Life with a shop or office cat is never boring, and they can improve productivity while also forcing our hands to take a break, literally! A shop cat can also work wonders for business. As we know, cats rule the internet and anywhere they appear, people want to see more of them. So what do you suppose happened when a woodworking whisperer became a cat whisperer in St. Louis, MO?
How does woodworking with a cat work, anyway? As we’ve shared before, it has its purrks! But things don’t always go according to plan.
“These dovetails are a CATastrophe!” the Wood Whisperer shared in December 2023.
The Wood Whisperer Has Many Shop Assistants
Marc Spagnuolo has been sharing his woodworking educational series “The Wood Whisperer” since 2006. As such, he claims it’s the longest-running online series of its kind for those who love woodworking. Over the years, the wannabe shop dog, “Duggee,” the Bulldog and Abby the Doberman have appeared in videos.
The family shared an “elevated dog bowl” project challenge that benefitted cancer research in 2019.
The Cat Whisperer
Sometime last year, the resident shop cat started helping The Wood Whisperer.
“Oreo is ready for our next batch of orders!” the Wood Whisperer shared in August 2023.
Recently, Oreo made a debut in the Wood Whisperer’s videos, too. Every time Marc tries to glue a joint for his daughter’s vanity drawer, it seems Oreo is right there to offer his emotional support. But as you can see below, he gets a little carried away!
“I swear, Oreo really has a knack for showing up as soon as the glue comes out!” said Marc.
Nothing like the combination of cat fur and glue! Maybe the kitty wants to leave a little of himself in the finished piece? It surely adds value.
Oreo tries to ‘help’ Dad while he glues a joint for a vanity drawer. Images via Instagram/woodwhisperer
To Oreo, Dad obviously needs a break from his serious woodworking. But he’s got stuff to build!
Having a feline assistant in the wood shop can add some steps to the process, as some folks joked online:
“Apply glue, remove the cat, apply more glue, remove the cat, stick the pieces, remove the cat, clamp one piece and then remove the cat before clamping another one,” commented a follower on Instagram.
“Remove glue from cat. Apply more glue. Remove cat from glue. Apply more cat..wait,” replied Arnold F.
Video by The Wood Whisperer:
Helping Dad Stay Meowtivated
Of course, Oreo isn’t always interrupting workflow. Most times, he’s also a quality inspector at various stages in the woodworking process. Below, Dad is making a “mortising jig” that helps tightly join wood joints.
By the end of the job, Oreo is once more there to give encouragement and head boops. It’s very meowtivational.
Video by The Wood Whisperer:
From now on, fans will no doubt want to see what Oreo will do next. Despite throwing himself into Dad’s work, the end result is purrfect all the same. Maybe he deservers a purrmotion?
“Oreo is ready for his next thumbnail appearance. 🐈⬛” via Facebook/The Wood Whisperer
“Certainly helped having the assistant for glue up!” commented Michael M.
You can see more on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Video via Instagram/woodwhisperer
