Amy Shojai's Blog, page 98

FREE WORKSHOP FOR #PETS CENTRIC MUSICAL

FREE WORKSHOP FOR #PETS CENTRIC MUSICAL

Those who regularly read this blog know that I not only write about pets, but also give talks about pet behavior. You may be surprised to learn that sometimes I write music about pet behavior, too and even SING about cats and dogs. (Magical-Dawg howls, Seren-Kitty does her lion cough and Karma yawns…everyone’s a critic!) Now you have a chance to sing along!

I’m proud to partner with local actor/writer/musician Frank Steele to co-write STRAYS, THE MUSICAL. Next Saturday, September 13 from 10-noon at the Honey McGee Playhouse in Sherman, we’ll present a free workshop about the show. The workshop is designed to help pet loving performers prepare to audition for STRAYS on September 23, 24, 25. Those who attend may learn a thing or two about cat and dog behavior, too!

I’ve written lots of pet-centric schtuff, and Frank and I have written other scripts and performed on stage a great deal. But STRAYS combines all our loves—writing, music, acting and pets. Now we want to share STRAYS with area actors and audiences.

Love theater? Love pets? You’ll fall in love with STRAYS!

We’re looking for up to 20 performers and production folks to bring STRAYS to life. A few human characters appear in the show but most actors portray cats or dogs—but without any special makeup or costumes. That’s right! You get to create your own character using your skill as a performer—are you a Great Dane? Chihuahua or Siamese? Mutt or tabby? We’d love to cast families, too—with the kids playing kittens/puppies and parents as the adult pets.

During the workshop, you’ll practice channeling your inner pet. Feel free to bring a dog or cat toy to help get into character. Participants will learn one of the songs from the show and practice pet-centric moves. Are you a rapper or beat box expert? Come show your skills! Dogs and cats move and act in very specific ways that communicate to each other (and to clueless humans!). Shake your puppy tail or display kitty ballet moves to evoke the pet’s mood. During the workshop you’ll also practice reading funny or poignant scenes from the script.

Two featured parts call for 14-year old actor/singers to play the parts of Girl Kitten and Boy Puppy. But all other parts have no age or type limitations and performers aged 9 to 99 are welcome. STRAYS includes solos, ensembles, rap, featured dancers, non-singing actor roles, and fun company numbers in styles ranging from pop rock to blues, calypso, gospel, jazz, and Celtic. If you’re like me, you often “speak” for your pets and now’s your chance to bring that cat or dog character to the stage.

We look forward to working with Supporting Cast members from SCP-Theatricks. We also seek technical assistance with lighting, sound, projection, choreography, stage managing and more.

Dr. John McGinn will assist us as rehearsal pianist, and the show will be performed with a CD of full orchestration on November 6, 7, 8, 2014. We hope STRAYS will benefit animal welfare organizations in their fund raising efforts, as well as entertain pet lovers. And purr-haps bring a new audience to Sherman Community Players.

Now is your chance—come to the STRAYS workshop Saturday September 13 from 10-Noon to learn more. Please SHARE this post with cat and dog lovers and theater peeps.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, 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!

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DOG FOOD RECALL! Pedigree Announces Voluntary Recall Due to Metal Fragments In Food

DOG FOOD RECALL! Pedigree Announces Voluntary Recall Due to Metal Fragments In Food

Mars Petcare US today announced a voluntary recall of 22 bags of Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food. There is a possibility of foreign material introduced into the food. The bags of dog food thought to be affected were sold in 12 Dollar General stores in four states: ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI and TENNESSEE.

Small metal fragments were found in the bags of food, not embedded in the food itself, but still posing a potential risk of injury if consumed. The company is working with Dollar General to ensure that the recalled product is no longer sold and is removed from inventory.

Each product will have the lot code 432C1KKM03 printed on the back of the bag near the UPC and a Best Before date of 8/5/15.

If you have one of these bags, you can contact Mars Petcare at 800-305-5206 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST. You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area or go online to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, 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!

 

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Dog Gone Art: Amy Shojai Featured Writer!

Dog Gone Art: Amy Shojai Featured Writer!

Cover Image Copr. Sean O’Daniels

Dog Gone Art is an online E-zine with some of the most spectacular dog art I’ve seen. You’ve got to check this out if you love dogs–Heck, if you love ART you need to see these wonderful paintings, photos and digital art (yep, there are some PAW-some videos in the issue, too).

This month, I’m honored to be the FEATURED WRITER. Wow. Here’s the page spread:

But there is so much more. Check out the TOC here–and then CLICK on any of these images to go drool over the images and read the stories. You won’t be sorry. My virtual tail is a-wagging!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, 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!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Frig Fails & Dryer Danger! How to Keep Pets Safe From Appliances

Frig Fails & Dryer Danger! How to Keep Pets Safe From Appliances

Anything your puppy can reach is potential for problems! Image © Lisa Calvert/Flickr

Stoves and ovens, dishwashers, clothes dryers, garbage disposals and other appliances are convenient for us but can prove deadly to cats and dogs. While the photos in today’s blog make us smile, the “what if” makes me shiver, because I know they represent tragedy waiting to happen.

4 REASONS PETS LOVE APPLIANCES

FOOD & SMELL. Do you give your pets the chance at a “first rinse” before putting dirty dishes in the washer? (raising hand…GUILTY). Just licking off or pawing food-smeared utensils can cut tongues or paws. A tiny pup or kitty could crawl inside after yummies, and be seriously injured or die when the machine turns on.
HEIGHT. Do your cats countertop cruise? A couple of things draw the kitty to scale the heights. Available food, yummy smells, and a GREAT perch lookout.
WARMTH. Stoves, ovens and clothes dryers draw cats especially to the warmth. Yep, it can make for some LOL Funny Cat moments, but not if the cat or dog ends up with burned feet or worse.
HIDEY-HOLES. Pets seem drawn to small enclosed spaces for naps or ambushes. Paw-poking into holes is a cat rule, while dogs enjoy nosing into tight spots as well.

Sprout apparently hasn’t had enough coffee! Image Copr Kim Smith/Flickr Commons

When I edited one of the stories in Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul, it made me turn green–and we had to preface the story with the note that “it’s a happy ending!” or folks likely wouldn’t have wanted to read it. The cat in that story went head-first into the garbage disposal after fishy leavings and got his head stuck. They had to remove the entire sink and take it to the vet clinic for the cat to be sedated, oiled up, and extricated. Funny story when it’s a happy ending. I’ve caught Karma-Kat sticking his paw down into the garbage disposal, too, yikes!

Sadly, not all funny stories end so well.

My friend Mary McCauley sent me a message last week that broke my heart. This post is for Mary and her kitty friend, Boo:

“Amy, a few weeks ago our beautiful young cat had climbed into the dryer. My son turned it on. I heard a loud thumping and thought the washing machine was out of balance. I found Boo in the dryer. Blood was coming out of her mouth. She was convulsing. I ran up the stairs to get my keys, but she died in my arm. I tried rescue breathing and cardiac resuscitation with 2 fingers, but she was gone. I cried for 2 days. Please warn your readers about this danger. My son felt so guilty for a few weeks.”

As far as I know, Audley’s adventure in the tumble dryer turned out fine. Image Copr. RaGeBe/Flickr

Accidents happen, and our pets can get into trouble in the flick of a whisker. Cats are furry heat-seeking missiles and I have no doubt that Seren-Kitty and Karma-Kat would do the same thing, given the opportunity. They both dive into the pile of fresh-from-the-dryer clean clothes dumped onto my bed for folding.

A day after I got Mary’s message, my husband called me into the kitchen to shoot this photo (below) of Karma-Kat. He’s a door dasher and often sprints into the pantry to gnaw through the dog food container–but the frig fail was new.

Karma is big enough, the chance of shutting him inside the frig is small–but it could happen. Left overnight in the refrigerator–or worse, inside the freezer!–could quickly result in hypothermia and death. I’m just hoping he doesn’t learn to open the frig himself. I know of one owner who resorted to a bungee cord around the frig to keep her cats out of the goodies.So what’s a responsible pet parent to do? Pet proofing your home is job one, especially when you have a clueless puppy or kitten. But it doesn’t stop when the cat or dog grows up. Pets are endlessly curious and always find new ways to get into trouble and push our buttons. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your pets safe around modern conveniences.

Baby gates keep pets away from danger zones. I lock the fur-kids out of the kitchen when cooking and clearing up, to prevent paw burns on stove tops or me spilling something hot on them when they wind around my feet.
Double check washing machines and clothes dryers before hitting the “start” button. If your pet is inside, don’t pull them out immediately. Instead BANG-BANG-BANG on the top to make a horrendous scary racket and watch them rocket out. Most pets won’t get near that scary thing ever again.
If you have hard-case pets, make a sign to stick on doors of appliances to remind kids, spouses and guests to CHECK FOR CAT. That’ll be a fun conversation starter, too.
Invest in stove top covers to protect kitty feet. One of the best ways to keep pets from cruising counters and stoves is to give them a cat tree that’s higher than the counters. Make the stove top uncomfortable by spreading aluminum foil across the top, for instance.

Have you ever caught your dog or cat up close and personal with one of your appliances? How did you handle the situation, and prevent future problems? Do tell!

And please–if you love your cats and dogs as much as Mary loved Boo–share this warning far and wide and tell folks it’s in memory of a special Boo-kitty.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Many more pet proofing tips are available in Complete Kitten Care book, and you can find first aid help (including for clothes dryer injuries) in The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, 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!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Nom-Nom-Nom! How to TREAT Without Tummy Troubles

Nom-Nom-Nom! How to TREAT Without Tummy Troubles

Treats cause tummy troubles? Really? According to my pets, “bad treat” is an oxymoron.

“Only morons say that,” says Karma-Kat, paws-ing in his pursuit of a scorpion munchie.

“Oxy? Is that like steaky?” says Magical-Dawg, drooling and licking his lips.

“Mfffn.” (Seren’s too busy lapping up tasties to comment.)

My pets LIVE for treats and all eagerly gobble up anything that doesn’t move faster than they do. I’ve been very fortunate that nothing seems to phase their cast-iron bellies, especially since Magical-Dawg relishes eating cat TOYS, too. He steals catnip cigars, furry mice, and pom-pom sparkle-balls left within reach. Sparkly poop happens. Ahem.

But then Karma-Kat got sick. And I know exactly what upset his tummy and caused day-long vomit-icity (thank goodness output from the other end remained normal!). Karma likes dog food and swipes a kibble or two whenever he can. His c’attitude is that if Magic swipes his toys and treats, it’s only fair for Karma to return the favor.

Ruh-roh…

MERRICK GRAIN FREE + GLUTIN FREE DOG TREATS

The fine folks at Merrick sent me a box filled with wonderful doggy tasties to review. They include oven-baked biscuits Jerky Chip Treats (chocolate chip cookie look alikes…but no chocolate, of course!); minty bone shaped Mini Brush Bones dental chews; paw-shaped Grammy’s Pot Pie Kitchen Bites; and tiny star-shaped soft chewy protein Power Bites. These treats are made in the USA with no ingredients from China, and are grain free, gluten free.

Karma got into trouble with the Power Bites. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing “bad for cats” in the treat and I actually like the fact it’s appealing to cats, too. With deboned beef as the first ingredient, no wonder Karma (and Magic!) went nutso over this. Karma, though, swiped the bag and ate who-knows-how-many causing his upset tummy.

Lesson learned. I categorize the Power Bites as a “locked cupboard” treat.

In a decidedly unscientific test, I offered Magic his choice of each treat, side by side. I showed him a different treat in each hand, and asked him to choose. We went three or four rounds, with different choices each time. His favorite picks, in order:

Mini Brush Bones (yay! he’s got some tartar buildup this should help). Ingredients include potato starch, vegetable glycerin, dried plain beet pulp, cane molasses and chicken fat.
Power Bites. This are a great size for training rewards. Ingredients include deboned beef (there’s a chicken version, too), potatoes, peas, potato protein and potato starch.
Grammy’s Pot Pie. A nice crunchy reward, could be broken into smaller chunks for multiple rewards from one treat. Ingredients include deboned chicken, sweet potatoes, peas, organic cane molasses and chicken fat.
Jerky Chip Treats. Interestingly, these looked most appealing to me (yum, chocolate chip!) but were last choice for Magic. He enjoyed it readily enough but kept making eyes at the other options. Ingredients include deboned beef, dried potatoes, peas, garbanzo beans, tapioca starch, pea fiber and chicken fat.

I like that the treats each come in resealable packages, and include “calorie count” information for pet parents to choose an amount that won’t upset their dogs’ nutrition.

Now if I could just get Karma to read the package!

At our house, we “treat” our pets with non-commercial tasties, too. A favorite is plain yogurt. This helps normalize the “good” bacteria in the gut. After Karma’s day-long bout with tummy-itis, I offered him small tastes of the yogurt to help get him feeling better. Seren and Magic beg for this as a treat, too.

I recently discovered a new no-fat treat that Magic loves, too (more on that later!). It’s ideal for dogs that have issues with overweight or pancreatitis, so I can’t wait to share more info, soon.

What are your pets’ favorite treats? Commercial ones? Off-your-plate treats? And how do you manage furry thieves like Karma that get themselves into trouble swiping munchies they shouldn’t gnosh? Do tell!

I am not being paid for this post. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I received free samples from Merrick Pet Care Inc. in exchange for an honest review. 

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, 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!

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Do Readers Care #WhyIWrite

Do Readers Care #WhyIWrite

Do readers care why writers write? One time at a writer conference, that question was asked and an overwhelming response was, “I write because I HAVE to write, it’s  compulsion, I must write…” And an agent on the panel responded, “They have medication for that now.”

Ba-da-boom. *rimshot*

My audience doesn’t read. Well, unless you count Magical-Dawg (and his canine compadres) chewing up or (ahem) “being creative” on paper. And of course, cats “read” by sitting on top of the words and absorbing the text through their furry nether regions.

Yvonne DiVita tagged me recently in the “Why I Write” blog hop. I know Yvonne through the terrific BlogPaws.com organization she co-founded, but Yvonne also blogs at Lipsticking.com where she answer the question #BecauseIAmWhoIAm Why I Write. The blog hop started on Susan C Foster’s site and continues here, today.

HOW I BECAME AN ACCIDENTAL PET WRITER

Nope, I never planned to be a “pet writer” but I am so glad this happened! As many of my colleagues (including Yvonne) confess, I began writing as a child. My first book was written when I was in fourth grade, a story about a heroic dog named Bounce that I illustrated, created a cardboard cover and bound with a shoelace. I’ll admit, the story had many similarities to Beautiful Joe and Black Beauty but with a Sheltie instead. (Yes, we had a Sheltie at the time). During those years, I read pretty much every mystery novel, dog and horse book in the school library–there weren’t many cat books, as I recall, other than The Three Lives of Thomasina.

My twin brother was the writer in the family–he’s still a much better writer than me. Oh, I enjoyed writing short stories and angst-filled (bad!) poetry, but never considered writing as a career. I focused on music, art and theater during my high school and college years.

That all changed when I got married and we moved to a small town with virtually no TV reception and few jobs to be found. When a new animal clinic opened, I got a job as the vet tech, and shared some of the funny, amazing, and moving stories about work with my Mom. She told me I should write them down. So I did.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #1

Actually, I was bored (no TV, no theater to perform, no close friends in a strange  new place), and used the time to write my first book, a collection of personal experience stories. But nobody wanted to publish the book.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #2

I was stubborn, and hated rejection so I kept trying and trying and trying. There’s a bit of masochism in every successful writer, I believe. Eventually, I broke up the chapters and submitted them as separate articles to the “pet press.” A Dog Fancy magazine editor took pity on my awkward prose, told me why it was rejected, and she basically coached me until my first sale to the magazine. That launched my pet writing career.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #3

Working for veterinarians, I learned so much–and even more, I learned how much I didn’t know, and what questions to ask. I also learned how to explain technical “medicalese schtuff” to pet parents in easily understood language. My focus became writing to empower pet parents to make informed decisions for their pets.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #4 & #5

During these early years, publishing articles paid very little and as young marrieds, income was a major concern. I’m going to date myself here–there was no Internet or submission by email. Snail mail costs of sending physical manuscripts (especially book-length material) with SASE for return of rejected material added up. Each time a rejection came back, I questioned should I be wasting my time and energy, and spending household funds and gamble on a dream that might never happen.

So initially that stubbornness reared its head again and I wrote to get paid, to prove to myself I wasn’t wasting my time. The occasional acceptance contract and small check arrived, rewarding my effort, and a funny thing happened. Each time I saw my byline in the magazine, oh my heavens! That made all the effort and angst worth far more than the income. I realized that I’m pretty good at this writing gig, and when I finally was able to “own” the title that I AM A WRITER, I discovered that writing validates my sense of self worth.

Admitting not just to myself and my close friends, but to the world at large that I AM A WRITER opened up a world of opportunity to me. Perhaps it was a difference in confidence, or the years of practice began to pay off, or I’d developed more professionally relationships–or all of the above. In any event, editors began to call me with assignments, and even books. Who’da thunk it?

WHY I WRITE, REASON MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL

Writers as a breed tend to sit alone, composing in our minds as we sit in the small spaces we’ve carved out of our homes for such purpose. Before the Internet, writers and authors were even less connected with each other, and even further separated from our readers. As I said in the opening, my audience is cats and dogs, and from them a writer gets little feedback. Ah…but from the pet parents, now with this blog, with Facebook and Twitter and other inter-connected-icity, we’re able to have actual conversations. The barrier is gone, HALLELUJIA! What a joy to hear from readers who appreciate the virtual scribbles, and learn from them about their own furry wonders.

At a book signing event a year or so ago, a couple introduced themselves after recognizing one of the books at my table. They already had a copy of the book, and didn’t want an autographed, but only to tell me that the first aid advice had saved their dog’s life. I still get choked up writing that…

I write hoping my work will have a positive impact. 

Today, I write in a variety of venues: newspaper column, online articles, blogs, Ebooks, audiobooks, print books, nonfiction and fiction, and I’ve combined my love of of music and theater with my pet passion in a musical production with cats and dogs as the actors.

What about you? Do you have a passion for writing, or a particular cause you champion? Is it to make a living? Please share!

Now it’s my pleasure to tag the next three people in the blog hop.

Carol Bryant is a well known and successful blogger, freelance pet writer and social media expert also affiliated with BlogPaws.com. She authors one of my favorite blogs Fidose of Reality. Carol writes about dog health and lifestyle (among other pet-centric topics) and creates some of the most unique and fun promotions and campaigns. Read one blog–and you’ll get hooked on the bark-alicious content and be inspired in your own writing!

Dr. Lorie Huston is a veterinarian and freelance pet writer specializing in …well, all things pets! She is the current president of the Cat Writers Association, and among other things, writes the award wining online pet-zine Pet Health Care Gazette. I just recently learned we have music and playing cello in common–what is it with pets, writers and music? Dr. Lorie should be one of your go-to destinations whenever you have a pet health question.

I’ve known Carol Shenold for nearly 20 years. We originally met in a writers group, and became fast friends and continue to be critique partners particularly with our fiction. Carol is a nurse and writes continuing education courses, articles and books for the profession; and specializes in spooky mysteries and intriguing urban fantasy fiction. She’s recently retired, giving her more time to play with the fur-kids and write, and I’m tagging her to encourage Carol to blog some  more here –because she’s got a lot to share!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, 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!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

You Wrote WHAT? Why I Write What I Write

You Wrote WHAT? Why I Write What I Write

Some of y’all know that my *virtual HIDE AND SEEK book tour* ran during June and July, and I had a wonderful time visiting various blogs and sharing about my writer-ly journey. All the links to various blogs can be found on my website here.

But now I’ve been tagged for another virtual tour, a way for my Sweet Peeps to find out about other paw-some writers and their work. My author-friend, Angie Baily, invited me to join The Writing Process Blog Tour. Be sure to check out Angie’s blog and find out all about her works-in-progress. If you love quirky humor and love cats, you’ll find a treasure there!

The Writing Process Blog Tour is a way for bloggers to share their own writing process and current projects with readers, as well as introduce them to a couple of fabulous authors they might not be reading … which they should. I’m supposed to answer these four questions–so hang on tight, and I’ll try to be concise.

*snicker* Yeah, THAT’s gonna happen!

What am I working on?

Wow, probably too many projects to list. Here’s the short list at the top of my to-do’s:

I’m awaiting the return of final edits on my next nonfiction book COMPLETE PUPPY CARE, due to release later this month. This book will be the companion title to mirror my best selling COMPLETE KITTEN CARE book. Hey, I have to give equal time to the fur-kids!
Writing the next book in my suspense/thriller series, titled SHOW AND TELL. The books feature an animal behaviorist, September Day. She lives with a trained Maine Coon cat and suffers from PTSD which is helped by her German Shepherd service dog named Shadow. Shadow is a favorite character because he has his own viewpoint chapters, character arc and storyline (but no, he DOESN’T talk).
Preparing for the debut of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL, a full-length play co-written with Frank Steele. We’ve got a workshop scheduled to teach folks some of the music and introduce to the script, auditions scheduled, and performance taking place November 6-7-8, 2014. This show is very close to my heart, as it incorporates my love of cats and dogs with music and theater (all characters are cats or dogs). You can expect some blog posts in the future detailing this STRAYS journey!
In the planning stages for a writers’ guide “how-I-did-it” short book, hopefully this fall, to provide a one stop place to answer many of the writing and publishing questions I receive. It will be based on the several conference talks and webinars I offer.
SUPER-SECRET-SOON-TO-BE-REVEALED PROJECTS that I can’t yet announce, but will be PAW-some for cats, dogs and pet parents. Yes, it has to do with great health and behavior information, and some opportunities for bloggers to get involved , too. Stay tuned!

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Some of my work is very similar to my colleague’s, in that I strive to provide great actionable information that helps pet parents and the cats and dogs they love. It differs in that many of the venues or platforms are outside the box, and that I try not to limit myself to one avenue to reach my audience.

For years I wrote very prescriptive nonfiction books and articles–and I still love sharing that information. But now I work to “edu-tain” readers who perhaps aren’t specifically looking for pet care advice or information. Reading a book told through “dog voice” opens a window into how and why dogs behave certain ways. Watching a play in which cats and dogs offer insight into their world and it’s all from their purr-spective may offer some ah-ha moments for pet parents. Using a variety of publishing platforms, from the Internet and blogs to Ebooks, traditional print and even audio books or songs, increases the chance more folks will benefit from the work.

Why do you write what you do?

I was put on this earth to be a voice for the voiceless–I truly believe that. Writing about cats and dogs gives me great pleasure, and it’s fun! How neat to wake up every morning excited to go to work and–basically–play with cats and dogs for a living. I am truly blessed!

How does your writing process work?

Hmnn. Often, I get ideas from readers asking questions, or from news stories that make me go “wow…what if?” Typically I work 6-7 days a week, although I try to take at least half a day off on Sunday. My world would go off the tracks without to-do lists. I love putting together lists, and crossing off each item once completed! My calendars (several, both paper and online) are highlighted and color coded to keep track of various projects, and often look like a peacock exploded.

For book-length projects, I do my best to meet a daily word count, and calendar progress toward the deadline. Otherwise, with so many things to juggle, something’s liable to go SPLAT when it’s dropped. Once a book-length draft is finished, I work on a different project for a time and come back to edits with fresh eyes. Books generally go through several rewrites and drafts before going to beta readers and later to my editor, so it’s an involved process. Shorter work like articles can be turned around much more quickly. Blogs (like this one) often are written in one sitting.

Now it’s time to tag two more wonderful writer friends. Please head on over to their blogs/websites and check out their work. I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

JaneA Kelly is a contributing author to Caster.com and is the webmaster and chief cat slave for Paws and Effect, an award-winning cat advice blog written by her cats, for cats and their people. She is a professional member of the Cat Writers’ Association, and has been a speaker at the BlogPaws and Cat Writers’ Association conferences. In addition to blogging about cats, JaneA writes contemporary urban fantasy, and whatever else strikes her fancy.

Carol Shenold has been a nurse for forty years, and a writer/artist almost as long. She writes the Tali Cates mysteries, as well as urban fantasies with weirdly wonderful characters (“The Monster under the bed…is real!”), and nursing textbooks. She also writes nonfiction in general interest, technical magazines, newspaper columns and more. You can find Carol at her website and her blog–when she’s not busy painting pictures of her cat or dogs or grandkids.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, 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!

 

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

How to Keep a Skinny Old Cat Young

How to Keep a Skinny Old Cat Young

Karma just can’t fit into Seren’s bed these days, but that doesn’t stop him from trying!

My faithful readers know that Seren-Kitty (aka “The Queen”) is a skinny old cat and has struggled for the past year or so with the “schnorkles” and “sneezles.” I’ve written about her increasingly scary bouts with URIs (upper respiratory infections) in this post. URIs is one of the major reasons that cats refuse to eat.

Thank goodness, Seren still has an appetite. Her sneezle-attacks began last Friday and alerted me to the potential problem. So early Monday morning, I called my veterinarian and got a refill on the liquid Clavamox that helped so much the last time. After just two days, she’s already breathing a bit easier. God bless veterinarians!

CELEBRATING SENIOR PETS

Old cats get sick quicker and take longer to get well. August happens to be Senior Pet Month–and both Seren and Magical-Dawg are senior citizen pets. So this post is doubly appropriate.

Nutrition is a huge issue for older pets, too. Seren has always been tiny and had trouble eating enough nutrition to maintain a good body condition. At her heaviest she weighed 7 pounds. This past winter, Seren had dropped weight to 5-1/2 pounds. Her fur looked unkempt, claws were overgrown so she “clicked” walking on the hardwood floor, and she just wanted to sleep. The dry therapeutic diet she’d eaten for the past several years became difficult for her to munch, and she asked to be lifted up to tabletops she’d previously scaled with ease–arthritis rearing its ugly head. Honestly, I feared my dear old girl might be ready for that final trip across the Rainbow Bridge…

ENTER THE KAMIKAZE KITTEN!

Then Karma-Kitten came home. Suddenly, the new-kid-on-the-block disrupted the household, adding stress to Seren’s life, and a wee bit of excitement.

Karma chased the dog, and Magic chased him. Karma chased Seren–she was not amused, and told him so. He continued to pester until she got off her furry nether regions to tell him off. I kept them separated when I couldn’t supervise, fearing the bruiser-kitten would hurt Seren.

Karma also ate EVERYTHING, including Seren’s food (the dog’s, too). So again, I had to supervise feedings so Seren wouldn’t starve when Karma cleaned out her bowl.

WHAT TO FEED? ANYTHING SHE WANTS!

Seren’s food wasn’t appropriate for a kitten and when he showed up, all I had in the house were samples of dehydrated kitty ration I got at BlogPaws.com from The Honest Kitchen (You can get free samples here). He loved it! And as a plus, I figured that would keep him out of the other pet’s food. I really like not having to refrigerate leftovers, and mixing only the amount needed for meals ensured it was fresh and still warm when served. And when The Honest Kitchen read about Karma’s homecoming and how the food helped so much, they sent me additional samples of various flavors to try out (even some for Magic!).

Now, with kittens, you don’t want to limit food since they’re growing so fast. I think Karma wrote those instructions. He packed on pudge, and still tried to swipe the other pet’s food, and I feared Seren would shrink even more.

Instead, The Queen Seren took control, and she began to steal mouthfuls of Karma’s food. And chase HIM across the room!

FOOD & QUALITY OF LIFE

Now folks, I’m a huge proponent of feeding appropriate foods for pets. Seren had been eating the Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d from my veterinarian to support her kidney function since she tested in the borderline range for kidney insufficiency. Her teeth, though, weren’t handling the dry kibble very well so I listened to Seren–she really liked the warm wet ration she’d stolen from Karma. So I ran the Hill’s k/d kibble through my blender, and then softened each meal with warm water. Granted, I could purchase canned food of the same formulation (I’d recommend you do this and have it on hand from the beginning). But I’d just purchased a big bag of the dry food and figured this was better than wasting good nutrition.

Eureka! Seren loved it, and began eating better. But she still wanted Karma’s food, too.

And frankly, at age 17, I decided Seren’s quality of life meant any time she asked for food, I’d give her what she wanted. That means a mix of foods including tastes of lean meats from my plate if she asks; a scoop of Karma’s Honest Kitchen ration or a taste of plain yogurt; or even a sip of water from my glass. When the dry food ran out, I continued with the dehydrated diet, offering a teaspoonful at a time, many times a day.

These days, Seren still steals Karma’s food, which isn’t ideal since we’ve switched him to Science Diet Perfect Weight to slim down the pudge. He weighs 13 pounds or so, over twice as much as Seren, and the Perfect Weight seems to be working.

What about the dog? Well, Magic gets treats by cleaning up any kitty food leftovers, plus his own occasional treats of The Honest Kitchen. It’s a bit pricy to feed as routine ration to a 90+ pound dog like Magic, but for treats it’s ideal. I was just sent samples of THK Halcyon “Duck Recipe” and Magic can’t wait to try that, too.

Notice the name ‘MAGIC’ on the box…that’s because my husband tried to feed this dog-ration to Seren while I was gone. She was NOT amused!

THE KARMA CURE

Forgive me for a bit of philosophical musing. I truly thought Seren was near the end of her life, and then Karma showed up. Running away from him force her to get up and moving. Guarding her own bowl gave her reason to get up in the morning. Chasing after him keeps her arthritic joints lubricated and she now jumps up anywhere she wants. Wet food enticed her to eat more–she now wakes my husband at 3 am for a treat and, being the well-trained human he is, he accommodates her. I don’t limit her to a single diet and my veterinarian is fine with that. (Always check with your vet!)

Shortly after Karma arrived, Seren began grooming her claws again, so she could CHASE and chastise Karma. She began grooming her own fur better and caring about her appearance. Seren also now demands lap time in the evenings (to keep HIM out of my lap, LOL!). According to her last vet visit, Seren is back up to about 6 pounds. She’s active, interested in life again, and (I pray!) has at least one more of her 9 lives to spend with me.

Karma came unexpectedly, a clown-cat and snuggle-puss that makes me smile every day. Seren remains a serious, dainty Queen who wishes he’d go away–but when he came into her life, he shared with her the Karma cure.

She’s shared the sneezles with him. Ahem.

What about your pets? Have your fur-kids ever influenced the other cats (or dogs) to get healthy–or the opposite, do they teach each other bad habits? How do you manage feeding multiple pets? Do tell!

I am not being paid for this post. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I initially received free samples of The Honest Kitchen, as well as Science Diet Perfect Weight for Cats to try. The fur-kids did so well on both products, I’ve continued to purchase and feed them. I do have an affiliate relationship with The Honest Kitchen.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Sick Kitty: What to Do When #Pets Won’t Eat

Sick Kitty: What to Do When #Pets Won’t Eat

Yesterday, Karma-Kat got sick. He snubbed the bowl. Yes, I’m worried, particularly since he’s usually such a little chow-hound.

All pets lose their appetite once in a while and may snub the bowl for a meal or two. Some pets are just picky by nature, but healthy dogs and cats tend to make up for a missed meal with the next serving. As long as the pet acts like he otherwise feels good, loss of appetite for one or two days isn’t cause for concern.

Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty have never been finicky eaters, and eat pretty much anything that’s offered. Karma-Kat is a bit of a glutton, and will scrounge for more when the bowl is empty.

But a few days ago, we received a PAW-some box full of dog treats to review (Magic is a very happy doggy!). As I set up some photo ops, Karma got into the act and beat the dog to the schnarf-op. Yesterday, he ate a bunch of Magic’s dog treats—he LOVES them!

But too many proved to rich for the boy’s tummy and later that day threw ‘em up. His tummy was so upset, he “whoopsed” twice more. I know he felt bad because he didn’t pester for food or attention, and just wanted to sleep. I’d been invited to attend a local theater production last night and worried the whole time I was there, and when I returned home, he’d been sick one more time. Oh no…

WHY PETS WON’T EAT

Nearly any illness can cause a pet to refuse to eat, though. Life-threatening diseases such as distemper or kidney failure, parasites such as hookworms, a sore mouth from dental problems, or just the stress of a mother-in-law visiting the family, could prompt anorexia. High outdoor temperatures also can kill pet appetite.

Any sudden loss of appetite that lasts more than two days needs medical attention—sooner, if the pet acts sick. Puppies and kittens have fewer fat and fluid reserves and can’t go without food longer than about 12 hours before needing medical help. Toy breed puppies are particularly prone to potentially deadly drops in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) if they skip a meal. Signs of hypoglycemia are weakness, drunken-type gait, and sometimes seizures. Lift the pup’s lip and put Karo Syrup, honey or something similar on the gums, and once he’s conscious, feed him.

Cats, especially pudgy kitties, can also become gravely ill by skipping just one or two meals, so I’m extra careful about Karma since he’s packed on a bit of weight. For overweight cats, refusing to eat can start a chain reaction that moves fat cells into the cat’s liver. Hepatic lipidosis or “fatty liver disease” can kill the cat.

If your pet stops eating, you’ll need a diagnosis from the veterinarian to figure out why. But often it’s perfectly legal to tempt his appetite with healthy people food. Offer wholesome tidbits like a sliver of lean beef or chicken, or spike his kibble with no-salt meat broth. That will also help you decide if he’s just being finicky, or really has a problem that needs medical attention.

Cats suffering from upper respiratory infections often have stuffy noses. If they can’t smell their food, cats won’t eat. Use a humidifier in a small room to help open up the breathing passages or run a hot shower so the pet breathes steamy air in the bathroom for ten minutes a couple times a day. Warm water on a cotton ball gently cleans off the plugged nose to keep it unblocked.

HOW TO TEMPT PET APPETITES

Tempt your pet’s appetite with pungent-smelling foods. Many cats relish tuna juice from a can of water-packed tuna, while dogs often live for liverwurst. You can also offer meat-based baby food. That’s not only very palatable for most cats and dogs, but is easier to eat if the mouth is sore from respiratory infections or dental problems.

Studies have shown that 95 to 98 degrees is the most attractive food temperature especially to cats. Warm the food and test it against your wrist–close to your own body temperature is the right range. Anorexic cats often will lick food off a spoon or your finger more readily than out of a bowl so hand feeding helps get nutrition in him until you can see the veterinarian.

Leaving food out in front of a reluctant eater for long periods at a time overwhelms and “wears out” the appetite centers. That will kill any appetite the pet may have left. Instead, offer your reluctant eater a small amount of food, and when he’s had his fill or refuses to eat, take it away and try again an hour later.

KARMA-KAT UPDATE

This morning, I warmed up some wet food and Karma lapped up two tongue-swipes of the food. He also drank some water, and eliminated normally, which encouraged me he was on the mend. I had a lunch meeting, and resolved to take his temp and get him to the vet if Karma hadn’t improved by the time I got home.

When I returned from my meeting, Karma seemed more alert, so I offered him a bit of plain non-flavored yogurt. Many cats like the flavor, and it’s soothing on ify tummies and helps re-balance “good” gut bacteria. He wasn’t particularly interested, though, and Seren for once stole HIS food instead of the opposite.

Karma followed me into the master bath (his purr-sonal space) and actually went to his bowl. So…I offered again a tiny amount of warm wet food and this time, he ate! Yee-haw! He kept it down and asked for more a couple hours later, and has started inviting Magical-Dawg to play, so it’s clear he’s on the mend.

It’s also clear I need to teach the boy to read, and avoid anything treats that say “dog” on the package. Until then, I’ll have to be much more vigilant going forward, to avoid any future pig-out problems.

Do you have pets that steal each others’ food? How do you manage the marauding maniacs? Do tell!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, 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!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Caption My Ass-ets! #FunnyCats Rule

Caption My Ass-ets! #FunnyCats Rule

I’m head-down busy today preparing edits to send back to my editor on the new COMPLETE PUPPY CARE book. And my “helper” Karma has made editing a new challenge. I’ve shared a couple of these pictures on my Facebook page (have you “liked” me yet?!) but wanted to post here, too.

How do your pets “help” you with your work? Is their attention welcome or aggravating? Do tell! Oh…and let’s have some fun in the comments. Suggest captions for the two pictures.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, 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!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!