The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology

Our Bond with Cats with Sarah Chauncey, Sassafras Patterdale, and Rachel Wells at Bark! Fest

Zazie Todd & Kristi Benson Episode 31

Reflect on what cats mean to us and the many ways they influence our lives with these 3 feline authors. 

Sarah Chauncey’s heartfelt P.S. I Love You More Than Tuna is a touching celebration of our bond with our cats, illustrated by Francis Tremblay. Claw This Journal: An Activity Book for Cats and Their Humans by Sassafras Patterdale (Lowrey) is packed with crafts, training, and activities and a deep understanding of cats’ emotional wellbeing. In the latest in the Sunday Times bestselling series, Alfie the cat is preparing for a purrfect festive show when things go wrong, in Alfie the Christmas Cat by Rachel Wells. 

We talked about:

  • The story of how PS I Love You More Than Tuna came about (and the Easter eggs in the book)
  • How this book is designed to be given away, and how giving became part of Sarah's process
  • The role that a Muse Medallion from the Cat Writer's Association for an article by Sassafras played in making Claw This Journal come about
  • The range of activities in the book (and which ones are Sassafras's favourites)
  • Why Rachel started writing the Alfie the Cat series, and the themes behind Alfie the Christmas Cat
  • What it's like to sustain a feline character and their supporting cast over so many books
  • And you can listen to each author do a reading

Learn more about the authors:

Sarah Chauncey https://www.sarahchauncey.com/

Sassafras Patterdale https://sassafraspatterdale.com/

Rachel Wells https://itsacatslifebyrachelwells.substack.com/

Send us a text to say hello!

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website Facebook


Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat.

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