In the corporate jungle and the domestic domain, two powerful figures reign supreme: your CEO and your cat. While one might command a corner office and the other a sunny windowsill, their tactics for demanding attention show surprising parallels. Here are eight signs that your CEO and your feline friend might be more alike than you ever realized.
Just started a focused work session? About to hit your stride on that project? This is the exact moment your CEO will materialize at your desk with a "quick question" that turns into a 30-minute conversation. Similarly, your cat will choose the moment you're on a crucial Zoom call to jump onto your keyboard, meow directly into the microphone, or showcase their tail to all your colleagues.
That 11 PM email from your CEO with just "Thoughts?" in the subject line mirrors your cat's 3 AM stare session where they sit silently on your chest, eyes glowing in the dark, message equally unclear but somehow urgent. Both leave you wondering, "What do they want from me, and why couldn't this wait until morning?"
When the CEO calls a meeting, everyone drops everything and runs. When your cat stands by the treat cabinet making that specific noise, you also drop everything and run. Neither believes in the concept of "I'll get to it when I can" – their time is valuable, yours is apparently infinite.
Your CEO metaphorically pushes your carefully crafted marketing plan off the table with a casual, "Let's take this in a different direction," while maintaining direct eye contact. Your cat literally pushes your coffee mug off the counter while maintaining the same unblinking stare. Both seem to derive a mysterious satisfaction from watching things fall.
Need your CEO's signature on an approval form? Suddenly they're "in meetings all day." Time to give your cat medication? Mysteriously, they've vanished to a dimension only accessible to cats. Both have mastered the art of strategic unavailability when tasks they dislike are on the agenda.
Your presentation went perfectly, and immediately your CEO is telling the board how "we" (meaning they) developed this brilliant strategy. Meanwhile at home, you spent an hour arranging the perfect Instagram photo, but your cat jumped into the frame at the last second and now has 300 likes as the star of the show.
Your CEO sits on decisions, budget approvals, and time-sensitive responses. Your cat sits on your laptop, important documents, and the book you were just reading. Both seem to have an uncanny ability to position themselves directly on top of whatever needed your attention most.
"I shouldn't have to explain what I want" could be the motto for both cats and CEOs. One stands by an empty food bowl staring at you accusingly despite being fed an hour ago, while the other sends back your report with just "This isn't what I wanted" scrawled across it. Both expect you to figure out what they actually want through some form of telepathy they believe you should possess.
Whether you're dealing with your CEO's sudden interest in your project just as it's becoming successful or your cat's intense fascination with the bag of treats you're holding, the key is understanding that attention-seeking behavior often comes from a place of asserting control.
The solution? Strategic attention: Provide regular updates to your CEO before they ask, and scheduled play sessions for your cat. Preemptive attention often prevents the more disruptive varieties.
In the corporate food chain and your household hierarchy, sometimes you're the one being managed—whether by a boss with quarterly targets or a fur-covered supervisor with very specific opinions about dinner time. The good news is that once you recognize the patterns, both relationships become significantly easier to navigate.
Just remember—unlike your CEO, your cat is actually the boss of you. At least the cat is honest about it.