I realised the other day that I have not lived up to all my promises in my introductory blog post back in August. Mainly, that there was a severe lack of cat-related posts on this blog. Don’t worry…we’re going to fix that.

PhD pets! We all love them, some of us have them, and some of us longingly scroll through the #PhDPets hashtag on Twitter. While some people have preferences over dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters…I am here to tell you why, in my humble opinion, the cat reigns supreme. In  no particular order:

1. They try, really hard, to help you with your writing. The number of times my cat has tried to reach over and hit keys on my laptop to aid me…bless him. That or snatch my hand away entirely so he can take over the bulk of the writing. 
2. Cats give you your space. When I’m being dull and focusing on my reading and writing, my cat is usually doing his own thing as well so I don’t have to worry about entertaining him. 
3. When it all gets to be a bit too much, cats make great real-life stuffed animals to cry into. My cat seems to always know when I’ve had ‘one of those days’ and will give me the snuggles when I need them the most. 
4. They are great listeners. I regularly talk at my cat when I’m frustrated or working through something, and even if all I get is a blink or wink back, I know he’s totally saying ‘ohmigosh I KNOW right??’ 
5. Cats can get comfortable anywhere, and wont make a fuss if your work space is unclean. In fact, they might even add to the chaos, which is only helpful…right…? 
6. They don’t need walked, and are happy to spend as much time indoors as you do. Although, on occasion, they may want to take you for a walk. 
7. They help calm your anxiety and nerves with their magic purrs. Some people get those white noise machines to help them sleep at night, but personally, I rest easiest with the gentle hum from a cat’s purr. 
8.  In the winter months, they are like fluffy hot water bottles. Should they choose to grace you with their presence. 
9. Cats are easily entertained. Pull out a jingly ball or the red dot clicker and they are sorted. Personally, my cat is most entertained by Disney films, so I tend to leave him to it while I work on other things. 
10. They love you. In reality, you are their pet, and they want to love and nurture you as much as you do them. If you need space, they give it, if you need snuggles, they’ve got you. These little bundles of love and floof are the perfect companion to any PhD researcher. 

We are always seeking new guest bloggers! If you have an idea for a blog post or would like to informally discuss writing for the SGSAH blog please get in touch with Brittnee via email at b.leysen.1@research.gla.ac.uk or connect with the blog on Twitter