Two grey cats on a couch

Allan Armadale and Ozias Midwinter engaging in competitive relaxation #AcademicLifeWithCats

Grey cat blocking my way on the staircase

Allan Armadale doing his best Gandalf the Grey “you shall not pass” imitation #AcademicLifeWithCats

Two grey tabbies cuddling

Allan Armadale and Ozias Midwinter in a cuddly mood #AcademicLifeWithCats

ME: perhaps I am spending too much time at the computer
OZIAS MIDWINTER: *rips power cord partway out of the Mac*
#AcademicLifeWithCats

Allan Armadale and Ozias Midwinter making good use of the new bookcases. #AcademicLifeWithCats

It’s an unseasonably warm afternoon. Here are 3 snoozing cats on the guest bed (which, as I pointed out to them, looked rather neater this morning…). #AcademicLifeWithCats

Lydia Gwilt has been cooking herself meditatively against the radiator for some time. With special guest appearance by a Victorian heating vent. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Allan Armadale sunning himself in the bay window #AcademicLifeWithCats

The cat sitter snapped a couple of photos of Allan Armadale looking deeply pensive about, er, cat things, I suppose. #AcademicLifeWithCats

(I mean, _now_ he's rousting me out of bed by vigorously using a scratching post, but at least the scratching post is designed for this activity...) #AcademicLifeWithCats

Writing assistant #AcademicLifeWithCats

The tower cubby in my computer cart is now primarily useful for Allan Armadale storage #AcademicLifeWithCats

Cat and mouse #AllanArmadale #AcademicLifeWithCats

For anyone in need of relaxation, here is Lydia Gwilt toasting herself against a radiator. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Apparently, I need to check the USB cords plugged into the back of my desktop more often. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Lydia Gwilt keeping tabs on the human. #AcademicLifeWithCats

During her recent visit, my mother captured Lydia Gwilt, Ozias Midwinter, and Allan Armadale, all presumably up to no good. Allan looks accusatory, for some reason. #AcademicLifeWithCats #ParentalPhotographs

Lydia Gwilt enjoys the most powerful radiator in the house. #AcademicLifeWithCats

The carpet scrap/radiator combination is proving popular with the local feline population. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Lydia, Allan, and Ozias relaxing on the guest bed. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Lydia Gwilt has decided that she belongs with the history books, apparently. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Allan Armadale assists with unpacking by, ah, preventing it. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Allan Armadale (looking a bit concerned), Lydia Gwilt, and Ozias Midwinter hanging out in the guest room. Sort of a "Whistler's Mother" color palette. #AcademicLifeWithCats

My doctorate in English seems to be of only limited use in solving the problem posed by one of my cats, who has discovered how to turn on the bathroom faucet. #AcademicLifeWithCats

The low profile of the Mac keyboard seems to encourage feline malfeasances of various sorts (turning off Skype, altering the volume, opening new windows, even favoriting tweets!). #AcademicLifeWithCats

ME: I have successfully assembled this new office chair without suffering any serious damage to my extremities.
*sits in chair*
*three minutes pass*
*hears suspicious SCRATCHING NOISES*
ME: I JUST BOUGHT THIS CHAIR DO NOT PUT YOUR CLAWS IN IT
#AcademicLifeWithCats

“You know, ‘consuming a book’ is supposed to be a figure of speech.” #AcademicLifeWithCats #ChewedOverScholarship #AnOngoingSeries

The iMac has the unexpected benefit of leaving more room for Allan Armadale to hang out in his favorite spot. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Allan Armadale here provides an elegant, if somewhat furry, frame for the art (the painting is a self-portrait of my late grandmother, who also made the dolls on either side). Courtesy of the cat sitter. #AcademicLifeWithCats

Lydia Gwilt peers at the cat sitter. #AcademicLifeWithCats