Valentine's Day Cat Book Feature: "You Know Your Cat Loves You Because..." by Jeff Parks and Nina Brissey, Illustrations by Mark Sean Wilson

Valentine's Day is the day of LOVE!!! What better day for you to show love for your cat(s), and your cat to show love to YOU than Valentine's Day, right? Well, truth be told, our cats show us they love us EVERY SINGLE DAY of their furry little lives....or DO they?

After reading You Know Your Cat Loves You Because...The Sweet, Silly, and Scientific Ways Our Cats Show Us How Much They Love Us  I am having some SERIOUS doubts as to whether or not Cody TRULY LOVES ME! (But more about that later!!)

When author Jeff Parks connected with me via email, (thank you to Layla Morgan Wilde of Cat Wisdom 101 for sending Jeff my way!) it was easy to see why cats love him! He is affable, funny, warm hearted and any guy that decides to adopt his ex-girlfriend's cat when their relationship ends, is pretty ok in my book! That's exactly what happened with Jeff and his cat "Windows" who was the first cat he bonded with. Jeff got custody of "Windows" when the couple split. Sadly, Windows passed (and Jeff is still morning him).  Windows is one of 3 cats (the other two are Macready and Sinbad, Sinbad lived with co-author Nina Brissey) that this witty and fun book are dedicated to. I am hoping Jeff doesn't mind that I am quoting an excerpt from his email communication with me:

Author Jeff Parks

"My bond with Windows was like no other bond I had had before with an animal. It got pretty intense three years before I had to let him go, due to me taking care of him for a bunch of treatable conditions. That meant a lot of vet visits and pharmacy runs. He was worth all of it. Like you, if I think about him too hard, I cry pretty easily. I still have Mac, who is a wonderful cat, too. Thankfully he is in great condition."

(ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Jeff Parks is a freelance writer and editor.  He shares a home in Temecula, California with his spirited and wonderful cat, Mac.) 

Windows is the cat who turned Jeff Parks into the epitome of a loving "Cat Daddy"

As you can see above, the illustrations by award winning illustrator, Mark Sean Wilson are just too cute and capture the purrsonalities of the amazing felines that we all know and so deeply love. The above illustration is one of 50 black and white illustrations (that have captions beneath them), featured in the book. Let me tell you my kitty loving furiends, this is a book you MUST GET YOUR HUMAN PAWS ON!! You will be laughing and nodding your head in agreement, or....like me.....you will start to question whether or not YOUR cat TRULY LOVES YOU!

Now, remember when I said that Cody must NOT love me? Well, when reading this hilarious book I was given documented proof!

"When you're sick, they stay close until you feel better"  In Cody's case that is FALSE!! Cody would step over me if I were laying dead on the floor. My Angel Bobo was the one who stayed close by me when I was sick.

"They create beautiful art for you" (By shredding toilet paper)...something Cody has NEVER done.
  
"Sometimes they walk across your back and give you a massage." Cody never has done that!

"They play in every cardboard box you open..."  Cody is not a fan of boxes!

See what I mean? Cody doesn't LOVE ME!!!!

Well, that is a LIE! Why?

Because in You Know Your Cat Loves You Because...  it features A TON of ways that show me that CODY DOES LOVE ME!! HE LOVES ME! HE TRULY LOVES ME!!! I am not listing all of the ways that Cody DOES love me because I urge you to pick up a copy of  You Know Your Cat Loves You Because...

 YOU need a copy of this book to find out if YOUR cat(s) LOVE YOU!!

From You Know Your Cat Loves You Because...

"You know what every meow means, what every lift of the tail signals, what your cat likes, and of course, what they dislike."

"Cats show their love in a multitude of ways. Ways you may never have known or imagined. From the scientific, to the sweet, to the silly, this book illustrates all the ways our cats indisputably love us!!!"

Right Cody?

"You Know Your Cat Loves You Because...The Sweet, Silly, and Scientific Ways Our Cats Show Us How Much They Love Us" is a love letter to cat owners everywhere. It's funny, heartwarming, and a bit nutty. Just like our cats."

Available on Amazon

Cody and I give it a zillion head bumps

 and 4 paws and 2 hands up!!!!

Winner! "I"M NOT SORRY: Poems By Cats" by Rosa Silva

Thanks to all who entered our give-away!!

It is time to announce the lucky winner!!!

(winner was chosen by a draw at random.org)

Huge Concatulations to:

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR BLOG

Please send me your mailing address to:

cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com

Also, if you haven't entered our Cat in the Box Give-Away there is still time to enter!!! Click HERE!

Cat Humor: "I"M NOT SORRY: Poems By Cats" by Rosa Silva (International Give-Away!)

About the book

These cats have destroyed curtains, scratched couches, bitten hands, shredded toilet paper… and they are not sorry. Now they decided to celebrate their achievements in these insightful and funny poems written by themselves. 

With titles like “It’s 6 a.m., time to wake up”, “I hate the vet”, “Oops, I did it again”, “Let me in”, and “Red dot, red dot”, this collection of laugh-out-loud poems offers a cat's view on common wacky and exasperating feline behavior. It’s the perfect gift for crazy cat lovers who appreciate hilarious insights into the feline nature.

FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY:I am not sure if any of you know but today is Make Up Your Own Holiday Day.  After reading "I'm Not Sorry:Poems By Cats" by Rosa Silva, we have decided there should be a new holiday named after this book, "I'M NOT SORRY" DAY!

When Cody has done something particularly bratty or even a little bad, I will look at him after he has been reprimanded and marvel at how he is completely nonplussed that he has just been yelled at. He will either go right back and do what he got in trouble for to begin with, or go on to something else. The bottom line is he is definitely NOT SORRY. Truth be told, I bet most, make that ALL of your kitties, when they do something wrong, aren't sorry either!

When Author Silva extended the offer for me to review this witty book, after I saw the title, I knew it would be right up my alley and I was right! It is the purrfect book for you too!  

The poems are written by various cats with names such as: Mr.Fuzzybottom Stinkypants, The Third The Quatrain Master (I am hoping one of you will be honest enough to admit that YOU had to look up what a "quatrain" was too!!)

One of my favorite poems in this book was written by Petey O'Malley The Most Shameless Cat In The World:

It's 6 a.m., it's time to eat.

It's 9 a.m., it's time for a treat,

It's 11 a.m., it's time for brunch.

It's 2 p.m., it's time for lunch.

It's 4 p.m., it's time for a snack.

It's 6 p.m., I could eat a macaque.

It's 8 p.m., it's time for dinner.

I'm sure this diet will make me thinner.

Ok so I LOL'D AND MOL'D at this one! It is not only a peek into Cody's day, but I am pretty certain it is a peek into the day of one of YOUR cats too! That's what makes  "I'm Not Sorry: Poems By Cats" a delight, the humor is universal. Anyone and everyone who has ever lived with, loved (and sometimes hated) their cat, can relate to this book! Oh and guess what, our cats will readily admit that they sometimes hate us too! (By the way, who else had to look up the word macaque in the poem above? Please tell me you had to also!)

Don't let the size of this book fool you, it might be small, but the content is purr pure genius! It's not easy for these kitties to convey their mischief as poems and they are purrfectly written. Cody and I give this book a resounding 4 PAWS UP! Author Rosa Silva obviously is adept at understanding not only HER kitty muse, but she has a PURRFECT understanding of cats as a whole. Wait til you read the "O Christmas Tree" poem, you will see for yourself!  For More info visit:

 http://catladyconfidential.com/cat-poems-book/ 

You are in luck! Rosa has generously allowed me to do a give-away! One person who is 18 and over and who is located ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, can win a copy! JUST LEAVE A COMMENT THAT CLEARLY STATES THAT YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED. IF YOU DO NOT SAY YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED, YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED! The give-away is open now and will end on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4TH 2018, AT 5PM. THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OR AROUND APRIL 6TH, 2018. GOOD LUCK!

About the Author

Rosa Silva is the author of “I’m Not Sorry: Poems by Cats” and “Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep“. When she’s not working on her next book, you can find her reading, travelling, or writing the next post for her blog Cat Lady Confidential. She shares her home with (surprisingly) just one cat.

Winner! "Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep" By Rosa Silva

Thanks to all who entered our give-away for:

HUGE CONCATULATIONS

TO THE LUCKY WINNER

LISTED BELOW
AND YOU CAN CLICK HERE
TO VISIT HER BLOG:

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Hilarious Cat Book: "Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep" By Rosa Silva Illustrated by Diana Necsulescu (With Give-Away!!!)

Finally a cat book that pokes fun

 at the "darker" side of living with cats!!! 

I knew the second I first read that one of my favorite cat-people, Rosa Silva, was publishing a book, and the second that I read the title,   Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep, that this book would be right up my alley! I was right, it TOTALLY is!

While I am insanely in love with cats, I would be lying if I said that every single moment was all sunshine and roses. Cats rule our homes, they rule our lives. While cuddly and endearing, they can be annoying little "SOBs"!! If you are saying that your cat(s) are perfect, I am calling you out on a BIG. FAT. LIE. 

While I adore my cat, Cody, (and Angel Bobo,  "the one who came before"), there are (and have been) moments that have been beyond exasperating. Moments where I have called my kitties names involving "HBO words". Many of the moments that have been particularly annoying,  have involved trying to sleep when a cat has decided it is time to be AWAKE, because they have other things that they are thinking of. For many cats, and my Angel Bobo, those thoughts usually involve playtime, but Cody's thoughts always involve FOOD. The relentless quest for food. In our case, it is my husband who is the poor "victim" who loses sleep, because he does the morning feedings and because I can pretty much sleep through anything.  But, even I have my moments where Cody's incessant meowing is on my last nerve, and I will yell at him to "SHUT THE F*CK UP!!"  Not to be deterred, Cody will meow incessantly, jump back and forth across my husband's weary head, cry, knock things over, and more.  He will do anything in his quest to wake my poor husband up.

Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep by Rosa Silva, addresses these moments in a nod-your-head-in-recognition accompanied by belly laughs kind of way, in a style reminiscent of children's books, but in this case, the book is definitely for ADULTS ONLY!!  

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

For all the crazy cat lovers out there, sometimes that crazy could be because your feline friend will not let you get any sleep.

Inspired by, and in the tradition of Cortes and Mansbach’s adults-only bedtime story, Go the F*ck to Sleep, Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep is a funny take on the frustrations of losing sleep because of a feline friend. The struggle is real.

Anyone who is a cat lover knows that the cat rules the roost, and that certainly doesn’t change at bedtime. You might be ready to sleep, but you can bet that kitty is ready for just about anything but some shut-eye. Release your frustrations with a good laugh as you read along with Rosa and her struggle to get Mr. Cat to Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep!

Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep is a funny bedtime book for all the desperate cat parents out there. If you have experienced the nightmare of having a kitty who won’t let you have a good night’s sleep, this is the book for you. It’s the perfect gift for crazy cat lovers who appreciate hilarious insights into the feline nature.

What I love about this book:

It is small in size

and length.  . It is just the pick-me-up needed when you need a laugh, (especially when you are tired from being kept up by your cat!)

It would make a great gift for any cat lover!

 Be it a get-well gift, a "newly-adopted-cat" gift (hehehe), a birthday gift, it would be a gift that would be sure to make the recipient smile.

Each page is written as a rhyme

 and is accompanied by vibrant and darling illustrations by Diana Necsulescu

It is FUN!!

 I think many of us can use some fun in our lives right now and Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep By Rosa Silva fits the bill purrfectly.

I learned something new

Knowing author Rosa Silva as I THOUGHT (the operative word being "THOUGHT" that I did!), hearing her even utter a frustrated thought about her beloved Mr.Cat, or utter an objectionable word would be something that I would NEVER expect. I LOVE books with unexpected "gifts" and the "gift" for me, (other than the obvious, that this book totally cracked me up!),  was learning something new about Rosa. It endeared her to me even more!

Photo taken from
Cat Lady Confidential on Facebook

More About the author:

Rosa Silva is an author and blogger. When she's not working on her next book, you can find her reading, chilling on the beach, hanging out with her cat, or writing the next post for her blog Cat Lady Confidential. Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep is her first book.

I give "Stop Meowing and Go the F*ck to Sleep" By Rosa Silva a resounding 4- PAWS UP!!!

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

GIVE-AWAY!!

Rosa has generously offered one of our readers who is 18 and over and who RESIDES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD a chance to win a copy!! (A $9.99 value)  Entering is super easy, just enter on the rafflecopter below, and good luck!!

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In full disclosure, we were not compensated for this review/give-away. We were sent a copy of this book in exchange for our always honest review.

Funny Feline Friday! Book:Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews, By Anthony Smith, A World-Wide Give-Away Too!

Hi and happy Friday all!

It's Cody! I don't know about you, but I sure could use a good laugh this Friday and I have a feeling that YOU could use one too!

A few weeks ago my Sheltie brother featured a doggone funny book on his blog.  It was called:
 Bad Dog, No Biscuit. by Anthony Smith. 

Well, it seems that Anthony Smith knows a thing or two about kitties too!!!  Knowing the sarcastic guy that I am, he knew I would appreciate his latest book for kitties (and their humans), so he sent it to me. Here it is!!

At first, I thought that this book was going to divulge our deepest feline secrets. There is NO WAY that I wanted that to happen! Thankfully, I couldn't have been more wrong!

Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews,  is chock full of vibrant, hilariously illustrated cartoons that help our humans understand how WE view the world!!

The book is easily transportable (150mm x 150mm x 8mm), and is 96 pages (hardcover) . Make that a belleh laughing funny 96 pages!! It's BOLD, SNARKY AND SASSY, just like ME!!

Learn To Speak Cat (2), The Latest Mews, is book TWO in the series,  (Mom didn't get to read Book One, but it is called Learn To Speak Cat:The Purrfect Guide)

Learn To Speak Cat (2) teaches humans that:

THIS IS HOW A CAT-CENTRIC WORLD

WOULD LOOK, FROM ESKIMEOWS TO

THE CAT DESIGNED REFRIGERATOR

-------------------------------------------------------

Check out the photos

of ME enjoying this 

CATABULOUSLY FUNNY BOOK!!

Please don't sue us for showing
those pages, we don't have
any kibble to pay you with, we're broke!!!!

See that photo right above my head? It says "Lassie Leave Home" that was my purrticular fave because it reminded me of a certain furry someone who just might be a Sheltie, who will remain unmentioned!!

Mom loves that much of the book is a play on words (whatever THAT means!) Mom loves sarcasm and wacky humor, she says that this book fits the bill purrfectly! 

A few things that made Mom laugh:

•  Two cats sitting on a doorstep, the caption says "Don't feel too put out."
• A cat draws a picture of "The Purrfect Dog"-----what do you think it was?
• A drawing of a window with birds saying things and the caption is "Abusive Tweets"
• A drawing of two cats, one is holding a mouse and instead of saying "DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD" it says "PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD!!" Cause it's CATS, GET IT!!??

Learn To Speak Cat, The Latest Mews is for all of you hip cats (and your humans) who have a rocking, sarcastic, and wacky sense of humor, (that would be pretty much ALL of you!)

It's available on Amazon.uk (you know the Brits have the BEST sense of humor!!)

Of course it is available on Amazon in the U.S. too!

You can also pawchase it on the Book Depository website  (that's DEPOSITORY, NOT SUPPOSITORY!!! OMC I KILL ME!!)

YOU CAN ALSO ENTER OUR

 WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY!!

Because I want to make at least ONE kitty smile and purr with delight. Anthony Smith said I could have a WORLD-WIDE GIVE-AWAY! One lucky kitty will win a copy of this book to make them laugh their belleh off!

Entering is super easy, just enter on the Rafflecopter below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We were not compensated for this review/give-away. We were sent a copy of Learn To Speak Cat in exchange for our honest review.

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

Winners!! Cat Laughs by Gary Patterson

Oh we are going to have some happy people today! We are announcing the WINNERS of  the book Cat Laughs by Gary Patterson!

Some of the winners have blogs, for those who have blogs I linked to their blogs and you can click on the winner's names to visit them.

So, without further babbling, the winners

(as chosen by random.org)  of:

Mario

Andrea

Abby

Sue S.

Momm

McGuffy Ann

mom2acat

Nellie

CRichman

Glogirly

Clooney

Melmuff

Congratulations to the winners

and thanks to all who entered!!!!

Book Review: The Cujo Cat Chronicles Musings Of A MAD HOUSECAT By Douglas Dunn/Cujo

I first discovered the book The Cujo Cat Chronicles because I follow an incredibly well-written blog of the same name, whose narrator (Cujo), superbly communicates the thoughts of a cat by using language that honors the superior intelligence that cats possess. The blog as well as the book are written by the obviously brainy Douglas Dunn, with assistance from his (no slouch in the cerebral department) cat, Cujo.

The Cujo Cat Chronicles are musings of a tyrannical housecat named Cujo.  Cujo lives up to his name which  means "killer cat or dog",  something that is "often cute, but will turn around and kill you". Cujo also means "your God, your Owner, someone you will bow down to."

  Cujo refers to his family as well as his fans as "minions" a word that is aptly used because minions aren't just servants, they can also be:

"a  slavish follower or one that is generally regarded as important or a "favored" person"  (what caught my attention was a word located  below the definition of "minion"  and that word is "dogsbody", which is defined as: "somebody given menial jobs: a worker who does boring tasks that others do not want to do.".

 Cujo often mentions in this book that if you expect certain behavior from him then "get a dog." 

Cujo's "Minions" are:

Doug- "a creature of the hairless 2 legged variety."  His activities consist of feeding  Cujo, buying him fuzzy toys that seem to amuse him more than they amuse Cujo, and "cleaning the royal litter".

Kathy- Doug's mate. She also feeds Cujo and tells Doug to "clean the royal litter."

Ivan the Tolerable- a fellow feline and Cujo's acting "aide de camp". "He is very large, easily mislead and quite dim." He is also Cujo's "lead enforcer."

Tiger Lily- a female gray tabby. "She's an accomplished whiner" Cujo chooses to keep her around because she makes "cool sounds when he smacks her."

What about Cujo?  By his own admission he is "without humility." He is sarcastic, sadistic, sardonic and as it says on the back cover of this intelligently written, FUN book "one could almost say that Napoleon had a Cujo Cat Complex." Being a huge fan of Simon Cowell, (coincidentally or not, American Idol is mentioned a few times in the book)  I would say that Cujo's personality is reminiscent of his as well. 

The Cujo Cat Chronicles  "is a journey into the mind of a small cat with a huge ego. He welcomes his readers into his Kingdom and then seeks to subjugate them."

There are few cat blogs and books about cats that have an "edge."  The "stars" of the book usually have a soft spot somewhere, not Cujo.  Everything annoys him, his enjoyment comes from the less than intelligent antics of others, his observations are spot on and are conveyed by using humor that isn't sophomoric.

I greatly enjoyed this book but there was one thing that I found to be lacking.  Dunn did such a brilliant job of verbally painting the personalities of all three of his cats, (Cujo, Ivan and Tiger Lily), that I would have enjoyed seeing some photos of theirs  interspersed throughout the book.

Doug Dunn and "Cujo"

Looking at the photo of Dunn and Cujo on the back cover, I think they bear a striking resemblance to each other. I think that Doug Dunn who appears as mild mannered as a temperate summer day, must have many of Cujo's personality traits, which whether or not they will admit it, seems to be the case with the majority of pet lovers whose animals "speak" for them.  Dunn's blog and his book are the perfect vehicles for him to "release his inner Cujo."

If we dare to admit it, there probably is a little 

 A LOT of Cujo in ALL of us, there certainly is in me, which makes this  book (as well as the blog) the perfect guilty pleasure, a place where you can  embrace your "Evil Twin"

and laugh yourself silly while doing so!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Doug Dunn was born and raised in Central Texas. He now lives in Oak Harbor, Washington with his "lovely bride" and he has enough animals to provide the cast of a Disney movie. Doug hopes that this book is the first of many books to come. (I hope so too!)

To purchase The Cujo Cat Chronicles  click here  or here

Follow Cujo's blog here

I received no compensation for this review. I received a complimentary copy of Doug's book to read/review.

Cat Chat Reviews The Book:Hannukatz Saves Hannukah (Well, at least for the Moskowitz Family) by Terry Abrahamson

It's that time of year again. Actually it has been "that time of year" since about August....when holiday decorations started to adorn retailer's shelves...and by "holidays" I am not talking about Halloween or Thanksgiving....I am talking about the December holidays of Hannukah and Christmas.


Community pools had yet to be drained for Labor Day, Halloween candy hadn't even been handed out, Thanksgiving menus weren't even a glimmer in our eye and yet "when what did my wondering eyes did appear? " holiday decorations! The retail blitz had begun. It is the official kick-off of  "Gimme Time!!"

The first of the holidays that will appear this December is Hannukah (the first night of Hannukah 2010 is December 1st, got your shopping done yet? No? Better get crackin')


One thing I strongly urge you to add to your "eight crazy nights" is "Hannukatz Saves Hannukah, (Well, at least for the Moskowitz Family)" the zany, off-beat and hilarious book which was written and hysterically illustrated by  the equally zany, off-beat, hilarious (and brilliant in an avant garde kinda way) Terry Abrahamson. This book addresses the problem of commercialism and greed in our kids  in a wry, witty and fun way.

Meet The Moskowitz's:


Mom "Sylvia" "Syl" to all who know her well who "sold obsolete Roll-O-Files where people used to store phone numbers before cell phones and computers" ('nuff said)

Dad "Gilbert" "Gil" to all of us "who dreamed of creating a new Kosher food called Chish (1/2 chicken and 1/2 fish) which would enable him to make a fortune.

The Kids "Emily" and "Josh" who "you always knew what holiday was coming when Josh and Emily put on their "I Hate Hannukah Shirts" which they wore because their parents couldn't afford the really, really "cool" gifts that they really wanted. I think we all know a few "Emily's" and "Josh's" (evil snicker)

"Josh" illustrations by Terry Abrahamson

In my opinion they both needed a good "potch on their tuchas" that is until the arrival of the main character...

Hannukatz! (a cat wearing sunglasses and as he calls it a "Meowmulkah", that possesses the wisdom of the ages and is one cool cat!) Read how he teaches Emily and Josh (in his own inimitable style), that "Hannukah is not the Jewish Christmas" and that the true meaning of Hannukah is not evidenced by how expensive and hip the gifts they  receive are.


You will also learn in this wonderfully wacky book:

• the story of Hannukah as only Hannukatz can tell it

• how the miracle of the "eternal light" inspired the Beatles song "Eight Days A Wick" 'er "Week"

• and....if Emily and Josh will let go of their greed and if they will REALLY learn the true meaning of Hannuka.

  So, after you have enjoyed your latkes and  after the candles from your Menorah have burned out (which nowadays due to the cheap candles that are made it takes about 30 seconds), and the kiddies are tucked into bed...enjoy a laugh from Hannukatz!

From our house to yours as Hannukatz says "Happy Hannukah to all and to all, a good light. Well...eight lights, actually"


As Terry Abrahamson says "Rock on, kids. Thanks for reading."

To purchase "Hannukatz Saves Hannukah" visit www.hannukatzsaveshannukah.com or write to info@hannukatzsaveshannukah.com. ISBN 978-0-578-06664-6

Terry Abrahamson Author/Illustrator of Hannukatz Saves Hannukah

About Terry Abrahamson:
he won a Grammy writing with Muddy Waters, wrote the Boston Celtics fight song recorded by George Thorogood, wrote for Oprah Winfrey, has a book of his Blues photography "In The Belly Of The Blues", in the permanent collection of the library of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, created Chicago's adult musical comedy review KAMA SUTRA...and many, many other accomplishments too numerous to mention!