Full Transcript for Cattitude - Episode 299 A Cat’s Tail: The Love, Life & Legacy of Onkyo

transported from an old lady's house to the pet store. 73 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:52.920 That is based on hearsay because I wasn't there right, 74 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:56.920 But from the day we met on Kill and adopted her, 75 00:04:57.079 --> 00:05:00.279 the rest of the stories are true. Of course, when 76 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:04.160 she died, there's a chapter that she was waiting for 77 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.000 me at the Rainbow Bridge that clearly is from my imagination, 78 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.600 because I truly believe a cat had nine lives after 79 00:05:11.639 --> 00:05:15.079 this life, she's waiting for me to come back. So 80 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:19.040 I would say, from chapter one to chapter twenty, it's 81 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:24.279 all true story, truly what happened. The cat is intelligent, 82 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:27.079 there's no to worry about it. On Kile has so 83 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:31.920 many interesting personalities. In fact, people that know her, my 84 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:36.519 faithful vet doctor John say that declare Uncle as the 85 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:43.160 most vocal cat. She talks a lot. She's a thirty 86 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.639 percent man con and there's a twenty five percent of 87 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:48.279 her being Siamese. 88 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:53.040 Let me ask this, what made you decide that you 89 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.920 have to write a book about on Kile. What was 90 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:00.600 there a single memory or moment that just triggered it. 91 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:04.319 Yes, yes, I have to confess. When my first horse 92 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:08.240 passed away, my first horse being Freckles, I was devastated 93 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:10.759 and I wrote a book about him, but I was 94 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:13.839 too shy to partlish it because I think I thought 95 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:17.079 to myself, people think I'm crazy and no human should 96 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:19.800 love an animal as much as that. So I kind 97 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:22.720 of like regret that I did not publish my book 98 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.519 about my first pet. So the moment I held on 99 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.879 killing my arm, Okay, I'm not going to cry, she 100 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.759 passed away in my arms. And the very last moment 101 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:35.720 she really looked at me, her eyes was direct, in 102 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:38.839 direct contact with me. I felt that she told me, 103 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:42.199 you have to tell my story. Mommy, Mama, Joe, I 104 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:45.879 love you, you have to tell my story. And that's when 105 00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:49.240 I decided, Yes. The day after we cremated her, I 106 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:52.120 have to sit down and write her story because she 107 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:55.079 wanted to be remembered. And the moment she told me 108 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:57.920

was when she took her last breath. That that is 109 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:01.800 my gut feel. She directly told me, don't forget about me, 110 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:04.839 even though I'm gone, I don't love you any less, 111 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:08.079 don't forget me. So the only way I could remember 112 00:07:08.120 --> 00:07:10.600 her is by writing down her stories. That's the moment 113 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:12.720 I decided that the story needs to be told. 114 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:15.759 Well again, it's a beautiful story, and I'm sorry for 115 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.680 your loss. It's always so sad when our fur babes 116 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:23.000 leave us and they're never on this earth as long 117 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:24.199 as we want them to be. 118 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.519 Yeah, then again, someone told me nineteen years is a bonus. 119 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:31.600 Yes, yes, And I haven't had a cat pass yet 120 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.920 and my oldest one is seventeen. But I had two 121 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:37.920 dogs prior and they both lived to be like like 122 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:41.800 fourteen seven months in like fifteen and years and fourteen 123 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:44.879 years seven months for what was fifteen years and like 124 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:49.279 three months. Sometimes that's a bonus for their size too, 125 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.759 So we just have to be grateful for the time 126 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:53.920 we have with them. And it's so I think it's 127 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:56.600 so cool, that kind of magical that she looked at 128 00:07:56.600 --> 00:08:00.040 you and you got that message from her, because I 129 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:03.240 do truly believe we get messages. This is going to 130 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.319 sound crazy to some people, but from the universe, sometimes 131 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:09.519 from our creatures. We just get these messages and I've 132 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:13.560 had these experiences that's not totally coutrelated, but I've just 133 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:15.600 had things that pop into my head and go, why 134 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:17.319 after all these years when I was trying to figure 135 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.720 this out, this came to me just now. So the 136 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:22.879 fact that you got the message to write the book 137 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:28.120 from Anko as she was passing, I think is just amazing. Yep, 138 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.000 let's talk about the bond between cats and their yemen. 139 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:34.399 So you know, as we're some cat toud listeners were 140 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:38.399 nuts about cats, and with your book, there are so 141 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:42.960 many small magical moments, especially you know, living with the 142 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:47.960 cats so special which have Ancia's everyday miracles stands out 143 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:48.759 to you

most. 144 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:52.000 Yeah, that's a great question. I don't know whether I 145 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.759 told you that I did have cancer back in during 146 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:58.440 the pandemic twenty twenty one, I was diagnosed with Evans 147 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:02.440 and domeitrium cancer and I knew Uncle knew about it 148 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:05.720 because what she used to do is when I'm lying 149 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:09.200 down my bed in great pain, she would come next 150 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:11.240 to my bed. She had a little bit next to 151 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:15.039 my bed like most people do, right, and she will 152 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:19.720 quietly sit next to me with her front paws cross, 153 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:20.600 just like sphinx. 154 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:20.879 Right. 155 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.320 She would sit there and not staring at me, but 156 00:09:24.519 --> 00:09:29.000 keeping me company. And that's a miracle way of expressing 157 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:31.960 her love. Her love doesn't need to be loud, she 158 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.399 doesn't have to say a lot, she doesn't have to mail. 159 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.799 If you use present tense story, I still believe she's around. 160 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:41.320 She did not have to say she loved me. The 161 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:44.120 fact that she knew that I was suffering. I was 162 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:46.960 in great pain, and she would sit next to me 163 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:51.480 and with her front two paws cross just directly across, 164 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.480 just like a person would cross our front to arms, 165 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.480 and she sit next to me and kept me company 166 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:01.679 without saying a word. And there's one miracles that I 167 00:10:01.799 --> 00:10:04.840 treasure every day. I think she could smell cancers. She 168 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:09.639 knew I was sick, and her intuition is so accurate. 169 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.799 Her quiet appearance, her sitting close to me, her nudging 170 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:17.240 her nose at me, and it's her way of saying, hey, 171 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:20.159 we can get through this cancer thing together. And she did. 172 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.200 And that stands out the most with me. 173 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:25.480 To be honest, I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Honest, 174 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:27.039 I hope you're in better help. 175 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:30.720 Yes, I'm in remission now, I'm in second year of remission, 176 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:32.120 so I'm blessed. 177 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:37.440 That's wonderful news. Cats are always they're hard to understand, 178 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:42.759 but they're people that get cats are insanely in love 179 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:46.480 with them. Right. Why do you think cats, even though 180 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:48.720 they're

very subtle, you know, they're not like a dog 181 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:51.320 that jumps out. And I keep going to dogs because 182 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:54.279 most people have dogs or cats are both. Dogs are 183 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.279 very you know, you see their emotion whatever. Cats once 184 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:59.960 they get past the kitten stage, are more stoic creatures. 185 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:02.480 Why do you think they you know? And she ates 186 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:04.720 such a powerful love from their humans. 187 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:05.399 Yeah. 188 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:08.320 To be honest, though, I'm so allergic to cat and 189 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:11.519 I was elected to Earth, so I wouldn't say that 190 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:14.159 I'm totally I did not fall in love with her 191 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:17.919 right at the beginning. She was my daughter's cat. That's 192 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:22.200 confession number one. But because uncle loved me in a 193 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:25.360 very regal is the word I can I can use. 194 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:29.120 She's very elegant. She's not demanding in the sense she 195 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:33.360 doesn't always buck me for attention. But when she chose 196 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:36.679 to be with me, she really did spend time with me. 197 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:40.799 It's like a sacred trust. You know, you feel that 198 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:45.600 this little animal has so much trust in me. And 199 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.440 she did not have to say much, she did not 200 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:51.519 have to mel much or shout. She would just you know, 201 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:55.879 quietly come nudging next to me and just say, hey, 202 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:59.320 I want to cuddle. And her love to me is 203 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:04.759 the strongest emotional connection. It's it's almost like unspoken kind 204 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:07.360 of love. It's just like when you're looking at her. 205 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:13.480 She she's very knowing, she's very intelligent. She is almost perfectly, 206 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:17.480 very intuitive when I'm sad, When I was, you know, 207 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.960 going through tough time, she knew it before everybody. So 208 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:25.080 her love to me is unconditional provided I feed her, 209 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:25.759 I guess. 210 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:29.120 But there's always something right. They are very loyal to 211 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:31.919 the hand that feeds them. We're almost at a break, 212 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:34.600 but before we get there, what would you say is 213 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:38.279 one of the lessons that on Gar taught you, as 214 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:39.720 far as like a life lesson. 215 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:43.440 You're gonna laugh when I answer this question. The best 216 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:46.360 thing that she ever taught me

is to rest, sleep, 217 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:49.879 nap and sleep, because that's what I learned from her. 218 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:53.519 I was a very fast going, high power executive. I 219 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:55.919 didn't know how to slow down. But when I had 220 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:59.279 time and spend my time with Ankle, I learned that 221 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.320 life is not about dashing around three hundred miles an hour. 222 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:06.240 You need to sit back and enjoy your cat, or 223 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:09.919 your dog, or your parakeet whatever. She taught me how 224 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.519 to rest, and that is the biggest and most valuable 225 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.919 lesson I ever learned from kill. She told me how 226 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:17.919 to rest, like you know, im pressing. 227 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.440 Hey, the more I read online about how sleep is 228 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:23.679 like one of the top things you need to make 229 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:27.159 sure you get enough of, so cats definitely have something 230 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:29.399 They've gotten that right well. 231 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:31.919 According to on Kyle, nep is a very important job. 232 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:34.360 You've got to know how to do it well exactly. Well, 233 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.080 we're going to take a short break and we'll be 234 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:36.759 right back. 235 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.159 Real people, real stories. 236 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:45.480 Our little dog developed this lump problem at the chemotherapy 237 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:49.200 lasted for six months, started developing more lymph nose, so 238 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.559 I thought I'd just try Carnival or the lumph nose 239 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.600 started to go down. Then I took him into the 240 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:55.399 vet to him and checked out, and there was no 241 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:56.519 signs at all inside. 242 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:58.919 My cat had issues that development in the height and 243 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.480 three months later my ven Airing said this, go ahead 244 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:02.320 and remove the eye. 245 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:05.159 I heard the carnivor on advertising, so I said, you 246 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.120 know what, I'm going to order this product. They did 247 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:09.519 the procedure, they did all the death and they said, 248 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.480 I don't know what you did. 249 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.720 This product they had, I. 250 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.240 I've got a labrador. You could hardly lift yourself up 251 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:19.360 off the floor. The treatment was chemotherapy. That's when I 252 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:22.039 said this could be the ticket. About three weeks you 253 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:24.679 could tell she was very alert. She was going to 254 00:14:24.799

--> 00:14:27.720 buy my lock and she is just like crime again. 255 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.279 Well eight six six eight three six eight seven three five. 256 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.679 That's eight six six eight three six eight seven three five. 257 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:38.360 Or visit carnivore dot com. That's c A r n 258 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.159 I v O r A dot com. 259 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:44.399 Use promo code pet life at checkout for fifteen percent 260 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:48.240 off your order at carnivora dot com. 261 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:52.600 Let's talk about Let's done, pet talk about radio headline Radio. 262 00:14:52.759 --> 00:15:05.200 Pet Life Radio dot com. 263 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.360 Welcome back everyone. We are talking with Josephine Spence, the 264 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:12.879 author of a Cat's Tale, which is about her cat 265 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:16.519 uncle and not just about her cat, but what she 266 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:19.600 learned from her cat, what her cat taught her. And 267 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:23.200 we talked about some of the book in the beginning 268 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.399 of the show. Now we're going to talk about, you know, 269 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:31.519 continuing your cat's love because the past there's a passage 270 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:35.919 about feeling Onkio's presence even after she passed on. That 271 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:40.519 is really moving. How did you approach writing that and 272 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:44.320 you know, a way that felt honest and respectful and 273 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.279 true to the story. 274 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:50.720 Yeah, Michelle, I truly believe that you cannot make grief pretty. 275 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:54.279 There's nothing pretty pet lost grief. I did not make 276 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.679 it pretty. I cried when I had to cry. I 277 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:00.600 wrote it the way it came. Row very inconveny. Sometime 278 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.720 I'll be crying in the middle of petting a traffic jam, 279 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:06.320 and I would cry in the middle of shopping. You know, 280 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:09.759 some hid the feelings overwhelming. I didn't make it pretty. 281 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:12.639 I wrote it the way. It was one of her 282 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:15.240 stories that when I was driving to my yoga and 283 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:17.279 there's a time in front of me, it has a 284 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:21.840 cat decoration on the windscreen wiper, and I say, oh, 285 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:25.559 my goodness, auncle is sending me message after she passed. 286 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.919 So I wrote it the way I saw it. It's 287 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:31.639 about flickers of comfort. You know, you just know that 288 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:35.120 even your cat had passed, she came back to check 289 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:38.200 on me, and I felt her presence. People might say 290 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:41.919 I'm crazy, but I sometimes I thought I heard her. 291 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:45.240 Sometimes I felt that the paint is just too much. 292 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.080 It almost hurted to breathe after you lose a cat, 293 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:51.080 especially one that's been with you for nineteen years. I 294 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:54.519 can hope that by being able to feel her, it 295 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:57.879 turns my sorrow into hope. I truly believe she's going 296 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:59.759 to come back to me another eight times, because she 297 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.039 did nine lives right. 298 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:01.879 Yeah. 299 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:03.720 Yeah. I wrote it the way it came, and my 300 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.720 book is conversational. I wrote it the way exactly how 301 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:07.359 I felt it. 302 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:10.839 I like that style of writing. That's my favorite. Let's 303 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:14.079 talk more about grief. Some people have said when they've 304 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:17.359 lost their fur babes that you know, over time the 305 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.359 grief has eased up a bit. I lost one of 306 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:24.640 my fur babes five years ago, one twenty years ago. 307 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:28.119 Those were both dogs. The two cats that we lost 308 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:31.720 were outdoor cats that we took care of, so there 309 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:33.920 wasn't quite the same as they either. We didn't have 310 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.960 them as long, maybe four years, five years, but they 311 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.240 were outdoor because they were feral. So I've had more 312 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:43.960 of that experience of grief with losing dogs. Although I'm 313 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.519 a little scared because Dennis is getting up there, although 314 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:50.240 he's more robust than his younger sisters. So what would 315 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:53.119 you say if people have said grief softens, how has 316 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:54.400 that been true for you? 317 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:58.000 No? No, I don't think grief will ever be softened. 318 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:02.839 It might become quieter, right, So, for example, the first 319 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.039 week after she passed, I literally could not function. I 320 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:08.839 cried for a little thing like I find a piece 321 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:13.039 of fur on my sweater. I found her snot on 322 00:18:13.079 --> 00:18:17.039 the wall. You know, it's just not Yeah, she used 323 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:18.039 to sneeze a lot. 324 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:21.519 Oh wow, think gets flooding noses. 325 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:24.400 So I know, I think in the beginning that I 326 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:27.519 would say the grief, the pain was very sharp. It's 327 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:30.039

almost take your breath away when you think of her. 328 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:32.880 You stop, and then your tears would just slud it out, 329 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.240 you know. So I would say a few months later 330 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:39.880 it becomes softer. It's almost like a tender bruise. Right, 331 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.559 it hasn't gone away, but when you press it still hurt. 332 00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:46.240 I can't say this will go away because I truly 333 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.519 live on Kire so much I think she'll be with 334 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:52.079 me until I see her again. I don't think grief 335 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:54.519 has a timeline. There isn't such a thing that by 336 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:56.799 month too, you're gonna feel better. My month three, you're 337 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.960 gonna forget about your cat. No, that's not gonna work 338 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:02.720 because grief. Grief is basically love that has no where 339 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:04.920 to lend, and I have no way to lend is 340 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:07.759 love I have for her, and I'm not going to 341 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:10.559 adopt another cat. I'm not ready. I have no way 342 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:13.839 to give away my love from Onkio to anyone at 343 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:16.839 the moment. So I grieve. I grieve every day. It's 344 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.160 not really easier. I have not seen or touch of 345 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:22.079 cat since her passing. I cannot bring myself to do that. 346 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:26.359 It's interesting some people need to adopt another, you know, 347 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:29.000 pet right away. That was the case with my first one. 348 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:34.839 With my it's different because I had cats already and 349 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:38.839 because of lifestyle changes that kept me from adopting another dog. 350 00:19:38.839 --> 00:19:42.119 Although I'm very tempted, But I know some people just 351 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:44.839 can't bear to go through that grief again. How do 352 00:19:44.920 --> 00:19:48.559 you help? This book supports readers that are navigating the 353 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:50.480 loss of their own feline. 354 00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:54.359 Yeah, my readers. First of all, they have to learn 355 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:58.920 pet grief is true, is genuine, It's not a pretend feeling. 356 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:02.319 It is there. Give yourself the permission to feel everything. 357 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:05.799 When you read my book. You can laugh, you can cry, 358 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:08.839 you can feel the love you have gratitude that you 359 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:11.279 have the chance to have with your pet. I want 360 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:15.759 my reader to know that their feelings and emotions are validated. 361 00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:19.000 There's no such thing as oh, it's only a cat, 362 00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:21.920

you'll get over it. No, don't let people tell you that. 363 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:24.599 And to be honest, I cry more when aunt you 364 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:27.240 pass away than my mother who passed away two years ago. 365 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:31.160 I truly did. They're part of family, so you are 366 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:34.440 not alone. If you're sad and crying over your pet. 367 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:37.880 That grief is very pure, it's very simple. It's the 368 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:40.640 echo of the love that you had with your pet, 369 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:44.839 and it's deep, and it's worth celebrating. And don't deny 370 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:47.680 yourself that. Don't deny yourself to think of your pet, 371 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:52.279 to laugh, to cry. All those emotions are validated. 372 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:54.720 Yes, and healthy to express. 373 00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:57.599 Totally, totally. Psychology will say you need a grief. 374 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.079 You do. 375 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:02.000 You do like you said in your way, in your timeline, 376 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:06.640 and I don't think the beings that leave us, whether 377 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:09.720 they're two lagged or four lagged, the grief, it never 378 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:14.359 goes away. It might get for some of us, it might, 379 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:18.079 you know, get a little quieter, but it's there. Sometimes 380 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:22.519 it comes up and weird place times, and I've experienced that, 381 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:26.119 I've heard other people experience it. But it's yeah, it's 382 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:31.200 never quite gone. Josephine, you also told some really cute, 383 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:34.119 you know, cute little story or on Kio. Well, you 384 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:36.880 told the stories, but in unki bo voice, So I say, 385 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:41.200 an Kio told us some stories about some interesting things. 386 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:49.079 What was one of your favorites? Okay, funniest, the funniest story. 387 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:51.319 I think the funniest story about on Kio is her 388 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:57.200 love for Christmas trees, Christmas decoration, her relationship with my husband. 389 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.559 In the book, we call him Dada because that's what 390 00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:02.960 my daughter to call my husband Dada. So I imagine 391 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:05.799 Ankle would call my husband Dada too. They have this 392 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:10.759 very complex love hate relationship. On Kle loved Christmas. She 393 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:14.359 would die under the Christmas tree if she had a choice. 394 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.799 Every year, when my husband lights up the Christmas tree, 395 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:21.240 on Kile would be the first one to go underneath it, 396 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.519 thinking it's some sort of spy. 397 00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:23.920 You know. 398 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:28.240 The Christmas when my husband decided to put a second 399 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:33.200 tree on his desk, he put out the most expensive 400 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:38.519 family German hand blown nutcracker ornament. Unkle jumped on it. 401 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:41.720 When everybody went to bed, Oh my god, the whole 402 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:44.680 house was like a Third World war zone. My husband 403 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.200 went berserk on Kile was scolded. She was hiding the 404 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:52.480 corner because she just broke. Basically, she broke Klara's lake 405 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:57.839 and crushed Prince Nutcracker's nut and poked out you know, 406 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:03.160 Drossamaya's second eye. And the damage was quite intense on 407 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.000 the decoration. That almost spoiled out Christmas. But in the 408 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:09.920 sense what I look back, it was hilarious. It was funny. 409 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:14.039 It was the funniest thing she ever did with jumping 410 00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:16.599 on the Christmas tree, the second Christmas tree on my 411 00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:20.920 husband's desk. And I'm sure both uncle and my husband 412 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:23.079 hated each other that moment. 413 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:27.279 That is funny. And I have to say, and it's 414 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:30.599 tragic in a sense because she destroyed family heirlooms and 415 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:33.440 those you know, they're meaningful. But I have to say 416 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:36.319 that becoming a pet parent, and I did that. I 417 00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:39.400 started years ago. I had you know, pets is a child. 418 00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:42.759 But this when I started becoming a pet parent, I 419 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:47.200 really learned the value of things versus furbabes. 420 00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:51.960 Yep, yep, They're never wrong, Michelle. Kats are never wrong. 421 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:53.559 They're always right right. 422 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.200 The shoe, the phone, I mean, my first one chewed 423 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:01.640 up everything. It was incredible. What's the most important? 424 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:01.880 You know? 425 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:04.359 Okay, all right, I have to buy another pair of 426 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.680 shoes or yes, it was an heirloom. But you know, 427 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:09.200 you can't take it with you. So my dog doesn't 428 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:11.640 know that, or my cat doesn't know that. You're not 429 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:15.039 supposed to claw the everything they want, and they want 430 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:18.400 a claw, even if you have seventeen or more, you know, 431 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:21.799 cat trees or you know, things for them to use. 432 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:23.480 I can't think of the word right now,

but you 433 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.000 guys know. 434 00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:26.920 Yeah, your possession you can't take with you. So what 435 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:29.160 your cat broke it by another one? 436 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:34.720 So Josephine, if UNKI can give listeners one piece of wisdom, 437 00:24:35.160 --> 00:24:37.119 what do you think she would share? 438 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:42.559 You know what? She'll probably wink eyes and sit, nap often, 439 00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:48.400 eat well, love unconditionally. That's what she would say. And 440 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:52.079 always get her way. She must get her Fila mignon 441 00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:55.240 because she loves it. She would tell people to rest 442 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:58.200 and eat well. I think those are the two key 443 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:00.000 messages that she would give you. 444 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:04.519 Okay, kind of like take care of yourself. I like that, yep, selfless. 445 00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:08.720 So you have a cat lobbing audience listening. What message 446 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:12.720 do you hope listeners get from reading your book. 447 00:25:13.240 --> 00:25:16.200 I'm hoping to get the center mix of messages here 448 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:22.440 of mainly comfort from your pet, joy and great memories. 449 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:26.440 They should always feel that there's nothing wrong with, you know, 450 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:30.319 taking in the afternoon away from your laptop from work, 451 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:32.839 put your phone away, and coll up with your cat 452 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:35.720 in your chest. There's nothing wrong with that. And because 453 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:38.119 when they're gone, you're going to miss that. And there's 454 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:40.319 nothing wrong having your cat waking you up at three 455 00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:43.759 am and ask for breakfast. It's something magical. I will 456 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:46.240 cut my right arm, I will give you my kidneys 457 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:49.559 just to have her waiting yet one more time. Honestly, Michelle, 458 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:51.960 I miss this cat so much. She was my alarm 459 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.319 clock for nineteen years. 460 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:57.000 There's no words. You can't explain it. But it's wonderful 461 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:01.279 that you wrote this book. To keep her memory alive. Yes, okay, 462 00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:05.480 So where can our listeners find your book? And do 463 00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:09.720 you think Uncle has any more tales left to tell? 464 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.359 Yeah? 465 00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.440 Yeah, that's a great question. Let me answer the first 466 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:16.000 question first. You can get this book from Amazon. It's 467 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:20.319 out there, and also it is recorded by a professional 468 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:23.480 voice actor. Her name happened to be Kitty Kitty j 469 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:29.160 And the audiobooks is available about on one hundred plus 470 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:35.160 distribution channels, from Spotify to Audible books Now it's everywhere 471 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:38.920 Apple and Google. You can get the book the audiobook 472 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:42.720 and it's also available in kindle as well. So if 473 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:45.160 you want paper book, you get it from Amazon. You 474 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:48.759 go to Amazon, type in the books by Josephine Spence. 475 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:53.119 My books will pop up. And that's how easy it is. 476 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:54.200 Okay, thank you. 477 00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:57.640 I also donated the audiobooks to library as well. If 478 00:26:57.640 --> 00:26:59.839 you prefer not to buy the book and listen for 479 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:03.680 you can't get it from a library namely Libby and Hoopler. 480 00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:06.160 In your local library, you'll find the book too. 481 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:10.400 Okay, thank you. And any more k Tales on the Horizon. 482 00:27:10.200 --> 00:27:14.400 Michelle, Yes, yes, and yes on Kio had nine lives. 483 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:17.519 In fact, I started writing part two of her story. 484 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:21.720 Of course, when she passed away, the second book will 485 00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:26.039 become fictional rather than real story. I had imagined that 486 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:28.960 she came back to me as a completely different cat, 487 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:33.319 and on Kill's story is never ending. And I have 488 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:37.960 started my fifth book about her returning to me because 489 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:40.839 I'm not able to get over losing her, to feel 490 00:27:40.839 --> 00:27:42.480 like the only way that I can connect to her 491 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:45.759 is keep writing about her. That's my therapy. So yes, 492 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.240 there's a part two of onkile story, maybe part three, 493 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:52.359 part four as well. So here we go. As I said, 494 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:56.079 the name Onkile means echo, and her love is echoing 495 00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:59.480 all over me, and she hasn't left. And all I 496 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:03.079 could say is that in reality, she may have left me, 497 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.519 and yet she's so utterly with me. That is the 498 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:08.720 only way I could discube oh I feel about huh? 499 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:12.400 You know you're echoing some of the emotions that I've 500 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:15.720 heard from a lot of people that have been uncatitude, 501 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:18.279 and a lot of them are you know, cat parents, 502 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:22.000 and a lot of stories from my listeners. So cat 503 00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:25.519 people have a very strong love for their cats, very deep. 504 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:28.759 It's just different, it really is. Josephine. I want to 505 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:32.200 thank you so much for coming on Catituded, and I 506 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:35.480 can't wait for a part two. So thank you so much. 507 00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:36.720 Thank you Michelle. 508 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:39.839 I hope you enjoyed this show. I want to again 509 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:44.160 thank Josephine Spence for coming on Catitude and talking about 510 00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:47.720 her book, A Cat's Tale. It is available in many 511 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:50.480 many places. I hope you take time to read it. 512 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:53.039 It is a really good book. I want to thank 513 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:56.720 my cat crew who patiently slept around me as I 514 00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:59.680 read her book. So thank you Dennis, Charlotte and Mollie. 515 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:02.920 And of course the show would not be the same 516 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:06.079 without the magic of my producer. Thank you so much, 517 00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:08.960 Mark Winter for all you do to make our shows 518 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:14.799 sound amazing. This is episode two hundred ninety nine. Wow, 519 00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:18.200 So thank you for listening to Catatude for all of 520 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:21.640 these episodes, all of these years. Now stay tuned for 521 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:25.680 episode three hundred. I have a special celebrity guest. You 522 00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:30.119 know her from television. She is amazing. She's doing some 523 00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:34.079 incredible things coming up for animals, and she is such 524 00:29:34.119 --> 00:29:37.279 a catlever. You will not want to miss episode three 525 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:41.319 hundred and hey lose to Attitude, have Cataitude. 526 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:46.880 Let's talk pets every week on demand only on Petlight 527 00:29:47.039 --> 00:30:00.200 Radio dot com. 528 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:00.680 FO