Harry Dresden Turns Two!

I can't believe it, but today Harry Dresden turns two! (He is the only one of the new "kittens" I have the actual birth date for.) He is by far the quietest of the three young ones, but he is also the one who comes and snuggles with me in bed at night--not during nap time, though, when he sleeps at the bottom of the bed and the other two snuggle.

He was a rescue being fostered by someone for the Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans organization, the one I'm fostering kittens for right now. I went to visit him when I knew Magic and Mystic were close to the end, and I was looking for new cats to bring in after that happened. (I realize that some people need to wait longer, and I get that. In this case, I was going to be down to just Angus, who had never been an only cat, and my heart was so broken I knew I'd need new kitties right away.)

 The first thing he did was crawl into my coat. Then he hung around for a while as I chatted to his foster mom. There were a couple of other cats in the room, but they didn't pay any attention to me. As I was explaining to his foster, Kristin, that I had a couple of other kittens to look at the next day and while I was leaning toward taking him I couldn't be sure until then, he came over and fell asleep on  my lap.

Kristin looked at me and laughed. I laughed too, since I know that cats choose you. (And the next day, Koshka and Ember did just that.) I told her I couldn't pick him up until Magic and Mystic were gone, since they deserved all my attention right then, and she understood.

Not many days later, I went and picked him up. You can probably tell I'd been crying look like crap, but Harry Dresden saved me from being even more miserable. (I had to wait about 3 weeks to get the other two, because Ember hadn't been fixed yet.)

He's a damned good cat.

About 4 months old

So I thought I'd do a birthday celebration giveaway in his honor, for all the cat lovers among my readers and friends.

Check it out. A signed copy of The Little Book of Cat Magic, a cat candle holder (with candle, because that's the way I roll), a cute stuffed black cat, and a black cat bookmark.

As usual, no purchase is necessary, it is open internationally, and all you have to do to enter is use the Rafflecopter form below.

Happy birthday, Harry Dresden!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bittersweet Anniversaries

Today is a strange kind of day. (Okay, around my house most days are strange, but you know what I mean.)

It is the one year anniversary of losing my beloved Mystic, only eight days after losing his sister. He was a gentle giant, my big Pooh Bear, and I still miss his weight at the end of the bed.

But it is also the anniversary of the day I brought home Harry Dresden (the cat, not the wizard...we're not going to talk about THAT day). I had already found Harry--then named Ocean, which I thought was a sign, since I love the ocean--and was just waiting to bring him home until Magic and Mystic were gone. They needed and deserved all my attention there at the end.

After I got home from the vet, it was just brutal walking into a house with only one cat in it, after having had five for so long. So I called up Harry's foster and said, "PLEASE can I come get him this afternoon?" and she was happy to let me do so. Blessings on all those who foster animals. Having him there (the other two weren't going to be able to join us for three weeks, while we were waiting for Ember to be spayed by the rescue I was getting them from) was all that got me through that first couple of really tough weeks, since Angus isn't much of a snuggler.

So thanks for coming to live with me, Harry Dresden. I'm awfully happy you did.

I looked terrible, because I'd been crying for days, but look how cute he was.

The first time I went to see him, he crawled into my coat. I guess he wanted to go home with me!

Harry Dresden Health Scare Saga

It has been a rough week in Casa Deb. If you haven't been following along on Facebook, Twitter, or my Patreon, you  might not know that I had to take Harry Dresden in to the vet early on Saturday morning after Thanksgiving. (On Small Business Saturday, when I had to be to work at the shop by about 9:15 and work most of the day.)

Harry hadn't been eating well for days. At first I thought it was just a hairball, which he's had before, but by Friday night is was clear something was really wrong. He stopped eating altogether and was very lethargic. SCARY.

Not a happy cat

I was at the vet for their emergency Saturday hours at 8:04, right after they opened. Our regular vet wasn't on duty, but the new vet, Dr. Inman, was just lovely. She examined Harry and he had a fever of almost 105 (cat's can run up to 102.5 and be considered within normal range, but 105 is HIGH). All the blood tests came back normal, including precautionary testing for feline leukemia and feline AIDS (whew). X-rays were inconclusive, but we thought maybe he'd eaten a mouse or something that didn't break down entirely. I had to leave him there for treatment for the weekend, but at least I knew he'd be in good hands.

Saturday night his fever was down (with kitty NSAIDS) and he'd had a big poop, so we thought maybe he was past the worst of it. But Sunday she called and told me his fever was back up. More x-rays, more blood tests. Some discussion of possible scary rare illnesses that we wouldn't be able to send out blood tests for until Monday.

Then on Monday, he was better! Fever had gone down and stayed down, and he was eating again. They wanted to keep him one more day just to be sure, but he seemed recovered. I went in to visit him after work and got lots of kisses and wiggling (he'd been so sick when I brought him in, he just sat in my lap listlessly). My friend Ellen, who works at the vet as a dog groomer, called me that night to tell me he'd complained LOUDLY after I left without him, and made everyone crazy. Oops. But still, a good sign.

Happy to be home

So I picked him up Tuesday afternoon. He was definitely feeling better, and much perkier. (I, on the other hand, was a little less perkier after I paid the bill. Oy.) And very happy to be home, even if Ember and Koshka hissed and growled at him because he smelled like vet. I was mostly just really relieved that it was over, because to be honest, I was terrified I was going to lose him too, and after this year, I didn't know if I could bear it.

Then he didn't eat dinner. And barely touched breakfast. So I called my regular vet, and she told me she thought I should bring him back in. (Along with Angus, who has a huge sore on his neck and was supposed to go on Tuesday, but managed to elude me.) Did I mention it has been snowing all week?

So much for my day off when I was going to get lots done. But kitties come first. So back we went, with both cats complaining loudly about the unfairness of it all. (Which was actually a good sign in Harry's case, because he hadn't made a peep when I took him in on Saturday.)

Still no temp, and he looked otherwise good except some redness in his throat, like a human might get with a bad bug. So Dr. Baker thought he'd probably had a virus, which he was still fighting a bit of, and the antibiotic he'd been put on (which would be useless against a virus, but had been a precautionary measure because we had no idea what was going on) was probably making him nauseous. Poor boy. So that's been discontinued, and he's back home again. He only nibbled at dinner, and a bit more later, but I've got my fingers crossed that he'll feel more like eating in the morning.

Huge appreciation to all my Patreon supporters--the money from that will really help to pay these vet bills. More appreciation to the people who have been buying the new necklaces and signed books I've put up on my Etsy Shop. That helps too.

Plus all the folks who have been sending out prayers, good vibes, and Reiki. You all rock.

Here's hoping that Harry Dresden is back to his usual spunky self soon.

It has been a rough week

Feline Friday: A Kitten Update

I realized I hadn't posted a report on The Wild Bunch in a while, and since I just took them all to the vet on Wednesday for shots and exams, I figured this would be a good time.

They're all doing very well--getting along with each other and Angus. They're technically not kittens anymore, since Harry Dresden is 15 months old and Koshka and Ember are about 17 months. But they still ACT like kittens, ramming around and getting into things and occasionally breaking something. (Sigh.)

 This is Koshka, playing with all the toys at once.

 Harry seemed to enjoy his first Samhain/Halloween. He went dressed as a witch's cat.

 Ember is turning into a bit more of a cuddler than she was in the beginning, although when she comes to bed with me she still insists on sleeping down by my calves.

 Two black cats, but as different from each other as they can be.

 I call Koshka my "Fluffernutter," because he is both fluffy and nuts.

Angus gets along with everyone, thank goodness. He's enjoying being the one in charge for a change.

The vet report was good. Everyone is healthy. Ember is actually the heaviest, at 10.4 lbs--and because she's small, I'm going to have to watch her weight. She's a tiny bit tubby. Harry Dresden weighed 10.3 and is sleek and fast as a demon, and Koshka is 9.7 lbs--all that fur is deceptive, and he looks larger than he is. The other two have probably stopped growing. If Koshka is part Maine Coon, as we think, they can keep growing for 2 or 3 years, so he might get a bit bigger.

I still miss Magic and Mystic terribly, and these guys aren't as consistent about keeping me company in bed, which is rough and makes me threaten to get another cat...but mostly they are wonderful and I feel very lucky to have found them all.

Release Day for The Little Book of Cat Magic!

It's finally here!*

The Little Book of Cat Magic is out in the world. I hope you're all as excited as I am! **

I love this cover!

There are so many things about this book to be excited about. CATS! MAGIC! Plus, it is my first ever hardcover, which is pretty cool. I have to admit, there is something bittersweet for me about this book coming out now, because my beloved Magic the Cat, Queen of the Universe, isn't here to help me promote it (for the first time ever since I started publishing with Llewellyn). But as people have so kindly said, her part of the book is like her last gift to me and my readers, so I am trying to look at it that way.

And goodness knows, the new kittens will undoubtedly try to be helpful.

Here's Harry Dresden, wondering if he can order himself a copy without me knowing...

And here are a few buy links, you know, just in case you feel like ordering yourself one.

Buy Links

Barnes & Noble |Amazon |iBooks |Llewellyn  

Here is the blurb for the book, in case you are wondering what a book of cat magic is all about:

Deepen the bond between you and your cat as you weave magic together. This wonderful and witchy book is filled with a wide variety of spells, charms, and recipes that you can use to improve the lives of both you and your feline friends. From finding and naming a new cat to working with him as a familiar, The Little Book of Cat Magic has something for everyone who loves cats and magic.

Learn about cats throughout history and the myths, folklore, and deities associated with them. Explore spells for living with a cat, improving his health, and grieving and saying goodbye to him when his nine lives have run their course. Enjoy crafts and recipes, divination techniques involving cats, unique ways to channel your inner feline, and much more.

*Llewellyn has them right now. Amazon and other places might be a little late getting them in because there was apparently some delay at the printers. But if you order it now, they'll send it out to you as soon as they get it in, and anyone who preordered them should get them within a few days.

**I would normally have a great giveaway up here today, but as I type this (on Friday night, actually) I am about to head out of town to Baltimore to say goodbye to my beloved friend Bethany, who is dying of cancer. Today is her 34th birthday. And when it came down to a choice between being there for my friend and her husband, or promoting my book, it wasn't much of a choice. So I promise I will put up an even more spectacular giveaway in the next couple of days, hopefully after I have received my own author copies and will have a couple to give away. In the meanwhile, I appreciate your patience.

Happy book day! I hope you'll share a little bit about your cats in the comments.

 

3 weeks to The Little Book of Cat Magic Giveaway

*looks at calendar* *does double take* WHAT?

Holy crap! How is it the middle of September? I meant to do a post at the beginning of the month, reminding everyone that The Little Book of Cat Magic was going to be out in a month. Except, well, I went out of town, and things got away from me, and now we're THREE WEEKS AWAY! (Insert Kermit flail here.) October 8th is right around the corner.

So Harry Dresden and I put our heads together and came up with a fun cat-themed giveaway full of goodies.

No, the cat is not included. Why do you keep asking me?

There's a cute stuffed cat (the paws come in various colors), three different bookmarks, a witch's broom pen, a cat rubber ducky (would that make it a rubber catty?) and a cool Siamese cat candle holder.

To make up for missing the one month mark, I'm actually going to give away TWO sets of these--one here, and one on my Deborah Blake Author Page on Facebook. So feel free to enter in either place, or both. I have a few more cool things planned for the weeks ahead, because man, I'm SO excited about this book! I hope you are too. (I know Harry doesn't look excited, but really he is.)

As always, no purchase is necessary (although I'd love it if you'd preorder the book, of course) and all you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Yes, you get credit for things you've already done, like signing up for my newsletter, or following me on Twitter. Extra karma points for spreading the word!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Harry Dresden's Birthday

It's hard to believe, but the youngest of the new kittens, Harry Dresden, turned one today. (The other two are a couple of months older, they think, but no one knows exactly when they were born because they came from a 25 cat hoarding situation.) Theoretically, this means they're not kittens anymore, but if you could see them racing around like maniacs and bouncing off the walls, you'd know that's not true.

The birthday boy today

The first day I met him. That's my coat he's curled up in.

It's hard to believe I've had Harry since January--this is a picture of him the first day I met him, when I went to where he was being fostered to see if he was the cat I asked Magic to send me. When he curled up on my lap and fell asleep, I was pretty sure he was.

He's really sweet--the most affectionate of the three, although like most cats, only when he's in the mood. He's also the only one who consistently sleeps with me, although sometimes I have to go fetch him and remind him that's his job.

To celebrate Harry's birthday, I decided to give my readers a gift. For those who haven't read it yet (gasp!), I've put DANGEROUSLY FIERCE on sale for the next week. It's normally $7.99 (to match the price Berkley set on the ebooks they put out) but for now, it is only $2.99! So if you've been waiting to get it, now's your big chance. It's available at all the usual ebook retailers.

Happy birthday, Harry Dresden!

Meet Ember and Koshka

I'm still recovering from the loss of Magic and Mystic last month, but little Harry Dresden has settled in well and he and Angus are already pals. So yesterday I added two more (the last two, really) to the household. Ember (the little gray and orange girl) and Koshka (the long-haired lion-cat boy, named after the dragon-cat in Wickedly Powerful) were rescued from a 25 cat hoarding situation, so no one is completely sure of their ages or if they are brother and sister, although that's probable. It's thought they are about 7-8 months old, so not that much older that Harry, who is 5 months old. For now they are hanging out in the kitchen, but I hope to integrate them all soon...

Aren't they gorgeous? I hadn't intended to get three more--just two to take the places of Magic and Mystic. But up until a couple of years ago, I'd had five for a long time, and when I saw Koshka when I went to visit Ember, and could see that they were attached to each other, I just had to take him too. I wanted to give Harry and Angus a chance to bond (which they have) and didn't want to overwhelm Angus with three new kitties at once, besides, Ember still had to be neutered (and the cat sanctuary woman who had taken her in was willing to pay to get it done), so I've been waiting to bring them home.

But now they're here, and my house is full again. I'm still grieving for Magic and Mystic, but I'm pretty sure Magic sent me all three of the new kitties, as I asked her to, and that really helps.

Now we just have to get everyone settled in...

Ember. Look at that sweet face!

Koshka. Can you tell he'd been crawling behind the cookbooks?

Ember. I suspect she's going to stay pretty small.

This one, I'm not so sure about!

Apparently they call this coloring a blue tortie or a dilute tortie or calico.

Fluffy!

Meet Harry Dresden

As you know, I lost my beloved brother and sister cats, Mystic and Magic, within nine days of each other recently. To say that I am grieving would be a huge understatement. My house, which until a few years ago, had five cats in it, only had one. Not only was poor Angus not made to be an only cat (he has always been with other cats, first at the shelter and then here, and was often curled up on the bed with his buddy Mystic), but I was pretty sure they were going to kick me out of the Crazy Cat Lady Union.

Normally, I wait a bit longer to get a new cat after losing one, but the house was SO DAMNED EMPTY. After Magic died, I had already started looking for new cats, although at the time I had planned to wait until after Mystic was gone, not realizing that would happen so soon.

I happened across a cool local rescue organization called Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans when  my friend Ellen and I were at the mall one day and they were there with a bunch of cats. These folks do spay and neuter and find foster homes for both cats and dogs until they can be adopted. They're completely made up of volunteers and funded by donations. So I thought I might look for a cat with them instead of the shelter, when it came time. After I lost Magic, I looked at their pictures of adoptable cats on Facebook and saw a little 4 1/2 month old guy named Ocean. He was black, and the ocean IS my happy place, and I had asked Magic before she died to help me find my next kitties. So I went to go visit him at his foster home.

He ran around for a while with the other kittens there, and then tried to get into the pocket of my coat where it was lying on the floor. His foster mom Kristen and I joked that he was trying to go home with  me already. I explained to her that I really wasn't sure what was happening with Mystic, and I had another couple of cats to see that my friend Nancy had found, so I couldn't promise to take him. But it looked pretty possible, since he was a very sweet boy.

Then he came over, sat on my lap, and promptly fell asleep. I know when I've been chosen.

So cute!

 Here is a picture of me with him. I look terrible, because I'd been weeping for days. But he looks cute.

When I had to put Mystic to sleep the following Friday, the house was so unbearably lonely and empty, I actually went and picked up the then-named Ocean that evening. Luckily, I had already been approved for adoption.

He has been adjusting well, all things considered. He's a bit mouthy, and has a tendency to get into trouble, but he is also sweet as can be and there is no one you would rather have by your side when you're feeling sad. So in keeping with the magical theme of the household, and in honor of one of my favorite fictional wizards, he has been named Harry Dresden.

In the office

Angus spent the first few days hissing and running away, but they are slowly getting used to each other. I think it is going to work out.

Oh, okay.

Harry Dresden turned five months old on the fifteenth, and it is um, interesting, getting used to all that wild young energy after having a house full of older cats for so long. He has two seven month old companions who will be joining him at the beginning of February from a different rescue organization (seriously-- Crazy Cat Lady Union rules!) and hopefully they'll all wear each other out.

In the meanwhile, say hello to Harry!