A Cat Talks Books and Hairballs, But Not Hairballs

Posted by

87

My feline self being walked by Dave. The upraised tail that looks like a number 1 means this blog post will get 1 visitor. Well, maybe more. (Photo by Laurel Cummins.)

I’m Misty the Cat, and I’m here to guest-blog again for my human Dave. It’s a good time for me to do so because I recently read George Eliot’s Middlemay. Um…Dave just nudged me to say that the title of Eliot’s iconic novel is actually Middlemarch, but I try not to dwell on the past (two months ago).

Also, I and Dave recently read Walter Mosley’s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, and we agree that it’s a great example of how some novels contain many elements in addition to the plot and characters. In this case, Mosley explores themes such as racism, poverty, old age, dementia, and Moby-Dick buying Starbucks coffee from the Starbuck character in Herman Melville’s famous sea saga. But how does a whale hold a coffee container? And do aquatic mammals prefer decaffeinated?

To tell you the truth, Mosley did not mention Moby-Dick. But I have rarely seen a better depiction of memory loss than the one that author crafted for his nonagenarian protagonist Ptolemy. The character’s many foggy moments, coupled with a dramatic period of clarity, were compelling and poignant for a cat to experience. And…um…I forgot what I was going to write next. Oh…Lisa Genova also skillfully depicted a fading mind when spotlighting early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in her novel Still Alice. Which reminds me that when Ralph Kramden of the 1950s sitcom The Honeymooners chauvinistically joked (not funny) about giving his wife Alice a smack that would send her “to the moon,” he invented science fiction.

Wait, you say the real sci-fi pioneers were authors like Mary Shelley, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells? All I can say is Verne also wrote adventure novels, including Around the Food Bowl in Eighty Days. Cats prefer their food bowls to have large circumferences.

An unusual and heartwarming element of Mosley’s book was the cross-gender and cross-generational but not cross-species friendship of 91-year-old Ptolemy and 17-year-old Robyn. That age gap was the largest since 969-year-old Methuselah (born in 3074 BC) hung out with 21-year-old singer Olivia Rodrigo (born in 2003 AD) to discuss Spotify and other music streaming services. Leading me, Misty the Cat, to wonder why Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th-century classic Don Quixote didn’t feature rock musicians when Tom Perrotta’s The Wishbones (1997) and Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom (2010) did. Any theories?

Three years after Freedom was published, acclaimed short-story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Sadly, she died this past week at age 92. I’ve read only one of her story collections — Friend of My Youth — which I enjoyed except for the tale “Oranges and Apples” because felines are not fans of fruit. Which explains why The Grapes of Wrath author John Steinbeck drove around the United States with a dog rather than a cat in Travels with Charley.

Acclaimed novelist Paul Auster also recently passed away, late last month. As with Munro, I’ve read only one of his works: The Music of Chance. After doing that, I used my paw to swipe at a Chance card on my humans’ Monopoly board, expecting to hear music — like when you open those greeting cards that have sound. But, alas, all I heard was the usual clanking of machinery at the nearby factory that manufactures literature blogs.

I’ll conclude by mentioning that I have my own book (sort of co-written with Dave 🙂 ) coming out in a couple months. That seriocomic work, told in my own feline voice, is partly fact and partly fiction — so I guess it can be described as a memoir or a novel. It’s called Misty the Cat…Unleashed, and the ellipsis in the title was purchased from Ellipses R Us just before that retail chain went out of business.

The question of the week, which occurred to me during one of the daily cat walks my peeps take me on: Are all bloggers billionaires or just millionaires? 🤔

Dave’s literary-trivia book is described and can be purchased here: Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time.

In addition to this weekly blog, Dave writes the 2003-started/award-winning “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column every Thursday for Montclair Local. The latest piece — about the results of my town’s May 14 election and the settlement of a major lawsuit — is here.

87 thoughts on “A Cat Talks Books and Hairballs, But Not Hairballs”

  2. Matilda supervises every word I write, until one of us has had enough. In a summer (?) of endless rain and far too much politics, her world view’s refreshingly sane, or do I simply mean feline ?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. As I reported some time back, the learned scratchings of the tomcat Murr, as faithfully recorded by ETA Hoffmann, predate your Misty’s authorship by 2 centuries. His opus ran to two volumes, and there would have been a third had not that ol’bugabear, Mortality, stayed his authorial paw.

    And now, another rival appears,having absorbed many courses from many sources. The easily led might have imagined Max was c-napping as the prof droned on, but he was taking it all in, claws after clause. His erudition is such that his campus contemporaries have awarded him with a doctorate! https://crooksandliars.com/2024/05/meet-doctor-litter-ature-max-cat

    For any feline who might have thought he lay alone, basking in his singular scholarship and writerly achievements in the Pantheon of Purr as lessers laze likewise under the common sun— Catastrophe!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, jhNY! Cleverly written, very enjoyable comment! Great re-mention of the tomcat Murr, who I assume is no longer with us unless he has 9,999 lives. And the amazing Max does sound quite learned at Vermont (Purrmont?) State University, in a state also known for politicians such as Purrnie Sanders and Cat Leahy.

      Like

      Reply

  7. Well, Misty, I’m not surprised you’ve authored a book, given your association with a literary human. I’m looking forward to learning more about it as the publication date approaches. Good thing you snatched up that ellipsis!

    I’m definitely not a billionaire, but I do like Shehanne’s term “bloginaire.”

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  9. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these books, Misty. I’m not as well read as you are. I think I sleep too much…not a problem cats have, I know. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to stay awake to read your upcoming book. I was going to say release, but I saw that mention of hairballs, and, well having had several cats, I’d rather not encourage anything. I hope you have a good week ahead. Oh, and my blog generates income in the negative range, if you count the fees I pay WordPress. Still, as cats well know, it’s all about human contact.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, Dan! Misty’s goal is to sleep 25 hours a day, but he hasn’t quite achieved that yet.

      Your hairball comment…ha! 😂

      I agree — a blog is great for human contact, among things. If a person wants to make serious money, one non-blogging way to do that is to get elected to Congress and do insider trading and such. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. Well, Misty, I have all of Munro’s stories distributed over the many collections of her works that I possess, and I guess I read most of them. I suggest you try at least one more. Pick any. People will soon have forgotten about her. As a cat, you can do better.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  11. I’m so looking forward to reading your book, Misty! And our (Mary) Shelley thanks you for the mention! I sure wish we could interest our rowdy cats in settling down with a good book to read … Meows from us!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, Leah! Ha — your Shelley reference. 🙂 Shelley is a great name, especially its association with Mary Shelley!

      I suppose not all felines are readers, although one would think they’d have an interest in perusing the labels of cat food cans. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  12. I read some Alice Munro, then forgot about her because I began to read Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84,which is one of those door stop books . Now I can’t remember what I read or where the books are. RE your question Misty, I had 3 blogs and never earned a penny, but then that wasn’t my goal rather they were journals of sorts. I like the pic of you and Dave, although it makes me sad. My little cat Muppy ran off 3 days ago, leaving a dead rat behind as his farewell. We hadn’t got him fixed yet so I’m hoping he has a sweetheart somewhere and is spending time with her and/or found a terrific rat hunting ground. I’m sure he will return or a facsimile thereof. I’ll have to reread Munro again. Susi

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Very, very sorry about your cat running off, Susi. 😦 That’s so hard to deal with. 😦 I hope, hope, hope he comes back soon. Misty slipped his leash and disappeared for about 18 hours back in 2022, which is one of the things that inspired the upcoming book “by” him. We did find him (long story); I hope for the same result for you and Muppy.

      Yes, while I allowed Misty his joke, for me the purpose of/the enjoyment of doing a blog also has little to do with making money. VERY few people earn a living from a blog, even if they have that intent.

      Like

      Reply

      • Thanks Dave. Wylie Jones, his friend, both of them rescue cats, was fixed first and is still about. Muppy was next; however, we had to wait since our vet bill is pretty much stretched to the limit with 3 cats and 1 dog. We still have Peppercorn (16 years old). She doesn’t see very well so she never leaves. I have hope that nothing got him, and expect to see him come walking down the lane. My husband had to chisel him out of a brick under the house where we found him 2 winters ago. He was just a little thing then. I miss him a lot. Can’t wait to read about Misty’s adventures. I think cats would have whoppers of stories to tell. Susi

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  14. MIsty – I am so excited about your book “Misty the Cat…Unleashed”. I especially want to thank you for all the wonderful moments you give my mother. She loves following your adventures … and so do I. To thank you, I wrote a short story about you and your human friend, Dave Astor.

    Misty, the adventurous cat, accompanies Dave Astor on their daily walks. Dave, a nature enthusiast, enjoys exploring the outdoors with Misty by his side. Together, they embark on exciting journeys filled with unexpected encounters and thrilling escapades.

    Every day, Misty and Dave set out on their walks, eager to discover new places and make new memories. Misty’s curiosity and Dave’s sense of adventure complement each other perfectly, leading to unforgettable experiences in the great outdoors. Their bond grows stronger with each passing day as they navigate through forests, fields, and meadows, embracing the beauty of nature together.

    As Misty and Dave continue their daily walks, their friendship blossoms, creating a special connection that transcends words. Through their shared adventures, they find solace, joy, and companionship in each other’s company. Misty, the loyal feline companion, and Dave, the adventurous spirit, form an unbreakable bond forged by their love for exploration and the great outdoors.

    P.S. Misty – Dave is very, very lucky to have you guide him through all these adventures. No doubt he would get lost without you!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  15. Hi and welcome back, Misty. I’m upset to hear that Ellipses R Us has gone out of business. I need a lot of them—some might say too many—for the books in my mystery series. I will have to find a new source…or force more characters to finish their sentences!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • LOL! 😂 Thank you! I suppose ellipses could be ordered online, with shipping costs hopefully not too high. And if your mystery series has imprisoned characters, I really hope they finish their sentences. 🙂 (Unless they’re not guilty.)

      Like

      Reply

  19. Misty, you are a well read cat and I appreciate your comments on books you’ve read. Thanks for mentioning our dear Alice Munro’s passing. An author I have admired for years and have read most of her work. My dogs, as adorable as they are, don’t read books. They only watch dog shows on TV and dream of chasing rabbits, squirrels and, sorry to say, cats. xo

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Thank you, Darlene! It was indeed sad to hear of Alice Munro’s passing. I (and Misty) should read more of her stories. Glad you’ve read most of her work!

      As for your dogs, sounds like they have a very full life despite not reading books. Misty also chases rabbits and squirrels and — 🙂 😦 — (other) cats.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

Leave a comment