25 Years Later....Never Forget (9-11-2001)

 

CAT BOOK: The Wild Side of the Wall by Kat McCarthy

 FROM CAT AND DOG CHAT WITH CAREN: I was recently contacted by one of the kindest, sweetest authors I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Her name is Kat McCarthy, and while I am not doing book reviews at this time, I was so moved by her email and touched by her kind personality that I ALMOST gave in!!!

What I am happy to do is to post her press release. I am happy to still post about books that sound interesting to me (even if I have not read the book). I encourage you to read this press release, this book sounds like a good one! (Oh and I have received no compensation for featuring this book).

THE WILD SIDE OF THE WALL

INVITES READERS

 TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD AS A CAT

Kat McCarthy's debut novel follows a young free-ranging cat who goes looking for friendship — and finds a family she will risk everything to protect.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — July 28, 2026 — Wild Kin Press is proud to announce the September 8 publication of The Wild Side of the Wall by Kat McCarthy. The novel will be available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook from major booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play Books, and Kobo.

Cover Photo Courtesy of Kat McCarthy

The Wild Side of the Wall, immerses readers in the sensory world of Cricket, a young free-ranging cat who goes searching for the closeness she once shared with her littermates. Venturing past the last wall in her territory, she discovers Gentle — a large, friendly dog who smells full of puppies and joy. What begins as cautious curiosity grows into an exuberant friendship — and finally, a boisterous family to call her own.

When her chosen family is threatened, Cricket and Gentle leave every wall behind in a desperate race to protect their pack.

Early readers are calling The Wild Side of the Wall a must-read for cat lovers — a deeply immersive novel that makes them feel as though they are experiencing the world as a cat.

“I kept searching for the novel that would let me truly experience life as a cat. I never found it. So I wrote it,” McCarthy says.

McCarthy drew on years of observing cats and studying feline behavior to keep Cricket authentically feline. Cricket understands her world not through human explanations, but through her own senses, instincts, and experience as she navigates a world that gives few second chances.

 

 

 

 

●     Author: Kat McCarthy

●     Publisher: Wild Kin Press

●     Publication Date: September 8, 2026

●     ISBN Paperback: 979-8-9969860-0-2

●     ISBN Hardcover: 979-8-9969860-1-9

●     ISBN eBook: 979-8-9969860-2-6

●     Page Count: 305

●     Available Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, eBook

●     Language: English

Wild Kin Press publishes books inspired by the beauty, wonder, and complexity of the living world.

TO PURCHASE CLICK ON 

ANY OF THE PLACES LISTED BELOW:

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble

Apple Books 

Google Play 

Kobo

Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom! Happy Birthday America! Have a Safe and Happy 4th!

Photo Created by Chat GPT

 

"Two hundred and fifty years. Through war. Through division. Through triumph. Through redemption. America's story has never been perfect, but it has always been one of perseverance, sacrifice, hope, and an enduring pursuit of liberty." — Instagram [1]

"For 250 years, America has stood as a symbol of faith, courage, and freedom. Generations before us fought, sacrificed, and prayed so that liberty could endure." — The Bush Center [1]

Happy Birthday America!!!!

We hope that today we all will take a moment to stop and reflect on how thankful we are to be FREE! And...to everyone who is battling this crazy heat, stay hydrated and be safe! Let's hope there aren't a lot of boomers for our pets!!!

HAPPY 4TH EVERYONE!

xoxo

Happy 6th Birthday Sweet Roary!

 

It's so hard to believe that our little Professor, Roary (formerly known as Felix when he was adopted), is SIX YEARS OLD!!

Roary is definitely a unique cat, probably the most unique of any who have come before. He is unbelievably loving, (to think I once thought we would never bond), now he is completely obsessed with me as I am with him.

One of my favorite things that has become a daily ritual is Roary and I have genuine "Cat Chats" in the bathroom. Roary and I share a bathroom and whenever I go in, Roary follows......meowing (chatting) up a storm!!!! We literally have full fledged conversations. He meows, I ask questions and he answers. He reminds me of Mr.Ed (those of you of a certain age will remember him), if Lenny approaches the bathroom when Roary is "talking" he immediately stops. He is the silliest boy! Sometimes he will talk so much it's like he is really having a rant! He also weighs himself every evening. He starts with putting just half of himself on the scale, then, I tell him he can't weigh himself with just half of his body on the scale and he will then proceed to sit on the scale to get his accurate weight.

Some of Roary's favorite things are:

1) His beloved Springs

2) He LOVES to cover himself with blankets. If you enter our home and want to sit on our couch you have to be careful and be sure to look for a "lump" under the blanket on the couch.

3) Roary also LOVES to go into my sock drawer and carry my rolled up socks everywhere! (He prefers them to cat toys)

4) He responds consistently to the snapping of my fingers. Anytime I snap my fingers Roary will come running!

5) He wakes me up with head/nose bumps and kisses EVERY SINGLE MORNING. 

6) Harassing Levi. He knows EXACTLY how to get Levi going and it is hilarious!

Roary is truly the funniest, the most curious , loving and intelligent kitty I  have ever had the honor of sharing my life with! Roary is truly a joy!

HAPPY, HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY

 MY SWEET AND SMART BOY!!

You are loved more than you ever could imagine!!

Give Us A Kiss! Happy St.Patty's Day!!!

 May the Luck 'O the Irish 

be with you today and always!

FEATURED CAT BOOK:THE CALICO CAT AT THE CHIBINEKO KITCHEN

FROM CAT AND DOG CHAT WITH CAREN: I am not writing book reviews any longer, but I am happy to FEATURE a book if I am contacted and the book sounds interesting to me. I am not being compensated for featuring this book, nor am I offering any opinions. I am just doing the publisher a favor by featuring this book because it sounds interesting to me! READ ON!!

  THE CALICO CAT AT THE CHIBINEKO KITCHEN

The heartwarming Japanese cat novel about fate and the healing power of food 

By Yuta Takahashi, and “invitingly translated” (Booklist) by award-winning (and aptly named) translator Cat Anderson, this heartwarming and soul-enrichening series follows diners at a magical seaside café outside of Tokyo where they have the opportunity to speak to recently deceased loved ones—but just as long as their food is steaming hot. As our protagonists grapple with grief, love, and loss, they find closure and a new perspective on life with the help of a warm meal, a friendly cat, and a kindhearted chef. In a *starred review*, Library Journal praises the novel as “moving…this magical-realist novel, complete with recipes…features cats as wise guides.”

THE CALICO CAT AT THE CHIBINEKO KITCHEN

By Yuta Takahashi

Translated from the Japanese by Cat Anderson

Penguin Books

On Sale: February 24, 2026

ISBN: 9780143138624

E-ISBN: 9780593512739

Pages: 224 | Format: Trade Paperback Original

  

Valentine's Day ChatGPT fun!!!!

 GET READY!!

ARE YOU DYING???????

YEAH I WAS TOO!!!

I had great fun submitting photos to ChatGPT and telling them what I wanted them to do. I am just thrilled with the final photo?

What do you think?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU!!

SENDING SMOOCHES AND LOVE!

Happy Billionth Birthday to Our Pawtastic Dad!!

 

PLEASE JOIN US IN WISHING OUR DAD

THE HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS!!!!!

LEVI: Dad, thank you for getting up EVERY MORNING at 3am (when you have your alarm set for 4am during the workweek and when you have NO alarm set on the weekend). You hear me barking for you to get up and you jump out of bed to tend to my "needs."

THANK YOU for taking me outside a zillion times a day whether I have to do my business or not!!! 

THANK YOU for appreciating that I NEVER have a bowel movement when Mom takes me out, I ONLY save them for YOU!!!

THANK YOU for DRIVING me to my most FAVORITE spot to have a bowel movement when you feel the weather isn't appropriate for me to WALK. I have my own POOP chauffeur service!!!

THANK YOU for not getting mad at me when I try to attack the evil remote control, your briefcase or whatever NEW jacket you are wearing.

THANK YOU for sitting on the couch with me so we can stare at each other for hours on end.

THANK YOU for driving me to the park for walks, even when I just want to bark at every dog within 5000 feet of me.

ROARY: I went last because I am soooooo easy Dad that I don't think you appreciate it!

THANK YOU for helping to clean my litter boxes, I save the nice sized "pieces" for you.

THANK YOU for the times you drive Levi to daycare or to board him. It is the only time I get ANY peace and quiet around here!

THANK YOU for cuddling with me whenever I can FINALLY get you away from Mr.High Maintenance Glamour Boy!!!

THANK YOU for allowing Mom to feed me 50 times a day when you tell her "He has had enough." Thankfully, Mom doesn't listen to you and that's why the Vet wants me to lose weight.

LEVI AND ROARY: Thank you for being the BEST DAD ON THE PLANET!!! We love you and appreciate you more than you know! MOM FEELS THE SAME!!

HAPPY, HAPPY BILLIONTH BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

Love from Roary, Levi and Mom too!!!

Thankful for Cat Bloggers Who Have the BEST Cat Product Suggestions! (and some Dog ones too!)

 The other day while doing some blog reading I came across a product on The Indulged Furries blog that really captured my interest! My Roary is a cat scratcher fanatic and while reading their blog I discovered the BEST cat scratcher who THEY discovered from reading the host of this Thankful Thursday post, Brian's Home blog.

I hadn't replaced Roary's worn out scratchers (bad Mom!) in quite some time! High maintenance Levi gets more things than Roary since Roary is on a special diet and can't eat treats. Roary was long overdue for a special gift (especially since he was soooo good at the Vet last week while getting his Rabies vaccine!)

This scratcher is just ONE part of everything that I received in the box. Since this is NOT a product review I am not going to bore you with the details, I am just linking to this cat scratcher and you can read all about it on your own.

I love both of these scratchers because while Roary is small in stature, he is a rather chubby kitty (the Vet wants him to lose the pound and a half that he gained but I digress). These scratchers are worth every penny! They give Roary plenty of room for his ample kitty body!

The box also included a cute little fish, scissors, catnip (which I didn't even need because Roary made a beeline for the scratcher the second I put it down), and a wand toy replacement bug for the end of the toy.

The funny part is the Mom over at The Indulged Furries learned about these scratchers from seeing them in the background of one of the Brian's Home Blog's blog posts and she researched where to find them!!

Then, while I was  reading our dear friends blog over at the Brian's Home Blog, I was embarrassed that I didn't know that he runs a few shops on his blog that feature some fantastic products for cat AND dog lovers!!

You can find the links to his shops at the top of his blog (and I linked to his Etsy shop below), and here is the link to the T-shirt that I bought.

Obviously this isn't the ENTIRE shirt but it shows the adorable cartoon and saying (this is PERFECT because the dog's nose looks like Levi and when we take our daily walks he truly DOES sniff EVERYTHING, as dogs do!)

That giant nose really comes in handy lol

I love the color of the T-shirt (it comes in various colors) and they have really LARGE sizes for those of us who are as rotund as our cats!! (Well, I guess that would just be ME lol)

His Etsy shop has a bunch of great products, be sure to check it out!

Oftentimes rather than spending hours online searching cat and dog products that are reviewed by strangers, it is extra special to me to see products that fellow bloggers recommend after having purchased them on their own. THEY WERE NOT BEING PAID OR COMPENSATED to feature the products, (just like I am not being paid or compensated for featuring these products today. I purchased these on my own!)

I just wanted to pay it forward and give these great people a shout out for the wonderful products that I learned about just from visiting their blogs!

I am thankful and Roary is too!

Have a great Thursday all!!

Good Riddance 2025! Welcome 2026!

 

Good Riddance 2025! Welcome 2026!!

May the New Year bless you all with good health, happiness, prosperity and numerous blessings!

May 2026 be extra kind to us all!

Much Love,

Caren, Lenny, Roary and Levi

Yappy and Meowy Christmas 2025!!!

 

A HUGE thank you to all of you who still are kind enough to visit us, even when I don't blog that much anymore (and with 2025 having been such a God awful year healthwise, which prevented me from visiting many of you whose blogs no longer come to my email), it means that much more to me that you are all still there!

THANK YOU!

If 2026 cooperates, I hope to get around to all of you much more often!!!!

May you have a blessed and beautiful Christmas and I deeply pray that 2026 showers you all with abundant blessings !!!

Thank you for your blog posts that make me smile (and yes, sometimes cry).

Sending much love to all of you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Caren, Roary and Levi (oh and Lenny too lol)

I am BEYOND Thankful!

 

This year Thanksgiving is particularly special to me and I am BEYOND thankful!

A handful of you knew that last January I was diagnosed (EXTREMELY EARLY) with Stage One breast cancer. To say that this past year was a challenge is an understatement. 

Now you know why I was blogging even less than I normally do and why I might not have been coming around to your blogs as often.

I am beyond grateful for the support I received during my ordeal from my family, friends and medical team. I don't take lightly just how lucky I was (and am).

So, this year, while I hold everyone just a little closer, I am hoping you will do the same.

Thank you for being a part of my life for soooo many years. You all mean the world to me.

Hopefully 2026 won't bring anymore crappy "surprises" and I can go back to visiting you all more often!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED!!!

Happy 5th Gotcha Day Levi!!!!!

 Happy 5th Gotcha Day to the boy who made my hair completely white!!!!! (Nooooo, that isn't entirely true), but Levi sure has given Lenny and I a run for our money the past 5 years!!

He is barky, VERY, VERY "bossy" (to quote our friend Mark who happens to have Levi's brother Stormy. Stormy just celebrated HIS Gotcha Day 2 days ago). Mark describes Stormy as being "bossy" and that is a great way to put it! Levi is "bossy", bold, determined, and over the top in reference to his size AND his personality.

That being said, he is the MOST LOVING and AFFECTIONATE dog I have ever known. He is near us like velcro and is fiercely protective and loyal.

Levi definitely marches to his own drummer and we wouldn't want it any other way!!

Happy 5th Gotcha Day to our crazy and loving Levi!!

xoxo

No Kings!!! (Well, maybe just ONE!!) Trick or Treat!!!!! Yappy and Happy Halloween!!

 

National Cat Day 2025 (Wordless Wednesday)

 

Happy Global Cat Day!

 

Roary and I send our love to ALL OF YOU!!! Enjoy your day! xoxo

Happy 5th Gotcha Day Precious Roary!!

 

Happy 5th Gotcha Day to our most SPECIAL BOY!!!

Roary, it may have taken you and I a couple of years to bond, but now, you NEVER let me out of your sight!! 

You wake me up every morning with the most gentle kitty kisses, you meow a sweet "Good Morning" every morning and you give me so many cuddles all throughout the day. We have a most beautiful bond that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world!

You hold your own perfectly with Levi and you give him as good as you get (probably BETTER!! lol) Your boxing skills on Levi's head are the BEST!

Happiest Gotcha Day sweet Roary!! You add so much love and fun to our home!! We adore you!

Happy 5th Birthday Levi!!!!!!!

 

Since it is Wordless Wednesday I am going to keep this short......but just because it's short, doesn't mean it isn't LOADED with LOVE!!!

Our Levi is turning 5 today! Sooooooooo hard to believe!!!! He is the most confident, determined, brazen and LOVING boy I have ever known. We LOVE HIM TO PIECES!!

The original photos were taken by Brittney at his beloved Canine College (you can see the originals on Facebook today if you are on there). I took the liberty of adding what I am pretty darned sure Levi was thinking.

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO OUR MOST SPECIAL BOY!!!

While you may drive us all crazy at times, we couldn't love you more!

Mom, Dad and Roary

International Cat Day!

 

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY!!!!

 Roary and I would like to take a moment to wish our furiends all over the world a most happy International Cat Day!!!

Every morning my boy gets into bed with me, he bumps my nose and says "Good Morning", (he truly does!). He follows me into the bathroom (where BOTH of our litter boxes are) and while this is TMI, he LOVES to use his litter box at the same time I'm using mine. Do I like it, no.....but..hey, whatever makes him happy works for me!!

HAVE A CATABULOUS DAY EVERYONE!!! 

Our Sweet Dakota Left Us Five Years Ago Today

 I'm repeating this post (with just a change in the title) for my sweet Dakota because I love it. 

 My first ever Sheltie, Dakota, my sweet boy passed on July 9, 2020 (9 days after Cody), after having been diagnosed with Hemagiosarcoma (a tumor on his heart) a mere month before. He was 13 (as was Cody).

It is an awful disease that has taken many beloved dogs of friends and family members. We were blessed to have Dakota with us for a month after he was diagnosed, many I know weren't that lucky. 

To think I thought Dakota was crazy when he was young! Little did I know what would be in store for me with Levi.

Dakota was sweet, stoic at the Vet, he HATED other dogs, was devoted to his "pack" at home, but wasn't much of a fan of humans that he didn't know. He never would have enjoyed going to daycare or boarding like Levi does.

He was a great brother to Cody. They truly loved each other.

He hated taking walks, wasn't thrilled with the car (he would sit on the floor). Didn't like to sleep in his bed, he preferred sleeping on the floor. If I stirred eggs he would bark. If I used spray butter he would bark. He was the quirkiest dog ever!

He LOVED his precious Greenies, popcorn, red peppers (not hot ones!), apples, carrots and the doggy meatloaf/meatballs/hamburgers I would make for him.

He also ADORED HIS DADDY!

Dakota was extremely bonded with Lenny when he was young, as time went on, he and I became extremely close. He had a sixth sense of knowing just when I needed extra loving.

He was the first dog I had as an adult and was the fulfillment of a childhood dream of having a Sheltie. He was special in so many ways.

He loved running and playing fetch when he was young.

He adored his red, white and blue Dollar store ball that we have safely tucked away in a trunk. That dog had sooo many toys and that disgusting worn out plush ball was his absolute favorite. 

The 13 years he was with us went by in the blink of an eye. I am grateful for the many collages I have on the living room wall of both Cody and Dakota, this way I can still see them both every day.

Dakota you were such a good and special boy. Daddy and I think of you, love you and miss you every single day. 

About a minute after Dakota left us, I noticed a yellow butterfly that flew right into our patio doors, I am certain that was our sweet Dakota letting us know he would always be there.

 I had always loved the name "Dakota" and when I was selecting a name for him I had looked up the meaning. In American Indian the name "Dakota" meant "trusted friend." He completely lived up to his name and more. 

Thank you, Dakota, for sharing your life and love with Daddy, Cody and I. You were the PERFECT first Sheltie.

Much Love Always,

Mom