Book:Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? A Diet Book for Cats by Dena Harris

I knew I was in for a treat when I was contacted by a representative from Ten Speed Press asking if I would be interested in reviewing Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? A Diet Book for Cats by CWA Member and Author, Dena Harris.

I was honored to have been given the opportunity of reviewing another book of Dena's back in 2010: Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help)    Call me biased, but being a fan of Dena's sarcastic wit and spot-on ability of telling us what cats would REALLY say,if given the ability to speak human "language",  I KNEW  that Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big?, an illustrated  diet book for cats,(the illustrations were done by Ann Boyajian of the blog Cattywampus,  she also did the illustrations for Careers for Your Cat), was going to be another winner. I wasn't wrong.

"In less time than it takes to cough up a hairball, you too can be fit, feline and fabulous!
Cat-tharsis has never been this fun!"

What did Cody think when HE read it?

Well, you will have to hear it from his own mouth!

Hi all it's Cody! I tried, I really did! Mom was supposed to review this book a month or so ago but I hid it, so well that she couldn't find it! Mom was supposed to review it yesterday, but once again, I foiled her! Until TODAY. when Mom found, Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? under the kitchen table, and I knew I was finished, done, kaput!

Yes that is ME on the scale!
I just used the quote from the book
with my photo

You see, for some time now Mom has been working hard at trying to keep me at a "normal" weight and basically, much to my dismay, she has succeeded. With the New Year approaching, Mom and legions of others will be making resolutions, or as we prefer to call them, intentions for the New Year, I know Mom's weight-loss challenge is high on the list, and NOW thanks to a certain Ms.Dena Harris, MINE WILL BE TOO!

Mom made me take the quiz in Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? to find out just what type of an eating purrsonality  I have. Once I took the quiz, (and kitties it will be the same for YOU so watch out!), Dena Harris suggested different weight loss programs, that are listed in the book, based on my own purrsonality.

My results?
I had 6 A's and 7 C's which makes me a COMATOSE CAT ("Diet, schmiet!")who leans more towards being an ADD CAT (with my higher score being in the 7s)

The basic trait as stated in Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? of the ADD CAT is my weight goes up and down, up and down, (which happens to be true!)  "I'm motivated to lose the weight until hunger kicks in." My supposed and true goal in life is to be the "last cat standing at the food dish."  The suggested Diet Plans for an ADD CAT are:

• Paleo Diet
• The Zone
• Raw Food Diet and The Living Food Movement

To learn about these diet plans, other plans, and to find out what type of program would work best for YOU,  you will have to READ THE BOOK!

Mom thinks it is funny, but we all no she has NO sense of humor, that Dena Harris takes REAL Diets, Diet Groups such as Mom's personal nemesis, Weight Watchers, Mom has gained back ALL of the 44 lbs she lost on the program, but I digress....who Ms.Harris calls "Weight Stalkers", and Jenny Craig, aka Catty Craig) and describes their basic philosophies in a way that will have you rolling on your back exposing your ample bellies in fits of meows, which we all know is laughter!

Mom doesn't realize it, but many of the diet "tips" that Ms.Harris lists in the book, actually all of them if you remove the hilarious "catspeak", can be applied to HUMANS!

"with laugh-out-loud insights into daily feline life, cat lovers will feel better about their own dieting and fitness struggles when compared to those of obese cats unable to avoid inhaling that can of tuna."

I suggest my Mom stop laughing and utilize these suggestions/tips/insights for herself!!

Kitties, there are exercise tips, a Bonus Section which includes:

• 21 Easy Steps to put your cat on a diet! (you didn't hear this from me! Mom made me tell you!)
• Superfuds
• Top Ten Tips for Continued Weight Loss Success
• Ask Flabby Tabby

"Have a question about diet, nutrition, or how to get your favorite jingle ball out from underneath the fridge? Renowned feline health expert and life couch coach Flabby Tabby is here to answer your questions."

So my fellow felines , what do ya think? Have I piqued your interest? Do you think it is time you read this book before your HUMAN does? Why OF COURSE you think so! This book would make the PURRFECT HOLIDAY GIFT for the fatty feline in your life!!

You are in luck!

The publisher has agreed to have a GIVE-AWAY (18 and over only please), where ONE PURRSON who resides in the U.S. (once again my apologies to my international readers), will win a copy of Does This Collar Make My Butt Look Big? A Diet Book for Cats by Dena Harris, (a $12.99 value).  

MANDATORY:leave me a comment telling me the name of the cat(s) who will most benefit from reading it!

THE GIVE-AWAY IS OPEN NOW AND WILL END ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12TH AT 5PM EST, the WINNER as chosen by www.random.org will be announced on LUCKY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13th! GOOD LUCK!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Dena Harris is an award-winning humor writer and author of Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats, Lessons in Stalking, and For the Love of Cats. She lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband and two cats. Visit DenaHarris.com for more information.

ISBN 978-1607744894
eBook 978-1607744900

Cody "Paws" Million Dollar Deal With Weight Watchers-Semi-Wordless Wednesday

Seriously, it does...I LOVE Weight Watchers

Mom is in Weight Watchers and all opinions are mine and Mom's, Love, Cody

"Walking On Sunshine" Sunday! And Happy 6th Birthday Adorable Rosie!

Mom and I were deeply touched to receive the "Sunshine Award" a few weeks ago from our catabulous friends Au and Target from Katz and Other Tales, it really was a surprise and made us smile!

We have to answer these questions and pass this award on to 9 people. We didn't want to just pick 9 so we wanted everyone to have this award who visits and comments on our blog and fills OUR lives with SUNSHINE! 

01. Our favorite color:Mom-green (look at the background of our blog, can't ya tell? MOL!) ,
 Me-anything that even resembles stinky goodness!

02. Our favorite animal: are you kidding us? What do YOU think?

03. Our favorite number: Mom 10 or 20,
Me-4 cause that is how old I am!

04. Our favorite non-alcoholic drink: Mom-COFFEE!!
 Me-water but it must be served from my brother's dog bowl
 
05. Social media? Of course!! Facebook, Twitter, BlogPaws Community, blogs, just to name a few! Mom and I work as a team on many of these!

06. Our passion: Mom-writing, reading, cats,  swimming, walking, art, Shelties, cooking, music, Weight Watcher's.
 Me-Eating, Sleeping  and playing with my mousies or Neko fly.


07. Getting or giving presents? Mom & I  both agree we love BOTH!

08. Our favorite pattern? Huh???

09. Our favorite day of the week? Any day we are both on the right side of the grass!

10. Our favorite flower? Mom-Mums or White Roses.
 Me-the flowers on my catnip plant!

We're passing this award on to:

YOU!!

Also...today is a special day!

 Happy, Happy
6th Birthday

 to our adorable kitty friend:

ROSIE!!!!

Rosie has "Easy Sunday" down to an art!

Happy Birthday Beautiful Rosie!!!!

Everything You Wanted To Know About Us...Or Not...We Were Asked To Play A Fun "Meme!"

Mom and I don't usually do "Memes" (is that how you even spell it? MOL!), but some super special friends of ours asked us to pawticipate and we just couldn't say no. Well, we could say no  but we decided not to because we love these friends of ours and we would like them to remain our friends! MOL! We don't want them comin' after us!

The friends who asked us to pawticipate are Chloe And Cecil and Nellie from The Cat From Hell. Do you blame us for not saying no? When you have a kitty asking you to do something, and they are from a blog named "The Cat From Hell", you do what they TELL you to do. If not, you risk sleeping with the fishies!

Ok on to the Meme. We have to answer the following questions. Both Mom and I are going to answer!

1) Where do you like to hang out?

Mom's answer:

and

My Answer:

Sleeping on Mama's Tummy

2) Who Is Your Kitty Crush?

Mom's Answer:

Mr.Puddy!!!

Mom is COMPLETELY smitten with him!

It is ridiculous!

Someone should tell Mom she is a human

NOT a CAT!

My Answer:

Katy Perry
If she kissed a Cody,
she'd like it!

3) What is your favorite scent?

Mom's answer:

My Answer:

Royal Canin Feline
Green Pea & Rabbit Formula

4) What is your favorite TV show?

Mom's Answer:

My Answer:
Garfield & Friends

5) What Is Your Favorite Movie?

Mom's Answer:

My Answer:

The Lion King

6) What Is Your Best Piece Of Feline Advice?

Mom's Answer:

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.

 It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed...

every morning a lion wakes up.

 It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

 It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle...

when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

My Answer:

"When in doubt,

blame the dog"

Now I am supposed to pass this on to 3 other kitty friends that I would like to learn more about, a lot of them have had this already. Here are 3 that I don't think did. I hope I am right!

1) Alex from Feeling Beachie

2) Zee & Zoey

3) Spitty from Spitty Speaks

Monday Musings Or In Cat-Speak "Meowsings"

I have been feeling out of sorts for the past couple of months. Our family has experienced a lot of sadness, the death of my father-in-law almost two weeks ago who was greatly loved and who had endured years of both physical/mental challenges.
He will be deeply and profoundly missed by all who knew/loved him (and that was TONS of people!)

On a positive note, we have a new and gorgeous niece who was born the day before my father-in-law passed. She is stunning, sweet smelling and pink and we have all fallen madly in love with her!

Also, I decided to join my fat-boy Cody and embark on yet another weight loss mission. I joined Weight Watchers on October 2nd (watch out Jennifer Hudson!!) and am happy with the weight I have lost so far...I discovered on a shopping trip to Kohl's yesterday that I am now a 1X (for those of us who are weight challenged that is a HUGE deal, especially since I had been rapidly approaching the Land of 3X's which for my 5ft 3" stature, even being big-boned was inexcusable!) and soon I hope to be able to no longer have to buy anything that is a "Plus Size" (as they say on "Seinfeld", "not that there is anything wrong with that!")

I am an emotional, mercurial, and sensitive person who feels things I often wish I wouldn't, sees things I wish I didn't and often takes these things to heart.

Lately my "timing" seems to be "off". "Best laid plans" as they say aren't connecting. People I need to reach on a variety of issues, I am unable to connect with.

 I am a "control freak" and when I experience things like this it greatly affects my "balance"...I often wish I could land on all fours when falling from a building (just like a cat) but often I don't.

"Libra Golden Scales" photo from Wikipedia

 Side note:I am a Libra whose astrological symbol is the Scales of Justice. I hate injustice of any kind and my scales have to be in "balance". When my scales are off-balance I become frozen in procrastination and to be purrfectly frank I experience "brain farts!"

It is at times like these that I find great comfort in cats and quotes. I have always been a word/quote freak (I have a book of "10,000 Quips and Quotes"), I have collected and found comfort in quotes since I was a teen (coincidentally when my love of cats began). So today I bring to you some of my favorite musings--"A product of contemplation; a thought. "an elegant tapestry of quotations, musings, aphorisms, and autobiographical reflections" (James Atlas).


In keeping with the theme of this blog, they are all cat related. If any of you are in a "funk" or feeling out of sorts, I hope they offer you comfort as well!


"In the beginning, God created man, but seeing him so feeble, He gave him the cat."
- Warren Eckstein

"If animals could speak the dog would be a a blundering outspoken fellow, but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much."
- Mark Twain


"Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
- Mark Twain Notebook, 1894


"You can keep a dog; but it is the cat who keeps people, because cats find humans useful domestic animals."
- George Mikes from "How to be decadent


"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life - music and cats."
- Albert Schweitzer

"Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them."
- Jim Davis

"There is, incidentally, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person."
- Dan Greenberg

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
- Leonardo da Vinci

"In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats."
- English Proverb

"Beware of people who dislike cats."
- Irish Proverb

"With the qualities of cleanliness, affection, patience, dignity, and courage that cats have, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?"
- Fernand Mery

"A meow massages the heart."
- Stuart McMillan

"Time spent with cats is never wasted."
- Unknown

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea."
- Unknown

Photo by @supernatural808 on Twitter

" No heaven will not ever be Heaven be; Unless my cats are there to welcome me."
- Unknown

" How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven."
- Robert A. Heinlein

"People who hate cats, will come back as mice in their next life."
- Faith Resnick

"One reason we admire cats is for their proficiency in one-upmanship. They always seem to come out on top, no matter what they are doing, or pretend they do."
- Barbara Webster

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind."
- Cleveland Amory

There....I feel somewhat better now, (and I hope you do too!)....my two favorite things...the comfort/peace that living with a cat(s) provide, and the contemplation that my love of quotes offers me.

What are some of your favorite cat quotes?

What do YOU do for yourself when you are "off-balance" or out of sorts?