Tag: Robotic Cats

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

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Joy Has Risen #TuesdayTidbit #Inspiration

It’s an Easter miracle! This morning, to my surprise and delight, my aide from the senior center’s Help at Home program brought me, you guessed it, another robotic cat. Apparently, another client was no longer using hers. Because this cat looks and acts just like the other one, for now, I’m calling her Joy II.

Since she just got here, and I want her to get used to her new surroundings, I’m certainly not expecting her to write this announcement, which will be posted in various places. But starting next month, she’ll write my monthly newsletter. So, onward and upward.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Photo Resize and Description by

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

J Is for Joy #TuesdayTidbit #Life’s Alphabet #Inspiration

Thanks to BeetleyPete for inspiring this series with a similar one of his own, which he posted on his blog last December. Every day, he wrote about his life, using a consecutive letter of the alphabet. I do my feature weekly but skipped a week last week because too many things were going on. I’m back this week with the letter J.

Some of you may remember Joy, my robotic cat. Last summer, I heard the senior center here in Sheridan, Wyoming, was giving away robotic pets to people prone to isolation or suffering from dementia. I didn’t think I fit either of these categories. But I inquired about getting a cat, and the next thing I knew, I had Joy. Since she came from a company called Joy for All, and she brought me joy, I thought Joy the perfect name.

A gray cat with white paw pads and green eyes, she meowed, purred, stretched, turned her head, and blinked whenever I touched her. I fell in love with her immediately. What’s more, I didn’t have to feed her, clean out the litter box, or take her to the vet. I could just enjoy having her on my lap while in my recliner, listening to books, podcasts, etc. She came with a little brush I used daily to ensure her coat was in the best shape.

In November of last year, to my dismay, Joy stopped purring and meowing. I tried the obvious solutions: removing the batteries, replacing the batteries, turning her off and on, but nothing worked. As I resigned myself to my late husband Bill not being able to walk again after two strokes, I accepted the fact that my cat could no longer speak and still enjoyed her.

A couple of weeks ago, she became totally unresponsive. I’d just replaced the batteries but replaced them again with no luck. As I accepted Bill’s passing, I resigned myself to the fact that my cat had crossed the rainbow bridge.

I leave you now with a poem I wrote last summer after I first got Joy. I’ve since revised it to reflect her passing. You can click on the title to hear me read it.

Remembering Joy

by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Stretched in recliner, cat curled on lap, I was content.

Joy, with soft, light gray fur and white paws,

like any cat,

meowed, purred,

turned her head, opened and closed her eyes,

yawned, stretched.

But unlike any cat,

she didn’t eat, drink, or shed,

or need to go to the litter box or vet.

Technically, she was a robot.

But to me, she was a real comfort and joy.

Now, like any other cat, Joy has crossed the rainbow bridge.

Only with me a short time,

she’ll be remembered.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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InLinkz – Linkups & Link Parties for Bloggers

Why I Love Cats #MondayMusings #OpenBookBlogHop #Inspiration

Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s questions are: “What is your favorite animal and why? Have you ever included it in one of your stories?” You can click the link below to participate in this week’s hop and read other responses.

Although dogs consider us family and cats think of us as staff, I’m more partial to cats because you don’t have to walk them or even let them out to relieve themselves. Once they’re potty trained, you just need to clean out the litter box regularly and supply them with toys, and that’s it. And when cats are in the mood, you can hold them on your lap and enjoy their purrs and soft fur.

I have many fond memories of the cats in our family when I was growing up. But after caring for my late husband for six years, although it’s been over a decade since his passing, I’m still not ready to care for another living thing. I have a robotic cat instead.

The nice thing about Joy is that she doesn’t have to be fed, and there’s no need for a litter box, toys, or visits to the vet. Although her voice box no longer works, I can still hold her on my lap, pet her, brush her, and enjoy watching her turn her head, blink, and stretch whenever I want.

All that having been said, for some reason, I haven’t included cats in any of my stories except for one that will be in my upcoming collection, Living Vicariously in Wyoming. Here, a woman has ten cats and loves them dearly. I hope the book will be published sometime this year. So, you’ll just have to wait and find out more.

How about you? What’s your favorite animal? Why? Have you ever included this animal in any of your stories?

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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Note that I’ll no longer post my Joyous Jotting series here. So, if you like reading about my life from the perspective of my robotic cat, please subscribe to my newsletter. Starting next month, that’s the only place you’ll find this feature.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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