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An elderly Black man wrapped in a quilt sits by a crackling fireplace beside a seal point Birman looking off to the side. 21 / 32

The Fire Was Crackling, the Quilt Was Warm, and Mocha Noticed Something

AI imagebirmanfireplacequilt

The fire is crackling low in a stone fireplace, and Otis has pulled a patchwork quilt up around his shoulders until only his green cardigan and his calm, bearded face show. He sits with a faraway, contented look, the kind that comes after a long cold day. Mocha has claimed the lap of the quilt beside him, her cream chest fluffed out like a pillow and her dark face turned toward something to the side. One blue eye glints in the firelight. A mug and a few household odds and ends rest on the mantel behind them, and the room has the amber glow of a very quiet evening.

Cats are natural heat seekers, which is why you so often find them stretched in front of a fire or on a warm blanket. A few simple habits keep that cozy habit safe. Use a sturdy screen so sparks cannot escape and curious paws stay back, and never leave a fire unattended with a pet in the room. Cats can also settle too close to a heater and get uncomfortably warm, so make sure Mocha has somewhere cooler to move if she wants. A soft quilt that can be washed often is a nice touch, since long-haired breeds like the Birman shed a good deal of fur onto whatever they love.

Otis does not seem to mind a bit of cream-colored fluff on his quilt. With the fire popping and his old friend beside him, there is nowhere else he would rather be.

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