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Cats and Classical Music?

Nora The Piano Cat

I’ve known for a long time that I, personally, like classical music. My favorite composer is Bach. But how do other cats “feel” when exposed to classical music? A study at Colorado State University is looking at that question with regard to reducing the stress levels for cats during vet visits. Ingrid King, author of “Buckley’s Story: Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher,” recently wrote an article about that study and what its findings could mean to your feline friends. You can read Ingrid’s article on her blog, The Conscious Cat.

Oh, and by the way, that is a photo of yours truly being used to illustrate the article. :-).

 

Can classical music lead to better veterinary care for cats?

Moxie Presents Nora The Piano Cat…

Nora The Piano Cat

Nora at Licensing International Expo 2010What does Nancy Drew, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Ziggy, and yours truly have in common? We’re all represented by the licensing company Moxie & Company, LLC. And Moxie’s very own Arlene Scanlon and Laura Becker will be “representing” us all (and many more) at this year’s 2011 Licensing International Expo, June 14-16, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. I won’t be there in person – cats are such homebodies, you know – but don’t let that stop you from dropping by booth #1874 and saying hello to Arlene and Laura. Tell them Nora sent you.

P.S. The photo is from last year’s expo. Can’t wait to see what they come up with this year!

Internet Cats in Sprint’s Kitty Chorus…

Nora The Piano Cat

Sprint Cat AppWe all like things that are interactive, right? Like playing an instrument, for instance. Well, Sprint just created an interactive app called Kitty Chorus. The app contains loops from parts of various YouTube cat videos. You can then click on them to play the loops of your choice to create your own mix. It’s really a lot of fun. And very rhythmic! And best of all, I’m right in the middle of it playing my piano riff (that is if you click on me, and I hope you do). I’m in the second row, third from the left. You can even record your special mix. Have fun.

Check it out at: http://now.sprint.com/nexus/#/kitty-chorus?id12=MA:MS:20110411:ATN:HE

Ellie Turned Two Today…

Nora The Piano Cat

Ellie of the Cats of Raven's Wing StudioEllie is one of my siblings here at the House of Raven’s Wing. She was named after the artist Eleanor Day. She and I are not sisters in the usual sense, but we were both adopted by Burnell & Betsy – along with Max, Rennie, Clara, Gabby, and Jenny. Ellie was Jenny’s cagemate at the shelter. And you can read more about her on Burnell’s website.

And although we don’t really hang out together, I want to wish her a very Happy Birthday.

A Passion for the Instrument…

Nora The Piano Cat

Nora Unhappy SharingOkay. I have a reputation for not wanting to share my piano. I admit to being, at times, possessive and even getting angry or sulking when someone forces me from the bench and I have no choice but to take on the role of casual observer for however brief a period. Enough already. It’s been reported before in the media. Frankly it’s old news, as far as I’m concerned. But Burnell and Betsy seem to think it somehow cute. Strange, those humans.

So, when Ronnie was here today for her lesson and she sat at my beloved Yamaha, Burnell snapped these photos of my reaction. I’ve allowed them to be posted here because, to me, they represent something other than a possessive and unhappy cat.

My dear friends and fans, these photos reveal a cat who is so passionate about her music and her instrument that she finds it hard to be away from it for even a moment. I am not a feline who is content to remain on the sidelines. I am not a layer, but a player. And I make absolutely no apologies for that. And I don’t blame Ronnie for wanting to play on my piano. Who wouldn’t? But let’s get real here. I have thousands of fans (Billy Joel is among them) and my own website. Can she say the same? Click image to view larger.

The Nora Magazine: Promise of the Future?

Nora The Piano Cat

The Nora MagazineWhat you see above is strictly a parody of an Oprah magazine cover. Burnell created it to amuse himself. He loves to do that. But it got me to thinking: gee, if it’s good enough for Oprah, then why not? I mean, I’ve got plenty to say, and I am an internationally known media star, not unlike Oprah. And let’s face it, there are just so many things to write about that interest cats and the people that love them. So, who knows? Perhaps the world is ready for a cat-centric magazine written by and for cats with the world’s greatest feline diva at the helm. Hmmm?

Nora Expanding Mewsical Horizon?

Nora The Piano Cat

Nora On Ukulele CaseFrankly, I love the piano and have never really seen myself playing anything else. But something interesting did happen yesterday that has Burnell wondering – and yes, I admit to a slight glimmer of interest as well. It involves what I’m laying on in the above photograph (taken by my chief photographer, name starts with a B). Anyway, would you care to guess what magical thing lies within that dark and mysterious case? A guitar? Mandolin? Nope. It’s a baritone ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lay-lay) – an instrument that Betsy gave Burnell for his recent 60th birthday.

So, there he was playing it yesterday and I just happened to walk by minding my own business, of course, when he held the ukulele down to me so that the sound hole was near my head and he plucked a few strings further up the neck. Wow! It sounded so cool and I immediately began rubbing my head on the strings to better feel the vibrations, kind of like when I lay my head on the piano keys after I play a few notes. Then one of the strings buzzed against one of my teeth. That felt weird, but I liked it. It changed the sound. So guess what I did next? And this part really seemed to surprise and please Burnell: I tried to pluck the string with my teeth. I think if I practiced some more, I might even be able to make a sound like Burnell did. I certainly hope he lets me try again. The problem is that unlike the piano, which is always open for me to play, his ukulele is kept hidden away in this dark and mysterious case when he’s not playing it.

Maybe if I keep using the case as a snuggy spot, he’ll let me try plucking the strings again. I certainly hope so.

A Secret Place…

Nora The Piano Cat

Nora Under the StairsThere is a place, one of my favorites next to the piano, where I hide and keep tabs on all the other lifeforms, furry and otherwise, that roam my house. It’s under the stairs. What makes it such a great spot for this sort of thing? Well, the food bowls for me and my siblings are located in the kitchen on the second floor at the bottom of the stairs. And the litterboxes (in the computer room), as well as the bedroom with the cat tree and the water bowls are at the top of the stairs. Needless to say, everyone here makes the trip several times a day. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.

And there I hide, just inches away from all those feet and paws. Unseen in the shadows. It’s from this secret spot that I have  been known to launch the occasional sneak attack against Max. Although, I don’t do that nearly as often as I used to. Perhaps I’ve mellowed. Perhaps it’s enough now to simply watch as the familial parade passes by.

So, the next time you come to visit, but the famous Nora The Piano Cat seems not in attendance, know that I am watching from my perfect perch until all are seated and silent. Only then will I make my grand entrance from beneath the stairs – an entrance befitting a queen.