The Adventures of Periwinkle and Stinky

 

It was Tuesday morning, and Periwinkle was busy grooming her furs while waiting for her handsome fiancé, Stinky.  She had already decorated the Teleportation Tunnel with shiny paw-print stickers and hung a bright banner that said “Welcome Back to School!”

 

When Stinky popped out of the tunnel with a WOOSH, they spent some time whisker kissing and paw patting.  After a bit, he looked around and was confused.  He looked at Periwinkle and said, “Wait… we're cats, we don’t go to school. What’s all this for?”  Periwinkle giggled and said, "I know, silly, but we have a lot of friends who do, and I thought we should go over some impawtent facts like we did a few years ago."

Stinky agreed (although the thought of SCHOOL sounded pretty confusing to him.)  Periwinkle took him by the paw and, together, they went over some things they should share.

 Tip 1: Get Ready the Night Before
Periwinkle set up a table with backpacks, lunchboxes, and notebooks.
"Tip number one," she said, "is to pack your bag before bedtime. That way, there’s no morning meow-mergencies!"  Stinky agreed since you didn't want to forget your snacks or treats.  He was glad to see Periwinkle had their backpacks out.

Tip 2: Wake Up With a Smile
“Getting enough sleep helps you wake up happy,” said Periwinkle. “Try going to bed a little earlier and taking more naps.  Of course, as cats, we're pretty good at naps!" Stinky yawned dramatically. “I need 20 hours of sleep. I’m practically a professional!” 

Tip 3: Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Make sure you eat the nourishing breakfast your Mom or Dad gives you.  Don't ONLY eat treats like Temptations or Churus!"  “Breakfast gives your brain power,” Periwinkle explained.
“I don't mind breakfast now that I don't get those icky meds in it" said Stinky.  Periwinkle was glad Stinky was taking his meds transdermally now.

 Tip 4: Be Kind and Make New Friends
The kitties set out stuffies of every shape and size—puppies, turtles, even a giraffe. “Everyone gets a little nervous on the first day,” said Periwinkle. “Smile, say hello, and be the friend you’d like to have,” added Stinky, handing out paw-pats. 

Tip 5: Ask Questions and Try Your Best
“Even if you don’t understand something right away, that’s okay!” said Periwinkle.
Stinky held up a sign: “Mistakes help you learn!”  The tabbies laughed because even the graphic they had AI make had a mistake on it (did you notice it?)

Stinky said, "I hope our friends who have 2 leggers in their families like our tips.  I'm glad cats and woofies don't go to school."  Periwinkle said, "Actually, some woofies do go to school." 

 Stinky's eyes got big.  He really didn't want to go to school.  Periwinkle continued, "While dogs don't attend school in the traditional sense, they can participate in educational settings through various programs. Some schools have comfort dogs to provide emotional support to students and create a positive school climate. Additionally, dogs can be enrolled in obedience training classes to learn basic commands and socialization skills. In some European schools, dogs are integrated into the classroom, assisting with tasks like selecting dice for math, providing support during difficult situations, and even performing tricks as rewards."

In answer to his comment about cats and school, she said, "No, cats do not typically go to traditional school. However, some cats have become local legends for accompanying their owners to school, like Kiki, who walks her human, Sunny, to and from school daily. While cats don't attend classes, they can be trained and learn tricks through positive reinforcement. There are also cat-specific training programs and even cat daycare centers, according to Catschool and Hello-Pets-Inc."

Stinky did some research of his own.  "Here are a few fun facts: Families spend a significant amount on back-to-school shopping, with one report showing a record $628 per child in 2025. Before erasers, kids used white bread to erase pencil marks. The tradition of giving apples to teachers dates back to the 16th century in Denmark, when parents paid educators with food. The first school buses appeared in 1915, with the familiar yellow color adopted in 1939." The tabbies made a funny chart too.

 Periwinkle added, " Speaking of school buses, don't forget the rules for drivers."

They also wanted to share the Cat Blogosphere's graphic to remind everyone to be careful. 

“School is a big adventure,” purred Periwinkle. “And we hope we helped our pals get ready for it!” added Stinky, giving everyone a brave little meow.

Here's a video of Kiki...

After watching the video, they had a quick snack of churus and took a nap.  They spent some time paw patting and whisker-kissing before Stinky had to head home.  One last whisker kiss and a WOOOSH, and he was on his way home.