Purrs of Wisdom with Ingrid King

August 31, 2011

Allegra’s World: Earthquake!

It sure has been an exciting couple of weeks here since I last wrote. Earthquakes, hurricanes, my birthday, a Pettie win – I don’t even know where to start!

Last Tuesday afternoon, we were all just going about our business. For Ruby and me, that meant napping. For Mom, it meant doing some work on the computer. All of a sudden, this weird noise woke me from my nap. It wasn’t like anything I had ever heard before. Being the smart cat that I am, I immediately ran to my safe place behind the shower curtain in the downstairs bathroom. The noise didn’t stop, it only got louder. And then, the walls started shaking, and the ground under me was moving, too. It was really really scary. Mom was upstairs, and I could hear her crying out. I think she was really scared, too. Normally, when I get scared, I don’t come out of my safe place for a while, but I was so worried about Mom, I ran upstairs as soon as the house stopped shaking. I could tell she was pretty upset, she picked me up and hugged me and she was shaking. Ruby, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind that things got all wobbly. She looked at me and Mom like we had lost our minds. I think she was more curious than anything else.

As if that wasn’t enough change from our usual routine (I like our routine! I don’t like change!), Mom left the house very early one morning, and didn’t come back for a very long time. At first, I thought she’d actually gone away to sleep somewhere else, like she’d done once or twice before. I got really suspicious when Ronnie, our cat sitter, showed up to feed us dinner. We love Ronnie, but seeing her usually means Mom won’t be back for a while, and I don’t like that at all. But thankfully, Mom came home at night, even though it was really late. It was so late that she didn’t even play with us before she went to bed! She said she was going to something called BlogPaws, and that it was important for our blog that she be there. I don’t like it when Mom is not home, but if her being gone is good for our blog, I guess I can live with it.

Then on Saturday, things got really weird. It was my birthday. Mom said she’d be gone all day again, so Ruby and I were going to party while Mom was gone! Unfortunately, the weather turned really bad really fast. Some lady named Irene was responsible for a lot of heavy rain and wind, and I’m really scared of the sound of heavy rain. So instead of celebrating my birthday, I spent most of it in my safe place in the downstairs shower. Mom came home earlier that day than she had been the previous two days, and that made me feel a little better. She came and checked on me throughout the evening and even in the middle of the night to make sure I was okay. I love that she did that. I was trying to be brave, but every time I tried to come out of the bathroom, it was just too scary. It finally stopped raining Sunday morning, and life was back to normal for us. Mom also didn’t go away again that morning, which made me really really happy.

The best thing that happened all week, even better than my birthday, was that our blog won a Pettie for Best Pet Blog! Ruby and I worked really hard to get people to vote for us, and we’re so excited that all that hard work paid off. Thank you to all of you who voted for our blog. We’re so happy and proud!

After all this excitement, I’m ready for a couple of weeks of peace and quiet and nice weather. And lots of naps.

August 28, 2011

Sunday Purrs: Get Happy

Sunday Purrs| 15 Comments

How many of you remember the theme song to The Partridge Family TV show? “Hello world, here’s a song that we’re singing. Come on, get happy!” And how many of you had a crush on David Cassidy?

But I digress. This post is about getting happy. Is there a formula for happiness? Is there one sure-fire way to achieve everything we want in life? Well, actually, there just might be. And it’s as simple, or as complicated, as getting happy. Simple, because we all have the power to do it. Complicated, because our conditioning tells us it’s not that easy.

Everything around us is energy, including our thoughts. If we focus our thoughts on things that make us happy, our energy shifts to a better place, and we tend to attract more happiness. But how do we do this in a world that seems to be so full of unhappy things?

We do it by making a conscious decision that we want to be happy. We have the power to choose our thoughts – so why not choose thoughs that make us feel good? We can make these conscious choices in every single moment – by choosing to focus on what is working in our lives rather than complaining about what isn’t, by choosing books and television programs that make us feel good rather than depressed or upset, by choosing to be with people who uplift us rather than drag us down into negativity.

Once we focus predominantly on that which makes us feel good, we’ll find that the world around us changes. Life flows more easily. We attract people and situations into our reality that are pleasant rather than frustrating. Our lives work better. We get happy.

And if you need a little help with feeling good, you don’t have to look any further than to your cats. They’re masters at making themselves feel good.

What will you to today to get happy?

August 27, 2011

Allegra’s World: Birthday Celebration

Allegra's World| 30 Comments

It’s my birthday today! I’m two years old!

And I got the best possible present I could have wanted for my birthday: Mom, Ruby and I won the 2011 Pettie for Best Pet Blog!

And the best part of that present is not only that it made Mom ecstatically happy, it also means that it will help lots of other kitties, because Mom will receive two checks of $500 each to go to Casey’s House and Kitten Associates. Thank you from Mom, and purrs from Ruby and me for voting for us!

I can’t wait to see what Mom has planned for my special day. Come on Ruby, it’s party time!

Our Mews and Nips from Around the Internet feature will resume next Saturday.

August 21, 2011

Sunday Purrs: Sundays Are for Reading

Sunday Purrs| 22 Comments

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible
and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers. – Charles W. Eliot

Reading is as essential as breathing to me.

I’ve been an avid reader as far back as I can remember. My parents started reading to me as a very young child, and I surprised them by reading on my own long before it was taught in school. At first, they thought I was faking it and that I was only repeating the words from memory.

During all the changes I’ve gone through in my life, good and not so good, books have always been there to provide entertainment,inspiration, escape, advice and so much more.

It should come as no surprise that I particularly enjoy books about cats as well as other animals, and I offer a wide selection of my favorites on my Reading List.

My “to be read” pile is usually out of control, and I like it that way. In fact, I get a little twitchy when the pile gets too low. Between the books I see reviewed on some of my favorite book blogs, the books I find browsing at my hometown Barnes and Noble store, and the books publicists and authors send me for review, I don’t think I have to worry about running out of reading material anytime soon.

I usually read at least two or three books at the same time. Currently, I’m reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy, The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, and a German women’s magazine (a way for me to try and keep up with my native language).

What are you currently reading?

August 14, 2011

Sunday Purrs: Navigating Turbulent Times

Sunday Purrs| 19 Comments

Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity.
Let’s love turbulence and use it for change. – Ramsey Clark

We live in challenging times. The economy, the stock market, political battles – everywhere you look, there’s turmoil. Mercury is currently in retrograde, and if you believe in astrology, it means that during this period, things can go a little crazy, and our reactions to the ever-changing situations can cause confusion and frustration.

We can’t control the planets, or what is happening in the world, whether it’s the world at large, or our own small piece of it. But we can choose how we react to what’s happening around us, and we can control what we focus our thoughts on.

Here are some simple steps that can help make navigating these turbulent times a little easier:

– Make a conscious decision each day to look for things that make you feel good. Look for things to appreciate. Look for the positive aspects in the people you interact with. By focusing on what’s good in your world, you’ll allow less of what’s not so good into your energy field.

– Go on a news diet. At the very least, stop watching the news first thing in the morning, and last thing before you go to bed at night. What you see first thing in the morning will stay in your consciousness throughout the day. What you see just before you go to sleep will make its way into your dreams and spoil a good night’s rest for you. Consider foregoing the news altogether. If you feel you must be informed, be judicious about where you get your news. There are ways to get the news without the hype.

– Practice simple acts of kindness. This is a fun and easy way to take the focus off yourself and any fear and worry you might experience. Yield to the car in front of you trying to merge into your lane. Smile at the harried clerk at the store. Take an unexpected small gift to someone in your office. Trying to make someone else feel better feels good. You’ll be surprised how much these simple little acts can shift your consciousness to a better place.

– Spend time with your cat! Spending time with cats is one of the best ways I know to instantly shift your vibration from negative to positive. It’s impossible to be fearful and worried when you watch a kitten play or when you have a purring cat in your lap.

– Find serenity in the middle of chaos. Breathe, take a walk in the fresh air, unplug, read; any or all of these will help you feel calmer. Or follow Merlin’s lead in the photo above: find a bench in a park or in your backyard, and enjoy the calming beauty of nature.

What are you doing to help you navigate these turbulent times?

August 10, 2011

Allegra’s World: Spring Play

Allegra's World| 12 Comments

If you read my sister Ruby’s post last week, you already know that she’s had quite a few adventures. Ha, and Mom thought I was a handful when I was her age!

Now that the Pettie campaign is over, I have more time for other things again, but I have to admit, I liked having such an important job. Maybe Mom could run for something else. I think Ruby and I made a great team.

Mom said she’ll have some new products for us to test soon. Bring it on – I’m ready!

The nice thing about not having to work so hard is that I have more time for play. My favorite game right now is playing with these little plastic springs. Mom plays that game with us every morning after we’ve had our breakfast. She tosses them for us, and Ruby and I chase after them. Sometimes we play with the same spring and bat it back and forth, but most of the time, we prefer to have our own spring to chase.

Of course, since they’re small and bouncy, they frequently disappear under furniture. Part of the fun of the game is to watch Mom try to retrieve them, even if she’s not very good at it. Usually, she just goes to the closet where she keeps some of our toys, and gets out a new spring. So I’ve had to step in and get some of the springs out from under stuff.

As you can see in the video below, I’m quite good at it – I managed to find not just one, but two springs under the stove!

httpv://youtu.be/q6uQW-8X2RM

August 7, 2011

Sunday Purrs: Gratitude

Sunday Purrs| 17 Comments

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. – Cynthia Ozick

Gratitude makes you happy. Research by Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis into the psychology of gratitude has shown that people who practice gratitude are 25% happier. They are more optimistic about the future and feel better about their lives.

The energy of gratitude is a powerful force. It can shift your mood and your thoughts from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance and joy. Gratitude is about being in the present moment, and appreciating what’s around you. Gratitude is about choice: you have the power to choose how you view any given situation in your life.

Gratitude is also a practice. Practicing gratitude is a great way to start and end each day. Think about five things you’re grateful for before you get out of bed each morning, and again before you go to sleep each night. Do this for a few days and you will notice how the shift in your energy will transform your life.

My five for today are:

1. Allegra

2. Ruby

3. A lovely breeze coming in through the open window.

4. That first cup of fresh brewed coffee in the morning.

5. Good health – my own, as well as Allegra’s and Ruby’s.

What five things are you grateful for today?

We’re the Tortoiseshell Sponsor at the National Capital Cat Show

Author's Life| 7 Comments

I’m excited to announce that Buckley’s Story is the Tortoiseshell Sponsor at the National Capital Cat Show! The show takes place September 10 and 11, 2011, at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA.

The National Capital Cat Show is one of the largest cat shows in the country and features a huge selection of cat supplies, including cat toys, cat food, grooming supplies, and friendly people willing to help you with your cat questions. It’s truly a cat lover’s paradise.

Come visit us at our booth, purchase autographed and personalized copies of Buckley’s Story, and enter a drawing to win an autographed copy of the book. We’ll also have lots of fun freebies for you and your cat!

And that’s not all! I’m also excited to announce that we will have a very special guest at our booth for the entire show: Dr. Fern Crist, the veterinarian you know from Buckley’s Story and from several articles here on The Conscious Cat. Dr. Crist will be answering your cat health questions.

We will also be selling healing gemstone cat collars and jewelry (for the humans) designed and handcrafted by Dr. Crist. The stunning designs incorporate Dr. Crist’s love of rocks and vast knowledge of the healing properties of gemstones, her artistic creativity, and her veterinary experience.

The bracelet below is my most treasured piece of jewelry, and only one example of the gorgeous pieces Fern creates. She made this bracelet for me after Amber died. Each stone was selected for its healing properties for helping with grief, sadness and depression.

The photo below shows only some of Rock Spirit Designs’ cat collars. Cat collars can be custom made to help with specific health conditions.

So mark your calendars, and plan to join us at the National Capital Cat Show! For more information about the cat show, please visit the official website of the National Capital Cat Show.

August 3, 2011

Ruby’s Reflections: Ruby and the Ceramic Bowl

Ruby's Reflections| 17 Comments

Ha! You know how last week, I told you about my big refrigerator tumble and my unplanned shower, and how Mom was holding her breath, because these things usually come in three’s? Well, guess what.Continue Reading

July 31, 2011

Sunday Purrs: Are You Addicted to Technology?

Sunday Purrs| 15 Comments

Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything,
except over technology. – John Tudor

As a professional blogger and writer, I spend much of my day online. I also have a BlackBerry that keeps me connected to e-mail and my blog when I’m not at my computer. I love the world of e-mail, blogs, social media and other forms of online communication and the opportunities it presents. I especially love how it has changed how we meet people and form friendships in ways we never could have imagined even ten years ago.

Technology has allowed me to make contact with people I never could have met in real life. Whether it’s the author I’ve admired for decades, or the veterinarian whose articles I’ve only read in journals before, or the many fellow cat people who share my love for these incredibly fascinating and wonderful creatures – I treasure all of these relationships. Some of them have turned into real-life friendships.

But there is a downside to all this 24/7 connectedness. As with all good things, there can be too much of it. Researchers from the University of Glasgow found that half of the participants in a study reported checking their email once an hour, while some individuals check up to 30 to 40 times an hour. An AOL study revealed that 59 percent of PDA users check every single time an email arrives and 83 percent check email every day on vacation. (Source: WebMD.com)

Does this sound like the behavior of an addict to you? That’s because it is. All this technology creates compulsive behavior by tapping into the brain’s reward circuit and operant conditioning: the association of stimulus and reward. Every time you hit “check mail” on your e-mail or smartphone, you get a little dopamine hit. Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that makes you feel good. Receiving that e-mail, text, or Facebook comment sends a message to your brain that says “Yay! Somebody loves me!” Your brain comes to associate this feeling with the “you’ve got mail” or text message sound on your device, and releases a squirt of dopamine each time it hears the signal.

As if this weren’t bad enough, after you check that e-mail or that Facebook comment, your dopamine levels dip below normal, so you need another hit just to get your levels back to normal. If you’ve ever sat at your computer and hit the “get new mail” button over and over and wondered why on earth you’re doing that, now you know.

The constant connection to technology can take a toll on our bodies and our mental state, and it probably behooves us to occasionally unplug, even if it’s only for a few hours. Here are some ways to break the technology addiction, at least temporarily:

Unplug for for short periods of time if disconnecting for an entire day seems impossible. You life won’t implode. As with any addiction, there can be a period of anxiety when you first try it.
Leave your cell phone at home one day a week. Weekends are good for this. For some people, this will have the same effect as a two-week vacation; the psychological benefits can be that dramatic. If you feel must have your cell phone with you because of safety concerns, keep it turned off.
Set boundaries. Don’t check e-mail as soon as you get out of bed. Stop checking e-mail after a certain time in the evening. Set yourself a time limit when you go on social media sites.
Don’t let technology interfere with real, face-to-face contact. There’s nothing more irritating to me than having lunch with someone who keeps a constant eye on her smartphone.

I’ll admit, I find it very difficult to unplug, and I know I need to work at doing it more frequently. Thankfully, Allegra and Ruby are good at reminding me to step away from the computer. Usually, their reminders involve a walk across the keyboard, or a chase around the monitor. I’m going to heed their advice today and try and unplug for a few hours.

How about you? Are you addicted to technology? Do your cats remind you to unplug?

Ruby’s Reflections: Ruby and the Refrigerator

Ruby's Reflections| 21 Comments

It’s my turn to write! Wee!!! Boy, do I have lots to tell you! I’ve had a couple of big adventures since I last wrote!

For starters, last week, I fell off the top of the refrigerator. Don’t worry, I’m fine. But see, I like to hang out there. The view from up there is awesome! I can see the kitchen, living room, dining room, and stairway. It’s so cool! And I like to roll around on top, and hang my head over the side and look at the world upside down. That’s what I was doing last week, when, all of a sudden, I started slipping off the side!

I was really scared, but thankfully Mom was in the kitchen and she saw me slip. She reacted quickly and grabbed me halfway down. I was so spooked that I wouldn’t let her hold on to me, and I landed right on top of a full glass of water that was sitting on the counter I was heading for. Yikes! Miraculously, the glass didn’t break, but I landed in the puddle of water it created when it toppled over, and that really creeped me out. Now I was scared and wet! I took off running. I didn’t even know where I was running to, I just wanted to get out of the kitchen!

When Mom finally caught up with me, I could tell she was upset. I didn’t do it on purpose, I just slipped! Then I realized that she wasn’t upset with me, she was worried that I had hurt myself. Well, maybe my pride was hurt – I felt a little silly. And I was wet. But otherwise, I was fine. Allegra was watching the whole thing and I could tell she was alternately worried, amused, and relieved.

Mom told me that this was enough excitement for her for a while. But apparently, it wasn’t for me.

A few days after the great refrigerator tumble, I got myself in trouble again. I like playing in the bathtub. It’s fun to get behind the shower curtain and just walk around in there, and pretend that nobody knows where I’m at. I go there periodically throughout the day. Mom goes in there once a day, and I always wait for her right outside. When she goes in there, strange things happen, and I don’t want any part of that.

Well, the other day, Mom was in there. But I forgot that she was. I took a flying leap through the crack between the shower curtain and the wall, right into the tub. That’s when I realized that there was water falling from the ceiling! Lots of water! Eeeeek!!! I tried to jump back out, but lost my footing on the wet bottom. By the time I finally got out, I was really wet!

I wanted to get a far away from the bathroom as I could as fast as I could, so I tore through the house, trying to get away from the wet – except, the wet was following me! I finally realized that there was no way I could outrun it, so I sat down and started to try and dry myself off. By that time, Mom had caught up with me and wiped me down with a towel. I can’t believe Mom goes in there and stands under that water every day. Humans are just weird. Why doesn’t she just lick herself clean like I do?

Humans say things come in three’s, but so far, I’ve been a good kitten and haven’t gotten myself in any more trouble. Besides, humans say a lot of strange things. I know Mom is holding her breath, though.

That’s it as far as excitement around here goes. I’m really going to try to be a good little kitten. But I can hear a roll of toilet paper calling my name…