1. I maintain that Chester is an angel in cat's body. He is so sunny and happy and serene that he's a real inspiration. Even though he weighs as much as Otis (14.5 pounds in the winter), he makes no noise when he jumps onto or off the counter. Further proof of his divinity. Otis sounds like a sack of potatoes hitting the floor when he jumps down.
2. Chester is really coming into his own and is sitting on my lap and demanding affection every day. I find it so touching that he's comfortable enough to do this now. Otis seems resigned to the fact that Chester is getting attention too and allows him to do it - he used chase him away before.
3. Chester is a real ambassador to the children. He's always put up with their toddler ways with great patience but now that my daughter is older (3 1/2), he makes a point of sitting on her bed while we read stories and hanging around her. She loves the attention. He's interested in Sam and stays close enough to watch but far enough away so that Sam can't manhandle him. Sam's a little rough at 15 months.
4. I love the nightly ritual with Otis. He jumps up on the bed, walks on Fred's head, walks over to me and taps me with a velvet paw. If I don't respond pretty much immediately, he extends his claws and taps me again. I lift up the covers, he comes under and cuddles with his head on my pillow and his purring body against my chest - sort of heart to heart. I find it so comforting when he does this. He did this to Fred for the first time last weekend when I got up early to go to the gym. You could tell that Fred was so flattered and touched by the experience.
5. I continue to be amazed at how well we communicate even though we're different species. Otis can tap me on the head and sit and stare at me at night and I know he needs me to open the door to the basement so he can go and pee. I know when they want food, outside, attention or to play. They understand so many words as well. I think its a testament to how much time we've invested in them that we're so well connected now.
6. I remain flattered as to how strongly Otis has bonded with me. I am so touched how he follows me everywhere and participates in everything I do around the house, and how he goes into ecstasy when I pet him. He leaps into my lap every time I sit down and does this need thing with his legs. If I'm leaning back in the reclining chair, he'll sit with his back feet in my lap, his nose practically touching mine, and his paws on either side of neck and resting on my shoulders. If I try to get up when we're cuddling in bed, he extends his front leg out across my neck in what appears to be an effort to pin me down.
7. Chester is also a real inspiration in his enjoyment of the moment. Even though he loves to go outside, he won't respond to "do you want to go OUTSIDE?" if we're in the middle of an affection session. He divides his day up into affection, sitting outside, playing, eating and socializing and he fully enjoys each one without rushing to the next. Otis is a bit of a spaz though - leaps from activity to activity with no self control.
8. I am so proud of the boys that they don't even think of scratching the kids when the kids invade their space. They run and get elevation but never ever ONCE have scratched them. I wouldn't blame them if they did but they are such gentle social boys that they likely ever won't.
9. I love the way that Otis stares at me. I think most cats find staring a threatening thing but Otis really seems to like it. He looks me in the eyes and we just sit staring at each other rather hypnotically. It's very intimate and meditative. Chester doesn't do this - seems to find it a dominance thing or something.
10. I never understand why people say that they like d*gs instead of cats, citing a d*g's tendency to be more affectionate. My cats are blatant love bugs who come when they're called and love being involved in everything we do. I just don't get the comment in relation to Otis and Chester.
11. They're cats. They're *beautiful*, graceful, intelligent, athletic, self-possessed soft and furry little purr machines.
12. Chester's wheelies! Every time we see him, Fred and I say "Chester!"
like it's the most exciting thing that's happened to us all day (often
true). He responds by jumping onto his hind legs and doing a wheelie and
rubbing against the nearest chair leg, table leg, piece of furniture. Even
if there's nothing nearby to rub against, he still pops up and does one.
It's so cute to see him falling all over himself in happiness that we're
happy to see him. 
13. Fur glistening in the sun. They're big healthy boys and their fur glistens in the sun so beautifully. Otis looks like satin with his thin silky coat and Chester has all kinds of guard hairs of different lengths that shine like a halo. Hey, here's this divinity thing again :-)
14. Playful personalities. Otis turns 6-years-old on January 19th and Chester will be 6-years-old on July 19th (I picked the approximate dates). Even so, they're not above large bouts of kittenish behaviour - toe hunting in the bed, chasing each other, chasing mice on a string, feathers ...
15. Chester's preference for rubbing cheeks. He loves it when we touch noses and then rub our cheeks together. Fred and I rub faces with Chester four or five times a day. His favourite is to jump up on the vanity if you're sitting on the loo. It's the perfect height. He leans way over to sniff noses and then head butts away.
16. Last but not least, their expressive tails. I love it when they're just walking along minding their business and we call their names. Their tails pop right up into question marks. I'm so bad that I call them just so that I can see them do it.
Copyright © Susan Mawdsley
December 6, 2001
