I am a Cat Momma

How I ended up with this identity

I turn 60 in a few weeks. I’ve had a full and busy life. I’ve done many things and held many titles: daughter, wife, mother, student, entrepreneur, coach, and world traveller, to name a few. But my parents are dead, my children grown, my marriage over, my business sold. Now, my current title feels like Cat Momma.

I live alone, along a beautiful river, in a cedar house surrounded by pine trees, in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Alone except for cats, of course. They are my family. They are my companions. They need me and I need them. They keep me going these days.

I’m lonely. I feel isolated, especially in winter. I haven’t travelled much these past few years. I got Covid, and experienced menopause, in March 2020. Both hit me hard and took my energy. I’ve also, just this past year, came to the realization that along with having ADHD, I’m also on the Autism spectrum. Figuring this out explains a lot. And so, at almost 60, I’m ready to accept myself and forgive myself. Because I can finally understand myself. Or at least make sense of why I am the way I am and ended up where I am.

I’m ready to begin a new decade with some answers, some resources, some enlightenment. I’m a bit odd. My brain works differently. I’m proud to say I’m neurodivergent. I’m done making excuses. I’m done masking. I’m done saying I’m fine. I’m a real person with real problems and real blessings. Like everyone. I don’t always make the best choices. Right now I’m struggling financially. I’m afraid. I need to turn things around, and quickly. I need to make sure that I can keep taking care of myself and my cats.

I’m not sure if Substack is the right place for a Cat Momma, but I’m going to find out. I haven’t seen a lot of us on here yet. There is no category to select. But I’m hoping I’m not the only one and I’m hoping that some of you will find my stories entertaining. I’m not the best wordsmith, but I am a pretty good storyteller, so I’ve been told. I plan to write stories about myself and what’s happening in my world, and also stories about cats. I’ve become a bit of an expert is interacting with and observing them. I’ve got domestic and feral cats. A blended bunch that I’m working with to co-exist in my home and on my land.

Besides collecting cats, I’m pretty good with plants. I have more books than I’ll ever be able to read, but they bring me joy to have them around. I have crystals and gems in jewelry and also scattered around my home. I have tons of art which I’ve collected from all over the world, mostly bought directly from the artist. I have tarot cards, pendulums, and an altar which I update often with stones, feathers, photos & candles. I love walking on the beach in the evening and picking up shells and driftwood. I’ve made magic wands from sticks that fall from my pine trees that surround my home. I’ve got a great collection of coffee mugs, cozy blankets and wool socks. And I take way too many photos of cats and sunsets.

So that’s a bit about me. I’m planning to post twice a week, probably one story about me and one about cats, however they will probably be intertwined. I guess I should say that the photo above is of me and my cat Phoenix, who is also a cat momma. I got her in October 2020 and she is the mother of three cats: Magic, Mischief & Mystique. Lots more to come on them, but here’s a photo of them as babies:

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