Tag Archives: cat lady

Cats in Cars Cruising Coast Highway

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What happened to the end of 2023? Time just slipped away from me between my extremely busy “day job”, holiday festivities and taking time to get enough rest. Sometimes cat naps are in order, or a good read and a cuppa tea. I hope everyone had a joyful holiday season.

Speaking of good reads, since the release of Two Cats, a Mermaid and the Disappearing Moon, it occurred to me that some of you may not know the main characters, Topper and Lexington, and if you do remember them, it might be fun to reminisce. I’m sharing a story I wrote years ago (which I’ve updated a bit) that showcases their mischievous personalities. Enjoy!

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Upon returning home from a roadtrip back in 2015, while I was unloading the car Topper snuck in and settled on the floorboard of the driver’s seat.

IMG_1564“Come on, Topper,” I motioned for him to get out. He just looked at me with a deadpan stare and folded his front legs under his chest. He was either settling in or being defiant—which were probably one and the same. I let him hang out in the car.

IMG_1567Twenty minutes later I went to collect the cat from the Kia and found him cozied-up on the floorboard of the back seat.  It reminded me of the time I caught both cats red-pawed as they were scheming to take the car for a spin around the neighborhood, those stinkers.

Cats Tyring to Steel Car 099When I used to walk Topper and Lexington around  the cul-de-sac of my neighborhood they insisted on stopping and sniffing a hubcap or the bumper of each car they encountered. It’s the roses that you are supposed to stop and smell I’d tell them.

Since when did cats have a thing for cars? It’s probably a good thing they couldn’t reach my car keys and the gas pedal as surely they would figure out the whole driving thing. I would have had to resort to public transportation while they would be off cruisin’ down Coast Highway. I could just see it: Topper behind the wheel, Lexington with his head out the sunroof, whiskers blowing back in the wind and Bobcat with his paws on the dashboard, eagerly peering out the windshield and repeatedly asking, “Are we there yet?!”

Bobcat sitting on the sunroof.

I wonder where “there” would be? Main Beach would be a good start. Lexington would scream from the back seat, “TOPPER—STOP THE CAR! LOOK! Who knew we live 4.5 miles away from the biggest litter box ever?”

Curious to see just how big this outdoor litter box is they would keep driving south, getting glimpses of the sand at each stop light.

“Wow, check out that whale! Maybe we should go there!” Topper would say as traffic would stop them in front of the Wyland Gallery.  Not being able to find parking, they would keep on cruising until finding themselves approaching a restaurant that would make their fur stand on end. “Geez, it’s bad enough they roam the canyon, but now they have a restaurant?” Topper would say while flooring it past the Coyote Grill.

My cats weren’t the only felines with a fetish for cars. Sometime after Topper and Lexington “helped” me unload my car that day, I attended a kiln glass art workshop facilitated by Laguna Beach artist Maggie Spencer. After the workshop, I sat outside of Maggie’s Laguna Canyon studio and sipped wine and chatted with Maggie and her friend Sian about the local music scene. Maggie’s cat with calico markings and an exceptionally fluffy tail strolled by and made herself comfortable on Sian’s leather purse. Conversation segued into talking about our cats. Maggie declared, “Whenever I open my car door, Punkin jumps in the car!” I imagined Punkin getting all comfy on the seat, ready for a joyride…maybe to that giant litter box down the street. I hope that Maggie kept an eye on her car keys.

Happy Mew Year, Ya’ll!

Thank you for your continued readership! I wish everyone a peaceful, joyful and rewarding 2024!

Ghost Cats and the Phantom Mouse

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In the summer of 2018, when I met my realtor at the circa 1922 cottage I was considering for my next home, despite its run-down condition, I was struck by its enchanted quality. It was alive with positive vibes. I felt welcomed by an unseen greeting committee. I signed the lease, excited about a new beginning living in a vintage cottage.

Enchanted Cottage shortly after moving in.

After moving in with Bobcat and Lexington, often, while sitting on the sofa at night reading, I would look over my shoulder thinking I saw one of the cats sauntering by; yet, seconds later would glance into the bedroom to see both cats sound asleep.

One late afternoon I was sitting at my desk and saw movement from my peripheral vision coming from the bookcase next to the French doors. I turned to see a mouse scurrying from the bookcase to underneath the hutch. It was quick and almost looked like a shadow, but well defined. I thought I imagined it when Bobcat came bolting from the bedroom making a beeline for the hutch. He was trying to get under it, going from one side to the next, fervently meowing. I opened the front door in an attempt to get the mouse out of the house. As I tried to coax my enthusiastic cat away from the hutch so the mouse could run outside—Bobcat came out from the side of the hutch and nonchalantly sashayed back into the bedroom. And the mouse was nowhere to be found.

Bobcat sees a ghost mouse!

About a year ago I was awoken at 2:00 a.m. by the sound of labored breathing coming from the living room. I turned on the bedside table lamp, cautiously got up and went into the direction of the sound with Samantha by my side. The sound shifted from the entryway to the sofa. Samantha poked her head under the sofa as if trying to figure out where it was coming from. I walked around the sofa then went back to the entryway with Samantha shadowing me.  I concluded that the sound was a suffering animal under the house. I said a prayer for it then went back to bed. I awoke again, thinking it was morning because light was filtering from the living room into my bedroom, yet it was 4:00 a.m. Perplexed, I went into the living room to find a set of lights had been turned on—lights that I never use because they are too bright. I got goose bumps and wondered if the noise we heard was actually something otherworldly.

Mama, what is that creepy noise?

Later that morning, I looked under the house to find no animal. Even if it had gotten out alive, the crawl space where it would have been was not in the same location of the sound, which emanated from the location of the foundation. I started to believe that the enchanted cottage was a refuge for lost souls.

Lately, the cottage has been devoid of phantom mice and ghostly cats. And I’ve not awoken to spooky sounds and lights with a mind of their own.

Maybe the spirits of Bobcat and Lexington are keeping the spooks away.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Mama, you aren’t seriously going to wear this hat?

Cat Lady in the Canyon-The Backstory

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Cats have been pets in my life since I was a toddler. But it was after rescuing my first cat at the age of 26 that I truly made cats an integral part of my world. Over a short period of time, having one cat turned into having two or three at any given time. (read more in About the Cat Lady). I never once considered myself crazy, yet others did. I got so tired of the disapproving comments and justifying my affinity for felines:

  • You don’t have kids—only cats? Yep, just cats.
  • You know what they say about having two cats… Do tell!
  • You have three cats!? So you’re a crazy cat lady, huh? No, I just love cats.
  • Have you ever thought about getting a dog? I don’t understand the question.

I put my paw down. It was time to dispel those archaic beliefs and misperceptions about ladies who love cats. After all, cats have been domestic companions for humans for at least 10,000 years. History documents that ancient Egyptian and Roman societies highly revered these animals. Yet, in today’s world, even despite the recent cat craze (thank  you social media), a woman living with cat companions (especially a single woman) is still considered to be a “Crazy Cat Lady”. I bet the ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet would disagree.

During the time I was getting fed up with the crazy cat lady comments, I lived in Laguna Canyon with three cats and I was writing for a local magazine and blogging for an e-commerce website.

Bobcat

Topper

Lexington

These platforms sparked an idea and Cat Lady in the Canyon–Crazy Cat Lady Redefined was created. I merged my passion for cats and writing together into mini memoirs shared through blog entries, which showcase these amazing creatures as not only lovable companions, but as guides and healers.

Cat Lady Gets Cancer. I experienced a whole new level of devotion for my cats and from my cats when I was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer in 2020. From diagnosis to treatments, to victories leading to post-cancer healing, my cat companions were critical members of my support team throughout every step of the journey. Blog entries chronicling my cancer journey can be found in the 2020 through 2022 archives. Writing about coping with cancer was cathartic, but my intention with these stories was to inspire and support anyone dealing with cancer, either themselves or a loved one.

What people may actually see in a crazy cat lady is a passionate, enthusiastic and devoted cat lover—someone the ancient Egyptians would hold in the highest regard.