Category Archives: Pets

Celebrating International Cat Day

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đŸŸ Paws Across the Globe: Celebrating International Cat Day

I just found out it’s International Cat Day! 

Every August 8th, cat lovers unite in a chorus of purrs and whiskers to celebrate International Cat Day—a day devoted to honoring our feline companions and raising awareness about their welfare. Whether curled up on a windowsill or ruling the roost with a flick of the tail, cats have long enchanted us with their mysterious charm.

Banner & Balboa photo credit Deb Neumann

But some places take this devotion to a whole new level. Let’s journey to two of the world’s most iconic cat-loving destinations: Aoshima Island in Japan and Ernest Hemingway’s home in Key West, Florida.

đŸ‡ŻđŸ‡” Aoshima: Japan’s Whispering Island of Cats

Nestled in the Seto Inland Sea, Aoshima—often called Cat Island—is a tranquil fishing village where cats outnumber humans nearly 6 to 1. Originally brought in to control mice threatening silkworm farms, the cats stayed, multiplied, and became the island’s unofficial ambassadors.

  • đŸš« Dogs are not allowed, making it a true feline sanctuary.
  • 🐟 Fishermen feed the cats scraps from their catch, and locals believe cats bring good luck.
  • ⛩ A small cat shrine honors a feline who died in a rockfall, symbolizing the islanders’ reverence.

Visitors arrive by ferry, greeted by a sea of curious eyes and twitching tails. There are no hotels or restaurants—just cats, ocean breezes, and a sense of timeless serenity.

 

Aoshima, Japan's Cat Island: A Visitor's Guide - Catster

Aoshima, Japan’s Cat Island- Photo Shutterstock

Explore more about Aoshima here.

đŸ‡ș🇾 Hemingway’s Key West: Six-Toed Legends

Thousands of miles away, in sun-drenched Key West, the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum is home to nearly 60 polydactyl cats—descendants of Hemingway’s beloved six-toed feline, Snow White, gifted by a ship’s captain.

  • đŸŸ These cats carry the polydactyl gene, giving them mitten-like paws.
  • đŸ›ïž They roam freely through Hemingway’s historic home and gardens.
  • 🎭 Each cat is named after a famous person—just as Hemingway did.

The cats are as much a part of the museum’s legacy as the Nobel Prize-winning author himself. Visitors often come for the literature but stay for the lounging legends with extra toes.

 

Ernest Hemingway's Cats - the best part of the Florida Keys?

One of Hemmingway’s polydactyl cats- stock photo

Learn more about the Hemingway cats here.

🌍 Why We Celebrate

International Cat Day isn’t just about pampering our pets—it’s a call to action. With over 600 million cats worldwide, many face challenges like homelessness, illness, and neglect. This day encourages:

  • 🏠 Adoption and fostering
  • 💰 Donations to shelters
  • 🧠 Education about feline behavior and care

Whether you’re cuddling your own cat, sharing photos online, or dreaming of a visit to Cat Island or Key West, today is a reminder of the joy and mystery cats bring to our lives.

Banner- photo Credit Deb Neumann

đŸ± Final Purrs

From the quiet shores of Aoshima to the literary halls of Hemingway’s home, cats have carved out corners of the world where they are cherished, celebrated, and even worshipped. On International Cat Day, we honor not just their presence—but their power to soothe, inspire, and connect us across cultures.

So go ahead—spoil your cat a little extra today. Somewhere, a six-toed Hemingway cat is doing the same.

Balboa- photo credit Deb Neumann

 

Whiskers & Wishes: Celebrating My Cats’ Birthdays With Style

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Celebrating My Cats’ Birthdays With Style

There’s something delightfully endearing about throwing a birthday celebration for a cat. It’s not just about cake-shaped toys or sardine soufflĂ©s—it’s about honoring the quiet companionship, the mysterious glances, and the absolute rulers of our hearts and homes.

Banner and Balboa- Photo credit Deb Neumann

 

đŸŸ The Feline Lineup

In my home, birthdays come in soft purrs and fluffed tails. Each one of my cats has their own personality, style, and yes—preferred party theme.

  • Banner

Regal Banner

  • Banner turner 5 this year on June 6. Banner is the big brother. He is also my opera singer. Every night we get the songs of his people with his reedition of Moonlight & Meows. His gift was a Pawkitty Water mat. 

  • Pet Water Bed,Cat Water Mat 2025 Upgraded Thickened Sensory Water Palymat,Leak-Proof Sensory Playmat,Water Mat for Cats and Dogs,Anti-Scratch Design Waterbed for Indoor Cat & Dog

    Water Mat

    This was a dud. What they don’t tell you is it takes a lot of water and water is heavy. I don’t have a hose or an indoor faucet that would allow me to hook one up if I did. I tried to fill it in the sink but the mat was too big. I tried the tub but before I had it more than 1/2 filled it was too heavy to move. Banner watched the tub fiasco with interest but that was as far as we got. No water bed for him this year.

  • Balboa

Balboa also turns 5 this year. His birthday is coming up in August. August 14 to be exact. Balboa is my lap cat. Where Banner is regal and aloof, Balboa is timid and shy with strangers. Not so with Banner or me. He is my high flying kitty. He likes to be up high and chases toys in leaps and bounds. That includes his big brother. He is also the leader of the demolition team. You’ve heard the expression “This is why we can’t have nice things”. Well that’s Balboa. He is also ridiculously funny.

Balboa photo credit Deb Neumann

Just look at those eyes. You can see the insanity!

🎁 Gifts, Real and Imagine

Their birthday gifts included handmade toys, a new paper bag,  a new cat scratcher shaped like a cactus (how fitting, right?), and the ultimate luxury—a nap uninterrupted by vacuum cleaners.

Cactus Cat Tree-

But the real gift was in the ritual. These feline birthdays remind me to slow down, appreciate softness, and indulge in silliness. They ground me in quiet moments and encourage me to create little bits of magic—not because it’s necessary, but because it’s meaningful.

🌙 Looking Ahead

Next year? I’m dreaming of a “Zen & Zoomies” spa retreat for Banner and a pirate-themed tunnel adventure for Balboa. Whatever the plan, it will be theirs—and that’s what makes it purrfect.

Cactus Cat Tree available at Welcominghaven.com

Additional Pet resources can be found on Amazon. I am an Amazon affiliate

What My Cats Taught Me About Stillness

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đŸŸ What My Cats Taught Me About Stillness

There’s a quiet wisdom in the way cats move through the world—a gentle rhythm that doesn’t rush, doesn’t chase, doesn’t force. It simply is. I didn’t understand the language of stillness until I began watching my cats more closely, not just as a pet, but as a teacher.

Banner & Balboa relaxing on the cat tree

My cats don’t plan their day. They doesn’t set alarms. They doesn’t worry whether the sun will shine. Yet somehow, each moment finds them exactly where they need to be—napping in the soft spill of light across the floor, perched elegantly on the windowsill, or curled like a comma in the folds of a blanket. There is grace in their simplicity. And that grace awakened something in me.

Balboa alert even when preparing for nap time

 

One morning, I found Banner staring out the window as raindrops fell quietly, tapping the leaves like a soft metronome. His gaze never wandered, never flinched. He sat, utterly still, as if listening to the secret stories each raindrop told. And so I sat, too. Not on my phone. Not planning my next errand. I simply sat beside him, and for once, I listened with him.

Banner as pretty as a picture

Stillness, I’ve realized, isn’t the absence of movement—it’s the presence of attention. It’s being fully in tune with a single breath, a falling leaf, or the stretch of a lazy afternoon. My cats have become a compass pointing me toward this gentle kind of mindfulness.

My babies together

So now, I’ve made it a daily ritual: ten minutes of stillness. I follow their example. I sit,  breathe,  watch. And in doing so, I allow the dust to settle in my thoughts, the clutter to clear from my day. Because sometimes, the most profound beauty lives in moments we almost overlook—the ripple of quiet when nothing demands us, and everything simply invites.

Fallen Leaf Emoji 🍂

Tails From the Cat Side

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Cat Tales (Tails)

Time for “Tails from the Cat Side”. I told you that my kitty shenanigans in our evening play sessions needed a post all of their own and I mean it. My usually quiet and boring fur babies turn 15 minutes of playtime into the “Eve of Destruction”. It came as a shock to me the first time it happened but I think I’ve got a handle on it now.

Oh the mess

Bed Time-Play Time

I try to play with my cats in the evening as that’s when they are most likely to be around. During the day they like to watch birds and squirrels out the window or sleep.  I have a bunch of interactive toys they can play with too if I’m busy. Everything from a laser that runs for 15 minutes before it shuts off to good old fashioned paper bags but lately I’ve had trouble holding their attention.  They had no interest in me and would just ignore the toys and walk away. 

Feline Wrestle-mania

Of course the minute I walked away to go to bed they had a hissy fit. Banner led to charge with the Song of his people in loud wails. Balboa added tiny chips and irritated meows. I had to do something. So I made an emergency trip to PetSmart for a bunch of “Wand” Toys.

Product Whisker CityÂź Multi Ribbon Boa Teaser Toy Wand

Whisker CityÂź Multi Ribbon Boa Teaser Toy Wand

 

 

 

This was the favorite.

Wand Toy Playtime

Both Banner and Balboa seemed to like chasing this toy and we had a lively few minutes before they wandered off to lay down.  They really put some effort into chasing it and there was no more evening serenade. It seemed to satisfy their need for bedtime attention …at first.

I made the mistake of letting them catch the wand. 

I flipped the boa over Balboa’s head instead of dragging it along the floor. OMG! He exploded into the air. If it had been a bird it’s life would be over.

Balboa flies

 

 

Balboa jumped so high he looked like a cartoon kitty.  I can’t take a picture fast enough and handle the wand. Unfortunately Balboa won’t “perform” for anyone but me. He hides whenever anyone else comes around so you’ll need to use your imagination.

Destruction

Banner is just as violent but at ground level. I guess we have air force and infantry here. The Boa didn’t last long. I switched to feathers and Banner made short work of that one. 

 

Wand before playtime

Boa Wand after Playtime

 

The remains of the feather wand after 5 minutes with Banner

Some of the feather remains

I’m using a fuzzy wand now. It looks like a squirrel’s tail. They both really get going after that and it seems to be a little less delicate. Maybe this will last more than a day or two.

Paws, Claws and Catnaps

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Paws, Claws and Catnaps

Never a dull moment around my house. Banner and Balboa keep me hopping with paws, claws and catnaps. I have a pretty strong mix of catnip that I use on them regularly to mellow them out. After the initial Krazy Kat display they curl up for a nice nap.  They have developed quite a habit. WE may have to have an intervention soon. But for now I’ll let them sleep it off. 

Cat Nap time

 

Here’s what I have to deal with. 

Recent Perplexing Behavior

The kitties are clearly spoiled so I must be a bad cat mom. Banner has always liked to chew on my hand. Typical morning behavior is to take over my desk top and purr. When I try to pet him (which he loves, by the way) he immediately bites me. It used to be just gentle love nips but as he has gotten older and his jaw has gotten stronger the nips have turned to bites. He even has been known to draw blood, But then he is so contrite and will gently lick my wounds.

Do Not Disturb

Next he tries to snag my Fitbit off the charger. He can be very sneaky about that. If I am not paying attention he will calmly walk off with it and then the search is on to find where he put it. It was funny at first but after awhile this gets kind of old.

Not So Innocent

Balboa is not an innocent bystander. In fact my little cuddle kitty is a sneaky instigator. I think he enjoys getting his big brother in trouble. Only yesterday Balboa was perched in Banner’s spot on my desk top like a Egyptian God.

Worship me hooman

He clearly expected pets and worship. Banner sauntered over to see what was going on and Balboa growled. LOL Yup like an angry dog.  Banner had no idea what was going on. In 4 years together I have never witnessed that behavior and I don’t think Banner has either. They usually get along fine. Maybe not besties but mostly friendly wrestling.

WrestleMania

 

Paper Bags and Boxes

Banner is a paper bag boy while Balboa prefers boxes. Lately when Banner is playing in his bags Balboa has to try to jump him. When Banner gets disgusted at the interference and walks away, Balboa takes over the bag. They won’t share so to keep peace I now have 2 shredded bags in the middle of my Livingroom. They get to keep them until my housekeeper comes to clean. At that point I toss them. They’ll get new bags after she leaves.

Bag Boy Bag Boy Whatcha gonna do?

 

 

Kitty in a box

 

 

But this is nothing compared to our playtime before bed.  But that deserves another post. Until next time…  

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