How A Cat On Your Lap Can Sabotage Your Day

Summary

The article discusses the challenges of productivity when a cat's comforting presence on one's lap leads to procrastination and disruption of daily tasks.

Abstract

The article humorously explores the impact of a cat's purring companionship on an individual's daily productivity. It highlights how the serene contentment induced by a cat can derail intentions to complete essential tasks, such as household chores, writing assignments, and even personal health appointments. The author, who is retired, confesses to succumbing to the "somnolent tyranny" of their cats, leading to mornings spent in a purr-induced trance rather than engaging in more active or creative pursuits. The piece underscores the irony of how something as innocuous as a pet can become a convenient excuse for neglecting responsibilities and the struggle to balance the comfort of pet ownership with the demands of daily life.

Opinions

Cats have a hypnotic effect that can lead to excessive relaxation and procrastination.
The author believes that cats provide a tempting excuse to avoid less pleasant tasks.
Despite the distraction, the author seems to appreciate the humor and irony in their situation.
There is a recognition that the comfort provided by cats can be both a blessing and a curse.
The author acknowledges a fear of succumbing entirely to the sedentary lifestyle encouraged by their cats, as satirized

The hypnotic power of purrs

“You are getting sleepy….” Photo by yeoul Shin on Unsplash

As we know, cats choose us. Having been chosen, it becomes difficult to ignore this precious gift.

Yet, there are many things we need to do as the day progresses: prepare a meal, use the bathroom, write for Illumination, that cannot be done while pinioned to the couch by a sleeping cat.

Of course, by their purring immobility, our cats provide us with many a needed excuse. “Sorry I couldn’t get to your baby gender reveal shower, but the cat…” “I really did mean to pay my bills, but the cat…”

Ditto: the laundry, the dentist appointment, the colonoscopy…well, you get the point!

This problem with cats and time wasting becomes even worse when one is retired. Once, when you were employed, even if you had a dozen cats curled on your lap , you would have managed to get up and go to work, at least most of the time.

However, a retired person like me must struggle hard every single day against the somnolent tyranny of her cats.

As a result, although I vow every morning not to spend so much time sitting on the couch with my cats, I find many mornings pass by much too swiftly, to the accompaniment of feline purrs and gentle snores (yes, both my cats snore although they vehemently deny it).

It seems the only things I can manage to do in my seated position is check my email and Facebook accounts obsessively. Skim news headlines (horrors!) And watch reruns of Columbo.

Of course, I also do a lot of “composing in my head”. Life-changing essays, epic poems, and award-winning screenplays… I know I can get them down on paper, once I gather the courage to push these damn cats off my lap.

There is a very funny cartoon I saw once in the New Yorker that showed a skeleton lying prone on a coach with a contented cat stretched on his lap. I understand and fear this all too well. But I guess there are worse ways to go!