2018 Pet Blogger Challenge

Today we're excited to be participating in the 2018 Pet Blogger Challenge hosted by GoPetFriendly.com. It's a great way to join fellow bloggers in reflecting on the past year while making plans for the one to come. 

1. For those who may be visiting your blog for the first time, how long have you been blogging and what is your main topic?

I started blogging in August 2011. Mochas, Mysteries and Meows is the purr-fect destination for everyone who embraces a cozy, cat-centric lifestyle: curling up on the couch with a warm beverage, a great book, and a cat...or 3. It's primary focus is to chronicle my cat lady life with Mudpie alongside reviews of products for both cats and cat moms and sharing the knowledge I've accumulated in three decades of life with cats.

2. What was your proudest blogging moment of 2017?

We went through a very scary time at our house early last year when Mudpie had an adverse reaction to her rabies vaccine. I wrote about it in Mudpie's Vaccination Scare...and What We'll Do Differently Next Time and in the months since I've had so many people tell me that they've saved it and used it to ask their vet about their own pet's vaccine protocol. As pet blogger, that's music to my ears.

3. Which of your blog posts was your favorite this year and why? (Please include a link.)

I wrote My Visit to the Rainbow Bridge: A Short Story for Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, and it's my favorite thing I've written since Truffles' Remember Me post. The idea popped into my head and the story just poured out of me, then I spent about 3 weeks perfecting it. I cried while I wrote it, and I still cry re-reading it. 

4. In terms of your blog, how do you measure success?

Having readers who care enough about us that they visit on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong - new readers are great - but knowing that people take time out of their busy lives to see what we're up to each day is amazing. (Although I must say, I completely understand everyone's need for a daily dose of Mudpie!)

5. In what ways has your blog changed during 2017?

This year I made a concentrated effort to start writing more evergreen content, primarily through a new series I titled The Purrfect 10 where we present 10 educational or fascinating tidbits about a wide variety of cat-related topics, everything from health issues to cat breeds to famous felines.

6. What was the biggest blogging challenge you overcame in 2017, and what did you learn that could help other bloggers?

In 2017 I stepped out of my comfort zone and started contacting brands that I wanted to work with, and was for the most part very successful! I learned how important it is to have confidence in yourself and the unique talents you can bring to the blogging table. Learning how to sell yourself is a valuable tool.

7. When things get hard, what keeps you blogging?

I keep going because I love it. Cats have been my greatest passion since the day I was born so writing about them on a daily basis comes pretty much effortlessly to me. 

8. Looking forward to 2018, what are you hoping to accomplish on your blog this year?

My goal is to continue growing our blog and to use it as a stepping stone towards freelance writing for a national publication, either online or print. I've tucked this valuable article on freelancing in the pet industry into my blogging planner and plan to start by pitching a local pet publication.

9. In addition to what you’d like to accomplish, is here one specific skill you’d like to improve or master this year?

I'd like to learn Canva primarily as a tool to create pin-worthy graphics on Pinterest.

10. Now it’s your turn! You have the attention of the pet blogging community – is there a question you’d like answered, or an aspect of your blog that you’d like input on? 

I would love to ask our readers what they want to see more of on the blog. Do you have a favorite feature? A topic you would like us to cover? Please let us know!!!