Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
As many of you know, I've had a very difficult time coping with my grief over losing Jewel. Earlier this year, I began seeing reviews for Purr Prints of the Heart - A Cat's Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond by Deborah Barnes, and I thought it sounded like an amazing book. So I was thrilled when Deb gave me the opportunity to review the book here on Fur Everywhere!
Purr Prints of the Heart is a beautiful and heartwarming story told from Mr. Jazz's perspective (with typing help from his human). It chronicles his life from the time he was a kitten through adulthood to his afterlife at the Rainbow Bridge. Mr. Jazz shares memorable moments from his life that cat lovers everywhere are able to relate to from adjusting to his new loving multi-pet home to his final months where his health began to fail, leading him to deal with resentment issues, frequent vet visits, being medicated, and finally accepting that he was dying. His honest, straightforward storytelling provides cat lovers a unique perspective into a cat's journey through life.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
When I read the prologue of
Purr Prints of the Heart, I was shocked to learn that Mr. Jazz had passed away exactly one year before my sweet Jewel on August 28, 2013. I didn't know Deb well before I began reading this book, but when I discovered the connection between our kitties' passing date, I immediately felt a connection to her and knew this book would have a great impact on me.
As I read Mr. Jazz's story, I marveled at how loving his (cat) mother was, what a curious kitten he was, the great conversations he had with his "big sister" Kit, and the wisdom he displayed as he grew older. I smiled reading about Zee, Zoey, and Jazmine joining the home and grieved when others passed away. Deb's love for all of the cats and dogs living in the home is obvious throughout, and it warmed my heart knowing that Mr. Jazz felt that everyday.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
Purr Prints of the Heart definitely brought up memories of Jewel for me. For instance, when Mr. Jazz talks about how he became frustrated with being medicated and force fed toward the end of his life, I was brought back to the way we had to struggle with Jewel several times a day to medicate her with various pills in the last months of her life. When Jewel stopped eating on her own, I wanted to continue to syringe feed her to keep her with us longer. In the end, though, I came to accept that Jewel was telling me it was her time to go. It was an incredibly painful message for me to receive, but I respected Jewel's decision.
When Mr. Jazz wrote about his final few days on Earth, his passing, and his arrival at the Rainbow Bridge, I cried -
a lot. Yes, it was sad to read, but more than that, it was
beautiful. The love he was surrounded with in his final hours and the sights he saw as he arrived at the Rainbow Bridge brought me a lot of comfort. I felt a real sense of peace from Mr. Jazz's eloquent description of the Rainbow Bridge as well as from his experiences in the afterlife. If you read this book, you will likely cry as well, but I assure you that it will be a good, healing kind of cry.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
I highly recommend that every cat owner read
Purr Prints of the Heart. As pet parents, we inevitably have to face the loss of our beloved companions. I believe this book will bring you comfort and peace the way it has for me.
Through reading this book, I also received the incredible blessing of Deb's friendship. I have enjoyed talking with her about her book and sharing stories of our beloved kitties. I feel I've made a lifelong friend, and I feel blessed to have her in my life.
A Special Fundraiser
In honor of Jewel and Mr. Jazz, Deb is generously donating 10% of book proceeds from
Purr Prints of the Heart to Cat Care Society for the entire month of August!
Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
You can purchase a print or Kindle edition of
Purr Prints of the Heart on
Amazon. If you'd like an autographed copy of the book, you can order one directly from Deb by emailing her at: info@zzppublishing.com. Each book ordered directly from Deb also includes a beautiful keepsake bookmark and tissue paper wrapping.
About Cat Care Society: Cat Care Society was founded in 1981 by Linda East, DVM and Lynn Rowe to provide a loving temporary home for homeless, injured, and abused cats in the Denver metropolitan area. The cage-free shelter provides cats with veterinary care, a premium diet, and loving human interaction while they wait for their forever homes. You can learn more about Cat Care Society by visiting their
website.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Barnes.
Author Bio: Deborah Barnes resides in the tropical paradise of South Florida with her fiancé and feline family of seven. She is the author of the 5-star rated books,
The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey - A Journey of the Extraordinarily Ordinary and
Purr Prints of the Heart - A Cat's Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond as well as the award winning blog
Zee & Zoey's Cat Chronicles that continues to cover the everyday journey she shares with her cats along with topics from the humorous behaviors of cats to very serious subjects on pet responsibility. Deborah was awarded 2013, "Writer of the Year" by Friskies Purina on behalf of the Cat Writers' Association and she is also the Secretary of the nonprofit,
Pawsitively Humane, Inc. of Miami, Florida, whose mission is to create public awareness and reduce the numbers of animals on the streets and in shelters through an extensive educational campaign.
Please follow Deborah Barnes on social media. You can find Deb by visiting her
blog,
website, Zazzle store,
Zee & Zoey's Facebook page, and the
Purr Prints of the Heart Facebook page.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of Purr Prints of the Heart - A Cat's Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Receiving the free book did not influence my opinion in any way. Additionally, while a wonderful and unexpected blessing, my new friendship with Deb did not influence my opinion about her book. All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.