https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAT0MzdBhA8
I have always believed that the world was not paying enough attention to me.
My human disagreed.
She said people were busy.
I said this was an excuse.
Then she wrote a book about me.
**Life on the Cat Tree.**
Finally.
Justice.
A literary record of my life, my opinions, my struggles, my snacks, my household management techniques, and the many ways in which my human continues to misunderstand basic cat requirements.
Naturally, I expected immediate international fame.
Instead, I had to wait.
And wait.
And occasionally sit on the keyboard while my human tried to promote the book.
It was exhausting.
Then something happened.
Someone made an animation about my book.
An actual animation.
I have now been transformed from a magnificent living creature into a moving picture.
I would like to say that I am handling this calmly.
I am not.
---
## Meet Amin
The human responsible for this remarkable development is **Amin U.**, a whiteboard animation and video specialist whose work includes animated explainer videos, YouTube content, 2D animation and doodle-style videos.
My human found him through: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/aminulhaq?mp_source=share
She explained the book.
She explained me.
She explained that I am a cat.
This last part was probably unnecessary.
Anyone who sees me for approximately four seconds understands that I am a cat.
A very important cat.
A cat with a book.
There is a difference.
Amin then took the idea and turned it into an animation.
Which raises several questions.
First:
**Why did nobody animate me sooner?**
Second:
**Where is my trailer?**
Third:
**Where is my merchandise department?**
Fourth:
**Why am I not being interviewed on television?**
I have already prepared answers.
---
## About the Book
For those who have somehow managed to miss the most important literary event in my household, *Life on the Cat Tree* is my book.
It is about life from the cat's point of view.
Which means it is finally about life from the correct point of view.
Humans tend to think they run the household.
This is adorable.
They pay the bills.
They open cans.
They buy cat food.
They occasionally operate the mysterious machine that produces warm laundry.
But who decides where everyone sits?
Who determines when breakfast should happen?
Who knows exactly which cupboard contains the treats?
Who wakes up at 4:17 in the morning and runs through the house for absolutely no reason?
Exactly.
The management is feline.
The humans are support staff.
---
## My Book Is About Real Cat Problems
People sometimes ask what sort of stories are in *Life on the Cat Tree*.
I will explain.
There are serious matters.
There are human mistakes.
There are food-related disappointments.
There are unacceptable interruptions.
There are windows that have been closed for reasons no cat has ever accepted.
There are lights that have been turned off because apparently humans believe darkness is "bedtime."
There are moments when my human says:
*"No, Gryzka."*
I consider this a personal insult.
The book documents these things.
Because somebody has to.
History is written by humans.
Cat history is written by cats.
And occasionally by humans who are clever enough to listen.
---
## Then Amin Did Something Strange
He made me move.
I was sitting there one minute.
Being magnificent.
The next thing I knew, I was in an animation.
Moving.
Appearing.
Disappearing.
Being drawn.
Being turned into a little animated version of myself.
I watched the video.
I stared.
Then I looked at my human.
Then back at the screen.
Then at my human again.
She smiled.
I did not.
I was trying to understand the implications.
If I can be animated, does this mean I can now appear in meetings?
Can I attend Zoom calls?
Can I be animated into the kitchen whenever someone opens a packet?
Can I appear beside the refrigerator at exactly 2:03 a.m.?
This requires further investigation.
---
The animation is very nice.
Possibly too nice.
This worries me.
People might begin thinking I am sweet.
I am not saying I am *not* sweet.
I am saying that sweetness is only one of my many qualities.
I am also:
* determined
* intelligent
* observant
* dramatic when necessary
* extremely interested in food
* suspicious of closed doors
* professionally opposed to being ignored
* capable of staring at a human until the human confesses to something
The animation should therefore be considered an artistic interpretation.
It is not a complete psychological profile.
For that, you need the book.
---
## The Human Is Very Proud
My human seems particularly pleased with the animation.
She keeps watching it.
She keeps talking about it.
She keeps telling people about the animation and the book.
This is good.
Promotion is important.
I have explained this to her many times.
She sometimes gets distracted.
For example, she may say:
*"I should post something about the book today."*
Then she notices me.
Then she says:
*"Oh, Gryzka, you're so cute."*
And five minutes disappear.
This is one of the many burdens carried by authors.
---
## What I Think of Amin's Work (https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/aminulhaq?mp_source=share)
I approve.
There.
That is my official review.
You may quote me.
**"Gryzka approves."**
Five stars.
Possibly five paw prints.
I understand that Amin has years of experience creating whiteboard animation and explainer videos, and his Upwork profile shows work across animation, video editing, VideoScribe, Doodly and related video production.
But obviously his greatest professional achievement remains obvious.
He animated me.
You're welcome, Amin.
Your career can now continue.
---
## And What About You?
Perhaps you have a cat.
Perhaps you have a dog.
Perhaps you have a suspiciously intelligent hamster.
Perhaps you are a human who has been living under the impression that you are in charge of your household.
If so, I recommend *Life on the Cat Tree*.
It may educate you.
It may entertain you.
It may cause you to look at your own cat differently.
Most importantly, it may finally help you understand what your cat has been trying to tell you for years.
**You are not the boss.**
You are the staff.
There is a difference.
And if you would like to see what happens when a cat's literary life becomes animated, have a look at the video created by Amin.
I watched it.
You should too.
I am not saying I expect millions of views.
I am simply saying that millions of people have eyes.
It would be wasteful not to use them.
---
### One Last Thing
*Life on the Cat Tree* was written about my life.
But really, it is about something bigger.
It is about the ridiculous, funny, affectionate, chaotic relationship between cats and humans.
The strange little routines.
The arguments over food.
The staring.
The sleeping in impossible places.
The sudden attacks on invisible enemies.
The mysterious midnight running.
The fact that humans somehow believe they can sit down without first obtaining feline permission.
It is life.
From my point of view.
Which, naturally, is the correct one.
And now that my book has been animated, I feel that the next logical step is obvious.
A movie.
I am available for casting.
My human says I am difficult.
I prefer the term **artistically demanding**.
Until then, you can find me where I have always been.
On the cat tree.
Watching.
Judging.
Waiting for dinner.
And wondering why Hollywood has not called yet.
**Gryzka**
