Cat Gifts by Karen Rose Smith

I was excited by all the new electronic devices my husband and I received for Christmas to help make our daily routines (like preparing a shopping list) a little easier.  However, my favorite gifts are those which are cat-related. Since I love cats and always try to feature them in my cozy mysteries, when I receive a "cat" gift, I feel that the gift was chosen personally for me and that the giver took the time to consider what I enjoy receiving.

Since I write the Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries (and of course love cats!) the Merry Catmas teapot pictured above was the perfect gift from my pet sitter.  It perfectly combined both of my "loves."  And it perfectly complements my Lenox cat cookie jar, a gift from Christmases past.

My son always tries to find a personalized cat gift featuring one of my felines, but this year he gave me a black mug!  Oh, did I forget to mention that the mug turned into a cat mug when it is filled with hot liquid? The image on the mug resembles the original paintings in my vet's office...which I always take a photo of and post on social media when one of my cats has an appointment.

Utilitarian gifts can also be made more personal by adding cats!  I have a collection of decorative canes which I always take with me when I go out.  But until this Christmas, I did not have one that featured cats.  At a distance, it just looks like a multi-colored cane, but up close, various breeds of cats with their expressive eyes bring a smile to my face. 

I saw the new drip-proof umbrellas advertised on TV before the holidays, but I was not aware they came with cats decorating the whole underside of the umbrella.  Now all I have to do is look up on a rainy day and the sweet cat faces staring down at me will chase away the rainy day blues.

I also enjoy giving cat-related gifts.  My husband has quite a collection of "cat" T-shirts.  I added this one to his collection this year.  The cat looks very much like Halo, the pregnant stray we took in who had her kittens in my office.  She and hubby have a special bond.
 

Gift giving from the heart is always immediately recognizable when the gift is opened.  The smile on the recipient's face shows appreciation for someone taking extra care to choose the perfect gift.

Now it's time to start shopping for next Christmas so I can give everyone on my gift list the perfect gift that will brighten their day.

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Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

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Cats Reign In My House

In my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries, Daisy has two felines that are a part of almost every scene which is set in her barn home.  Pepper and Marjoram always greet Daisy when she arrives home from a long day at the tea garden and are her constant companions when she is at home alone.  She often talks to them about her murder investigations, allowing her to hash out loud clues that have been spinning in her mind.  Often they settle on the sofa or chair in the living room when Daisy is chatting with her daughters Jazzi and Vi or her beau Jonas.

Zoie Joy (AKA Pepper) appreciates
the current animal print trend. 

Pepper and Marjoram are modeled after two of my own felines--Zoie Joy and Miss Paddington.  My padded living room and office furniture is their favorite napping and bathing spots.  When I purchased a new recliner for my husband as an anniversary gift, all the felines had to test it before he had the chance to enjoy it.  Often when a cat has settled there for the evening, he ends up sitting in another chair, envying the cat who took his new throne.

Miss Paddington (AKA Marjoram) prefers the
leather recliner.

I was sorting through my cat photos and found numerous shots of my "royal" felines enjoying their favorite "thrones."  Here are some of them:

Zander prefers chairs with large
padded arms. 

Miss Paddington settles on the padded
cushion of a kitchen chair.

The chair's arm and back provide Zander
with a royal view of the whole living room.

Zoie Joy often chooses the back of her
favorite chairs where the view is definitely better.

Freya isn't picky about her resting spots.  She tries them all out.   

Do your cats "reign" supreme or are they willing to share their thrones? 

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Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

   

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Shelters for Feral and Outside Cats

by Karen Rose Smith

Several years ago, we cared for a yellow tabby stray who came into our yard and seemed to want to stay.  We named him Lancelot because the first time we spotted him, he was protecting a kitten. We got him care and found out he had FIV.  He lasted through the summer. When he first began staying on our property, I wanted a protected place for him to nestle and we bought an igloo.  The following year another yellow tabby came to us.  We named him Sunnybud.  He stayed for three years until his FIV took him.  In the meantime we added more than one shelter for cats who needed cover over the winter.  At times, we had three cats staying warmer.  The thing about cats is that, unless they are bonded--mother and kitties, brother and sister--they each like their own space. They can be territorial. This summer I spruced up this shelter when I cleaned it out. We have turquoise planters and I had leftover paint from a reno project. Cedar Shelter

Some of the shelters have heat pads made for the outdoors.  In those that don't, we use straw.  Blankets and rugs will mildew and stay cold and wet.  In winter, we've found the cats prefer the shelters with the heat pads. No surprise there. The photo I led with is an igloo with straw bales around it to insulate it even more both winter and summer.  Sunnybud preferred being farther away from the house until he began to stay in our patio sunroom. The igloo is equipped with a heat pad.

There are many websites on the internet that have DIY instructions on how to make an inexpensive cat shelter.  ( Link for info on a DIY Shelters ) YouTube also has many DIY clips on building outside shelters.  Some of them use styrofoam coolers and others use store-bought coolers often used for picnic soft drinks. I found these on Etsy and they are called cat pods. These include a heat pad. ( Link to Extreme Weather Heat Pad )( Link for Outside Feral Cat Shelters )

Link to Heated Cat Pod Tower

Before Sunnybud left us, he introduced a brother and sister duo to our property. My husband named them Bonnie (a dark Tortie) and Clyde (a yellow tabby.) They have been more of a challenge than any others.  It's taken three years to socialize them to a certain extent. They come inside our basement now every afternoon to eat and cuddle up until morning. Then they go out again unless we keep them in for rain or freezing cold. Our basement is their apartment with cat beds and my plant grow heat pad that they use too.  But we still can't touch Bonnie.  I can pet Clyde unless I move my hand too fast or stand up!  We're working on it.  But before we even attempted to feed them inside the basement, they had to become comfortable with our property.  These two had been caught in a TNR program because both their ears were clipped.  I imagine they had a traumatic experience which is the cause of their apprehension around humans.  We added another shelter with a heat pad when they arrived.  I catnipped it and they began using it.  It was a patiently slow process.

This is a feral shelter we have under our deck. Clyde often uses the roof to survey his domain.  He and Bonnie can go inside and then crawl into a loft space that is insulated for warmth. Bonnie and Clyde both stay on our property now both day and night. Feralvilla Shelter

A fellow writer found stray cats on her property. I've often looked at these tubes and she told me the stray cats are using the shelter.  ( Link for Info on the Tube Shelter )

I'm an animal person, especially cats.  We have five inside rescues.  I can't handle seeing felines suffer in the winter.  Hence, the shelters.

Lancelot

Me and Sunnybud

Bonnie and Clyde

Younger Sunnybud

Sunnybud

Sunnybud and Halo before we brought her in.

The #Kittens Turn Two by Karen Rose Smith

Two summers ago on a hot summer afternoon, my husband received a call on his cell phone from a friend who had just found six kittens under her parents' front porch.  She was calling for advice on how to handle the kittens.  She had rescued two of the litter but it took another day before she could coax the others close enough to scoop them up and take them to safety.  She took the six kittens home and sheltered them in her basement, despite the fact that she was allergic to cats.  She also helped her father capture the mother cat to have her spayed.

Then began the arduous task of finding forever homes for the kittens.  My friend appeared quite smitten with one of the first rescues--a black longish-hair sweetie she had named Freya.  The other standout in the litter was the second rescue--a long-haired gray and white male.  Her young son named him Mr. Hat.

My husband's first big mistake was telling me about the phone call.  His second mistake was taking me to visit the kittens.  I hadn't exactly voiced my thoughts out loud, but I was planning to adopt Freya.  But as I sat in my friend's living room cuddling the little black bundle, my husband seemed taken with Mr. Hat.  By the time we left, we had agreed to take both of the kittens.  After all, they had just been taken from their mother, so how could we separate these two who seemed to have formed a bond?

The past two years have been filled with snarls of disapproval from our three senior cats, hours of playful banter with each other, and much laughter as we watched the antics of the newest members of our furry family.  The kittens have grown into beautiful felines.  Zander (formerly Mr. Hat) is striking in his demeanor and has become my best buddy.  Freya is a unique character who loves to be snuggled on her own terms.   They both have become cherished members of our family and are a constant presence on my social media pages.  And quite possibly they will join Zoie Joy, Paddington and Halo as "characters" in one of my mysteries.
   

Zander

Freya

Zoie Joy and Zander

Freya

Freya

Zander

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#Cat Safe #Gardens by Karen Rose Smith

Every year when I plan my herb and flower gardens, I consult the list I've made over the years for cat-safe plants.  We have two stray outside/inside felines who make their home in our yard and basement.  Bonnie and Clyde have been coming for three years but still aren't socialized.  With five inside cats, we have let Bonnie and Clyde grace us with their presence on their terms, and that works.

Remember to use mulch that isn't dyed.  Pennsylvania has a law against toxins in mulch but you have to watch for caffeine too!

When I began looking for cat-safe plants, websites were confusing.  One website would list a flower or plant as toxic to cats and another would not!  I began to realize I had to consult more than one site as well as a friend with a Masters in herb therapy to grow my list.  If I consider planting something new, I search the name of the plant and "cat safe" before I decide to purchase it.  The ASPCA keeps a list of toxic plants on their website and I regularly consult that. ASPCA Cat safe plants  Here in Pennsylvania, this is the list of pet-safe herbs and flowers that I've developed:

HERBS

Basil
Catnip
Catgrass
Bee Balm
Catmint
Chamomile
Dill
Lavender
Parsley
Sage
Thyme

PLANTS

Petunias
Snapdragons
Zinnias
Roses
Coneflowers
Carnations
Sunflowers
Cosmos
Phlox
Coral Bells

You can have a cat safe garden that is beautiful, refreshing and fit for you and your outside felines.

#Cats and Essential Oils--Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith

Essential oils have gained in popularity over the last decade. They are used for aromatherapy (with and without diffusers), perfumes, aids for better skin tone and also for various health conditions.

However...

I receive a newsletter about felines from Cornell University called CatWatch.  It originates from the College of Veterinary Medicine—Feline Health Center. It includes innovations in pet care, new treatments for diseases, and advice on behavior issues.  I’ve been receiving the newsletter for several years now and find it practical and useful with sound advice.

This month there was an article on essential oils.  The Feline Health Center’s advice advice is to not use them in cat care.  They list these oils as toxic to felines. 

Cinnamon oil

Citrus oil

Clove oil

Eucalyptus oil

Oil of sweet birch

Oil of wintergreen

Pennyroyal oil

Peppermint oil

Pine oils

Tea tree oils

Ylang Ylang oil

The ASPCA Poison Control Center recommends avoiding essential oil use unless approved by your veterinarian. Apparently some are used for parasite control. If the oils are ingested, breathed in or absorbed by their skin, the oils can possibly affect your cat’s liver. 

I know I like to use natural products with our five inside cats and two outside strays. I raise pesticide free flowers and herbs for our gardens and try to avoid plants that are toxic to felines.  I’ll be avoiding essential oils now and in the future.

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MURDER WITH LEMON TEA CAKES

DAISY'S TEA GARDEN MYSTERIES, Book 1

Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective—so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy’s Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey’s grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn’t want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey’s murder.

Now the apple bread and orange pekoe is on the back burner while the cops treat the shop like a crime scene—and Daisy hopes that Jonas Groft, a former detective from Philadelphia, can help her clear her aunt’s name and bag the real killer before things boil over . . .

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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018.  At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.

Karen and Zander

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

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