How It All Started With Katie & Her Girl

Glogirly was recently invited by the Cat Writers' Association (CWA) to share her story of how she started writing about and photographing cats. It's part of a regular Friday Feature the organization has been publishing on Instagram and Facebook. We got to thinking that it might be something our friends and readers here might enjoy too. 

In addition to her story, we've included a few of her favorite photos that accompanied the CWA Friday Feature. We hope you love them as much as she does.

When I was 7, my mom and I rescued a tiny kitten trapped in an abandoned shopping cart. That was it– I’ve loved cats ever since. It wasn’t until 10 years ago that I started my blog and picked up a camera. I’d been downsized from my 20-year career in retail design and found myself looking ahead to what’s next. I figured it might involve social media so I better get smart about it.

So I started a blog.

While staring lost at the computer, my husband chimed in, “Why don’t you have Katie (our cat) introduce the blog?” And so it began. I started writing in what I believed was my cat’s true voice and personality– Deliberate with words, whip-smart, with a dry, sarcastic wit. I could say ANYTHING as Katie. It was SO much easier than my own voice. 

Soon after, I decided to up my photography game. My husband, an extremely talented photographer, has been my mentor, coach, and primary gear provider ever since. He’s my inspiration. I love looking at the world through his lens. 

A few years into my blog, I fell in love with an orange kitten named Waffles. He became a regular on my blog and Katie’s polar-opposite sidekick. 

He’s like a bright-eyed kid filled with wonder. He often mixes up his words and charms the ladies with his goofy brand of love. The camera loves him. He’s one of the most facially expressive cats I’ve ever seen and is a purr-fect compliment to Katie and her deadpan stare. 

I think my blog really came into its own when I started voicing their conversations. My camera is always within reach and I take photos of them nearly every day.

My process is backward to how most people write. For me, the photos come first. I may have an idea for the storyline, but I upload all my photos to a draft first and then write the conversation. I love imaging what they might be saying to each other. 

At first, it seemed kind of silly. But every once in a while I hear from a reader who tells me how much my cats and blog mean to them. How waking up to a giggle and smile from Katie and Waffles each day got them through a very difficult time. That’s what keeps me going. Making people laugh and smile. It’s the whole objective behind my blog and the photography that inspires it.


Certificates of Excellence

Glogirly has been a professional member of the Cat Writers' Association for more years than she can count. She recently was presented with 11 Certificate of Excellence awards for her feline-focused photography, graphic design, and our humor and entertainment Facebook Page, Glogirly - Tails of Two Funny Cats & Their Girl.