"This is the first time I've seen Phoebe chew on a book," says Laurie Viera Rigler. "Usually her tastes run to a pair of Crocs that belong to my husband. She doesn't do any damage to the shoes (nor to the book); I think she simply delights in being able to chew on things. When we adopted her from the Humane Society a few years ago, she had been a stray and was so sick from a parasite that had rotted her teeth that she couldn't even groom herself, let alone chew books. After eight teeth extractions and a good deal of antibiotics, she's the healthiest, happiest kitty you can imagine. And the most affectionate. Wherever we are in the house is where she wants to be."

Rigler adds that Phoebe Georgiana (named after Pride and Prejudice's Georgiana Darcy) loves to rest under the built-in bookcase next to her writing desk, using a power strip as a pillow. "Every so often, she awakens from her nap and demands that I stop feeling so self-important about my work and my deadlines and focus on what's really important, like rubbing her tummy and giving her kisses."