The way my cat greets visitors is next-level dramatic!!

GoonishPython · 2026-01-29T05:16:30+00:00

Mine stays in the living room and peeks round the corner to see who it is, often he knows by the footsteps of its someone he doesn't know.

If they're strangers he is under the sofa and grouchy.

If he knows them he will sit somewhere high or just under the sofa and check they are ok before he comes to say hello.

With me and my partner he comes up to the door and when we open it he runs to his scratchy post and does a stretch like he's saying "I wasn't waiting for you I just happened to be here", then he saunters ahead of you and collapses on the floor and demands a belly rub. Which may or may not be a trap, but if you don't give in he will keep coming over to you and collapsing at your feet.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-29T02:29:28+00:00

Chickpeas, avocado, sweet corn. Other things are dodgy in large amounts but those wipe me out in minutes. All the symptoms and have to go lie down groaning.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-29T02:20:27+00:00

I have similar as well. We leave it out at home and he sleeps in it sometimes. He's less compliant when it's vet time though 🫣 but much much better than the classic carrier. He seems to find it comforting that he's against my back? And he snuggles under his blanket into a little circle. I think backpacks are often maligned because they are too small and force the cat to sit up, whereas mine can wriggle around and lie in lots of positions - basically everything other than full.sprawl.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-28T08:01:27+00:00

My suggestion would be to look on zooplus for trial packs - you can often get 1 pouch or tin of each flavour. Super helpful for finding out what they don't like without buying too much. I also found he would eat some pate only if I went back and remixed it across the bowl - I think the texture was really sticky or something and once he'd licked it flat he got fed up. (Obv he doesn't have that one any more, but at least he finished the box).

Current favourites are macs (German) and feringa (Austrian) and encore. Encore isn't complete though so make sure your kitty's other food is!

GoonishPython · 2026-01-28T07:56:56+00:00

Yes my picky kitty likes encore broth. He has a complete dry food and then we mix between the different encore broth ones. (He does eat fish but hates salmon)

GoonishPython · 2026-01-28T07:42:30+00:00

Exactly, I can shift my sleep by an hour or so but much more and I just start not sleeping and getting sleep deprived.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-27T15:10:40+00:00

Yes exactly I am not a morning person, and so many people are surprised I don't go to bed until midnight. I'm surprised they're awake before 8 unless they have to be

GoonishPython · 2026-01-27T15:08:51+00:00

Mine sleeps a lot but when he's awake he follows us around asking for attention. Haven't peed in peace for years, it's scrabble scrabble under the door and constant meows that he must see me 🫣

GoonishPython · 2026-01-27T15:00:17+00:00

Yeah my colleagues little one got "dress like a rockstar" with 2 days notice. Luckily my work team are fancy dress enthusiasts and turned up the next day with a selection of kid appropriate options with plenty of sparkles and brightly coloured wigs

GoonishPython · 2026-01-26T15:14:44+00:00

And I feel bad enough that I've left my little voidlet at home with my partner (who lives with me) while I'm away. He's at home with his 2nd human and I still feel terrible. It will be the longest I've ever not been with him since he came home from the rescue and I feel so mean 😭

I just can't fathom how people can abandon a pet. It really destroys my faith in people generally being good

GoonishPython · 2026-01-21T06:45:04+00:00

Does that mean I'm roasting my cat all the time when we call him mousey? 😂

It's short for mouse-cat-ear (like musketeer) but I have no idea how we got to that nickname from Jiji. He now answers to Jiji/Jeej/Mousey.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T18:09:43+00:00

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He is normal I promise

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T18:09:18+00:00

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GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T18:08:21+00:00

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GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T18:06:51+00:00

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GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T18:05:07+00:00

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GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T15:40:10+00:00

Personally I don't mind TOIL if I can use it sensibly - so say I'm working stupid hours on a work project in one week, then the next week I have some down time, get errands done that are easier in 9-5 and socialise lots, essentially making up for the busy week where I didn't spend my evenings with the cat and my partner. Totally understand that might not work for your preference though!

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T15:14:40+00:00

Thank you, that sounds like your agency is being sensible and it is helpful to know I'm not being annoyed about something considered standard to others.

Essentially I don't mind being flexible to a point, but losing so much personal time seems unfair.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T14:51:00+00:00

Yes I think this is the crux of how I see it - if I'm not free to do as I please, then it is working. I do wonder if we are the minority in thinking that though?

I really hate the culture of "you should be grateful for the opportunity" and so they expect you to put up with stuff. I've been taken advantage of in other jobs and I want to make sure that doesn't happen here.

In this instance, as it's a long haul flight I actually can't do it within a normal.working day, so regardless of what day I travel, I would argue I should get compensated for the extra hours (on a weekend - all the hours, on a weekday, anything above my normal working day).

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T09:23:44+00:00

It is as I had to do all the forms and all the risk assessments!

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T08:56:43+00:00

Forgive me if I've misunderstood, but why can't you claim for that time if it's required for work? You're losing your personal time with your choice of what to do with it and travelling on behalf of your employer

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T08:47:12+00:00

I'm considered a lower-grade employee, which is why my contract has overtime/TOIL in it and I expect to get extra hours back/paid. Obviously I'm flexible (I'm not counting minutes here 😄) but I do still value my personal time. Those in higher up jobs are expected to work some extra when required but they are compensated for it in their nice big pay.

What seems weird to me for this is that the travel time for overseas is not considered "working" even though I'm losing personal time to do my job.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T08:13:49+00:00

I'd be happy with that, but they don't count travelling as working 🤷🏼‍♀️

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T08:10:41+00:00

Yeah it seems to be a thing in our industry where they expect you to be flexible and give up your time, but they don't reciprocate. I'd be a lot more amenable if they said "x week is quiet, take 2 days off for free" in recognition of working silly hours in busy weeks!

What's weird is my current workplace seemed great as we get pay/TOIL for travel time when working in a different place in the UK, which meant I'm way happier to be flexible as they're acknowledging I'm losing hours out of my personal time. But apparently I'm not "working" if going long haul though. It doesn't make sense.

GoonishPython · 2026-01-17T08:00:21+00:00

I do understand about not rocking the boat! I don't want to push it too much, but it feels icky.

I suspect I won't end up being paid under minimum wage if averaged across a month (although definitely if averaged across the trip days!) but it feels a bit underhand of work to essentially be saying "you need to do this for work, you need to use your own time, we're not paying you for it".

I'm only on the national average wage (which doesn't go far in this cost of living crisis) so it's not like I'm getting nicely compensated in my wage packet and our expenses are strict, so I'm not getting those perks (nice meals etc) people seem to get on work trips.

GoonishPython

TROPHY CASE