Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much: The Perfect Read For The Woman Who Thinks It’s Normal To Dress Her Cat For Any Occasion
A when-is-enough-enough (Never!) guide that helps women pinpoint the warning signs of cat codependency so they can course correct and get their lives back—should they really want to—combined with real-life examples of the lengths women go to please their puddies.
Norwalk, CT, December 30, 2015 – Do you gather fur from your cat’s brush to make earrings? Do you reek of Feliway? Ever contemplated plastic surgery to resemble your puddy? Over-the-top behavior? Maybe. But for women who’re on a never-ending quest to prove their love to their kitties, cat codependent comportment such as this is the norm.
Now there’s a book that comes clean about what many would consider cause for ten-step programs and heavy medication: Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much (HCI Books — $10.95). Written with compassion by bestselling feline author, Allia Zobel Nolan, and chockfull of hiss-terical illustrations by Sylvia cartoonist, Nicole Hollander, Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much validates the challenges women go through to do more, be more, give more to the fur balls who share (and rule) their lives. Then, too, it makes women entangled in this self-depreciating web feel better about themselves as they realize they are not alone.
“I know there are women out there who try (many in vain) to cover up their addiction to pleasing their puddies,” says Zobel Nolan. “I’m one of them. So I reprised this book for two reasons: to throw cold water in their faces so they snap out of their dilemma and get a life (fat chance), and failing that, to let feline-addicted women know they’re a member of a silent sorority who find it impossible to look into their cat’s heart-wrenching eyes and say that callous two-letter word ‘No.’ ”
“Women like us wouldn’t think twice about hiring a personal trainer to exercise our cats’ arms and legs while they nap, so the babies don’t have to expend the energy,” confides Zobel Nolan. “It’s just the kind of thing we do, and Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much finally clears the air about it… I’m just hoping readers will find themselves in these pages and learn to appreciate and laugh at the things we do for love.”
About the author:
Allia Zobel Nolan is an internationally-published, award-winning author of over 200 children’s and adult trade titles. Her books reflect her two main passions, God and cats, and include such varied titles as Purr More, Hiss Less: Heavenly Lessons I Learned from My Cat, Cat Confessions: A Kitty-Come-Clean Tell-All Book, The Ten Commandments for Little Ones, The Worrywart’s Prayer Book and Whatever: Livin’ the True, Noble, Totally Excellent Life
Zobel Nolan lives and loves her puddies way too much in Connecticut with her husband, Desmond Finbarr Nolan, and their feline children, Sineady Cat, the Fraidy Cat, and Nolan Nolan.
About the illustrator:
Nicole Hollander created and produced the syndicated cartoon strip, Sylvia, for a gazillion years. She blogs six days a week at www.Badgirlchats.com and offers a Sylvia archival strip every day—as well as links to politics, cultural commentary and, of course, more cat videos than you can shake a stick at!
The author is available for interviews and/or to commiserate with women who love their cats too much any time. Please call Kim Weiss at the number above for more information.
Women Who Still Love Cats Too Much
By Allia Zobel Nolan
ISBN-9780757318726 — $10.05 – October 2015
Available where books are sold, or to order directly from the publisher call (800) 441-5569 or visit www.hcibooks.com.
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AUTHOR Q/A Provided by Publisher
1. Cats are ridiculously popular these days. But it wasn’t always so. When and what got you interested in writing about these feline fur babies?
Truth is though I always had an affinity for cats; my parents were really dog people. In fact, my mom really didn’t like cats at all…said they were sneaky. Then one Christmas morning, a friend dropped off a box for me. It was large, moved, and had holes in the top. It turned out that inside the box was a white ball of fluff…the cutest white kitten I’d ever seen. I named him Oscar Pooke. Much to her dismay, the tiny fur ball followed mother around all day and at night, sat in the crook of dad’s neck while we watched TV. Needless to say, mother fell in love with him; father fell in love with him, and of course, I was over the moon. I was about 15. Ten cats later, I’m still smitten.
2. Do you consider yourself a “crazy cat lady?”
You know the stereotypical image of the crazy cat lady is of a spinster, in slovenly clothes, who lives with hordes of cats in a stinky house that looks like a bomb hit it. Other than the messy house, I don’t fit that category. Some may consider my over-the-top treatment of my cats “crazy.” But I believe if you are blessed with the care of an animal, you should do all you can to make it happy and comfortable…everything.
3. What is the most bizarre thing you’ve ever done for your cats?
Well, I don’t consider anything I’ve ever done for my cats “bizarre.” The book notwithstanding, others whose involvement with their puddies may not run as deeply as my own, may think I spoil them—what with insisting on fresh, wild caught (never farmed) salmon for their meals, or hiring a vet technician to come in to the house six times a day to make sure they are okay when I’m away for more than two hours. Also, when I’m cuddling my newly-rescued baby, Nolan Nolan, I also run my face up and down his fur, imitating the licking gestures a mommy cat makes when she cleans her puddy. I do that because he is under a year old and may be missing being groomed by his birth mom. But I don’t consider any of that “bizarre.” However, I read on the web of some woman who actually “married” her cat. Now, to me, that’s bizarre. That’s like marrying your child.
4. Does your love for your cat interfere with your love life?
Well, truthfully, my husband, who is Irish, prefers dogs. However, it’s a matter of the old saying, “love me, love my cat(s).” I really couldn’t spend my life with someone who doesn’t like cats. I’m not saying they have to be ga-ga over them—like I am—but they have to at least understand where I’m coming from. I just lost a cat, Angela Dahling, who had thyroid disease and kidney failure. For two years, I hand-fed her, or arranged for her to be fed, four times a day. She also had to have fluids three times a week and Vitamin B12 shots, and all of this was very time-consuming and costly, both physically and psychologically. And my husband was very understanding of it all. Many wouldn’t be, but then, I wouldn’t be with a person like that.
5. Can you give us three things women who love cats too much can do to course-correct their lives?
Well, first, many of us (and I include myself in the quotient), don’t want to course correct. Our lives may not be as smooth as they would be if we didn’t love cats too much. But then, surely our lives would not be as fulfilled as they are now. But for those who may consider (however briefly) changing, I would suggest: Be firm when it comes to opening and closing the door for your cat. Do it fifty times, and then leave the door ajar. Kitty may learn the mechanics of door-opening, and you’ll have ten, maybe twenty, extra minutes in your day. Here’s another thing: Try (and I say try, because you may have to give in) not to feed puddy every time she stands at her feeding bowl starring at you with soulful saucer eyes. Walk away, engage yourself in busy work, build a catio…anything to get your mind off that face. If you can’t stand the silence though, wait a while before you fill her bowl. This way, she’ll know you are NOT at her beck and call. The third thing is to try (I know it’s difficult) to do more outside the house: volunteer, go shopping, get the mail. If it becomes simply too unbearable, you can always get a video monitor app for your phone to check on them. Course-correcting will not be easy, so take baby steps.
6. Many people don’t like cats at all. They prefer dogs. In fact, many people think dogs are the superior companion animal. What do you say to that?
Hogwash! I’ve written extensively…books and articles…on why the cat is paws-down above and beyond the dog. For starters, unlike dogs, cats don’t have self-esteem issues. They’re not hyper and aren’t in your face for approval every half-second. They may sit on your computer or book now and again. But that’s only for your benefit—so you don’t feel they’re not paying attention to you. A cat’s breath doesn’t smell like a mixture of a dumpster and an old locker. Cats would never cling to a guest’s leg, nor slobber all over them. Cats wouldn’t dream of rolling in the mud then jumping all over you. I could go on and on and on. But you get the picture.
