For those who work at home, you know it can be hard to get things done with a snuggly kitty nearby. The Cole and Marmalade family certainly knows a thing or two about that! And so does Cat Mom, Donna, who has a lovable fluffy blind cat named Archie.

Archie Refused to Stay Apart from Mom

In her home office, Donna is often busy making candles. So, you might say she’s a candle chandler with a clowder of cats. But the combination of any snuggly cat with candle wax isn’t a great idea. Unless that is, you want a candle with cat fur in it. Furry candles? Hey, we know a designer who makes incredible wearable art with ethically collected shed whiskers. So…maybe?

Below, meet Archie as Donna calls his name? How cute is that?

But further compounding the issue, Archie is totally blind. While he has incredible blind cat supurrpowers navigating his world, he could also get uncomfortably close to hot wax! Not a great recipe for success or safety by any means.

Donna Terese, Archie the blind cat, The Blind Cat House, Chicago, Sarah McLachlan, Cat Tunnel, Tent, Working with Cats, Cole and Marmalade, Calypso and Mazikeen, work cat, cat in a home office, 1 

Archie listens to his Mom say his name via TikTok/ The Blind Cat House

Now you understand why Donna had to put up a baby gate to keep Archie safely outside the room. But his reaction was heartbreaking. He’s his momma’s whole world, and he’s usually “glued to [her] side 24/7!”

Donna Terese, Archie the blind cat, The Blind Cat House, Chicago, Sarah McLachlan, Cat Tunnel, Tent, Working with Cats, Cole and Marmalade, Calypso and Mazikeen, work cat, cat in a home office, baby gate

A Sarah McLachlan ‘Angel’ Moment

Seeing Archie trying his best to get inside the room by pawing at the metal gate was too much. Sarah McLachlan’s ” Angel” was the only suitable music for something like this!

“Okay, Archie I didn’t plan on crying today but whatever,” posted The Blind Cat House.

Mom Finds A Creative Workaround for Archie

After the tear-jerking scene outside the candle room, Donna came up with a cute workaround. Her baby gate has a smaller pet door at the bottom. So, she placed an inexpensive mesh tunnel and tent securely at the pet door. A previously purchased scratching post tube protected the mesh where it connects to the door. So, Archie can scratch at it all he likes from outside.

Donna Terese, Archie the blind cat, The Blind Cat House, Chicago, Sarah McLachlan, Cat Tunnel, Tent, Working with Cats, Cole and Marmalade, Calypso and Mazikeen, work cat, cat in a home office, baby gate, tunnel 1

With a little training, Archie figured out he could come down the tube to a larger cat bed area. At the same time, the mesh helps keep out his fluff, so it doesn’t make the candle wax hairy! And he doesn’t feel rejected by being walled out of the area when he knows Mom is in there.

As you can see below, the tunnel made a cozy spot for his pal, JoJo, “the chonky sphinx.” However, things got a little crowded, so the next plan is to scale it up a bit. It probably reminds some of you of being a parent and doing something similar for your toddler at work, doesn’t it?

Yes, cats are our babies, and we’ll go to great lengths so they always know we love them!

You can see what happens next on Instagram and TikTok.

And here’s a video from Cole and Marmalade about trying to work with young Mazikeen (Maz) and Calypso around: