Writers and Their Cats

Though hardly a scientific survey, I have noticed that writers tend to mention their cats more than their dogs. Are we more likely to have a cat? If so, is this because cats are reputed to require less attention? This would, of course, be a fallacy. In their special, passive-aggressive way, cats may actually require more attention. Are writers more likely to live in an apartment and thus believe we can better manage a cat? This would be a serious misconception. It is a given that no one "manages" a cat.

Every article or book I have written has included input from a cat. It could be comfort when a story is not going well, which they gauge by my hollering at the computer screen. In this situation, any cat believes that if they make a demand for food it will distract me and the creative urge will return when their food is in the bowl.

My cats' input is most likely to include a continuing, often sneaky, effort to climb into my lap anytime the keyboard is not sitting there; if it's cold, they will try to nudge the keyboard to the floor. With Sammie, small and thin even as an adult, this was somewhat resolved by putting a heating pad under the towel she sat on --which was on my desk, of course. Though not a guarantee she would end her quest to sit on my neck or lap, the diversion tended to work for both of us. (No fire marshal would condone this technique.)

For the cat-writer relationship to work, the cat's needs and your own need to be in synch. Hit a brick wall for where the plot goes next, there's a cat ready to rub against your just-cleaned sweater. Forget what you named a bad guy in the previous book in your series, there's a cat waiting for a treat or toy. The trick is to be diverted when you want to be, not when the cat wants to be let outside or fed. This takes practice on the part of the human; If the cat suspects you want the upper hand in the relationship, you're going to be subject to a full-fledged cat snit.

The ultimate service is that of cat-as-character. The key is to give them meaningful roles. If they are simply in the book to give a human character-owner something to do from time to time the cat adds nothing. (Don't tell the cat that.) In my Jolie Gentil series, Jazz is a source of comfort, and she allows Jolie to focus on someone other than herself. Jazz is also a source of humor as she works her way into the daily routine of the bed and breakfast Aunt Madge runs.

If all goes well, the writer-owner is allowed to think she's in charge. Illusions can be handy for a fiction writer.