Celebrating New Year with Cats

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Ring in the New Year with Your Favorite Feline Friends

Are you ringing in the New Year with your cat? Will you be spending New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day alone with your cat? Or perhaps with a cat (or cats) and a significant other?

There were many years when I spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day alone with my black cat Saki. (Ditto for birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.)

Holing up with Your Kitty?

I usually had a better time snuggling with my cat and a good book than at a raucous party, or in the company of drunks. Or indeed, with my family.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy getting together my family. But spending a major holiday in the company of a feline friend is much more peaceful—and generally more predictable.

A Good Cat is Forever

At any rate, no holiday is complete without the companionship of a cat. For those of you who have lost their beloved cat recently, my heart goes out to you. I understand all too well the grief, the despair, the emptiness. But you will get through it.

If you will, send a little prayer or a loving thought to your newly departed. Take very good care of yourself. Your cat wouldn’t want you to suffer.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

If you don’t happen to have a cat, or even if you do, but you want to usher in the year 2009 with a few more felicitous felines, try calling a local animal shelter and see if they’re holding a New Year’s bash.

In my area, Town Cats, a no kill shelter is offering a light buffet of food and drinks for humans on New Year’s Eve from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The shelter, which houses more than 100 cats, is also requesting treats and toys for their resident felines. Monetary donations are accepted too, of course.

You can make a difference in the lives of these cats—and yours, too—by visiting shelter cats, giving them some tender loving care, and offering donations to the shelters.

Happy New Year! May you and your cats enjoy good health and good times in 2009 and in all the years to come.