Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats…

(as an office mate)

    Dogs are better than cats as an office mate. You could say that is a strange statement and there was a time I would have agreed. However, I am new to the virtual assisting business and there are a lot of things I haven’t experienced, for instance, the thrill of earning a six-figure income or working on a project without someone saying, “mom, mom.”

One thing I do know…dogs are better than cats as office partners!

     How do I know that dogs are better than cats as an office mate? Experience! I have been blessed with a few dogs and two cats that our daughter, Erin, left with us once she moved out after high school graduation.

We have raised four children and still have no idea how it happens that when they move out, the animals somehow fail to go with them. These are the same animals they love and just “had” to have in their lives. Certainly, I could write another blog, or possibly a book, on that subject. Read on to meet the players.

Contact me for a FREE 15 Minute Consultation and let’s discuss how I can help you get that web presence YOU need!

The Office Partners…

     Our cat’s names are Freya and Sombra. Freya is a yellow tabby that looks like she has some Maine Coon blood because she is all fur…and you guessed it…lots of furballs! Sombra is a black and white tuxedo cat. Both are very beautiful cats and they are loving and want attention on their terms.

Freya

     Freya was a rescue from the local humane society and although chosen by Erin, Freya chose me. Every night she left Erin’s room only to sleep on top of my head each night!

This is another reason dogs are better than cats, I have never had a dog sleep on my head, but I suppose it could happen.

Freya is the grumpiest cat, at least she looks grumpy and she barely purrs. She is a furball with a constant swirl of fur flying around her wherever she goes. (Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly love her!)

Going outside is one of her loves, which wrecks more havoc with her hair. Freya is a pretty big cat, I hesitate to say fat because it is hard to tell, but she looks like a giant compared to the cats hanging out on our front porch.

Sombra

     Sombra is a very pretty tuxedo cat. I found her under the hood of my Jeep one summer night and tried to catch her.

Having a cat in my fan belt was something I didn’t before going to work the next day, but she was not coming out of there.

The next morning, I did manage to make sure she wasn’t inside the Jeep before I left.

My husband, Mike, caught her and of course, she was immediately put in the downstairs bathroom/animal hospital. Sombra was just a kitten, barely weaned.

She was just so adorable and as soon as you came into the room, it was filled with the music of a good, loud purr. Erin took this cat to her new home and she loved Sombra. Alas, Sombra did not take a liking to Erin’s boyfriend for whatever reason. I am sure you can guess what happened!

The Good Guys…in this story!

     Our dogs, who are in contention with these cats, are Joey and Fannie.  Joey is a brown and white Pomeranian mix…if you can picture a mid-size Pom. He is just a furry as a pom but doesn’t shed quite as much as a Husky. Fanny is a brown mix of what, I am not sure, but she has pretty, mid-length fur and a flipped-up tail and a tongue that never stops licking you.

Joey

     Joey is a really good dog. He has been a loyal companion to Erin and sticks to her like glue. The poor fella is kind of lost now that she no longer lives here.

Joey goes outside with me during the summer when I water the plants and stays where I can see him and doesn’t wander. Tough is not a word I would use to describe him. It is more like freak-out and runs away if someone comes towards him.

There have been a couple of Erin’s boyfriends that Joey didn’t seem to like, and he did not hesitate to let them know. That is not a bad thing, right?

Fannie

     Fannie is a little girl who is about 2 years old. She loves attention but can be a bit nervous. She originally had a different name, but I can’t pronounce or spell it.

You see, she was Erin’s boyfriend’s dog in the beginning but somehow, she did not like him, so we ended up with her. Hmmm, do you see a theme here? I think it may be that we are suckers, at least where animals are concerned. Fannie got her name because she creates quite a wind when she is “fanning” her tail.

Why dogs are the best

     Here is why dogs are better than cats as an office mate. I don’t know about you, but when I work, the image of a nice dog napping at your feet sounds nice and comforting. However, that is not reality. My reality is a cat or maybe two are usually sitting in my chair when I go to work on something.

If it is Freya, she gives you the evil eye and won’t get leave unless you make her. Then she leaves under duress. There is never nor will there ever be a dog sitting in my chair. If there was, I would give the command and down they would go with a smile and that “aren’t I a good boy or girl look” they love to give you. You’d even get a tail wag.

Contact me for a FREE 15 Minute Consultation and let’s discuss how I can help you get that web presence YOU need!

My Chair!

     If the chair thing wasn’t enough, as you sit down at your computer, Sombra immediately jumps up onto the desk to position herself right between my keyboard and the computer screen. She alternately stretches and lays down at just the right time to keep me from seeing what is on the screen.

Freya sees that Sombra is right in the action and decides to get over being mad about the chair thing and jumps up too. Now there are two cats rolling around on the desk between the keyboard and the screen.

Because they both need more room, they think the keyboard seems like the perfect place to stretch out and they retype the paper you just spent 20 minutes typing.

     Joey and Fannie have never been on my desk. Even if they were, they would hop right off if I asked them. Neither of them has retyped my paper for me.

Both just watch from the doorway as the cats become attention hogs, secretly wishing those cats would come over here for just a second, then we will show you about dogs. They lay there patiently waiting for me to finish up so we can go outside.

I forgot to mention this important difference, a dog will never dig in their claws as he or she climbs up your back from the bench behind you so they can see what you are working on today in “their” space.

The Worst Part…(why dogs are better than cats.)

     Maybe the very worst is just before you are scheduled for a Zoom call with a prospective client, your cats decide to unplug your computer. I secretly believe they like seeing you struggle as you desperately try to scramble to get it up and going again. They are laughing to themselves…see if she ever uses our computer again.

     Our dogs would never do that to me. Joey and Fannie want me to be successful and happy. They are standing by with smiles and tongues hanging out seemingly saying, “Yes, Kelly, get that new client. We will be so happy for you!” Maybe they aren’t that nice, I have seen a few dog chewed cords, but not in a long time and you know they really didn’t “mean” it.

The Sad Truth.

     In conclusion, why dogs are better than cats as an office mate is obvious to me. I know this really makes me seem like a hater of cats, but I do admire their independence and their take it or leave it attitude.

But when it comes down to whether I want a chair I can sit in, a computer I can use, or just to be guaranteed my clients won’t be unplugged or have to suffer seeing an occasional pet butt during a call, the choice is clear. Joey and Fannie are far better office partners than Freya and Sombra. (Sombra is admonishing me right now!)

I am sorry guys, but it is true. I hope you enjoyed this little satire. Now, I am going to put away my keyboard and mouse so no rebuttals will be written and cover my chair before I am attacked (literally) for my opinions. Thanks for reading! To find out more about what I do go here!

Contact me for a FREE 15 Minute Consultation and let’s discuss how I can help you get that web presence YOU need!