The Feline Mystique

Our two cats, Eddie and Miss Susie Hutchins, have a somewhat adversarial relationship. She, who was our only cat for the first year of her life, sees no reason that this hulking black monster of an ex-tom should even exist, much less live with us. So she attempts to ignore him as much as possible. He, on the other hand, is compelled by some inner need to leap on her whenever he sees her and bite the back of her neck.

Fortunately for Hutchins, she is lighter and more agile than her pursuer and can usually find a lofty perch Eddie has no hope of reaching.

This is as close as he can get. So he sharpens his claws, just to show he doesn't care.

A number of folks have asked why Elizabeth doesn't have any cats. My original reason for excluding them was that I didn't want the pets taking over. And cats, particularly, have a way of dominating some mysteries -- talking, solving crimes, etc. Also I was trying to avoid any more "cozy" connotations in my books -- there are already gardens and quilts and herbs and food -- enough for some people to assume the books are cozies (though you and I know they're not.)

But somehow cats have crept into the upcoming In a Dark Season. There are not one but two 'cat people' (by which I mean they have lots of cats) in the story -- plus a mama cat and new-born kittens. I don't know . . . Elizabeth may be tempted . . .

(If you want more cats in your reading, check out my friend Clea Simon's website http://cleasimon.com/ Clea writes the Theda Krakow mysteries -- fun reads with a serious take on cat related issues. The cats don't talk, beyond a mew now and then, nor do they solve crimes. And thanks to Clea for the title of this post -- she used it for a non-fiction look at the relationship between women and their cats.)