Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Familiarity Breeds Comfort

You may recall a very recent post I published in which my cat Josie stubbornly refused to acknowledge the removal of the heated cat-beds from their places in our old house prior to our move. She enjoys lying curled up in those soft, constricted spaces, though how she twists her bulk to fit, I don’t know.

For the first couple of days in the new apartment, the cat-beds were still in their boxes. There was disorder, objects were in the way and I wasn’t sure of where I was going to place anything. The cats at first had to make do with human furniture. Then, at least, the cat-trees were put up, so that the beasts could view their surroundings.


Then, the cat-beds appeared. As soon as I put one on the floor by the base of the tallest cat-tree, in which Josie was reposing, my Chubs made her way down to determine if these were still the same beloved beds from the house. She tested one, and found it an old friend.


It was a little out of the way, however, and Josie would be unseen. So she tried the other one. Gone were the boxes which provided their foundations. Not only was the floor no longer sometimes-chilly wood or linoleum, but a layer of carpeting provided soft insulation. This was just right.


I think the relatively quick application of familiarity helped create a smooth transition from the former environment. First, there was the novelty of the surroundings, some excitement over the new smells, and the new prospects from the windows. But then couches and chairs, books and cabinets were found that provided well-known scents and sights. The shape and number of the rooms may have changed, the sounds were different and the air was definitely filled with new fragrances, but this was clearly home. And in this I was fortunate, because my Chubs’s patience with disruption doesn’t last for long.

14 comments:

  1. awww - sounds like she finds the new place up to her standards :)

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  2. We all prefer our own beds, don't we? :-)

    We're glad Josie has settled in just fine!

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  3. it is amazing how much 'stuff' can calm a cat. Glad they are doing so well

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  4. So glad Josie has settled in so well. On one of our many moves (military) we had to stay in a hotel for 10 days until the closing date of our new home. I brought along an old blanket that our cat Linus loved to sleep on. It didn't take him long to find it and there he slept for the ten days. At least something was familiar!

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  5. You really seem to have done a great job with them all. Josie looks rather calm and content. I am sure she is thrilled to have the extra cushioning with her bed. The wee ones here love it when I bring out the extra blankets and layer things up for their snuggling pleasure.

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  6. my stars Josie; a scepter and a tiara and you're all set....

    { though maybe you shouldn't let Cammie know this huh }

    you do indeed look regal on your perch ...

    hugs girl from dai$y =^..*= ♥♥♥

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  7. Home is not home without one's favourite beds! It is nice to see Josie and everyone all settled into the new home.

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  8. I'll keep this in mind if I choose to move in a couple of years since Truffle and Brulee have only really known this house.

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  9. Nice, hooray for comfy beds and cozy spots.

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  10. A little bit of home seems to have gone a long way in keeping an even keel during times of disruption.
    That is a lovely big window by your cat tree. Watching the comings and goings around your building should certainly be entertaining. Josie looks very content. And, you know, when our cats are content we are content.

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    1. It delights me to see my cats snoozing away, warm, secure and comfotable - and not worrying about a thing.

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  11. I am glad that Josie found that everything was to her satisfaction!

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