Cat Naps By The Fire | Cozy Bedtime Stories

soothing and restorative night sleep. Hmm, it's so nice to be all cozy and on the

“brink. If you enjoyed tonight's story please do leave a comment on Spotify or share”

us with a friend that helps us grow and reach even more listeners who may need help with their sleep. Thank you. I've just been lying on the floor with Ted and Macy. They're twins. They're hairy with long swishy tails, pointy ears and matching stripes down their backs and yes, they're cats, two rescue cats to be precise and they bring such joy to the home. They can usually

be found lounging on one of the beds, gently winking their eyes as a hello or chasing

“imaginary mice in the middle of the night. Chaos. Needless to say, they're very loved.”

In tonight's story we join this Smith family who share a love of cats as they decide

to adopt a new kitten. But first, their old cat Stella doesn't seem too happy to have

a new friend. Luckily she comes around and soon enjoys snuggling up with the delightful new household member. We hope you enjoy this cozy tale of feline friendship. Before we begin, here's the quick ad break that keeps this free content possible. To go out free, subscribe via the link in the show notes.

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settle in for a good night's rest. Just search lights at library in your favorite podcast player. Alright, now back to night falls. Mr. Mrs. Smith had rescued their cat Stella just after they got married. The new and they saw Stella that she was a very special cat. The first thing they noticed about her was that she was, to put it politely, quite gigantic. She was bright orange with stripes

down her back like a tiger. She had huge green eyes and massive ears with great tufts of white fire. When they went to the rescue center, they were immediately besotted with this beautiful and majestic creature. Stella practically sauntered up to them and she

brought her legs against Mr. Smith, purring loudly. Mr. Smith always said they didn't

choose Stella. She chose them. So, Stella came home with this myth family. The Smith loved Stella. They loved how she greeted them with small chirps like a bird and reached around if she saw a fly. They loved the way she sprinted around the living room and wolfed her food down, looking her lips with gusto. Stella adored her new home, especially outside in the garden. They didn't let her out right away, but when they did, she sped around

the lawn and rushed up trees, though she never got stuck, however high she went. She

was an excellent climber. Stella had a real personality. You knew and she was unhappy because

very slowly and deliberately. During the day she had multiple spots in the house where

“she liked to sleep. Sometimes she curled up into a tight ball and an armchair, pushing”

her head down under her body and snoring gently. If the radiator was on, that was her favorite spot, stretched all the way out alongside it, so as many parts of her body as possible, came into contact with the warmth. She liked to get all cozy in the evenings, when she crept up to climb over Mr. Smith while he sat on the sofa, snoozing in front of the football.

Mrs. Smith always laughed jokingly about how, when they'd met, Mr. Smith then insisted

he wasn't a cat person in the slightest, but now he was sold on Stella and always insured she had her favorite food, prawn and salmon. Nothing was too much for Stella.

“The feeling was mutual, Mr. Smith was undeniably her favorite. She adored him.”

And at night, she clambered up on his lap and curled around him with her entire body. She had a sat routine where she needed her paws onto his chest, then lead her long, orange neck along his chin like a big ginger scarf. There she began to snore in front of the fire, letting out gentle half snores and long, happy

powers. So it was just Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Stella.

Then the Smith said to children, "Katee was born a few years after they adopted Stella and James came along two years later." Mr. and Mrs. Smith had been a little worried that Stella would be jealous of the children,

“but their fears came to nothing. Stella was intrigued by both babies and welcomed them”

into the family in her own way. When they were babies, she lay near their cot, guarding them, and when they were older, she smushed her furry face close to theirs and cutled them like a tiny lion. At night, she crapped into their bedrooms and pushed under the duvet where it was all warm and dark.

There, she slept at the foot of their beds, keeping their feet warm and cold night with her layers and layers of soft fire. She was a lovely cat with many little behaviors that the Smiths considered unusual, but they probably weren't. She had a few things that she liked most, chatting away at the barreds and the children,

and they imagined Stella was telling them stories. She also loved potering outside looking for mice in the garden. One of her top activities was to follow Katee and James down the road on their way to school, leading behind the bushes. It's a sign she's brilliant cat, said Katee.

Stella, like most cats, craved and closed spaces.

If there was a cardboard box sitting around, she always jumped right into the center of

the box at top speed. She also sat in bowls, leaving in the sink, getting damp all around her paws. Stella often went out in the day to see her friend Carol. Carol was a big old cat who didn't go outside. She strats it around looking out the windows and Stella loved this.

She went to the window and parred at Carol, pressing her head against the glass. The Smiths laugh that Stella had found a best friend, but Katee was concerned. Maybe she's lonely. She said to her mom, "Maybe she wants another cat at home." "Well, I don't think she's lonely," Mrs Smith had said.

She's very happy, Stella has everything she needs.

Then, one day, Katee came home from school with a plan.

“A girl at school had a cat that had just had kittens.”

They were looking for homes. Katee showed her mom a picture of them lying on the floor asleep, and then a video of them running around the McCarpet. They were a mix of different colors. One was tortu shell, and two were black with white noses.

Then there were three that were all a beautiful ginger color, a little bit like Stella. But you could tell they wouldn't grow as big as Stella.

You were all adorable, but there was one who sat apart from the rest.

White with ginger paws, like little orange boots. As the video went on, the kitten with the orange boots jumped onto the kitchen counter, and started grooming itself. It looked straight to the camera.

“The final kitten had big, green eyes, just like Stella.”

Please can we get one mum? Katee begged. "This is so cute."

"I don't think we need another cat," said Mr. Smith.

"Look at them though," Katee said again, knowing that her dad was a bit of a soft touch. She showed Mr. Smith the video, and he peered at the kittens. "Oh my goodness, they too look very, very sweet," Mr. Smith said, with a small smile. Mrs. Smith came over to lick, an acknowledge that the kittens were adorable, but she was unsure. She explained to the children that there was a lot to consider, and that she wasn't sure

whether Stella would appreciate, adding a new kitten to the family.

“It was like Stella knew they were talking about her, and she stared at them with her”

big, green eyes, and let's out a questioning little meow. James looked at the photos, and watched the video many times. And he joined in the begging. "Please," he said, "Please can we get one? I'll look after it, I promise, I'll do all the feeding, and play with it all the time.

Please." Mr. and Mrs. Smith were torn. They had to admit the kittens looked very cute, but still, they were worried about Stella, each one would you want, Mrs. Smith asked, if we were getting one, hypothetically, of course. She was well aware that even to ask the question, she'd given in, and they were getting

a kitten. "Well, we should get the Y-1," Katie said, and they all agreed. There was something about the little white kitten, with the huge green eyes. It wasn't that the kitten looked like Stella, but there was something a little stellar about it, in the way it gazed up, unblinking in the video.

So, the Smith's adopted a new kitten. They discovered the kitten was a boy before he arrived, then they debated the name for a long time. Mr. Smith wanted something classically feline, like boots, to honor the kitten's little ginger paws.

Mrs. Smith thought they should call him Archie, because it went well with Stella, but then Katie piped up. "What about Magnus?" She asked. "There's a famous chess player called Magnus, we learned about him at school.

He does not very intelligent, doesn't he?" Mr. Smith mused. So, they decided to call him Magnus. They had to go out and buy all the new things Magnus would need, a little tray, a new food and water bowl, and Katie insisted on painting Magnus on all of them in orange paint.

She won't be able to read it, James said scornfully.

The gong kitten food in a few different toys and bright colors.

“She got a cat tower for Magnus to climb and brush for his fire.”

The final purchase was a beautifully soft blanket in light greens and blues, perfect for long naps. Everything was sorted, so when sunny morning and may, they went to pick up Magnus. They drove the short distance to Katie's friend's house, and the whole family was very excited about the prospect of the new kitten.

Katie and James were chattering the entire way about him, a Mrs. Smith had to remind them

that the kitten would almost certainly be apprehensive about his new home, and that they

need to be friendly and gentle. They'd expected Magnus to be a little unsure when they opened the cat box, but he bustering

“the house at top speed, practically climbing off the walls.”

They decided to keep him in a separate room for a few days. So Magnus was capped in the spare room, and Katie and James went and pated him regularly. Magnus had so much energy, and felt so small compared to Stella. He ran around, sniffing everything, checking out his new water and food balls. Did bottom a scratching post, too, and he ran into it full-piled, rubbing his body along

the furry post, and making tiny muleing sounds? Magnus had lots of things that fascinated him. He was still too young to go outside, but loved looking out the window and watching the birds.

“He liked feathers, especially chasing them.”

He liked shadows, he chased those two. Magnus had many different beds and cushions to lie on in the spare room, but he ignored them all. Fevering the battered old cardboard box that had arrived containing his can'try. He curled up and snoosed from much of the day, jumping out again to play with the children.

He sniffed a beautiful soft blanket that Katie smithed chosen for him, but he preferred snuggling up in one of Mr Smith's old, holy t-shirts. Helping his head through the holes when he woke up and chirping happily. Everyone agreed that Magnus was adorable. They could hardly imagine life before his arrival, even after a few days.

Mr Smith had read lots of advice regarding introducing Stella and Magnus. He read that it was best to start with sand swapping, to get the cats used to one another. He also read that the cats could sniff each other through the door. So he pushed a towel with Magnus' scent under the door to make sure. But Stella was uncertain.

They could tell because she pushed her ears forward. Her back was arched, and she hadn't even seen Magnus yet. They decided to give it a few days, to let Stella become used to Magnus' scent. But Stella was unsure for a whole week. She watched his Mr Smith and the children, went into the spare bedroom, to feed and play

with the kitten, and she stared. Her fur standing up all along her back. Mrs Smith wasn't sure what to do, but she felt it had been long enough, and so she decided to introduce them to each other.

They researched it because the Smiths always researched everything before they acted.

They decided they would let Magnus out and observe. They could intervene if he got into trouble with Stella. It didn't go well. Stella hissed at Magnus, and immediately went outside. Then Magnus tried to follow, but Mr Smith jumped in and scooped him up.

They popped him back in the spare room and gave him a big cuddle.

KT and James were worried that night.

“They adored Magnus, but they didn't want Stella to be unhappy, and she wasn't herself”

at all. Sting outside and peering in through the cat flap at Magnus. It all takes time. Mr Smith said, "You just need to show a bit of patience." In the next day they tried again.

They brought Stella into the kitchen and gave her some of her favorite snacks. Then they brought in Magnus too, and he ran at Stella, trying to play with her. The children laughed and then Magnus raced up to them and tried to run up KT's leg. Stella seemed on the fence, but then she let him run around her, and he batted at her nose playfully.

“She tolerated him, and then she went and dozed on her radiator, stretching out all across”

the top. She was lovely and warm. Magnus was exhausted from the excitement of meeting Stella properly, and he passed out on the sofa. The next day they let Magnus out of the spare room.

Mrs Smith bought Magnus a new toy on a whim. A red ball you could pull around by a string. He was obsessed with it, and KT played with him happily for hours. He darted under the sofa to follow it, retrieving it, then pulled the toy away from KT, and dropped it on Mr Smith's lap like a puppy.

“"What a strange cat you are," Mr Smith said laughing.”

Stella watched from the sofa, then jumped up and started to chase the ball around at a breakneck speed as KT pulled it. Magnus chased her, delighted that she wanted to play with him, and she seemed perfectly happy with the game. They ran around together for a while under the close supervision of the Smith.

"See," Mr Smith said, Stella just needed a little time to get used to everything. The time would come. Magnus was allowed out of the spare room all day, which gave him much more space to explore. The house had lots of different textures, sounds, and smells. The house was delighted, he grabbed around each room, taking one at a time.

He sniffed everything, furniture, bins, and especially shoes. He darted under the sofa, and then out again in Glee. He jumped on chairs, and chased his shadow. He could see he was starting to work out his preferred spots in the house. He wrapped his face against the houseplants, and clambered up on window-sills, looking

out onto the world. He ran around frenetically, and then he passed out very quickly, like he couldn't stay

away for a second longer.

His tiny orange paws curled up under him. When the deed had a bit more exposure to Stella, he was decidedly obsessed with her, desperate to play fight, and then they had started to engage in some adorable tussles, where Magnus rolled around on the floor, shaking with joy. The children loved watching Magnus copy Stella.

He had started chirping at the birds from the window sill, just like her. His favorite thing to do when he saw her was to stalk her around the house, and pounce at her back.

Stella was always very gentle with him.

They would bump heads softly, and Magnus would squeak with happiness. After they'd had Magnus for a few weeks, Mr. and Mrs. Smith agreed they couldn't imagine life without him. Stella took on the role of Magnus's mentor, trotting around and supervising him patiently,

counter, where he could fall off.

“Eventually, they let Magnus outside side.”

Usually Magnus ran everywhere, but he was cautious that first time out in the open.

He put one paw on the grass very gently, like he wasn't quite sure. And then slowly moved across the lawn, getting used to the feeling of the grass on his belly. He approached the flower bed and looked up at the sunflowers and the roses. tentatively, he pushed out his paw and gave the stalks a slight tap. And then he potted to the other side of the garden.

He didn't seem to sure. Magnus had been ever so confident in the house, but the garden was big, the sky blew above him, and it seemed to stretch forever.

He was away from the comfort of the house, and he was on the sarsan.

Luckily, Stalla came outside, and Magnus parked up immediately.

“He followed her around the garden as she went to all her secret places.”

The whole under the fence that she liked to sneak through to go see Carol, and to the pile of darts in the corner of the garden, the mistress myth had been intending to move, but hadn't quite gotten round to. One evening, everyone was finishing up dinner. They just had a huge Sunday roast with crispy potatoes, roast beef, and KT's favorite,

cauliflower cheese, all golden on top. They were all feeling lovely and full, and they decided to go over to the sofa and watch a film. The mistress myth decided to light a fire to keep them cozy. He knew the cats would love it.

“He always went through the same process when he lit a fire.”

First he checked the chimney to ensure the flu was open, then he carefully removed the

ash and debris. He made sure to give the area a good sweep. Slowly he began to lay the base, taking crumpled newspaper, and placing it on the hearth grade. He added dry sticks and split wood on top of the newspaper.

To finish, he put down his larger logs. Satisfied with his work, he took the matches and lit the newspaper. He watched as the flames began to catch, and it was warming and snug as they spread along the fire base, emitting a soft glow. He added logs gradually, one at a time, enjoying building up his fire.

The rest of the family watched too. After about half an hour, the fire was burning well. The flames had settled into a deep orange around the wood. The smell of the fire was in the room. The mixture of something sweet and caramely, and that comforting scent of smoky wood.

There was a slight crackle occasionally that was ever so soothing. It lulled james into a delicious snooze. Mr Smith was satisfied with his fire, and he watched it sleepily. Mrs Smith looked like she was about to fall asleep too. Her eyes were heavy, and her books slid down onto her tummy.

KT lay on the floor in a heatproof cushions, the TV on low. Then KT looked over to the orange air. It was an old one, patterned with faded pink and white stripes, strategically placed near the fire. None of the Smith's ever sat on the armchair.

From the day Stella had arrived, she had declared it hers. That night, KT looked over and smiled at the heart warming side. Stella had climbed up and formed a ball. Her body's close to the fire was possible.

Their tails were wrapped around each other, and all you could hear was the purrs.

“They looked so cozy, like they could lie there forever, with the warmth around them.”

KT looked into the fire, and she took a deep breath. To see the cat, she imagined how satisfied they must feel, and she felt her shoulders

loosened, and her jaw unclent.

Outside there was gentle rain, and it patterned softly. Enter pattern, pitter pattern.

“Inside they were safe and snug, and the light was warm and golden from the fire.”

KT breathed in, imagining the warmth coming into her chest, and she imagined how warm,

Stella and Magnus were. She found the heat spread through her arms and back, and then into her legs and feet. She noticed the way the fire light moved on the walls.

“Everything in the room seemed to glow like it was being lit from within, and she listened”

to the cat's purrs become louder. She took a slow breath, and gently exhale, as she let her body settle into nothing but comfort. Her eyelids began to soften. Her jaw unclentched, and every part of her almost felt like liquid. She felt rested, and contend.

Just like a cat before a fire. We'll leave our story there for tonight. I'm going to give Maisy and Ted a bit more attention. Sleep well, and sweet dreams. [MUSIC]

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