Amy Shojai's Blog, page 123
January 18, 2013
Curing Kitty Congestion
Crowded conditions such as shelters and rescues increase stress and potential for catching “kitty colds.”
Has the recent outbreak of flu, sinus infections and general creeping-crud attacked you this season? When I visited family over Christmas, one person was just getting over the flu, and two more came down with it while there, and a fourth got the bug a week later.
I’m washing my hands constantly and staying home with the fur-kids. That’s one more positive about working alone at home–less contact with contagious folks. I’ve been told that the flu vaccination (always a good thing!) isn’t necessarily working well against the current illness, either. *sigh*
A stopped up nose and crusty eyes are not only miserable for humans, it can be a sign of a wide range of health problems in cats. Discharge that’s runny and clear usually goes away in a couple of days by itself. But any time it continues longer than that, or the discharge is cloudy or thick and clogs up the eyes or nose, a virus could be the culprit.
Cats have more problems with congestion than dogs. The bugs that cause kitty congestion usually aren’t lethal in adult cats. But cats won’t eat unless they can smell their food, so they starve if they get a stopped up nose. Home care not only keeps pets more comfortable, it often decides whether they recover or not.
Use a vaporizer to help unclog the nose. Put your cat in a fairly small room with a cool mist humidifier and use it just the same as you would for a child a couple of times a day. That not only helps break up the congestion, it can moisten inflamed or tender eyes and nostrils and make them feel better.
If you don’t have a vaporizer or humidifier, a hot shower can work. Take the pet into the bathroom with you and run the hot shower so that the air becomes filled with steam. A 10-minute session several times a day works great. Don’t go for longer than that, though, because heated air for too long can be hard for some pets to breathe, especially short-faced Persians.
If the nose is crusting over, or the eyes are sealing shut, use warm wet cloths or cotton balls to soak and soften the secretions and clean them off. Don’t peel dried matter off, because that can hurt or even form scabs.
To soothe sore tissue after you’ve cleaned off the mucus, dab on a bit of plain saline solution, or some baby oil. That can also make it easier to clean away any more crusts that might form. I’ve also used Udderbalm (for cows) and a new product I’m trying out on Magic’s chapped nose called Musher’s Secret also works well for dogs.
When thick secretions fill up the lungs it can be hard for pets to breathe even when their nostrils are clear. A technique called coupage helps break up the clogged matter so the pet can clear his lungs. It’s a French word meaning “thumping on the chest” and is often used to help children with Cystic Fibrosis breath more easily. Hold your hand in a cupped position, and gently thump on either side of the cat or dog’s rib cage to break loose the mucus. Use coupage two or three times a day along with humidified air to ease the pet’s congestion.
FOLLOW-UP CARE
Refusing to eat can make cats sicker or even threaten their life. Wiping away the crusts and mucus to keep the nasal passages open helps, but offering pungent and more tempting foods can cut through congestion and spark the sick cat’s appetite. Warm the food for five seconds in the microwave to just below cat body temperature—about 95 to 98 degrees. That not only makes the treat more alluring, it also unlocks the aroma so the food smells more pungent and penetrates even a stopped up kitty nose. Moisture also helps enhance aroma, so try adding a bit of warm water, chicken broth, or tuna juice from the can to the cat’s regular food. Run it through the blender to make a mush, and there’s a good chance that will tempt his appetite.
Have your cats suffered from upper respiratory issues? How did you manage them? When vaccinated early as a baby, some of these bugs can be prevented but once they’re in the cat’s system, stress can cause an outbreak. Cats also are tough customers when it comes to “pilling” and medicating (although compounded medicine can help with that). What are your tips for nursing a sick cat? Please share!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat colds, home remedies for cats, treating kitty congestion, www.amyshojai.com
January 16, 2013
Animal Attacks! Raccoon Video Caution
Raccoons can severely injure or even kill pets–as well as spread contagious diseases like rabies.
A couple of weeks ago my Magical-Dawg got a wonderful surprise—for him—and a heart-stopping scare, for me. As he dashed to retrieve one of his Frisbees, he caught the movement/scent/who-knows-what of a critter. Yes, Magic dashed off (with Frisbee firmly in mouth) to make friends with an injured and/or sick raccoon. Thank goodness he came away when I called, and had no toothy contact, or I’d really be shaking in my rain boots. I returned after an hour, and the critter was still there so I took pictures and shot the video, below.
It’s not just raccoons and coyotes in our neck of the woods. All sorts of animals can pose a risk to your pets–even hawks and owls may swoop down and grab up an unwary kitty or small dog. What kinds of wildlife do you deal with, and how do you keep your pets safe? I wrote an article about the dangers of animal attacks.
But what did I miss? Oooh, just realized I didn’t mention alligators, a problem in many southern states. What else is important for pet owners to understand? Heck, anyone with small children especially toddlers also can be at risk.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Ask Amy Videos, Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, animal attack, how to prevent animal attacks on pets, raccoon, www.amyshojai.com
January 14, 2013
Monday Mentions: First Aid for Pets & Writers
Zeki, the miracle cat, now saves pet lives! She attended the CWA conference last November and I got to meet her (those ears tell me she’d had enough of schmoozing, though…)
I’d planned to blog about my friend Arden Moore’s visit to Dallas on this week’s Feline Friday blog because she’s presenting a pet tech first aid on Jan. 25 and a behavior seminar on Jan. 26 in Dallas. And the “star” of the class is Zeki, a rescue cat that had a rocky start in Dallas when evil people tried to skin her alive (urk! I know!). But she’s now saving kitty and doggy lives as a spokescat and demo feline for Arden’s classes.
However, the Friday class filled up so she’s added another class on Thursday Jan. 24 at the Dallas SPCA. Call 214-324-6999 or email courtney@pcpsi.com for more info and check out this link. If you can’t attend one of Arden’s awesome sessions, I’d strongly urge you to invest in a pet first aid book. Here’s a sneak peak of Arden’s class.
During a recent pet first aid class taught by Pet Tech master instructor Arden Moore, her feline teaching assistant, Zeki, began kneading the demo dog at the exact same time Moore was explaining the proper techniques to give CPR to a dog. Now that’s one smart cat! Learn more about Arden Moore by visiting www.fourleggedlife.com and www.petfirstaid4u.com and check out this amazing cat who survived a brutal knife attach as a stray to become a true feline ambassa-cat to help people, cats and yes, even dogs!
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Feel free to comment and “sing” about similar paw-some links that should be included. And you really MUST watch the video at the end–for some writerly inspiration and creative first aid.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Twitter Info–Sweet Tweet Timing
Global Talk Radio not worth your time or money, from Author Beware. And yes, I’ve gotten “invitations” from them.
UK Speaker Scam another one.
What Should Freelancers Charge, some suggestions
The Secret of Writing from Fitzgerald
Oklahoma Playwright Association Lots of great links here, too.
Oklahoma Writers Federation Annual Contest
Responding (or Not?) to Negative Reviews here’s an interesting discussion
PET-ASTIC SCHTUFF
Doggy Floral Arrangements courtesy of Fidose of Reality’s fun post on canine nuptials
Feb. 6, 8:00 pm Free Webinar–Low Stress Handling of Difficult Cats this will be great info for cat owners, rescuers and vet techs
Animal Rescue Site–Click to Give Free Food! click the button up at the top for the Shelter+ Challenge to vote. My colleague requests votes for CATS in Oregon for a chance for grants
I Discovered A Lump on My Pet, Part 1 from Dr. Rayya’s great blog
Neil Gaiman’s inspirational graduation talk “Make Good Art” is well worth the listen!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, dog training, pet care, pet first aid, writing advice, www.shojai.com
January 11, 2013
Newborn Kitten Development
Turn about is fair play–the blog discussed newborn puppy development last Wednesday so today we look at the cat-egorical side of things. Besides, it’s a great opportunity to share SQUEEE! cute kitten pictures!
Kittens begin self-grooming as early as 3 weeks of age. Image Copr. Maria Magnus via Flickr
Did you get a kitten over the holidays? Or maybe you rescued a bottle-baby orphan or are fostering a kitten for your local pet rescue. Here are a few things to keep in mind, but you’ll find a lot more detail in the kitten book, of course.
When your kitten was born, he measured four to six inches long and weighed only two to four ounces. He was blind, deaf, toothless, and just like baby dogs, unable to regulate his own body temperature to stay warm. At this age, kittens depend on touch, sense of smell, and thermal sensation to find Mom and food, and they move by wriggling their bodies from side to side.
Week old kittens spend four hours a day suckling, and more than 16 hours sleeping. They begin to move more easily, and look like swimmers paddling across the bedding. By this age, the body’s shiver reflex develops, and that means they are better able to regulate temperature and keep themselves warm.
Their eyes begin to open between nine to 12 days of age, and babies learn to recognize Mom and others as friends or foe. Ears begin to unseal about this same time and the first baby teeth appear.
By age three week kittens start to clumsily play with each other, follow Mom around, learn about the litter box, and are now able to retract their claws. They start to watch Mom and mimic her by self-grooming themselves. Hey, there’s a reason they call it “copy cat behavior.”
What kittens experience beginning at this age will have a huge impact on how well-adjusted (or not) they become as adults. Kittens handled a few minutes daily by people during their first month of life have an improved learning ability.
By week four, Mom’s milk production starts to decrease just as the kitten’s energy needs grow. Curiosity and hunger spur the babies to sample Mom’s solid food.
By this age, kittens understand the concept of the litter box from watching Mom. However, they still have a limited capacity for “holding it” and may have accidents when the box isn’t close enough to accommodate their needs. They continue to develop physically. The rest of the baby teeth come in, including needle sharp canine teeth.
“I said STOP IT ALREADY!” Image Copr. Florence Ivy via Flickr
Social play with Mom and siblings begins now, and includes running, rolling, biting, wrestling, climbing, and jumping. Mom-cat and siblings let the baby know if he bites or claws too hard and they’ll hiss at him or put an end to the game. If you are the “mother figure” it’s up to you to teach Baby about the litter box, playing “nice” and eating grown-up food.
Kittens gain two to four ounces a week from birth to five to six months of age. The kitten immune system is also fully developed by six to eight weeks of age, while the immune protection he gained from Mom begins to fade.
Play and interaction with others takes over during weeks five to seven. Good experiences with people and other pets during this time ensure they’ll be well-adjusted adult cats. It’s ideal for kittens to stay with their littermates and mother until twelve weeks of age so they learn best how to get along with other cats, and learn all the important “cat rules” of the world. But very often, shelters need the space and adopt out babies earlier–or the kitten is alone in the world anyway, and benefits from being adopted earlier.
When you adopt a kitten at this age, it’s up to you to expose him to a wide range of situations so he’ll be willing to accept them as he ages. That’s called “socialization” and can mean the difference between a loving pet and a scaredy cat.
He should learn to accept being handled and groomed by you and strangers, so the veterinarian won’t have to fight him for an examination. This is the best age to train him to accept the cat carrier and leash. That allows him to travel with you when necessary, either to the vet or groomers, or across town to visit Grandma. And if you think another pet (dog or cat), or a child might be in your future, introduce him to positive experiences at this age. That way, he’ll accept them as a normal part of his world and you’ll prevent behavior problems down the road.
How hold was your cat when you adopted him? Have you ever needed to hand-raise a kitten? What do you think is the best age to adopt–and why? Please share!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat care, complete kitten care book, kitten development, kitten socialization, www.amyshojai.com
January 9, 2013
Newborn Puppy Development
Colton is 10 days old here–SQUEEE! He’s still in the “neonatal” period of puppy-hood which is birth to two weeks. Image Copr. Sapphire Dream Photography via Flickr
What better time to revisit new puppy care and info (not to mention SQUEEE! cute pix!) than the New Year. Some of y’all know that I also write lots of puppy-licious content as the Puppies Guide site owner, and so I wanted to share some of the most popular articles.
Not surprisingly, puppy development information is very popular. What can you expect when you adopted a new baby dog, especially if you must hand-raise the puppy orphan? At what age does the little guy’s eyes open? It’s sooooo cute to see those pictures of “puppy piles” when the whole litter lounges atop each other–but did you realize they HAVE to do that or could die of hypothermia? That’s because a newborn puppy has no internal body temperature control, so the mass warmth of siblings (and mom-dog) keeps him warm.
Image Copr. K. Ruttiman via Flickr
If he’s blind and deaf at birth, how does the baby find his way around? The nose knows! In fact, puppies tend to return time after time to the same nipple at the “milk bar” drawn back by scent. 
What’s the best age to adopt the new puppy? Well there’s some argument about that between dog breeders and behavior consultants. Some breeders want the pup to go as soon as possible–once the little guy can eat solid food–to help promote bonding between the puppy and new owners. Others (myself included) recommend rehoming a bit later so the puppy has a chance to learn important dog manners from siblings and mom-dog. Learn more about newborn puppy development in the first three months in this article.
How hold was your dog when you adopted him? Have you ever needed to hand-raise a puppy? What do you think is the best age to adopt–and why? Please share!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cute puppy pictures, puppies, puppy development, what age to adopt puppies, www.amyshojai.com
January 7, 2013
Monday Mentions: Review Ops, Writerly Linkage & Pet-astic Shares!
Happy Monday! Lots of new subscribers (~~~waving paws) and so glad to have you. After all the holiday bounty, I’m feeling a bit piggy and over-stuffed, and yes–red eyes from trying to get everything done. Finally getting back into the swing of things, and have actually made some headway already on my 2013 writing goals.
Just so’s ya know, I typically I post here three days a week, mostly about puppy-licious or cat-astic info, and Monday combines lots of schtuff. Fair warning. I make up words, because sometimes there just aren’t dictionary-listed appropriate ones, and because I’m a writer and it’s what I do. Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week.
A couple of news-worthy items on my fictioning life. I am blessed with the most PAW-some readers of the LOST AND FOUND book who have loved the story and asked for more. I’ve even been interviewed on the radio about the book. I’m very pleased to tell you that there WILL be more! My editor has given me the go-ahead, and I’ll keep you posted on the progress of the sequel–oh, and if you have specific ideas about what you’d like to see in the next installment (more Shadow? more Macy? Details about September or Teddy or Combs?) please share!
FREE REVIEW COPIES OF LOST AND FOUND!
While I’ve quite a few (cough-cough-26-cough-cough) nonfiction titles published, fiction is new for me and it’s all about building readership. To a great extent, that happens through reviews. I also know it’s pricy to buy all the books that we’d want to read if’n the wallet overflowed with funds. You can get free books through Audible.com by signing up for a trial membership.
For print books I’ve stumbled upon a neato new site. Authors, pay attention, you’ll want to check this out–and so will all the voracious readers out there. StoryCartel allows readers/reviewers to connect with authors and my LOST AND FOUND is a featured title this month so you can get a review copy for free!
Enough about my books–here’s what you really came to read.
WRITER-ICITY SCTHUFF
Writing Foundation Series check out this blog from authors of The Weekend Novelist, thanks to Rachel Funk Heller for the link
Write Here, Write Now Book Retreat from my colleague Sheila Bonham. She says this retreat/workshop in March on Pawley’s Island, S. Carolina is, “- open to all levels with time for quiet reflection and writing, gatherings for feedback, optional readings in the evenings. The emphasis will be on prose (fiction, nonfiction) but poets are also welcome.”
Writer Beware Year-End Wrap If you don’t subscribe to this great blog, DO IT NOW! Ann Crispin and Victoria Strauss keep the writing world informed about nasty predators
Write for Medium.com the founders of Blogger have a new venture that may be up your writing alley
The Reinvented Writer on The Thrill Begins blog (a bit of how I turned failure into success)
Best Times to Tweet and soooo much more…
Submit to Random House’s Digital Imprint
Amazon “Gutting” B&N pretty strong language, that…earnings analysis of holiday shop-athon
WordPress Giveaway Plugin helps you choose winners for your give-aways
Jane Dystel Literary Agent on “new” publishing–adapt or die.
Goodreads Has 13 Million Users & 20 Million Book Reviews I’m just getting started over at GoodReads and wonder why I waited so long.
Improve Book Ranking with Proper Categories thanks to Leona DeRosa Bodie for the link
BookTrakr for tracking sales, reviews and more
For Script Writers/Movie Producers, one of my colleagues shared links to the following that may be helpful:
YouTube Creator Playbook It offers advice for programming, optimizing, and engaging with your online community.
How to Make A Web Series Ebook
PET-ASTIC SCHTUFF
Survey: Counting Ferrets from the American Ferret Association (and no, your ex-husband doesn’t count…)
Let Feral Cats Run Free some good news for a change!
Blessings for Animals these are lovely!
Humans & Animals: The Inevitable Bond an awesome Chicago conference coming up in July
Pam Denison Online Dog Training Schedule, on sale in January! check out her great books, too!
PUPPY CARE FACEBOOK CHAT 1/13/13 at 9:00 pm (EST) Judy Weiss on “The Dos and Don’ts to prevent unwanted behavior“
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Theater & Performance, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat care, dog behavior dog care, free books, Lost And Found, publishing advice, writing advice, www.amyshojai.com
January 4, 2013
Cat Show, Cat Adoption & 13 Cat Videos!
I was supposed to be at the Houston Cat Show this weekend, but unfortunately the book store vendor had to cancel. So I’m getting my cat show fix vicariously with past year videos.
Cat lovers who have never attended a cat show should really make the effort. There’s something for everyone! It’s not just a beauty contest these days, although that is part of the attraction. Truly stunning cats of all shapes, sizes and fur-styles can be seen. The judges very carefully examine each pedigreed feline for structure, take into consideration the coat and color, AND the kitty temperament, to see how they stack up against the “breed standard.” The cats win lots of bright ribbons, and throughout the day as some cats are eliminated and others move forward, the competition becomes more exciting.
It’s not like a dog show where the canines run around a ring. Nope, the kitties are placed on a table in front of the judge and care is taken to disinfect in between judging to prevent any transmission of disease. That’s also why you’ll see signs on the show cages, “Don’t touch–I don’t bite but my human does!” Simply petting one cat and then the next can carry illness and spread problems, and even though these felines are in tip-top health, these cat lovers take no chances.
There are “championship” competitions for intact (able to breed) pedigree cats. But there also are “premiership” competitions–a championship category for cats that have been spayed or neutered! And there also are the “household pet” categories for kitties that have no registration papers but are gorgeous, healthy cat-next-door companions–maybe like your cat! These felines also can earn ribbons and become champions in their category.
I love it because you can talk to the cat show exhibitors about their cats, ask about the breeds and learn so much about the gorgeous felines. Cat names are to die for and the creativity involved in naming a particular cat–or decorating a show cage (so the kitties can’t see each other and get upset) is a true art.
Did you know that cats also do agility? It’s a bit different than the dog sport, but has become more and more popular. Kitties of course enjoy running tunnels and leaping vaults or otherwise showing their athleticism.
Many shows like the Houston Cat Club event also welcome shelters and rescue groups to come and offer on the spot adoptions. What a win-win for the cats and the people!
There also are fun dress up events, kitty fashion shows, and more at cat shows. Oh, and the vendors–I have found THE BEST BLING EVER at cat shows. Just saying…
Enjoy some of these videos from cat shows I’ve attended. And paws crossed, I’ll get back to another one soon.
Have you ever attended a cat show? What did you like best? How about your furry wonder, how would s/he do in the competition? Although I believe Seren-kitty is a show-stopper, she’s not a good candidate for being in public and handled by strangers, but many cats thrive on this fun family outing.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Ask Amy Videos, Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat breeds, cat care, cat shows, cats, www.amyshojai.com
January 2, 2013
New Year’s Pet Resolutions
It’s 2013, wow. A new year is a time for reflection on the past, and resolutions for the future. My furry crew tells me it’s a good time to take stock of the past year from a pets’-eye-view, and the year to come.
The Magical-Dawg romped through the year and once again mystified the vet, this time with a “sterile abscess” and swollen face. He’s now six—and still keeps me on my toes.
Seren-kitty has reached the grand age of 15 and has become MORE active compared to last year. While she does sleep more, she now demands lap time (a first for her!) and wants more attention especially when it irks the dog. She’s now eating a therapeutic diet to help slow the progression of kidney insufficiency, and I see sprinkles of white in her black mask, her claws click when she walks (arthritis makes it hard to keep them hidden). Siamese tend to be one of the longest-lived cat breeds so I’m counting on having another decade with the wee beastie!
So here are New Year’s Resolutions from Magic and Seren, with commentary by Amy.
Magic: “I will teach my humans to read my mind when I stare into their eyes.”
Amy: He knows many words but hasn’t figured out how to articulate. So I resolve to better guess what he’s telling me.
Seren: “I will train my humans to make laps available ALL THE TIME.”
Amy: She insists on lap time each evening, but doesn’t quite understand why she can’t sit on the laptop computer. So I resolve to schedule quitting time earlier to provide for kitty lap-sitting requirements.
Magic: “I will kill all squeakers and chew sticky-out wrong parts on toys.”
Amy: He amputates teddy-bear ears, steals cat toys, and ends up with sparkly poop. I resolve to find a Magic-proof squeaky stuffed toy—been looking for years now. Same resolution as last year. *sigh*
Seren: “I will guard Amy’s lap and chase the (spit) dawg away from MY human.”
Amy: She particularly enjoys late night harassing, and especially teasing the dog to sniff by rolling on the floor—and then punishing him for the nose poke. I resolve to keep Magic corralled so that Seren can enjoy her rock-around-the-clock antics for as long as she continues to want to race.
Magic: “I will grab and stack every Frisbee in the house and play keep-away from Amy. Unless we go for a car ride.”
Amy: Magic adores playing Frisbee fetch. So far he’s managed to stack 8 at once and carry them, and insists that HE carry them all—but sometimes decides to play keep away and will only return if tempted by the car horn signaling a ride.
Seren: “I will meow and cry REALLY REALLY LOUD until Amy stops hiding.”
Amy: Seren’s age means her hearing isn’t so good and has trouble hearing and finding us. She’ll call loudly (especially late at night) as she searches for us. I resolve to ensure she can ALWAYS find us easily, by answering her cries no matter how busy I might be.
Seren: “I will train Amy the right way to play with the feather toys!”
Amy: Seren used to enjoy fishing pole lures but Magic gets frustrated he can’t play, too, and barks—which takes the joy out of her game. This past year, she’s stopped wanting to chase so much (arthritis strikes again!) but still loves her collection of feather wands. I resolve to keep a feather wand available at hand, for Seren’s face-rubbing, body-petting pleasure.
Magic: “I will chase any $%^&! coyote that dares stomp on my property.”
Amy: Magic has 13-acres he patrols each day, and carefully baptizes any coyote evidence to ensure critters know he’s the biggest dawg around. I resolve to keep him safe from marauding critters—no matter how much he wants to chase and sniff.
Seren: “I will sleep more, hiss less. Even around the dog—he’s not worth the energy.”
Amy: Over the past year Seren has become much more tolerant of rude dog noses, and stands her ground. I resolve to make sure she’s always the “top cat” in our home—after all, she was here first.
Magic: “I will go for a ride forever!”
Amy: Magic continues his love affair with the Magic-Mobile. Thank goodness the car keys are out of reach. I resolve to give Magic a car ride at least every other day, pending good weather.
Seren: “I will train Amy there’s more to nine lives than paw-tapping and staring at a boxy computer-thing. Like lap time snuggles. And whisker-kisses.”
Magic: “I will train Amy that sharing treats is a very-good-thing. So are tummy rubs.”
Amy: I resolve to listen to my furry wonders. What about you?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai. www.amyshojai.com, cat behavior, cat care, dog care, dog training, New Years, pet resolutions, resolutons
December 31, 2012
Thank You Jillian Dodd!
Don’t you just love surprises?
YA author phenom Jillian Dodd has no idea that 99 authors are blogging about her today or that reader bloggers have jumped on board too to help us thank her for what she has done for us.
Publishing today has lots more challenges than when I first started writing books (mumble-mumble) years ago, and it takes a village–and a mentor–to help figure how what to do. Jill not only learned on her own, but then SHARED hard-won expertise with other writers. Those who follow my blog know how I love mentoring and mentors, and Jillian has made it happen not only for herself but for the rest of us.
So this blog is a ginormous purrring THANK YOU! Here’s why.
Jillian devised a marketing plan while chatting to other writers about the best way to bring their books to the attention of the reading public. And then she opened up the promo and invited a boatload of authors–many first time writers–to join a December 21 promo to sell 99 EBooks for 99 cents.
You betcha, I joined the gang–even though my kitten book was the only nonfiction title in the group. No worries, Jillian gave it some extra purr-fect attention because it was the only nonfiction title. But Jill did that for ALL of us, and found extra ways to shout out to make sure everyone got the attention. She’s just that kind of person. And she offered easy cut-and-paste instructions how to make the promotion work, all of us 99-strong singing from the virtual rooftops about our combined efforts with Jill conducting the orchestra.
So what happened? Drum roll please…
At the end of the 21st December, ten of us were in the top 100 in the Kindle store. By this time Amazon had joined the bookish chorus adding us with the Kindle Daily Deal and the majority of books’ rankings soared. Many authors sold hundreds of books and/or were in the top five of their specific category genres. My own nonfiction kitten book rose to #1 in two cat-egories and in the top 10 in two more, and even a week later is holding at #2! Readers were ecstatic, authors were excited and Jillian stayed up with virtually no sleep for forty-eight hours to make sure the whole thing went smoothly and to keep sharp eyes on the numbers.
And let me tell you it was meow-velous for all involved!
How do you thank an author for helping give your own books a boost? Well, you return the furry favor, of course. So back to her books!
Did you guys ever watch Gossip Girl? Or Beverly Hills 90210 in the early days? If you enjoyed those, you’re going to love the steamy Keatyn Chronicles. Readers have gone wild for Keatyn and her complicated life, never mind her even more complex love life. It’s not just YA readers reading these books, either. With guy characters readers describe as “drool worthy,” fans post photos of who they think should play each “hot guy” in a film or television series. Book one is Stalk Me and it has garnered over 138 five star reviews. Kiss Me is the next book in the series with more to come.
Learn more about Jillian Dodd at her website, an all around terrific lady and great author. You can find her at GoodReads, too.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, JILLIAN–AND MAY 2013 bring WONDERFUL things for you!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Uncategorized, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, Jillian Dodd, writing advice, www.amyshojai.com
Monday Mentions: Looking Back & Looking Ahead
Wow, can you see this nervous tic at the corner of my right eye? It developed last Thursday and has only now quieted due to the therapeutic virtual scribblings for this blog. Who knew blogging would become so addictive?! And I gave myself and my human (and furry) family a gift of taking most of last week off with only one blog on Christmas day. Instead of blogging, I read. Baked. Ate too much. I reviewed 2012. Oh, and plotted for 2013.
This was a banner year for my writing. Three new ComPETability nonfiction titles, my first audio book, and my debut thriller LOST AND FOUND were all published. KURVES, THE MUSICAL was produced to rave reviews. And celebrated the 20th Anniversary founding of the Cat Writers Association (I can’t be that old!). But best of all, I connected with more readers and writer colleagues than ever before–me helping mentor some newer writers, and being mentored in return by y’all–and that really makes me purr as I look ahead to making more great connections.
I don’t do well with resolutions, although this Wednesday you’ll hear from the Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty about THEIR resolutions (with my comments ). However, the writer-icty this past year has taken off in a good way, and I do much better with deadlines and to-do lists. So rather than resolutions, I’ve put together my 2013 goals and then calendared the steps needed to accomplish those goals. For me, if it ain’t on the calendar, it doesn’t exist. Here’s my big item short list for 2013, not necessarily in order:
Record more audio books and publish. Complete Kitten Care audio is already available, Lost And Found thriller was JUST RELEASED TODAY!
Write Hide And Seek (sequel to the thriller)
Get the ComPETablity books into print
Update and release The Purina Encyclopedia of Cat Care (including a new title tbd)
Write Complete Puppy Care (companion to the kitten book)
Finish script and orchestrate music for Strays, The Musical with my co-author
Continue regular weekly newspaper column, blogs (with new Ask Amy videos) and puppies.about.com content
Maybe a bit ambitious? Or not enough? Heck, probably should also include “spend more time with family/fur kids” cuz like I said, if it’s not on the calendar it won’t happen. I also have to remember to cross off the “away” days because I’m scheduled to speak so far at three writer conferences and also will be attending the Western Veterinary Conference.
Okay, your turn. I won’t ask about resolutions–but do you have a 2013 to-do list? Has your calendar started to fill up yet? Mine has highlighter markings in a rainbow and I’m running out of new colors.
Onward to the linky love list! And I’ve got nearly two weeks’ worth after taking time off. Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Please scroll down for some silly, fun, and moving videos, too.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Mark Coker (Smashwords) 2013 Publishing Predictions
Toxoplasmosis & Mental Illness this is old news (and a bit misleading) in the “cat world” but could be great plot complication for writers. Be advised most “human” cases result from you eating undercooked meat, not from interaction with your cat.
Obsolete Words this is a fun list, thanks to Darlene Arden for the link
Random House Gives $5000 Bonuses to 5000+ Employees If that first link didn’t give you a headache, this one sure will
Screenplay Writers Website a new online magazine resource, looks interesting
Sounds Odd? tips for audio book voicings
Building Direct Channels to Readers some tips on newsletters
Rachel Gardner Literary Agent has lots of good advice on her site
Tips for Picking Up the Pace from the always savvy Jodie Renner
10 Rules for Writing About Cops lots of good stuff here!
INSTAGRAM Updates Terms including right to sell your photos and says said today that it has the perpetual right to sell users’ photographs without payment or notification, a dramatic policy shift that quickly sparked a public outcry. Unless Instagram users delete their accounts before the January deadline, they cannot opt out.
Query Letters Tips when pitching to agents
PET-CENTRIC SCHTUFF
Comfort Dogs in Newtown Connecticut
Mouse Agility with cool video!
Help Rehome Cats if you can offer a furry leg on the transport chain, check it out!
New Poison Treatment for Cats?
Homeopathy & AVMA wow…this will put some folks’ tails in a twist.
A reader of my Christmas tree tips blog cautioned that her cats EAT cotton balls! So beware if you have a cat like this.
IAABC FREE CHAT ON FACEBOOK 1/13/13 at 9:00 pm (EST) Judy Weiss on “How to Raise a Great Puppy: The Dos and Don’ts to prevent unwanted behavior“
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Filed under: Uncategorized
