10 Things I Love About My Cat

Today is apparently “World Animal Day” I know, I know, it’s a different celebration almost daily now but it’s been a while since I talked about just how much I love my pet cat, Elsa Arya. I think being away from her for almost 2 weeks really made me realise just how big a part of my life she is. And all my family should be thankful she was here because it gave me a reason to come home. We’ve had Elsa a year next month. She’s a pure bred blue point ragdoll and I just really love her. So today I’m sharing 10 things about her that I love, sorry if this isn’t your thing, but Elsa is like my second child and I feel the need to tell you all why.

1. She chooses to eat at the same time we do.
When I put plates down on the table at meal time she instantly goes to her bowl and eats. I haven’t in anyway trained her to do this. She’s an indoor cat so her food is down all the time and she grazes, but maybe in the last 3/4 months I’ve noticed she goes to eat we do, which makes me feel like she’s truly a member of the family.

2. She keeps me company while i’m in the bath.
If I start to run a bath she goes and positions herself in a comfy spot. Usually under the dressing table stool I balance my book or ipad on by the tub. It’s nice to have her there occasionally putting her paw up for some affection.

3. She is down with a lot of affection.
My mum’s cat does not like to be cuddled or kissed. She doesn’t like to be picked up or to sit on your lap. Elsa likes all of these. Heck, I think if I got one of those baby carriers she’d let me put her in it around the house. I come in and scoop her up and she lies happily in my arms as I give hr a cuddle. This can sometimes last up to 10 minutes. She doesn’t mind if I wake in the night and scoop her up again for a cuddle if I have a bad dream.

4. She’s okay with my 3 year old being over affectionate.
You know that scene in Princess and the Frog where Lottie is carrying her cat around the middle? Yeah, Elsa is cool with Little Miss doing that. She never uses her claws even if LM accidentally sits on her tail in an attempt to get close to her. LM loves to kiss her on the head as much as I do and Elsa is even happy sometimes to go into bed with her first thing in the morning. They have a great bond.

5. She sleeps in my bed.
I know this is a preference thing, but I was desperate for a cat to keep me company in bed. I’ve been single for 3 & a half years so aside from LM keeping me company the odd night, I’ve been alone. I have now got to the point where I struggle to sleep without Elsa on my feet. She also lets me wrap her in a blanket on nights that are cold. My favourite is when she chooses to sleep in the crook of my leg. Nights where I can’t sleep I have her to talk to and she really helped with my insomnia. Sometimes she twitches in her sleep and kicks me a little but that’s natural. You shouldn’t worry if you’re wondering why cats twitch in their sleep.

6. She’s great company.
Like I mentioned above, I’ve been single over three years, and by the second I was starting to feel very lonely after LM went to bed at 7pm. I knew how great company my mum found her cat, so I decided that’s what I was going to do. Although at times I miss having someone to talk to, Elsa has stopped me making any rash decisions in dating because I don’t feel truly alone. She follows me around like a little shadow once LM has gone to bed. She doesn’t talk back but I can talk to her, and although deep down I know she doesn’t understand me, sometimes it’s nice to pretend she does.

7. She encourages me to stay in bed.
Not always a good thing.. but in the morning if she thinks i’m going to get up, she comes up my end of the bed and snuggles beside me which stops me wanting to get up. She’s so furry I could stay with her all day.

8. She’s amused at the smallest of things.
You know that thing about kids and boxes? Well it works for cats too. We came back off holiday and I had bought a mug which was wrapped in tissue paper. Elsa has loved that paper for almost a week now. She plays with it, sleeps on it and drags it up and down the stairs. She also loves an empty box, a pile of mail and a carrier bag. Such a cheap little cat to buy for.

9. She brings me gifts.
Elsa is an indoor cat so she isn’t able to bring me anything live. She’s the worst hunter anyway having seen her attempt to catch a fly or spider. So instead she brings me objects from around the house so I get to wake up with them all in bed with me in the morning. Pens, pads of paper, gift bows, sponges from the kitchen or bathroom, cotton buds, toilet roll. She brings them upstairs in her mouth and places them beside me. Heck I haven’t even dated a guy who is that generous!

10. She senses how I’m feeling.
Elsa is great at comforting me when I’m sad. I’ve lost count the amount of times i’ve lay on my bed and cried into her fur. She never flinches. She just lets me then occasionally licks my hand (gross, I know) to let me know she’s there. It makes me feel as good as I would if my mum hugged me. In rough times she’s been right there beside me like she knows how much I need her. She was great at comforting me when I lost my Grandpa and Grandad. I really don’t know what I’d do without her.

When I got Elsa I had no idea how to look after a cat, but she’s actually the most low maintenance pet I’ve ever had. As long as I feed her, giver her fresh water, keep her litter tray clean and brush her, she’s happy. Yeah, I pay insurance for her, and her yearly vaccination isn’t cheap but she’s worth it. She is part of our family now and worth every penny. Please think long and hard before you adopt a pet. They’re a living creature and do need to be cared for and they do cost money for supplies. I’m going to be there for Elsa for her whole life just as she’s there for me.