Sparkle the Designer Cat's Blog, page 416

Dear Sparkle: What Is Wrong With This Tortie Kitten?

Dear Sparkle,

I am an orange tabby who loves my big brother and tortie sister, but they are a lot older than me and I’ve been friendly with the neighbor’s cat. So my human thought I would enjoy someone younger to play with and she brought home a tortie kitten (seems to be a theme here, doesn’t it?). But I think there is something wrong with her! She sits in most of my favorite spots and hogs the toys. I find myself growling at her, even though I’ve never growled before in my life! Since you have Binga, I thought you might know what to do about this troublesome tortie.

Signed,

Rucker

Dear Rucker,

I hate to say it, but the only thing wrong with this tortie kitten is that she is a tortie — and that’s something you just can’t fix! In fact, I think you are lucky — if this had been Binga, she would have hogged your favorite spots and toys, and then growled at you! Smacking her is useless because chances are she will just smack you right back. Torties are feisty kitties who give as good as they get… or better! I bet your older tortie family member was quite a pistol in her day. There are some torties who buck the bossiness trend, but they are not very common.

You want to know the secret to dealing with a misbehaving tortie? You have to change your own reaction to her! That is really about all you can do. Torties are happy just the way they are, so they have no reason to change. Let me give you some tips on adjusting your own attitude: instead of growing at her, maybe you should pretend something else is more interesting than what she is hogging. It is bound to spark her curiosity and she will want to have whatever it is too. Then you can take back what was rightfully yours. Or here is another one: instead of letting her make you angry, get on her nerves on purpose! Torties are really fun to annoy because it is very easy to do. I do that all the time with Binga, purely for amusement. Just remember, torties always act before they think, so if you do the opposite, you should be able to have the upper paw. The moment you react to their bad behavior, you’ve lost. Good luck, and who knows? When you look at her from a different perspective, you might find you like her after all.
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

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Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

Imperial Cat Toy Giveaway!

Back in mid-June, I got an email from a marketing human asking me if I’d like to check out one of Imperial Cat’s Ice Cream and Cupcake catnip toys. Of course I was interested! But I also wanted to know if Imperial Cat would be interested in a giveaway. The marketing human never replied to my question about a giveaway, but last week I received this Ice Cream toy in the mail. No accompanying letter or press release or anything. I had to send my human looking through my old emails because I’d totally forgotten being contacted by the marketing human. We kitties have a lot going on, you know.

I checked out the toy thoroughly. It’s made out of super-soft material. It comes with catnip, which you sprinkle into the toy, then seal it shut with the velcro closures. I bet it would be really fun to carry and bat around!

I kind of would have liked to hang onto this toy, but you know what? We kitties do have a lot of toys already, and nobody ever got back to me about a giveaway so… I’ve decided to give this one away to a lucky reader! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below saying you would like this toy. It’s small and lightweight and the catnip is well sealed, so I am pretty sure I will be able to ship it internationally — that means everyone can enter! The deadline is Monday, August 4 at Midnight, Pacific Time!

Of course, not every kitty agreed with me about giving away this toy… but I always have the last word!

If you would like to see more Imperial Cat toys, you can find a bunch on Amazon! I couldn’t find this exact toy but a lot of the other ones looked really cool.

Disclosure: Link to Amazon is an affiliate link. I received the cat toy for free, but I am spending my human’s money to ship it to the winner! All opinions are my own.
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

An Inconvenient Truth Revealed – and Fixed!

My human decided it was time to replace the old living room rug! “Why would she do such a thing?” you are probably wondering.

Because this is what it looks like when she does not Photoshop it! She was getting tired of spending so much time fixing the worn spots so they didn’t show up in photos. None of this is the fault of us cats, mind you. It’s the humans and all their jumping around and exercising that wore it down this badly over the course of 7 or so years.

Well… Boodie was responsible for the corner fringe my human was always having to hide.

The no-stick pad underneath the rug was toast too.

Boodie was sorry to see it go — she kept sitting on it while my human was trying to fold it up.

But not being particular, she also kept sitting on the new pad too. My human said it was worse than trying to make the bed.

When my human and her boyfriend rolled out the new rug, it had a few lumps. They are supposed to settle on their own over the next few weeks, but the instructions she read online said she could help some creases straighten out by putting something heavy on them. Like Boodie.

I wasn’t sure about the new rug at first. It felt weird on my sensitive toes.

But in the end, I gave it my paw of approval. Good thing, otherwise my human would have had to send it back.
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

Sunday Catinee: Triple Feature

I’ve got three awesome and very different videos for you today, so get out your popcorn, cat treats and cool drinks and let’s get watching!

The first video comes with an all-star cast and its own summer hit! “Cat Summer” stars Grumpy Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat and Klaus, Nala Cat and Hamilton the Hipster Cat, and Friskies put it together to benefit shelter cats! Until Labor Day, they will donate a meal of Friskies Grillers for each time the video is viewed, up to one million views! (This is similar to their Christmas benefit, if you recall my post from December.) To honor their friend Colonel Meow, who died in January, the food will be donated in his name. But enough of my meowing, watch the video, and spread the word! Right now, they are about halfway to their goal.

If you can’t see the above video, click here to watch it on YouTube!

Next up is a Simon’s Cat video from last summer that I somehow missed! In it, Simon’s cat helps his human garden in a surprising and hilarious way!

If you can’t see the above video, click here to watch it on YouTube!

Lastly for all your horror film fans, I’ve got a scary movie from the CATastrophes crew! It wasn’t the zombies that frightened me, though — it was the thought of running out of my favorite food! I hope my human never lets this happen if we are under attack by monsters.

If you can’t see the above video, click here to watch it on YouTube!
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

The Caturday Report: The Fun and Fury Edition

I have lots of interesting things to report this week, from funny to frustrating to informative!

Let’s get right to it:

Mashable reports about an inventor who has created a smart cat feeder that has facial recognition, a video feed and lots more!
There is a movement right now in my own state of California to outlaw hybrid cat breeds such as Savannahs, Chausies and Bengals! Cat Behaviorist Marilyn Krieger explains why this is wrong. I would like to add that Bengals especially are hugely popular in California and outlawing them here would be devastating to many lovers of this breed.
Just for yucks (and yuckiness), here is an MTV post about six cats that look like Justin Bieber. Really insulting to the cats, if you ask me!
The Fur Everywhere blog has some really awesome suggestions about how to keep kitties cool in the summer!
Did you know it is possible to easily keep track of pet food recalls? The Sometimes Cats Herd You blog explains how.

It’s been pretty exciting around my blog too! Here is what has been going on:

My human’s birthday commenthon for Winging Cat Rescue was a big success! While we didn’t get all the way to our goal, we got pretty close! Winging Cat Rescue is also my choice to support for the Petties, so remember to vote for me for Best Cat Blog!
My human got me an awesome gift for her birthday!
I also got a really nice prize package from a fellow cat blogger.
How do cats get along with Leo humans? Find out in this month’s astrology column!
It really bothers me that so many cats wind up in shelters because of easily correctable litter box issues, so I decided to do something about it! My blog post about litter box basics is the beginning of a regular feature I’ll have about human litter box training.
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted outtakes, so I felt it was about time to show you how much my human’s bad photography choices can embarrass us cats.

That’s it for this week’s Caturday Report! If you see a good news item around the internet, send me a link and I may include it next week!
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

July Outtakes

It’s time to show off the lesser photos my human took of us cats! I hope you enjoy looking at them more than we enjoyed (or didn’t) posing for them!

My human wanted Binga to pose for a “funny” photo illustrating the aftermath of Cat World Domination Day. Binga was not amused by this particular umbrella placement.

Here I am, posing with some toys and treats I was not allowed to play with or eat. If you look closely, you can see exactly what I thought of that.

I have no idea what inspired my human to click the camera’s shutter button right that very moment. It takes bad timing to a whole ’nother level.

Were you wondering how come Binga didn’t photobomb me when I was reviewing my pal Bailey’s book? Well, surprise! She actually did.

Here is another “What was my human thinking?” photo.

Lastly, this photo is from a session of closeups where my human was trying to capture that sweet, angelic look I have. This one was not it.

Note: some of you know, and some of you don’t… if you move your cursor over the photos, you will see a secret message. Many of you smart phone users will see them too if you tap on the picture and keep your finger held down. These secret messages are hidden in photos in nearly every post I write!
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

Human Litter Box Training, Step One

My human was reading a magazine article recently on litter box issues, and how it is one of the main reasons cats get turned into shelters. It is also one of the main reasons cats get euthanized, because who wants to adopt a cat that doesn’t use the litter box? But behind these plain facts is something more complex and utterly tragic: many (maybe most of) these cats are being killed for something that is not their fault at all, but their humans’. Litter box avoidance is usually a human issue, not a cat issue. It is the humans who failed the cat, not the other way around. And cats pay with their lives.

Because of the scope of this topic, Human Litter Box Training is going to be an ongoing feature. I don’t know how often I’ll blog about it, or for how long. I’m not a veterinarian or a professional cat behaviorist (just a professional human behaviorist for cats), so I can’t help humans solve specific problems they are having with getting their litter box habits right. But I hope these blog posts help humans look into their own litter box behavior and see how they can make things better for their cats. Each situation is different and needs to be looked at individually — usually by the individuals involved, not by someone on the outside who has never met the humans, the cats or seen the inside of their homes. If your cat is having litter box issues, have him looked over by a vet to determine whether the problem is medical or behavioral, and if the problem is behavioral, get the number of a cat behaviorist in your area.

I’ll begin this series with an overview of litter box problems, and what in general humans might be doing wrong. The different parts of a litter box are the following:

The location of the litter box
The litter box itself
The litter
Accessories, such as scoops, litter disposal systems, etc.

The majority of cats will be fine with any satisfactory set up a human may put together for their litter box. In fact, we can be quite forgiving — but we do have our limits. Let’s look at these different elements and see how these areas could perhaps be improved.

Litter Box Location

Convenience, privacy and quiet are the keys here. When we cats are in the litter box, we are at our most vulnerable, and if we feel a location is dangerous, we won’t want to go there. A litter box should be in an area that is easy for the cat to get to and in a different room from where his food and water is (would you humans want to have dinner in your bathroom? Didn’t think so). It should be somewhere peaceful. Avoid turn offs like putting the litter box next to your washer and dryer — the sudden noises and movements that machines make are scary and off-putting. Are there other cats in the house? Make sure the litter box is in an area that is open enough for the cat to be able to escape any unwanted feline attention. There are few things scarier for a house cat than to be cornered in a litter box by someone in a hostile mood — or worse, to have a hostile cat blocking his way to the litter box.

The Litter Box

There are loads of litter boxes, and I have to say, most of them are built with human, not feline, comfort in mind. That’s okay for most cats and they’ll deal, but with a little bit of thought, you humans could make sure the litter box is as kitty friendly as it is human friendly. Are you concerned about us cats scattering litter or spraying the wall? (Some cats pee in more of a standing up position than squatting — that can be caused by arthritis, or sometimes it’s a guy cat thing.) Then get a litter box that has high sides. Please don’t bring home a covered litter box. Many of us will use them regardless, but we really don’t like them. How would you like to have a smelly outhouse as your bathroom all the time? That’s what it’s like for us cats inside of a covered litter box — and our noses are 15 times stronger than yours! What about those fancy, automated litter boxes? Look, we cats just want to get in the box, do our business and get out. All those moving, mechanical parts are a distraction at best, downright foreign and scary at worst.

The Litter Itself

Whatever your cat likes best is the right litter to use. Period. Corn, clay, ground walnut shells, diamond dust, whatever (okay, I am kidding about the diamond dust. Maybe). The important thing is to keep it scooped and relatively clean. You don’t have to change the whole box of litter every day, or even every week (unless your cat has a medical problem that causes him to create a mess of the litter box). Just get the lumps out promptly, have a regular litter changing schedule, and most cats will be satisfied. What about those absorbing crystals? Would you like to walk on them in bare feet? Cats generally don’t, either. What if you have a cat that has been declawed? You need to make sure the litter does not hurt his damaged toes. And please, please, please, no perfumed litter! It’s offensive. I’m surprised it doesn’t bother human noses.

Accessories

Honestly, these are for you humans. We cats don’t care about them. But if they make it easier for you to keep our litter boxes clean and useable, then they are fine by us. Lots of humans swear by the Litter Genie for storing waste in a convenient and odor-free manner, and there are other containers like it too. Did you know that some litter scoops are better than others? It’s true. These items make the litter box area more efficient. Other things, such as litter box liners — not so much. Litter box liners are useless. They tear and pool urine and make things smellier and messier than they need to be. A proper litter box does not need them. I’ll dig further into accessories in a future post.

So here you have the litter box basics! Any specifics you kitties would like me to address? Any suggestions on how to properly litter box train humans? Let me know!


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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

Sparkle’s Human Astrology for Cats: Leo

Leo

July 23 – August 22

If you are a kitty who lives with a Leo human, congratulations! It means you are the Best Cat in the Whole World. How do I know this? Because a Leo human only has the best in her (or his) home, no matter how palatial or humble that home is. If the Leo is wealthy, you’ll find her home filled with classy, stylish decor and the top designer names. If the Leo isn’t quite as flush, you still might find some of those beautiful furnishings and designer names anyway, carefully researched and found on eBay or the local thrift store — and the Leo human will be very proud of these finds. Leo will be very proud of you cats, too. If you showed up on her doorstep, it’s because you were smart enough to know that she would take great care of you. If you were a special needs cat at a rescue, Leo chose you because you were indeed “special” — whether you have three legs, diabetes or some other issue that lesser sun signs may balk at, Leo knows this only makes you a more amazing cat, filled with lessons to teach and love to give. If you are a breed cat, or were one of a litter of foster kittens, you were definitely the coolest one of the bunch. Leo always picks winners, and winners always pick Leos. It’s just a fact. At least Leo would lead you to believe that.

But let me tell you Leo’s secret: underneath her self-confidence and often-royal air is a niggling self-doubt. Leo wants really bad to be the perfect vision she has of herself, and she will never admit it to anyone, but sometimes she wonders if she is falling short of the image she so carefully presents to others. And that’s where you come in as Best Cat. It is your job to let your Leo human know that she is indeed perfect just the way she is, and that what she sometimes suspects is a pose is not a pose at all, but quite real. Your purrs, headbutts, and penchant for sleeping on her head at night will reveal the truth, that she is indeed awesome.

I’m not spouting fake flattery with all this, either. You could not find a more loyal, protective and devoted human than Leo (although Scorpio, in its own way, comes close). Leo will treat you like the small, helpless creature she perceives you to be. Of course, as a cat, you know you may be small but you’re not helpless… well, honestly, you’re not as self-sufficient as you think, and Leo sees a little bit of themselves in you. And Leo will make sure you have stunning cat trees, fun toys, and meals that are fit for the feline royalty you are.

Because their symbol is the lion, you would assume that Leos naturally gravitate towards cats. But with their need to be worshipped, the Leo nature conversely suggests they would prefer the unquestioning adoration of dogs. That is selling both cats and Leos short. Many Leo humans love all animals and certainly some are dog people, but they are often fondest of cats exactly because of our discerning ways. When a cat chooses to share his affection and life with a Leo, it validates Leo’s belief that she is exceptional and worthy of great things — your love being one of them. And it goes both ways. You, of course, knew you were the Best Cat in the Whole World before your Leo came into your life. And Leo choosing you only proved that it was so.

Most feline sun signs get along quite well with the affectionate, magnanimous Leo human, even those signs that might have difficulty in a human-to-human relationship. You earthy Taurus cats, for example, love being indulged and Leo is just the sign to do that. The same with Libra — while your affection may be a little light-hearted for passionate Leo, you’ll still appreciate her sense of style and ability to choose the food you love best — and you will show that appreciation. As a kitten, you active Aries cats may be a little crazy for your Leo human, but once you mature, your passion and spontaneous affection will be a highlight in Leo’s day. You Sagittarius kitties never quite grow out of your curiosity and clownish nature, but as long as you don’t knock over and break one of Leo’s treasured knickknacks, all should be well in your relationship with her — you both have a sense of fun. You won’t find a more passionate and devoted duo than a Leo human-Scorpio cat relationship. You Scorpio cats actually don’t care much about any fancy trappings Leo offers, but you do understand that Leo’s heart is true. You Cancer cats will love both the trappings and the affection — to the extent that Leo may even think you are a bit needy, but Leo will never turn down a kitty’s desire if they can possibly help it. Pisces cats are always a little bit of a mystery, and Leo thinks that makes you even more fascinating. While Capricorn cats aren’t flashy, you wear your hearts on your sleeves (or at least your arm fur), and the affection shared between you and your Leo human will be direct and true. You modest Virgo cats may be overwhelmed by Leo’s larger-than-life personality — it could take effort to avoid withdrawing into you shell. Unpredictable Gemini cats can be scattered, and sometimes you’ll confuse your Leo human with your changeable personality — until she understands that you just want freedom, breathing space and maybe a cat shelf or two. You Aquarius cats, like Gemini, may not be as affectionate and adoring as Leo wishes you were, but you will always be in the right place at the right time when Leo needs your support. It’s just something you sense, because you are one of those rare cats that understand the human condition.

The Leo cat and Leo human? You’d think that that would be a hard one, because Leo cats expect, nay, demand to be served! And of course Leo humans are not servants; they are leaders. Or are they? Only a Leo cat knows exactly the right buttons to push to make a Leo human dote on them… by convincing them they are the Best Human in the Whole World! And what Leo can resist that?
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

A Lovely Gift Package

This is so belated, it is embarrassing! Back in early June, Red and Magic’s human had a giveaway on their blog to celebrate 200 posts, and I was one of the winners. I received the package on my birthday (aka Cat World Domination Day). You can see what a sweet gift package it was. Originally it was just the bracelet and the Yankee Candle Tart, but as you can see, she included a fun mousie and some treats! I feel really bad that it took me a month to post about them because this was such a nice gesture.

One thing I promised when I commented on the original blog post was that if I got one of the bracelets, I would model it. Isn’t it pretty? I usually don’t go in for neckwear, but I almost did not give this one up! Thank you so much for this sweet prize package. And if you can, please visit and send healing purrs to Magic, who was recently diagnosed with severe diabetes and is having a difficult time getting stabilized.
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!

What My Human Got Me for Her Birthday

No, she did not get me a new little friend! But she did get it at a cat show she went to over the weekend. She was visiting with my breeder and checking out her new kittens. This was one of them.

She also saw some pretty awesome Aby kittens.

These two came all the way from Russia and they are amazing kittens! My breeder will be adding the girl to her program. She thinks outcrossing the Somali breed is important, to keep us healthy and hardy! Although my human loves rescue kitties most of the time, she adores my breed and wants to see it thrive.

Anyhow, this is what my human brought back for me from the cat show. When she touched it, she knew she had to get it for me. I wasn’t too sure about it.

She had to bribe me by putting the cat bed on my latest favorite perch — the old office chair — and brushing me.

After that, I decided to give it a second try.

Yeah, it is pretty awesome.

Oh yeah, and my human’s boyfriend got her some Japanese cat things for her birthday. Do you care? Me neither. I think the real joy of birthdays is giving, like giving me the cat bed! And the commenthon to benefit Winging Cat Rescue — there is still time to leave a comment on yesterday’s blog post, so go there if you haven’t already!
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I’m a finalist for the Petties, in the Best Cat Blog category! Please vote for me, and your other favorite blogs, at the Petties homepage! Just go to the top menu where it says “Finalist Voting” and sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, or sign in by email! You can do this once a day until August 7!

* * *

Having problems with your human or the other cats in your house? As the internet’s “Dear Abby With Claws,” I have answers to many annoying problems in my two award-winning books! Visit my author’s page on Amazon to buy one or both of my awesome Dear Sparkle books!