Happiness is...

  A warm friend to sleep on.

Eyes in the office....

Having two gray cats can be a challenge on dark, gray mornings, when sunrise is more then an hour away. This morning, as I was getting ready to leave, I wanted to make sure Mara wasn't in the closet. I was pretty sure, since I'd heard her jump down from the dresser and I'd just seen Nyala in the kitchen. I turned on the laundry room light and looked through the dark house toward the front room. There among the glow of the modem lights were two yellow, disembodied eyes, that moved and blinked, then bobbed as Nyala joined her. Mara found. And as I was closing the pocket door, a second pair of eyes joined the first, hovering by the window.... watching me leave for work...

Do not try this at home....

Every once and a while we catch Mara and Nyala sleeping together...


Usually its on the bed... in the sunshine.


and sometimes by a window.


It often devolves into a wrestling match, if Mara doesn't get up and leave...


But often times, when we've gone out for something, we come home to find them together in a chair. I think Nyala suffers from a little separation anxiety. So she seeks Mara out when we're not here...


Sometimes we find them on a bar stool...


yes, both... on one bar stool...


These days, they've begun to turn it into an art form.


They're so cute together...

Sometimes Mara's is tolerant enough to let Nyala shift positions.


Bast... Why me...?


Other times Nyala simply sits on top of her... Peacefully, at the moment...


In the end, if it lasts, they usually end up side by side...
...facing the same direction...

In the same position
... at the same time....


I call it "Synchronized Napping"...






These cats are professionals, do not try this at home....

Be Careful What You Wish For...

Friends? Well, maybe. We do keep catching them sitting together. Touching even.


Some days, Mara seems annoyed that Nyala is so close. Other days they are sound asleep, side by side.


Next thing you know Nyala's sleeping with her face buried in Mara's belly.

When Mara was young, she always wanted to be close to Tina. Tina never really wanted any part of it. Now the table is turned. Nyala wants to sleep with Mara. Mara, on the other hand isn't always so sure. Usually it starts with Mara sleeping somewhere. Nyala slips in, and snuggles up next to her. There's some grumping and swatting, but with luck, Nyala will settle in for a nap.


All too often it devolves quickly. Nyala was raised without a Mom-cat. She and Brother were left to themselves until they were six weeks old, with only a human-mom-surrogate. There was no one to tell them "don't jump on me (swat)" every time they woke up. So that's what they did. Every minute of every hour they were awake, they were chewing on one another. That's what kittens do. When Nyala came home, that's how she approached Mara, as a giant chew-toy, just like Brother. Mara was none too happy about that.

Things have gotten a little better since then.


Nyala still chews on Mara.


Sometimes she puts up with it for a a few minutes. In the end, Mara usually gets up and leaves. After all, with kittens, there is always some chewing before sleeping. Mara's patience has grown. She even chews back, sometimes.


In the meantime, there are chases around the house. Sometimes it's Nyala doing the chasing... and sometimes, with tail high and ears forward, it's Mara. I think she likes having someone to play with who is her own size. What's more, when the chasing is done, Mara has someone to nap with, if Nyala would only stop chewing on her.


So you get your wish, Mara. Sadly, you are the big cat now, and someone wants to sleep with you.


Maybe, one day, she might even learn some manners. And that wouldn't be all that bad... would it?