Tuesday my wife and I said goodbye to our beloved cat Mittens, who we’d adopted along with his brother Simba when they were ten-week-old kittens. He finally succumbed to multiple health challenges after being our constant companion for over seventeen years. He and Simba were also my writing buddies, barely fitting together on the cat bed mounted to the window sill in my writing office, spending many hours there over the years while I wrote. If I put a printed outline or manuscript on the writing desk below their cat bed, one of them would often decide to offer editorial input by laying on it.
After Simba passed in 2019, Mittens continued as my writing pal. He lost his hearing as he became elderly and meowed loudly when hungry or craving my attention, which sometimes interrupted my flow and other times reminded me that I’d gone down a distraction rabbit hole away from my writing. He would often watch me from the patio window when I was outside stargazing at night. I’m very grateful he was a part of our lives, and a wonderful writing companion, especially for so long.
Pets have a special place in the heart of many writers and readers. While I’m a “cat person” I also love dogs, and enjoy greeting them and their owners on walks, as well as visiting those that live with family and friends. I also love encountering pets in fiction.
Today’s Words of Wisdom looks at pets in fiction, with excerpts by Elaine Vets, Sue Coletta and Terry O’Dell. The full posts are well worthy reading, and are linked from the dates below their respective excerpts.
I like most cat mysteries, too. But some are so cutesy they make my teeth ache. Cats are not sweet. They’re funny, they’re beautiful, they’re elegant. But I never forget that under a cat’s soft fur beats the heart of a killer. So I persuaded my editor that I should write my 13th Dead-End Job mystery about another subject. I sent her the outline. She was underwhelmed. “You really should write about cats,” she said.
“But they’re so girlie,” I said.
“They don’t have to be,” she said. “Write the Elaine Viets take on cats.”
That’s when it dawned on me. Cats are the new vampires. They’re a subject that’s eminently portable and ever changing. Cats are whatever you want them to be: cuddly, ruthless, aloof, loveable – or all four.
Each generation reworks the vampire myth. The classic Bram Stoker vampire was the rich preying on the poor. The ’70s Frank Langella vampire was sex without responsibility – or pregnancy. Charlaine Harris brilliantly reworked the vampire myth, and I’m not saying that just because I know her.
Charlaine was already a successful New York Times mystery writer with several series when she got the idea for her Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series.
Charlaine added a fresh twist. Her vampires, like gay people, lived unrecognized among us. Then the Japanese blood substitute let the vamps come out and northern Louisiana was overrun with the undead.
When other writers tell me they’re going to write a vampire mystery, I congratulate them. But I wonder if they’ll write a different vampire mystery, or simply another variation on one of the timeworn themes.
I wrote a vampire story called “Vampire Hours,” about a woman who becomes a vampire to escape the trials of middle age – an unfaithful husband, constant dieting, fading beauty. People asked me if I was going to make that story into a novel. No. My idea was different, but not universal.
But cats are universal. So I agreed to do the cat book. I’m owned by a defrocked show cat, Columbleu’s Unsolved Mysterie. She bit a judge at her first show. I would write my new Dead-End Job mystery about the world of show cats and the people who love and care for them. I’d report on a culture.
And so Catnapped! was born. Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont, my husband and wife PI team, are the in-house lawyers for a Fort Lauderdale attorney. The lawyer’s client, Trish Barrymore, is divorcing her husband, financier Smart Mort, and the only thing the couple can agree on is custody of their show cat, Justine.
When Mort fails to return the cat on time, Helen and Phil are sent to collect the cat. They find Mort dead and Justine kidnapped and held for half a million dollars. Helen goes undercover to work for a show cat breeder.
Judge Tracy Petty, Cat Fanciers’ Association southern region director, helped with the cat show details.
Did you know that long-haired show cats have to be bathed – and they learn to like it? Their fur is so thick they are slathered in Goop, the mechanic’s hand cleaner, and then the cats get two shampoos, a conditioner and more. Their fur is dried with a special blow dryer. There’s more.
Much more. But you’ll have to read the book to find it out.
Elaine Vets—May 8, 2014
A few things to keep in mind when writing pets into fiction…
If you kill the pet, you better have a damn good reason for it, a reason readers will understand.
For example, not long ago my husband and I watched John Wick. [SPOILER ALERT] I fell in love with the Beagle puppy his dead wife sent from the grave. When the bad guys murdered the dog I almost shut off the movie. If my husband hadn’t begged me to keep watching, that would’ve been it for me. Turns out, this moment kicked off the quest (First Plot Point in story structure). Not only is it an important scene, but if it didn’t happen there’d be no story. See? Understandable reason why he had to die. John Wick would not have gone ballistic over a stolen car. The puppy was the only thing left he cared about. It had to happen.
The safer option is to not harm the pets.
Why Does the Character Have That Specific Pet?
As I mentioned earlier, you need to know why the character chose that pet. Is he lonely? Does a couple use their pets to fill a maternal/paternal need? Are you using that pet as a way to show the character’s soft side? Does the pet become the only one who’ll listen to their fears, sorrow, or hidden secrets? In other words, for an introverted character, pets can assume a larger role in the story so your character isn’t talking to him/herself.
As the writer, you need to know why that dog, cat, bird, lizard, or bear is in the story and what role they play. Does a K9 cop track criminals? Did your criminal character train a horse to be the getaway driver? Does the killer feed his pet hogs or gators human flesh? Knowing why that fictional pet exists is crucial.
What’s the Pet’s Personality?
Animal lovers know each pet has his/her own personality. If you’ve never owned the pets you’re writing about, then I suggest doing a ton of research till you feel like you have. For example, while writing Blessed Mayhem I needed to know how crows communicated and how people could interpret their calls. What separated a crow from a raven, what they felt like, what they smelled like, what foods they enjoyed most. In order to make the characters real I spent countless hours of research into the life of crows. I even went so far as to befriend a crow of my mine. Turns out, Poe was female. It didn’t take long for her to bring her mate, Edgar. When they had chicks, they brought them too. It’s turned into a very special experience (story for another time).
What Does the Pet Look Like and How Does S/he Act?
First, you must know the basics … their markings, voice, breed, habitat, diet, etc. Then delve deeper into the expressions they make when they’re happy, content, sleeping, aggravated, and downright pissed off. Every animal has their own unique personality, mannerisms, and traits. Evoke the reader’s five senses. Don’t just concentrate on sight. By tapping into deeper areas, our fictional pets come alive on the page. A scene where the hero or villain cuddles with a pet can add a nice break from the tension, a chance to give the reader a moment to catch their breath before plunging them back into the suspense.
Plus, pets are fun to write.
Does the Basset Hound snore so loudly he keeps the rest of the family awake? Is he now banished to the garage at night? Does the German Shepherd’s feet twitch when he’s dreaming? Does the Mastiff throw his owner the stink-eye when he can’t reach his favorite toy?
Let’s talk dogs. They do more than bark. Use their full range of grunts, moans, groans, happy chirps, and playful growls when your character plays tug-of-war. For cats, nothing is more soothing than a purr rattling in their throat as your character drifts asleep. Soft claws can massage their back after a brutal day.
Years ago, I had a pet turkey who used to love to slide his beak down each strand of my hair. This was one of the ways Lou showed affection. I’d sit in a lounge chair with a second lounge Papa Bear lounge chair behind me, and Lou would work his magic till I became putty in his beak. He knew it, too. After all that hard work, I couldn’t deny him his favorite treats.
Sue Coletta—January 8, 2018
[B]ecause saying “No” has always been a monumental task for me, I agreed to go along with my editor’s request.
I was reading along, some hiccups due to my internal editor refusing to shut up, but overall, the writing was clean and easy to read. It was a little slow-moving for my taste, as the suspense element wasn’t brought in until later than I would have expected, but then … about ¾ of the way through the book …
The protagonist, who by now had received threatening emails and phone calls, came home to find a box on her doorstep. Upon opening it, she discovered the mutilated body of a cat. Not just any cat, but a stray she’d semi-adopted.
Mind you, this was not a serial killer, dark mystery/thriller type book. This was, overall, a romance with some suspense elements. And a mutilated cat.
Very early in my writing career (2004 according to my files), I attended my first writer’s conference. At a workshop given by the late Barbara Parker, she said she’d made the unforgivable mistake of having a mutilated cat show up in a box on the doorstep at the protagonist’s house. And, even worse, the protagonist had a young daughter. Parker said readers sent hate mail, and warned that killing a pet was an absolute no-no. Her book was a legal mystery, so her audience wasn’t romance-oriented, yet they still screamed.
I told her my manuscript for the as of then unpublished Finding Sarah included a character with 2 cats, and I had poisoned them (you’ll never know the delight you can light up in someone’s eyes until you holler between your office and the Hubster’s and say, “I need a way to poison a cat.”) My plan was to have one survive. The incident would 1) force my character to deal with emotions he’d denied; and 2) provide a critical clue for solving the overall mystery.
She gave me an emphatic “NO.” — Spoiler Alert— So, in the final version, both cats survived.
I passed this information on to my editor, who said she was warned against harming children or dogs, but nobody’d ever mentioned cats, and that she would bring it up with the author. Whether there are any changes remains to be seen.
Terry O’Dell—August 4, 2021
***
- Do you have a pet as a writing companion?
- Have you written about pets in your fiction? If so, how do you balance a unique take with a universal appeal?
- What do you think of Sue’s advice on writing about pets?
- How do you feel about depicting harm to pets in fiction?
***
Mittens, having claimed a manuscript for editorial review, with appropriate super-villain under lighting.
Please accept my condolences for the loss of your beloved family member, Mittens. And Simba, too. They leave such a hole.
Thank you, Alicia. Fortunately, there are so very many wonderful memories to comfort us.
Aw, Dale, I’m so sorry for the loss of Mittens. He lived a long, happy life filled with love. Hugs to you and your wife.
1. No domestic pets now. However, squirrels climb the screen on the sliding patio door to get my attention. They keep me from sitting too long at the computer b/c they demand breakfast…and lunch…and dinner.
2. In the second book in my series, a cranky senior hates people but loves his nine rescue cats, including a feral Siamese named Rambo. The man’s devotion to his cats opens the door for a con artist to take advantage of him.
Rambo attacks my two heroes b/c he perceives them as threatening his human. But he also cuddles right up to the villain. Go figure.
3. Sue’s suggestions are spot on. Pets can’t be props. They must be integral parts of the story.
4. I stop reading a book if there is animal abuse.
Thank you so much, Debbie!
We have a squirrel family in the pine tree in our backyard that kept our cats entertained when they were younger, but no climbing the patio window! Wow. That feral Siamese in your second book sounds like quite the warrior. As a kid I had an orange tabby named Tango who faced down the neighborhood German shepherd when she got loose one day. Watching the much larger dog back off was a sight to see. I agree with Sue as well that pets need to be integral to the story if they are going to be included. Animal abuse elicits a hard stop for me, too.
I’m so sorry about your loss of Mittens. Pets are family. And don’t kill them in fiction!
Thanks, Sharon. I agree on both counts.
Great post, Dale. Thanks for collecting the originals from the archives.
I don’t have a pet as a writing companion, and I haven’t used them in my fiction. I don’t know enough about them to include them. After reading Sue’s primer, I see that I know less than I thought I knew.
I’m opposed to depicting harm to pets in fiction. Harm to any innocent animal makes me cringe.
I’m sorry for your loss of Mittens. He looks and sounds like he was a great friend. I hope you will be able to immortalize him in one of your stories.
Have a great weekend!
You’re welcome, Steve! For me, pets are very much a part of the family, so keeping that in mind is a good starting point. Sue’s primer is a huge help. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, too.
My condolences in the loss of Mittens. Losing our beloved pets is so hard.
I cannot recall an example of using pets in my fiction–largely owing to the fact that I tend to write historical and in the 19th century; where animals appear in more utilitarian ways (such as horses for transportation).
However your post reminds me that my friend and I were recently kicking around introducing a pet in another book in the series–something we need to consider carefully in terms of how that pet will be used.
The death of pets in fiction is hard to deal with. My memory may be faulty, but if I recall correctly, in one of the Benji movies of the (70’s?) I don’t think it was Benji himself but another dog got kicked down the stairs. I’ve never re-watched a Benji movie since.
And when you watch westerns (or other movies that utilize horses as transportation), I can’t take it if there’s a scene where the horse is involved in a terrible fall, breaking it’s leg, and their answer was to shoot the horse to put it down. While I don’t remember the movie, I remember seeing that happen on a TV movie and I screamed and ran from the room.
I have more patience if you have to beat a person up in fiction before getting them justice. LOL! But that’s the key even with humans. There must be justice. Not just violence for violence’s sake.
Thanks, BK.
Good points about keeping the utilitarian aspect of animals in historical fiction in mind.
I’m grateful that there’s much more care for animals on set these days than years ago.
Barbaro, the wonder horse everyone expected to win the Triple Crown, broke his leg in the Preakness. Even with cutting edge vet knowledge and all the money needed, he had to be put down. Horses just aren’t made to survive a broken leg.
Back in the days of TV Westerns, some of the horse scenes made me cringe. I was watching a Western where the barn was burning, and the horses were screaming. I was laughing. My roommate thought I was a monster until I told her that the horses were demanding breakfast which was a few minutes late.
I’ve quit reading more than one author because they killed off a pet. This morning, I asked myself why. I think it’s because pets are like children, and we are supposed to protect them.
I have two rescue kitties and that’s probably why I don’t want a pet killed off. One of them, as soon as I sit at the computer, climbs in my lap and I have to hunt over the time. Not always an easy task.
Sorry—hunch over the computer to type.
I agree that pets are like children–I called myself “man-mom” to Mittens and Simba (because there are no cat fathers, only toms 🙂
Typing around a cat can be a real challenge at times, well I know 🙂
Thank you for the shout-out, Dale. Again, my condolences for Mittens. Hope this poem will help (I didn’t write it)…
Sometimes when you’re feeling sad,
When all you want is me,
I softly jump and curl up in a ball on your knee.
Some nights when your heart does ache,
Worn out by tears you weep,
I quietly lie and softly purr to calm you as you sleep.
Somewhere far beyond this place, a land where all are free,
I’m calmly watching over you,
And waiting patiently.
Someday when the time is right, your voice will call to me,
And once again I’ll softly jump and curl up on your knee.
— unknown author
Thank you so much, Sue. A wonderful poem which does provide some solace. Hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
Awww, so sorry about your kitty. My two 14 yo terriers were constant companions for writing, painting or playing music; with the exception being the sax. They were not fond of jazz for some strange reason haha. They are gone and I still miss them every single day, almost a year later.
Killing animals in fiction – “Old Yeller”, “The Old Man and Sea” and “Pet Semetary” were stories that bothered me as a youngster, and worse, the movie “Funny Games” which claimed to be satire, shocked me to my core. BTW, I was the only one in a group of six who absolutely hated that movie. Everybody else thought it was just a purposeful joke on the audience. Some joke…harumpphhhh!
I have never killed an animal in my stories and now I have even more reason to give that topic a swerve. I doubt I would even euthanize an animal in a story. That’s one of the most painful decisions anybody has to live with, and I cannot see any good reason to dredge that up for anybody. I’m just an old softy at heart.
Now, if we’re talking mosquitos and gnats…my conscience for mayhem is quite clear. Somedays I need a transfusion when they’re finished with me. I’m a new transplant to Florida from the North, and I have zero empathy about sending them back to their maker.
Thanks for a thoughtful article.
You’re welcome, Susan.
The bond we form with our furry companions is a strong one. So wonderful to hear you had two terriers who reached 14 years of age, but how hard to say goodbye to both in the same year.
“Pet Semetary” had that affect on me, too as a young person. I’ve not seen “Funny Games” and will avoid thanks to your comment.
I think it’s one thing to put an animal at risk in fiction, another to show it, especially death. That said, I understand there are genres such as horror where that may be suitable, but those aren’t genres I’m interested in writing in, or if I did, I’d likely still avoid killing an animal.
I’m with you, mosquitos are a different matter.
Online, John Wick has become the Patron Saint of Dog Revenge and Protection. I’m more of a dog than cat person, but I created his cousin Mary Wick, the cat lady from Hell, who does Kitty Retribution. Justice for pets!
My books have been filled with dogs, cats, and horses, but the trick is to figure out a pet who won’t interfere with the characters’ story. I’m not the only reader who is reading along with the thought, “Who is feeding Fluffy and taking him out for walks” when the story is happening. It screws up my enjoyment of the story.
Excellent point about creating a pet that won’t interfere with the characters’ story. Unless of course that is the point.
So sorry about Mittens and Simba, Dale. Those little animals take a big piece of our hearts. I expect you will have another cat soon. The feline world knows when you are a cat short.
Appreciate the shout-out for “Catnapped!” My current writing partner is Vanessa, a black rescue cat.
I would never kill a pet in my books. People yet — many of them needed killing. But no pets.
Thanks, Elaine. They truly do. You’re right, the feline world knows when a cat lover is a cat short.
As for people getting the chop in books, I agree, and remind myself my genre is called *murder* mystery for a reason.
Ooops. I mean, “people, yes.”
So sorry to hear about Mittens, Dale. Pets are really part of the family.
We don’t own any pets, but I use them in my stories. Fiddlesticks the cat was a lot of fun to write in my latest book.
Thanks, Kay. They truly are. Fiddlesticks is a great name for a cat, fictional or real!
Coming to you from Auckland, where I have no idea what day it is much less the time. Thanks for the mention Dale. Sorry for your loss. As others have said, pets are family, and doing harm to them in fiction is a great way to alienate and anger readers.
Thanks so much, Terry, and especially while you are on vacation. Hope you are having a marvelous time in NZ!
I have two big dogs–a Staffordshire Terrier and a lab mix. The former is the queen and has a deep bark and can be insistent if you forget her treat. The latter is very vocal and tries to tell you stories with various sounds. She caught a rabbit and when we got her home, she “talked” to us for almost 20 minutes. I’m sure it was about the chase and catching (and killing) the rabbit.
Two very different characters, so yes, you do need to know about the pet in your story. I’ve used horses (who are also all different in personalities. I have 7) and a cat in stories. You do NOT want to kill of any tame animal without a good reason.
I’m sorry for your loss. I still miss Phatt Boy who we had to put to sleep when he developed a stomach tumor at 21 years old. My daughter and I shared him between our houses. And he LOVED taking a bath or shower. If you didn’t close the bathroom door, he was in the tub or shower with you wanting to be soaped up and rinsed off.