A Kitty Language Conversation at Astoria Bookshop!
Lili Chin
The Kitty Language Fundraiser at Astoria Bookshop was one of the main reasons for my trip to NYC and it took place on one of the coldest days I had ever experienced in my life! It was so freezing cold that I gave up on all plans to be outdoors that day, which made it all the more heartwarming to see so many people leave the comfort of their homes to show up here.
This was a sold out event, with all ticket sales going towards a good cause: Long Island City Feral Feeders Cat Rescue. (LICFF)
After reading a section from Kitty Language, Dr. Andrea Y. Tu (Veterinary Behaviorist & self-professed "crazy cat lady") and I answered a series of cat-related questions from Dilpreet, our moderator. This was followed with questions from our audience of kitty fosterers and parents who wanted advice on playing with their cats, training their cat for nail trims, or knowing if their cat liked being petted. A wide range of cat care topics was covered and Dr. Tu offered clear and compassionate tips for every cat behavior situation, brilliantly using human behavior analogies to get the message across on how a cat might be feeling, and how to help them feel safer. I think everyone in that room (including myself) learned a lot in those 2 hours!
Dr. Tu and I also of course, talked about our own kitties (who have been illustrated in my book) because ... how could we not!
I look forward to visiting again (when it is less cold in NYC!), exploring this new-to-me neighborhood, and spending more time at Astoria Bookshop, a bright and bustling independent bookstore that is so supportive of culturally-diverse authors. If you are in NYC, please pay them a visit!
