Ask a cat is an advice column featured in the Alaska Landmine. Have a question for the Cat? Email askacat@alaskalandmine.com or click here to submit via a form (anonymous) to get the answers to any of life’s problems.

Dear Cat,

How do I get my family to stop ridiculing Taylor Swift for dating Travis Kelce in front of me when they know I’m a fan?

Dear Human:

Good question. Purrsonally, Cat is a big fan of Taylor. She’s a friend of felines and seems like a good egg. Like most cats, I’m a bit wary of newcomers. The jury is still out on this Kelce character. Purrhaps you could point out to your family that Taylor is good for this gentlemen’s career. Whoever he is. She’s really putting him on the map. Cat isn’t sure if they are making fun of Taylor because they don’t like Kelce, or because they don’t like her. Either way, they will probably tire of this enterprise, just as Ms. Swift will. Cat suspects that after Taylor gathers enough material, she will move on – hopefully your family will too.

Dear Cat,

As the parent of an elementary age child, I’m trying to get the word out about ASD’s upcoming changes to middle school. I think they’ve done a disservice by springing this change on us without soliciting much (if any) parental input. I’ve already contacted ASD and the school board, but I’d like to ask the Cat what they think of moving 6th grade to middle school instead of keeping it in elementary school.

Dear Human:

To be honest, Cat thinks very little of children and their problems. Cat finds them a bit loud and sticky. But I digress. When called upon, Cat is happy to get into the weeds on almost any issue. Admittedly, Cat had to reach a paw to outside sources to form an opinion on the matter. From what I glean, ASD, having previously had a few schools serving 6th-8th grade, will now begin to transition all 6th grade students to this model (with the exception of several charter schools/special programs.)

Initially, Cat doesn’t inherently see a problem with grouping those purrticular grades together. Upon visiting the ASD website, Cat does find that all of their questions seem to be answered as to the hows and whys. From where Cat lounges, it seems like a bit of an annoying transition, but not a devastating one.

The caveat to Cat’s pondering is that Cat has no kittens and no ball of string in this game. From what Cat is told, this generation of pandemic-offspring are purrhaps already over extended when it comes to having to be resilient to change. They also seem to be struggling academically in greater numbers than those that came before them. Whether or not this transition will help or hurt in that regard, it’s hard to say. Sources informed Cat that the more troubling aspect to parents is feeling like they were left out of this change. Historically, we all know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If your peers share your opinion, continuing to reach out to the school board in great numbers is likely the most effective use of your energy.

Dear Cat,

My coworkers seem really concerned with my love life. I’ve worked here a couple years and dated a few people, but nothing that lasted more than six months. I work for a smaller family owned business so it seems like there are a lot of picnic/holiday parties/etc I’m expected to attend. I honestly don’t mind these events, but it seems like they’re always asking if I’m going to bring a date, or what the “latest” is with my romantic life. It’s not overly inappropriate, but it is really tiresome and annoying- how should I handle this?

Dear Human:

On the contrary, Cat thinks this does sound just plain inappropriate. Cat appreciates that it’s sometimes hard to find a balance between too personal and impersonal when it comes to chatting with your coworkers, but this is clearly past the point of being comfortable for you. Because this is more bothersome than it is harassment, Cat suggests first trying to simply redirect the conversation. While it’s not your job to “fix” this, it’s probably a good idea not to reinforce their questions by divulging much (if anything) about your personal life.

While I suspect their questions are well intentioned and good natured, that doesn’t mean it’s ok if it’s become distressing to you. If redirecting their nosey inquiries doesn’t work, you can either let your manager know that it bugs you, or if you’re comfortable you can simply say, “Thanks for asking, but talking about my personal life at work seems like a bad idea.” Remember, just because someone asks you a question, doesn’t mean you’re obligated to answer it.

Caterwauling:

Purrhaps the lesson we can take away from this week’s inquiries is to know when to speak up, and when to mind your own business. Use your voice to advocate, not to pester and torment. 🐾