We both love books, Chispa and I. For different reasons, however. I have two cats--one has claws and one doesn't. I totally understand people's wishes to either have a cat declawed and alternately not have them declawed. If you own a cat with claws you will understand what I am talking about, and if you don't own a cat, well, consider yourself lucky in this case. Stacks of books are quite attractive to Chispa. Scratch, scratch, scratch....ah...that feels heavenly (yes, she is shredding my books!). I know I should have learned by now, but obviously my methods of hiding the piles from her are not effective. Latest victims? My favorite Clare Chambers' book that was sitting next to my bed and several books by Daphne Du Maurier (lovely new Virago Modern Classics editions no less). I was astounded by her ability to get to the Chambers book. It was on the bottom and laying in the farthest pile back--how could she possibly even get to it. Never underestimate the naughtiness of any cat. She slithered under the bed and got to it that way. What is annoying is that this happened a few days ago, which made me finally organize the piles, and take the majority of them down to my bookroom (it is a small room with a door and off limits to all cats). Then last night she got to the Du Mauriers, which I thought were placed in such a way that she couldn't get to them either. Needless to say I am disgusted with Chispa today (that doesn't stop her from laying on the softest, warmest blanket on my bed, thankyouverymuch). I know it is not really her fault--this is completely natural to her, but why does she constantly ignore all the other lovely scratching posts I have bought for her for that exact reason? They are for cats for heaven's sake, and she snubs her nose at them. So if anyone has a cat with claws and also piles of books, do you have any advice for keeping cats away from them? Other than the obvious...not piling them on the floor and keeping them behind closed doors?
On a happier and less destructive note I finished my library's Adult Winter Reading Program books. Here is the bookbag we got this year for reading five books--it should come in handy. I feel a bit of a cheat as three of the five books were actually YA books, but two of them were over 500 pages (which they count as two books at the library), so maybe that will help make up for for my guilt. I don't think they care at the library and besides quite often YA books can easily be read by adults (for example The Book Thief, which is being read by everyone these days--kids and adults alike). I even got a coupon for their next library book sale. I really need to try and go (unfortunately it is never held at my library branch), as I see what great finds everyone else comes across at these sales!