Studio Notes: Adventures of Studio Cat

This week, I’ve been looking back over the past month while choosing which photo of Cif to use for Adventures of Studio Cat. Honestly, we’ve spent less time in the studio lately and more time curled up on the sofa — flare-ups and post-gig recovery will do that — but that hasn’t stopped him from getting up to plenty of mischief!

This month’s highlights include refusing to eat the treats he adored yesterday (and outsmarting me by picking them out of his food bowl), unravelling the rope on his scratching post so he could rub it all over his face — which explains his mysterious hair loss and irritation — and, of course, plenty of zoomies around the flat. Don’t worry, I’ve since removed the rope and hidden it until I can glue it back on! He’s also found a new hiding spot in my wardrobe, right on top of my jumpers, as if that was obviously made for him.

Even on the slower, restful days, Cif still finds joy in the most ordinary things — my carer’s apron, elastic bands, or any small object he can bat around the floor. Watching him play always makes me smile. It reminds me how creativity often hides in the everyday, waiting to be noticed — a bit like how I save interesting textures or shapes for future projects.

Meanwhile, I’ve been rebuilding my little safety net of batched Instagram posts, and Cif has taken his role as “studio assistant” very seriously. He’s photobombed, knocked things over mid-filming, and made perfectly timed noises whenever I try to record. But when I actually want to capture him being cute? Nothing. Total statue mode. I’ve resorted to pretending I’m not watching him, which seems to work better than any camera trick.

Even with his chaos and cheekiness, I’m so grateful for his company. He makes me laugh, keeps me grounded, and reminds me to pause — even when he’s up to no good.

Over to you:

Who brightens your day while you work?