Book Review: Seawind

On this Mysterious Monday, we review M. Blackwell’s Seawind, a short book that we were promised had many of our favorite things: a haunted inn, an anthropologist, and a magical black cat. Boy, did it deliver!

The plot

Samantha Black (Sam) is an anthropologist who finds herself out of work. She’s trying to be an author, but the royalties aren’t exactly flowing in. We meet her as she’s lost on Cape Cod. A wrong turn brings her to Seawind, a weathered old home complete with gables. It’s now an inn that frankly has seen better days. Unfortunately the new innkeeper, Beth, who recently inherited the place, is barely able to pay the bills, much less make improvements. She does have a spectacular chef, Phil, and now she has a new dishwasher, Sam.

Sam moves into the attic rooms and begins settling in to her new, if temporary, life. It’s not bad, actually. She’s on the Cape in the off season, so there’s no pesky tourists crowding the beaches—great for long walks. But things get weird one night when Sam sees a ghost, and not just a ghost, an evil ghost. There is something unmistakably cruel and menacing about this man straight out of the nineteenth century. Even weirder is the strange wind, also supernatural, that chases the evil figure away. This, it transpires, is the Wild Hunt, straight out of myth and legend.

This event leads Sam into a search for the truth about the evil figure she saw and the supernatural wind pursuing him. As strange and violent events continue to happen on the Cape, she uses her research skills and teams up with a folklorist to delve into Seawind’s history and the myth of the Hunt to basically answer two questions: (1) Who is this man the Hunt is after? and (2) How can Sam and the other residents of the inn put a stop to the turmoil the Hunt is causing?

 As it turns out, solving the problem of all that supernatural stuff is a job for a cat.

Sebastian the cat

The main cat in Seawind is Sebastian, a handsome black fellow. According to the folklorist, cats know a lot about supernatural things (of course some of us already knew this). Though we don’t see Sebastian a lot throughout the book, we do get a glimpse of him every once in a while, and not surprisingly, it is he who saves the day by appearing at just the right moment. Another black cat makes a brief and touching appearance at the book’s end. This was just one of the things that made Seawind a very satisfying read.

Our verdict

Seawind is an engrossing read that we found hard to put down. It is also a fairly quick read (an estimated 79 pages), and it does indeed have many of our favorite things. First, the story is intriguing, and much of the writing is beautiful—especially the descriptions of Cape Cod in autumn. Those made us want to pack up and go straight there. Then there is the ghost. We love a good ghost, and an evil ghost being pursued by other supernatural forces.… Oh yes, please! The supernatural element is not scary (at least we didn't find it scary), and it adds a layer of mystery that also is what leads Sam into her search through the history of the house and surrounding area. The mythical element, the Hunt, is a sort of bonus, and of course we loved how Sebastian the cat is the key to quieting the Hunt and returning things to normal—or better than normal.

Our only complaint is that we wish Seawind were longer. Old SoLT’s inner editor kept seeing passages that could be expanded to give more detail of daily life at the inn, places where the historical and mythical elements could be delved into a little deeper. This is not a criticism, mind you; we just wanted to spend more time in the world of this book because we loved it so.

Recommended!

A note on the "Paws Up" system: Miss C gives either one or two paws up. One paw is for a good read; two paws is for a great read. She never gives three or four paws because that would require her to lie on her back...and Miss C does not do that!

We received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. We wouldn’t tell you it was good unless we really liked it!

The link below is an Amazon Associates link. If you purchase the book through this link, old SoLT and I could get some coin for our kibble account. Thank you!

Webster's Half Selfie

Real Cat Webster wanted to be on Sunday Selfies this week. As you can see, he made it halfway:

Nice try, Webs!

We're joining the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by The Cat on My Head.

Caturday Art: Global Tiger Day

If you knew old SoLT really well, you would not be surprised by what I am about to say. She almost forgot to do a Caturday Art this week. Also, she almost forgot that today is Global Tiger Day (or International Tiger Day). It's just a good thing I was here to remind her! She real quick put something together in Illustrator:

You can learn more about tigers from the WWF.

We are joining Athena's Caturday Art blog hop.

Words with Webster: Caterwaul, Plus Friendly Fill-Ins

We have two fun features for you this Friday. First up is Words with Webster, in which he tells us about a noisy cat word. This is followed by Friendly Fill-Ins.

Words with Webster

 Hi, everybody! I’m Webster, and this is Words with Me. This week’s word is caterwaul. It means “of a cat: to make a harsh cry at rutting time” or “to quarrel noisily like cats.” That’s from my favorite dictionary, Webster’s. This word has been around for a really long time—since at least 1386 or thereabouts, according to the Oxford English Dictionary:

If the cattes skyn be slyk and gay, forth she wil, er eny day be dawet, To schewe hir skyn, and goon a caterwrawet (Chaucer, Wife of Bath’s Prology, ca. 1386).

I should mention that there were, like, a hundred different spellings. Or maybe about a dozen, which is still a lot. Also, Mommy is being reminded of why she hated having to read Chaucer in high school.

Let’s take this word apart. The first part, “cater” is obviously related to “cat” and possibly to Dutch and German “kater,” which refers to a male cat. But the OED says that “the form is not certainly explained,” meaning no one is really sure how “cat” became “cater.” Some people think the “er” part was just added on to connect “cat” with “waul.”

“Waul” was first spelled “wrawe” and seems to be related to a whole bunch of Danish, Bavarian, Norwegian, and Swiss words that mean “to roar,” “to cry as a cat” (Nor. “råla”), and “howl, whine” (Swiss “räulen,” used especially in reference to the cry of a cat in heat). There is also a Low German word “katterwaulen,” which appears in 1858, but the OED says that its history is uncertain. Wherever it came from, we think the second part is supposed to mimic the sound made by a cat who’s looking for love.

Of course, “caterwaul” and “caterwauling” can also be used for people’s activities, like “to be lecherous” or “any hideous, discordant howling noise.” The noisy meaning is what is meant in this quote from Shakespeare, which I think we’ll end with:

Why, what a catterwalling dost thou keepe! (William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus IV.ii.57, 1594)

Lovely music ... or caterwauling?
Image via Adobe Stock.

Friendly Fill-Ins

And now it’s time for Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions, answered by old SoLT,  are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two, answered by Real Cat Paisley, are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader.

Old SoLT’s answers:

1. As a child, my favorite playground activity was climbing the monkey bars.

2. For breakfast, I have yogurt with a little granola mixed in. I dream of having pancakes, but there never seems to be enough time, plus I need something I can eat at my desk.

Real Cat Paisley’s answers

3. An instrument I would like to play is drums. I bet I would be really good at banging on them.

4. I always try to look pretty, because I never know when Mommy is going to pop up with the flashy box and take my picture.

Cat’s Got Nothing to Do Café: Our Foreign Correspondent Reports In

Today we are again grateful to old SoLT’s friend and our foreign correspondent, Joseph, who was recently traveling in Taiwan and Japan and was kind enough to share some cat-related pictures with us for our blog. The picture we’re leading with today is, I think, my favorite so far, and it does not even have a cat in it. It is a sign for a café called Cat’s Got Nothing to Do Café. No, it’s not a cat café, it’s just a people café. There’s a cat in its name because of where it is, a tea growing region called Maokong (猫空), which translates to “cat empty” (according to Google Translate).

Just in case you’re headed to Taiwan, Cat’s Got Nothing to Do Café is in the Wenshan District. You get to the café by gondola. From the Yelp reviews, we have deduced that the coffee is just okay, but the views are great. The café offers outside dining only, so if the weather is bad, it will be closed. 

Our foreign correspondent also visited Tokyo, and specifically the district of Akihabara, which is known for its many electronics shops. There is an actual cat café in Akihabara, but our correspondent preferred to look at electronics and such things rather than seek out a cat café (I know; it doesn’t make sense to me either!). There were a few cat-related things though.

First up is the Y!Mobile cat. We have been unable to determine what this cat's name is (if you happen to know, please tell us in the comments), but he is sort of a spokescat for the mobile company. To see more of the Y!Mobile cat, check out this commercial.

Next, if you look to the far left on this wall of masks, you will see a couple of cats that we think are pretty neat:

And finally, this has nothing to do with cats, but it tickles me. Apparently, you are not allowed to bring your elephant here:

To see more photos from our foreign correspondent, check out the post "Majimeow: Etiquette Mascot of the Taipei Subway System."

Cats of the Week: Chloe in Baltimore

During the month of July, several shelters in our home state of Maryland are offering free cat and kitten adoptions through the Maryland 2000 program. Most of the young kittens won’t have any trouble getting a lot of attention, but there are also so many older cats in shelters just waiting to be welcomed into a loving forever home. That’s why each week in this space, we feature a mature adult or senior cat (7 years +) in need of adoption or sponsorship, and in July, all of our featured cats will be from Maryland. Mature cats make great companions, and unlike kittens, they (probably) won’t climb the curtains! Adopt an older cat, and help them enjoy the best years of their life!

Today we’d like to introduce Chloe. She is an 8-year-old gray and white ladycat who enjoys conversation and bird watching. Seriously, if you’re looking for a talkative cat, Chloe is your girl. We understand she can converse on any topic. She even enjoys chirping in response when someone reads to her. She also enjoys watching birds at the feeder and chasing a wand toy. Chloe is independent but likes to get pets from her human. We think she has such a sweet face!

Chloe is currently at the Baltimore Humane Society. Learn more about her here.

Can’t adopt? You can still help! Check out Sammy’s Cat Necessities Fund, which provides money for everyday and medical needs of cats at the Baltimore Humane Society. You can also make a general donation or sponsor a particular animal on this page. Every little bit helps!

Ravens fans!

The Baltimore Humane Society is raffling off 2017 season tickets! Raffle tickets start at $10. What a great way to support homeless pets in the Baltimore area while getting a chance to win those season tickets you’ve been dreaming of.

App Review: Avatar Maker: Cats

Today we review an app that we found to be a lot of fun, even though it is not a game. It is called Avatar Maker: Cats, and it lets you create a cat avatar that is as tame or as wild as you want it to be.

How it works

The blank cat you start with
in Avatar Maker: Cats.

You start with a blank cat and then select a background—we counted 26 different backgrounds to choose from, including domestic scenes, outdoor scenes, and fantasy scenes. You can come back later and change the background if needed. Then you start building your cat, choosing everything from coat color and pattern to the style and color of ears and eyes, ruff, tail, paws, and mouth. If you’re making a flying tiger or an angel kitty, you can add wings. And your cat can wear jewelry and hats and can even sport tattoos or, for those warrior cat types, slashes and scars. Your completed cat can easily be saved to your device as an image. We’ve made and saved several avatars and haven’t found an actual use for them yet, but who cares? The fun is in creating them.

A couple drawbacks

Our attempt at a realistic domestic cat. This fellow
has a question about the food he has been served.

While we have enjoyed Avatar Maker: Cats a lot, there are a couple drawbacks. First, since there is only one blank cat to start with, and the body style just feels like that of a large wild cat, we found it hard to make a cute kitty. Of course, we enjoy the big cats too, but sometimes you just want a cute kitty, you know? (Note: We have just noticed that there is an Avatar Maker: Cats 2, which looks like it offers a smaller, cuter cat body. We’ll be checking that out soon!) The second drawback is with the ads. We don’t mind having ads in apps, but the ads at the bottom of the screen in this app always obscure something. In landscape mode (the mode that’s best for viewing the different options for designing your cat), the ads cover the cat’s paws. In portrait view, the ads take up space that could be used to display more of the design options; there is just a very small space to see the styles of eyes, ears, and so on, which we think makes it harder than it needs to be to pick the perfect one for your cat. (Note: we use the app on an iPad; it might look different on another device.)

In general, we found that when we had trouble seeing or using anything in this app, rotating the screen helped. For example, the color picker is much easier to use in portrait view.

You can make your cat as crazy as you want.
Coming up with out-of-this-world creatures is
a lot of fun!

Our verdict

Avatar Maker: Cats is a fun app. We enjoyed making crazy-looking cats of a sort that do not exist in nature and trying to make more realistic-looking felines you might find in your living room. With all the choices, there are nearly endless possibilities for making all kinds of cat characters. We did wish for some options in body style, and we found that neither landscape nor portrait view is "purrfect" for seeing and using all the options. Still, we have had a lot of fun creating all sorts of cats.

The app is free and is available for Android and iOS devices. We played on an iPad.

Recommended!

A note on the "Paws Up" system: Miss C gives either one or two paws up. One paw is for a good app; two paws is for a great app. She never gives three or four paws because that would require her to lie on her back...and Miss C does not do that!

Sunday Selfie: Webster at Ease

Today we join the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by The Cat on My Head, with this picture of Real Cat Webster. It seems (to Webster) that Real Cat Paisley has been getting all the attention lately, what with her recovery gown and all, and Webs is sure that it must be his turn now. Well, he is right!

Caturday Art: Paisley Times Two

Welcome to our Caturday Art. This week someone, who shall remain nameless, couldn't stop herself at just one version of our art, so she went for two. Actually, what happened was, she made the first one and thought it was intriguing but possibly too "out there" for some of the Caturday Art crowd, so she made another that is slightly less weird. Still weird, but less so. Here's the really weird one:

This started in Dreamscope, with a filter that, for obvious reasons, is called Supertrippy. Then she added a Polaroid frame in PicMonkey. Old SoLT thinks the result is cool, and perhaps with some more fiddling to take out some of the background clutter, she would totally hang it on her wall, but...well, she should really be medicated. Some of us thought it was creepy!

So, she tried this:

 This one started in LunaPic, with the Nebula art effect. Then in PicMonkey, old SoLT added Bokeh and Light Trails textures, she fiddled with the saturation and temperature, and added a circular frame, which she offset to remove the bothersomely bright computer screen on the right.

The original you've seen before if you've been reading the blog this week:

This is our contribution to the Caturday Art blog bop, hosted by Athena and Marie.

Friendly Fill-Ins for July 21

Today we one Friday feature for you: Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions, answered by old SoLT this week, are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two, answered by Real Cat Paisley, are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader.

Old SoLT’s answers

1. My favourite thing on my daily to-do list is anything I actually manage to do that day. Usually my “daily” lists are about three days long. This is because I feel particularly ambitious and able to do impossible things in the mornings. I don’t accept reality until about 2:30 in the afternoon.

2. My least favourite thing on my daily to-do list is all the stuff that’s left over at the end of the day, which is often most of the stuff on the list.

Real Cat Paisley’s answers

3. I could really do without this heat wave we’re having. I stay in the air conditioning (I’m the smartest!), but it is so tiring having to listen to everyone complain about how hot it is. Even the dog is complaining.

4. I would love to have more treats. I think I deserve a lot more than I’m currently getting. Here’s what happens when Webster and I get treats:

Mommy: You can each have four treats.

Me: FOUR?! Are you kidding me? I’ll DIE if I only have four treats! I need 1,752 treats, at least!

Mommy: Here you go—one, two, three, four.

Sound of poor, starving little kitty cat crying as she munches her four measly treats…

Real Cat Paisley with her nip nanner, wishing she had some treats.

Review of After Surgery Wear E-Collar Alternative for Cats

A message from Miss C: I am turning the blog over to old SoLT today for a product review. Try not to be too disappointed with the low quality of her writing (really, it’s barely intelligible, but I think you can make it out if you concentrate).

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we could get a little coin for our kibble account.

 Searching for an alternative to the dreaded Cone of Shame

Real Cat Paisley did not like the cone at all, and she was
having a hard time getting used to it.

When Real Cat Paisley had minor surgery recently, we were so worried about the surgery results that we barely thought about her having to wear an e-collar (a.k.a. the Cone of Shame) until her stitches were removed. Well, the surgery turned out fine, but the cone was another matter. Paisley had a hard time eating and drinking with it on (she kept banging the cone into the food dish and water fountain, and she couldn’t really reach the food/water). I started taking the cone off at mealtimes, but I still worried that she wasn’t able to get enough water throughout the day. She also kept running into doorframes and furniture and knocking over … everything. Plus, she just wasn’t “Paisley.” Where was the tortitude?

We thought we had a Suitical recovery suit that we had tried on Webster a couple years ago, but after looking everywhere for it and not finding it, we gave up and decided to buy something new. (There was nothing wrong with the Suitical. We just wanted something more colorful for Paisley.) Searching “e-collar alternative for cats” on Amazon brought us to a recovery gown from After Surgery Wear.

It takes two to put a recovery gown on a cat

Real Cat Paisley was able to jump and
play normally in the gown.

I was home alone when the gown arrived, and I immediately started trying to put it on Paisley. This was before I read the part of the instructions that say it’s best to do this while the cat is still under anesthesia! Paisley was fairly patient, but it was hard to get her legs through the holes and tie the ties before she just walked out of it. Plus, as I realized later, I was putting it on backwards (oops!), so even once I got it all tied up, Paisley was able to wiggle out of it. Tip: The gown doesn’t work if you put it on backwards!

After reinforcements arrived, we made another attempt, and with some effort, we got Paisley in the gown, whereupon Paisley tried to walk and … fell over. Tip: The ties don’t have to be super tight! Loosening the ties helped, but it still took some time for her to get comfortable enough to walk normally. Her gait was a bit stiff the whole time she wore the gown (about a week and a half), but overall she was able to get around just fine—she could run and play normally and jumped onto chairs and the cat tree with no problem.

Paisley’s life was much more comfortable without the cone. She was able to eat and drink, wash her face, play, use the litter box … plus, she was much cuter in the gown than in the cone! The gown’s online description says the fabric allows for air flow so the wound can heal, but I still undid a couple of ties every two days or so to check Paisley’s incision. It healed up nicely and without any problem at all.

Experience the excitement of putting a little gown on a cat in this trailer!

Pros and cons of the e-collar alternative gown

Pros

Real Cat Webster needed a day or so to adjust to Paisley being
in the gown. The first day, he didn't really want to eat next
to her. But soon  they were best buds again.

• Allows for normal or near-normal mobility and activity.
• Keeps abdominal wounds covered so the cat can’t lick them and nothing can get in them.
• Sizing is easy. We got a small, which should fit any average-sized cat. 
• Allows normal litter box use. (Obviously Paisley is a female, but I’m pretty sure it will work okay for male cats too. Male dogs are another matter; you have to undo a couple of the back ties so the dog can “go.”)
• Machine washable.
• Really cute!
• Offers endless opportunity to make dumb jokes about “those darn drafty hospital gowns.”

Cons

• It took two people to get the gown on our cat. 
• Makes it a little harder to keep a close eye on the pet’s wound.
• Cats that don’t like to have “stuff” on them would probably “freeze” in the gown. Whether this is better or worse than the cone would depend on the individual cat.

For Paisley, this gown was absolutely perfect, and so much better than that dumb old cone. It made everyone’s life a little easier while her incision site healed, and she was so much happier in it. Plus, the cuteness was almost unbearable.

Recommended!

Cat of the Week: Maggie in Baltimore

During the month of July, several shelters in our home state of Maryland are offering free cat and kitten adoptions through the Maryland 2000 program. Most of the young kittens won’t have any trouble getting a lot of attention, but there are also so many older cats in shelters just waiting to be welcomed into a loving forever home. That’s why each week in this space, we feature a senior cat (7 years +) in need of adoption or sponsorship, and in July, all of our featured cats will be from Maryland. Mature cats make great companions, and unlike kittens, they (probably) won’t climb the curtains! Adopt a senior cat, and help them enjoy the best years of their life!

Meet Maggie! She is kind of shy, what with the stress of being in a shelter after living in a home for 10 years. Once she gets to know you, Maggie enjoys sitting in your lap and watching TV. She also enjoys cuddling and watching cat TV (a.k.a. the window). Maggie lived with another cat who bullied her, so she might be most comfortable as an only cat in a quiet home where she can just relax and be herself.

Maggie is currently at the Baltimore Humane Society. Learn more about her here.



Can’t adopt? You can still help! Check out Sammy’s Cat Necessities Fund, which provides money for everyday and medical needs of cats at the Baltimore Humane Society. You can also make a general donation or sponsor a particular animal on this page. Every little bit helps!

Book Review: If the Haunting Fits, Wear It

On this Mysterious Monday, we consider the latest installment in Rose Pressey’s Haunted Vintage series. It’s called If the Haunting Fits, Wear It, and as we’ve come to expect from this series, it is a thoroughly fun story to get lost in.

Vintage clothing expert, ghostly companions, and cat go to Kentucky Derby

Cookie Chanel owns a vintage clothing boutique called It’s Vintage, Ya’ll, in Sugar Creek, Georgia. Cookie knows vintage. She also knows ghosts, and she knows one ghost, Charlotte, really well, because Charlotte is pretty much always with her. As the book opens, we find Cookie in an attic searching for vintage clothing. What she finds, though, is something she did not expect: another ghost. This one is named Maureen. Maureen has been murdered, and she decides that Cookie would be the perfect person to help find her murderer. It’s not as though Cookie hasn’t done this before (solving murders for ghosts is sort of her side gig), but this case might just have to wait until she gets back from the Kentucky Derby, where she’ll be providing fantastic vintage items for Danielle, who is backing one of the horses. So she heads off to Kentucky in her classic car with two ghosts and her cat (more on the cat later).

Things become more complicated (you knew this would happen!) when Cookie finds a dead body at the Derby, and the deceased (murdered, naturally) turns out to be the jockey who was supposed to ride Danielle’s horse in the big race. His ghost joins the two ghosts already accompanying Cookie, so now she has an otherworldly trio trailing her while she tries to solve this new murder. Could Cookie be working for a murderer, or did one of the other likely suspects do the jockey in? And will Cookie get through this case without becoming a ghost herself? Along the way, there are quite a few laughs, some heart-in-your-throat moments, and yes, a somewhat troubled romance.

Wind Song the cat is a Ouija wiz

The cat in this series is Wind Song, a lovely white kitty who has certain … abilities. Wind Song can communicate by using the planchette of a Ouija board. She can also use tarot cards. Also, she is Cookie’s grandmother. I don’t mean Cookie has a cat in her family tree (but wouldn’t that be fun?); I mean Grandma Pearl’s spirit is in the cat. Also the cat is in the cat. It’s kind of complicated.  With her special abilities, Wind Song is instrumental in solving cases by providing information, even if it takes some effort to figure out what it means. Plus, sometimes she has to go take a nap before all the questions are answered. Because she’s a cat.

Our verdict

If the Haunting Fits, Wear It is thoroughly enjoyable. I will tell you that fashion is really not our thing, but it does not matter, because the Haunted Vintage series is not about fashion. It’s about characters we enjoy getting to know and mysteries we love trying to solve. The vintage fashion aspect adds a layer of detail to Cookie and her life that deepens the story. (But if you are into fashion, each chapter opens with a tip on finding, buying, and wearing vintage fashion.) Wind Song the cat (a.k.a. Grandma Pearl) also makes this series special and memorable. The cat actually appears in only a few scenes in If the Haunting Fits, but she does play an important role in the plot by providing information via her Ouija board skills. Brilliant!

We highly recommend If the Haunting Fits, Wear It as a fun read with memorable characters and a one-of-a-kind cat!

A note on the "Paws Up" system: Miss C gives either one or two paws up. One paw is for a good read; two paws is for a great read. She never gives three or four paws because that would require her to lie on her back...and Miss C does not do that!

  

The link below is an Amazon Associates link. If you purchase the book through this link, old SoLT and I could get some coin for our kibble account. Thank you!

Sunday Selfie: Paisley Is Too Busy

Old SoLT was so ridiculously excited when Real Cat Paisley sauntered into the office yesterday. "We can do your selfie!" she exclaimed. (I am not exaggerating; she actually exclaimed. It was embarrassing.) Well, Paisley had other plans.


"Do you want to just look up for a second to take your selfie?" old SoLT asked, to which Paisley replied, "Can't. I am far too busy."

"Please? Can you just glance at the camera?" old SoLT begged, to which Paisley replied, "No. Sorry. I am chasing my shadow right now. Catch me later."

So, old SoLT waited until later:

Pop Quiz!

Q: What's missing from these photos? (You may have to scroll down just a bit for the answer!)

We are joining the Sunday Selfies blog hop, hosted by The Cat on My Head.

Quiz Answer: The recovery gown, of course. Paisley got her stitches out on Monday. Everything is 100% fine. She was really happy to have the gown off! Watch for our review of the recovery gown this coming Thursday.

Caturday Art: Paisley Stamped

We're joining Athena's Caturday Art blog hop with this image of Real Cat Paisley:

Old SoLT did this by cropping the original and applying the stamp filter in Photoshop, playing around with the settings until she got a result that looked something like a block print. She has loved linoleum and woodblock prints ever since she took a printmaking class in high school a long, long time ago. The frame was added in PicMonkey.

Here is the orginal:

Words with Webster: Catshark, Plus Friendly Fill-Ins

We have two fun features for you this Friday. First up is Words with Webster, in which he tells us about something…sharky. Also, be on the lookout for three bonus words. This is followed by Friendly Fill-Ins.

Words with Webster

Hi, all! It’s me, Real Cat Webster. Welcome to Words with Me. Today’s word is “catshark.” I picked this word because today, July 14, is Shark Awareness Day, and I thought you should be aware that there is such a thing as a catshark.

There are over 150 species of catshark, and they’re called catsharks because of their eyes, which look sort of like cats’ eyes. The scientific name of their family doesn’t mean “catshark” though. It’s Scyliorhinidae (bonus word #1!), which is from a combination of two Greek words. The second word is “rhinos” (“nose”) and the first one is either “Scylla”[1] or “skylos” (“dog”).  We are sort of making up the “skylos” explanation, but we think it makes sense because—and this is  little bit confusing—some catsharks are called dogfish (go figure; also, bonus word #2!).

Catsharks are found in warm seas. These are really little sharks, usually under 2.5 feet long. Catsharks eat things like fish, octopus, and squid. Their eggs are called “mermaid’s purses” (bonus word #3!). And catsharks can have over 110 rows of teeth!

To find out more about catsharks, check out this article from the excellent PBS show Nature.

A cat shark in the Celebes Sea, Malaysia.
Adobe Stock.

And finally, sharks are really cool animals and they’re an important part of the ocean, so please don’t eat soup made from their fins or anything awful like that. You can learn more about different kinds of sharks from the Shark Research Institute.

Happy Shark Awareness Day!

Friendly Fill-Ins

And now it’s time for Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two  are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader. Old SoLT answered all the questions this week.

1. My inner child is often also my outer self! But only with people I know really well. A lot of people think I’m really serious.

2. My favorite month is October, because it I love the fall.

3. My favourite commercial is… I like the whole series of Progressive commercials with Flo, because she cracks me up.

4. Personally, I don't care for papayas. To me, they smell like dirty socks!

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[1] Some sources claim “Scylla” means “shark,” but we are not convinced. Scholars, please weigh in.

Norwegian Forest Cat: The Official Cat of Norway

The Norwegian Forest Cat is a cat after my own heart because it has been around for a long time and has appeared in the mythology of its country of origin. Obviously I am speaking of Norway, and the mythology is Norse. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s meet the cat first.

A sturdy, affectionate, and gregarious breed

Norwegian Forest Cats are known for being affectionate, gregarious, and intelligent. They will even greet their people at the door. “Wegies,” as they are called in some circles,[1] adapt to change more easily than many other cats.

Norwegian Forest Cats, or Wegies, are well
adapted to cold weather.

Photo by Pieter Lanser [CC-BY-2.0],

via Wikimedia Commons.

They are sturdy cats, and generally healthy. With their insulated double coat that has water-resistant guard hairs over a warm undercoat, Wegies can be happy going for a stroll in the snow. Their tufted paws are also helpful in snow. They have a ruff, a bushy tail, and ears that  are heavily furnished (which means they have hair growing from inside their ears—an undesirable trait in humans, but a desirable one in some cats!). Wegies’ almond-shaped eyes can be gold to emerald green in color. Their coat can be nearly any color, but so far as we know, there are no chocolate, lilac, or pointed Wegies.

Norwegian Forest Cats are slow to mature, only reaching full size at about 5 years old. For females, “full size” is typically 9–12 pounds; for males, 12–16 pounds. They don’t need as much grooming as you might expect (a once-a-week brushing is usually enough), though they do shed their winter coat in the spring, so more grooming is needed at that time (the Cat Fanciers’ Association describes this as the “annual molt”). Wegies like to be with people and are good with children. In the wild, they spend a lot of time up in trees, so they would like to have something nice and tall to climb on at home.

And now, the history and mythology

The Norse goddess Freya in her chariot pulled by two

blue cats. They don't look much like Skogkatt here,

but that is what they are believed to represent.

© Patrimonio | Dreamstime.com - FreyaNorse Goddess Photo

In Norway, where it is a naturally occurring breed, the Wegie is called Skogkatt (“forest cat”). They have been around a long time and apparently arose from shorthaired cats brought into parts of northern Europe by the Romans. The thick coat, furry paws, and other features typical of Skogkatt developed over a period of some years as the cats adapted to their environment.

Norse mythology has several references to large cats that we think must by Skogkatt. For example, the Prose Edda (ca. 1179–1241) mentions that the goddess Freya has two large cats that pull her chariot (these cats happen to be blue; see our post “The Goddess Freya’s Cats” for more). Another story features a cat so huge, even the great god Thor could not lift it. Cats were important in Norse culture and were often given to young women as wedding gifts, presumably because of their association with Freya, the fertility goddess.

Norwegian Forest Cats love to climb!
If you get one, you must provide
climbing opportunities.
Photo via Adobe Stock.

The Danish clergyman Peter Clausson Friis (1545–1614) lived in Norway and described three types of lynx: a wolf lynx, a fox lynx, and a cat lynx. His “cat lynx” is thought to be the Skogkatt.  Somewhat later, in the 19th century, the cats appeared in fairy tales penned by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. These authors wrote of “fairy cats” or “huldrekatt.” Huldrekatt lived in the forest and had long, bushy tails, so we suppose they must have been Skogkatt.

The modern history of the Norwegian Forest Cat

In 1938, a Wegie made the breed’s first appearance at a cat show, in Oslo. World War II interrupted the breed’s development though, and it was the 1970s before a standard was described and a breeding program began. In 1973, two purebred Wegies, named Pippa Skogpuss and Pans Truls, were bred and had two kittens. Pans Truls would later be recognized as THE Skogkatt—the standard by which all others would be judged.

The first Norwegian Forest Cats to officially reach the United States arrived in 1979 (although they may have reached North American shores much earlier, in the late 10th century with the explorer Leif Erikson [d. 1020]). They reached the United Kingdom a few years later, in 1986.

Today, these beautiful, people-oriented cats are beloved by their humans as they take a little Viking flair everywhere they go.

Learn more!

We've written about the Skogkatt before, in the posts "What Kind of Cat Would Santa Claus Have: Part 1" and "Did Vikings Have Cats?"

Sources

"About the Norwegian Forest Cat." The Cat Fanciers' Association website. http://cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsKthruR/NorwegianForestCat.aspx.

Pickeral, Tamsin. "Norwegian Forest Cat." The Elegance of the Cat: An Illustrated History. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's, 2013.

(Top illustration created with Adobe Stock images.)

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[1] The Norwegian Forest Cat is also called an NFC, but “wegie” sounds more like a friendly name and less like a government agency, so we will go with that.