I want to share a special memory (one of many special memories) from my time with Zoloft. It’s a bit silly, but it also demonstrates ways to work with your cat rather than against them along with a creative way to add cat furniture to your home.
Mostly, though, I miss him a lot and want to share one of the things that made him special. Let’s talk about The Chair.
A COVID Discovery
Like many people, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, I transitioned to working from home. I had never expected to work from home so, while I purchased a small desk two years early, I mostly picked it out because my apartment was small and I needed to minimize its footprint.
I also had a teal office chair I selected to go with it. I wanted something fabric and that wasn’t too large, but didn’t think I’d use it a ton. Honestly, up until that point, it mostly just housed laundry.
I cleared off the chair and my desk to attempt to work from it, but quickly realized I needed more space to spread out. The chair quickly found itself holding laundry again and remained tasked with this sacred duty until I moved a few months later.
The Chair Can Be A Chair
When Zoloft and I moved into our new place, we had much more space, bright windows, and more places for me to set my clean laundry. The tiny desk found its way into the corner of my living room and, because I was hoping it would allow me to actually use it as a desk, the accompanying chair did too.
I quickly realized my desk still wouldn’t do while I worked from home and ordered a bigger one. In the meantime, I only used the office chair on occasion, but I noticed that somebody else take an affinity to it.
At first, it was just a cute quirk. While I waited for the new, larger desk I realized I needed to come, it was fine if Zoloft wanted to lounge on the chair. And man, did he ever want to lounge on that chair! If he wasn’t sitting on my lap, he was on on the office chair.
A New Desk Arrives
My new desk arrived on a Friday. I moved the old desk to the other room, assembled the new desk, and moved my office chair behind it so I could begin working there the following week.
The only problem? I didn’t realize it wasn’t my office chair anymore.
I settled in to work the next week and Zoloft came to lounge on my lap as he often did while I worked. He’d continue to lounge on the office chair after work and during my breaks, but then it began: the pushing.
He Really Wanted To Sit There
While I’d work, Zoloft would walk over to my desk, jump onto any tiny part of the seat I wasn’t occupying, and headbutt his way between my back and the back of the chair. I don’t mean headbutt as in he was bunting, an affection cat behavior. He would force his way in. Once behind me, he’d sometimes lay for a bit, but then he’d begin pushing me out of the chair. I was in his territory, after all.
For a cat that was around 11 pounds for most of his time with me, he was strong. He’d push and push and push until I gave him enough space. Sometimes I could sit on the edge of the seat, but often he wanted me off it entirely.
A Chair Becomes THE Chair
I realized that it wasn’t really worth fighting it. Honestly, I kind of wanted a new chair anyway so I figured, you know what? I’ll get myself one. Zoloft can have the chair. It was at that point the simple office chair was officially christened it The Chair because of how special it was to him.
Don’t get me wrong, he had options of other chairs he could lounge on. He had cat trees nearby plus my couch which he’d often be found napping on. Still, the Chair was the choice more often than not.
When my new chair came, I kept The Chair next to my new chair. The result? Zoloft had a place to lounge and I could keep paying for all the office furniture he loved so dearly. In fact, much of the work I did as I was founding Class Act Cats happened with Zoloft lounging in The Chair next to me.
I eventually moved The Chair out from behind the desk and he’d often nap there while I worked. It became a place for more than just naps. We’d often have play time or do training on The Chair. The Chair was a special place for a special cat.
The Chair Was There When He Needed It
When we visited my parents a few months later for the holidays, we stayed there for a few days. He found an equivalent of The Chair to nap on. This one was a bit more of a traditional cozy chair so it made more sense to me that he’d take up residence in it.
Like cats will do, The Chair eventually fell out of favor. If you predicted that he began lounging on my office chair, you’d be partially correct. My office chair was great when I wasn’t in it, but he wasn’t as willing to defend it like The Chair. He’d simply come sit on my lap or go lounge on the couch.
The Chair Remained Special
Cats often cycle through which furniture they enjoy, so The Chair eventually was the place to be again. He’d use it sporadically between his other haunts, but The Chair remained a special place for the remainder of our time together.
When we moved for the final time, The Chair obviously came with and took up residence in my office. Zoloft and I only got just over a month together in the new place, but he quickly took comfort in lounging on The Chair when he arrived. I hope it helped reduce the stress of the move for him to have his favorite spot waiting for him.
This is the final photo I have of him in The Chair, but he used it during the time we had in our new home up until he passed. The day he passed, seeing The Chair was tough knowing he’d never be curled up on it again.
I’d like to think if he’s still out there somewhere, that he comes back to lounge on it and check in once in a while. Either way, it still has plenty of his fur attached to it so in some ways, he’ll always be able to enjoy his favorite spot.
A Gift To His Successors
When Zoloft’s brother, Prozac, came home, I still had all of Zoloft’s things at home. Prozac was extremely scared he when he arrived so he spent most of the first day hiding. I tried to keep an eye on him while respecting his space, but the next evening I lost track of where exactly he was.
Imagine my surprise when I walked by the office to see him standing on The Chair. He took to it just as quickly as his predecessor.
I initially panicked because he might destroy the fabric or ruin Zoloft’s favorite place. Seeing ‘Zac curl up and look so cozy like my sweet dude had for so many years quickly brought me a sense of joy. Another cat gets to enjoy his special spot even though he can’t. It’s kind of like a gift from him to the new cat who was in charge of making sure his dad was okay.
Maybe Zoloft came back to tell him about The Chair. Who knows?
Poutine Loves It, Too
Not just one of his younger brothers loves The Chair. Poutine discovered it very rapidly when he came home a few months later. He seems to be the mostly frequent user of The Chair these days, but both cats enjoy this special piece of office furniture.
Of course, as cats use furniture more, it begins to get worn down from tiny claws. I know The Chair will one day meet its end, but I’d like to keep it around for as long as possible. It now features a nice cover to protect the fabric, but I had to keep it on the green spectrum. It wouldn’t be The Chair otherwise!
What Made The Chair Taught Me
I hadn’t begun working with cats professionally yet when the saga of The Chair began, but it’s a story that many of my clients hear about offering a cat an alternative option if they’re doing a behavior you don’t like. It’s also is a great use of letting your cat use something how they want to use it. Cats don’t suffer from functional fixedness like we do. Everybody, especially Zoloft, benefited from me just letting him use The Chair. Sometimes you love your cat so much you give them their own office furniture.
More importantly, though, it showed me just how unique my cat was. One of his favorite things (besides me) was an office chair. No matter how much time passes since our life together came to an end, I’ll always laugh at how much he loved The Chair. Even though my current dudes clearly are enjoying it, too, it will always be Zoloft that loved it so much he was willing to push me out of it so he could nap on it.
One Last Nap On The Chair
Today is the two year anniversary of when Zoloft passed. I now hate this day so much because it’s a painful reminder that he’s gone, but talking about him helps me remember his quirks. He had many of those! The reason the loss hurts so much is because what I lost was so special and so filled with love.
Zoloft died just under two weeks short of his 14th birthday. I had a celebration of life for him on his birthday because otherwise I probably would have spent the whole day in bed. I know that’s not common in our culture, but I needed to celebrate my special guy and it was very healing to have people there who supported me.
The guest of honor, the cat we were there to celebrate, obviously made an appearance. You’ll never guess where he got to sit.
I still miss you every day, Zoloft. I’m still trying to make the world better for other cats because of you.
