Life with Junipurr
It’s a Junipurr queendom — we’re just living in it!
Hi friends!
Thank you for your kind comments on Junipurr’s Adoption Story! Reading them gave Juni and me all the warm fuzzies :) As promised, this week we’ll give you an insider peek into life in our household. So, come on into the virtual living room & pour yourself a cup of somethin’ good!
The Daily Applications of Geometry
Junipurr is a bossy lovebug. When she moved in, she quickly took out a protractor and drew a circle with a two feet radius. “The two of us, Mama,” she instructed, “stay within this circle of each other.” Juni likes to be close to me, whether I am sitting at the dining table, lounging on the sofa, or, gambling with my life in the bermuda triangle, which is known elsewhere as the restroom. If the latter, Juni will sit on my feet to anchor me, lest I fall into that Portal to Who Knows Where. As she’s gotten older, the radius has expanded a little (heartbreak!), but she still likes to be in the same room. If FP and I are in different rooms, she will place herself precisely in the center so as to keep an eye on each parent. The child is a geometry genius, I tell ya!
Cat Mom Guilt
Before Covid, I traveled 30% of the year for work, and I got to know that particularly noxious strand of guilt known as Mom Guilt real well. Despite her “Too Cool For Your Lap” and “Do NOT Kiss Me Woman I Will Cut You” charade, Junipurr would closely monitor my travel calendar, and that babyface would register recognition, then anxiety, whenever she saw me bring out the suitcase. The number of times she’d tuck herself into my suitcase and pretend to be an extra fluffy sweater is more than I can count. This year, I’ve been working from home, and she’s become my trusty work-life balance enforcer. Here she is, giving me the eye at quitting time:
Favorite Rituals
Junipurr’s favorite daytime activity, I kid you not, is having me hold her in my arms and giving her a grand tour of her queedom/apartment. If she’s in the mood for speed, a tour via the royal carriage (i.e. cat stroller) is also acceptable. She signals where she’d like to go by pointing with her little nose. If the driver discerns her royal highness’ intent quickly, a purr or two might be granted.
At night, Juni becomes a crazed baker and kneads on her deliciously soft microfleece blanket to make enough biscuits for the whole town. Her record of non-stop kneading is 11 min 27 seconds. Those two front paws are deft as the hands of a Napoli pizza chef, and her back legs like to tap rhythmically. All prodigious bakers know that good biscuits start with a beat ;)
Junipurr's Spirit Human
As you may know, we love ruminating about Spirit Animals. What you may not know is that we keep it fair and balanced by also playing “Who is Your Spirit Human?” Junipurr is such a multi-faceted character that no single human can reflect her range. She has the regal vibes of Beyoncé, the philosophical depth of Nietzsche (“I stare into the abyss … and the abyss cowers”), and a dash of the same energy as the founder of the Anti Social Social Club.
Mel’s Cat Parenting Superpower
I wish I had a badass cat parenting superpower, but alas, I think mine is ignorance. Specifically, the awareness of my ignorance (or, at least, some of it). Because I am a first time cat parent, I am constantly asking and researching questions like “What is the optimal nutrition plan for cats?” and “What are the signs of a properly enriched cat mind?”, then trying out different experiments that, more often than not, result in comedy for FP and scratches for me. Case in point: Stroller training. (Sure, she’ll sit on top of the stroller for a tour of her estate, but invite her into the stroller for an outdoor excursion? Treason!)
Family Anthem
The first time I took Junipurr to the vet, she was high pitch meowing up a storm … until I turned on the radio and Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” came flowing out of the speakers like a river of blessings. At the sound of the queen’s voice, Junipurr literally stopped meowing, folded her arms like a cat pretzel, and conducted her ears towards the stereo. Her immediate recognition of beauty fills this mama’s heart with pride. Naturally, “Respect” has a special spot in our heart.
There you have it, friends! Got any questions for Junipurr, me, or Favorite Parent (FP)? Let us know in the comments below!
And now, your turn: What is daily life with your furbaby like? I’d love to know!
p.s. You may like Life with a Three Year Old Cat
