11 Writers Who Really Loved Cats

Mental Floss ^ | March 11, 2013 | Sean Hutchinson

[Slings and Arrows]

Writers are sometimes stern and cold at heart—introverts who escape into their own solitary world, away from outward distractions that would somehow muddle their extraordinary work. Other times, writers just need a friend. And while they say that a dog is a man's best friend, these writers each found solace in another four-legged companion.

[DoctorBulldog]

Isaac Asimov!



"I never tire of listing the virtues of cats. They are beautiful. They are quiet. They are clean. They do not smell, and if their litter boxes are kept clean, they do not cause smells. They are easily housebroken and need not be taken for walks. (In fact, they scorn to be taken for walks - they walk where they darn well please.) They live with dignity and treat you with a quiet condescension that is soothing. (I dislike animals that jump all over you and slobber at you.) On the other hand, when they are at peace with the world, they will sit on your lap and sing softly to you. And at night they do not scorn to sleep in your bed with you."

And, from Wiki (take it for what it's worth):

"Originally a zoology major, Asimov changed his subject to chemistry after his first semester as he disapproved of "dissecting an alley cat"."

Cheers!

[Slings and Arrows]

[DoctorBulldog]

By the way, that Asimov quote is taken from the introduction he wrote for the anthology book, “Purr-Fect Crime.”

[DoctorBulldog]

LOL! Partners in crime! Cute!

[Slings and Arrows]

Teamwork!

[sushiman]

Kerouac loved cats , too .

[siamesecats]

They forgot Lillian Jackson Braun, also.

[NoGrayZone]

“Our cat is growing positively tyrannical. If she finds herself alone anywhere she emits blood curdling yells until somebody comes running. She sleeps on a table in the service porch and now demands to be lifted up and down from it. She gets warm milk about eight o'clock at night and starts yelling for it about 7.30.”

I lol'd at that one!

[Dr. Sivana]

This week, how can we forget this illustrious author of numerous books?

[Slings and Arrows]

I feel the strangest urge to get that cat a little mitre.

[Biggirl]

Now that Pope Benedict XVI, Emeritus is now retired, he can spend more time with that and all other cats. :)=^..^=

[Biggirl]

I just got my cats fed breakfast for today when I came upon this thread. There is a book about B16’s life as told by a cat by the name of Cheico, which ends when he became Pope.

[TheOldLady]

LOL! We cat lovers are not alone!

[DManA]

I like cats but everyone I’ve ever lived with is deathly allergic to them.

[TheOldLady]

Oh gee. That’s really sad. Deathly allergic is serious, and that means that you can’t even keep a cat out of the house in a kennel and visit it because you will carry the dander home.

I understand how difficult that must be for you. Hubby is allergic to cats as well, but he takes allergy medication and lives with the effects of the cat dander that can sometimes overpower the meds. Plus, we keep them indoors, so they don’t track allergens in from outside, either.

His doctor said that a lot of “cat” allergies are “outside stuff being dragged into the house by the cat” allergies.

But of course, everybody’s different.

[Dysart]

Those are outliers

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I’ve also heard that some people can become “habituated” to a particular cat so that they are not allergic to it, but still have an allergic reaction to other cats.

Which reminds me... for some strange reason, around the time we got Apple, my mom said, “That’s not a good idea, Tweeze is allergic to cats.” I’ve never had an allergic reation to Apple, despite the fact that she rubs all over me and gives me head bonks when I pick her up, nor have I had an allergic reaction to Patch or any of the kittens she had after we took her in. But maybe, just to be safe, I shouldn’t get any more cats; the next one might set me off! ;)

[Dysart]

Hunter S. Thompson did as well......maybe that cats did it.

Legend has it he was sampling some catnip at the time. OTOH Puppy Chow is renowned for its sedating properties.

[Lady Jag]

Cat's Dream

How neatly a cat sleeps, sleeps with its paws and its posture, sleeps with its wicked claws, and with its unfeeling blood, sleeps with all the rings-- a series of burnt circles-- which have formed the odd geology of its sand-colored tail. I should like to sleep like a cat, with all the fur of time, with a tongue rough as flint, with the dry sex of fire; and after speaking to no one, stretch myself over the world, over roofs and landscapes, with a passionate desire to hunt the rats in my dreams. I have seen how the cat asleep would undulate, how the night flowed through it like dark water; and at times, it was going to fall or possibly plunge into the bare deserted snowdrifts. Sometimes it grew so much in sleep like a tiger's great-grandfather, and would leap in the darkness over rooftops, clouds and volcanoes. Sleep, sleep cat of the night, with episcopal ceremony and your stone-carved moustache. Take care of all our dreams; control the obscurity of our slumbering prowess with your relentless heart and the great ruff of your tail. Pablo Neruda

[Lx]

I didn't know Samuel L. Jackson loved cats,

O, Samuel Johnson, nevermind.