Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady News

Welcome newest members of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club: Cheryl R., Joanne M., Shari S., Carm C., Marie G., Anne S., Teresa Y., Virginia B., Donna K., and Karen N.! Be sure to carry your I.D. card in your wallet at all times to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are a certified feline fanatic, and always wear your club pin with pride.

Hey ladies! Did you know that if you have a Custom Cat Lady Portrait, you can substitute that image for the generic cat lady on the I.D card? Here are some examples:

Cat Lady Teresa (aka Cat Lady No. 279)

Cat Lady Carm (aka Cat Lady No. 217)

Cat Lady Anne (aka Cat Lady No. 80)

Custom portraits start as low as $19.95 for a mini portrait with one person, one pet:

Mini Portrait

Club memberships with I.D. card may be purchased here:

CCCCL Club Kits

Price includes a personalized I.D. Card, a members-only pinback button, Club Guidelines, and Club Creed. Gift memberships may also be purchased--just provide name, city, and hair color of the recipient.

Did you know that Andy Warhol was a certified Feline Fella? What a surprise! Cat Lady Kate over at www.ModernCat.net wrote a wonderful article about his artwork featuring cats, and his paintings are delightful!

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have news to share? Send it to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

It's All In The Family...

If you shake your family tree, do cats fall out?

There is a belief within the scientific community that the love and adoration of cats (sometimes referred to as felinophilia) can be a genetic phenomenon, passed down from generation to generation. Take the family of Teresa and Tony (pictured above, aka Cat Lady No. 298 and Cat Lad No. 299), for example.

Teresa's mom and dad, Cat Lady Peg and Feline Fella Bob, exhibit the undeniable signs of felinophilia. They adopted kitties George and Gracie from Lollypop Farm in Rochester, New York, as a retirement gift for Peg.

Teresa tells us about their little feline rascals: "George is addicted to anything with carbohydrates and can be found dragging a loaf of bread around the house if you are not careful. Gracie loves treats--she will be your shadow until she gets fed. When my parents go away and leave the cats under their neighbors' care you can find dish towels in the bathroom upstairs. No cat has confessed yet."

As if that weren't enough evidence to confirm the felinophilia-genetic-link, the kitty love bug has also bitten Teresa's aunt and uncle, Cat Lady Carole and Feline Fella Jim. "They saw how much my parents enjoyed their cats and went to the same rescue organization to get their cats, Mirah (tortie) and Fred (orange tabby). Mirah loves bottle caps and Fred loves staring out the window at the birds."

Does felinophilia run in your family? Leave a comment at the end of this post and tell us if your family tree is crawling with cats!

Thanks for visiting!

Heart of Gold...Part 2

We met Cat Lady Kimberlynn a few days ago and learned about her miraculous heart transplant; now meet her band of furry friends. Kim herself tells us a little about the healing power of pet love:

"I moved to Florida in 2000, four years after my transplant. I had one dying 18-year-old cat named Rico. He was my joy and my best friend. Even when he was a small kitten, he would lay in bed with me when I had bad days before my transplant. Rico, being a small kitten, should not have been laying in bed with his mom--he should have been out playing like a normal kitten would have been. So Rico was an extraordinary cat.

"When he passed, I was in emotional pain, not for him but for the loss of a very special friend. My husband traveled quite extensively which meant I was alone...Not for long! I started to go to a nearby animal shelter to pet and entertain the kitties but always left with my huge Jackie Kennedy sunglasses on so no one saw the giant gator tears in my eyes.

"I eventually just started to adopt the ones that had the saddest stories. I even adopted a 13-year-old Siamese, Miss Missy, for my 88-year-old widow grandma. Grandma is still here at 95 but Miss Miss is gone. But she lived to 21. So that brings my total rescues from that shelter to 5.

"My neighbors in Florida were moving. When the movers came, they loaded up every one of their pets but Sly (the one on my shoulder in my portrait). I asked why they were abandoning him and Sly's mom said, 'I can't take him he pees everywhere'. So I took him. It took me 6 months of going up to where Sly used to live to coax him down to my house each night. Finally he moved into the garage, then the laundry room, then into our house and our hearts. He gets along with everyone and he's only peed once.

"In 2000 we moved back to Pittsburgh with my Pekingese Holly and the six cats ...Since then we have rescued our Lab/Airedale mix Cooper, our furry cat Chloe, another Pekingese Bentley and the kitten someone dumped in the woods, Sweetie."

Be sure to read more about Kim's inspiring story at her website:
Kim's Story. She is the creator of “Goodnight Lines” which is an overnight facial moisturizer and she donates $1 from every bottle sold to Angelcat Haven Feline Rescue.

One World One Heart Giveaway

Warm greetings to new friends
and old pals from around the world!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Cat Ladies (and Lads too)

365 Cat Ladies and Friends is delighted to be participating in the 2010 One World One Heart Giveaway...an international event involving hundreds of bloggers from around the world, each offering a special giveaway that ends on February 15.

The prize for my giveaway will be this limited edition print entitled "Begonia Max" ($60.00 value). It is a giclee reproduction of my watercolor painting of my beloved kitty Max sunning himself in the flower garden.


This is a limited edition giclee print ready for framing. It is personally signed and numbered and this print is limited to an edition of 500. It is printed on Epson 100 percent cotton rag acid-free art paper with archival quality inks using a "giclee" (ink-jet) process. The image itself measures 9-1/2" x 12-1/2" and is matted in a 16" x 20" ivory-tone matting; ready to frame in a standard 16" x 20" frame.

Blog writers and blog readers alike may enter my giveaway. To enter, please leave a short comment at the end of this post (one entry per person, please). Giveaway ends on Monday, February 15 at 7:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. Each entrant will be assigned a number, and the winning number will be selected using a random number generator.

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in the comment. Winner will also be announced in a blog post for that day.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail at art@undertheoaks.net with the word "giveaway" in the subject line.

ABOUT ONE WORLD ONE HEART: Artist Lisa Swifka is the organizer of the event and her vision is "to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. ..It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way." To find out more about this event and other participants, visit One World One Heart (but be sure to leave your comment/entry at the end of this post first, before you are whisked away on the magic carpet!).


Thanks for participating!

A Cat Lady with a Heart of Gold

Meet Cat Lady Kimberlynn, who has a special place in her heart for good friends, fabulous felines, and canine cuties too. But then, she has a very special heart, as Cat Lady Rose can attest to:

"My friend Kimberlynn loves animals, she has 8 cats and 3 dogs! All rescued. We have been friends since we were 15, and we will turn 50 this year...Kim is beautiful and glamorous all of the time, and is the funniest person I have ever met. She is kind and intelligent and stronger than anyone I know.

"Thirteen years ago she had a heart transplant."

You can read her story here: Kim's Story. Rose adds: "Following her transplant, Kimberlynn designed her own product called “Goodnight Lines” which is an overnight facial moisturizer and she donates $1 from every bottle sold to Angelcat Haven Feline Rescue."

Feline friends Sly, Jennie, Sweetie, Chloe, Ashley, Bridgette, Paris, and Nikki approve wholeheartedly!

Thanks for visiting!

Crazy Cat Lady Club Guidelines

Not a member yet? Certain guidelines apply. In order to qualify for an Official Cat Lady I.D. card, one or more of the of the following criteria must apply:

• Your cat wears hats on holidays and/or has a flashier wardrobe than you do.
• Your cat is the author of his or her own blog and has subscribers.
• You spend more on gourmet cat treats and litter than on your own groceries.
• Your cat has his or her own Facebook profile and more friends than you do.
• You consider loose fur to be the ultimate fashion accessory & wear it proudly.
• Your cat has nicer furniture and playthings than you do.
• You share your home with cats in spite of your severe allergy to pet dander.
• You have a "My Tabby is Smarter Than Your Honor Student" bumper sticker.
• You and your cat communicate through telepathic messages.
• Your cat has his or her own television, plus video tape and/or dvd collection.
• The veterinarian sends thank-you notes for financing their child's college tuition.
• You NEVER leave home without the proper CCCCL I.D. card in your wallet

If you are unable to meet the criteria listed above, do not despair. The following will apply:

When using the abbreviation C.C.C.C.L. (Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady), it shall be permissible to substitute any one or more of the following words for the term "Crazy":

• Caring
• Creative
• Comical
• Cute
• Courageous
• Capable
• Corporate
• Clever
• Cuddly
• Compassionate
• Clairvoyant
• Collegiate
• Courteous
• Curious
• Classy
• Caffeinated
  

Congratulations!! You have qualified! Membership Kits are available here: CCCCLC Kit and include a personalized I.D. card, a members-only pinback button, and full color copies of the Guidelines and the Crazy Cat Lady Creed. Enjoy!

Cat Ladies In The News

Vote for Billy! Cat Lady Rose (aka Cat Lady No.338 ) has entered a handsome photo of Terrific Tabby Billy in The Humane Society's Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest. Billy says: "I need your vote to help me win some cool prizes -- and raise critical funds for spaying and neutering to control pet overpopulation. Go here to vote for me by making a small donation to my sponsored charity!"

[Editor's note: As a non-partisan pet lover, I offer equal time for any other candidates. Enter your photo in the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest today, then drop me a line!]

Cat Lady Karen (aka Cat Lady No.256)has 10 Tips for Emergency Pet Preparedness on her Cat's Meow blog. Being prepared for an emergency has been on all of our minds lately, and she has some great tips for keeping pets safe during a flood, fire, or earthquake, plus ideas on making it easier to re-unite with your pet if you become separated. Thanks, Karen!

Do you have Animal Magnetism? You definitely will if you are the lucky winner in Cat Lady Ingrid's book giveaway at her blog The Conscious Cat. The deadline is Sunday, January 24.

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have news to share? Send it to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

Meet Cat Lady Marie...Crazy For Calicoes

Meet Cat Lady Marie who just happens to be the baby sister of Crazy Cat Lady Carm (aka Cat Lady No. 217), who tells her story:

"Marie has a love for calico girls! There's just something about a calico kitty's "tortitude" that really makes her smile. So whenn Marie's children Danielle and Brian wanted a pet that was more than a hamster they thought about a kitten...

"Her friend Betsy's barncat had a litter in the spring of 1998. They all fell in love with and adopted the tiny tortoiseshell calico girl they called Cali. The next spring of 1999 Momma Barncat had yet another litter which produced a dilute calico girl with white who joined the family and was named Dusty Rose."

In the mean time, sister Carm had fallen in love with the Maine Coon breed and in the fall of 2001 she took Marie along for the ride on one of her visits to Chadwickoon Maine Coon Cats. Marie saw a brown-patched-with-white mackerel tabby girl and it was love at first sight! She suggested that Eileen (the breeder) should name the kitten Marie. "On the ride home she knew she had to have her little namesake... So she adopted Chadwickoon Sweet Marie a couple months later."

Carm continues the story: "Marie still longed for a true calico Maine Coon girl and asked me to find one that was predominately white with the black and red markings. By then I had LOTS of Maine Coon PURRson friends and one of them told me about a cattery in Eastern Pennsylvania who had such a girl. Emails and telephone calls were exchanged and one weekend in October of 2003 we made our way from Buffalo (driven by Marie's feline fella Bill), NY to Boothwyn, PA, to pick up McKimmey Emily- 7 hours to get there...and 7 hours home!"

"Cali is now 11 years old. Sadly, Dusty Rose lived to be only 6 when she went to the rainbow bridge. Marie is 8 and Emily is 6. Marie and Emily are enormous (not overweight--just BIG) Maine Coon girls each tipping the scales at approximately 20 pounds. Their veterinarian and their groomer both say they have never seen such big calicoes!"

Are you Crazy about Calicoes? [I looked it up--the spelling "calicos" is also acceptable!] Tell us about your tri-color kitties in the Comments section of this post. Thanks for visiting!

Crazy Cat Lady Club Creed

Welcome new members!

The Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Creed

...I promise to love, cherish and honor my feline friends through sickness and health, for richer or poorer, whether purebred or stray, domestic or feral, exotic or just darned cute as the dickens.

...I will come to the aid and assistance of fellow crazy cat ladies in times of need including but not limited to: kibble shortages, catnip-mice-under-the-fridge events, and the classic cat-stuck-in-a-treetop emergency.

...I fully understand the intoxicating lure of catnip, and the associated dangers that its consumption poses to houseplants and ankles, and will administer said substance responsibly and with close supervision.

...I will always spay or neuter responsibly and do everything within my power to reduce pet overpopulation and needless euthanasia.

...I will not hoard, collect, or otherwise take in more cats or kittens than I can provide a clean, loving, and healthy environment for.

...If choosing a purebred cat of a specific breed, I will first consider adopting a homeless purebred cat from a shelter or rescue organization.

...If able to, I will always give generously to animal shelters and rescue organizations either by volunteering and/or through financial gifts.


Each new member of the CCCCLC will receive a full color copy of the club's Official Creed, suitable for framing! Click here for more information: CCCCLC Kit

How Do You Say "Cat Lady" in Polish?

Cat Lady Marta's website "Chabrowa Legenda" (in Polish) is all about the beautiful and rare cat breed the Chartreux.

The Chartreux are similar to the British Blue Shorthair (like our friends Wendell and William). The name of Marta's website "Chabrowa Legenda" means "Cornflower Legend" and refers to the beautiful blue color of the lush fur of these cats.

According to the Cat Fancier's Association, "There exists a lovely old legend that the Chartreux lived with, and were named for, the Carthusian monks of France, and perhaps even shared a tipple or two of their famous Chartreuse liqueur! Recent research, however, indicates that because of the woolly character of their fur, they were given the same name as a well known Spanish wool of the early 18th century. Since this method of naming is common in animal husbandry, it is very likely the truth."

Oh, by the way, Marta tells us that "cat lady" in Polish is "kicia mama"!

Thanks for visiting!

Mystery Cat Lady Unveiled

At long last the identity of our Mystery Cat Lady can be revealed. Of the many theories and guesses that were put forth, it was Cat Lady Teri (aka No. 279) who came up with the answer that was closest to the truth:

"She is the 'Crazy Cat Lady' inside all of us...we don't all have the same hair, so there are many representations of us. As CCL's, we spend large amounts of hours at the shelter. The CCL inside of us would not leave a pregnant beauty to deliver at the shelter, so we brought her home. Now we all have homes full of life and color!"


Meet Kittie B. Wilderd, who is a card-carrying Crazy Cat Lady and represents all of us who just can't resist a whiskered face and a sweet meow. She carries her I.D. card wherever she goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a "Class A Feline Fanatic."

You too can become a member of the Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club. With the purchase of The Crazy Cat Lady Kit, you will receive the following:

♥ A credit-card-sized I.D. card that will be personalized with your name (or the name of a loved one), city and state, and your choice of hair color and complexion.

♥ An exclusive members-only "Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady" pinback button. Wear this 2-1/4" laminated button with pride wherever you go.

♥ The Official Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club GUIDELINES--an 8.5 x 11" high-quality full color print suitable for framing.

♥ The Official Card-Carrying Crazy Cat Lady Club CREED--an 8.5 x 11" high-quality full color print, suitable for framing.

♥♥♥ With the purchase of each kit, $1.00 will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society.

Be the first on your block to join! For complete details, visit this link: Crazy Cat Lady Kit

Thanks for visiting!

Giveaway Winner Announcement...Drumroll Please...

Each entry in the 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for January was assigned a number and a random number generator was employed. The number 5 was chosen, which just happens to be Cat Lady Carm! Congratulations!

She will be receiving a set of 3 ceramic tile coasters from my Cafepress shop, pictured below.

Thank you to everybody who participated!!

Giveaway Ends Sunday Night!

Just who is this woman and where did all of these kittens come from? And why does she have so many different hair colors?

Las794 surmises: They're actually pictures of cat-lady quintuplets, four of whom dye their hair to differentiate themselves. But because they're quints, they can't resist imitating each another in other ways, so when one adopts a cat, the others adopt an identical one. Hey, maybe the cats are quints, too! :)

Cat Lady Chris has a good theory on my Facebook Page: This woman's name is Seasons. She changes her hair color for each season of the year and since she has five cats she added one more season (and hair color) to her year to celebrate her cats.

Susan has a good idea: She's holding so many kitties because there are so many of them in shelters looking for their forever homes and she wants to show us some of them. She keeps changing her hair color because it's fun to try new looks!

It's not too late to come up with your own theory. Read all of the entries and find details on how to enter the giveaway, visit this link: 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for January

Cat Ladies In the News

Crazy Cat Lady Carm (aka Cat Lady No. 217) is at it again--She says that she has enjoys dressing up her eight great cats like humans, so guess what happened to new grandbaby Jonas? Look here for pics of the newest kitten in her life.

Get creative with some snail mail! Cat Lady Anne (aka Cat Lady No.80 ) is busy organizing the annual Postmarked show. Amateur and professional artists from around the world are asked to create Mail Art, then slap on some postage and send it on its way to the exhibit. Proceeds will benefit the Prison Library Project. Look here to see entries as they arrive and details on how you can participate: Postmarked 2010

It's a happy ending worthy of a fairy tale, with a princess to boot. Cat Lady Carrie (aka Cat Lady No. 45) reports that she found photos of two of her former foster kittens, Suki and Oscar on Facebook and they are living the good life. Once-feral Suki is now treated like royalty and has the tiara to prove it. See the photographic evidence here on Carrie's blog: Remember Suki and Oscar?

Little Oliver, the newest member of Cat Lady Sarah and Feline Fella Bill's furry family (aka Cat Lady No. 61 and Cat Lad No.170 ), needs your get well wishes today as he's having trouble throwing off an infection. Send some pawsitive thoughts his way!


Thank you to Cat Lady Layla who has included me in her Cat Art of the Month feature in today's blog post!

Attention Cat Ladies and Lads! Do you have news to share? Send it to art@undertheoaks.net with "365 Cat Lady News" in the subject line.

The Name Game

Cat Lady Alice is a special education teacher, and has a big heart and an inborn love for those with special needs. Maggie and Millie are two former stray cats that now share her home, and of the two, Siamese-mix Maggie is definitely the matriarch.

Good friend Flora tell us, ""Alice is always looking out for the stray cats in her condominium complex and has the cat food bills to prove it. Alice has a quick wit, a great sense of humor, and a kind and loving spirit that blesses all who know her."

At least two of the outside cats have names: Bailey and Blue Eyes. I wonder if Alice knows the No.1 Rule of the Stray Cat Code: “if you name ‘em, they’re yours"!

Thanks for visiting!

Mystery Cat Lady In Four Easy Steps...

pencil lines, background wash and face tones...



















a momcat and one tabby kitten appear...


















more tabby kittens and purr-haps a calico too...



















A green sweater, but what about the hair? This cat lady just can't seem to make up her mind.
And just who is this cat lady anyway?
Any guesses?

Go to this link and leave your guess in the comments section and you will be entered for a chance to win a set of 3 tile coasters: 365 Cat Ladies Giveaway for January.

A Couple of Sweethearts

Beagle mix Susie and her pal Sabrena are two lucky pups. Lori tells how these two canine cuties came to live with Lori and Lesley:

"Susie was part of a major rescue from an animal hoarder. We met her by accident when I accompanied a friend to the shelter [The Humane Society of Missouri]. Susie's crate was marked 'special needs' (presumably due to poor socialization) and we just couldn't get her out of our minds. She's been with us since Thanksgiving 2003.

"Sabrena came to our attention thanks to the adoption specialist we met with Susie. She called to say there was this really special little dog who was so scared they couldn't even keep her at the shelter. She'd been rescued from an abusive situation with at least one sibling. We adopted her in July 2004 and have been working with her to ease her fear of most things. She's spent the past year in 'Shy Dog' classes where we've learned that she LOVES to learn new things. It's been wonderful seeing her blossom and been a great bonding experience for all of us."

Susie and Sabrena have been taking their training classes at the same facility they were adopted from. Lori describes the Humane Society of Missouri as " a good bunch of folks doing a really hard job". I think the same could be said for Lori and Lesley, don't you agree?

It's January Giveaway Time!

Just who is this woman and where did all of these kittens come from? And why does she have so many different hair colors?

Any ideas?

Leave your theories in the comments section of this post (50 words or less please), and you will be entered into a drawing for this set of 3 tile coasters from my Cafepress shop! Giveaway ends Sunday, January 17 at 7 p.m. PST when one name will be drawn at random.


Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are a winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address, or contact me directly at my e-mail with your info...

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, you may send your entry by e-mail by clicking "view my complete profile" at the end of "About Me" where you will find an e-mail link...

NOTE: Guesses and theories that were entered on my Facebook fan page are also eligible and will be included in the drawing!

Thanks for participating!!

Confined Spaces in Wild Places

Illustration Friday
(theme:"confined")

Young Gilbert is inexplicably drawn to sitting in confined spaces. Unfortunately, this is directly at odds with his keen instinct to pursue big game hunting and can often lead to perplexing and somewhat embarrassing predicaments...

Thanks for visiting!

Gilbert's predicament is available on a wide array of brand new t-shirts and gift items for both kids and adults in my Cafepress shop. Purr-fect gift ideas for your favorite Cat Lover, Garden Goddess, or Bird Watcher! Click here:

BIRD BRAIN No. 7

Birthday Twins...A Good Investment

Cat Lady Ann knows a thing or two about good investments:

"I adopted Fred [orange tabby, pictured above] from my investment broker - needless to say, best investment I made with him. Fred was born April 30, 1995. I named him Fred ('Frederick' when he gets in trouble) since the cat I had at that time was named Barney - what else could I do? :o) Fred is a big, beautiful, green-eyed orange tabby, very social, a real lap-cat."

Another excellent investment: A feline fella!!

"One of my requirements in a man was that he had to like cats and Sam [handsome gentleman, pictured above] had a cat when I met him. Her name was Misty. I had two cats, Fred and Pierre. We all became one family in June 2002.

"We adopted Edmund [also pictured above], sometimes known as Mr. Ed, Eddie or just plain Ed, July 1, 2008. His mother was a stray that arrived at a friend's house and a few months later on April 29th left very pregnant, so my friend believes she had the kittens the next day, April 30th. She never expected to see the mom cat again but a few weeks later mom and her four kittens appeared outside her kitchen window. She took care of them until they were ready to be adopted. We lost a cat from a heart blood clot in April and were ready to adopt - so we took a look and came home with Edmund, a mix but looks like a chocolate point Siamese. Quite a handsome fellow with gorgeous blue eyes."

Although birthday twins Fred and Ed were born 14 years apart, obviously their stars were aligned just right to land in such a loving home with Cat Lady Ann and Feline Fella Sam!

This portrait was commissioned by Daughter-In-Law Natasha. Be sure to visit her delightful blog: Samster Mommy- Crafting, Cooking, and Chaos from Mommyland. You'll find lots of great craft tutorials and recipes for the busy mom!