2026 Cat Writers' Association Certificates of Excellence

Over the past 10 years I'm honored to have won 19 Certificates of Excellence and 2 Muse Medallions from the Cat Writers' Association. On August 9th I learned that I added 2 more to my collection from the 2026 contest. It was Mudpie's Gotcha Day, which made it even more special.

These are the pieces I won them for...

Article, Feline-Human Bond, Long Good Night, Sweet Prince

Article, Feline Human Bond, Short Dear Mudpie

These pieces mean the world to me because they honor two cats that have had a tremendous impact on my life - Mo after his passing, and Mudpie after a decade together. Muse Medallions will be given out at the Cat Writers Conference in Dallas/Fort Worth in November. Just being a contender is such an incredible honor!

Never in my wildest dreams did I think such things were possible when I joined the CWA back in 2013. Cats are my greatest passion and being recognized for my creative endeavors involving them is truly a dream come true.

Missing Mo, One Year Later

One year ago today I helped Mo cross the Rainbow Bridge.

He was a part of my life for so long, quietly in the background, that I didn't realize what he'd come to mean to me until he was gone. There's not a day I don't think about him. I still catch myself looking in the yard for him on a regular basis. 

I have regrets. For so long I wrongly believed him to be just a timid cat with a family who visited for a snack. If I'd realized early on that he was feral might I have earned his trust enough for him to consider moving into the house, or at least allow me to help him sooner when his health started to go downhill?

I will forever be grateful that I had the opportunity to be with him at the end. My greatest fear was that he would just disappear one day and I would never know what happened to him, which is exactly what a neighbor is suffering with right now as her own cat vanished 3 weeks ago.

He came to me for help. He wanted me with him. I'll never forget the way he kept reaching for me before we left for the vet. He needed comfort and didn't want to be alone. 

My Mo memorial

I'll also always remember how attached Dad became to him in their last couple years. I used to jokingly refer to them as "my two old men". Just 2 1/2 months after losing Mo, I lost Dad too. I hope they're hanging out together now watching over their two girls, Mudpie and I. 

I'll never forget you Mo, and I'll always love you as one of my own, because you were. You were a sweet, special boy who deserved an easier life than the one you were given. I'm honored to have been the one who got to take care of you, but I'll always wish I'd been able to do more. 

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On Thursday we have some exciting Mudpie/Mo news to share, so please join us then.

Watching Birds & Chipmunks in the Driveway #SundaySelfie

We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!  

And now our weekly answers for the Friendly Fill-Ins challenge, hosted by 15andmeowing and Four-Legged Furballs...

1. I am glad I live near HomeGoods and TJ Maxx, especially this time of year! (They're located side by side within walking distance of my house.)

2. I am glad I don't live near where the Nor'easter is hitting this weekend.

3. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 30.

4. Classic sitcoms made me truly laugh. Most of the ones on TV today are just plain stupid.

Mudpie Meets ALF #CaturdayArt

Meows from Mudpie!

Did you know that Mommy is a huge fan of the '80s sitcom ALF? She started watching it the day it premiered (40 years ago this week!!!) and still has all the collectibles she got back then (plush, games, magazines, beach blanket, lunch box, trading cards). She even bought the complete series on DVD as soon as it came out...even though she didn't have a DVD player at the time!

Since we know how much ALF loved cats (LOL) Mommy thought it might be fun to ask ChatGPT to create some images and trading cards of ALF and I together. We think they turned out so cute! 

Visit more artsy kitties at Athena's Caturday Art blog hop!

A Boring But Blissful Afternoon #PetPhotoFails

Meows from Mudpie!

Thank you for joining us for this month's edition of the Pet Photo Fails blog hop!

It has been SO chilly in my neck of the woods lately! We're certainly not complaining because we've been enjoying the extra cuddle time, but Mommy absolutely refuses to turn the heat on in September, so I'm turning into a frozen Mudpie! 

Speaking of cuddling, my photo fail was taken just yesterday. Mommy had registered for a 3-hour webinar (that had NOTHING to do with cats!!!) so as soon as she settled down on the couch with a blankie on her lap, I hopped on board. Needless to say, I tuned out fairly quickly, but I'll take advantage of any opportunity to hold Mommy down. 

It was a terrible angle for Mommy to take a picture but she wanted to capture the moment.

That's my blooper...let's see yours! 

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My Litter Box Bed

Meows from Mudpie!

This is kind of embarrassing, but since the beginning of the year I've been having trouble "overshooting the runway" in my litter box. It used to happen every now and then but it's been happening so frequently Mommy needed to put a heavy towel and puppy pad under the box. She's watched me do it and says I squat too close to the edge. Plus, it's a regular sized box and I'm not a regular sized kitty! 

She finally gave up hoping the situation would improve, so last week she bought me the biggest litter box she could find. When she brought it home after running a bunch of errands she was pooped out and left it on the living room floor with the rest of her purchases to rest awhile. 

What did I do? 

Well, we know it's a good fit for me!

So how have things gone? Even in an extra-large box I squat too close to the edge, so when I stand in the box lengthwise all is well (so far, anyways), but when I use it in the opposite direction I still pee over the edge. So the towel and puppy pad remain.

Nice try, Mommy! 

Still Dangling #SundaySelfie

Meows from Mudpie!

Mommy helped me snap this selfie from outside while I was looking out. It was fun to get a look at my legs dangling from the other side of the door.

Mommy says if I was an outdoor kitty roaming around I would stop traffic with my beauty. She's not wrong! 

We're joining our friends at The Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfies blog hop!