My next guest on Who are the Cat Writers’ Association? is Stasie Fishman, author of young adult/young at heart books featuring her cats. Stasie lives with her cat children, Sammie, Bettinna, Freddie and her feral outside cat Lucy and a few more who show up.

About Stasie:

My name is Stasie Fishman, and I am a Long Island New York Author.  I am very excited to launch my third book, Freddie’s Tail, which makes a great set of three books together with Bettinna’s Tail and Sammie’s Tail.   Through these books I hope to inspire and promote kindness to all animals with education about cats and cat rescue from the cat’s perspective and point of view.

The cats tell their story about how they were lost, cold and lonely outside and struggling to find food and warmth.

Children and adults alike will enjoy these books.  Adults have said the enjoyed, laughed and learned something too.

There is education in the back of the books for adults and children.  Ideas about cat rescue and what you can do to help.  Examples about how dynamic Bettinna is and how incredible.  I don’t think she is a cat—she is a little human girl.  She communicates by manipulating objects, sits like a dog, gives kisses, is a yoga cat, she talks, opens doors, closes doors and so on.  There are more examples in the book on how you may be able to bring out the personalities of your own cats.

Stay tuned for more books to follow.

Stasie, tell us a bit about your writing career.

I write from the heart with passion for what I believe in.  I am so inspired to tell the stories that I take what is truth from my own experience and share so others can learn, use and enjoy what I have done.  I want to give back to the animals people have and their families so all can enjoy and enhance their lives.

 How do cats inspire your creativity?

• • In 2012 a friend of mine was feeding cats outside.  I had never had a pet before due to my brother’s allergies as children.  I saw a black cat outside and thought, I can feed this cat. 
  • I started to feed this cat, and she allowed us to touch her and pet her.  We even had her eating in our kitchen, and she would walk back out.
  • I then decided to educate myself about cats and everything I could do for them.
  • I used the local town to have her checked out. Although I could pick her up, I didn’t know a lot so we bought a trap and put her in the trap, as they said if she is feral she needs to be in the trap
  • They said, in or out—inside the house or keep feeding outside, but not both.
  • So we decided on in. They still insisted to clip her ear. I guess they did not believe us.
  • She was a small female we named Sammie, as we thought from my research. I took her in the trap to my local vet for a more thorough exam, as I felt a ball rolling around behind her ear – turns out it was a pellet gun bullet, and they removed it as it was just under the skin.
  • We also found out she may be Burmese, but further research revealed she is a Bombay which comes from the Burmese cat.
  • I felt responsible to make sure she had a great life so I continued to educate myself.
  • Now I had a crusade – how do I tell people not to harm these animals, how it is not their fault they are outside?  I was nicely told you cannot educate the adults (but I do try). You need to educate the children.  My “aha” moment: I’ll write her story and make a book to be a tool to educate.

Now for a few extremely arbitrary questions. Stasie didn’t stop at the usual three, but gives us 10 answers!

 1. What is your favorite cat movie and why?

Well, I just love Lady and the Tramp, especially the cat and her beautiful singing voice and songs.  But before this movie, my all-time favorite is Gay-Puree with Judy Garland and Robert Goulet singing and doing the voices.

2. Did you grow up with cats?

No, I did not as my brother was allergic. We had a kitten, and it was gone right away. But I did adopt my neighbor’s cats and liked when they walked on me when I slept over at their house as a child.

3. What crosses your mind when someone tells you they don’t like cats?

I try to tell them that they can experience joy with them if they are open to it.  But writing children’s books as they are open to learning more than adults.  I do try to get through to adults but it is hard.

4. Does cat love run in your family?

No way.

5. What famous cat or cat person have you met?

Jackson Galaxy, love him.  When I rescued my first cat, I educated myself as much as possible.

6. If you were a cat, what breed would you be?

A Bombay like my first Sammie.

7. Do your cats get along with each other?

Yes they have to.  I always say love love love.  No fights.  They do.

8. “Adopt, Foster, Volunteer, Donate, Educate” is a common slogan for animal rescue. What do you like to do?

I volunteer, donate, and educate most of all.

9. What’s the craziest thing your cat’s ever done? 

My cat Bettinna should be a movie star.  She is my movie star.  She is so smart.  She opens doors and closes doors.  She loves her own tablet.  She watches TV.  Sits like a dog and gives kisses—if you come over to her, you can get a kiss.  She loves me, her mother, more than my own mother or anyone else in the world. Unconditional.

10. What do you wish for?

I would like to see every animal get chipped so the first owner is identified when an animal is missing or found.

Sammie

Freddie

Bettinna

Stasie’s cat’s are: Sammie, Bettinna, Freddie, and Lucy who just came in and is being socialized.

Website:

https://sammiestail.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sammiestail

https://www.instagram.com/sammiestail

Slogan / Mission Statement:

Sammie’s Tail – Tolerance for Animals Inspire Love.

Promoting the rescue, saving & extending lives of cats & their people.