Author recounts her experience learning from the cats she loves
WUUSTWEZEL, Belgium – Marguerite Vlielander presents Purring Angels (published by Trafford Publishing), a new book which celebrates cats. With this inspirational non-fiction book, Vlielander hopes to educate cat owners about how they can help their cats and how their cats can help them.
In Purring Angels readers will read about Vlielander’s seven kitties: Daimke and Catje, who had a difficult start in their lives; Chummy, the golden eyed British gentleman; Puddie, the eldest, who writes beautiful letters; Donsje, the sweetest cat on earth; Mickje who after being injured when thrown over the gate, learned how to be loved; Tommeke, the wild Belgian forest cat who has a heart full of love; and Luckje who stayed with Vlielander for only a year.
But Purring Angels is about more than just Vlielander’s cats. She draws attention to stray cats and the good work the people who take care of them do. In a series of wonderful poems and stories, she gives this issue an emotional appeal, urging readers to do what they can to help these cats in need.
In the second part of the book Vlielander discusses anorexia and how her animals helped her overcome her battle with anorexia by urging her to eat and fight.
Finally, she devotes a large part of the book to educating readers about cats. She describes the lessons she learned caring for her feline friends and uses personal stories to deliver interesting facts about cats. Purring Angels is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in learning about cats and how to care for them.
About the Author
Marguerite Vlielander enjoyed a happy childhood growing up on a large manor surrounded by animals. She has always loved cats and has kept many over the years. Vlielander attributes the love she feels from her cats as the source of strength to allow her to overcome her 30-year fight against anorexia. Now, she dedicates her life to helping cats, and educating people on how to keep their cats happy. She is an advocate of spaying and neutering cats as a means to prevent unhappy cats, and a portion of the proceeds of Purring Angels will go to kittens in distress.
Trafford Publishing, an Author Solutions, Inc. author services imprint, was the first publisher in the world to offer an “on-demand publishing service,” and has led the independent publishing revolution since its establishment in 1995. Trafford was also one of the earliest publishers to utilize the Internet for selling books. More than 10,000 authors from over 120 countries have utilized Trafford’s experience for self publishing their books. For more information about Trafford Publishing, or to publish your book today, call 1-888-232-4444 or visit trafford.com.
Marguerite Vlielander
Purring Angels ISBN: 978-1-4251-2202-7
Our book, Yes our, because my seven cats are the co-auteurs, is non-fiction. It is an autobiography with stories about my cats and dogs and my life with them. And many other cat-related things.
When you are living with ‘miracles on little feet’, enjoying their love, warmth, humour and loyalty, sooner or later you want to write a book about them. That's how our first book came into being. Ernest Hemingway said: ‘One cat just leads to another’ and that’s certainly true. It is also true that one book can lead to another. 'It’s only logical,' Puddie told his friends, 'that ‘Miracles on Little Feet’ would have a sequel! Why shouldn't Daimke, Catje and Chummy also have their book?' So Purring Rascals was born.
I always had a close and special contact with animals. They were not just playmates, they were my most important teachers. They taught me the real meaning of friendship, unconditional love and loyalty. They paid attention to me, they worried about me. They taught me the real value of life. Their love was and is Love with a capital L. My dearest wish was to have a cat. This dream only materialised twelve years ago when Puddie came into my life, my beautiful grey half-Siamese forever-cat! Two years later Luckje joined us, a born wanderer who clearly was 'sent' to support me in one of the most difficult periods in my life. When his mission was accomplished he suddenly left, no doubt to comfort another person in need. I still miss him terribly. Then Donsje, who was found in a wheat field, came to us and Mickje soon followed. Sick and starving, she was thrown over the fence into the garden.
One dream leads to another. I wanted to translate at least one of the books. I chose Purring Rascals, but also I wanted to put some wonderful stories from ‘Miracles on little feet’ in ‘Purring Angels’, the new book. It starts with the arrival of Daimke, who, only a few hours old, was brought with her siblings to Maria of the Poezenbel-foundation. In spite of this hard beginning, Maria, with love and dedication, nursed Daimke into a beautiful and sweet cat. When Daimke came to live with us, she asked me if she could bring her bosom-friend Catje, of course I wholeheartedly said yes, I loved the cute little kitty already. Catje is so special, she plays the piano with style and is a real clown. Then there is Chummy, my dear, big British Shorthaired tomcat. He is a real British 'gentleman' who never spits. Tommeke, my ‘wild’ Belgian Forest Cat joined us later. He is incredible and he loves to be cuddled now.
How did Puddy, Donsje and Micky react to their new friends? What did my kitties think of the spacious run I had installed for them? And the nice tunnel? Oh, the fun they had! And what about Donsje, who won a first prize in a contest and became a star on television! How Catje startled us when all of a sudden she couldn't walk straight any more.
I tell about stray cats and the good work the men and women who take care of them do. About Mausie, a cat thrown out of a car, who found a real home in the village of my birth where she is now as happy as a cat can ever be. One chapter is about the Hereafter, the Rainbow Bridge and the importance of making a will for the benefit of your animals. Just read what happened to Ophelia. On a Christmas Eve, Daimke tells about the Cat-goddess Bastet and I tell about Saint Francis and the birds and the wolf. There is Tarzan, a very clever kitty who orders a parrot online! A skill Puddy very much would like to acquire!
In the second part of the book I talk about Anorexia, that terrible disease I have suffered from for thirty years. I was saved by my kitties and by Karma, my lovely shorthair collie and I am not the only one! Indeed, our cats are purring angels sent to us by the Lord. The next chapters deal with the bringing up of cats and include many interesting facts about cats, the dangers in the house, resuscitation and so on. I was allowed to use some of the lovely stories from the Cats Confidential Newsletter and from Doctor Vernon Coleman and I inserted quotations from the Bible and the Koran. These are very moving! It is wonderful that FAB, the Feline Advisory Bureau allowed me to use their leaflets about feline diseases and hazardous plants. I am so grateful to them. Carina Smeets, a homoeopathic veterinarian, explains the Bach Flower Therapy in Chapter 19. And there are such wonderful poems and stories all over the book. The ones from Maureen and Wayne for example and many others. Just read them…
My dear friend Anne Versteyne has illustrated this book with very charming drawings. She has also illustrated my previous books, and I am sure that the success of those books is partially due to her fine talent for drawing.
It is my profound wish that my book may contribute to the lessening of the distress cats suffer, by informing people so that they will better understand their cats and love them more.
Part of the proceeds of 'Purring Angels' will go to the Foundation Poezenbel.
You can order Purring Angels through Trafford publishers http://books.trafford.com/07-0604
On our site you will read more about the book. www.rietkat.be If you live in Belgium or Holland you can order the book from me.
My cats. They are the most wonderful animals that excists. I wanted to let people know how amazing they are. Wanted to tell people that cats are not insensitive and egoistic as many people think, but on the contrary easily hurt. They love to be cuddled and loved. I wanted to tell, that it is not true that cats love their house more than their people. But.. you have to earn their love.
The main caracters are Pudje, Donsje, Mickje, Catje, Daimke, Chummeke and Tommeke. All, except Chummeke, he was a Brittish Shortair and I got him as a wonderful present from a friend, are rescued cats.
Because Purring Angels is a lovely book. It contains much information about cats and it has many lovely stories. Just read it and I am sure you will agree. Of course you must be interested in cats.
Cat-lovers or would be cat-lovers.
I was born on a big farm in Holland. My youth was wonderful. I spent my time horse riding, swimming with the dogs, sailing and of course working on the farm. I had the most wonderful life. The only bad time was when I had to go to school. Specially as I had to go to town. I hated it. But homecoming made up for those sad days that I had to stay with other people and I had to live inside.
I always wanted to be a VET but sadly my father got ill and I stayed home to look after him. When I was eighteen I got Anorexia. That horrible illness that can kill you and if it does not kill you, it makes live very very hard. I survived and healed, because I had the unconditional love from my animals. If I had not had them I am sure I would not be alive anymore.
Chapter 13 of Purring Angels is about anorexia.
I wrote five books. The first two about Anorexia.
Eindelijk Lucht (Free at last)
Ik heb een sleutel ( I have a Key)
Wonderen op Pootjes (Miracles on little feet)
Spinnende Bengeltjes (Purring rascals)
And Purring Angels