REMEMBERING 9/11

Today is the 12th anniversary of one of the most terrible days in the history of the United States… the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. And like all cataclysmic events, most people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the horrible news.

At the time, I was a young cat with lots of energy, and I heard the news as I was in the process of waking Steve and his female (my humans). At the time, they had a clock radio (a truly obnoxious gadget) that was set to a news channel, so that when they woke up they could hear what was going on in the world. Anyway, as I was licking Steve and his female awake, the clock radio went off and we all heard that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers at the World Trade Center. At first, we thought it might be a small plane that had somehow gotten off course… within minutes, however, the announcer said the incident was believed to be an act of terrorism.

Steve and his female went downstairs and turned on the TV, and the true horror of the incident began to unfold… although Steve did take time to feed me my breakfast (hey, tragedy or not, a cat has to eat!). For most of the day, like pretty much everyone else in America, we were transfixed, stunned and appalled as they situation went from bad to worst… and then worst of all as those two very tall buildings crumbled into dust.

So now 12 years have passed and the World Trade Center site has returned to life, with a new tower almost finished and a 9/11 museum set to open. But no one who was alive on September 11, 2001 will ever forget what happened there, and today, as we do every year on September 11th, we remember and think about all those people who were lost on that now-hallowed ground.

CAT RESCUED BY... BATMAN & CAPTAIN AMERICA!

In Milton, West Virginia on Saturday, firefighters arrived at a house fire and were very surprised to discover they had been beaten to the scene by – hard to believe, but true – Batman and Captain America! And what’s even better, the intrepid duo had already bolted inside and rescued the household cat.

Batman and Captain America (shown with the lucky cat in the photo above) are actually John Buckland and Troy Marcum, who were in costume for a local event at an American Legion post. Buckland, a former firefighter, and Marcum burst into the house looking for occupants, but found only a very terrified kitty. They brought the cat outside, where it was resuscitated by Buckland, and is now doing fine.

And how did this lucky kitty thank Batman and Captain America once he realized he was safe? He looked the superheroes in the face and gave them a nice, juicy hiss!

Holy hissy-fit!

QUASI'S REVIEW OF "whiskerslist"

Happy Monday, fellow cats and cat lovers. Just to show you that I actually do, upon occasion, talk about books other than my own, here's my review of a wonderful new book by our friend Angie Bailey...

"Have you ever seen something really cool and imaginative and thought, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Well, that’s exactly what I thought when I saw Angie Bailey’s new book, whiskerslist. What an amazingly clever idea… a craigslist for kitties!

Fortunately for us, Angie did come up with the idea, and the result is imaginative, stunningly original, and very funny. The “Personals” section in whiskerslist includes ads such as “neutered seeking spayed,” “heavy petting,” and my favorite, “rants, raves and hisses.” Items for sale include boxes, toy mice and kitty accessories. Other craigslist-type sections include “Services Offered,” “Groups,” Housing” and “Barter.” Lots of funny cat photos, too! Like I said, whiskerslist is just like craigslist… only for kitties!

I highly recommend whiskerslist to anyone who loves cats and has a sense of humor. The book would also make an excellent gift for any cat nut friends you might have.

Why didn’t I think of this!"

So if you buy only two cat books this year (with one, of course, being The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition), check out whiskerslist. A must-have for all cats and cat lovers!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

It's close to 100 degrees in Burbank already (and it's only morning as I write this), and I'm too hot and lazy to come up with a clever post... so, for today, let me merely say I hope everyone has a wonderful, fun and relaxing weekend (just like the kitty in the photo). See you on Monday.

THE LATEST BOOK REVIEWS OF THE WORLD IS YOUR LITTER BOX DELUXE EDITION

Here are some recent rave reviews of The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition from our friends in the blogosphere...

“Mousebreath’s summer intern (shown in the photo above) has been busy reading the latest book by our friend Quasi – The Deluxe Edition of his pawpular The World Is Your Litter Box. It’s jam-packed with vital info every young cat needs to know, like:

·         How to Look Cute

·         20 Things Cats Don’t Have to Do

·         The “Awwww” Scale and How to Use It

·         How to Get Food Anytime You Want It

·         20 Good Places to Throw Up

·         15 Ways to Take Advantage of Your Pet Sitter

·         What to Do If Your Human Puts You On a Diet

·         Flummoxing Enigmas for Cats (the intern confesses that he has no idea what a flummoxing enigma is, but he’s pretty sure he’d like to put the bitey on it)

 As you can see, this is information every single cat in the universe needs and the intern’s had nearly exploded from everything he learned. He also pointed out that there was not a single thing in the book that said he couldn’t use the cranky old Siamese in the house as a chew toy. So, kittehs, are you willing to take your first step to world domination today?” Here’s where you can get your own copy of The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition. It’s also a purrfect gift for new cat parents.”

       --Mousebreath

“The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition arrived at our door and the cats immediately tried to keep it away from my prying eyes. Clearly, there were cat secrets in it they didn’t want us humans to see. One fearless cat, Quasi, reveals all with the help of his hapless human, Steve Fisher… it’s funny and true!”

     --Cat Wisdom 101

“Quasi understands that humans, no matter how crazy they may be about cats (refer to the chapter How to Tell if Your Human Is a True Cat Nut!), need a lot of guidance on how to truly appreciate and serve the needs of the cats who shares their lives.  And who better to enlighten them then Quasi. The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition is not only the perfect gift for first time cat parents, but will  have veteran cat lovers laughing out loud as they recognize their own feline companions in some of the pages.

     --The Conscious Cat

    

“Do you know Quasi? Like me, he is a cat expert… who happens to be a cat. Which is great for you kitties who need tips on how to handle unruly humans and dominate your household. In The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition, he has reissued his first book (The World Is Your Litter Box), included six important chapters from his second book (The World is Still Your Litter Box), and added in his very best and most informative posts from his blog. Want to know how to get fed anytime you want? Take advantage of your pet sitter? Get attention when you want it — and find good hiding places when you don’t want attention? Quasi has it all here. And crucially, he has devoted a chapter on how to get away with unacceptable kitty behavior. Quasi has presented all this useful info in a fun, humorous manner, which is awesome — it’ll give you a smile, and your human may even laugh out loud, never realizing that this is just another way to indoctrinate him or her into kitty serfdom. Yes, they are being taught how to better behave, even as they read it! How handy is that? The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition will make training your humans a lot easier. You want the upper paw in your household? Get it.”

     --Sparkle the Designer Cat

The critics (and kitties) have spoken! Treat yourself to a copy of The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition today and find out just how right they are! The ebook version is only $3.03 at Amazon.

LONG DISTANCE SWIMMING

A couple days ago, human swimmer Diana Nyad completed a swim from Cuba to Key West, Florida. Nyad swam a distance of around 110 miles, and it took her 53 hours to accomplish the feat. Why did she do it? Who knows, but it seems that a lot of humans like to do these endurance-type things.

Just like the kitty in the photo, long-distance swimming seems like a very bad idea, especially for a kitty. First of all, there are a lot of fish in the water, and not the fun goldfish type we cats like to watch (and sometimes eat). No, fellow cat, these are big fish with even bigger teeth that could easily eat a cat - even a big guy like me - in one bite. Secondly, ocean water is wet and cold (enough said). And thirdly, according to my proven scientific calculations, it would take a kitty around two years to swim 110 miles. Who would want to spend two years swimming. The only thing I want to spend two years doing is napping.

Anyway, we congratulate Diana Nyad for her extraordinary swimming achievement... something you probably won't see a cat do anytime soon!

HOW THE WORLD IS YOUR LITTER BOX DELUXE EDITION CAME TO BE

Right about now, you’re probably wondering, “Hey, Quasi, what have you been doing all this time that your blog has been on hiatus?” Well, fellow cats (and cat lovers), I’d like to say I’ve been solving complex geopolitical problems, working on a cure for cat scratch fever, or developing clean sources of energy… but the fact is, I’ve been mostly napping, eating, cleaning myself, and just plain being a cat.

However, during my absence from the cat blogosphere, I did manage to put paw to paper (so to speak) and come up with the deluxe edition of my classic book, The World Is Your Litter Box. Here’s how it all came about…

As many of you already know, the original edition of The World Is Your Litter Box: A How-To Manual for Cats was released by Sterling Publishing in 2008. After a nice run of slightly over four years, as happens with so many books, Litter Box was deleted from the Sterling catalogue and went out of print. After serious deliberation of about five seconds, I decided that I wasn’t quite ready to let The World Is Your Litter Box fade into obscurity. So, I instructed Steve (my human, typist and personal assistant) to reacquire the rights to the book from Sterling, which he was able to do. We then considered ways to reissue Litter Box and make it even better for current and future generations of cats. We ultimately decided to create a “deluxe” version of the book that included The World Is Your Litter Box in its entirety, six chapters from The World Is STILL Your Litter Box (my second book), and the best posts from the first incarnation of this blog. The result… The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition.

If you missed The World Is Your Litter Box the first time around, here’s your chance to read what many cats and cat lovers consider to be one of the funniest cat books of all time. This is also the first time The World Is Your Litter Box has been available as an ebook that may be read on all types of devices (and at Amazon, the ebook version is only $3.03!)

So fellow cats, use your kitty wiles to get your human to buy you a copy The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition: A How-To Manual for Cats. I hope you enjoy it, and that you visit my blog often.

        

                                                           

WE'RE B-A-A-A-A-CK (ALMOST)

In keeping with all the zombie hoopla these days, The World Is Your Litter Box blog is coming back from the dead (well... coming back from hiatus, actually). Beginning Tuesday, September 3rd (the day after Labor Day), Quasi will once again be offering his kitty views on just about anything and everything pertinent to his fellow felines. We'll also be posting hilarious (and cute) cat memes... and, hey, we might even push the envelope a bit and post some that might be considered too risque for Facebook and Twitter (but not for our blog readers, of course!). And, naturally, we'll have lots of news, reviews and comments about Quasi's latest book, The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition, including semi-obnoxious (but always funny) book promotions. We might even have a contest or two.

So check out The World Is Your Litter Box blog on Tuesday, September 3rd. Meanwhile, you can follow Quasi on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, CatMoji, and of course, on The World Is Your Litter Box website.

BOOK REVIEWS OF THE WORLD IS YOUR LITTER BOX DELUXE EDITION

The people (and cats) have spoken, and by all indications, The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition is a smashing success! Here are some of the reviews we've received so far:

“I wish I knew people with Quasi’s insight to life and sense of humor. The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition is a delight.”

-Sandy Robins, Pet Lifestyle Expert, Author & Cat Fancy Columnist

“Simply put, Quasi is a feline genius! His skillful but loving manipulation of his human, Steve, is a lesson for all cats who aspire to the good life. However, The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition is much more than a how-to manual for kitties who want their every wish granted -- it is a warm, heartfelt glimpse into the relationship between two best friends.”

-Joan Renner, Amazon

“I give [The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition] 4 Cat Tails up! This book was a very easy read and I recommend it to all cat lovers. You may just find out a few secrets about your own cat.”

-Sassy Cat’s Book Reviews

“Funny and touching book written by a cat who observes human behavior by watching his pal Steve look for his perfect 'mate.' On the surface, Quasi is simply offering sage advice to kittens on how to manipulate humans into making their lives more comfortable. But simmering below is a wonderful look at relationships through the eyes of a keen observer of life.”

-Coco, Amazon

“If you happen to be the humble servant of a cat, [The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition] is a must read.”

-Karinsue, Amazon

“In this how to-guide for felines, Quasi spills the beans on Catdom’s best kept secrets. Anyone who has lived with a cat will recognize these tricks. [The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition] is a light, fun read for any cat lover.”

-Brightdreamer’s Book Reviews

“I came upon [The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition] quite by chance and I am very glad I did! As a self-proclaimed cat lover, I could not pass this up! If you love cats, this is the book for you; It is wickedly witty, funny, and a good time.”

-Lilly, Amazon

The World Is Your Litter Box Deluxe Edition is available through Amazon, itunes, and all other on-line booksellers.. in fact, the ebook version is only $3.03 at Amazon! So treat yourself (and your kitty) to a copy today. We guarantee that you'll laugh your tail off!

THE WORLD IS YOUR LITTER BOX DELUXE EDITION IS HERE!

The waiting is over! The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition is now available in both softcover and ebook formats… and the ebook is only $3.99! The Deluxe Edition includes the original version of The World Is Your Litter Box in its entirety, six chapters from The World Is STILL Your Litter Box (Quasi’s second book), and the best – and funniest – posts from Quasi’s blog.

For information and book excerpts, visit The World Is Your Litter Box website at http://tiny.cc/oc2ra.

And here are some handy links to purchase your copy of The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition…

Amazon

http://tiny.cc/vzblvw

Barnes & Noble

http://tiny.cc/11blvw

iUniverse  (The best place to buy the ebook version for all types of devices)

http://tiny.cc/55blvw

Prepare to laugh your tail off!

Coming Soon! The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition

Coming soon, in late March or early April... The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition! The new book will contain the original The World Is Your Litter Box in its entirety, highlights from The World Is STILL Your Litter Box, and the best (and funniest) posts from my blog. The Deluxe Edition will also mark the first appearance of The World Is Your Litter Box in electronic format for Kindle, Nook, iPad, and all other types of devices.

In the meantime, The World Is Your Litter Box and The World Is STILL Your Litter Box are available from numerous on-line booksellers, including Amazon. Watch this space for updates on the release of The World Is Your Litter Box: Deluxe Edition, which is sure to please even the most finicky cat (and human) readers.

Taking a Break....

The World Is Your Litter Box blog is going on hiatus. After four years of pontificating and expressing my kitty opinions, I need a good long nap! I want to thank everyone (cat, human and otherwise) who has read my blog over the years, and assure you that 'ole Quaz is not going away... you can follow me on our official The World Is Your Litter Box Facebook page, on Mousebreath (a great e-zine for kitties), and of course, on Twitter.

A Sad/Happy Story

I know things have been a bit quiet lately around the ‘ole The World Is Your Litter Box blog, but we’ve had some developments around the homestead that have kept my kitty brain awhirl in a couple different directions… both sad and happy.

Let’s get the sad part out of the way first. A short while back, Steve’s mom went to the Rainbow Bridge for humans. She was quite elderly and in the end, went quickly and peacefully, so there’s that to be thankful for. Still, Steve and his female were pretty grief stricken, so me and my housemates (Piglet and Bo Diddley) worked very hard and used an overabundance of kitty cuteness to help them get through what was a very rough period. They still miss Steve’s mom very much, and probably always will, but now that some time has gone by, they’re feeling a bit better about things. Life goes on.

Now for the happy part. As those of you who’ve read The World Is STILL Your Litter Box know, I was singularly and personally responsible for turning Steve’s mom into an unabashed cat lover. It wasn’t easy at first because before Steve’s mom made a visit to our home a few years back, she wasn’t particularly fond of cats. She didn’t hate cats as some misguided humans do, but she wasn’t well acquainted with the wonders of kittydom, so she was kind of ambivalent about us. Well, during her visit, I had plenty of time to work my kitty magic on her and change all that, and by the time she left to go home, she was well on her way to being a full-blown cat nut!

Shortly thereafter, Steve’s mom got a cat of her own… a beautiful little tortie that she named Emily (that’s her in the photo above). Living with Emily made Steve’s mom realize how truly unique and wonderful we felines truly are, and she very quickly progressed to A-1 cat nut status (that’s when a human comes to the realization that their kitty is the greatest and most important thing on Earth, to be doted on and adored to the exclusion of pretty much everything else). Well, of course, when Steve’s mom went to the human Rainbow Bridge, there was no question that Steve and his female would adopt Emily, and that’s exactly what happened.

For the first few days, as is normally the case when a cat goes to a new home, Emily was very disoriented and frightened. Steve put her in a separate room until she could become acclimated to her new surroundings. In a surprisingly short amount of time, Emily relaxed and made herself comfortable, and as only a female kitty can do, she let us hapless males know, in no uncertain terms, that SHE is now the boss! Actually, it wasn’t very hard to do because we’re all VERY smitten with her (especially Piglet, who tries to steal kisses, only to be rebuffed like an unwanted suitor. He keeps trying though, the little Lothario!).

So what began as a sad event has turned into pure joy around our house. Emily has settled into her new fur-ever home very nicely and has become one of the gang. A true happy ending! Still, I have to keep an eye on her at all times. Like I said in The World Is Your Litter Box… females can be tricky. You never quite know what they’re up to.

Where to Find Quasi's Books

Well, it’s a new year and time for my first shameless book plug of 2012!

From time to time, we get emails from cat lovers who have looked for my books in bookstores and been unable to find them. The sad fact is that most brick-and-mortar bookstores are gone, and many of those that are still with us tend to limit their stock to bestsellers and books by established authors and celebrities, etc. Sure, I’m a celebrity and a best-selling author (in my mind, anyway!), but the competition for shelf space is ferocious and the bookstores are VERY picky about what they stock. You can easily find Confessions of a Guidette by Snooki from Jersey Shore, but if you want timeless literary treasures like MY books, you have to hunt for them.

So, where can I buy The World Is Your Litter Box and The World Is STILL Your Litter Box, you ask? The best place is Amazon.com, regardless of where in the world you live. Amazon always has the books in stock and can get them to you quickly, and with a minimum of hassle and cost. The World Is STILL Your Litter Box is also available as an e-book for readers such as the Kindle and the Nook, and The World Is Your Litter Box will be available as an e-book sometime this year.

So if you love cats and want to read my books (and who doesn’t?), go on-line and order them from Amazon.com… then, get ready to laugh your tail off!

Happy New Year!

Just a quick post to extend our hope that the new year brings and happiness and prosperity to cats and cat lovers everywhere! For cats, "prosperity" means more food, more treats and more lovin!

Bring on 2012!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

As the yuletide season nears its crescendo and 2011 draws to a close, Steve (my human) and I would like to extend our best wishes for a wonderful and peaceful Christmas holiday, and for a healthy and happy new year. This past year has been pretty, shall we say, challenging… but, hey, aren’t they all?

And, for your holiday reading pleasure – and some good laffs – here’s the “Christmas” section of the “Holiday Fun (& Danger)” chapter from The World Is Your Litter Box…

            Christmas: The mother of all holidays... a time for joy, goodwill, and complete madness. This is a holiday that is nothing but fun for cats. The Christmas lights. The presents. The tree. The tinsel. The ornaments. The egg nog. Deck the halls indeed!

Although many stores start selling Christmas stuff in July, or so it seems, most humans start their serious Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving (although, for extra thrills and chills, some masochistic humans wait until December 24th). This means the Christmas season lasts around one month – one full month of crowded malls and post offices, angry drivers duking it out over parking spaces, mind-deadening Christmas music, maxed-out credit cards, and endless unrealistic TV commercials showing rich people buying each other plasma TVs and other expensive presents that normal mortals can’t afford. Why do humans put themselves through it?  I don’t know.

But forget them. What about us cats, you say?  Just what’s so special about Christmas from the feline perspective?

Well, fellow reveler, let’s start with that most traditional of holiday traditions, the Christmas tree. A week or two before Christmas, most humans bring in a fir or pine-type tree from outside and decorate it with lights, tinsel, candy canes and ORNAMENTS. These colorful shiny balls may possibly be the best thing about Christmas – the way they dangle and glisten so invitingly, just begging to be batted at. Who can resist?  Not me, that’s for sure. Or you either. And why should we?  After all, if our humans were truly worried about damage to their ornaments, they wouldn’t hang them in such a tempting location. So don’t be bashful, fellow sultan of swat. Whack at those ornaments until your heart’s content. And hey, if you happen to knock a few (or several) off the tree, don’t sweat it. It’s Christmas!

Then there’s the yuletide thrill of climbing the Christmas tree. However, a word of caution here. A few years back, I shinnied up my tree all the way to the top. Just as I was getting ready to do my impersonation of the Star of Bethlehem, my massive kitty girth upset the fundamental balance of gravity and the tree topped over with a resounding, tinkling crash (those ornaments DO break if they hit the ground hard enough). Naturally, Steve was pretty chagrined... although, deep down, I think he thought it was pretty funny.

It’s also great to sleep under the Christmas tree. You can even pretend you are a present if you like. And there is nothing like a refreshing drink of cool, pine-scented Christmas tree water to really get you in the holiday spirit.

Another great thing about Christmas is the presents, or, should I say, the ribbon and wrapping on the presents. The amazing thing is, fellow cat, that after all the painstaking planning, the stupefying shopping and the manual dexterity-challenging wrapping of gifts, the actual present-opening ritual is over in a matter of minutes, leaving an orgy of detritus for you to play in. Oh the joy of taking a flying leap at a mountain of crumpled-up wrapping paper, the glee of scattering colorful ribbons and bows around the living room, the unparalleled pleasure of climbing into new, unexplored empty boxes, the ego-flattering self indulgence of posing for photographs amid the rubble. And because your human won’t want you to feel left out of all the gift-giving – and receiving – they will probably buy something nice for you. In my house, it’s usually just a trifle like catnip or a cat toy, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?  Besides, on top of all the other previously-mentioned delights of Christmas, an extra present is merely icing on the cake.

And of course, when the merriment finally comes to an end and your human is cleaning up the wreckage, there is nothing better than a contented-cat snooze in front of a roaring yuletide fire.

NOTE #1: Many children-humans break or become disinterested in their Christmas presents within minutes of receiving them, thus leaving them for you to play with and break further, if you so desire. Also, be sure to investigate the presents given and received by adult humans. Most likely, you will find some nice new clothing to curl up and sleep on.

NOTE #2: Sparkly and inviting as it may seem,                                  DO NOT EAT TINSEL.

NOTE #3: Some humans will become very angry when you knock ornaments and other objects off the Christmas tree. Many will even create an ornament timber line, that is, they will only hang ornaments in positions above your reach. DON’T LET THIS STOP YOU FROM HAVING YOUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO BAT AT CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. If ornaments are placed beyond your reach, climb up the tree and rock it back and forth like a bear at Yellowstone National Park. This will surely cause a few things to fall, or at least tumble to a place where you can get at them. (For ways to combat your human=s anger over broken Christmas ornaments, see chapter entitled “How to Get Away with Unacceptable Kitty Behavior.”

Holiday Gift Idea for Cats & Cat Lovers (Guess What It Might Be?)

Another year is winding down and that means that the holiday season is in full swing (Gulp!). You know what this means… crowded shopping malls and post offices, mind-deadening Christmas music, maxed-out credit cards, and endless, unrealistic TV commercials showing rich people buying each other ridiculously- expensive presents that normal mortals can’t afford.

Well, this year, ‘ole Quaz is going to make things a lot easier for you. If you’re reading this, I’m assuming that you’re either a cat or a cat lover, and what could be a finer gift for cat lovers than copies of my books, The World Is Your Litter Box and The World Is STILL Your Litter Box? Now here’s the best part… you can order these books from Amazon.com and avoid the mall completely! Think of it… no crowds, no hassles, no Johnny Mathis Christmas songs. Amazon will even do the gift wrapping for you, and if you order both books together, you can save a few bucks on shipping. Voila!

So this year, get the cat (or cat lover) on your holiday gift list what they REALLY want – The World Is Your Litter Box and The World Is STILL Your Litter Box – and make it easy on yourself. Why mess around when the answer to the question, “What should I get for all the cat people in my life?” is just a few easy clicks away. And I guarantee you this… these books will bring laughter and enjoyment to anyone who shares their home with a cat and fully understands what wonderful little creatures we cats truly are.

Hey, I managed to get through this entire blog post without saying that my books are the PURR-fect gift for cat lovers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, once again it’s Thanksgiving… that wonderful time of year when we stop and give thanks for all the wonderful things we have. Oh, heck, who am I kidding? Sure, even in these difficult economic times, most of us have a lot to be thankful for, but right now, the big thing for humans is getting together with loved ones and slamming as much food as possible into their gaping maws.

Here’s a little Thanksgiving missive from a cat’s perspective… from the “Holiday Fun (& Danger) chapter of The World Is Your Litter Box…

Thanksgiving: A good holiday for cats, even if it’s not so good for turkeys. At Thanksgiving, human families get together to gorge themselves and good feeling is in the air (as are an abundance of good cooking smells!) In most households with male and female humans, the male usually spends the day watching football on TV while the female toils in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to providing engrossing tension and lively, entertaining arguments, this situation will afford you a good lap to sleep in, unless your male human becomes over-exuberant and spills beer on you, and plenty of interesting activity in the kitchen. Once the table is set, you might want to jump up there and make sure all the silverware, plates, and glasses are properly arranged. And when dinner is finally served, be sure to go from person to person looking as cute (and hungry) as possible. There is nothing better than Thanksgiving turkey. Yum! Then, when dinner is over and everyone is sated beyond the point of decency, including you, you can go into the bedroom and have a nice snooze on everyone’s coats, just like on New Years Eve and other holidays during cold seasons. Yes, there is much to be thankful for.

Along with Steve and Judy (my humans), I want to wish everyone - cat, human and otherwise - a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Quasi Reviews Puss in Boots

Yesterday, I saw the greatest movie ever made in the history of filmdom. No, not Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind or Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. The film I’m talking about is – that’s right – the wonderful new animated feature, Puss in Boots. Now a quick disclaimer here… I didn’t actually see Puss in Boots myself, although as an omniscient cat, I know all about it. Steve and his female (my humans) did, in fact, see the movie and came home raving about it, so in their stead, I’m going to review it from a cat’s perspective. Hey, you have to give me a little poetic license here and suspend belief while you read this!

Anyway, if you love cats (and who doesn’t?), you MUST see Puss in Boots. The movie is action-packed, laugh-out-loud funny, incredibly well done, and VERY cute! I must compliment the humans who made Puss in Boots… they really have cats down cold, and they haven’t missed a trick. I don’t want to give anything away, but during the course of the film, you’ll see kitty cuteness ranging from purring, meowing, hissing and scooting to dance fighting and Puss’ use of his big limpid eyes to get humans to do his bidding. And most dear to your old pal Quasi, there are some exceptionally funny litter box references (Hey, I wonder if any of the filmmakers have read The World Is Your Litter Box before they started working on the film?)

The supporting characters are also most delightful. In addition to an assortment of human villagers and medieval soldier-types, there’s Humpty Dumpty, an evil Jack & Jill, a very large goose, and my ultimate favorite (and new mancat crush) Kitty Softpaws. OMG, just thinking about those soft paws makes my fur tingle!

So, fellow cat, tell your human to go see Puss in Boots right away, and who knows… maybe they can even sneak you into the movie theater. If not (or you’re too scared to deal with the madness of the multiplex), make sure your human buys you a copy of Puss in Boots on DVD when it comes out. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed, and you’ll probably want to watch it again and again.

In conclusion, I really can’t say it any better than Puss himself.  Puss in Boots is… ME-WOW!

Happy Halloween!

I thought I would get a jump on Halloween this year and be among the first to wish everyone (cat, human and otherwise) a very happy Halloween! And this week, all "Quasi's Questions for Cats" on the official The World Is Your Litter Box Facebook page will be Halloween-related. If you haven't yet visited the Litter Box Facebook Page, here's a link.

Meanwhile, for your enjoyment, here's the Halloween section from the "Holiday Fun (& Danger)" chapter of The World Is Your Litter Box.

Halloween: Another holiday fraught with both fun and danger. Halloween is a time when little humans, and some big ones, dress up in strange costumes, some of which are pretty scary. Usually, the little ones will go out trick-or-treating (whatever that is) and come home with bags full of teeth-rotting candy. This will provide you with a fine new source of diversion as you investigate the bag and remove anything that looks interesting... or edible. Another fun thing about Halloween is the pumpkins, which are carved up by humans to have scary or comical faces. When I was a kitten, I quite enjoyed climbing inside pumpkins for a look-see. However, with my massive expanse, I can no longer do so (oh the curse of aging). Also, if you are a black cat, this holiday’s for you. For some reason, many humans consider it bad luck if a black cat walks in front of them. So, if you are of the ebony persuasion, you can have extra fun by bedeviling those who are blatantly superstitious.

Now, on the danger side, there are a couple things to watch out for. First of all, there=s the scariness aspect. Halloween is a time when humans like to frighten each other by making scary sounds, watching scary movies, and wearing horrifying things such as zombie masks. To a cat, needless to say, some of these things are hair-raising to the nth degree. Therefore, it’s often best to find a good place to hide and stay out of your human=s way until their sanity returns. Also, if you are an outdoor cat, STAY INSIDE AFTER DARK. At night, dozens of humans are out on the street, trick-or-treating and acting especially goofy. Some teenage male humans see Halloween as a time to pull off pranks such as toilet papering their girlfriends’ homes, which is actually quite delightful. However, some of their antics are much more dangerous and sinister. As with the Fourth of July, there are some heartless, misguided humans who will torment cats for their own amusement. OFF WITH THEIR HEADS TOO!

NOTE #1: Investigate bags of trick-or-treat candy all you want. But DON’T EAT TOO MUCH!  In large quantities, candy will cause tooth decay and make you sick, possibly necessitating a trip to the vet (talk about scary).

NOTE #2: Some humans put candles inside their pumpkins and light them. If you are a kitten, or small enough to investigate the inside of a pumpkin, make sure the candle is out before you go in. Even though flickering flames are attractive and interesting, they will burn you if you get too close. Ouch!

Also, a quick word for any humans who might be reading this... be sure to keep your pets safe on Halloween night. Otherwise, we hope everyone has a great (and scary) time!