# Authors: cats, dogs, or both?



## patinagle (Oct 16, 2009)

OK, which do you have? Which do you love? Or is your muse some other critter? (I know one writer who keeps a pet rat in a cage on her desk - she's allergic to cats and dogs.)

Sound off!

Here are my two muses (yes, that's my writing chair one of them has taken over):










And here they are sharing a bed.


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## J.E.Johnson (Aug 5, 2009)

Ooohh, my kind of question  .  Cat or dog you ask?  How about both and more . . . I prefer cats over dogs, I've learned over the years, but I have three dogs, three cats (plus all the strays we feed), three birds (two Indian ring-necks and a rainbow lori), a bearded dragon, a corn snake, two rats and a tarantula.  Oh, and several koi and goldfish in the pond and the wild birds I provide seed and water for.  I have lots of wee beasties to keep me company  .
-Jenna
p.s. I also forgot, all the spiders that hide in my house.


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Good question. I'm not sure if I have a favorite. I have one dog right now. He's a Beagle/Bird dog mix who thinks he's a Pitbull. His favorite hobby these days is chasing deer that come in the yard though he's so old he has no chance of getting close.  I also have three cats. Dick, Bruce and Tia. Two stay in the house while Tia lives on the screened in back porch. She's not exactly a house cat. I love birds and once had 6 parakeets until I developed an allergy to them.   If I named them, you guys would definitely figure out I was nuts.


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## patinagle (Oct 16, 2009)

J.E.Johnson said:


> Ooohh, my kind of question . Cat or dog you ask? How about both and more . . . I prefer cats over dogs, I've learned over the years, but I have three dogs, three cats (plus all the strays we feed), three birds (two Indian ring-necks and a rainbow lori), a bearded dragon, a corn snake, two rats and a tarantula. Oh, and several koi and goldfish in the pond and the wild birds I provide seed and water for. I have lots of wee beasties to keep me company .
> -Jenna
> p.s. I also forgot, all the spiders that hide in my house.


That's quite a menagerie! (I don't count spiders, myself...except we had a magnificent orb-spinner outside the front door this summer. Amazing thing!)


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## patinagle (Oct 16, 2009)

Sierra - too bad about the bird allergy.  I put out seed for the wild birds, and hummingbird feeders, and enjoy watching the bird show through the window.  

One of my kits would love to go outdoors but we live in a rural area and there are too many coyotes and owls who would like to have him for lunch.


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

My Mom loves to feed the wild birds and she used to put out food for humingbirds but we didn't have too many this year. I think my brother cutting the tree down they used to sit in scared them away.


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## NAmbrose (Sep 1, 2009)

I've always loved cats, about as much as I dislike most dogs.  In both cases, the feelings seem to be mutual!  We currently own neither, however, because we're out in the desert with a great deal of wildlife including coyotes, and would always be afraid that the animal would wind up as someone's lunch.  I think my wife and I are going to end up getting a large bird of some sort, as in a parrot or macaw, because we both really miss having a pet.


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

I like all animals.

However, I have to admit that I love dogs the most. I have one dog. His name is Scooby. I rescued him from a shelter. He is a border collie/lab mix.


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Hmmm...well, horses are my passion (I have four of them), but I also love dogs. I have always owned, trained, and enjoyed dogs of various types. I used to raise, show, and run sled dogs (Siberian Huskies)--the sled, the rig, and the lines and harnesses are still in my shed; can't quite bring myself to get rid of them. When I'm writing, I am often surrounded by dogs (Wally the Corgi, Gizmo and Lady the LC-Chihuahuas, Critter the unkempt Yorkie, and Sterling the Aussie). I can hear the others playing outside (Gimli the JRT; Galahad, Fiona, Miss Fuzzby and Isabeau (all Corgis); Colleen and Girlie (the 'farm dogs'). I write in a loft overlooking the stable and paddocks, so I get to be inspired by the horses, too. Our three barn cats can often be seen roaming the barnyard--my favorite is 'Clueless', a big orange tabby who thinks he's a dog.

Lots of inspiration from these warm, loyal friends! 

Okay...you can all drag me to the asylum now!

NA: You're wise to worry about cats and coyotes. LOVE coyotes--probably one of their biggest fans. I specialized in wild canids for my doctoral work, focusing on their vocal behavior. However, I know I must safeguard my pets. We have trouble with large owls here, too.


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## J Dean (Feb 9, 2009)

I prefer piranhas and wolverines


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## Jane Bled (Sep 2, 2009)

J Dean--LOL! That's pretty hardcore.  

My five month-old kitten Kimu-Kimu is sitting in my lap right now, gazing at me with the sweetest expression. He's my first real pet (Timmy the Turtle doesn't really count, because within a month of getting him, we set him free), and I'm totally in love with him! I never thought kitties could be so cuddly, since they have the reputation of being cold and aloof. Kimu-Kimu is like my shadow. He follows me everywhere and gets mad when I don't pay him 100% attention (which makes it more difficult to work on my second novel--this cat HATES my laptop, and does everything in his power to keep me off it).

















As for dogs, my fiance wants to get a Golden Retriever, but I told him to wait a little while until I'm ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a puppy (my fiance works 10+ hours a day, so I'm the one who will be doing most of the dirty work ).


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

I like cats _and_ dogs, and I have both. Their pictures are scattered throughout these threads. But as characters in fiction, you can't beat the mysterious felidae. You gotta love an animal which is half wild, doesn't really need you, but chooses to like you anyway.

Meet Raisin, one of the main characters of Distant Cousin: Regeneration:


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Brassman, can I ask, what that is? It certainly is wonderful looking.


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Appears to be a Caracal?


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

sierra09 said:


> Brassman, can I ask, what that is? It certainly is wonderful looking.


That is a caracal (which means "black ears"). It's a native of Africa, resembles a 40 pound mountain lion, and domesticates nicely for hunting and home, believe it or not. There's a dealer in the Florida panhandle. (The website is on the blog, below.) 
Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal, or search YouTube for some amazing, and amazingly beautiful, video clips. Raisin made a terrific character, since both mother and daughter in the book have unusual affinities for cats.


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Very cool and thank you and Archer for telling me. I'd never seen anything like that. The ears caught me first. It's a really lovely animal.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Truly lovely, indeed. That cat breeder currently has serval kitties for sale. The serval resembles a 40 pound cheetah, she tells me, and they too make wonderful pets (though one must make adjustments, of course). There are many great video clips of these on YouTube also, and more of her pictures of her kitties, from two weeks old, on the blog. I considered one for my human characters, but went with the caracal because it is, reportedly, more laid back, less energetic.


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Awww, they are so cute. I'm weak for small, fluffy animals.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

sierra09 said:


> Awww, they are so cute. I'm weak for small, fluffy animals.


Me too. But these don't stay that way. Watch one of these servals jump higher than a person's head from a standstill:


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## J.E.Johnson (Aug 5, 2009)

Hey Nicolas, 
    I used to work in a pet store and I especially looked after the birds.  They are awesome!  If you ever get a large parrot, I'd recommend a cockatoo - they are very cuddly and will even sit in your lap and let you pet them like a cat.  The amazons can be moody (I was bit in the face by one once, not fun . . .) and I hear African Greys can be the same.  The pet store had a blue and gold macaw who was kind of like their mascot.  He was a good bird, but such a drama queen  .  I'd also stay away from conures (they are very needy and are more of a one person bird and can get rather jealous).  One of my favorites was a Derbyan parakeet the store had (they are larger despite the name).  Anyhoo, just thought I'd let you know.  I'm sure if you ever end up getting a parrot you'll do the research  .  
-Jenna

ps - cool cat pictures everyone!


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

I like both dogs and cats, but right now I'm totally owned by these two:










They hate each other, so it was a surprise to find them sitting this close. It did not last long...


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## Heather Parker (Sep 3, 2009)

Both! We have three cats and three dogs. Two of the cats were feral kittens, caught and adopted by us at six months. These became major characters in my stories and books - partly because they almost always sit on my knee at the keyboard.
The only problem is Domino has twice stood on the wrong key and submitted stories via online submission systems - in both cases before they were ready!
Our new pup has also slowed down the writing considerably (as well as eating the mobile phone). But he's awfully sweet with it...










Middlewitch


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## patinagle (Oct 16, 2009)

Wow, great pictures!  Thanks, all!


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Aw, fluffy puppy.   Darn this is making me want a puppy. He sort of looks like one dog we used to have when I was little. My brother brought home a fluffy black Malamute (I probably spelled that wrong) and my Mom spoiled him. He was so little he would sleep behind the toilet...until the time he grew during the night and then my brother had to do some plumbling removal to get him loose.


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Sierra:

Nope--you spelled it just right! 
Malamutes are adorable. I love all the Arctic breeds, in fact.


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## TiffanyTurner (Jun 8, 2009)

I'd have to say I'm a cat person. I do like dogs, but my muse is the cat. I've actually based some of my characters on my pets. It is my tribute to them.

My current creature of fluff and fur is my cat, Samantha.









My cat from the mid-80s to late 90s was a cat named Beuford(Booford). He was the inspiration for my cat character in my books called Brewford. I tried to capture the way he used to just look like he knew everything. 









I'd have to say my pets are my true inspiration.


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## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

I've never had a pet (accountability isn't my strong suit), although Hub wants a pug someday--which we'll acquire at the local Pug Rescue. In the meantime, the wildlife (deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and the occasional raccoon or skunk) entertain us from a suitable distance.

CK


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## NAmbrose (Sep 1, 2009)

Hey, Jenna,

Thank you for the input.  So far we've just gone to various pet stores and looked, but haven't zeroed in on any particular breed.  I'll print your comment and we'll definitely ask a lot of questions before making any commitments.


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## SimonWood (Nov 13, 2009)

I'm both althought balance is a little lopsided in our house with 5 cats to one longhaired dachshund.  My dachshund in my writing buddy.  He sits in the room with me while I write.  The cats are shut out.


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## patinagle (Oct 16, 2009)

Yeah, I've used my pets as characters, too.  In fact, I paid tribute to one pet that I had to give away (he did not deal well with becoming an indoor cat).  He became the tragic victim of crime in one of my "Pet Noir" stories.


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## Rye (Nov 18, 2008)

I'm a dog person. I have 3 of them. A yellow lab named Champ, a black lab named Bronco, and a boxer named Rocky. I'm not really a cat person....I don't hate them but I'm just not fond of them either. They have a tendency to bite me for some reason.


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