Black Cat Art & Advocacy

Black Cat Art & Advocacy with Layla and Clyde.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving for everyone celebrating today. As an expat Canadian living in New York, it means celebrating twice and double the turkey for cats.

Did someone say extra turkey? Hello, it’s Clyde and I apologize for missing my regular Monday gig. Sheesh, I miss one week and the human hogs the spotlight.

Clyde, I’m only here this week to share to announce our blog focus this season on black cat art and advocacy. Besides, it was time we did a nice selfie together. Most of the posts will be on Mondays but not exclusively. The art will include a wide array of vintage and contemporary work to illustrate how amazing and adoptable black cats are. I’d like to also mention some updates about our other cats.

Other cats?

Clyde, I know you think you’re the center of our feline universe but you do live with three other cats. Odin continues his usual routine but comes in earlier from his long days of hunting in the garden. The wild boy is beginning to slow down a tad. I’ve been spending some quality hammock time and Odin jumps on board for a rock-a-bye-baby cuddle just like Merlin used to do. It’s an extended treat since autumn has been drier and warmer than average. It’s fast coming to an end with the dregs of hurricane Nate bringing heavy rain. Odin is not amused.

Domino is such a creature of habit and as an old boy of 14, his wandering days are long over. He is found during the day on the same chair on the porch, the driveway, under the cedar trees or on the massive tree root facing west as the sun sets. In the evening, he spends most of the time on his dad’s lap and sleeps on his pillow at night. 100% daddy’s boy.

Nou Nou has been ill with one thing or another. As a special needs hoarder rescue, her neurological issues are shifting. She is having litter box issues, a severe case of dermatitis and recently had surgery to remove lesions on her tongue. There were complications from anesthesia and we’ve been worried sick. The worst is over and she’s friendlier but as idiosyncratic as ever. She may need more surgery but taking it one day at a time.

Clyde, you can take over from here.

Finally. And before everyone thinks I’m a furry old curmudgeon, let me tell you, I don’t mind Nou Nou. In fact, I’ve been worried about her too. Mind you, I’ve been up and down as the scourge, kidney disease is the devil. It’s gaining ever so slowly and I’ve been vomiting more. That said, my appetite is Olympian and must be obeyed every couple hours. No one gets much sleep around here including me. Whoever said cats sleep 16-18 hours a day or that cats can’t suffer from insomnia is WRONG. Cats can have sleep issues, especially cognitive-based one as we age. I don’t sleep much and Odin sleeps only 12 hours if that. Layla has a sleep disorder but that’s another story. She thinks there is symptomatic human/feline mirroring going on. It makes sense. Cats are always trying to heal and balance the energies around them.

Enough about illness, let’s enjoy some more art. The next best thing to enjoying a cat in person is to have artwork of cats. I’m delighted to share the original portrait of moi. Layla finally got around to getting it framed. It’s so much more special to have an original. You should get one too. They are VERY reasonably priced. When we held our Pet Portrait giveaway

two months ago, Mi-Ha, the young artist did not have her ETSY shop ready but it’s up now and original portraits are only $27.00 and up. She’s lovely and easy to work with so go see her Custom Pet Portrait Shop now. I love my portrait and it’s in a place of honor on the fireplace mantle. Yes, it’s very good thing inde

I leave you with three more vintage black cat art from October 1896 and 1903. As a writer, I’m intrigued by the short story titles from long ago. Some are dated but others are timeless. The Peg-leg Ghost sounds like an ideal tale for Halloween, no? Best of all, you can read them for free. They are all in the public domain.

That’s it for me this week but I might make a guest appearance before Friday the 13th. Woooo.

Love Clyde and Layla