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An elderly Black grandma in a green cardigan reads a book aloud on the couch as an orange longhair cat gazes up at her. 5 / 30

Grandma Odessa Got to the Exciting Part of Her Book. Marmalade Was Ready.

AI imageorange catreadingliving room

Sunlight floods through the sheer curtains and turns the whole living room warm and hazy. Odessa sits on the couch in a moss-green cardigan, a paperback open across her lap, mid-sentence with her eyebrows raised and her mouth shaped around some dramatic line. A glass of water and her reading glasses rest on the table in front of her. Beside her on the cushion, Marmalade sits upright with his plumed tail curled around his paws, his chin lifted and his amber eyes fixed on her face. The sun lights up every strand of his long orange fur so that he almost glows. He looks absolutely spellbound, as though he cannot wait to hear what happens next.

Cats are often thought of as aloof, but cat owners and behavior experts alike will tell you they recognize their owners' voices and respond to them. Many cats come running when called by a familiar person, and they often show interest in gentle, steady talking. Reading aloud is a lovely way to bond with a cat, since it combines a soothing voice with calm, close companionship. It can also be good for the reader, giving a quiet hour structure and keeping the voice and mind engaged. If your cat drifts off to sleep halfway through the chapter, take it as a compliment; a relaxed cat is a cat that feels safe.

Marmalade, for now, is wide awake and hanging on every word. Whether he cares about the plot is debatable. What he cares about is Odessa's voice, the sunny cushion, and the chance that the end of the chapter might come with a treat.

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