Since I’m working from home today, I was able to sleep in a bit. When Isabella started trying to wake me, I fed her and then went back to bed. I managed to get an extra hour and a half of sleep. Of course, when I finally did get up, she was more than ready for me to join her. I’m never quite sure whether she doesn’t want me to oversleep or if she just wants me in the living room where she is.
She has always preferred being in the same room as me. That doesn’t necessarily mean I can always see her or even know exactly where she is, but she knows I’m nearby, and for her, that seems to be all that matters.
People often say that cats are aloof, that they do their own thing and care about little else. I’ve never found Isabella to be that way. Unless I get home much earlier than usual, she is almost always at the door when I come in. If I’ve been away, she seems like she can’t get enough of me afterward. She is a very faithful companion, and I feel lucky to have her in my life—though I do sometimes question that at 3 a.m. when she decides she needs to be fed.
In this week’s Isabella pic of the week, the image may not be perfectly focused, but it captures something better—a quiet affection in her eyes as she looks at me.
Joe
The Closet Professor 
March 19th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Twenty years ago, I had a cat named Pete. I came home from work one day, fed Pete, and answered a phone call from a friend and laid down on the sofa. About five minutes later, Pete came over, laid down on my chest facing me with his paws on either side of my neck. He then proceeded to rub his cheek against my cheek. My friend and I were talking about cats and she said, “Oh, I know cats. They’re all aloof.” I looked at Pete in the eyes and said, “Pete, are you being aloof?” It really depends on the cat and the relationship.