Press Pawse: 24 Hours with Janelle, Atlas & Lyra

Hi, I’m Janelle. I was a biologist, but I decided I’d  rather work with my two five-year-old cats, sisters Atlas and Lyra, than plants. Now, I’m a full-blown freelance writer who tests cat foods and products, writes about pet nutrition, and behavior, and a lot about male cat nipples and primordial pouches. Now that my husband and I are expecting a baby girl, I also write about pregnancy and parenting. Alongside our feline family, we also care for a flock of urban hens.

What’s it like to be a freelance writer? While no two days are alike, here’s what me, Atlas, and Lyra might do in a day.

• 5:30 AM:

  I don’t always wake up this early, but when I have a list of deadlines looming over me, it’s hard to sleep. Or perhaps it’s the relentless backache and expanding belly. Either way, I have five articles due this week, and it's no use trying to go back to sleep. I do some of my best work curled up in bed, tapping away on my phone’s tiny screen.

• 5:33 AM:

  Atlas appears at my bedside, requesting that I pick her up and set her in bed for our usual morning snuggle session. We've discussed the limitations of my growing belly and my diminishing ability to bend over and pick her up, but she persists—and wins. So, now she’s purring on my chest and dripping from her nose—do other cats leak when they’re happy? I wonder.

• 5:50 AM:

  Deciding that I squirm too much, Atlas relocates to the floor. I'll spend the next hour lying in bed on my phone, drafting a cat breed profile due later in the day and pushing a newly published article to LinkedIn. Yes, we do have those magical cats who don’t beg for breakfast—I often wonder how we got so lucky.

• 6:45 AM:

  When my husband’s alarm goes off, I’ve written half of my article and burrow deeper under the covers as my reward. Lyra jumps onto the bed now, requesting that I lift the covers for her. She happily crawls in and snuggles me.

• 7:13 AM:

  My husband is up. The familiar clang of stainless steel and the creak of the refrigerator door announces that it’s breakfast time. Atlas and Lyra race downstairs; it’s their first of four meals for the day. If that seems like a lot, we’re slacking by some standards. A veterinary nutritionist told me the more meals, the better—12 to 20 small meals is ideal.

On the menu: a rotation of canned, raw, or fresh food. Another tip I’ve gathered from a few veterinary nutritionists is that introducing cats to a variety of proteins, textures, and flavors early can help raise an adventurous eater. Atlas missed that memo but Lyra will happily eat anything.

• 7:28 AM:

  With their bellies full and my husband gone at work for the day, Atlas and Lyra return upstairs, where I'm doing my morning exercise routine. Like everything in life, my cats make exercising more fun. Sometimes, Lyra even subs in for a 10-pound weight.

• 8:26 AM:

  I shower and dress for the day. I'm testing maternity robes for an outlet, so today's uniform is cozy sweats and a comfy robe. I head downstairs, and Atlas meows from the backdoor, her gaze on the porch. It’s a familiar scene—our two new chicks have jumped the gate of their run… again. Atlas lets out another meow, turning to face me, as if to tattle, "Mom, the chicks are loose again!"

• 8:37 AM:

  With the chick situation under control, I turn my attention back to Atlas. She waits expectantly by the back door; it's her favorite time of day—tent time! I pick her up and head to the pop-up mesh tent nestled in the backyard. Despite having a catio at her disposal, the tent is a favorite of Atlas’s, especially in the cool mornings. I'll check on her about every 20 minutes to make sure she has plenty of shade and ask her if she'd like to come in. She responds with a little meow when she's ready to head back inside, but that won’t happen soon.

• 8:45 AM:

  I make myself breakfast and head outside to the front porch. Lyra, always my shadow, follows through her microchip cat door and into her catio, which is next to the porch. We enjoy the morning breeze and watch the bikers pass by. I‘ll work here for the next couple of hours, checking on Atlas every so often.

• 10:50 AM:

  Atlas is ready to come inside, but not before rolling in the dirt and saying hello to her chicken sisters, Trilly (Trillium), Roe (Yarrow), and Eve (Evening Primrose). After a few minutes of supervised dirt rolling, I scoop her up and we head in. She flops on the floor, belly up to be brushed.

• 10:55 AM:

  I sit at the dining table to work. Atlas loafs under my chair, and Lyra curls up in her favorite bed.

• 11:50 AM:

  Lyra slowly stretches and emerges from her bed. Atlas looks up at me and meows. They're hungry for lunch, but first, it's time to play! Certified feline behaviorists tell me the best play sessions are just before a meal or snack so that your fierce predator feels as though they’re really hunting and eating their prey. So, their hunting ground awaits: a ripple rug, retired Halloween tutu, crinkle tube, and cardboard box. This is their special space where they nap, forage for treats, and let us know they're ready to play.

• 12:05 PM:

  It’s time for the cats' second meal of the day, which is always served on a lick mat. Lick mats provide a bit of stimulation while slowing down their eating. I've also been told that licking can relieve anxiety, though I doubt these two need stress relief after a morning of sunbathing.

• 1:30 PM:

  After taking a break from work for my own lunch, I switch gears from actively writing to getting some photos to go with my maternity robe piece. I grab my tripod, set the timer, and start awkwardly posing. Lyra photobombs the shots, and Atlas turns the pile of robes into a play fort. I guess a robe that can't handle a cat's playtime probably won't survive the fourth trimester, right?

• 2:30 PM:

  The cats and I are feeling pretty beat. Lyra has curled up in a cat tree upstairs, and Atlas on my couch in the office. I bring my laptop and settle in beside Atlas. I love that she begins purring when I simply sit beside her. We give each other squinty eyes for a few moments before I shift my gaze back to my laptop. Soon, though, I also have heavy eyelids. I swear I’m not typically a nap person, but I guess growing a tiny human tends to zap your energy.

• 3:45 PM:

  Lyra’s recharged and has found us, and her kicker toy, in my office. Atlas and I lounge while Lyra bunny-kicks away.

• 4:30 PM:

  Feeling a bit groggy, I think I’ll step out to the porch for some fresh air. It’s my favorite spot— there's a constant stream of bikers and pedestrians passing by. Some even pause to look up at the abutting catio, hoping for a feline greeting. I grab my laptop and camera chip to tackle some photo editing and head outside. Atlas and Lyra follow suit, making a beeline for the catio through their microchip door. They lounge, sprawling out on the carpeted shelving, then dash up the sisal pole. Later, Lyra curls up in their wooden box. Even the rumble of the passing bus can’t disturb her slumber.

• 5:50 PM:

  I head inside to prep dinner. Some say their pets eat better than they do, but I’d like to think we both enjoy great meals. As I’m cooking, Atlas occasionally looks up at me with wide, pleading eyes and lets out a soft meow. She knows all too well how cute she is. I take breaks intermittently to pick her up and hold her.

• 6:12 PM:

  Lyra's patience is wearing thin. Dinner is to be served at 6 p.m. sharp. So, she’s sitting in our palm houseplant, hoping her naughty behavior will get my attention. I ignore her antics, determined not to reward her behavior. I grab their meal from the fridge and top it off with a splash of Smalls Fish Broth. Their food is already moist, but I like adding extra liquid to keep them hydrated. Plus, they love the taste!

• 6:34 PM:

  My husband gets home and says hi to the kitties. As dinner cooks, we take them to the backyard, where we let them safely explore on harness and leash.

• 7:15 PM:

  Atlas and Lyra enjoy a small evening kibble snack. We shake things up about three times a week by serving their snacks in puzzle feeders rather than bowls.The kitties are clever—and food motivated—but usually need a little help from us to get all the kibbles. With all their extra toes (they're both polydactyl), we think they can learn to conquer almost any puzzle!

• 7:30 PM:

  We have dinner and relax. We play with Atlas intermittently, and Lyra ventures back out to the catio.

• 10:15 PM:

  After a long day of outdoor adventures, napping, playing, and eating, it's time to call Lyra in from the catio for bed. The microchip door locks behind her, and she can continue her adventures tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. when the scheduled curfew ends. We head upstairs for our nightly routine. If the girls follow us up, we'll tackle their dental care with some cat-safe toothpaste and a toothbrush. We brush our own teeth and settle into bed. In the winter, the girls typically sleep with us, but tonight they’ll find their own cool spots around the house.

As I look back on our daily routine, I often wonder what life will be like once our baby girl arrives. If she takes after her mom and dad even a little, she'll be a natural-born cat lover. Whatever the future holds, we know she's going to have the best big sisters she could hope for: kitties Atlas and Lyra and hens Trilly, Eve, and Roe.