We are the cats of The Literary Catcast Podcast. Our voices lend meows and purrs to episode transitions. You may follow us on two places on Instagram: theliterarycatcastpodcast_cats, or haroldofgod. Harold-of-God is the icon cat in our artwork. He meows on a few episodes. He’s not a big talker.
Meet All The Cats
I’m Harold-of God. I’m a Zen Master. In 2017, I appeared outside my mom’s studio here in Dallas, Texas. I was very tiny, and afraid—the sole survivor of my litter.
I was lured in telepathically by my parents standard poodle, Henry Franklin Hargrove—you can see him in this dedicated blog post. He was dying of a rapid aggressive intestinal lymphoma, but the parents didn’t know this, yet. Henry and I lived together three months. I slept on him. We ate beside each other. He would let me steal bites of his food.
As my mom developed this podcast, she sketched me for the artwork image. Of course, I really don’t wear glasses or shirts, and don’t meow on a lot of episodes, because—well, I don’t talk a lot. I like to think of myself as the contemplative cat of the household. Follow me on Instagram. I have my own page!
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I’m TillySue. I arrived August 19, 2019 as a very pregnant 10-month-old. I was on the street, and fortunate enough to get in the TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) trap of my parents, Phebe and Mac. They took me to their friends at DFW Purebred and Domestic Cat Rescue for evaluation and a bath. Then to the SPCA vet for a check up. My parents were surprised to hear from both groups that this was to be my second litter. I was very young.
I came home to my mom’s studio where there is a designated “Cat Room”—and it is a Cat Room, as there is nothing in it except things for a cat. It has a reinforced lockable screen door, so I can see out, and don’t feel closed in. My Mom’s walk-in podcast studio closet is also there. I chose to have my five kittens in her podcast area, under the mic, on August 30, 2019.
My parents really wanted to understand me, as I was very friendly and nice, pregnant, had a broken tooth, and the story of possibly a previous litter was a curiosity. They worked with a pet communicator from Washington State to telepathically interview me. Her name is Polly Klein, with Tonglen Healing Arts For Animals. Polly came highly recommended. My Mom put our chat in a Bitly link; if you want to hear the interview, TAP HERE.
My kittens could not have had a better opportunity at life, and growing up to be good cat-citizens. One became Archie, and went to live with Anders a kitten brother a few months older. Archie and Anders match in color and are inseparable. You may follow them on Instagram at The Beige Bros.
Two others got to stay together. They became Travis and Annie Kate. Their home is in Mobile, Alabama.
The best story of all is that the last two became Bubu Tu and Greyson. They stayed with my parents, and we all live together with the Zen Master, Harold-of-God. You may follow all of us at our own Instagram page. If you tune in to the episode Love Is a Special Way of Feeling. You can listen to the purring nursing sounds of the kittens. They are 20 days old in this recording.
One of my most favorite things to do is ride in the car. Mom and I go out all the time on errands. Both Harold-of-God and my Mom say that I talk too much, but that’s good—right? That’s why I’m the star voice on the podcast. I’m recorded with a Shure MV88 mic. It’s always in my Mom’s tote bag.
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I’m Bubu Tu. My mom calls me The Bubu Tu. My former name was Pidds, because I could piddle away ten minutes looking at a leaf, or really anything that held my attention.
On Facebook, I was introduced, when I was a tiny baby, with the name, Mustache. You see, I had these little lines that looked like I had a tiny mustache. As I grew, so did the lines, now I look like I drink a lot of chocolate milk.
I’ve been in the back ground of several episodes, but I’m yet to voice a full episode of transitions. Of all the beings in the house, I love my human Mom more than anyone. We have about thirty minutes of quiet time together each morning. She speaks to me in a mix of Japanese-French sounds tapping my nose and saying “Bubu Tu”, now I answer to it. My favorite thing is playing in a blanket fort—and sitting on the morning paper, especially on Sunday’s!
I’m obsessed with spinach. I don’t really eat it; I like one leaf to chew on. As soon as the box of spinach comes in from the market, I know it’s there, and sit on the box till I get a leaf.
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My name is Greyson. I’m the litter mate brother of Bubu Tu. We know how fortunate we are to get to live our lives together, and with our birth Mom, TillySue. It’s like a fairy tale.
As kittens, Bubu Tu and I had separate adoption opportunities. It was time to stop nursing, so our human parents took us to their home where the Zen Master, Harold-of-God lives. No one really knew how Harold would react. He had spent two years as an only cat-child…but he is a Zen Master.
Well, Harold loved us—immediately, and we loved him. Needless to say, we were not sent out for adoption, we stayed. A month later, TillySue came to live. As soon as she came out of her carrier, Harold kissed her on the nose…and we all lived happily ever after!
Bubu Tu and I play all day, watch squirrels, and nap in sun spots. We get updated photos and stories of our brothers, Archie and Travis, and our sister Annie Kate. We are a Foster Story success.
Oh by the way, our parents still foster. They also TNR cats in the neighborhood, and supply food for feral colonies. Cats mean a lot to my Mom. She’s alive because of a cat named Simon. Read about him HERE. And probably because of Simon, we get to live our best life ever!
My parents are creating a Foundation to help cats. Here’s the link to read about it—Murder Mittens Love Cat
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I’m Sweet Bea, but you can call me Bea, or as my family calls me, B.B. I don’t live with those four. I live in the studio, and watch birds at the bird feeder. I was an awesome hunter and survivalist. I stayed outside too long, before finding my family—from that I have Feline FIV (AIDS).
I don’t meow. My voice has been described as a high-pitched-stacato-squeak—whatever that means.
I love my Dad, and hang out with him all the time. Since COVID, he works in the studio, so I get to help him with client calls, and financial analysis.
Oh did I tell you, I’m also Harold-of-God’s mother. I brought him to these people hoping they would take him, then I disappeared for months. My plan was never to live in a house with people, but here I am.
My favorite thing is getting brushed by my Dad. I hang with him all day in his office.
I am featured at the end of episode, Mr. Cat, and The Black Velvet Bow, and the episode, The Galloping Cat. I am B.B., hear me squeak!
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I’m Tewy. Named for the movie Ratatouille. The word, Touille was going to be too difficult to spell at the vet clinic, so my name is spelled, T-E-W-Y. I look a little like the Zen Master, Harold-of-God. I live in the studio with Bea. My nickname is Professor Tewtsbury.
I appeared at the studio community food bowl in Summer 2020. My ear was nipped, meaning I had already been neutered by a kind person. When my parents had me examined by a vet, my microchip read, Stripe Feral. From the listed zip code, they surmised I rode for over 40 miles in a construction worker’s truck. However, I prefer for them to know I was divinely guided to their back door. I’m lucky. They updated the info on my microchip to our home, and I became the 6th cat.
As names go, my parents often give us nicknames. Mine are TewBug, Toots, TewLover, and best of all, as mentioned above, Professor Tewtsbury.
When Louie lived with us, before moving to a new farm home, we spent a lot of time playing and napping together. Our day is spent hiding behind things and jumping out at Bea, or chasing each other through the studio.
Since I decided to come inside and be a house cat, life is much better. Bea and I snuggle most days. Cat naps are better in soft donut beds with buddies.
My favorite activity is sitting at the window watching squirrels and birds.
This was me in my ‘Bake Box’ built by my dad, Mac. It’s a reflective lined container filled with straw, and on non-rainy days—a towel. Dad hooked a brooding light up to keep me warm. This was 2020, and I was scared to come in the house. It wasn’t till Louie Blue Eyes (featured below) lured me in to play, that I became comfortable inside.
This is me now, January 2023—at home. Bea and I no longer live in the studio. We all moved to the Piney Woods of East Texas, and now I live with The Zen Master—Harold-of-God, TillySue, Bubu Tu, Greyson, and Bea all in the same house. Dad has built us all kinds of Catio things, including a 17′ Crape Myrtle tree hung on our Catio wall. I’m sure mom will create a blog post about it.
Okay, okay…I know you want to see the Catio Tree. This is our pal, Steven Penn, who helped make our new home pretty. He’s making sure our tree will support us. A rope and jute climbing wall will be installed in the space from the tree trunk to the door. We are lucky cats!
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I’m Louie Blue Eyes. I arrived to the Cat Room, November 12, 2020 from a very rough feral cat colony in Dallas. I only weighed 4lbs, and was a few months old. I was malnourished, infested with parasites and worms, and had a terrible limp. I was brought to Mac and Phebe by a sweet lady who feeds my colony daily. She recognized my needs, and I was trusting enough to fall into her hand. If you want to help feed my colony, $20.00 buys a 44 pound bag of cat food at Tractor Supply—just email mom through this website.
This is a photo of me working with the mic. Mom had to teach me to “Meow” into it, and not eat it. I admit, there was a learning curve. I’m featured on the episode, The Cat Who Came for Christmas. I arrived close to Christmas, and am almost the color of the cat in the story, Polar Bear. I’m the youngest of all the seven cats. My parents had to add child-locks onto the kitchen cabinets after I got well, and became my silly-kitten-self. Mom told me in all the years, they’ve never had to add child-locks because of a cat. I live in the studio with Bea and Tewy.
This is me with my Dad. I had a home to go to near Tyler, Texas. I was really wanted, but my Dad and I bonded during my healing experience. On his birthday in January, Mom phoned my future adopted Mom and asked if she would release me from adoption, and let me stay. Here I am being presented as my Dad’s birthday gift. What do you give a guy who has everything, including six cats—how about another cat!
As a Fall 2021 update on Louie. As he grew into his adult cat body, and healed he really wanted to be an outside explorer—which is not a good thing in the density of where we live in Dallas. One day he ran out the studio door, falling into the fern garden. Phebe picked him up and brought him back into the studio. A minute after the door was locked, he jumped up to grab and hang from the doorknob while at the same time letting out a long lingering death scream.
It was time to relinquish him to a better life suited to his requirements. Phebe called a friend from high school, now living on a family farm outside of Dallas. She and her husband immediately took Louie to live with their five dogs and three other cats. Two of their cats were rescued by Mac and Phebe, and healed in the Cat Room. Louie became their third cat from Mac and Phebe’s rescue.
Louie now has the best life ever. He sleeps with the other cats in the house, and goes out hunting and frog gigging each morning. He teases the dogs away from their food, then runs to sample what they’re eating. Louie truly scored. It’s important to know when, as a foster, you’ve gotten a sentient being as far as they can go with you…and sometimes it’s best to send them where they can become their best selves. We are proud and happy for LouBug, and receive photos and updates weekly.
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He does good work!