When asked to describe me using an animal, most people choose a feline. Throughout my lifetime, I’ve been called everything from a black panther to a kitten, even in intimate relationships.
I take pride in that reference, because it signifies a strength and grace that is only ever found in the feline community. I also enjoy the reference as my connection to my four-legged womb fruit: Shadow the PR Cat.
If you’ve never heard of Shadow, then you must not have been following this blog for very long – and my pesky little PR puss will be sorely offended.
But not to worry, we will remedy that in just a moment by covering the seven things I have in common with Shadow the PR Cat.
1. PR Worker
As many of you know, on December 13, 2016, I adopted Shadow on behalf of Alexis Chateau PR. We meant to make him an Office Cat, but his love for being at the computer desk while I worked soon earned him a promotion to Goodwill Ambassador.
Thus, the coolest thing I have in common with my cat is that we work together in public relations, at my firm.
2. Blogging
When I was 9 years old, my parents gave me a professional planner to use as my mini-journal. By the time I hit 13, I was writing full length novels, and had built a fan base on campus.
A year later, I discovered the internet and launched my first blog. In truth, I launched one blog experiment after the other, before finally settling on this one. But no worries. This blog is no experiment, and isn’t going anywhere!
So would it surprise you to know that Shadow blogs, as well? His first blog post was published on College Mate earlier this month. It’s entitled: What I Would Study if Cats Went to College.
He’s also currently gathering sources for a piece to be published on a major kitty publication. This one is entitled, How an Office Cat Can Improve Employee Morale. If you would like to be cited for the article, or know an expert who would love the opportunity, you can find his guidelines here.
3. Fierce Independence
Last year, I experimented with sacrificing some of my independence for family life. That’s what women are expected to do, right? In a few months, I came to my senses. I was never built for submission, or interdependence.
Not only am I an only child, but I am one who had no interest in having siblings. I told my mother, in kindergarten, that I wanted no brothers or sisters. She was kind enough to oblige.
A child learns a lot about independence and personal accountability when she has no little brother or sister to throw the blame on.
4. Animal Rights Supporters
As Goodwill Ambassador, Shadow’s main purpose at the firm is to support animal rights, especially as it relates to the adoption of shelter animals. He is, after all, a rescue kitty.
The animal shelter that rescued Shadow found him dumped at a feral colony. They snatched him right before the cold winter hit. A week or two later, I took the hour-long trip out to his foster mom’s home, and fell in love with his cute little face.
Together, Shadow and I try to raise awareness for shelter dogs and cats. It’s a big job for a 7 month-old kitten, but he’s a natural!
5. Seafood
I know, I know. There is a wicked irony in writing that I love seafood right after talking about animal rights.
I was born with an aversion to meat. I have never liked it, and always found a way out of eating it, even as a child. Seafood, however, has always enjoyed an exception in my diet.
Of all the many ways to eat seafood, I love steamed fish from back home the most. But since Jamaica is feeling more and more like a world away, separated by sea and republican policies, I have to find a replacement. In America, that replacement is sushi.
I haven’t allowed Shadow to try sushi, but I let him nibble on some shrimp when I make my lunches for work. He loves it. Like any cat, he loves all things seafood – maybe even more than catnip.
6. The Outdoors
Last year, our first office cat went missing, while I was away for the weekend. It was heartbreaking. She was an indoor cat with limited access to the outdoors.
We trained her to come when called, and she did 100 percent of the time, no matter how far away she was. On November 13, 2016, when my grandmother called, she did not come; and has not been home since.
When I adopted Shadow a month later, I made the decision that he would not set foot outside unsupervised – and neither would she, when she returned home. Shadow may receive leash access after we purchase his GPS tracker. I haven’t found one yet with good enough reviews to persuade me.
UPDATE – July 2022: Shadow and I have now been traveling and camping across North America for two years. He now enjoys the great outdoors from the big picture window in the RV, the RV doorstep or via his leash and harness.
7. Both Black
I may be a shade or two lighter than some, and Shadow may be many shades darker than most, but we are both Black. We also share the same types of discrimination that come with the shade.
Shadow is perceived in a negative way in many cultures on account of the colour of his coat. His kind also suffers a lower adoption rate and higher kill rate in animal shelters, than kitties of other colours.
Our efforts to change that perception involve leading by example, rather than throwing around words and empty promises. This makes him the ideal ally, especially for the current socio-political climate in America.
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What are some of the strange and hilarious things you have in common with your pets? I’m sure once you start to think about it, you’ll find a similarity or two!
I’m glad you did. 🙂
Do you have a cat, as well?
(This was also in my spam folder. Not sure why!)
Well cats are one of my favorite things in the world so yay you! One cool cat!
Thank you! Do you have a cat as well?
Oh my goodness, I adopted a cat that shares so much of my personality, it’s like she’s my soul mate. Her mother was a stray who seduced her way into my friend’s house, then gave birth to three kittens in their living room. Two were adopted out, and one was my Stardust. She is insanely curious, adventurous, doesn’t take “no” for an answer, independant, but fiercely loveable, and never runs from strangers (unless they’re dogs.) And we both love my boyfriend! I love how friendly and spunky Star is. She’s an indoor kitty, but she likes to sunbathe while I’m gardening. I just love her to pieces. I have broken up with boys (trust me, they weren’t men) because they thought they could make me choose between them and the cat who has been with me through three moves, a hundred bad nights, and always knows how to comfort me when I’m upset (she sits in top of me, usually on my butt when I’m face-planted into the pillow.) Well, they were right. I chose her every time. My current boyfriend loves her. Even though he’s allergic. Yep. He’s a keeper.
That’s great! Do you have pictures? The bond with an animal is a special one. My cat is a lot like myself as well, maybe more than I’d like. Lol.
Luckily, no one has asked me to choose, but I have my strategy for that. I do believe it’s up to us to manage our relationships though. I’ve always had pets so I learned to keep my family life (me, dog, and cat) separate from romantic relationships.
I ensured my boyfriends and later husband play no role in my pets’ lives, I don’t share ownership of them, and I ensure one is never an inconvenience to the other. That way no one ever feels like I have to choose, and everyone is content.
Some people think it’s weird and that a pet should be something shared in a marriage. Have you ever seen the custody battles over pets? It’s worse than for kids lol. I’ll pass!
That is interesting. I’ve established the boundaries for the health safety of my boyfriend. He’s not terribly allergic (he’s lived with cats all his life) but if we get married, she will not be allowed in the bedroom. And I keep allergy meds around everywhere.
I can’t attach pictures in comments on my tablet, but I’ll sneak a picture of Star on my home page. 😉
He’s lucky to have such a considerate girlfriend!
I had to fight for the right to keep my ex’s dog out of the bedroom. I wasn’t allergic, but I sleep very light (consequence of living alone since I was 16), and whenever he brought the dog by, he would be running around the room and trying to wake us up to get under the covers. Then you let him in, and 5 minutes later he was out again. He also insisted on sleeping between us, so there went cuddle-time.
He didn’t bathe him often enough so he smelled, and he didn’t clip his nails often enough either, so I had those digging into me every night.
It got to the point where I didn’t want to see the owner any more than I wanted to see the dog. I was so cranky from lack of sleep. Memories! lol.
Thankfully, that is all behind me.
If you have a link of Star on social media just drop a link here, and I’ll go take a look. 🙂
Thanks!
Haha, that doesn’t sound like a dog problem. That sounds like an owner problem. 😉
Hahahahaha. You are more right than you know!
Still waiting for my pic of your snuggle muffin 🙂
If you scroll to the bottom, you’ll see her “helping” while I sketch artwork for the new book. 😉
https://fantcbooks.com/
Such an adorable little kitty! I love her colours. Do you do all the artwork for your book?
Yep, she’s a keeper! I do in fact. I design the book covers and (what few books have illustrations) i illustrate myself. I was an artist before i took up writing, but i find i actually enjoy writing more. Since i self-publish, I’m free to do whatever i want design-wise. But self-publishing has it’s ups and downs. It’s more work/less publicity but comes with complete creative freedom.
That’s amazing. Too bad you’ve given up drawing and illustrating. There’s an intern position open for that at the firm. Everyone seems to have given up drawing for other art forms. What’s going on?
Uuuuuum art is a starving trade? I dunno. Haha.
That might be true, but visual artists are paid way more than writers.
Love your post, beautiful cat.
Thank you. Shadow is a handsome boy, indeed!
First of: awww that cute little face of Shadow! :3 And his eyes are so beautiful!
Then, to answer your question: my gerbils are black (Loki) and white-ish (Jamie) and their origin is Asian. I am against all forms of discrimination, so we do very well since we have it all in one family. My fuzzy little goofballs are addicted to nuts, and so am I, and they love to make a giant mess of their cage, which I love to clean up (okay, so we don’t agree on this one, but at least we compliment each other).
Thank you! He is an adorable little puss haha. Black, White, and Asian! What a mix! Our last cat was grey and pink. She was a beaut as well.
Addicted to nuts.That’s hilarious. Everyone in my family has a nut they love. It’s weird. My dad loves pecans, mom loves macadamia, I love almonds, and my grandma loves cashews. Go figure! 😂
I think more offices need cats. They are great stress relievers. I’ve seen quite a few bookstore cats over the years but no office cats unless it was a home office.. I start the day with my cats. They have crunchies and i have coffee and we watch the birds at the feeder while I do my daily checklist. We also like to sleep the same way, curled up in lots of covers.
I think more offices should have cats too – home and otherwise. Shadow is a good source of comic relief, and forces me to take a break from time to time.
Shadow used to like sleeping in bed, but not anymore. Now he likes to sleep in the tower of his cat tree and in the office chair.