In memory of Athos, I wanted to share three things I absolutely loved about this precious cat – and would love it if you did the same!
Since I’ve gotten to the point where I can look back and really treasure the moments of happiness he brought into my life, and not just feel the pain of having lost him, I’d like to look at the silver lining – and really stew in the amazingness of the richness these precious creatures bring to our lives, and hearing your stories always brings a smile to my face.
If you can’t limit your list to only 3 – no problem, just keep going! I would absolutely love reading about as many as you have 🙂
Here are three things I absolutely loved about Athos, and sorely miss now.
Three Things I Love About Athos
1. How he was always following me around.
My cats are all shadows – they follow me around the house, usually wherever I go. From one room to the next, if I’m in a room long enough, often they’ll magically appear within moments. Sometimes it takes a little longer if they’re having a nap.
But with Athos, it was always. Constant. And he’d almost always want to be in my lap.
Yes, my other three are also mega-lap cats, but he’d always be first, and the other two would trickle in later.
No matter where I’d be sitting – if I was sitting, he’d want my lap. On the couch? He’d yell. I’d pick him up and place him in my lap. At the dining room table? Lap. Office chair? Little yell. I’d pick him up, he’d sit like a potato in my lap.
If I wasn’t seated – doing chores around the house, he’d still follow me around. Usually the other cats – especially Bjorn, who often followed him, would trickle in after. But Athos? Always there.
Avery used to follow me in the bathroom when he was younger, but since our house is decked out with so many warm and cuddly spots for him to sleep in, and he loves snoozing so much, he stopped doing this as it cut into his nap time. But Athos used to do this. Always sitting on the bath mat.
And if he knew I’d probably be somewhere, like in bed right after their nightly feedings, he’d often be there before me, waiting for the company, waiting for the cuddles.
Athos would ever so infrequently get distracted by these naps and on the rare occasion he wasn’t following me it was 99% of the time because he was…
2. Snoozing in ridiculous positions, often in the sun.
Athos loved a good sun snooze. So much. Sure, my other cats like to sit in the sun. This cat would take it to another level, practically sunbathing.
It would always put a smile on my face to see him, but I’d get a grin that would knock my brain off whatever it was thinking of for ages whenever he’d be sleeping in the sun in one of his ridiculous sleeping positions.
So unfathomably cute. I could not get enough. And even when he wasn’t sleeping in the sun, he’d somehow manage to find the cutest places for naps.. gosh what an adorkable little fella.
3. How he treated and loved other cats, and made other cats love him so much.
I’ve said this before on my blog, but my first cat, Avery, was not a fan of other cats. I don’t blame him. He was a single, only-child cat for so many years before we brought our second cat, Bjorn, into the fold.
And when our house was full of cats, he was definitely stressed. Not to the point where things got rough, but I’d have to be careful they were separated for a long while, and even when he was okay with other cats, they still got on his nerves. You could tell he was putting up with them – okay with them at best.
Until we adopted out Aramis, then Cleo, Avery didn’t have much of a relationship with cats. Then when the two girls were gone, and Athos, Bjorn, and Avery were the only ones left, slowly Athos started worming his way into Avery’s heart. He even got him to play! Taught him how to play with another cat, taught him how to play with me (something Avery is notoriously bad at!).
Avery would always have a sort of “annoying younger brother” feeling toward Bjorn. He’d bat him away when he tried to sit next to him.
But Athos?
Yeah Athos would just walk right up to him, plomp himself right next to Avery, and have a snooze, and Avery was cool with it.
Actually even liked it. What a cat. What a cat.
How he did it, I’ll never know. But I’m ever so grateful I got to see this side of Avery. Not just putting up with, but actually liking another cat. Even if it never happens again – it happened and it was awesome. What an incredible feline to be able to make a fickle cat like Avery fall in love with him.
Your Turn: 3 Things You Love About Your Cat!
I can’t wait to hear your stories and what you feel are 3 (at least!) things you absolutely love about your cat.
They sure do bring a smile to my face when I read them!
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