Purr-fect Kitty
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP » Pat DeRose of Holmes says she was caught off guard, yet delightfully surprised, in September by the letter that arrived in her mailbox. Workman Publishing Company wrote to inform the pet owner that the photo of her 9-year-old cat “Lola” that she had sent in, almost a year before, was chosen to be featured on the “365 Cats” 2018 calendar. The popular 365 Cats calendar has sold 9.9 million copies worldwide.
Married for 44 years, Pat and Tony DeRose have been lifelong cat lovers. Images of cats grace their doormat and appear all over their home – ceramic cats, colorful cats, glass cats, cat pillows, cat artwork, cat statues, cat kitchen canisters, cat vases, cat placemats, cat plates, and many other catthemed items. Two years ago, Pat was given one of the 365 Cats calendars, which highlight felines from all over the world, as a gift. Each day of the year features a different photo of a cat in a unique pose or with a special backdrop, along with a caption and the name and hometown of its owner. Inside the 2016 calendar, she happened to see an entry form that cat owners can use to submit a photo of their cat to be a possible featured feline on the next year’s calendar. On a whim, she tore out the form and sent in a photo of Lola. DeRose said that she never received a response and she forgot about it.
The following year, however, DeRose bought another calendar herself, because she enjoyed the first one that was gifted to her. When she came upon the form in January 2017, she again decided to enter a photo of her beloved Lola. This time, she chose a candid photo of Lola up on a step stool in an upstairs bedroom, staring out the window. According to DeRose, Lola climbs the step stool on a regular basis to scope out the squirrels and birds outside. Although the declawed Lola is strictly an indoor cat, she instinctively likes to check out the constant array of wildlife outside.
On Sept. 1, DeRose received a letter from Workman Publishing, congratulating her because Lola was chosen as one of the “purrfect” cats with “unique personality and irresistible charm” to appear on August 25, 2018, in the coming year’s 365 Cats calendar.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” DeRose said. “I was totally shocked and thrilled to find out Lola was selected.”
When the new calendar arrived in the mail, there was Lola on the step stool, under the caption, “I spy,” on the August 25 page. Lola was among photos of cats in the same calendar who hailed from Japan, Morocco, Canada, United Kingdom, California, Iceland, Florida, Romania and other locations around the globe.
Lola is a Maine Coon Cat. The DeRoses bought her from a breeder. She is the second Maine Coon Cat lucky enough to live in the DeRose residence through the years. The Maine Coon cat is one of the most popular cat breeds in the world and the oldest domesticated cat in America. According to online sources, the Maine Coon is a very large cat, of various colors, generally weighing 9-18 pounds. They’re known to be sociable cats. Many call them “gentle giants” because of their docile, friendly nature. Maine Coon cats are said to have “dog-like” characteristics, such as the ability to fetch toys and walk on a leash.
“Lola is definitely a ‘gentle giant,’ who lives up to the name,” DeRose said affectionately about her pet.
As a reward for using her image, DeRose was sent a complimentary 2018 calendar by Workman Publishing, along with the opportunity to buy more calendars at a discounted rate. The couple purchased 16 calendars, which would normally sell for $14.99 each in the U.S. and $19.99 in Canada, at the discounted price of $10 each. The DeRoses are giving them out to family members and friends whom they know are “cat lovers like themselves.”
The best-selling 365 Day calendars can be purchased through Amazon or directly on the company’s website, www.pageaday.com, as well as at malls, bookstores, pet shops, and other retail stores. In addition to its 365 Cats calendar, Workman Publishing Co. sells calendars of 365 birds, 365 dogs, 365 New Words a Year, 365 Bible verses as well as other page-a-day themes.
Asked if she is going to enter Lola in the competition to appear on the 2019 calendar, DeRose responded with a smile, “This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I doubt if I will enter Lola again – although it is thrilling that she was chosen. Lola really is a beautiful cat!”