This morning when I sat down at my desk, the kittens were very eager to get to “work.” But they didn’t go to their usual first-thing-in-the-morning spots, they went to their early evening spots and both assumed the cat loaf position. I suppose that it’s good to change things up every so often, get a fresh perspective and all.
I was surprised when I looked over at Anabel and found her in an adorable cat loaf position. I peeked around the corner and so was Sally! These kitties tend to favor the sprawled-out-on-one-side position so two, very proper cat loaves caught my attention.
Fortunately, I took photos right away because these loaves degenerated into sphinx, then quickly to sprawl positions.
It turns out that the cat loaf position is just another relaxed cat posture, much like the sprawl. It tends to be favored when it is cooler as it is an excellent position with which to conserve body heat. I guess it was a cooler morning, like maybe 70 degrees. Personally, I like it when the house drops below 78 overnight, but it has been pretty hot for so long that I suppose a kitten could feel chilled.
Another indicator of a cat loaf being relaxed is having their paws tucked under. My favorite variation of this is when their paws are curled inward, just in front of their chest. Of course, you can always find something on the internet to worry about and one of the articles that I read about cat loaf warned that it may also be an indication of a cat who has an injured paw. So, if your cat suddenly and consistently assumes the cat loaf position, if may be time for a paw check.
As I write this, Anabel has taken up in the same spot. She and Sally are both in their more common sprawled-out-heap-of-cat posture.