Mollie Hunt's Blog

Wall of Cats

The moment I saw “Sabo Tabby,” by Jesse Jarldane, I knew I had to have it for my Wall of Cats.

Not just because the intricate, hand-cut work was beautiful, which it was. For me, the Sabo Tabby has a deeper meaning. Two deeper meanings, as a matter of fact.

These are hard times. For many of us, we feel the intense drive to right the wrongs we see perverting the course of justice every single day. Jarldane’s “Sabo Tabby” perfectly represents everything I’m feeling now. In the center is a black cat with arched back, fuzzed tail, and mouth in a hiss, the Sabo Tabby, a onetime symbol of radical unionism. In contrast, Peace, Love, Truth, Hope are printed to the four sides. As an old white woman with health issues, there are limits to my ability to save the world. This image reminds me I do not have to do it alone.

“Sabo Tabby,” by Jesse Jarldane

The print’s second meaning is more personal. I used the Sabo Tabby symbol in one of my books and therefore had to do research on its origins. I love research. I learn so much I never would have otherwise known. (I hope no one looks at my browsing history though. They would certainly suspect me of nefarious dealings!)

Here is how the Sabo Tabby entered into my cozy mystery, Cat Café.

Cat Café, a Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery #5

Winner of the World’s Best Cat Litter-Ary Award for an “outstanding novel, short story, poem, or radio/television dramatic script which portrays cats and cat ownership in a positive way”

A body is discovered in the cat café, and all the black cats are missing!

The Crazy Cat Lady mystery series features Lynley Cannon, a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip. In Cat Café, Lynley’s mother Carol recalls how, back in 1950 when she was just seventeen, her little group of friends was quite enamored by the black cat symbol. They even referred to themselves as the Black Cat Gang. Though they enjoyed talking about politics, they were innocent, enjoying trips to the lake and listening to records on a battery-run record player.

Here is how Carol described their exploits way back when:

“Sometimes we’d drive off into the boonies in Rory’s dad’s work truck—he was a delivery driver for Copeland Lumber—you know, the one with the black cat logo? We’d drink beer and banter. We thought of ourselves as a sort of a club, or a gang. We even had a name. Can you guess what we were called?”

“Does it have to do with a cat?” asked Lynley.

Carol laughed. “Terrance was the know-it-all of the group, what you might today call a geek—or is it a nerd? I get the two mixed up. He would have loved the internet if he’d had it back then. As it was, he practically lived at the library, the Google of the olden days.”

Carol leaned back into the brocade couch cushions and continued.

“Terrance had read that the Copeland Cat was derived from the mascot of the IWW, Industrial Workers’ of the World. The mascot cat, sometimes referred to as the ‘Sabo Tabby’, had originally been code for sabotage, wildcat strikes, anarchy, disorder, and chaos among the labor force. We, being a batch of precocious kids who considered ourselves somewhat on the rebellious side, liked the idea that our vehicle was a secret symbol of anarchy, so we began calling ourselves the Black Cats. Of course later on I found out that the Copeland logo had nothing to do with anarchy—it was the emblem of the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, a fraternal organization whose members were involved with the forest products industry. The anarchists did have a black cat logo, but it was slightly different. The anarchist tail is fluffed out, where the Hoo-Hoo’s tail is curled. I can see how one might make the error.”

“You never told me you were a rebel,” Lynley teased her mother.

“And let you think you could get away with being one yourself?” Carol exclaimed. “You were enough of a free-thinker as it was without any influence from me.”

“Well, it sounds like good fun in any case.”

Carol gave a short laugh, then her face hardened. “I don’t remember how it started, but I’ll never forget what happened in the end…”

Be sure to check out more cat are by Jesse Jarldane. Other artists displayed on my Wall of Cats are Leslie Cobb, Bernadettee, Quint the artist cat, El Gato Gomez, The Dancing Cat, Cataround Designs. There are several I don’t know, as well as photographs taken by me ad friends. For more information, ask in the comments and I will answer as best as I can.

 

“Why you should consider adopting a senior cat,” by Tyler

Dear friend,

I am gorgeous, am I not? That alone should be a reason enough to look into adopting a senior cat from a shelter, for that is where my cohabitors found me.

I am now somewhere in the range of twenty-two seasons. My family adopted me when I was fourteen. The shelter thought I was older than that but when our vet looked at me, she said, “No way can this absolutely perfect cat be a super senior!” Well, maybe not in those exact words, but the meaning was clear: I was wonderful.

Not all us felines age so beautifully, but much beauty is on the inside. Besides, that scruffy pelt and filmy eye may improve when love enters the picture. Your adoption may be the key to an old cat’s rejuvenation!

Angel Ginchan

This is my angel brother Ginchan. His looks didn’t improve with age, but our cohabitors just loved him all the more. Why? Because he was who he was, on old, cantankerous, opinionated, love of a cat.

Here is another angel brother, Dirty Harry. He looks pretty good, right? He was one of those old boys who kept his tuxedo pristine until the end. But he developed health problems as he got up beyond the big One-Oh. Like humans, feline bodies feel the years, but those issues can be faced with dignity. The gratitude of an elderly cat is worth a little fuss.

Speaking of cat care, my cohabitor wrote a little book that might help you understand what can happen when we get older. It’s called, “Creating Comfort for Your Senior Cat: Stories, Poems, and Illustrations of Cats in Their Golden Years.” I’m in the book, if you want to know more about wonderful me.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you will run right out and adopt yourself a senior cat. Kittens are cute, but a senior won’t climb your curtains.

Love and whiskers,

Tyler

Tyler

To celebrate Adopt a Senior Pet Month, you can adopt or foster a senior pet, volunteer at a shelter, or donate supplies or funds to support senior animal care. If you’re unable to adopt, consider sharing adoptable senior pets on social media, volunteering your time at a shelter, or donating to support their medical needs.

Read more about adopting a senior pet from Catster Magazine, a reliable source for cat lifestyle news.

Photo by Louise Knight-Gibson on Unsplash

Today I am blogging for peace.

Today is the 20th Annual Blog4Peace Event created by Mimi Lenox, and this year the theme is simple, Speak Love. Can we do this in a country driven apart by hatred? Can we practice love the way we were taught as children? Yes, we can. We have to, or there will be nothing good left of us to stand up for. At least that’s the way I see it.

I have been advocating for peace for much longer than twenty years. It started with my father, a pacifist to the core. Though he fought in WWII against the Nazis, he never talked about his experiences, never boasted or uttered racial slurs. When I grew up to adopt my own pacifistic beliefs in concert with the hippie movement of the late 60’s, he was proud of me. You can read more about my father’s trials as a German immigrant in 1939 here.

The hippies were all about peace, but the philosophy wasn’t all flowers and free love. We hated what was going on in Viet Nam. On looking back, I realize we didn’t handle it right, shunning the poor soldiers when they were only pawns in a political game. I had left the US by then, to live out those war-torn years in the solace of Canada.

There has been a lot of war since the 1960’s, and none of it good and much of it unsuccessful in creating lasting positive results. Now we are inadvertently involved in more wars on a far continents and an unproclaimed civil war here at home. I don’t know the answer. But so many innocents dead. That can’t be right.

Today, I am Speaking Love, praying that peace will come. Today, will you join me?

Clarence

Today is the day to Celebrate National Cat Day (and Cold Case Cat Book Launch)!

For the past several years, I’ve released my Crazy Cat Lady cozy mysteries on National Cat Day, and this year is no exception. Cold Case Cat, the 12th Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery, launches today! If you preordered an eBook, you have it in your inbox now. If you were waiting for the paperback, it’s available here.

National Cat Day is an awareness day to raise public awareness of cat adoption. This day was created by Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige, in 2005. Since its inception, it has helped save the lives of more than one million cats.

National Cat Day is a day to celebrate cats. Lavish your kitties with love. Help a cat shelter or group if you can. And read a book that will transport you to a world where the cats always win.

The Crazy Cat Lady series features Lynley Cannon, a cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip. But Lynley’s adventures aren’t all thrills and spills. In her everyday life, she cares for cats in many ways. Her own clowder of nine includes special needs cats like senior Dirty Harry, obese Violet, and “wobbly” cat Elizabeth. Her home is outfitted with furnishings that help enrich an indoor cat’s life.

Lynley’s cat Tinkerbelle has been a registered therapy cat for several years, and this year, Lynley also got Elizabeth trained and certified. Together, they visit assisted living facilities and hospice patients, bringing a little furry joy to the catless. Lynley’s shelter work takes us into the world of cat care in a shelter surrounding. Her good friend Special Agent Denny Paris, a Humane Investigator, handles not just pet education but darker cases such as neglect and abuse. Lynley is open to anything cat. She has helped with the TNR (Trap/neuter/return) process, emergency shelter intakes from natural disasters, hoarding situations, and more.

Each time Lynley takes on one of those endeavors, I get to tell my readers a bit about the real processes behind them. At the beginning of each chapter, I include a cat tip or fact to educate and engage those who want to know more about cats. But be assured, Lynley rarely lectures. She prefers to lead by example, so if you learn something new about fostering, cat safety, general care and health, or a fun new cat toy, it’s only because Lynley Cannon is practicing them in her own daily life.

In Cold Case Cat, Lynley has taken a job at the Cat Park, a unique sanctuary for senior and hospice cats. “Old cats rule,” according to Lynley!

An injustice done, a murder unpunished.

It’s Pride Month in Portland Oregon, but instead of hanging rainbow flags and streamers, Lynley finds herself obsessed with a cold case murder. Starting work at the Cat Park, a sanctuary for senior and hospice cats, is challenging enough for Lynley, but then she learns the founder of the Park was murdered and the murder never solved. Lynley’s cat-like curiosity won’t let her leave the case alone.

But why is the Park’s new owner so fiercely opposed to Lynley’s sleuthing? What’s making the Director of Philanthropy grumpy all the time? Who is sneaking around listening at doors? The dead woman’s ancient cat Silver has a twinkle in her eye, but she isn’t telling.

As Lynley’s granddaughter and her beau make plans for their upcoming wedding, Lynley has other things on her mind. Something is going on at the Park. Is there more to her new job than playing with cats?

So why not celebrate National Cat Day by spending quality time with our beloved kitties, and if you are so inclined, by adding a new cat mystery to your TBR list.

Find Cold Case Cat in eBook and paperback versions here.

 

~Silver~

Silver, the cat from “Cold Case Cat” has something to say.

I am old, and having lived for more seasons than I can count, I have seen many things; still, none of them are as strange as the recent events that finally brought my companion’s killer to light.

But I should go back a bit. Back to my salad days with Pearl Silver, the woman who found me as a kitten and took me into her home and heart. We would play and go for walks. She would take me to her place of work, a sanctuary for old and hospice cats, where I would roam the halls or sleep in my bed on her desk, safe and secure and never imagining my life any other way. Yes, I remember those times of plenty, before the pain came, before she was lost to me forever.

She died, or I should say, was killed. Everything changed the moment she opened that poisonous package and expired on the spot. I was the one who found her. I tried to call for help, giving my best urgent yowl, but that lout of a husband Landon Silver just tossed me out of the room (literally) when I tried to wake him. So I sat with her body, though I knew she had crossed the Rainbow Bridge, as we cats say.

Eventually Landon woke up and the police came. He didn’t seem upset, and I speculated he might have had a hand in her demise. But who am I to say? I’m just a cat.

The next few days were a blur. I was whisked away, moving from one kennel place to another. I was grieving and angry and scared, but the strangers who cared for me were kind. Sometimes I heard them talking about Pearl. They called her death a murder.

Finally a woman from Pearl’s sanctuary came to get me, and I was taken there. It was good to have my old bed back, but it was bittersweet without Pearl.

For a while, there was much talk about the murder. The police were coming up with suspects left and right. (Yes, I understand quite a bit about human circumstances, having lived with them all my life.) Then the talk grew less and less until it disappeared completely. No one was arrested for the horrendous crime of killing my companion!

Fast forward three hot seasons, and in walks Lynley Cannon, a cat lady extraordinaire. She couldn’t believe Pearl’s case had never been solved. Being curious as a cat herself, she began to look into it. After that, things happened fast.

But why was the Park’s new owner so fiercely opposed to Lynley’s sleuthing? What was making the Director of Philanthropy grumpy all the time? Who was sneaking around listening at doors? I had my suspicions.

I could say more, but it’s time for my nap. You can read the rest of my story in my author Mollie Hunt’s new cozy mystery, Cold Case Cat.

Cold Case Cat will be available on October 29th, National Cat Day
Preorder now (eBook only – Paperback available October 29th)

An injustice done, a murder unpunished.

It’s Pride Month in Portland Oregon, but instead of hanging rainbow flags and streamers, Lynley finds herself obsessed with a cold case murder. Starting work at the Cat Park, a sanctuary for senior and hospice cats, is challenging enough for Lynley, but then she learns the founder of the Park was murdered and the murder never solved. Lynley’s cat-like curiosity won’t let her leave the case alone.

As Lynley’s granddaughter and her beau make plans for their upcoming wedding, Lynley has other things on her mind. Something is going on at the Park. Is there more to her new job than playing with cats?

It’s a Giveaway contest!

As we near the launch of a new Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery, some of you might want to catch up on the previous titles in the series. You don’t need to read each book in the order they were written. Every story is a standalone. But maybe you’ve missed one or two, or you have a favorite you’d like to gift to someone who enjoys cozy cat mysteries. Now is your chance!

ENTER TO WIN
A signed print copy of the Crazy Cat Lady mystery of your choice!

Email me at molliehuntcatwriter@gmail.com with “Contest” written in the subject line.
The winner can choose from any of my previously published Crazy Cat Lady mysteries. See your choices here. Winner will be announced October 29th on my Facebook Author Page and in my monthly newsletter. Good luck!

Cold Case Cat, coming to you on National Cat Day!

Cold Case Cat, the 12th installment of the Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery series, is set to release on Wednesday, October 29th, National Cat Day. Both Kindle and paperback versions will be available. You can preorder the Kindle version now and have it in your inbox on the morning of October 29th!

Cold Case Cat, a new Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery

An injustice done, a murder unpunished.

It’s Pride Month in Portland Oregon, but instead of hanging rainbow flags and streamers, Lynley finds herself obsessed with a cold case murder. Starting work at the Cat Park, a sanctuary for senior and hospice cats, is challenging enough for Lynley, but then she learns the founder of the Park was murdered and the murder never solved. Lynley’s cat-like curiosity won’t let her leave the case alone.

But why is the Park’s new owner so fiercely opposed to Lynley’s sleuthing? What’s making the Director of Philanthropy grumpy all the time? Who is sneaking around listening at doors? The dead woman’s ancient cat has a twinkle in her eye, but she isn’t telling.

As Lynley’s granddaughter and her beau make plans for their upcoming wedding, Lynley has other things on her mind. Something is going on at the Park. Is there more to her new job than playing with cats?

(***Books need not be read in order***)

I’m excited!

It is such a great feeling for an author when their book is finally finished, published, and out to the world for all to see. I am proud to have fans in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and more! I love all my books—how else could I write them?

But this one has a special significance for me. It involves the storyline creation of a fictitious sanctuary for old and hospice cats. If only I were a millionaire, I could and would make it happen in real life. I’m not, so I must console myself by making one up and putting it into my book.

I’ve enjoyed working with the characters, old and new. Lynley the not-quite-crazy-yet shelter volunteer with the curiosity of a cat. Her friend Frannie who, in this installment, is about to change her life. Special Agent Denny Paris, the animal cop and Lynley’s guardian angel.  Lynley’s granddaughter Seleia and her fiancé Fredric who are trying to plan their wedding without interference from Seleia’s domineering mother. Most of the new characters are staff and volunteers at the Cat Park, the sanctuary I mentioned earlier. And best of all, the ancient cat Silver who, despite her age and ailments, is a star in more ways than one.

It’s a Giveaway contest!

As we near the launch of a new Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery, some of you might want to catch up on the previous titles in the series. You don’t need to read each book in the order they were written. Every story is a standalone. But maybe you’ve missed one or two, or you have a favorite you’d like to gift to someone who enjoys cozy cat mysteries. Now is your chance!

ENTER TO WIN
A signed print copy of the Crazy Cat Lady mystery of your choice!

Email me at molliehuntcatwriter@gmail.com with “Contest” written in the subject line.
The winner can choose from any of my previously published Crazy Cat Lady mysteries. See your choices here.

Winner will be announced October 29th on my Facebook Author Page and in my monthly newsletter.

What is National Cat Day?

According to Wikipedia (which BTW I support annually):

National Cat Day is a day to raise public awareness of cat adoption, taking place on August 8 in Canada and October 29 in the United States. The National Day Archives website states that the holiday was first celebrated in 2005 “to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their life for the unconditional love and companionship they bestow upon us.”

The day was founded by Colleen Paige, a pet and family lifestyle expert, who was supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is a nonprofit pet adoption organization.

 

 

by native Portlander Mollie Hunt

“You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy” —Obi Wan Kenobi of Mos Eisley (not Portland)

First there was a small group of local folks in front of the ICE building protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Some wore costumes. There was a frog1 and a duck. Many were old like me. They held signs. Sometimes they got loud. This was a one-block area of the 145-square-mile city of Portland, Oregon.

Then, for some reason I cannot fathom, Trump proclaimed Portland a warzone. “Portland is burning to the ground,” he said. “It’s like living in hell.” He swore to send in the National Guard. Overnight the number of protesters grew, but now they were protesting the deployment of National Guard troops to the city for no reason other than DJT had seen an unverified clip on TV.

In a conversation with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, the governor tried to explain that the reality in Portland is far different from what’s being portrayed to him. Trump later asked, ‘Am I watching things on television that are different from what’s happening?’ Simple answer: yes. Complex answer: still yes.

Why don’t they come see for themselves? They can fly every single US military leader for a pep talk and hop to foreign cities (including Scotland to open a golf course). Why not just put someone on a plane to take a look IRL?

Portland is not burning. (At least, not much)

But if DJT pokes the bear hard enough, people will likely respond. For now, Portland is peaceful. Yes, the city has problems as all places with large populations do, but none them will be solved by sending in a military presence.

Portland has community.

Yesterday was the 53rd annual Portland Marathon when nearly 12,000 runners took to the streets. At the end of last month, thousands of volunteers and hundreds of businesses got together to do a sweeping cleanup of the downtown area.2 We’ve had many events recently including the St. Johns Music Festival, Best Day Ever Festival, PDX Pop Now! music festivals, the Oregon Science Festival, Art in the Pearl, Rose City Comic Con (which I attended), and the iconic Chapman Swift Watch (Swifts—which in this case are birds, not pop music fans—have unfortunately moved elsewhere for their migration so watchers enjoyed themselves in conversation and camaraderie instead.) We’ve had our usual sports events as well—football, baseball, and soccer. None of those events sparked violence.

Portland, “City of Roses”

Though people poke fun at Portland with their references to matcha coffee, kale, spooky doughnuts, and goat yoga, Portland’s reality is even better.  Known for a thriving food truck scene, craft breweries, vibrant arts and culture, and commitment to a sustainable, bike-friendly lifestyle, there is nowhere else like it. (Yes, that includes you, Seattle!) Portland has the world’s largest independent bookstore and a humane society with one of the highest “save rates” in the nation. The beautiful International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Leach Botanical Garden, and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden are just some of our world-acclaimed gardens. There are also extensive public parks and green space.

Trump has proclaimed in front of God and everyone that we should begin using American cities as “training grounds” to fight against what he called a “war from within.”3 Today it’s Portland. Tomorrow it may be your city. If that doesn’t scare you, what will?

Footnotes:

1A demonstrator wearing an inflatable frog costume was pepper-sprayed by a federal agent during a protest outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon early this week. Videos of the incident, which quickly spread on social media, showed the agent aiming spray toward the costume’s air intake valve.

2We Believe in Portland Fall Cleanup: Held on Friday, September 19, 2025, this event focused on cleaning over 300 blocks in the Downtown Core and Inner-East Side. This is only one of many such events around Portland and Oregon.

3“We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military, National Guard, but military…” —Donald Trump to a gathering of military leaders, September 30, 2025

Kitty Cat, Sweetie Pie, Fluffy Butt, Wonderpuss: All the endearing nicknames we call our cats from time to time may show affection, but there is one name we should be calling them on a regular basis—their own.

Clarence

Cats know their names.

Though we pet parents have known this all along, it has recently been proven in studies that cats learn to distinguish their own names. This is important for many reasons, such as an emergency or if your cat gets lost. However, it only works if their people call them by that one name on a regular basis. If a variety of names are used, the success rate of the cat distinguishing the call is greatly diminished.

Why teach a cat their name?

A very important reason to have our cats learn their names has to do with safety. What if an emergency arises, and we need to evacuate our home? It’s an unfortunate situation that is happening more often these days, one where we must gather cats at a moment’s notice. A less dire but equally scary event is if kitty gets lost: an indoor kitty escapes the house, or an indoor/outdoor cat doesn’t come home when expected. And in a more day-to-day case, those times when kitty slips into the fourth dimension, and we can’t find her anywhere. If she responds to her name, we are one step closer to peace of mind.

Blaze with Tyler in the background

Teaching a cat to come when we call.

Now that our cat knows her name, how do we get her to respond to it? There is no definitive answer, since cats are independent creatures, but treats are the easiest solution. Say their name followed by the word, treat, then give them the treat. (Shaking the bag helps) Do it regularly so the cat associates the name with the treat. I’d say this works at least 50% of the time, depending on the cat. For my food-motivated Melinko, it’s nearly 100% successful. For lazy Tyler who is probably sleeping soundly, it’s more near 10%.

If your cat isn’t food-motivated, the same thing can be done with something she does like. If she loves playing, get her accustomed to a toy that makes a sound such as a wand chaser with a bell attached. You may have success getting her to come to the sound of her name and the shaking of the bell.

The ultimate success is getting the cat to come when we call without any bribe. Sometimes they just like us enough to do that.

Changing a name—yes or no?

I have yet to change the name my cats come with from the shelter. That’s just me. Other cat parents I know always change the name upon adoption. If you are going to change the name, that’s a good time, since everything else in kitty’s life is also changing. She will come to associate her new name with the comfort and love of her new home.

Tyler

When is a name not a name?

There have been a few instances when a cat seems to reject their name, insisting that it is something else. I don’t know quite how to explain the phenomenon that came about with a few of the many cats I’ve fostered for the Oregon Humane Society. It seemed like whenever I called them, their given name would slip away from my mind, and another would take its place. If I had adopted one of those cats, I would have surely changed their name to the one they related to me.

Lux

So for your sake and your cats’, say their name often. When you enter a room; when they enter the room; when you pet them or give them their food. Especially accompanying  treats and play. And hopefully no emergency will ever arise where you need to get them to come quickly, but isn’t it best be prepared, just in case?

One final note:

Oddly enough, most American cats also respond to kitty.

 

 

The way a cat finds joy

looking out a window,

her vision flitting from street to tree to bird,

and to the inside, the room that is her home,

her sister cat, her big tabby brother.

Finally her golden gaze alights on me.

Much is said in that brief contact.

Recognition as family.

As she-who-feeds.

As the odd, big species that pets her.

A blink of love,

then back to the window

and kitty dreams.