Well, Katie just reminded me that one does not ignore the cat. I was sitting on the sofa, doing some editing work, and Katie sprawled out next to me and mewed a couple times. Shame on me, I didn't immediately drop the papers and pet the cat!

So she put her paws on my shoulder and very gently nipped my earlobe! Then she meowed (a very perturbed meow) right in my ear.

And yes, I confess, it worked. She got her belly rubs. Sigh.