Amy Shojai's Blog, page 142

Whisker Wednesday: Pet 'Net & Cat Intros

Adoption love...a beautiful thing! (photo courtesy of Maria Magnus)

Yes, it's time for the 4th Annual Pet 'Net Event, yee-haw! And this year we're re-visiting the first topic, and a fav of one and all–PET ADOPTIONS!

Pet 'Net 2011 joins pet bloggers (including me!) all across the country to spread the furry word on November 16 about the many advantages of pet adoption. There are even ways you can donate and help promote all adoptions.



Since November is also National Adopted A Senior Pet Month, I've already blogged aboutpuppy-to-senior-dog-adoptions at my Puppies Site. That means today's Woof Wednesday blog has been hijacked by the kitties. Mee-wow!

Kitten to Old Fogey Cat Intros

Cat lovers often decide to adopt a new pet without consulting the old-fogey feline. Maybe you've recently lost a beloved old cat and believe the surviving feline is lonely, or perhaps you worry that the singleton kitty is bored without companionship.

Maybe. Or maybe not.

Here's the deal–would you want to have a funny-smelling stranger come into your home, sleep in your bed, eat from your place, poop in your toilet (without flushing!) and go cheek-to-cheek with your beloved? Proper intros work wonders to smooth the hissy fits.

Kittens Don't Count

Well, they do, but not so much in terms of social standing. Your senior citizen kitty already "owns" your pillow, the top of the TV, the litter box and food bowl–and your heart. A kitten due to age won't challenge the older cat's authority nearly as much as an in-her-prime adult feline. So when thinking about adopting a new furry wonder, a baby cat won't be as big of a threat or challenge to your resident feline's status quo.

Shelter kittens smell like...well, shelters.

Stranger Danger

Getting hissy with strange cats is a NORMAL cat behavior. In the wild, the feline that's too friendly with a weird interloper risks getting eaten. Cats identify safe people (or other pets) by their familiar smell. A fresh-from-the-shelter a new pet that hasn't been kitty-groomed by the group with licks and cheek rubs might as well be Frankenstein-Cat.

Tolerate THIS!

The sight, sound, and smell of a strange cat pushes kitty buttons to extreme. But blocking one sense (sight of each other for example) reduces arousal. That helps enormously during cat-to-cat intros, which is one reason my must-do list includes initially separating the cats. That also allows your older cat to maintain run of the house and ownership of all the prime kitty real estate.

Shut The Door

Confine the new kitten in a single "safe room" so the resident cat understands only part of his territory has been invaded. Young kittens that haven't a clue anyway won't care. But if they're the least shy, being sequestered offers a safe, soothing retreat with a litter box, food and water bowls, toys, scratch post and other kitty paraphernalia. Being the "new kid" can be stressful for shrinking violet kittens so build the baby's confidence with a room of his or her own before the whisker-to-whisker meeting.

Keep the solid door closed for at least a week before risking a face-to-face. Watch for your resident cat's reaction. Hisses are normal. Trust me on this! It may take more than three weeks before those growly-sounds fade.

See, if you try to intro them too soon and the fur flies, the cats will remember that AWFUL-NASTY-TURRIBLE-DEVIL and bring a bad c'attitude to future meetings. It's better to take it slow and avoid having the kitties practice bad behavior. They'll have a lifetime together so what's a delay of a few days or weeks?

Feed the cats on opposite sides of the door, to associate each other's smell with good things. After each cat has had a meal, switch out the plates temporarily so that they can sniff the bowls and become even more familiar with each other. It's even better when a bit of food is left, because that helps the cats identify good stuff—food—with the other animal.

Try some playtime on opposite sides of the door, too. Have another family member deal with the kitten while you (or whoever your aging kitty ADORES THE MOST) interacts with the resident feline. Catnip could be helpful–sure, get the old guy drunk. If he sniffs the kitten and gets a bit of a buzz, that could be a very positive association.

Sniffing and paw pats underneath the door are positive signs. The cats should "know" each other by scent before they ever set eyes on each other. Expect normal posturing, fluffed fur and hissing and when that begins to fade, you're ready for the next step.

Trading Spaces

Swap out the cats after a few days. That gives the old cat a chance to get up close and personal sniffing where the devil new cat has been. And it allows the newly adopted baby to scope out the environment.Kitties have no interest in meeting new people or pets unless they feel comfortable with their environment.

Reduce any potential kitty controversy by creating a house of plenty. Your home should have so much good-kitty-stuff that there's no need for the kitten and old cat to argue over it.

Place multiple litter boxes and feeding stations in different locations so that one cat can't own and "guard" the facilities. Increase territory with cat trees, shelves to lounge, tunnels and boxes to hide, and toys galore. It doesn't have to break the bank, either. Cheap thrills like empty paper bags or wads of paper serve as irresistible toys that often appeal more than the high dollar versions. Cardboard boxes, a cleared shelf on the bookcase, or a soft blanket under a lamp really get the purr-motor rumbling.

Nose-To-Nose At Last

Once the BIG DAY arrives, just open the "safe room" door, stand back, and let the cat's meet. Supervise, of course, but don't force interaction. You can feed them on opposite sides of the room or play interactive games at a distance to smooth this first meeting. The cats may ignore each other for hours or days and that's fine, too.

A bit of posturing with hisses, cautionary swats and other snark-icity is to be expected. Do stop the interactions if growls start rumbling. You may want to replace the closed door with a baby gate so the cats can sniff and meet through the safety of a barrier but still be segregated. Until you're sure the old cat won't mangle the baby, or the baby won't terrorize the oldster, supervise or keep the new kitten segregated when you can't. It can be love at first sight, or may take weeks or months to accept somebody new into the family.

For all you new kitten adopters out there–conCATulations! You'll find many more kitten-specific tips in my Complete Kitten Care book.

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Feline Fridays, Uncategorized, Wags & Purrs Tagged: Amy Shojai, cats, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, introductions, kittens, Pet Net, petfinder.com, petside.com

Tuesday Tips: Safety for Doggy Table Moochers

"Can I have a taste?"

Tuesday Tips has been the day for everything from cat and dog quick advice to writerly series on everything from Indy Kindle publishing and advice from best-selling authors to Media Training. This week I prepare to attend the Cat Writers' Association Conference and also have a few timely topical posts (see tomorrow's Pet 'Net Event!). So since the Woof Wednesday blog got hijacked by the cats, it's only fair that today's Tuesday Tips goes to the dawgs. And the topic is one of my fur-family's favorites.

FOOD.

But first you have to get to the treat party.

Holiday Travel

Will you travel to a relative's home for the upcoming holiday events? My Magic wants to remind you–DON'T FORGET THE DOG! They're part of the family, too. And unlike cats who often despise new places/people/pets–more on that on tomorrow's blog–dogs seem to relish family gatherings. For those with canines who have problems with car rides, you can start training now with these car ride tips for dogs and he'll be ready to roll by Thanksgiving. And yes, you'll see the Magical-Dawg in the article's picture in HIS car!

Dogs perfect the "I'm starving!" look.

It doesn't have to be the holidays for us to want to treat our dogs. Magic has three favorites in his life–car rides, Frisbee and TREATS. We love to indulge ourselves-and them-and are careful to avoid poisoning pets with high-risk foods like chocolate, macadamia nuts, avocados, or raisons/grapes. Artificial sweeteners keep owners lean, but any goodies sweetened with Xylitol could cause canine liver failure. There also are some people foods that we relish that can land our dogs in the hospital–or worse! Some table food can actually KILL your fur-kid. Learn about the high-risk treats here, along with some first-aid tips just in case.

Why is it that dogs beg? Are they really all that hungry? Heck, Magic even begs for green beans and then spits them out. Puppies are notorious moochers so if you have a new fur-kid, take a moment to read these puppy-specific tips on why puppies beg. Learn ways to safely treat puppies without turning them into begging fools.

When the aroma of baking and roasting turns on the doggy drool, what human foods are safe for dogs to snack on? Actually, dogs have been eating the same foods people do for centuries and not only live to tell about it, they thrive. And holistic vets often recommend some of these foods for a more natural way to treat your doggy best friend. The latest Paw Nation article explains about 10 Healthy Table Foods your dog can eat–right in time for the howl-lidays!

Helping the Medicine Go Down

You can find out even more "natural remedies" for your fur-kids in my book New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs & Cats–I just found out it's available on Kindle, too. And on a related note, if you have a pet that needs medicine, there's a nifty way to help the medicine go down–with veterinary compounding. I just interviewed a very kewl pharmacist who has all sorts of Pupcicles with pain and antibiotics combined, peanut-flavored treatments for parrots, and transdermal (through the skin) ointments so you don't have to pill your cat. You can listen on my latest Pet Peeves radio show Helping The Medicine Go Down.

Have happy–and SAFE–holiday meals for your entire family, furry and otherwise.

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Tuesday Tips, Wags & Purrs Tagged: Amy Shojai, compounded medicine for pets, dog books, dog training, dogs, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, human foods, PawNation.com, puppies, puppies.About.com, travel with dogs, treats

Monday Mentions: Cats, Dogs, Writing & Cute Kitten Videos

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. This past weekend I've managed to finish two new puppy articles on hypothermia and frostbite first aid, edit/upload a new video (see below, SQUEEEE!), and edit several more fiction chapters. Oh, and I've written (in advance) all the blogs for this week. Whew!

That's because I leave for the Cat Writers' Association annual conference this Thursday and will present the Shojai Mentor Award at the banquet. Friday evening I partner with Susan Logan, editor of Cat Fancy Magazine, as the entertainment for the event. We've had some challenges putting together the musical accompaniment, but I think finally the orchestration (on CD) is ready. I hope to see y'all there!

CAT SCHTUFF

Kitty Ball Bed–buy a raffle ticket, win a fashionable snooze spot for your feline, AND benefit Floppy Cats. Oh, a "floppy cat" is a Ragdoll kitty, a stunning breed, and this raffle item from The Refined Feline benefits Ragdoll Cat Rescue.

Darlene Arden's PerPETually Speaking Blog offers a lovely post on Adopting Older Pets

Lisa Mac's shares tender remembrances of a brown spotted tabby in Across the Rainbow Bridge

Last winter Christine Davis lost two very special fur-kids. This always leaves a hole in a pet parent's life. But when your livelihood also is intrinsically linked to the furry loves in your life, every waking moment (and even when you sleep at night) you are reminded of that absence.  But Christine did something about her pain and the result is FOREVER PAWS, a gentle and tender fable that comforts those who hurt while celebrating our cherished relationship.

I don't have children, don't understand 'em, can't write for 'em (they scare me!) and almost NEVER review kid books. Although this small gift book is appropriate for children (I think–what do I know?),  it strikes a chord with this adult. I was already a fan of Christine's other books–but this one is extreeee spashul. I hope you won't lose the furry love of your life for a long, long time. But when it happens, Christine's book FOREVER PAWS will help.

WRITING SCHTUFF

Cat Writers Association Annual Conference in White Plains, New York, November 17-19. Yes, folks that's THIS COMING WEEKEND! Currently there are 11 editors/agents scheduled for one-on-one appointments, over a dozen seminars, sparkle-icity during the awards and receptions, and–oh yes–a nearby cat show. Lots of dog-centric folks and just dang fine writers of all stripes will be there.

When Can A Young Child Testify? from Dr. Doug Lyle's forensics blog and guest blogger Leslie Budewitz

Bloody Good-And She BITES! another from Doug's awesome blog about a woman who truly believes she's a vampire (and sets out to prove it, ew!)

Build Tension With Physical Intimacy–In your novel, of course! Great info in time for the Na-No…aka Nonny-Nonny-BooBoo novel writing month. But seriously, Jenny Hansen nails it again.

A Sure Thing–Not! from Dystel & Goderich Literary Agency (prepare to gnash dentures)

10 Absolutely Fantastic Intensifiers You Should Really Avoid–awesome, dude!

In early November I received a delightful note from Darlene Jones, thanking me for the Tuesday Tips series on Kindle-ization. She says the tips helped her through the process publishing her novel EMBATTLED which has already garnered a positive review. Congrats, Darlene! May your book be read and enjoyed by many, and your royalty statements have commas!

KOBO (an Ebook Platform) sold to Japan's Rakuten for $315 million. And they say there's no money in Ebooks. Pshfffft.

Beware The Social Media Snuggie from Kristen Lamb–she knows this schtuff! And she's funny, too. *s*

Gene Lempp has an incredible blog and each Saturday his mashup of awesomeness lists some of the best blog-icity on the planet, including priceless info for writers. Here's the most recent blog treasures post–you'll want to bookmark this.

DOG SCHTUFF

Dog Seminars Directory A site that lists a variety of dog-centric seminars scheduled around the world.

Awesome dog writer Caroline Coile has launched a new blog–yay!–and you MUST read this very kewl post about 11 Famous Canine War Veterans.  The second on the list, Sgt Stubby, probably wouldn't be welcome in many circles today. *huge sigh*

Nominate A Dog Hero  for the 2012 Dog Hero Awards through The American Humane. Categories include police, military, service, therapy, guide, and search and rescue dogs.

Susan McCullough, another talented dog writer/author, blogs over at the Northern Virginia Dog Blog about her "Nine, Going On Two" senior dog. Lovely post.

November is National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month with some great info from the experts at VCA Animal Hospitals, check it out! Since diabetes is often a disease of aging pets, it's appropriate to learn about this the same month we're encouraging "aging pet" adoptions. Learn about doggy diabetes here, and for the kitties you can learn about feline diabetes here. 

Jake the Dog Daily Blog, the life and times of a yellow lab.

I-DO-THIS-FOR-A-LIVING SCHTUFF

How'd I get so lucky, eh? This past week a bunch of us behavior consultant types gathered together for a very tough assignment. Seems my colleague Dr. Amanda Florsheim took in a feral kitty who was "too preggers" to fix. The resulting four babies currently are about 6-7 weeks old by the time you read this. Our fantastic fun evening arduous task was to help socialize them. You can tell from the video it was a harrowing experience.

Prime kitten socialization period is 2-7 weeks so Amanda has exposed the babies to friendly dogs, kids, many adults, different locations–and scary-R-us behavior consultants. Once the pizza arrived the kits turned into cheese-heads. I still have my fingers so the bite inhibition training has worked very well.

Please contact me if you fall in furry love with one of these babies and I can arrange an intro–although I hope you'll consider adopting a senior kitty, doggy or other fur-love in your own locale.

THANKS!

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Kindle, Monday Mentions, Uncategorized, Wags & Purrs, Writing Tips Tagged: aging cats, aging dogs, Amy Shojai, Caroline Coile, cat writers association, cats, Christine Davis, Darlene Arden, Darlene Jones, diabetes, DP Lyle, Dystel & Goderich Literary agency, Gene Lempp, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Jenny Hansen, kitten play, kittens, kitty ball bed, Kristen Lamb, pets, Ragdoll Cat Rescue, Susan McCullough, The American Humane, VCA Animal Hospitals

Feline Friday: Screen Scratching Maniac

Cats claw. They're just wired that way. And they'll find all kinds of unique targets if they don't feel satisfied with the usual fare.

Today's blog has two Ask Amy videos, both with advice and information about your kitty claw-maniacs. How have you managed your cat "nailing" your valuables? I'm fortunate that Seren-kitty hasn't done too much damage, although in her younger days she used my pant legs as moveable scratch objects. Of course, she's now a senior citizen kitty.

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Bling Alert!, Feline Fridays, Video Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, cat books, cat scratching, cat training, cats, claw training, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, kittens, video

Woof Wednesday: What Is Old & Fetching Fools

Old dogs, old friends--extra care is WORTH it!

What is considered "old?" There are individual differences between pets, just as there are for people. While one person may act, look and feel "old" at fifty-five, another fifty-five-year-old remains active with a youthful attitude and appearance.

Aging is influenced by a combination of genetics, environment, and health care over a lifetime. The oldest dog on record was an Australian Cattle Dog who lived for twenty-nine years and five months.

A good definition of old age for an animal is the last 25 percent of her life. However, we can't accurately predict what an individual pet's life span will be, so pinpointing when old age begins is tough. Ask the breeder about the life span of your pet's parents and grandparents. That's a good predictor of how long you could expect your cat or dog to live. Mixed-ancestry pets are more difficult to predict, but you can make a few generalities.

Little guys age more gracefully than giant breeds.

Extended Lifespan

In the past fifty years, the average life span of small dogs has tripled. They used to live to be only six or seven years old, but today it's not unusual for your Chihuahua to live into late teens or early twenties. With an average potential life span of fifteen to seventeen years, onset of old age—when a little dog becomes "senior"—would be about age eleven to thirteen.

Even large-breed dogs, which age more quickly, commonly reach ten to thirteen years of age—double the life span of the past few decades. They would therefore be considered old starting at about seven years.

Giant breed dogs (those weighing over eight pounds or so) tend to age earlier than smaller pets. Great Danes, for example, are considered "senior" at age five, and typically live only seven to nine years. There are exceptions, of course, with some very large dogs living healthy, happy lives well into their teens.

Sniffing ability is maintained longer than eyesight or hearing--use it!

Youthful Doggedness?

So you have an old fogey doggy–how do you keep him youthful? What happens when that go-go-go puppy attitude turns into a yen for snoozing the day away? Dogs can become frustrated when their youthful abilities fade away and they're no longer able to leap tall buildings–or onto sofas–with a single bound, or chase the Frisbee and catch it without effort.

I have one word for you: ACCOMMODATION.

Enrich the dog's environment and make accommodations for his new skill set. Agility dogs can still perform all those tricks of fetch and vault, just lower the bar a bit. For blind dogs, put a bell inside the ball or scent with liverwurst so his nose knows where to find it.

Today's Ask Amy strikes close to home because my Magical-Dawg is a fetching fool. Currently he's in his prime and has no problem chasing and leaping until  his tongue drags the ground. But since this is Magic's all-time-favorite-of-them-all (excluding car rides!), I know that FETCH will be a game that helps keep him young even when he's an old fogey.

Do you have a fetching fool? What about your old dogs–what games do they love? Have you made accommodations for their aging abilities? Please share!

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Bling Alert!, Video, Woof Wednesdays Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, cat books, dog behavior, dog books, dog games, fetching, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, old dogs, pets

Tuesday Tips: Media Training & Interview Tips

This is the fifth and final installment in my latest Tuesday Tips series, this time on media training for authors. You can read the first installment about why media is important, and the second installment describes traditional vs "modern" media. Two week's ago I covered targeting your media. Last week we talked pitch-craft. And today, it's all about the actual interview.

Bring a whole basket full of cute-icity.

So you got the gig. NOW what? Prepare for your interview, of course! The key to a successful interview is preparation, practice, and delivery. Above all, be yourself. People want to hear your story, so enjoy sharing the experience.

PITCH RE-RUN

Decide what you want to say: your name, title of the book and where to buy it—and a 2 to 3-sentence recap of the story itself. You already have your pitch prepared, so use it. The interviewer should already have the basic info and some hosts ask YOU to send them questions (and answers) in advance and that's GOLDEN! Offer to pronounce your name or spell it phonetically in advance if you have a weird name like SHO-JAW-EEE that crosses eyes. But if the host fails to say any important stuff (like your NAME or your BOOK TITLE or your EVENT) jump in and provide that yourself. Take notes if you must to be sure you've got dates, times and locations of events right.

You'll find fans everywhere.

BRING THE BOOK

Think visuals for TV but even radio hosts may want the book in advance to read/review or for a listener give-away. TV may ask you to send a digital image but always prepare for crappiocca to happen. If the image gets lost, you'll have the physical book handy to hold up–and autograph/give to the host. That's a nice perk and just might get you extra air time or an invite back.

WATER COOLER CONTENT

Think in terms of making your story one viewers talk about at the water cooler the next day. Practice speaking in sound bites–that is, colorful or unique ways to describe yourself and your work. You're a writer–it's what you do, after all! I'd get bleeped if I said "pet sh*t" on TV even though that's a big part of my writing life–so instead such things can be described as "litter-ary creativity" or other unique ways to get the aromatic message across.

CUT TO THE CHASE

Be clear, concise, and conversational. Television interviews may only be 2-5 minutes long, so get in all your must-tell info in the first 30 seconds. You never know when breaking news bumps your segment off the air. The opposite may happen, too. If another guest is a no-show you may get twice the on-air time so have something value added to say.

REHEARSE

Practice your delivery. Try recording or videotaping yourself, or practice in front of a mirror—various methods work best for different people. Be aware that very few people like the way the look or sound in these situations–you're normal! Personally, I hate the way I look and sound on TV or recorded, so I just don't watch or listen to myself. And you'll become more comfortable the more you do it. That old trick about imagining your audience naked can backfire, if your host has a giggle-worthy physique or the opposite . . . hey CONCENTRATE. Drooling isn't particularly attractive unless you're a baby or St. Bernard. And even then– oh, never mind.



RADIO-ACTIVE

Radio interviews tend to be longer, 10 or even 30 minutes. Radio interviews conducted over the phone mean you can wear bunny slippers, a housecoat and no makeup–and since they can't see you, having notes handy is fine. Provide sample questions and have answers prepared, but avoid reading from a script, which sounds rehearsed. Let them hear the real you! Mention book no oftener than beginning, end, and once in middle. Be an entertainer, not a hard-core salesman. Check out this example from my Pet Peeves Radio Show, with co-authors Susan Logan and Jeanne Adlon discussing their new book CAT CALLS.





TV APPEARANCE MATTERS

If your interview is on camera or in person, wear something comfortable that makes you feel confident. Bright, solid colors work best. Avoid earth tones that wash you out, or busy prints such as hound's-tooth or polka dots that create odd eye-buster visuals.

Women—wear a light solid blouse with a bright jacket.
Men–pair a light solid shirt with a dark jacket and bright tie.
Note: A jacket, vest, or layered shirt allows the microphone wire to be placed inconspicuously beneath your clothing
Makeup matters—even for men. Television lights wash out your features, so more makeup than usual works best on women (darker lipstick, more blush and eyeliner). A simple combination powder/foundation helps men look healthy rather than ghostlike. Guys, ask a lady friend for help if you're shy–the larger TV stations may have a makeup person to help you. If so, enjoy!
During in person interviews, don't look at the camera–look at the interviewer. For all practical purposes your conversation is with THAT ONE PERSON so relax, be enthusiastic, and the joy of your story will shine through.

ONE FINAL NOTE

Don't forget to BREATHE!

Here's an example of a TV interview from a couple year's ago. Notice the background colors on the set–and so I tried to choose contrasting clothing. This is a long segment for TV, and the host let me rattle on a bit longer that many would. When my "aging cat" book first came out I was interviewed on this morning show–and was subsequently asked to make a regular appearance. That became a twice monthly PET TALK segment and we've continued this program for nearly ten years now. THIS could happen for you, too!

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Pet Peeves Radio, Tuesday Tips, Video, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, dog books, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, media for authors, pet books, Pet Peeves radio, writers, writers conference, writing

Monday Mentions: Frog Mouth Links & More!

Feeeeeeeeeed Meeeeeeee! (Tawny Frog Mouth courtesy of Rayya-the-Vet)

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. This past weekend I've managed to finish four new puppy articles, edit/upload six new Ask Amy videos for future blogs, and edit several more fiction chapters. Whew!

I'm trying to get a weeeeee bit caught up or even ahead of the game. November will be busy, as I'm sure it is for many folks, with Thanksgiving around the corner. I'm also prepping for the Cat Writers' Association annual conference week after next, and will present the Shojai Mentor Award at the banquet. The night before, though, I partner with Susan Logan, editor of Cat Fancy Magazine, as the entertainment for the event. Yes, we'll be caterwauling, yodeling, or otherwise meowing our way through a few kitty tunes. I understand there will be video (yikes!) so I'll do my best not to embarrass the fur-kids.

Lots of fun links today, in no particular order. Except that photo (above) I just had to swipe share from a very kewl blog. Tawny Frog Mouth from Rayya the Vet's wonderful blog, you must check out the VIDEO of this hungry baby–priceless!

Justice for Feral Cats? Zoo employee convicted of trying to poison stray kitties, yikes!

Lisa-Maria Padilla kitty Halloween pictures–FANTASTIC! You will smile, and your cats will say, "Whew–thank the cat-gods that's not me!"

Jessica O'Neal "The Sexy Little Nerd" blog demonstrates the spirit of the best of blog-icity with her Paying It Forward post. Love the design, too–oh, and she's got a JRT! Well worth checking out her blog!

Lessons My Cats Taught Me is a lovely tribute from one of the bloggers at Writers In the Storm–tissue alert!

Planet Dog, one of my fav sources for doggy toys, is celebrating 10 years of giving–and they've got a WRITING CONTEST, check it out! Your pooch is sure to provide inspiration.

Holiday E-Cards from the Awesome Morris Animal Foundation

Gene Lempp's Zoo Arcane blog on Evil Little People, sure to give writers inspiration for fantastical plotting and bad guys. The pictures alone are worth the peek.

Rules for FaceBook–to avoid HISSING off your so-called friends. Read it. I mean now. I'll wait.

Writer Loses $$ with Self-Pub'ing–but honestly, you gotta read the contracts, folks. Sure it's a shame but it appears this author sorta-kinda-in-a-way invited the angst.

Dan Poynter's ParaPromotion, from the ultimate self-pub'ing guru.

Vocabulary Quiz–all you writers out there, what's YOUR score? (mine was 3420)

My friend and colleague, brilliant writer Dr. Deb Eldredge, recently had some heartbreaking challenges in her doggy family–but the new kid–named Babe–is sure to put smiles on faces. She gave me permission to share the new pup's first encounter with that (gasp!) other puppy in the mirror. Enjoy!

THANKS!

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Monday Mentions, Video, Wags & Purrs, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, cat writers association, Dan Poynter, Deb Eldredge, dog books, Facebook, feral cats, Halloween cat pictures, http://www.amyshojai.com, Morris Animal Foundation, Planet Dog

Feline Friday: Ask Amy & Old Loudmouth Kitties

Cappy enjoys a sunbath. (Copr. Sanskrtlady/Flickr)

My Seren-kitty has never been a touchy-feely lap snuggler. She'd rather find a puddle of sunlight (like Cappy-Kitty in the picture) for her heat treatment. It wasn't until she became a senior citizen cat that Seren deigned to snooze on a human, and with the cooler weather that arrived overnight, she's demanding more lap time these days. I don't mind, it's nice to have a furry hot water bottle to keep me warm.

As promised for National Adopt A Senior Pet Month, today's topic focuses on some old-cat issues. A biggie is litter box issues. I'm fortunate that Seren has never had a problem maintaining her potty duty–despite the harrowing scary noise a week or so ago during the lightening storm that zapped our alarm system.

Seren has a very large but shallow box to do her duty.

Older cats also may lose some litter box allegiance after a lifetime of being faithful. "Going" outside the litter box is the top cat-behavior complaint of cat owners. Litter-box problems lose cats their homes and lives. But cats use urine and feces to "talk" to owners, even if humans misunderstand the stinky message. Cats have logical reasons for inappropriate behavior. Understanding the reasons they snub the box often reveals easy fixes that will keep your cat's aim on target. It can happen with any age cat so for those with felines younger than "fogey-icity" here are five common reasons cats miss the box, and how to improve their aim.  And when you've got an old fogey cat, here are 7 tips for solving old-cat litter box problems.

Actually, potty duty is a way for cats to communicate. They don't rely on yowls alone. (Hey how was THAT for a segue?!) Seren always wants to have the last word. She's always been a vocal feline. After all, she IS a Siamese wannabe. But I've noticed just in the past several weeks she's become even more of a loud-mouth. Hmnnn. She'll be 15 years young in February.

Are your cats chatter-boxes or the strong, silent types? But the older your cat becomes, chances are he'll also become more vocal. That can be a result of hearing loss–say WHAT?!  The yowls have other causes, too–especially for our golden oldie cats. The Ask Amy video mentions a couple of these issues.

What do you do about your adult cat-erwauling? Did a vet visit take care of the problem? Or are you still losing sleep? Hint: Ear plugs are your friend! What else can you add to the Ask Amy video advice? And yes, I've run this Ask Amy video before…need to create some more so feel free to suggest topics in the comments.

SPECIAL THANKS

This post marks my 250th blog post since moving over to WordPress! Wow. And this month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting. We've become a great community including those in the #MyWANA social network twibe hosted by the awesome @KristenLambTX.  So I'm stealing borrowing Kristen's methods and creating my own hashtag. Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Feline Fridays, Video Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, cat books, dog books, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Kristen Lamb, litter box, old cats, yowling cats

Woof Wednesday: Old Fogey Pets

My first Furry Muse--at age 13 or so--still lives in my heart.

November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month and so this month the blog will cover a number of the old-pet issues. I'll be channeling my "inner pet" since Seren-Kitty is now a senior citizen.  If you've got an "old fogey" kitty over the age of 14, I'd encourage you to read last week's Feline Friday on foiling feline senility.

Of course, in my "other job" I'm the Puppies Guide at about.com, and with the holiday's approaching, I suspect there will be lots of interest in puppy-licious info about youngsters. So why adopt an "old" dog (or cat) instead?

BENEFITS OF ADOPTING OLDER PETS

Puppies go clear off the "cute factor" scale, and there's nothing more endearing than a kitten. These critters are works-in-progress, exciting yet difficult to predict, nonstop fun but also magnets for trouble. It requires much time, patience, and understanding to forge the kind of bond with puppies and kittens that we take for granted with our older furry friends.

Mature pets have many advantages over youngsters. Probably the biggest advantage is that together you have created a partnership, and already know each other and have adjusted to individual needs and foibles. All the hard work is done.

Your dog has learned not to chew the TV remote control or your shoes, except for the old house slipper she's carried around like a teddy bear since you brought her home 10 years ago. She's been house trained and tells you when she needs to "go"—and you know just how many hours you can be away from home before she's in dire straits.

Your cat no longer climbs the Christmas tree, unrolls the toilet paper, or swings from the drapes. He knows not to excavate the potted palm or play ping-pong with the parakeet. And he only rearranges your sock drawer if you're gone overnight and he's bored or lonely.

Your older pet reminds you when it's time for a pill and afternoon nap—for both of you. And she acts like the new baby belongs to her, and showers the infant with attention, gentle play, and protective care—even putting up with toddler tail tugs with a patient purr or doggy grin. Countless children have learned to walk while grasping the furry shoulder of a canine friend, or reaching out for that tempting feline tail.

WHY WE LOVE THEM SO

It's not unusual for young people to say that one special cat or dog has always been a part of their life. In times of family crises or emotional upset, the pet can ease the tension and help heal the pain simply by being there. A broken heart, disagreements with siblings or parents, even physical or emotional trauma can all be helped by the mere presence of a cat or dog that the child loves.

Adopting a mature pet can be a great choice for children. They can be a stabilizing influence, teach responsibility and empathy for other living creatures, and even act as a bridge toward making friends. For example, a child shy of interacting with other kids because of a perceived disability often comes out of her shell when accompanied by a furry friend. The pet remains the focus of interaction rather than the child's "different" look or behavior. These therapy animals, called "social pets," have an important job to do, just by offering nonjudgmental love and acceptance.

Even when pets are not officially a "therapy" animal, cats and dogs who have spent many years with us have learned what we like and expect—and we've learned to anticipate the senior pet's needs, likes, and dislikes. We build and then enjoy a comfortable companionship together. After sharing our life experiences, successes and failures, joys and sorrows, these pets come to represent milestones in our lives. They may have celebrated with us when we graduated school, married, and had children or grandchildren—or comforted us when we divorced, retired, the kids moved away, or we lost a spouse.

They have been there for us, through everything. The more time we spend together, the greater our affection grows. Take it from me—and my senior citizen Seren-kitty. With old fogey pets, our compassion, love, and empathy for each other reach a depth that has no parallel in human existence.

SPECIAL THANKS

This month as a special "thank you" to all my furry-fantastic-followers, I'll give away a paw-tographed copy of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat and Complete Care for Your Aging Dog. To get in the running, simply post a comment in the blog about your special pet (old fogey or not) and I'll draw two names at the end of the month. You can use these award-winning updated books as a resource for yourself or wrap up for a pet-friendly holiday gift to a fur-loving friend. And as an EXTRA-special incentive–and to encourage all of y'all to mentor each other and spread the blogging/twitter/Facebook love–the two winners get to name one purr-son who gives them wags of support and deserves a book, too!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Woof Wednesdays Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, dog books, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, pet books

Tuesday Tips: Media Training PITCH-CRAFT

The fear-dragon is your friend! Channel that energy.

This is the fourth in my latest Tuesday Tips series, this time on media training for authors. You can read the first installment about why media is important, and the second installment describes traditional vs "modern" media. Last week's Tuesday Tips covered targeting your media. Today we're talking pitch-craft.



Son-of-a-Pitch & Beating Fear

You've targeted your media and have a hit-list (from last week's Tuesday Tips). Even writers used to the query have a hard time with this part of the job. Basically, you become a salesman.

I hear the ARGGGG! that swells from your throat, the wide eyes and gasps for breath when that "fight or flight" mechanism kicks in at the mere thought. Gird your loins with sparkles, kiddos, you will slay that fear-dragon. Just think of 'em in their underwear–wait, don't, unless you're my friend Jenny Hansen channeling panty-gate.

Pitches to media typically come by phone, email or faxes. You don't have to wear makeup, brush your teeth or wear clothes (although I don't advise admitting to any of those). Since it's not face-to-face, you can practice. Most of the folks reading this are writers–so write a script.

CAUTION: Pitch one by one on your hit parade. Media can be funny about wanting the first/scoop/best story. Turn around is quick so you won't be in limbo for months on end as with some (*agents* cough-cough-cough) in the biz. It's especially intriguing for media to have a date/event associated with your pitch–it also gets 'em off the pot

We Have Contact

Check your hit list for a preferred method of contact. It used to be the fax was king. I understand from some of my media cronies that the fax machine now has the circular file situated directly underneath. Many, if not all, fax queries won't be read unless a bored reporter happens to need reading material during a potty break.

Cold calls work but take practice. Think logline or "elevator pitch" that sold your book to that editor or agent. Learn more about the logline at Kristen Lamb's excellent blog. Why so short? Because media thinks in terms of soundbites and reporters have the attention span of a gerbil on crack. In a phone pitch you're lucky to have 30 seconds to wow 'em.

Remember that if you get voice mail  they'll likely delete 10 seconds into your message if you've not grabbed them by the tender spots (their BRAINS, what did you think I meant?). Oh, and have your email with more details ready to "send" as soon as they ask.

Email can be less filled with frazzle-icicty. Think "query letter." No attachments. Just like agents and editors out there, if it comes with an attachment either spam will filter it out or they'll burn rubber hitting the delete.

Beverages are NOT your friend--except to celebrate after the successful pitch.

Pitch-Perfect Ingredients

Think in headlines/soundbites. Your subject line must intrigue or they'll delete without reading. Pressure? You betcha! So how do you get 'em to open that email?

Make it news. Tie your book, story, event to something worth covering. Partner a book signing to a huge local charity fundraiser, for example. Holidays make great tie ins, but note that media wants to book these well in advance.

For TV, include "visuals." Will you have cute kittens to model the latest feline wigs?

Keep it simple and catchy, but make it matter. Ask yourself, why should the audience care? Will you make them laugh, cry or both? Will you inspire viewers to act?

With a phone pitch, start with a brief intro (one line–"I'm a pet expert with a new pet dating service" or "I made $3 million last year selling virtual perfume and can show your viewers how to $mell $uccess, too." You get the idea. *s*

Make sure your email ends with a brief bio, your website, and bullet points that illustrate what you'll do for the 2-5 minutes while on air. So to recap, your pitch whether by phone or Email should include:

Headline
What's the visual
Why audience should care? (free tips from book?)
Who are you? (author of BOOK, automatically an expert!)

In a phone pitch "no thanks" means no. Thank them and move on.

If they ask for more information, be sure to offer to send the email with a copy of your book (or details about your event, program, cause). DO follow up but no oftener than once a week if you've a deadline. DON'T poison the well with pestering if they don't commit; you'll want to pitch other books/opportunities down the road. If they put you off a couple of times, move on to your next target.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Tuesday Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, authors, cat books, dog books, elevator pitch, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, loglines, media training, pet books, pitches, radio, tv, writers, writers conference, writing [image error]