My Human Says ‘It’s Only January.’ I Say ‘Exactly.’

My human keeps saying, “It’s only January.”
ONLY.

 Let me explain something, slowly, so even humans can understand.

January is not a month.
January is a concept.
A punishment.
A test of faith.
A long, cold hallway with no snacks at the end.

When my human says, “Don’t worry, it’s only January,” what she really means is:
“There are at least three more eternities before spring.”

January Has No Respect for Cats

In January, the sun appears briefly, like a shy guest who doesn’t want to stay. I rush to the window, prepare my body, align my soul—
and then it’s gone.

I sit there anyway. Out of principle.

Kitka, the calico and the oldest among us, claims this is “how winters have always been.” She says it in a voice full of ancient disappointment, like someone who has seen things. Kitka remembers winters when radiators were louder and humans wore sweaters that smelled like despair.

She sleeps through January.
This is wisdom.

Spurka Thinks January Is a Game

Spurka, my black sister, believes January is an indoor adventure park. Since going outside is clearly forbidden by nature itself, she has decided that everything inside must die.

Curtains? Enemy.
Socks? Prey.
The human’s leg at 3 a.m.? Clearly suspicious.

At night, Spurka runs from one end of the apartment to the other like she’s being chased by unpaid bills. The human calls it “zoomies.” I call it poor planning.

And Then There Is Lenka

Lenka is new.

Lenka is small.
Lenka is fluffy.
Lenka thinks January is fun.

She watches snow like it’s a movie.
She tries to catch it through the window.
She once asked—asked—why we don’t just go outside.

Kitka stared into the distance.
Spurka hissed at the concept.
I personally took offense.

Lenka still believes January ends soon.
We are letting her live in that illusion for now.

The Heating Situation Is a Crime

January is the month when the heating is either:

• too hot

• not hot enough

• or on, but emotionally distant

I position myself directly on the radiator to absorb warmth into my bones. My human says, “Gryzka, you’ll melt.”

Good.

At least something will.

Food Does Not Taste Right in January

I don’t know how to explain this, but January ruins food.
Same bowl. Same brand.
Completely unacceptable.

I stare at it.
I look at my human.
I look back at it.

She says, “But you loved this yesterday.”

Yesterday was December.
Different era.

January Lies

January pretends it’s calm. That it’s a fresh start.
It is not.

It is December’s hangover.
It is Monday in month form.
It is the reason we nap aggressively.

When my human sighs and says, “It’s only January,” I curl up tighter, flick my tail, and think:

Exactly.

Only January.
Still January.
Endlessly January.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I must go sit on something important so it stops working.

— Gryzka 🐾