Yes, I write science fiction and this blog is dedicated to sci-fi, writing and research, but sometimes Monsters must be included, and today is a good day for it – I have an office and two cats – The two cats are not supposed to be in my office, my office is supposed to be a place of no distraction, yet recently that’s exactly what it has become.
It’s Winter in Australia now, and cats, being smart, know where all the warm spots are. During the day, that warm spot now is in my office, where the heater is. So, in they come. Deeper into Winter, I’ll start lighting the combustion stove in the kitchen, which is right next to my office door, and this particular problem will disappear, but for now, my office is where they want to be.
The old girl, Freyja, is happy to curl up in a washing basket full of clean clothing (another dispute, but not the one I want to talk about today). The young one, though, Houston – as in “Houston, we have a problem” – has decided on my chair.
Let me add emphasis there: ON MY CHAIR.
*
I have another chair for him. It has a pillow on it and a towel and a warm Winter shirt. I even have it near the heater. I put him on it and he stands there, thinking about it, while I pat him and stroke him and settle him in. One step away, though, and he’s off the chair and in two bounds is on mine.
So, I position his chair next to mine and try again.
Nope. He wants none of it. After a few attempts at shifting him, his claws come into play and so do his teeth. He’s a biter, is Houston, and sometimes he goes for blood. He’s telling me very clearly to GO AWAY!
So here I sit, more often than not in the plastic garden chair, while he has the leather high-backed office chair positioned where I first had his chair, near the heater, of course.
Occasionally I’ll try something which will work for a time, or at least until he figures it out and steals my chair once again.
Trick number one was to sit on the garden chair FIRST. If he has in mind to steal the chair I’m sitting in, he’ll go for the garden chair. It’s also warm, so he’ll be happy to stay there.
That worked for a bit until he decided he not only wanted my chair but my position at my desk, as well. So when I moved his chair away, with him settled on it, he’d come back to the chair I then moved to the keyboard.
Trick two worked better and so far is holding. I have the chairs side-by-side, and I let him jump onto my office chair. Then I pick him up, take the seat myself and put him on my lap – a huge no-no when I’m working. Except that I then fuss over him to such an extent that HE decides to move on. Yep, I love him to death or at least until he’s struggling, then I pop him on the OTHER chair, and he settles.
It works! Hey, we’re talking survival here, folks, and this is, after all, MY office… right? …Er, Houston? NOW what’s he doing? What-?
HOUSTON! Get out of my coffee!!!
Cats! Arghhh!
(Dealing with Khekarians is so much easier!)
😀
Allyson
Bloodstone Sci Fi 
LOL! Allyson, welcome to my world! I have two cats, as well. A few years ago we decided to put another chair in our living room for extra seating. Immediately, our gigantic, 23 pound cat, Sophie decided that we bought it for her. Removing her is next to impossible; she digs in. Our only hope is to lure her off with a treat. So, as usual, she ends up getting rewarded for not following the rules! Cats keep us on our toes–literally! 🙂
Yep – they sure have us sorted out! 😀 I love how they move in and take over. I am not the least bit surprised that the ancient Egyptians worshipped them. 😀
Mine are certainly worshipped here! 🙂
As it should be! Of course! 😀 (Ours are, too.)
I’m in Canada (opposite end of the weather and planet) and my cat is constantly stealing the deck chair with the pillow. Her name is Coppernicus and she is a punk. Damn feline!
Hi Angela! Coppernicus – What a wonderful name for a cat, and a punk, too! I love it! 😀 They certainly have a way of getting EXACTLY what they want, no matter how long it takes. They steal our hearts, as well. Cheers. 😀
Awww. What a beautiful boy.
And smart too!
Of course he knows where the best seat is.
🙂
Yeah, the little rat! 😛 (Hey, good to see you.)
My days too often start with trying to get the damned cat of the keyboard & find the mouse (which is usually batted under a bookcase or behind the desk.
I know that feeling. 😀
What an implacable foe! Perhaps modulating the trans-positional wavelength guides to a higher frequency might’ve helped. If that doesn’t work, just set phasers on stun.
LOL. I love it. Yeah, the trans-positional wavelength modulator blew out at the first attempt. I might have to resort to phasers. 😀
Houston’s name is hysterical and it’s well-earned!
Sure is, it fits him like a glove. 😀