Vogt's Notes: Pets definitely keep us entertained, and comforted

Today I’d like to tackle a rather mindless topic — my cat.

I’ve worked from home several days a week since 2020, and I remain somewhat fascinated by his routines and how they change.

Of course, he sleeps most of the day. Though I often hear him tearing around chasing his toy mouse. I’ve learned not to become alarmed when he yowls — it means he’s hunting.

He used to spend most of his days sleeping on our bed.

Then it was a living room chair with a cozy blanket on it.

Then the couch with a blanket became his go-to spot.

Sometimes it changes to a kitchen chair or the stairs or in a closet he paws at until I crack open the door for him.

Lately though, for the first time, he’s started hanging out with me in my home office (a former bedroom).

There’s a rocking chair with blankets, but he’s never ventured up there, unlike my daughter’s medium sized dog who always manages to fold himself into a tiny ball there when he’s visiting.

My cat just curls up in the middle of the floor.

I thought there must be a cozier and more comfortable alternative, so I finally gave in and bought him a cushy cat bed for $25 at Target.

As family and friends know through photos I shared, he still chose the floor over the plush cat bed.

I tried throwing a blanket over the cat bed, but he still wasn’t at all interested.

One night as I sat working in the living room, I glanced over and saw he was fast asleep on top of a laundry basket filled with clean towels I hadn’t yet folded.

That gave me an idea. The next morning, I put the laundry basket — still filled with the now not-so-clean towels — in my home office.

Sure enough, he slept there all day.

I put the cat bed next to the laundry basket. He still chose the laundry basket.

As I contemplated returning the cat bed to spend that $25 on something more practical, a coworker suggested I put the cat bed in the laundry basket.

Bingo!

My cat loves it.

Of course, this wasn’t a spare laundry basket. So I’m now $27 into the cat bed after buying a new $2 laundry basket. The cat gets the old basket.

We’ll see how long this phase lasts, but I honestly love looking over and seeing him in the same room with me during the day.

This is the cat my daughter brought home after it wandered into the Brainerd Dispatch building as a stray kitten in September 2012.

She happened to be in the building getting something for me when I was talking to my publisher on the phone. She got on the line and asked if she could bring a kitten home. I immediately responded, “No.”

We already had a dog at home at the time, plus two daughters who were constantly running in different directions, as were my husband and I.

Now, 11 years later, I’d never let her take back the cat (who never really got a name).

He’s remained an indoor cat, and at times he acts like a protective dog.

At night, he waits until both my husband and I are in bed before coming in to join us, sleeping at the bottom of our bed.

Countless times, I’ve sent photos of my cat sprawled in the sun or curled up looking cute, relaxed and free of stress with the caption, “I want to be a cat.”

I mean c’mon, some days wouldn’t it be nice if your biggest worry was finding the best spot in your house to sleep for the day?

Anyone with a pet knows they become just like a child. They steal your heart and you love them until you lose them before you are ready to let them go.

Unconditional love is a real and comforting thing.

I’ll leave you with this:

“Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticism.” - George Eliot

Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.