(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Caturday Pootie Diary: Multitasking [1] ['View Profile'] Date: 2026-05-16 I opened the Duolingo app and started a lesson. The app is set up to reward you for playing by awarding extra xp’s that are only available for a set amount of time, so once I started I tried to play for at least fifteen minutes or so in order to collect as much as I could. The app knows how to tap into my competitive side. A flash card appeared on my screen. To squeeze. “Exprimir,” I told the app. A little bell sound announced my correct answer. A new flash card popped up. To grate. “Rallar,” I said. Another bell. From the other room, a loud howl arose. A gentle reminder of how we do things: 🐱🐶🐦 Attribution: Twitter Attribution: TwitterAttribution: TwitterAttribution: Twitter Do not troll the diary. If you hate pootie diaries, leave now. No harm, no foul. Please do share pics of your fur kids! If you have health/behavior issues with your pets, feel free to bring it to the community. Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs. Birds… are birds! Peeps are people. Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. If you’re having “issues” with another Kossack, keep it “out there.” This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly. There are some pics we never post: snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals. These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated. If we alert you to it, please remember that we do have phobic peeps who react strongly to them. If you keep posting banned pics…well then…the Tigress will have to take matters in hand. Or, paw ”Can it wait?” I called out, not taking my eyes off my Spanish lesson. “Batidora,” I told my phone, smiling at the bell. A much louder and now slightly indignant howl was the response. Living room, I thought, getting up with a sigh. I brought my phone with me, hoping to multitask. Freddie wasn’t in the living room. “Where are you?” I called out. “Marco!” Freddie appeared in the entrance to the hallway. ”No, it’s Freddie,” he told me. “You’re supposed to say ‘polo,’” I explained. “So I can find you.” He frowned. “Human nonsense,” he sniffed. “If you want to find me, use your nose.” “Do you want me to come get you?” I asked, using one of the phrases I use to check if he wants to play. His tail shook with excitement. ”I’m coming for you,” I crowed, running at him. He dodged me deftly and ran for his boxes. “Gonna get Freddie!” I said, giving chase. He leapt into his largest box and crouched down, ready for me. I bent down and rubbed the fur on his sides with both hands. It was a little difficult since I was clutching my phone in one hand, but it was what he expected. Freddie rubbed his head against the side of the box, thoroughly enjoying my attention The phone in my hand caught my attention and I straighted up. I tapped the button to load the next problem and listened as one of the characters read a paragraph to me. I quickly answered a question about it, then looked down at my cat. The app chimed my correct answer as Freddie glared up at me. “Sorry,” I said, showing him my phone. “I’m in the middle of something.” ”Yes, you are,” he said, firmly. I nodded in agreement and tapped the button for the next problem. I finished the lesson and collected the XPs, then looked down at Freddie. He was still in the box and still glaring up at me. If he’d been able, his arms would have been crossed and his foot tapping impatiently. ”I have to do this every day,” I said, apologetically. “To keep my streak.” ”I don’t know what any of that means,” he said.He hopped out of the box and sauntered past me and into the living room. I shrugged and returned to the couch, starting another lesson as I sat. From the living room, howls. I finished the lesson, then hauled myself up to go look for him. He was under the living room coffee table, watching as I approached. ”I can’t chase you if you’re under there,” I pointed out. He watched silently. The felted ball Christmas garland was on top of the table, so I picked it up. “Get it!” I said, snaking the end of it under the table and across his paws. He batted at it. We played like that for a little while, but o could feel the pull of the learning app. I bent down so I could see his face. “I need to finish my lessons,” I told him, regretfully. I wound up the garland and dropped it on the table. As I walked out of the room, I looked back. Freddie had poked his head out from under the table and was watching me, sad. I finished another lesson and set my phone down. I couldn’t get the sight of him watching me leave out of my head. I felt guilty. Movement from the side of the couch caught my attention and I looked over. Freddie was standing there, looking up at me. “Come up,” I invited, patting the couch next to me. Maybe if I could get him settled on my lap he’d be content to let me finish my lessons. He jumped up next to me and watched as I spread the furry blanket over my lap. Once it was in place, he climbed onto it, turned in a circle, then sat and stared at me. Uneasy, I picked up my phone again. After I got a third answer wrong, I set my phone down and looked at the cat who was staring at me. He was only about a foot from my face, sitting on my lap as he was. ”What is this?” I asked. ”I don’t know what you mean,” he said. I shook my head and picked up my phone again. “It’s not going to work,” I said. He continued to stare, silently. I got another answer wrong. I finished my last lesson for the night, then looked around. Freddie wasn’t on my lap anymore, having given up on me and left the room. I got up to go find him. He turned out to be easy to find, curled up on his current favorite napping spot: one of the chairs in the living room. I walked over to him and gently petted his face. He woke with a little trill and looked up at me. “I’m all done,” I told him, quietly. “Come spend some time with me.” He rolled over, getting into a more comfortable sleeping position and closed his eyes again. I briefly considered simply picking him up, but rejected that idea. He looked too happy. “You don’t want to hang out with me?” I whined. ”It’s time to sleep, human,” he murmured. “Time for attention has passed.” “I didn’t realize there was a window,” I said. “Window is closed,” he said, firmly. I gave his fur a gentle stroke. “Come find me when it reopens,” I said. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/5/16/800039764/community/caturday-pootie-diary/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/