6 days ago
Woman goes on vacation, cat decides to make her 'pay' when she returns home
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A woman who decided to take a vacation with her husband discovered her cat had some big feelings about being apart once she returned back home.
The 27-year-old, who goes by Sliz online, is from Portland, Oregon, and is the proud owner of Martin the cat, who she got after completing her freshman year of college.
The pair share a deep bond, with Sliz revealing: "I actually refused to live in the dorms sophomore year because I wanted to get a cat so badly."
Her ex, who she lived with at the time, was determined he didn't want a cat, and particularly not Martin, who was in a separate room at the shelter as he kept "biting the other cats."
But, as Sliz put it: "My ex did not stay in my life long after that, but I've had Martin for nine wonderful years.
"Martin has been with me through the best and worst times of my life. He did not end up being a biter, and the day he came home, he curled up on my shoulder when I was laying in bed, and that's been his spot ever since."
Martin sleeping on Sliz after her trip, and right, the pair when Martin was a kitten.
Martin sleeping on Sliz after her trip, and right, the pair when Martin was a kitten.
Reddit u/slizshady
While any cat can grow up to become extra affectionate, anecdotal evidence exists that some cat breeds may be clingier than others, according to a vet-reviewed report from Catster.
The American Shorthair, Burmese, Maine Coon and Perian are just some of the breeds listed as likely to love attention from their owners.
Sliz showcased the bond between herself and Martin in a sweet post to Reddit's r/aww in June, via her account u/slizshady, where it racked up close to 6,000 upvotes since being shared earlier this month.
Alongside a photo of her and Martin snuggling in bed, the cat getting as close to her as possible, she wrote: "Ever since I got back from my trip he's been sleeping on me every night."
She explained to Newsweek that she and her husband had been on a camping trip for three days, with a pet sitter staying around the clock, but when they returned, Martin "made me pay" for leaving him.
"He decided to ensure I didn't flee in the dead of night, which meant sleeping on me. If I shifted from one side to the other, he would climb on my husband for a moment, and then when I settled into my new position, he would come right back."
Usually, she explained, Martin will lie on her "as I fall asleep, and right when I wake up. Thankfully, he abides by our alarms, and only comes to snuggle once he knows it's time for us to wake up.
"He is truly a one of a kind cat—the most loving, needy little thing."
Redditors loved Sliz's post, one describing the photo as "pure love and relief right there."
Martin resting on Sliz, which he does when she falls asleep and when her alarm goes off.
Martin resting on Sliz, which he does when she falls asleep and when her alarm goes off.
Reddit u/slizshady
"Aww, he's missed you," another said, as one admitted: "You're lucky. Mind used to sulk with me for at least a week."
"I miss my orange cat. We would sleep exactly like this," another said.
And as one wrote: "I feel the love through the screen. This is so wholesome."
Soon after getting Martin as a college freshman, Sliz met her husband, who despite being "mildly allergic" to cats adored Martin, and bought him a special cat tree weeks after they started dating.
In the nine years since, the couple have since taken in another cat, Murphy, and dog Bean, and Sliz joked Martin has "taught them how to be needy too."
"But while they're all needy, Martin is far and away the most needy. Whenever we get back from a trip, whether it's two days or four weeks, he is the one who will be stuck to us like glue.
"He decides that the alarms he once respected no longer exist, meowing in the middle of the night until someone comes to pet him."
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