This cute Bernadoodle, named Bear, belongs to our friends Rob & Jayne. He is an official therapy dog.
The photo was taken February 24, 2019, just nine days after my kitty Bennie had to be put down. It seems as if Bear understands what’s going on in my head. That I was missing my dear Bennie so much, but happy to be among friends.
How do pets know what we’re going through? How do they know who needs comforting?
If you’re sad, always go to a pet — your pet or anyone else’s. They always understand.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
Two days ago Mother’s Day was celebrated in the USA.
Although I do not have human children–by choice–I am the “mom” to three amazing cats. For those who don’t have cats, or don’t view pets as family, you can stop reading now, as you will not relate to what I’m about to say. But for those of you who do see cats as family — read on, this is for YOU!
Taking in these wondrous creatures who put 100 percent trust in us in incredibly rewarding. They are little souls who had a history before us, and it’s up to us to make their lives as comfy as possible. We have to take the time to make the connection. It takes some patience, but in many cases a cat will be as loving and welcoming as a dog.
Our babies are spoiled, but they also know their boundaries. With a firm, but sweet, “No, we don’t do that…” my kitties know not to pounce on the computer when Mommy is working. They do not scratch our furniture because we have scratching posts in most of the rooms in our home.
With tender love, and care, cats can be dream cats. There is no such thing as a “bad cat” — only a stressed or sad cat. Any type of cat can be trained to be a good one. It’s a mutual respect that works both ways.
I’m wishing a Happy (Belated) Cat Mommy Day to all the good cat mothers out there. Thank you for taking the time to put the effort into these sweet babies and giving them great lives! I appreciate you! (And so do your kitties — but you knew that!)
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
Well, what a coincidence to see this question come up for today. A cause I am passionate about and why? Do not read unless you are ready for a mouthful in defense of a cat because I am LIVID!
My cause is CATS! They are mystical, beautiful, loving (YES LOVING) creatures who are misunderstood. I’d had cats (and other pets – guinea pigs, snakes, hamsters, turtles, and dogs) all my life and never had a bad one. Why? Because I KNOW how to treat animals. You do not tease/taunt them. You respect, and train, a pet and the pet will be your friend forever. YES, even CATS (and lions/tigers too; do the research on how loving they are! Even PIGS are loving!)
The thing with cats is, you have to win them over. Once you do, they will love you like a dog does. I had a few cats that ran to the door when I came home, slept near the door when I was on a business trip, and instinctively knew when I was very sad.
So, animal lover that I am, I follow animal pages, on WordPress and Facebook. But after yesterday I will no longer support Facebook because of what I saw and all the hate this video provoked.
Have you ever heard of The Dodo? They make “inspiring” videos about animals. They start out with a tragic sad story, but it ends up happy. Usually I skip the sad part and go straight to the happy ending. However, this disgusting story they posted on Facebook yesterday made me ill. An aspiring You Tube influencer, who, I guess sees herself as a model, made a video taunting her gorgeous cat to give the impression, “I love my cat, but my cat hates me.”
This woman is unstable and knows nothing about cats. Or children. She teased the cat, then put her children in harms way, where the cat reached out and almost clawed them. The cat hissed at everyone. “Influencer” said, “The cat hates happiness. He is a grumpy cat.”
Ginger cats are the most docile cats. I never saw a ginger hiss like that. This woman was dangling her fingers in the cat’s face, putting clothes on him that he didn’t want to wear, and exposing the cat to a noisy household with children who teased the cat.
I wrote to The DODO and said, “I’m sorry Dodo, I love your channel but this is a fail. That cat doesn’t “hate happiness” as the owner says. The cat is obviously stressed for some reason. This family needs to hire a feline behaviorist to get to the bottom of it. I’ve taken in ferals who hissed at first and then became loving cats. You need to work with them, and try to understand them.”
I received over FOUR THOUSAND LIKES! (Damn, maybe I should have promoted my latest book on that thread too?!) HOWEVER, I also met the nastiest people ever on the internet, which solidified my decision to go off Facebook permanently. First, I shared the post in my private animal group. I was disappointed that friends saw the post and it didn’t seem to phase them. Then I read the hundreds of comments from people hating me for defending the cat.
Some of them went like this:
“Who are you, the cat whisperer?” — Yes, bitch, I am. I am a certified feline behaviorist.
“Put that cat in a burlap sack and drown it.” — Wow, what a nice, loving guy! I wonder what your mom thinks of you?
“Treat it like a puppy and smack it in the nose.” — Pure evil. Never smack an animal. But I’ve seen it. I used to work in a dog grooming facility, and dogs would always get smacked. I had to quit. I couldn’t take seeing that abuse on a regular basis. It was a long time ago, but I should have reported the bitch who ran the grooming salon.
“That cat has to be put down.” — WRONG. That cat was a perfect good cat who was ruined. The influencer had the cat since she was a kitten–I saw the pictures on her Instagram page. However, this “influencer” seemed to be too busy modeling for animal crackers instead of training her kitten — and her children. Can we say SELF ABSORBED?! YES WE CAN!
People who mistreat and hate animals, I’m sorry, they are the scum of the earth. Our cats are gentle, loving creatures, who are part of the family. They want to be in the same room as us, no matter what room we’re in, they follow us. Even the shy feral who rarely lets us pet him. He still shows us his belly to say, “I like you.” (Cat lovers understand this).
If your cat is hissing or clawing at people, it’s your responsibility to figure out what is wrong! It’s not a bad cat. YOU are the bad owner. Just like parents. If the kid is bad news, it’s not the child’s fault.
Taking in a pet is a huge responsibility that can last up to two decades, maybe even three (some cats lived until their 30s! Lucky owners!) If you can’t be responsible, DO NOT GET A CAT.
And all this to jack up likes on Instagram, which THE DODO promoted for this crazy woman!
SHAME ON THE DODO. I will NEVER watch their happy ending animal videos again, because this cat did not have one. I hope someone in authority sees the video and takes the cat away from her. There needs to be more strict laws on animal abuse.
I’d love to hear from other animal lovers, and on this issue, I’m sorry I’m not going to agree to disagree. I stand strong on my beliefs.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
For cat and kitten lovers, you may want to check out my book, “Love Cats.” It’s a fiction story that takes place in the 1980s. A spoiled rich girl meets a working class guy and falls madly in love. However, due to her immaturity, and selfishness, she takes that love for granted and messes up — big time. During the break-up, a kitten shows up at her doorstep, and shows her what it’s like to love unconditionally. Check it out here: LOVE CATS
Has a kitten ever changed your life? Let me know in the comments below! (Or simply share a picture of your cat or kitten!)
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is available for blogging, ghost writing, writing. She is also available for book signings and motivational speaking engagements. In addition to Love Cats, she is the author of the following books :
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: Love Cats
My husband swore to God this happened last night and wishes I was awake to see it.
Now, all pet owners know first hand how loving pets can be, to the point where they do the cutest, unbelievable things. My 18-year-old cat, Derick, has always been “Mommy’s Little Heart.” From day one, as a kitten, he rarely left my side. He follows me around the house like a shadow.
Last night my husband put on a movie about The Temptations. I love them, but I’m a bit run down and I fell asleep on the couch while the movie was on. Derick was lying next to me, facing the television.
My husband said that as soon as they started performing “My Girl,” Derick moved to face me and was staring at me during the entire song! You can’t make this stuff up! I guess I’m my cat’s sunshine on a cloudy day! (And of course Derick is right on my lap as I type this blog!)
After a long summer of struggling to keep our 19-year-old baby, Billy Cat, comfortable, we had to make the decision to put him down.
He was our joy, our laughter, our love and our life. Billy was the best cat a person could ever have.
I remember when I got Billy. I was single and living alone. It was 1994 and I named him after Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins because I loved the band at the time. Billy was from the litter of a shop cat. My uncle told me the colors of the kittens and I said I wanted a gray one. I met my uncle at his shop and he was waiting for me, with Billy, in a box.
Before I took Billy home, I took him to meet my beloved Grandmother. She was the first person to say how cute he was and ever since then everyone was falling in love with Billy. He was a special cat.
When I brought him home as a kitten, he was scared. He cried and hid a lot. It took him a long time to come out of his shell. Two years later, I got Derick as a kitten and the two were comical together. The moved with me when I left one apartment for another. At the second apartment I sneaked them both in because I was only allowed to have ONE cat. What could I do? They were family!
After a year of dating my husband, I moved in with him. Of course Billy and Derick came along. My husband is a wonderful cat dad. He adored my babies to pieces. When we all settled in, it was just adorable how we were all one big family.
Billy did so many cute things over the years but two of them will stand out in my mind forever.
1. The time my husband was playing The Monkees and the song “Papa Gene’s Blues” came on. There’s a lyric that goes, “I love you and I know you love me.” During that part Billy came running down the stairs. It was the sweetest, cutest thing. So from that moment on, we said that was “Billy’s song.” Billy always loved music anyway. He used to sit right by one of the stereo speakers. We said he was like the RCA dog who sat by the old Victrola. Billy would always looked so deep in thought.
Reminds us of Billy!
2. I’ll never forget the Christmas my husband surprised me by getting cute collars for the cats. Derick got holly and Billy got a bow tie (see first photo!) My husband planned that both cats were going to come down the stairs together to surprise me. He even rehearsed with them. But Christmas day, Billy was so excited he ran down the stairs ahead of Derick. I wish you could have seen the look on my face when I saw my Billy parading around with his bow tie, looking all proud and cute.
These are just two stories that capture Billy’s personality. He was just a big, old, innocent cat. He never caused me any problems. My cats never destroyed speakers, curtains or anything in the home. They never chewed on wires. The worst they ever did was fight with each other and even that was comical.
Everyone who met Billy fell in love with him. We always heard how beautiful he was, what a pretty cat he was and how good he was. I had Billy for 19 years, and my husband had him for the seven that we’ve all been together — the package deal. There was never a dull moment, but one thing Billy knew how to do was give a lot of love. He was just this big ‘ol stuffed animal.
I would love to share many more pictures, but since Billy was an indoor cat, most photos were taken in our home and we like our privacy.
Earlier this summer we noticed Billy had some problems with his hind legs and lost some weight. We just chalked it up to old age. Until he stopped climbing the stairs to use the litter box. We immediately took him to the vet and turned out he had thyroid issues. We were treating him by going to a regular vet and then a holistic vet, giving him acupuncture (which I blogged about earlier this summer).
Regular treatments kept him going for awhile. Then he took a turn for the worse. Most recent x-rays showed he had bone cancer. He was down to just four pounds and had a body temperature of 93 which meant he was deteriorating. Our mutual decision was to put him out of his suffering. And the last two days, that cat did suffer. You never heard a peep out of him, but he was meowing out of desperation.
Today we, along with my brother-in-law Joe, said our last good-byes to Billy.
Beautiful angel, I’ll never forget you. And I’m positive, neither will a lot of other people.
I had so much excess energy last night, it was one of those nights I call “Maryanne Nights” that I haven’t had in a long time. A night where I go to the bedroom and play the most happiest, exciting fun songs, sing at the top of my lungs, dance and jump on the bed for a few hours!
Why?
Because, it doesn’t happen too often, but it happens to all of us. And yesterday it happened to me. A rare moment in life where everything is absolutely perfect.
Because I found a new eye doctor I adore, who has the greatest personality, and I got a perfect eye report! (Just because I’m very near-sighted doesn’t mean I can’t have healthy eyes — and my eyes are very healthy!)
Because all my relationships are excellent! I have the best husband, the best family, the best in-laws, and the best friends!
Because out of the blue two people I highly admire and respect their work contacted me about creative projects!
Because my career (writing and managing musicians) is at a perfect pace and I’m not stressed out.
And most of all, because my Billy Cat — who couldn’t walk a week ago — is walking again thanks to pet acupuncture and laser treatment!
Mind you, he’s not walking perfectly — yet — but he’s trying like all hell. His little paws that were ice cold for days on end are now circulating and they are warm like a kitty’s paws should be.
So, after spinning a few good songs, my husband came up and joined the party with me, along with our kitty Derick. And Billy too. Billy who hasn’t been upstairs in weeks because his little back legs are too weak to climb the stairs.
And the party continued, with lots of smiles, and laughter and happy fun songs! (And cute cats!)
But did I REALLY dance with the cats? Well, Billy, who was always my favorite cat to dance with (because he’s such a mush you can do anything with him) is not quite ready to cat dance yet. He’s getting there though. And I look forward to dancing with Billy on his 20th birthday next year!
Billy Cat, 19, had his first acupuncture treatment on Thursday.
The pet acupuncturist said he has a lot of life in him and thinks he can get better within three treatments.
Friday he was doing better, but Saturday he took a turn for the worse. He’ll have another treatment this week in addition to yet another trip to the regular vet.
We are doing everything we can to get this cat walking again. His poor thyroid is depleting the vitamins and not allowing him to keep weight on (he’s eating A LOT of healthy stuff!) so it’s affecting his back legs and now it seems his front legs too. As for now, he can’t walk at all and goes to the bathroom on himself. Dennis gives him a sponge bath twice a day and we massage him too. He is bright-eyed, alert and purring like crazy. So it breaks my heart when people tell me to put the cat down, which is mean and ridiculous as he is NOT in pain! No cries, no yelps, just purrs whenever we are near him. Hasn’t stopped purring at all. He’s alert and his eyes follow us everywhere.
Every night, we lay with our baby on the living room floor since he can’t climb the stairs to sleep with us anymore. I fall asleep as Billy holds me with his paw.
This is breaking my heart. This is a good cat that I’ve had since he was a kitten. He wouldn’t have lived so long if I wasn’t a good cat Mommy.
I’ve been crying for two days straight now. We had a wonderful weekend at the concerts, but by Sunday I was simply exhausted holding in my feelings about my kitty. I could barely move to do anything and we got to the church picnic very late and by then everyone was packing up, so we basically missed it.
My stomach was burning this morning, I couldn’t eat breakfast.
I don’t know what the fate is for this cat. The pet acupuncturist has high hopes. I hope she is correct. There is nothing wrong with this cat except he can’t walk. I’ve seen pets that got by beautifully that had no legs. (Not saying he’s going to be amputated, just saying that his health is not bad and I’m so mad at anyone who suggests putting him down!).
I’m sad and mad and miserable. It was fine being distracted with my work today. Now it is night. Another night to cry and hold my beautiful cat.
Only those who love cats will get this story, so be forewarned!
My older cat, Billy, is a cat. No ifs ands or buts about it, Billy is a cat.
He does cat things like eating finicky, sleeping all day and hiding from company.
My other cat, Derick, on the other hand, is a little man trapped in a cat’s body. He’s very vocal and will try to communicate with you via a series of mews, with a sound effect for every action. He’ll also try to manipulate you until he gets his way.
Derick will also watch entire television shows and movies with us. Derick’s all time favorite movie is “My Dinner with Jimi,” an autobiography about the career of The Turtles in their early years from 1966 to 1967 including their encounters with Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Jim Morrison.
The very first time my husband and I watched “My Dinner with Jimi,” as soon as the first Turtles song came on, Derick jumped on the bed and watched the entire movie with us. The movie was so good and we all enjoyed it, we put in on again the next night. Again, Derick jumped on the bed, settled in and watched the whole movie.
The following night we put a different movie on. Derick was antsy, walking all over the bed and meowing. He wouldn’t sit still.
“Maybe he wants the Turtles movie?”
We took off what we were watching and put “My Dinner with Jimi on.” Derick settled down immediately and watched the movie.
That was the running joke in our home for a long time. If we couldn’t find Derick, we’d put “My Dinner with Jimi” on and he was soon on the bed. If it was bedtime and Derick wouldn’t calm down, we’d put “My Dinner with Jimi” on.
“My Dinner with Jimi” was the cat’s baby sitter until we finally got tired of watching the movie (we love The Turtles just as much as Derick does, but we were getting a little bit burnt on the repetition).
So my husband would say, “No, Derick, no Turtles tonight. We’re not watching the Turtles movie again.”
“Erewp,” Derick would chirp. He was so disappointed, you could just tell.
Last night, after a few years of not watching “My Dinner with Jimi” my husband put it on again.
We started to watch the movie and I said, jokingly, “We have Derick’s favorite movie on. Where is he?”
And right on cue, Derick jumped on the bed and said, “Er-mew!”
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta 