The perks of having cats as a PhD student 🐈

Honestly, having cats as a PhD student has been a lifesaver in ways I didn’t fully expect. I’ve got two at home right now - one’s a sprightly one-year-old, the other a chilled-out nine-year-old I just adopted last week. It’s funny, really; it’s only been a short time with the older cat, but it feels like he’s been part of the routine forever. And somehow, they’re already getting on well enough, which is a huge relief because I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous about introducing a new cat right in the middle of research deadlines and everything else.

The thing is, PhD life can be intense and isolating. You’re sitting at your desk for hours on end, getting up only to refill your tea or stretch, maybe, if you remember. I’m the type who forgets to take breaks until I’m nearly cross-eyed, but the young cat won’t stand for that. He’s like my furry little timekeeper, and if I’ve gone too long without acknowledging him, he’ll plonk himself on my keyboard or start pawing at my arm. It’s hilarious but also weirdly grounding. I swear, he knows better than I do when I need to step away from the screen.

And now, with the new older cat - who’s honestly got such a mellow vibe - it’s like I have this calming presence around me all the time. I’ll look up from my work, and he’ll be lounging on the chair next to me, or sometimes he’ll quietly curl up right beside my desk. I think he understands the art of a good study session better than I do. I’ve started thinking, if he’s relaxed, maybe I can relax too. They’re both teaching me, in their own ways, that not everything needs to be rushed or stressed over. Cats know how to live in the moment, don’t they?

I never thought much about how adaptable they are until I watched them figuring each other out. Here I was, stressing about every little detail of the introduction, and they just… got on with it. I mean, there was a bit of hesitation at first (mostly from me, to be honest), but now they’re already sniffing around each other, sometimes even curling up on the same spot on the sofa. It’s been a nice reminder that things don’t always have to be so complicated; they just need time.

And the joy! I don’t think I’ve laughed as much during this PhD journey as I have with these two around. The young cat, especially, has these mad five minutes where he’ll dash from room to room, skidding on the floor, then freeze like he’s mid-thought. Meanwhile, the older cat will give him this totally unimpressed look before curling back into his spot, like, “Well, I’ll let the kid handle the energy today.”

So yeah, life with cats while doing a PhD has been a mix of chaos, comfort, and a constant reminder to breathe. They’re just there, living their lives around me, reminding me that maybe there’s more to life than papers and deadlines. And somehow, their little quirks, the way they’ve carved out their own spaces in my routine, have made the PhD journey feel a little less lonely. In a way, I feel like I’ve got two silent (and furry) study partners who know how to keep me going, even when I’m stuck in the weeds. And at the end of a long day, it’s pretty special to have them around, waiting for nothing but a bit of attention and maybe a head scratch. It’s a good life, really.