Cozy Cuddlebug

Pearl 2023

This post was originally published October 12, 2023.

Fall is not my favorite season. Even with the changing colors and delicious smells of pumpkin treats. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate it more though. The early morning frosts signal a time when I can turn up the heat, make myself a warm cup of hot chocolate, drag my blanket off my bed and out to my couch. The deep, instinctual need to hibernate as a large mammalian creature sets in, and those simple moments in which I can are more easily accepted as the cold weather rolls in.

I’m not the only one looking to cozy up this time of year. My cat Pearl has taken to sleeping on my bed again at night, no doubt trying to sap my body heat. I’ve been sleeping terribly because of it, but I won’t shoo her away. What can I say? She’s cute, and I feel honored that she wants to cuddle with me.

The Siamese in her has always made her cuddly, which is good because I wanted a loving cat to help me get through the lonely COVID years. She climbs on me when I’m working, doing my physical therapy exercises, and eating. It’s said that cats see people as really big cats, and I wonder about that sometimes. I lay on the floor next to her and wonder what it must feel like to a small cat. The ceilings are so much higher, and the clothing hanging in my closet looks so different from a bottom-up view. But even my small apartment, being much bigger to her, must get familiar and boring over time.

Maybe I should feel honored that she wants to spend her time cuddling with me, instead of burrowing into one of the many nooks and crannies. Or maybe she really does like me, as she bangs her paws against the bedroom door anytime I close it. Regardless, she’s made the fall season more enjoyable for me. I look forward to curling up with a furry, purring kitty, and it’s no wonder I wasn’t as happy before her.