Feline Fever

MALCOLM

I fell in love with cats almost twenty years ago. I hadn’t given cats much thought until my daughter wanted a cat for her ninth birthday.  I had no idea how smitten I’d become.

After reading a book about domestic cats, I decided to take the plunge. (I thought I was now a cat expert. Ha!) While I was focused on the work involved and the products needed, I had no idea that bringing home a cat would be one of the best and happiest decisions of my life. There is nothing so comforting and joyful as a cat coming to sit with you. My children knew they always had a friend in Malcolm no matter what happened at school or in a game or anywhere else. He was a constant presence and a gift to us.

That happy day, my daughter, son and I visited an animal shelter, where my daughter decided she wanted the fluffiest kitten. It didn’t take long to find him. He was orange and had big green eyes.  He reached out to us with his furry little paw.  We fell in love at first sight and first feel. Malcolm was his name, which we decided suited him. My children and I brought him home in a cardboard box, released him, and that’s when the fun and love began!

A roaring fire, a warm drink and a purring cat. What more do you need on a winter's day!

We never knew what breed he was, but I thought he might be either a Maine Coon Cat or a Norwegian Forest Cat because of his tufted paws and heavy and long fur coat. His fur was so long that it dragged on the ground, so we clipped his gorgeous locks every so often. Children said he looked like a lion. He was definitely the king of cats!

Malcolm, sadly now gone from us, has been featured on several greeting cards, and I take a little comfort that his sweet face has brought joy to many people. We now have two Turkish Angora cats, who were rescued as kittens, who also have found themselves on greeting cards. Every week, I also photograph the beauty, grace and adorableness of the cats and kittens available for adoption at the same animal shelter where we found Malcolm. These glamor puss photographs appear on the shelter’s website until the animals are adopted. I’ve learned a lot more about both photography and cats since I began this volunteer work. And it’s been a huge amount of fun.

The artists at Greeting Card Universe love animals as much as I do.  If you search for “cats” on the Greeting Card Universe website, you’ll find more than 16,000 cat-related cards. The number grows every day.  When Malcolm died two years ago, GCU artist, friend and laugh-meister Tom Rent started a thread on the artist forum:  “Join me in sympathy in the passing of fellow GCU artist Catherine Sherman’s mighty 17-year old Norwegian Forest Cat Malcolm.”

The outpouring of sympathy and support from the GCU artists was so comforting. It makes me cry even now.

Here is just a few of the 16,000-plus cat cards offered by Greeting Card Universe artists. Click on the thumbnails, which will open into a new window.

From the left: Beverly Turner, Linda Klemanski, Kathy Henis, Eva/Krasilni Razbor, Markess A. Wilder and Doreen Erhardt.

From the left: Two by Corrie Kuipers, Delores Knowles, DogBreedz and two by Catherine Sherman.

From the left: Three by Betty Matsumoto-Schuch, Denise Beverly, Priscilla Starling and Cornered Greeting Cards.

And here’s Tom Rent’s contribution to the cat card catalog!

Greeting Card Universe is the world’s largest paper greeting card store. You can change the text and upload your own photograph to the inside of the card at no additional charge. Ship cards to your home or office, or, if you prefer, Greeting Card Universe will mail your personalized card to any address in the United States for only the cost of a stamp. It’s easy!

Greeting Card Universe’s motto is “Find the perfect card in our universe. Over 500,000 cards + 4,000 artists + 10, 000 categories = lots of happy customers.” It’s true!

Here are some GCU artist blogs about cats and kittens.
LIGHTNING ROUND: KITTIES

Furry Friends
“Animals are such agreeable friends…”
Painted Cottage, Judith Cheng

Cats Are Angels Among Us
“Let’s face it, cat lovers are passionate about their cats…”
Rycky Creations, Robin Chaffin

Jack and Lillie: The Story of Two Rescues
“Jack and Lillie are cats…”
DB Visual Arts, Denise Beverly

Friends with Fur
“I wish I could say I have kitties and cats running all over the place…”
Janet Lee Designs, Janet Palaggi

An Ode to Kitties
“I love cats…”
Diana’s Cards, Diana Delosh

For All Us Cat Lovers
“A life without cats?!? A love story…”
Aura2000, Aura 2000

Everyday Art: Inspirational Kitties and Cats
“The key to finding inspiration in everyday places and things is observing…”
Sun at Night Studios, Sun at Night

Feline Friends
“Cats can be great companions…”
Sunshine’s Creative Explorations, Donna Lorello

Feline Fever
“I fell in love with cats almost twenty years ago…”
It’s a Beautiful World, Catherine Sherman

The Kitty and the Mashed Potatoes
“Sulu was a rescued feral kitten…”
Kilter Cards, A Ley

Luna, a New Family Member
“My daughter and her boyfriend just got a sweet little kitten a couple days ago…”
I Love Cuttables, Cindy Johns

Cats in Love
“Could it be that cats in love express more with their body language than we can imagine?”
Naquiaya’s Cards, Naquaiya

Meow, Meow, Meow
“Being the owner (did I say that?) of five cats…”
Cherie’s Arts ‘N Crafts, Cherie

When the Cat’s Away
“Cats, can anyone truly resist them?”
Salon of Art, Doreen Erhardt

Our Beautiful Gypsy Kitty
“One day probably 20 years ago a gorgeous seven toed calico cat just showed up literally on our doorstep…”
Dragonfire Graphics, Betsy Bush

Here, Kitty! Kitty! Kitty
“DogBreedz isn’t only about Man’s Best Friend…”
DogBreedz, Peggy Mundell

My Rescue Cat Speckles: A Love Story
“On one blazing hot summer night in 2006 in Plano, Texas, a cat wandered outside next to the large patio of my apartment…”
This & That, Rick McBride

CorrieWeb is the Cat’s Meow
“I love kitties!”
CorrieWeb, Corrie Kuipers

I Was Always a Dog Person
“Kitties were an acquired taste for me…”
Cottage Creek Greetings, John H. Johnson

My Cat Loves Birthday Candles
“I live with a cat who is fascinated by fire…”
Blessing Art Cards, Sharon Fernleaf

New ‘Kit’ On the Block
“Introducing Abby, our newest critter kid!”
Cards from the Heart, Lisa Charlton