The fact is that when you have a cat in the house, some tasks can take a bit longer. One of them is sitting down in my easy chair to watch TV. I know it sounds very specific, but there is a reason: it’s preparation.
As a first-time pet parent, I learned early on that if I am settling down to watch TV, an absolute must is going to the washroom first. Once seated and my lap becomes a makeshift cat bed, Ivy has been known to get so comfortable she dozes off. When Mother Nature decides to kick in for me, I am faced with a dilemma: do I wake the cat to go to the bathroom or hold it in and let her sleep? After a couple of close calls, I learned my lesson: I go to the bathroom before sitting down.
The next lesson came one day when Ivy was napping in my lap, and my phone was in another room, ringing for the third time. For someone who doesn’t get many calls, I can’t tell you how I sweated over whether to wake Ivy or let the phone ring. Fortunately, it was just a persistent spam caller, nothing serious. But to ensure I didn’t feel that anxiety again, I updated my standard operating procedure by making sure the phone was next to me before sitting down.
My preparations for evening relaxation were updated again when Ivy was snoring in my lap as my favourite show was finishing. I reached over to grab the remote and found it just out of reach. I knew well enough that stretching even a fraction of an inch to get the remote would wake her up, so I just decided to keep watching whatever was on, whether I was interested in the show or not. That’s what pet parents do. Now, before I sit down, I make sure the remote is within reach.
On evenings when my favourite shows aren’t on, becoming Ivy’s pillow, bed, and blanket is still a possibility. For that reason, I ensure that I have reading material or my tablet nearby.
When Ivy gets comfortable, she could be there a while, as I found out one night when the weather was so dry, I was ready to cough up cotton balls. Lesson learned: have a glass of water ready before sitting down. Meanwhile, while I’m up, I’ll get a wee snack for later too.
During allergy season, keeping tissues nearby is a must. When my sinuses are acting up, leading to sneezes with gale-force winds and abundant precipitation, not having a tissue by my side is a serious logistical error. That was when a decorative tissue box found its way to my side table.
As a result, the side table can get a little weighed down with this collection of paraphernalia needed for TV time, and for my lap to be available to Miss Ivy for her napping pleasure. But the truth is that having a pet asleep on your lap is one of the best feelings in the world.
To know that they feel so comfortable in your presence that they can put themselves in a completely vulnerable state, knowing that you will be there to protect them, is a feeling beyond compare.
To me, it means I did my job right in creating the right environment and that she feels comfy that Daddy is there for her… even if it takes me ages to prepare for TV time.
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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André
ANDRE BEGIN 
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