sigelphoenix | 5 simple happy things

I'm going to highlight my cats today (er, more than I usually highlight them) because they are the greatest simple pleasure in my life, and simple pleasures get overlooked a lot.

1. They spoon. They spoon each other sometimes, as you've already seen. But they also like to spoon with the humans. Sometimes when I'm going to sleep, they'll hop on the bed, nose at the edge of the covers, and make inquiring little trills. I lift the covers, and they burrow in, then settle themselves in as the little spoon. When Drannor spoons, he likes to lie against my chest, with his head about level with mine, whereas Kershach nestles against my stomach (he is the baby of the family, after all). Of course, they only do this when the stars are aligned in that esoteric way that cats require, but I've gotten the pleasure of kitty spooning nearly every day over the last few days. The feeling of a purr vibrating against your heart as you fall asleep is really what pure Happy feels like. (Last night I almost fell asleep with Drannor that way, but he got up because

ratzeo got home, and of course he had to go greet him.)

2. Kershach sighs when he slips from a cat nap into actual deep sleep. It's funny to hear or feel him when he draws in this long breath, because you know it's about to whoosh out at once as he goes solidly unconscious. I don't know if all cats do this, but I found out that Drannor does, last night when we were spooning. ♥

3. They make funny noises. Really, I don't think I've ever met a cat that doesn't make at least some funny noise or other. Trilling, burbling, grumbling, grunting - they can be inquisitive, whining, annoyed, or "hey, look!" calls for attention. Drannor also seems to leak noise - it happens when he's lounging and it isn't that air is being pushed out of him; he just sometimes lets out "urrrm" sounds like he forgot to turn off his voice. XD

4. I said that Kershach is the baby of the family, and he really is. He still gets pouty over the attention we give Drannor, and sometimes he sits in his bed by the window and ignores us like an emo kid. But unlike an actual emo teenager (whom I would probably end up wanting to drop-kick), Kershach is really easy to win over. You just pet him and love him until he grudgingly starts up his purr motor, and then it's *click* *click* *VRRRRRRMMM* as he revels in getting pettins. If he's on the floor, he sometimes flops on the spot to show how happy he is.

5. Like I said, cats are simple, and however intelligent they are, they can't fully understand when I feel sad or upset. But one time I was crying and I went and hugged Kershach while he was lying in the cat tree, and he let me squeeze him and cry in his ear and get his fur soggy, and he didn't squirm away. And then Drannor jumped onto the tree with one of his inquisitive trills, looked at me, and started licking my forehead. ♥

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The cat I had as a kid/teenager did used to do the same thing Drannor did when I was having more than the usual teenage angst. He'd wander in from the other side of the house, hop up on the bed with me, and rub his head against me until I stopped crying.

And people say cats don't care about their people. :P

As for kitty-spooning, Theo's only done that a few times with me, but I adore it. You're right - it really is undiluted happiness.

And people say cats don't care about their people. :P

Oh, I hate that myth! This article is my favorite take-down of the myth, in the context of comparison to dogs (because isn't it always a case of "Cats don't care about humans ... unlike DOGS"?). I love that blog in general, actually.

Now, Kershach isn't the sharpest pencil in the box, by any means, so he doesn't always pick up on what I need ... but I think he gets me about as well as a young, slightly-doofy creature, who doesn't share my language, can get me.

I can only imagine that cats like to spoon as much as we like it, since they purr so hard when we do it; I'm convinced that I just need to figure out what signals they use to convey their desire for cuddly time. Nosing around the edge of the covers is the one I've noticed so far, and I hope to pick up on more so that I can really encourage it.

That's a really nice post you linked to - it really sums up the way I've always felt about cats as preferable to dogs (even though I like both). Dogs are a lot of work - if you don't train them and keep up on them and go through all the crazy behavioural stuff, they develop horrible habits and can be real nightmares. Cats? Meh. A little training is in order - I'm still trying to keep Theoden off counters - but it's not like it is with dogs. It's more like having a friend than having a kid you have to take constant care of, with all the stress and worry of keeping them well-behaved.

When Theo noses the covers like that he wants to snuggle, but he refuses to stay if I try to pull the covers back over us, except for once (the first night I had him - I think he was cold and scared). For the most part he likes to sleep in the crook of my knee.

We're actually having a little trouble right now because Random is much more forward and direct about snuggling - he'll hop up and settle himself right next to my hip or thigh. Then Theo, down by my feet, gives me dirty looks like I'm cheating on him, and gets me back later (or so it seems) by walking right over me to lay on Scott's chest.

I totally agree about a cat being closer to a friend than a kid - I think that plays into why cats can be content to spend time away from you, or hang out with you casually without "doing" anything. Grown-up friendships also involve that kind of alone time, whereas dogs and kids need you to get up and do things with them more often.

Theo's jealousy of Random sounds similar to Kershach's jealousy of Drannor. Drannor will come right up to you when he wants attention, whereas Kershach likes to be noticed and sought out, so Kershach feels overlooked, and seems to take my acknowledgment of Drannor as a rejection of him. :P

Hmm ... I've been thinking about my last comment and I think I ought to revise it. I feel sort of silly for being worried about slighting dogs and/or dog-lovers, but I know I hate it when people disparage cats (in a non-joking manner). And besides, I also count myself as a dog-lover.

I don't mean that dogs - or having dogs, or liking dogs - is childish, and cats are more grown-up. By "grown-up friendships," I really mean *my* style of friendship - I know there are people whose style of friendship does include constant interaction and bopping around engaging in activities and such. So while I agree with you that disciplining/training a dog is similar to disciplining/training a child, I shouldn't extend that to say that a person's relationship with a dog ends up emulating a parent-child relationship, necessarily.

Really, if there's anything childlike about dogs, it would probably be that blind faith that they typically have, where they assume you're worth their affection and give it to you immediately. Whereas cats demand trustworthiness before they'll extend their trust (which resonates more with me).

Okay, I feel better having gotten that off my chest. ;)

5 simple happy things

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