Wild (and Sometimes Crazy) Wednesday – What’s a Cat Writer?

That’s probably the one most often asked question I get when I mention the Cat Writers Association or conference. The second is, “What’s with the ears?” Yes, some of us wear cat ears for fun throughout the conference. And a few even bring their cats to the party—trained cats used for therapy and teaching.

The cats wear harnesses and leashes and ride around in pet-friendly strollers. They are content to sit quietly during the sessions, but they do get free time to lounge in their rooms as well. Some perform as part of a session. And all attendees love seeing and interacting with these cats. We all miss our cats and enjoy that cat fix.

Members all write about cats and/or are cat artists, photographers, veterinarians, behaviorists, and so forth. What’s the big deal about writing about cats? I think that all of you reading this have a connection to a cat, several cats, or cats in general. Many of you care about the plight of cats and advocate for them. You are eager to learn more about cat issues and you adore sweet cat stories. So do those of us who belong to the Cat Writers Association (CWA). Our goal is to educate, advocate, and entertain with cats as our theme. We want to make a difference for cats while dabbling in a field and a subject we adore.

We learn a great deal from each other through the website, newsletter, social media accounts, and at the conference. That’s the beauty of a conference—that and the camaraderie and fun. Hopefully, our efforts to attend the CWA conference and the fact that we continue researching and learning is beneficial to you through our blogs, articles, and even our cat fiction.

This year, the Klepto Cat Mysteries garnered two Certificates of Excellence from CWA—a prestigious award. And I came home with a lot of new information and perspective to share with my readers throughout the year.

If you’re interested in knowing more about this amazing organization, visit the website at http://www.catwriters.com. There are two levels of membership. Professional members have to be published or be a professional in a cat-related field. But there is amateur membership opportunities as well.