John Duthie shares his home — and his wheelchairs — with two very opinionated cats: Spartacus and Queenie.
Spartacus wandered into his yard as a stray, while Queenie, who’s missing her tail, was adopted from SA Cat Rescue Inc (SACR).
Both have had their share of struggles — and now, they’re making sure John has his, too.
As a wheelchair user, Duthie relies on both a powered and a manual chair to get around. But his cats have other plans.
“Queenie sleeps on my powered chair every night,” Duthie told The Dodo. “And Spartacus has claimed the other one. So when I need to go anywhere, I’m stuck negotiating with two very stubborn cats.”
Each morning, Duthie lowers himself into his wheelchair with the help of a lift. But getting Queenie to move? That’s the real obstacle course.
“To them, sleeping trumps mobility,” Duthie joked. “They don’t seem to grasp that I can’t walk — or they just don’t care. Maybe it’s nice that they treat me like anyone else.”
In a video that quickly captured hearts online, Duthie documented the hilariously relatable struggle of trying to reclaim his own chair. Queenie, curled up and perfectly comfortable, stared back with classic feline defiance.
Viewers loved it. Queenie’s refusal to budge became an internet sensation — another reminder that cats will always prioritize comfort, even if it’s at your expense.
Despite the daily disruptions, Duthie adores his furry companions. He’s even written a children’s book about Spartacus. He’s carefully designed his home to be fully accessible for himself — and, unintentionally, a luxury resort for his cats.
Sure, they add a few extra steps to his routine, but Duthie wouldn’t change a thing.
“They make life harder sometimes,” he said, “but they also make it better.”
