In the past few years, I’ve had to say goodbye to far too any beloved pets and human friends. It’s been a really hard summer for illness and loss. But there have also been joys and fun and evenings spent with friends and family.
Every time I lose a pet, I swear I’m not getting any more. I am already “that crazy cat lady” or “that crazy dog lady.” Yes, I have 10 cats and 8 dogs and 3 horses. That’s a lot of critters, and they are all rescues.
This summer I took in 4 orphaned kittens that showed up in my brother’s yard. He said the mother cat had been killed. My brother David was very sick himself, so I ended up with the kittens (and him!) at my house for a summer of recuperation. The kittens were so coated in fleas that I bathed them before I could even put them in my car. They were too young to be separated from their mom, but that had already happened and there was nothing I could do about that. Three were white and one very dark gray. At least they were eating in their own—eating voraciously!
I stopped by the vet clinic and got immediate flea treatment to kill the fleas that had survived the bath. The kitties were too little for any vaccinations, but they got a gentle wormer to start the process of getting rid of parasites. The next week, I took them back for first shots and a stronger wormer. I was very worried they wouldn’t make it, but once the fleas and worms were gone, they began to thrive.
I’d vowed “no more cats!” (Or dogs or horses.) One of the most horrible things I’ve been involved in are cases of animals where their owners got sick or died and couldn’t keep their beloved pets—and none of their family members would take the animal. In fact, I was fostering a little moodle whose owner had died. Lily (not my Bad Lily, but another Lily) spent months in the kennel at the vet clinic as they hunted for someone to take her. None of the former owner’s family wanted her. She was going nuts in a kennel so I brought her to the farm and man, was she in heaven with all the other animals to play with and 5 acres to run on. At any rate, she found the perfect home with Marco and Lorraine. But too often, these poor animals are taken to the shelter and if they aren’t placed, they are killed.
So I have to be sure that any animal I decide to permanently keep has a planned out future. This is something I feel all responsible pet owners should attend to. I found magical homes for 3 of the kittens, but the fourth kitten’s home didn’t work out. And so Kismet now lives at Casa Carolyn. Yes, I did my best to resist, but I failed. But I also know that if something should happen to me, these animals will be cared for, right here, in the home that they know. I have made those arrangements already.
There is nothing in the world more joyful than a kitten. They destroy everything—but they make my heart happy. Last year, I took in Karma, a totally black kitten. Now, Kismet is pure white with green eyes. The two of them are hell on wheels. And not so long ago I trapped Lady Madonna, a lovely tabby with white stockings, on the front porch. She’s inside now and still pretty wild. She’ll come around. But those three juvenile cats can make me smile when nothing else can.
When you’re planning your four-legged family, please be sure and make the necessary arrangements for them should you become unable to care for them. It is shocking to know how many family members refuse to take on a family member’s pet. I don’t understand this at all, but I’ve seen enough of it to know that it happens far too often. Veterinarians try hard to find homes for these left-behind pets, but it isn’t always possible. Some people just turn them out and walk away. And yes, there is a special place in hell for people who do this.
But for today, I’m healthy and able to care for my large family—and I get great joy from doing it. But I’ve done the responsible thing and made arrangements for my “kids.” Please do the same if you have dependents relying on you.
And as Halloween approaches, remember to get your black cats and dogs inside. Heck, just get all your animals inside. They’ll be safer and you’ll be happier!
To celebrate Halloween, I’m reissuing one of my old Harlequin Intrigues—Bewitching Familiar. It’s a really fun time travel story featuring Trouble’s dad, Familiar. And I have a Sarah Booth Delaney novella up now, “Clacking Bones.” It is not a full-length book, but it’s also about Halloween.
Don’t forget the book store party celebrating Trouble the black cat detective and the Mad Catters at the newly opening The Haunted Book Shop in downtown Mobile. Party time 5-8 p.m., Oct. 27. Libations and snacks will be served and there will be authors signing books and making up stories. Join us!
Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. She was the recipient of the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mississippi Writers Guild, as well as the “Best Amateur Sleuth” award by Romantic Times. We invite you to join her newsletter for a welcome gift and updates.
www.carolynhaines.com
Familiar Legacy mystery series 
You are amazing Carolyn, not only do you produce fantastic books for us to read, you are genuinely warm and loving and take care of family and friends and your critters. It’s not everyone who can manage a farm full of them but you do and you do it so well. Thank you on behalf of all of them! 😊❤️
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Thank you–and I apologize for being so slow to respond. My oldest dog and some serious surgery Tuesday and I’ve been consumed with caring for her. I enjoy caring for the animals.
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Carolyn, this is a great blog. Thanks for the reminder that I have to work on a guardian for my little Brady “in case.” And all of your babies are so lucky to have the great environment and home you give them!
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I’m lucky to have them! Even though they are destructive little devils.
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Cats began adopting me a little over a year ago when someone dumped some half-wild kitties in the field behind me. I’ve gone from none to having 3 inside, 2 that are in and out, and 3 that come to the patio to eat (have yet to be able to trap them out for “fixing”). One of the in-and-outers is the sweetest two-year-old-plus black kitty that might weigh 2 pounds. They seem to be telling their friends where the sidewalk cafe is located, and I’m beginning to look for a wholesale dealer in cat food. Loved the blog post, and Best wishes for great successes with your Trouble series and with the new Clacking Bones.
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Thanks, CJ. Yes, it’s really hard to keep up with the spaying and neutering. It’s a joke here that I had a black cat in my barn hanging around, so I trapped her and neutered her (if you don’t act quickly you’ll have 8 to neuter!) Anyway, the neighbor’s kids came over to visit and they saw the cat in the big dog kennel where she was healing after surgery. They immediately recognized their cat! I had spayed the neighbor’s cat. But Michelle was great about it and even paid me back for the spay! Ha ha, I could have been a bad scene.
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