So Proud of Our Garrusy Cat!

We were able to trim Garrus’ nails ourselves today with a towel over his face, a stress reducer to calm him, and patience! (He normally gets his nails trimmed at the vet’s office.) The stress reducer also made him more chilled out and affectionate (!) so he forgave us quickly and repeatedly asked for visits from both of us. He even started talking outside my office door when I was trying to do schoolwork, at which point I took a break and he came in for a desk visit. We were able to pick him up and have lap time with him – and he even purred in my lap! Such huge progress for our Gentleman Cat!

I may have RBF but I am secretly purring.

Office Supurrvisors (in Training)

As you may remember, Boudicca was my designated Office Supurrvisor, as she hung out in her bed-box or sprawled on the window seat to sunbathe. That way she could be near me, close enough to receive scritches, but not be in the way.

“Being an Office Supurrvisor is not for novices.”

“I’ll lay here in case you feel like petting me. No pressure though.”

The boys haven’t quite figured out the duties of being an upstanding Office Supurrvisor yet. Garrus and Charlie, especially, have been rather persistent and increasing their frequency of desk visits, and Charlie likes to bunt my hands and paw at the cursor.

“Hi Mom! We think you should take a study break and feed us dinner at 3 PM!”

“Pardon? Were you doing schoolwork? What do you mean we’re in the way?”

The boys recognize the tone of my voice and gestures, so if I ask them to get down, they do. Thankfully, they don’t knock items off my desk either, but they have smacked me in the face with their tails a couple of times! Silly cats!

Desk Buddies

Aaron recently bought me larger monitors for my computer – highly useful for grad school – but the cats apparently think my desk is even more irresistible. Now all three regularly stop by for desk visits.

Garrus can be very persuasive when asking for desk visits. Thank goodness he is a Gentleman Cat.

Mau rarely visited my office before but recently that changed. Once he saw Garrus up there, he made himself at home!

Mau decided to ponder cat things while up on my desk.

Charlie did get up on my desk but after chasing the cursor on my screen, I asked him to get down. He gave me this face afterward.

Charlie likes to trot into my office and ask for pets around 4 or 4:30 in the afternoon. He flirts like this on the window seat to get my attention.

Desk Visits

Garrus has always been reserved but he has been slowly becoming more affectionate. Being on Zylkene has noticeably helped him be more relaxed, faff about less and actually eat at meal times, and regularly ask for pets. He’s not accustomed to being picked up or held much, though, so we will continue to work on that.

Lately, Garrus started jumping onto Aaron’s Mac desk in his office and recently started to do the same on my desk more often as well. At first, he was more interested in sniffing the monitors and investigating everything on the desk. When he turned his attention to either Aaron or me, he seemed like he didn’t know what to do. (Charlie and Mau, by contrast, know exactly how to ask for pets and can be most persuasive about it.) We talk to him and offer him scritches, and if he is in the way (e.g. standing in front of the monitor we are working on), we can ask him to move and he does. He doesn’t knock items off the desk either.

“Excuse me, I would like attention please.”

“Pardon me, madam. Would you please take a break from reading your library book to give me scritches? I would most appreciate it.” After giving me this look, he softly bunted my chin and he received a smooch on his head in return. [please excuse the messy desk]

Often, when Garrus comes over for desk visits, Charlie trots into my office squeaking and flops onto the window seat for his own visit. Then I have to ensure both kitties get enough attention! It’s a demanding job to be sure.

Look at this purr monster!

I believe that Charlie is a happy little boy. I mean, look at that face!

Do your cats demand desk visits? Do they demand visits in other locales in your home? Do they get obnoxious about it or are they polite? Please share in the comments!

Needy Cats

This morning Charlie woke up and came onto the bed for a visit before we got up. (It was quite snuggly under the covers so we didn’t want to leave.) He was very insistent about receiving sufficient affection and both squeaked and purred up a storm about it. Garrus came onto the bed as well but he had not yet decided whether or not he wanted rubs once he got there. Boudicca arrived late to the game but was more interested in receiving morsels from Aaron than anything else. I think the cats were cold this morning, and that is the factor that underlies their neediness this morning.

Charlie discovered my desk today! Three times he sat on the window seat near the corner of my desk, tentatively put his paws on the edge, and then invited himself onto the desk so he could investigate everything. I’ve been able to pick him up from the desk once when he blocked my view of my dual monitors. I held him against my chest in a snuggle and he purred very loudly about it!

Charlie: Hi Mama. Whatcha doin’? *squeaks*

Me: I’m working at my computer. I will give you rubs, though.

Charlie: What’s up there? I must see for myself! *jumps onto desk, sniffing everything, blocking my screens*

Me: Ahem. Charlie, this is not conducive to working. I need to be able to type and see my screens.

Charlie: What’s work? Besides, I’m cute and more important. Love me?

Me: Oh, alright. *picks him up and holds him*

Charlie: I can get on board with this snuggling thing. *PURR PURR PURR*

Garrus: Excuse me. I am looking for warms. May I sunbathe here?

Me: Absolutely. *gives rubs*

Garrus: *gives mournful look* I’m cold. Please fix it. *finds a stretch of sun and turns into loaf cat* I will contemplate the universe from this location. This spot of warm is acceptable.

Boudicca: This is why I LOVE my bed. Sunlight hits it just right in the morning so I don’t have to get up! And I have my pink blanket. The blanket makes my bed in a box even better. Y’all are jealous of my awesome box-bed.