Who Are the Cat Writers’ Association: Cindy J. Vanous

In conversation with Mollie Hunt

Part 1

About My Craft:

I write children’s picture books because I want children to know they’re not alone. My stories are about courage, kindness, belonging, and believing in yourself when life feels hard. Animals have always been a natural part of my stories because I believe children and animals see the world in a very similar way. They love deeply, trust freely, and remind us that kindness doesn’t have to be complicated.  

How Cats Inspire My Creativity:

Cats remind me to slow down and pay attention to the little things. A simple look, an anxious moment, or an unexpected habit can tell an entire story. I constantly wonder what they’re thinking, what they have experienced to make them the way they are, and what they might be trying to say to me without words.

Cats also remind me that every life has value and every story deserves to be told. Whether they’re brave, playful, frightened, or simply looking for a place to belong, they inspire me to look beyond what I see on the surface and imagine the story hidden underneath.

What I Enjoy About Belonging to the CWA:

Part 2

Mollie: What is your favorite cat movie, and why?

Cindy: This is a hard question because I’ve loved so many cat movies over the years. Gay Purr-ee, with Judy Garland voicing Mewsette, was one of my favorites growing up. It was one of the first movies that made me realize cats experience many of the same hopes, fears, and dreams we do.

I’ve also always loved Disney’s The Aristocats. Duchess is graceful and loving, each kitten has a personality all their own, and Thomas O’Malley shows that family isn’t always the one you’re born into. Sometimes it’s the one that chooses you.

Another favorite is That Darn Cat. I loved watching Hayley Mills solve a mystery with the help of D.C., a cat who wasn’t trying to be a hero; he was simply being a cat.

Mollie: Did you grow up with cats? 

Every night, he slept under the covers across my legs. Every morning, he “helped” me get dressed by batting at my clothes. When I came home from school, the first thing I did was scoop him into my arms and hold him while I did my homework. I understood a new kind of love because of him.

When it was time to say goodbye, my heart was broken, but I never regretted one minute of our time together. He taught me that love can never be selfish.

While he was the beginning, he certainly wasn’t the ending. Since then, I’ve rescued cats, adopted them from shelters, and even saved cats from the streets. Every one of them became part of my family, and every one of them has been loved with the same passion I first learned from my sweet cat, Fu Manchu.

Mollie: Does cat love run in your family? 

Cindy: Yes, it does. My sister and I have always loved cats, and they were always part of our lives. After she died last November, I was able to bring home her beloved cat, Patches. Caring for Patches feels like carrying on a love that has always been part of our family.

Mollie: Tell us a true cat story. 

Cindy: A year ago, I was driving down a busy Dallas highway when a truck sped by, and suddenly a little bundle of fur rolled out from beneath its right front wheel. I couldn’t believe what I had just seen.

I pulled over immediately and ran down the side of the highway trying to find it. When I reached the first storm drain, I looked down … and there she was: a tiny gray kitten standing beside the drain opening that dropped to the highway below.

I laid on the ground trying to reach her, but my arms wouldn’t fit through the bars where she was standing. Just then, a man in a van pulled over after seeing me lying on the side of the highway. When I told him about the kitten, he went to his van and came back with pepperoni and a small rope. As she came closer for the food, he was able to slip the loop around her little body and gently lifted her out of the drain and into my arms.

Her name is Aurora, and every chance she has, she’s curled up in my lap. Sometimes I look at her and still can’t believe she survived that day.

Mollie: Have you ever seen a ghost cat? 

Cindy: This is an interesting question, and all I can do is share what happened to us.

Our sweet boy was only two years old when we learned he had an autoimmune disease. We spent countless hours at the veterinarian’s office, trying everything we could to help him. Losing him was heartbreaking.

About six months later, my husband and I were upstairs in a room that is always kept closed because that’s where I keep my vintage Disney collection. We were hanging a mirror when my husband suddenly said, “There’s a black cat standing right beside you.”

I looked down, but there was nothing there. We searched the room and found nothing.

A few minutes later, I saw what looked like a black cat run past my husband. I was certain we had simply missed it the first time. For the next hour, we searched every inch of that room. We opened closets and drawers, looked behind furniture, and checked every possible hiding place. There was no cat.

To this day, neither of us can explain what we saw. Was it our black cat coming back to visit us one last time? My heart hopes so. It’s something my husband and I still talk about to this day.

Mollie: “Adopt, Foster, Volunteer, Donate, Educate” is a common slogan for animal rescue. What do you like to do?

Cindy: For me, it begins with adopting and rescuing. Over the years, I’ve opened my home to cats from shelters and to those who simply needed someone to help them. I also volunteer with the Denton Animal Support Foundation, where I help bag pet food for local animal food pantries. Throughout the year, I donate money, food, and supplies whenever rescue organizations ask for help.

Mollie: Please give us the names and short descriptions of your cats.

Cindy: My husband and I are blessed with the following family members:

Aurora — The gray cat I saved from the highway. She has the sweetest personality and only knows how to love and purr.

Angus — Our orange boy kitty. We adopted him from a woman who took in his mother and siblings. He loves belly rubs and chasing toy mice around the house.

Archie — Angus’s tabby brother. He is quiet and watchful, but when it snowed last winter, I saw a playful and joyful side of him that made me smile. He loved the snow more than anyone else.

Patches — She has been with us for eight months, and it took her five of those months to settle into the house. Not because the other cats bothered her, but because she has been through a lot in her short life.

Max — Our oldest kitty, a tabby with a big personality. At nine years old, he’s still playful and silly. He makes me laugh every day.

Gabby — One of our feral kitties. Over time, I’ve been able to earn her trust. She loves having her ears scratched and will now come inside occasionally when the weather gets cold.  

You can learn more about me and my books at CindyVanousBooks.com.

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