Some Mondays start with a commute. Ours started with a cat in a champagne box.
Mack found a new box on the floor β the kind with the little gold foil label, the one that looks like it belongs in a magazine spread. He looked at it the way I look at a perfectly tailored blazer: like it was waiting for him, and only him. Then he started customizing. Apparently every good box needs a few extra ventilation holes. He saw a gap in the design and closed it.
That’s the whole philosophy of our household, really. Two orange cats, one very clear hierarchy of who gets what, and a house that has been thoroughly edited by animals who were never in charge of the original plan. I’ve spent ten years telling people what to wear and what to keep. These two have been telling me what to let go of β and what to stop moving β since day one.
The week in pictures:
Mango, doing what she does best β existing in the frame like she owns the lease. Pretty girl. She doesn’t pose. She just happens to be looking in exactly the right direction when the camera finds her.
Mack on the topic of heat management. His strategy: half in, half out. One paw committed, the other on standby. I’ve tried this on the subway in August and it works, so I’m not one to judge.
Mango outside, on the table, where all serious business happens. The sun is doing its thing. She’s doing hers. Neither one is in a hurry.
The Mack Attack β Mack getting ready for a nap in the foyer, mid-move. If you’ve ever seen a cat commit to a stretch with full professional dedication, you’ve seen this photo. He’s not napping. He’s performing the nap, and the audience is the whole hallway.
Mango in the office, hard at work on the cat tower. I say work, but honestly the office runs on her schedule these days. The tower gets inspected daily. The desk gets occupied on a rotation. I take notes. I just don’t always write them down.
And then there’s the treat question. Mack just remembered that I said I bought more treats. He hasn’t seen them yet. His face is doing a lot of work in this photo. I checked the cupboard. They’re there. He’ll find them. He always does.
If you’ve ever wondered whether a house with two cats is too much or not enough β this is your answer. It’s exactly right. They keep each other honest, they keep the house honest, and they keep me honest about what a “quiet Monday” actually looks like.
Follow their week in pictures: @mackandmango on Instagram. And if you want to see the box situation evolve, the original Meow Monday series is where I keep all the receipts.
Happy Meow Monday. Have a PURRFECT week.
a note from Margot
I bought a “statement” box once β well, Mack did, by the way it was placed in the hallway. I wore it exactly twice before it got its ventilation holes. I think that’s the best cost-per-wear story of the year.
