Kitty Bliss...

Sometimes the world gets a bit much for me. Sometimes I feel it is too big and too fast and too careless and I have to retreat. If I can, I like to spend an afternoon alone in our house with my cats. It is peaceful and gentle and cats with pink noses and delicate paws are therapeutic. With my cats there is no sadness, there is no inequity, there is no prejudice or crime, or anger there is only quiet and calm and sanctuary. I could sit for hours and watch my cats play or bathe or just sleep; there is such grace in their movements. Perhaps it is a kind of meditation to watch cats. Can it be that different from studying any art form or thing of beauty? Curled in a ball or stretched long in the sun they are silken perfection as far as I am concerned. They bring harmony and balance back into my life, they restore me when I am weary, they give me perspective and help me to remember what is truly important. All this I am given by these amazing creatures who ask for nothing in return.

Sunshine Boys

A favourite place of mine in the house is the “cat room” which is actually one of our spare bedrooms. It has a comfy double bed pushed up against a tall window that overlooks the back garden. In the afternoon, the sun beats onto the bed and the room becomes about ten degrees hotter than the rest of the house. I can always find a cat or two or all three in there, hence the name. I often like to decompress in that room after work; lying on the bed and letting the kitty love surround me. We are languid cats together in the warm sunlight, and the world seems a thousand glorious miles away. When Robert gets home from the office we will go to the gym, cook dinner and then our evening will be consumed with all the things that makes one wonder where the time went. But until then its cozy cat company, revitalizing rays and pure bliss...

A Cat Welcome

Every day when I arrive home from work, the same scenario plays out. I come in through the sunroom at the back of the house because our driveway is off a lane way at the bottom of our garden. I must be careful when unlocking the door; Ben will be waiting on the other side. It is necessary to push the door open very gently because he is usually standing on his hind legs, straddling the door and the wall with a paw on each. When I crack the door, his pink nose pokes through the space and he peers up at me. He will stand like that for a few seconds, verifying that it is actually his mum, then I'll give the door a nudge and he will back away and go down on all fours. Next, he'll move on to the small rug that is in front of the door to the kitchen and flop on his side, then stretching, purring and air-kneading will ensue. I'll set my bag on the chair, take off my shoes and bend down or sit on the floor for some Ben/Mum bonding. I scratch under his chin and he rolls onto his back for tummy rubs. The sun streams through the windows and his ebony fur warms and glistens. He blinks and smiles while I tell him how beautiful he is and how much his Mummy loves him. It is one of the finest moments of my day, I hope Ben's too.