree is toxic to your cat. It is in the tree, needles, and the water in which the tree stands.  Along with pine poisoning comes the threat of the pesticides and fertilizers used in growing the tree, and chemicals that are used to enhance the look of it. These can cause kidney and/or liver failure, muscle weakness, labored breathing and digestive issues. The needles pose another problem in that they can easily become lodged in the cat’s throat, or rip her intestines, etc.The ornamentation of the tree adds to the problem.Tinsel and those shiny bulbs look like cat toys and are an enormous temptation for the cat. If she chews on the tinsel, chances are that she will swallow it and it may wrap itself around the cat’s intestines. Some ornaments used on the tree are made from breakable material and can cause damage to the cat’s paws if stepped on and, of course, cut internal organs if swallowed.

Unfortunately, except for the sap poisoning, artificial trees have the same dangers as do their live counterparts.

Solution: Raise your tree off the ground and out of reach of your little ones. You may think that it takes away from the beauty of the season, but better that than spending hundreds of dollars in vet bills, or take the possibility of a beloved family member dying..

Like the rest of America, Harry the Wonder Cat is counting his blessings today:

FoodFoodFood

Who says cats are single-minded?

Happy Thanksgiving,

Harry and the Gang

Monkeyface

When I decided to create the character for Harry the Wonder Cat, I had to look no further than my Monkeyface, the first cat I ever had.  Twenty years ago, Monkey and I met and it was love at first sight. The big Maine Coon was the gentlest creature I’ve ever known.  He was fiercely loyal to me and protected me from the people that he considered bad. (Cats are like that…they can smell trouble a mile off.) I, in turn, protected him from everything from the rustling of a paper bag (he hated paper bags) to the loud claps of thunder in the mountain sky.

Now, I know you’ll think that Harry doesn’t sound at all like Monkeyface, and you would be right when it comes down to fears.  After all, Harry isn’t afraid of anything. You must remember, however, Monkeyface didn’t have the powers that Harry has.

Other than being fiercely protective of their person, Maine Coons are among the largest domestic cat, (the biggest was a cat named Stewie,  who grew to be a whopping 48.5 inches. Harry’s 38 inches seem small next to him.)

While Harry grew to weigh over 30 pounds, Monkeyface weighed a mere 25 pounds. Maine Coons are known as the Gentle Giants of the cat world, but sometimes Harry uses his size to intimidate enemies.

I chose the Maine Coon breed for Harry the Wonder Cat in memory of my lovable Monkeyface who, in my mind, will always be my Wonder Cat.

2018

Thursday, December 6th

I was on my special fence, where I met up with his gang almost every day. I loved this town after a fresh snowstorm. It was cool and the air was crisp. The sky was all pinks and purples, reminding me of the vivid sky over the Cat Kingdom. 

I was ignoring the rest of the cats who were gathered there. Instead, I watched the hustle and bustle Christmas brings to the small fishing town. The storm had supplied the kids in town with ammunition for a major snowball fight in the town square. Next to the gazebo in the middle of the square was a huge tree the men brought in earlier this morning.

I would love to climb that tree. Maybe tomorrow.

A siren sounded down the street, where the firefighters had the old number 9 engine out pulled by two sleek, black horses. The engine was the one they used in 1815, when the town was formed. Back in the beginning. Back when I first began to live as The Pink Diamond and watch over the Johnson family.

Across the alleyway was Abel’s Groceries. It was a small store, but it seemed to have everything this town needed. Down the street was the diner, a fine place to get a cheeseburger. I knew that from experience. For dessert, there’s nothing like The Fat Cat Bakery.

Talk about fine dining—just down Kelly Hill, right across from the harbor, is The Twilight. They serve the best seafood in Maine. Their Lobster Thermidor is to die for!

Back on Main Street, next to the town square, is the sheriff ’s office. Mean old Sheriff O’Neil is the dirtiest, most underhanded man alive. He and his “good ol’ boy” pals are ruining this town with enormous taxes and their political games.

I didn’t let their foolish games ruin my life. After all, I lived in the plushest home in town, with a fireplace in almost every room. At night I snuggled up next to a roaring fire with my charge, Lynn, and she would read to me from my favorite author, Agatha Christie. Yes, life couldn’t be better.

Little Bea, the youngest cat in my gang,  was trying hard to get my attention, but my mind was miles away. Suddenly, my gray mane and tail fur fluffed out to its full extent. I felt a familiar tingle down my spine. I heard a screeching roar, and knew something was happening, and it wasn’t good. 

“Shh. Quiet!”

The gang all stopped what they were doing. Oh, no. It was happening again. I cocked my head. The gang knew I was intently listening for a cry of help.

I panicked, as I heard my charge’s very soft voice. “Harry, where are you? I need you.”

Little Bea stood still as a statue, holding her breath and looking wide eyed at me. Then, before they knew it, I vanished into thin air. As I left, I heard my gang.

“I hate it when he does that.”

“You’re just jealous, Big Ron,” Jasper retorted.

Little Bea looked wistfully at the spot where, a second ago, I sat. She whispered, “I wish I could do that.”

We want you to know a bit about Harry the Wonder Cat and what makes him tick.  He is a Maine Coon, so we thought that we would give you a little background on the breed.

The Maine Coon cat,  otherwise known as “Gentle Giant”, is a special breed of cat…or so Harry says (and we all know how special he is).

Let’s start with the outer cat.  Maine Coons are extremely big for a house cat.  The average male Maine Coon typically weighs in at 15 to 25 pounds, but they have been known to be up to 35+ pounds.

They can get to be about 40” in length. (No, that ’s not a typo…40”!)  The world’s record is held by a beautiful Coon, Stewie, who measured 48.5”.  (Seems like a monster next to Harry’s puny 38”, huh?) Read more about Stewie.

Stewie – Longest Cat
Guinness World Records 2011
Photo Credit: Ryan Schude/Guinness World Records
Location: Reno, Nevada
Also Pictured: Stewie’s Owner Robin Hendrickson

There are some who claim that Maine Coons are the biggest or certainly one of the biggest domesticated cat breeds in the world.

Some other physical traits are:

1. Both their bodies and their heads are rectangular in build, unlike their smaller, sleeker counterparts.

2. A Maine Coon’s medium to long fur has three layers to it to protect them from the cold of Maine (hence the name).

3. Maine Coons have a luxurious mane that resembles a small lion.

4. The tail of a Maine Coon is long in length and covered in long, bushy fur.

5. As is true with Harry, a Maine Coon’s eyes have the wisdom of the ages, revealing natural intelligence.

6. Their ears are normally larger than their counterparts and have tufts of fur growing out of them.

7. Their paws are unusually large with tufts of fur between each “toe”.

8.  Maine Coons do not normally communicate like other cats.  When they talk to you, which is often, they do it by trilling and singing.

In this author’s opinion, male Maine Coons are certainly one of the sweetest breeds.  I know this from experience as my first cat was one. His name was Monkeyface, and Harry is based on him. Like Harry, he was ready to show off his comical antics at a moments notice. 

The Maine Coon has a mystery all their own based on many legends. We will share them with you in later posts.

Our thanks go out to:

Guinness World’s Records

boredpanda.com

mainecoon.org

Next week:

Harry interviews Little Bea from his new book, “Harry the Wonder Cat: The Legend of the Pink Diamond”.  Please join us.

1815

“Harry.”

I looked around and saw nothing but the ocean waves. As far as the eye could see…white caps pounding the rocks. A light mist was in the morning air, and I could smell the sweet smell of cherry blossoms and see the wildflowers that popped out their colorful heads to greet the day.

It had been a very cold winter this year and I was grateful for my three layers of fur. Maine Coon cats were made for the cold, perfect for the freezing Maine weather, but I still preferred the spring.

“Harry!”

This time, it was more insistent. “Over here.”

I turned to see my grandfather, who was twice as big as my fifteen pounds. My mother had told me that I came from a long line of huge cats and not to worry. Someday I will be big enough to be worthy of the name “Gentle Giant”.

I heard the story about my grandfather, Sir Aslan, and how he received his honorary title. He had proven himself worthy by saving the princess from drowning. Of course, everyone knows that Maine Coons are exceptionally good swimmers. Anyway, the Cat King showed his gratitude by granting Sir Aslan his knighthood.

“Grand…I mean, Sir Aslan.” I bowed in front of my grandfather, showing the respect that he deserved.

“Get up, Harry. I come to you today, not as Sir Aslan, but as your grandfather.” Sir Aslan was beaming. “You have been nominated for a knighthood and the Cat King is granting it.”

I was taken aback, shocked at the news.

“B-b-but, Grandfather, I never saved anyone like you did or…”

Sir Aslan held up his paw.

“Harry,” Grandfather Aslan stopped him. “The Cat King sees real promise in you, as do I.”

I humbly lowered my eyes.

“Now, hold on to me and I’ll take you to the Cat Kingdom.”

When I opened my eyes, I was in another world. As I gazed around me, I saw that the sky overhead appeared to be painted in pastel pinks, purples and blues. I marveled at the beauty of this magical world. I saw a rainbow shoot out from the ground and arc over the huge castle before me. The sky was full of glitter, and music could be heard—its origins seemed like everywhere and nowhere at once. This was the magical land that I had only heard about: the land of the Cat Kingdom.

“All of this is for you, Harry.”

Sir Aslan smiled, patted my head and advanced toward the gate house, which protected the castle within. He looked over his shoulder at me and harshly whispered, “Harry, come!”

I was shaken from my wonderment and ran to catch up with my grandfather. We slowly went through the gate house and I couldn’t believe the enormity of it. The cats who stood guard uncrossed their swords to let us in.

Once through the courtyard, we approached two more cats who were as still as statues. When we grew  nearer, the cats simultaneously bowed in reverence. 

“Sir Aslan.”

I was proud of the respect the other cats had shown for grandfather. 

Maybe one day, they will bow to me!  

I followed my grandfather into the Grand Hall that seemed to go on for miles. On the stone walls were tapestries depicting the history of the most magnificent animals of all: cats. At each archway we went through, two cat guards stood straight and tall, saluting Sir Aslan.

Finally we reached a red carpet. Grandfather stopped suddenly and I followed suit, looking up to see a magnificent crowned cat on a bejeweled throne. I waited for, what seemed like a century, and then the Cat King motioned me forward. Grandfather gave me a reassuring pat on the back and nodded.

I took a deep breath, willed my legs to move, held my head high, and proceeded down the red carpet toward the King, as Grandfather looked on with pride. The King was wearing a royal blue robe, and had a scepter encrusted with rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. I bowed down in front of the Cat King who took his regal sword, tapped me on each shoulder, and said, “I hereby dub you Sir Harry.”

I turned to see a tear fall from Grandfather’s eyes, as he quickly wiped it away.

“Sir Harry,  along  with  your  knighthood,  magical  powers are bestowed upon you. You may notice that you’re more aware of your surroundings, which will help you to provide extraordinary care and comfort to generations of humans. I am assigning the Johnson family to you. Only the first-born Johnson of each generation shall know of your powers, and only when you deem fit.”

A tall mirror was wheeled into the vast room, and looking into it I could see a family.

“The Johnsons will be under your care forever. You need to follow your instincts, now more than ever. Whatever you do, do  not let your powers be known to humans other than the first-born Johnson. You may not, under any circumstances, interfere with the deaths of the members of the family. In either case, you will be called out by me and stripped of your powers forever.”

 The King glowered at me when I said, “What—.”

After a time, he continued, “You have eternal life. You now have several powers, including the ability to communicate with the dead. You may also need to read from time to time, so you’ll be able to do that. You will now be able to go invisible when necessary. One of the most important new abilities is teleportation.”

The King noticed my confused looked. “What’s tel…tel…e… port…”

“Teleportation—the ability to vanish from one place and appear at another,” the King explained.

“How am I going to do all of these things?” 

The Cat King pointed behind me.

“With that.”

I turned around and couldn’t believe my eyes. In front of me was a pink diamond. It sparkled and shone unlike any other stone that I had ever seen.

“How…?”

“Just pick it up.”

I did as I was told. Suddenly, a warmth came over my whole body. I closed my eyes to savor the delicious feeling that was unlike any that I had felt in my whole life. When I opened my eyes and looked down at my paw, the diamond wasn’t there.

“What happened to it?”

The Cat King laughed. “It’s all right, Harry. It’s inside of you. You are The Pink Diamond. Use the magic that the diamond gives you, not only care for the Johnson family, but teach them what is important in life. Now go on, Sir Aslan will deliver you to your first assignment.”

I am pleased to share with you the first chapter of the second edition of The Legend of the Pink Diamond. I am currently working it, and with any luck it will be out next year, along with the second and third books.

The next four posts will give you a sneak peek into the book. Harry, the gang, and I hope that you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

1815

“Harry.”

I looked around and saw nothing but the ocean waves. As far as the eye could see…white caps pounding the rocks. A light mist was in the morning air, and I could smell the sweet smell of cherry blossoms and see the wildflowers that popped out their colorful heads to greet the day.

It had been a very cold winter this year and I was grateful for my three layers of fur. Maine Coon cats were made for the cold, perfect for the freezing Maine weather, but I still preferred the spring.

“Harry!”

This time, it was more insistent. “Over here.”

I turned to see my grandfather, who was twice as big as my fifteen pounds. My mother had told me that I came from a long line of huge cats and not to worry. Someday I will be big enough to be worthy of the name “Gentle Giant”.

I heard the story about my grandfather, Sir Aslan, and how he received his honorary title. He had proven himself worthy by saving the princess from drowning. Of course, everyone knows that Maine Coons are exceptionally good swimmers. Anyway, the Cat King showed his gratitude by granting Sir Aslan his knighthood.

“Grand…I mean, Sir Aslan.” I bowed in front of my grandfather, showing the respect that he deserved.

“Get up, Harry. I come to you today, not as Sir Aslan, but as your grandfather.” Sir Aslan was beaming. “You have been nominated for a knighthood and the Cat King is granting it.”

I was taken aback, shocked at the news.

“B-b-but, Grandfather, I never saved anyone like you did or…”

Sir Aslan held up his paw.

“Harry,” Grandfather Aslan stopped him. “The Cat King sees real promise in you, as do I.”

I humbly lowered my eyes.

“Now, hold on to me and I’ll take you to the Cat Kingdom.”

When I opened my eyes, I was in another world. As I gazed around me, I saw that the sky overhead appeared to be painted in pastel pinks, purples and blues. I marveled at the beauty of this magical world. I saw a rainbow shoot out from the ground and arc over the huge castle before me. The sky was full of glitter, and music could be heard—its origins seemed like everywhere and nowhere at once. This was the magical land that I had only heard about: the land of the Cat Kingdom.

“All of this is for you, Harry.”

Sir Aslan smiled, patted my head and advanced toward the gate house, which protected the castle within. He looked over his shoulder at me and harshly whispered, “Harry, come!”

I was shaken from my wonderment and ran to catch up with my grandfather. We slowly went through the gate house and I couldn’t believe the enormity of it. The cats who stood guard uncrossed their swords to let us in.

Once through the courtyard, we approached two more cats who were as still as statues. When we grew  nearer, the cats simultaneously bowed in reverence. 

“Sir Aslan.”

I was proud of the respect the other cats had shown for grandfather. 

Maybe one day, they will bow to me!  

I followed my grandfather into the Grand Hall that seemed to go on for miles. On the stone walls were tapestries depicting the history of the most magnificent animals of all: cats. At each archway we went through, two cat guards stood straight and tall, saluting Sir Aslan.

Finally we reached a red carpet. Grandfather stopped suddenly and I followed suit, looking up to see a magnificent crowned cat on a bejeweled throne. I waited for, what seemed like a century, and then the Cat King motioned me forward. Grandfather gave me a reassuring pat on the back and nodded.

I took a deep breath, willed my legs to move, held my head high, and proceeded down the red carpet toward the King, as Grandfather looked on with pride. The King was wearing a royal blue robe, and had a scepter encrusted with rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds. I bowed down in front of the Cat King who took his regal sword, tapped me on each shoulder, and said, “I hereby dub you Sir Harry.”

I turned to see a tear fall from Grandfather’s eyes, as he quickly wiped it away.

“Sir Harry,  along  with  your  knighthood,  magical  powers are bestowed upon you. You may notice that you’re more aware of your surroundings, which will help you to provide extraordinary care and comfort to generations of humans. I am assigning the Johnson family to you. Only the first-born Johnson of each generation shall know of your powers, and only when you deem fit.”

A tall mirror was wheeled into the vast room, and looking into it I could see a family.

“The Johnsons will be under your care forever. You need to follow your instincts, now more than ever. Whatever you do, do  not let your powers be known to humans other than the first-born Johnson. You may not, under any circumstances, interfere with the deaths of the members of the family. In either case, you will be called out by me and stripped of your powers forever.”

 The King glowered at me when I said, “What—.”

After a time, he continued, “You have eternal life. You now have several powers, including the ability to communicate with the dead. You may also need to read from time to time, so you’ll be able to do that. You will now be able to go invisible when necessary. One of the most important new abilities is teleportation.”

The King noticed my confused looked. “What’s tel…tel…e… port…”

“Teleportation—the ability to vanish from one place and appear at another,” the King explained.

“How am I going to do all of these things?” 

The Cat King pointed behind me.

“With that.”

I turned around and couldn’t believe my eyes. In front of me was a pink diamond. It sparkled and shone unlike any other stone that I had ever seen.

“How…?”

“Just pick it up.”

I did as I was told. Suddenly, a warmth came over my whole body. I closed my eyes to savor the delicious feeling that was unlike any that I had felt in my whole life. When I opened my eyes and looked down at my paw, the diamond wasn’t there.

“What happened to it?”

The Cat King laughed. “It’s all right, Harry. It’s inside of you. You are The Pink Diamond. Use the magic that the diamond gives you, not only care for the Johnson family, but teach them what is important in life. Now go on, Sir Aslan will deliver you to your first assignment.”

In a heatwave we must all be mindful of our animals. We need to keep our pets indoors with fresh water and a cool place for them to hang out. You might even add a few ice cubes in their water. It serves two purposes, to cool the water down, and it gives them something to play with.

I researched heatwaves and how they can affect our precious pets. Just as humans can get heatstroke, so can cats and dogs. 

The signs to watch for are:

1. If your dog is panting excessively or your cat is open-mouth breathing or panting

2. If the color of your dog’s or your cat’s gums change to brick-red and blue-purple

3. If your dog or cat is drooling more than usual

4. If your dog or cat is lethargic or if they collapse

5. If your dog or cat is going into seizures

If they are experiencing any of these signs, call your vet immediately.

We also need to be mindful of leaving your animal in a locked car. On a day when the temperature is 90 degrees, the inside of a vehicle can reach 138 degrees! Please do not take your dog or cat out in a car, just to leave him sitting while you do your errands. Think about how you would feel in 138 degrees. 

In a nutshell, we need to be thoughtful and loving towards our pets. After all, they are part of our family.