Amy Newmark - The Cat Really Did That? 101 Stories of Miracles, Mischief and Magical Moments

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Really Did That?

101 Stories of Miracles, Mischief, and Magical Moments

Amy Newmark. Foreword by Dr. Robin Ganzert

Published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC www.chickensoup.com

Copyright 2017 by Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

CSS, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and its Logo and Marks are trademarks of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC.

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the many publishers and individuals who granted Chicken Soup for the Soul permission to reprint the cited material.

Front cover photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com/Maravic (Maravic)

Back cover photo of cat with toy courtesy of iStockphoto.com/gabes1976 (gabes1976)

Back cover photo of cat with yarn courtesy of iStockphoto.com/heatheralvis (heatheralvis)

Interior photo artwork courtesy of iStockphoto.com/heatheralvis (heatheralvis) Photo of Amy Newmark courtesy of Susan Morrow at SwickPix

Photo of Robin Ganzert courtesy of Michael Price

Cover and Interior by Daniel Zaccari

Distributed to the booktrade by Simon & Schuster. SAN: 200-2442

Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data

(Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.)

Names: Newmark, Amy, compiler. | Ganzert, Robin, writer of supplementary textual content.

Title: Chicken soup for the soul : the cat really did that? : 101 stories of miracles, mischief, and magical moments / [compiled by] Amy Newmark ; foreword by Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO, American Humane.

Other Titles: Cat really did that? : 101 stories of miracles, mischief, and magical moments

Description: [Cos Cob, Connecticut] : Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, [2017]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017942298 | ISBN 978-1-61159-970-1 (print) | ISBN 978-1-61159-270-2 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Cats--Behavior--Literary collections. | Cats--Behavior-- Anecdotes. | Cat owners--Literary collections. | Cat owners--Anecdotes. | Human-animal relationships--Literary collections. | Human-animal relationships--Anecdotes. | LCGFT: Anecdotes.

Classification: LCC SF445.5 .C453 2017 (print) | LCC SF445.5 (ebook) | DDC 636.8/002--dc23

Changing lives one story at a time

www.chickensoup.com

C ats are the most amazing creatures. They are fascinating, independent, goofy, brave, hilarious, and beautiful. They entertain us, inspire us, and make us feel loved. For those of us who know and love cats, every day is Caturday !

As I am writing this, my own feline, Rosebud, wants me to be sure to let you know that she is a rescue and has her own amazing journey to share. Rosebud was found several years ago in a storm drain and placed in a foster home with other cats, dogs, and even a few parrots.

Rosebud doesnt get along well with others and she has a strong independent streak we refer to as cat-titude, so Rosebuds foster mom needed to find the purr-fect home for her. She called me and said this cat was destined for me.

With two cats and three dogs already living in a house with my three children, I was wondering how Rosebud would adapt to our home. But she quickly found herself a new Best Friend Forever in my daughter Aidan. Rosebud ignored the other cats and dogs, and focused her attention on Aidan. Several years have passed, and now Aidan is moving into her first apartment after graduate school. Rosebud will be joining her in Atlanta soon. I look at the beautiful bond between Aidan and Rosebud and it warms my heart.

That bond is the underlying theme of all the heartwarming stories that fill Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Really Did That? There are tales of amazing rescues, where the cats display such amazing tenacity and resilience that youll be inspired to overcome whatever challenges you have in your own life. There are stories of rascals and goofballs that will help you gain perspective on what really matters in life and teach you to relax and go with the flow. Youll probably tear up when you read the stories about cats changing human lives and acting like four-legged therapists. And then there are the hero cats, the ones that save their humans from fires and crime and perform other miracles.

Youll find yourself laughing a lot, too, as you read about some truly crazy cats. I laughed out loud reading the story Fashion Diva, about a male kitty who loves wearing costumes and wins contests. What the diva doesnt know is that hes wearing dog costumes, because hes a rather large kitty and cant fit into the cat outfits!

When you read The Pair, in which an introverted, autistic girl picks out a shy, frightened cat at the shelter, youll be amazed by how the two of them blossom once they are put together. There truly is a special cat for everyone, with every need, at your local shelter.

And being an animal rescuer, I just loved the story One of a Kind, in which the family rescued the feral kitten, and the kitten ends up saving the family from a fire and a burglar! As animal rescuers often say, who rescued whom?

And as a proud parent of several senior pets, I cried over the story Kindred Spirits, where an elderly lady visits a shelter for weeks and finally adopts the senior cat she has fallen for as her new BFF . Its such a powerful reminder of the value of adopting senior cats.

If you love cat-titude, humorous antics, and heartwarming adventures, be prepared to fall in love with these stories and these precious cats. I am so grateful that Chicken Soup for the Soul has brought us yet another series of stories that will melt your heart and hopefully encourage you to open your home to a new cat.

Cats make purr-fect pets for some people, but its important to remember that although they appear to be very independent, they are actually dependent on us humans for their needs. We provide the food, water, medical attention, shelter, and companionship, and they provide us with years of unconditional love and devotion that far outweigh the daily responsibilities.

If you wish to have a feline join your family (and I hope you do!), remember to consider the following:

Do you want a kitten or an adult cat? Kittens need a lot of attention and will have to be house-trained. On the plus side, they do adapt well to their new home and surroundings. But for many people, especially those who work outside the home, an adult cat is a wiser choice.

Do you want a long or shorthaired cat? Longhaired cats require daily brushing to keep their fur from matting, so be prepared to spend time grooming your new feline best friend.

Do you want a male or female? Both male and female felines can be equally playful and affectionate! Gender is purely a personal preference.

You may be the purr-fect cat owner if you

Believe caring for a pet for fifteen to eighteen years does not seem like a lifetime.

Look forward to having your ankles rubbed by an affectionate, loving creature.

Dont mind sharing your house with someone who sheds.

Dont mind sharing your house with someone who will never clean up after herself.

Love a housemate who will randomly and regularly entertain you with outrageous and silly antics, at his whim, not yours!