Tag Archive for cats

How to Keep Pets Safe During 4th of July Fireworks

July 2, 2018 Jen Ný Animals No comments

With the Fourth of July coming up in a couple days, it is important to make sure your pets are safe while neighborhood fireworks are going off. Many pets are afraid of fireworks and cats and dogs are more likely to run away or go missing on the 4th of July than any other time of the year. The day after Independence Day is the busiest day of the year at most animal shelters in the United States. If you are proactive, you can keep your pet safe and calm during the fireworks displays by following these tips.

How to Keep Pets Safe During 4th of July Fireworks

Like most Americans, you are probably excited about the upcoming 4^th of July festivities throughout the week of Independence Day. While you are out celebrating with fireworks, barbecues, and beer with your friends and family, it is important not to forget about your furry friends at home. The 4^th of July can be an especially scary and dangerous time for cats, dogs, and other pets. Animals don’t understand what is going on when they hear fireworks going off outside, so they can become anxious and afraid. If they are able to get outside, they are likely to get spooked by the sounds of explosions and run away. Each year in the United States, July 5^th is the busiest day for animal shelters, as an abundance of runaway pets are found roaming the streets and brought in.

To lessen the chance of harm coming to your furry friends, it is important to take some simple steps to reduce the likelihood that your dog, cat, or other pets are able to run away during fireworks or be otherwise traumatized or harmed as a result of the 4^th of July celebrations.

Read the Rest on HubPages…

Twelve Signs Your Cat Really Loves You

June 28, 2018 Jen Ný Animals No comments

Though cats are often called aloof and unaffectionate, they can be just as loving as dogs. It can be difficult to know if your cat really loves you, but there are many signs if you know what to look for.

Twelve Signs Your Cat Really Loves You

Cats: Affectionate Lovebugs or Aloof Loners?

Sure, cats have a bad reputation as being aloof and less affectionate than dogs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love their owners. Cats can be just as affectionate and loving toward their owners as their canine counterparts, but it can be more difficult for humans to read their feline friend’s feelings. Cats may sometimes act like they don’t care, but if you pay attention, your cat is likely sending you many signals that you are their favorite human.

Read the rest on PetHelpful.com

Familiar: A Flash Fiction Short Story

February 23, 2018 Jen Ný Animals, Writing No comments

Familiar is a flash fiction short story about a black cat familiar named Willow who is about to meet her new witch apprentice.

Familiar

“This must be the place.” Willow stopped in her tracks and gazed up at the small brick home. The light from the full moon bathed the worn cobblestone road in a soft, subtle glow. The small black cat licked her paw before heading down the driveway to the house. She still wasn’t used to her feline form. “Yes, this is definitely the place,” Willow said to herself as she silently carried herself closer to the house. Willow knew she had found the right house, as she could feel a faint, yet distinctly, magical energy emanating from one particular room of the home. Though Willow hadn’t yet met the young witch in this plane, the energy felt very familiar.

Read the rest of Familiar on LetterPile.com…

The original version of this story appeared on my writing website that I created for a class I took at SNHU (a free WordPress site that I only used for the purposes of that class. I’ve since created a real writing portfolio site). I revised it and published the new version on Hubpages.

The original version can still be read here: Familiar by Jen Ný.

Please feel free to use both versions of this story as an example of how authors revise their stories between drafts.

The Forest Witch: A Short Story

February 21, 2018 Jen Ný Writing No comments

A young witch yearns for the life of a mortal and decides to leave the forest and move to the city once she comes of age, leaving behind everything she ever knew to start a new life of her own. Will the life of a mortal in the bustling city be everything she ever wanted, or will she yearn for the home she left behind?

The Forest Witch: A Short Story – Part 1

The lights below were mesmerizing. Though River knew that she shouldn’t be flying above the trees so near the mortal world – and so far from her own home – she couldn’t help but be drawn to the brilliant lights emanating from city. They contrasted with the darkness of the surrounding forests and seemed to beckon her to them. She felt spellbound by their promises of a life filled with freedom and excitement.

This wasn’t the first time that River had ventured so near the mortal city. She came here to observe the mortal’s ways after dusk whenever she got a rare chance to break away from performing rituals with her mother and father. Through the darkness River could see lights twinkling and moving below. Oh how wondrous it must be to live in a city like this. There must be so much to do, so much to see, and so many new people to meet. The mortals were not bound by the endless cycles of nature. Their artificial lights meant they could move around and live their lives as they chose, without the restrictions set by the sun and moon.

Even as the city lights called to her, River knew that she must turn back. Her mother and father were waiting for her in their cottage deep within the forest. She was still several moons away from becoming a fully independent witch and still had much to learn before setting off on her own.

Moonlight, River’s familiar spirit and closest confidant, had been uncharacteristically quiet for most of the trip. She let out a gentle purr as River turned her broomstick around and headed back into the forest.

Read the rest on LetterPile…

Stray: A Short Story

February 7, 2018 Jen Ný Writing No comments

“Stray” is a short story about a small black kitten who is abandoned time and time again before finally finding a loving home. A must read for all cat lovers.

Stray: A Short Story

I was brought here at the end of autumn, as the final leaves fell to the ground, the winds got colder, and the nights became the longest that I have ever known. I didn’t know it then, but my life was about to change, forever.

I’ve had many homes throughout my short life before I was brought here. None of them lasted for long. I was always cast out for one reason or another, though I was never quite sure why. I did my best to make them want me. I really did. But it seems that my best just wasn’t good enough for them. At least not for most of them. Not until I met her.

Read the rest on LetterPile…

Meet Salem

August 3, 2016 Jen Ný Animals No comments

We brought our new cat Salem into our life about a month ago. He was a stray who just showed up on our porch one day. After he decided to make our porch his home, I started feeding him because he looked skinny and sad. He was so friendly and cuddly, he didn’t deserve to go hungry. He kept trying to come inside with us whenever we came home, follow us whenever we left and he always head butted me when I came outside to see him. It was like he picked us out to be his new owners, and there was nothing we could do about it. He must have heard that the world’s prettiest female cat lives with us, or maybe that we have premium wet cat food. Cats sure are manipulative!

I took Freyja out on the porch to meet him before we brought him in to make sure they wouldn’t hate each other. She seemed uninterested at first, but Salem rolled over to show her his belly. I think that means he trusted her. At least Freyja didn’t seem to hate him.

Later that day we took him to be scanned for a microchip since he didn’t have a collar. No chip. None of the neighbors knew anything about him and no one put up “lost cat” signs or online listings looking for him. I think someone dumped him off since he didn’t have a microchip or collar, wasn’t neutered, and was skinny and dirty. We thought he was older than Freyja when we decided to adopt him since he’s taller and has a way bigger head, but the vet said he’s between 6 and 12 months old (neither my husband nor I have had cats before Freyja, only dogs, so we aren’t exactly cat experts). I saw a couple of other black cats roaming around at the other end of the block around the same time. Some irresponsible person’s cat probably had kittens that they couldn’t find homes for, and decided to dump them outside. We’re estimating his birthday as Halloween since he’s an adorable black cat.

He’s just a little bit younger than Freyja, but he’s taller and weighs a couple pounds more (now that he gets regular meals!). We kept them completely separated until he got tested for FIV and FeLV and got his first round of shots, and then slowly introduced them afterward. Freyja became interested in him pretty quickly and really wanted to play with him. When we finally allowed them together, she was a bit to rough in her playing and Salem got frightened, but they learned to get along pretty quickly and became great friends within a couple of weeks.

This is the first week we’ve let them be together while we’re at work. It’s the cutest thing ever when they sleep next to each other and groom each other. I was nervous every about introducing a new cat to Freyja after everything I’ve read online about bringing home a new cat, but they already love each other.

Salem is the most cuddly cat we’ve ever met. He likes to follow us around and sit on the couch while we watch TV. He’s pretty calm for a kitten too. Freyja is definitely the more playful of the two, though Salem can get going when we bring out a wand toy or catnip. Catnip seems to work better on Salem than on Freyja.

We already had him neutered, so there won’t be any little black baby kittens, as adorable as that would be. I’m only saying that here since that’s the first thing every single person we’ve told about him has asked (Freyja was already spayed just before we adopted her).

Black cats are the best! From what I’ve heard from other cat people, black cats are usually the friendliest and most cuddly, but they are the least likely to get adopted. Apparently some people are still superstitious of them. Possibly even worse, some people don’t like black cats (and dogs) because they think they don’t photograph well. These are both really idiotic reasons to overlook a cat or dog. If you’re looking for a new pet, please consider adopting a black kitty of your own! You won’t regret it!

Meet Freyja the Cat

December 15, 2015 Jen Ný Animals, Photos No comments

Hans and I recently got a kitty cat. Her name is Freyja and she is a fluffy, tiny, and adorable 6 month old black domestic longhair. She was a rescued kitty that we found through one of our friends. She is super cuddly and lovable, especially since she was found abandoned outside.

I had been thinking about getting a cat for a while when I saw Freyja’s picture posted on Facebook. My husband’s friend is a vet tech and one of her coworkers found Freyja. She posted the kitty’s picture on Facebook saying that she needed a good home and I instantly fell in love.

Freyja is the first cat I’ve ever had, other than the stray cats that my mom used to let me feed as a small child. I had dogs all while growing up, plus some birds and other small animals such as hermit crabs, fish, and frogs, however. I haven’t had a pet since I moved out of my parents’ house. It was time for me to get a fluffy baby animal to love.

I named her Freyja after the Norse goddess, who is known for her chariot pulled by two cats. I’ve been into reading about ancient Norse/Germanic religions lately, and thought that Freyja was a good name for a kitty. It seems to fit her well. She is a beautiful kitty cat and from watching her play, would probably be a good hunter if she were allowed outside (which she’s not. She stays inside where it is safe).

Here are some pictures of her: