Heidi Bender

Heidi Bender is a writer and the founder of the Joy of Cats. Heidi has been living with cats since 2003 and loves to talk about cats. Heidi's journey to becoming a cat lady is interesting and she never planned to have many cats.

Along the way she also learned how to do Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for feral outdoor cats. She has helped TNR more than 50 cats, helping neighbors and friends feeding outdoor cats.

She currently has seven indoor cats and two outdoor cats. Heidi also enjoys creating paintings that feature cats. She also writes about thank-you notes on her site, Tons of Thanks.

Calico cat sitting on a desk chair

Watching my old cat slowly decline until her eventual death

February 2, 2022January 15, 2021 by Heidi Bender

My cat Lina, age 17, died last week on January 7, 2021. The experience with Lina’s declining health was much different than when her littermate …

screen shot of part of the annual cat letter

2020 Annual Year-End Cat Letter

December 17, 2021December 17, 2020 by Heidi Bender

For this year’s holiday card, I painted a picture and then uploaded it to RedBubble to have it printed onto cards! The card looked like …

Tabby cat in window laying in a cat window seat

How to Rehome a Cat: Tips and Resources

November 27, 2020 by Heidi Bender

Sometimes, a cat will need to be rehomed. Some people will try to shame you and make you feel awful for having to rehome a …

Rescue Cat Rocko (black and white tabby) sitting on a shelf

Rescue Cat Rocko: From Parking Lot to Cozy Indoor Life to Shelter

November 27, 2020 by Heidi Bender

My sister noticed a cat in a parking lot of an apartment complex for seniors. She sent me a picture. Then she talked to a …

Rescue Cat Rocko (black and white tabby) on a purple cat bed

Stop Cat Rehoming Shame

August 27, 2021November 27, 2020 by Heidi Bender

You’ve probably seen the memes, where the gist is “I will never rehome my cat. Cats are family.” When someone posts in a cat group, …

Dilute tortie cat face close up (1)

Cat People Connect to Help Rehome a Cat

November 6, 2020 by Heidi Bender

It started with receiving a text from an unknown number. Thankfully, the unknown number wasn’t telling me who I should vote for in the presidential …

Hearing an Outdoor Catfight

September 3, 2021October 30, 2020 by Heidi Bender

That sounded like a catfight! Rocko and I both looked up at the small window when we heard the ruckus. We were in the basement. …

Outdoor cat feeding station with food bowls visible

Outdoor Cat Feeding Station (our DIY design + tips)

January 4, 2024October 30, 2020 by Heidi Bender

The feeding station we made for the outdoor cats is intended to give the cats a dry place to eat, not for shelter. They have …

My cat Lina with the Drinkwell 360 fountain in the background.

PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Fountain Review

December 13, 2024October 23, 2020 by Heidi Bender

The PetsSafe Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel water fountain is not my favorite fountain for my cats. The fountain is good, but it is not as …

The Fragile Trust of a Cat

May 6, 2023October 16, 2020 by Heidi Bender

Of course, you want your cat to like you and interact with you. To feel the joy of a head bump from a cat or …