Every night, the same thing. We head to bed and hear the padding of 4 small feline feet up the stairs. Into the bathroom for a final slurp of the upstairs water bowl – and then – the stalking of Scotty commences. (For those of a nervous disposition, do not read on. Yes, I am in my pyjamas and no, I clearly do not look good).
Even when I'm not yet in bed – little Miss Mojo is poised, on my bedside cabinet – awaiting my arrival. I can pretty much hear 'hurry up Mummy' in the air..
And then we go through the same routine eeeeeevery night. Stage 1 – half an hour of chest kneading…
And then a stage of getting juuuuuust that little bit closer – nuzzling in for a bit of under chin action or to bury her face in my pillow – usually involving me being unable to hold or read my iPad properly, as the furry beast's requirements obviously come first.
Followed – finally – with me having asked her several times by this point – by Mojo settling down. Usually so close that her fur is by now actually in my mouth and I am instantly too hot, given the fur ball around my neck. Cue throwing back of the lower covers and sticking out of one leg, because of course I am way to soft to disturb the sleeping cat pussy princess.
And then when I settle down to sleep, she takes off for a few minutes. Often back to the side cabinet where she watches me until she thinks I have stopped being annoyingly a moving thing, and am still.
At which point she clambers onto the top of my head, forcing me further down the pillow until she has max space and is fully comfortable. I then spend the next 8 hours trying not to wake her up, staying as still as possible and getting much less sleep than I need.
Move the cat? Not let her into the bedroom? Make her sleep at the foot fo the bed?
Not on your nelly. Vast faff though it is every night, and I bear a patchwork of little shoulder scratches as witness, it's still a privilege when a cat chooses you as her favourite place to sleep, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Night night Miss Mojie Bobbins x