This past weekend was New York City’s 40th marathon, an event attracting over 40,000 runners. No, I didn’t run in the marathon, but I did take the six minute ferry boat ride again to visit with one of my favorite veterinarians, Dr. Tom Nelson, a past-president of the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and a spokesperson for the KNOW Heartworms campaign, www.knowheartworms.org.
Tom knows his stuff and I always learn something more about cats from him. He was in New York with his wife Brooke and his son, Cole, who were both running in the marathon. Brooke finished in 4:07 and Cole in 5:13. She plans to run in the Boston marathon as well and I must admit I was hoping some of her athleticism would rub off — well at least I walked halfway across Manhattan to catch the ferry back to New Jersey!
My walk back to the ferry from Grand Central Station to the Hudson River boat docks passed through several retail blocks. I was looking for the Tomcat Bakery trucks I had seen previously, but it was a Saturday, so probably not the best day to look for them. What did unfold were yet more images of cats in this truly remarkable city…
Lever House on Park Avenue is an historic landmark in New York — especially distinct for its modern architecture. There are always new and interesting exhibits. The Hello Kitty outdoor sculpture on the grounds is magnificent. Usually there is someone else admiring it, but on this day and at this moment, I had it all to myself.
I collect and wear pins — sometimes for sentiment but other times to show support. My collection of pet pins began with our first pet campaign, “Dogs Need Dental Care, Too!” followed by “Pets Need Dental Care, Too!” Of late, my cat pin collection is growing faster than the collection of dog pins. These inexpensive looking rhinestone Hello Kitty pins caught my eye, but when I inquired about them the shopkeeper said they were only for display.
Swarovski is a brand that celebrates animals with some stunning crystal figurines and occasionally some pins. In August we featured Emily and her friends from the Swarovski House of Cats. We had a great response and I’m looking for another cat to feature. This display is still so elegant in New York’s Grand Central Station shop.
I haven’t seen these Goebel Picasso cats anywhere except in this East 42nd Street window. They looked so bright and cheery against a dull gray day. Update: a reader has let me know that the cats are designed by a renowned “cat artist” Rosina Wachtmeister, http://www.rosina-wachtmeister.de/index_en.html. The designs appear on everything from figurines to cups and saucers and lacquered boxes.
CATS , the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, is gone from the New York Theater scene so New York’s Times Square didn’t feature any cats but there was this simple building poster almost as I reached the ferry port. Next NYC cat image post I hope reveals some REAL cat sightings!
