Who doesn’t know how to pet a cat, right? That’s what I thought until an unexpected family conversation and a little inspirational lightbulb got me thinking. Hmmmm. What if some of what I thought I knew about petting a cat wasn’t right? At that moment How to Pet A Cat was born. Reading my new book about how cats view our techniques might just change your mind about the cravings and annoyances of the feline who rules your house.
About that family conversation… On a family vacation, my kids and I were vocalizing how much we missed our little fur babes. I mentioned that one of our cats, Rocco, loved to have his cheeks scratched more than anything. My older daughter said “No way! His favorite spot is his lower back near the base of his tail.” My other daughter disagreed, saying Rocco melts with chin scratches. Sneaky kitty knows whom to go to in order to get exactly what he wants.
Shortly afterward, I did some in-depth research and pitched the idea for How to Pet A Cat to my book publisher. Let's just say, they were as pumped as I was about the prospect. I went to work doing more research and started painting lots of cats. I uploaded the images to my Procreate program and created extra textures, expressions, and backgrounds. You can see the whole process here.
Don’t be fooled by the bright colors and funny cats. This is a science-based book with a little dose of humor to capture the many personalities of a cat. Expect to learn how your feline communicates with you. The book also features several cats in my life including Rocco and Theo; my brother's cat, Andy; my sisters' cats, Milo and Moose; and some cat-fluencers you may recognize. You’ll see BenBen, self-proclaimed “saddest cat on the internet,” and Floyd the Lion, a Persian ball of floof. Check out my book feature on Floyd's website.
I am happy to say that How To Pet A Cat is now available for purchase. You can find it on my website, and at any online bookseller (Chronicle Books, Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, etc.) I am thrilled that you have joined me on this journey. Prepare to be entertained and get ready to expertly Pet A Cat with a new appreciation of how it’s done!