It’s cold here, and the cats all want to cuddle.
Unfortunately, that means cuddling with me.
I have sciatica and arthritis in my hips and knees. When I lie down for the night I spend a bit of time tossing and turning until I get comfortable. I also have to fight cats to be able to move.
Bubba Cat wants to lie on top of me. Graybie Baby wants to burrow between my legs. Little Girl wants to sleep beside me. And June Buggie? He likes to curl up beside my shoulder and claw the hell out of my neck.
And while people on social media make fun of us for this, you, my cat-loving friends, will understand: I feel guilty forcing my comfy kitties to move so I can sleep!
Poor Bubba is old and not doing well; lying atop me makes him feel safe and warm. June Buggie also has health issues, that, though manageable, lead him to seek comfort from me. Little Girl wants a spot where the boys will leave her alone while she rests. And Graybie Baby wants to sleep beside his mama, and I am his mama because I bottle-fed him from his 2nd day on the planet when I found him and his siblings abandoned.
Crazy cat lady? Piss off! Try compassionate human being, something this world would do well to develop more of.
Dogs love us unconditionally. Cats? No way! So when a cat does love us, they teach us to think of something and someone besides ourselves.
Dogs may get all the money spent on them, but cats are out there really doing the work of the Universe. And if they have to keep us up at night to do so, well, so be it.
Did you know one of Jen’s blog posts was featured on IAm Magazine? Sure was! You can click here to read it.
Many of my fellow bloggers know Sammy at One Spoiled Cat. He has made the journey to the next realm as well. Such sadness this week. Please stop by and offer condolences if you haven’t already done so.
Friends of Easy Weimaraner may not know his insurance covered none of the costs associated with his emergency vet care. If you can help them cover those costs, go to Mollie and Alfie’s blog for instructions on how you can make a PayPal donation.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
Out of three cats only one sleeps with me and she prefers my feet (go figure!). Once in a while I’ll find another on the bed but not snuggling. They definitely don’t snuggle with each other either although they get along. You are lucky.
Maybe, I am. Nothing soothes me like a purring cat after a long day.
Great post! I’ve been a cat person for years. I learned the nuance of patience by taking care of my friend’s emotionally intense cat. In time, that cat grew to trust me. There are parallels in that rapport that can be extended to interactions with people.
Perhaps you could give some tips then on the aptly-named Hissy Fit Jones. 🐱
LOL, I will! I’ll need to read that entry, to comment. 🙂
I so agree great post!
Thanks! A cat has much to teach us if only we would listen. Thank goodness some of us do.
I think animals are better than humans!!
In most ways, yes. If only I could speak cat all would be perfect.
Yes it would!
i can totally identify!
Cats 🐱 are the unsung heroes of this realm- much like women.
There is an old saying, “If you put a cat and a bunch of broken bones in the same room, the bones will heal.” I think it works for arthritis and other ailments as well. It has something to do the the purring frequency. So they may be a bit of a pain but there is some benefit to putting up with them, besides the good feeling you get. 🙂
That’s for sure. I have heard that as well. I also use yoga to help keep myself limber, and the cats support this by lying on my yoga mat and otherwise entertaining me while I grunt and stretch.
I need to do something like yoga.
When one of my cats sleeps with her pigs she always sleeps in the exact same place in their pen every night. It is so sweet. c
How precious! I’ll bet they are great company for each other also.
I believe the healing works both ways. I struggle with sleep also. And I only hav one fur-baby. I think the crazy-cat lady term is a sentiment. I don’t consider it a bad thing but a badge of honour. Because I’m worthy of their unconditional love.
We can agree to disagree. I feel if it is cruel to call a mentally ill person crazy, it’s not sentimental to refer to me in that way.
But just think how cold it would be if the furbabies weren’t there to keep you warm.
Think how much happier I would be if I had a good night’s sleep! 🙂
Between the asthma, arthritis and unhealed post-heart-surgery sternum … not to mention wanting at least ONE place in the house without a ton of pet hair … the dogs have a sofa, beds, and a love seat. They know it’s theirs because if we stay up too late, they start to bark at us to go to bed already. Plus, Scotties are short legged long backed dogs. If they fell off our rather high bed, they could get hurt. A friend of ours Norwich pup fell off the bed and ripped a couple of tendons. She never let the dogs up on the beds again. Too high for little dogs. But NOT too high for a healthy cat. They are amazing jumpers.
When Rumpy wants to jump on the bed the cats all take up as much space as they possibly can to prevent him from doing so. Then they laugh.
We totally identify with this post, Jen. We always wake up with aches and pains associated with contorting our bodies to accommodate the cats. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. 🙂
Between Rumpy and the cats, it’s a wonder I can still walk upright at all! LOL
Having similar health issues I know about trying to get comfortable.
I also remember Mingflower who stretched out along my legs whether I was lying on my back or belly. And I would never move her off.
Nylablue would curl up beside my head on her pillow or in the crook of my knees. I never moved…..
Siddhartha Henry has never slept close to me in the 23 months I’ve had him. He sleeps on NB’s pillow or on his blanket on my bed. A month ago he climbed onto my legs & now every night he lies on them for at least 15 minutes…and of course I never move….
And I am so-o happy he WANTS to lie on me!!!! Even if it hurts! 😉
(((hugs))) Sherri-Ellen
Siddhartha Henry is coming ’round I see. Now if only he could come ’round to lying beside you instead of on top of you!
Sooo cute! I love cats!