The Human Jungle Gym

My cat Smudge has been in rare form today. Ever second he has been awake he has spent meowing at me, begging for attention. First he had to rub his face all over my hands, getting cat snot all over them in the process. Then he had to be laying in my lap, forcing me from the computer desk into the living room so I could sit with him. It takes him a while to get comfortable, so he had to move from my belly to my lap to my outstretched legs and back again several times before he was satisfied. He then settled down for a nap.

Enter my other cat Pumpkin, aka the Troublemaker. He decided he needed cuddling too, so he comes up to be petted on and I pet on him. Then he decides he wants to lay between my legs where Smudge is so he moves down and cuddles up next to him. Sometimes, some very rare times, they will lay there together. Most of the time though Pumpkin starts cleaning Smudge, which then escalates to biting Smudge, then the two of them end up "playing" for a few minutes. This is what happened today.

After "playing" Pumpkin runs off, mission accomplished, and Smudge is back to meowing at me and wanting attention. However the recent bout of playing apparently upset his tummy and he paused to barf a little liquid on the carpet. After that, he meowed a little more, then settled on his pad in front of the window for a little sun. Cue the Troublemaker, who is sauntering back into the living room as I type this.

Is it any wonder that I have trouble focusing on anything at home? The only quiet time I get is when they are both asleep, however if I let Pumpkin sleep during the day he will keep us up all night. Smudge will sleep 18 hours a day. Pumpkin only seems to need 4. The other 20 hours he spends finding new ways to make noise and bother his parents.

I suppose all this searching for meaning in my life is pointless. I have a job already, and it is to be jungle gym for my cats to play with. I exist to amuse them and they don't let me forget it.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go get Pumpkin and keep him from opening the hall closet and laying on all of our clean towels.