Cindy La Ferle’s Home Officea window on the writing life

Cats and their writers

Cindy on June 29th, 2008

“If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but deteriorate the cat.” — Mark Twain, Notebook, 1894

Last fall, a very nice reporter from the Detroit Free Press called to interview me for a story he was writing about one of my programs at the Royal Oak Public Library. His first couple of questions skirted along the lines of, “Do you have any special writing rituals?” and “What things do you keep on your writing desk or in your office?”

I’m never quick on my feet during interviews, so the only thing I could remember to tell him was that I always brew a strong pot of coffee before I start working. Later, after the piece appeared in the paper, it hit me that I neglected to tell the reporter about Jack (pictured above) and Emma, the cats who keep me company in my home office.

Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to have cats because my mother was allergic to them. I had dogs as pets — and enjoyed them — but was always seriously drawn to the contemplative nature of the cat. Later, after I began writing professionally, I discovered that countless writers throughout history, including Ernest Hemingway, kept cats as muses. (Two years ago I visited Hemingway’s historic home in Key West, where descendants of his six-toed feline still roam freely.)

Over the years I’ve been owned by more cats than I can list here. So, speaking from experience, I can tell you that kittens can seem more like nuisances than muses. They’ll crash-land on your paperwork and send your favorite Cross pen flying across your desk. They do calm down and become more Zen-like as they mature — but some remain decidedly meddlesome. When I’m in the middle of repairing a badly tangled paragraph, for instance, Jack paces in front of my computer monitor to remind me that it’s time to crack open the Fancy Feast. For the most part, though, he and Emma are content to nap on the floor next to me, or stand vigil at the door to my office while I read my work aloud. Seriously, they’re the best coworkers, ever…. Got any good cat stories? Jack is all ears! — Cindy La Ferle

Tags: cats, cats and writers, Detroit Free Press, Ernest Hemingway, family life, home office, kittens, Mark Twain, pets, writing from home, writing rituals
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