It’s Hard to Write with a Cat on your Lap

The writer’s life is one of distractions or, more to the point, of battling against distractions. The phone rings, someone knocks on the door, your hay fever suddenly kicks in and you sneeze all over the computer screen. You’ve been there, I know.

Lately, though, the biggest intruder into my writing time is the cat.

He’s a bit bipolar, is Catboy (named by my grandson). There are days of haughtiness, when he won’t deign to even look at me. Other times, he sticks like treacle to my lap. It’s very hard to write with a cat on your lap. I can ignore the phone and the door. I can take a pill for my hay fever. But cats are different. If a cat wants attention, then attention he’d better get or watch out.

So, how do you manage to keep writing when you’re facing fussy feline interruptions? Well, it isn’t easy.

My approach is to use the cat-on-lap time to think about whatever I’m writing. I work my way through the scene and try to hold onto various elements or phrases that I like. Sometimes, I will type with one hand, though the cat doesn’t like that. How dare his masseur concentrate on anything other than him?

When Mr Catboy, finally deigns to leave his bed, AKA my lap — usually to eat something — I type as fast as I can all the things I’ve been thinking about for the previous half-hour or so. Fortunately, I’m a fast typist (thanks, mum!) so I can get a lot done in just a few minutes. Still, it isn’t an ideal way to write. I’m used to having long periods alone, and can muse at my leisure. Trying to think around a busy house and a demanding cat do take their toll.

If you asked people to describe what writers do all day, they’ll probably say, type, write in a notebook, or something involving putting words on paper or onto a computer screen. While these are unquestionably important aspects of our work, most writers know that the bulk of our process involves staring into space and just thinking. Or, in my case, sitting on the sofa stroking the cat, and thinking.

On the plus side, mindless, repetitive tasks are very good for encouraging thought. Knitting, whittling, and, yes, stroking pets are very good for letting the mind travel. However, it’s very frustrating when time is a premium or you’re under a deadline. Interruptions can kill your concentration stone dead, even when those interruptions come in the form of a ball of mewing fur.

On the plus side, as soon as my son-in-law comes home, the cat forgets that I exist. I’m nothing more than a stop-gap until his beloved ‘daddy’ shows up. Then my lap is my own again, and I’m able to fly through my work.

Until my grandson wants cuddles…

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