The Conch, Volume VI

The Dafe can look pretty cuddly sometimes, but he never looks cuddlier than when he employs The Conch in a soft spot such as the one pictured below. The blankets mold around Dave like waves curve around rocks on the seashore. Dave's coat also pairs well with the blankets he is laying on here, making him appear very stylish while he naps.

Have you ever seen a more comfortable cat? I doubt it. Here is another angle. Just look at that Dave.

Dafe!

Jack-In-The-Box

Dave is indubitably the most prolific napper in the residence, but even so, he doesn't have a monopoly on creative napping. Due to his great girth, Dave is unable to accomplish some things that more slender cats are able to accomplish. For example, the Jack-In-The-Box position is one that Jack employs frequently. The cat tree in Dave and Jack's living room includes a box. It is a nice, dark, and cool space for a nap, and the box is the perfect size for Jack. In fact, it is the perfect size for almost all cats. Dave just happens to be in the 99th percentile of cat size, so he does not fit in the box. Dave would surely enjoy sleeping in this box, but he can't have everything he wants. 

Plus, it is good for Jack that he has at least one place where he can retreat from the nonsense that Dave often creates.

Just poking his head out. 

The Conch, Volume V

Look at this Dave. He just looks so comfortable. That's the strength of The Conch strategy. What other strategies might provide in terms of warmth, or ability to overlook his surroundings, or allowing Dave to quickly put his detective hat on, The Conch offers in comfort. Sometimes, that is a bargain Dave is willing to make. 

Dave and Organic Chemistry

There is a concept in organic chemistry called conformational isomerism. The idea is that two different molecules can be made up of the exact same atoms, chemically bonded in the same ways, yet take slightly different forms. These different forms are called conformations. Conformations still have the same molecular formula, and maintain the integrity of their chemical bonds, but they act differently. For example, a certain molecule might be part of a chemical reaction, but it may have to be in a certain conformation in order to be part of the reaction. Any time it is in another conformation, it won't react. 

Now, what does this have to do with The Dafe? You came here to read about The Dafe, did you not? Well, this is very relevant to Dave. When Dave adopts different napping positions, he is in effect adopting different conformations. When he adopts a certain napping position, he is the same Dave, made up of the same matter, and connected together in the same way that he always has been, but he reacts with the world around him differently depending on what conformation he has adopted.

For example, he might be splayed out on the bed, without a care in the world. This would not be a great time to attempt to pet Dave. If you petted his belly while in this position, you would likely find yourself scratched in short order.

Alternatively, he might be a RocketDave, at his most aerodynamic, ready for liftoff. In this case, you could probably pet Dave, but he still wouldn't be happy about it. He is focused on being a RocketDave here, so you shouldn't bother him.

RocketDave! I miss the earth so much! I miss my wife!

If you want to know when a good time to pet Dave would be, this would be one. He is performing The Crevasse here, where comfort and warmth are his top priorities. You would certainly be welcome to aid him in these pursuits by providing Dave with a headrub. Dave is all about the headrubs.

Despite the fact that Dave adopts so many different conformations at different times, at the end of the day, when it is time to be counted, Dave is the same Dave no matter what his current conformation is.

RocketDave, Volume V

Dave doesn't always make himself into a perfectly symmetrical RocketDave. Sometimes it is more comfortable to lean to one side, and Dave does not hesitate to adapt. He pays no mind to fools who think nappers should adhere to rigid methods. Dave does not suffer fools gladly. He is his own cat, and the whole reason Dave developed so many napping methods in the first place was because not every method is good for every situation. 

And I think it's gonna be a long, long time!

Dave the rascal, Volume II

Dave can be a rascal sometimes. In the photograph below, you can see Dave messing the rug all up in the bedroom, while Jack sits nearby and judges. Who knows what Dave was going for here. He could have been wearing his detective hat and investigating something. Maybe he thought he saw something under the rug. Maybe he was looking all over for something pertinent to an investigation. But in reality, it is a fool's errand to subscribe any real motive for Dave in these situations. He is just a huge goofball sometimes. 

It's understandable though. Dave spent his youth growing up on his own on the mean streets of Iowa. With that came hardship, but also FREEDOM. Dave has better access to food and soft napping spots now, but he doesn't have as many things to do. That can lead to situations like you see below.

CSI: Dave, Volume VII

Constant vigilance! That is Dave's motto. Even when he is taking a nap, he can put on his detective hat in no time. If someone thinks they can sneak something past Dave just because he appears to be taking a nap, that person is sorely mistaken. No matter how much Dave loves to take a nap, he does not often rest easily. He has just seen too much, especially while growing up on the mean streets of Iowa. Some cats never see anything more interesting than a particularly loud dishwasher, or a leaking toilet, but Dave is not one of those cats. While those cats might sleep soundly, with no worries at all, Dave is forever alert.

RocketDave, Volume IV (The closeup)

This is what the head/nozzle area of a RocketDave looks like closeup. Let's evaluate what is actually going on here. Dave has stretched his front legs out straight in front of himself, and placed his nose between his legs. This makes RocketDave very aerodynamic, and he looks ready for liftoff. His legs are also angled inwards to a degree, providing an extra bit of aerodynamicity. It's unclear where Dave thinks he is going to launch himself, but at least he is well prepared to do so if the opportunity ever arises. 

RocketDave! Zero hour, 9 AM! And I'm gonna be hiiiii iiii iighhhh as a kite by then!

Courage

A significant contributor to Dave's greatness in napping is certainly his courageousness. No cat has ever embarked on a career of napping with the same courage and bravery as Dave has. Indeed, few individuals of any species have ever displayed as much courage as Dave has displayed in his relentless pursuit of greater napping strategies. Maybe Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks did. Maybe Tom Hanks did in Saving Private Ryan. Maybe Dennis Rodman did when he drunkenly waved his unlit cigar at a CNN reporter before playing a basketball game in front of a dictator who had only recently murdered his uncle with wild dogs. Certainly Mufasa belongs in this group. Either way, the list of individuals who have been more courageous than Dave is a short one.

But if you ask Dave, he'll tell you that is what it takes to be great. You have to be courageous enough to take chances without worrying about what might happen if you fail. What will people think? What will people say? These are questions that only cowards ask themselves before doing something. Braver individuals don't hesitate, and they don't worry about appearances. Below, you can see Dave in yet another installment of this pose. He wouldn't be able to adopt a pose if he were a less courageous cat. Courage breeds greatness.

Patience

Patience is one of Dave's greatest virtues. This has been discussed in the past. You would be mistaken, however, to confuse patience with laziness or a lack of ambition. Sometimes, Dave can't think of any good way to nap, although these times are certainly rare. Even the best artists have off days, when they might try for hours but still be unable to think of anything creative. This might even go on for days! In Dave's case, you could call this 'napper's block.' On days like this, Dave spends much more time than usual looking out the window, as pictured below. Dave has pursuits other than napping, after all, and he is content to pursue those when he has napper's block. Hoping all the time, of course, that inspiration will strike, and he'll find a new and glorious way to nap. And when inspiration does strike? Dave is always ready for it.

Patience.