diff --git a/python/ccdb/cmd/commands/cat.py b/python/ccdb/cmd/commands/cat.py
index 8aead43..4f6f093 100644
--- a/python/ccdb/cmd/commands/cat.py
+++ b/python/ccdb/cmd/commands/cat.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def process_arguments(self, args):
 
         parser.add_argument("-d", "--directory")
         parser.add_argument("-v", "--variation")
-        parser.add_argument("-a", "--ass-id")
+        parser.add_argument("-a", "--id")
         parser.add_argument("-r", "--run")
         parser.add_argument("-f", "--file")
         parser.add_argument("-ph", "--horizontal", action="store_true", dest='user_request_print_horizontal')
@@ -159,6 +159,16 @@ def process_arguments(self, args):
             # it probably must be a request or just a table name
             result.request = parse_request(result.obj_name)
 
+        # Check if user set the default variation
+        if not result.request.variation_is_parsed and self.context.current_variation:
+            result.request.variation = self.context.current_variation
+            result.request.variation_is_parsed = True
+
+        # Check if user set the default run
+        if not result.request.run_is_parsed and self.context.current_run:
+            result.request.run = self.context.current_run
+            result.request.run_is_parsed = True
+
         return result
 
     # ----------------------------------------
@@ -410,7 +420,7 @@ def print_help(self):
 
 Usage:
     cat <request or table path>
-    cat --id <assignment_id>   #Where assignment_id provided by 'vers <table path>' command
+    cat -a <assignment_id>   #Where assignment_id provided by 'vers <table path>' command
 
 Formatting flags:
 
diff --git a/python/tests/integ_test_cli_manager.py b/python/tests/integ_test_cli_manager.py
index 16c5369..b2f5e10 100644
--- a/python/tests/integ_test_cli_manager.py
+++ b/python/tests/integ_test_cli_manager.py
@@ -77,6 +77,19 @@ def test_cat(self):
         self.cli.process_command_line("cat /test/test_vars/test_table")
         self.assertIn("2.3", self.output.getvalue())
 
+    def test_cat_user_set_variation(self):
+        """In non-interactive mode, cat should handle path without leading / as absolute anyway"""
+
+        # Test DB has a test data assignment for:
+        # variation: test
+        # runs: 500-2000
+        # it has data: [[4,6,8],[10,12,13]]
+        self.cli.context.current_variation = "test"
+        self.cli.context.current_run = 600
+        self.cli.process_command_line("cat /test/test_vars/test_table")
+        self.assertIn("13", self.output.getvalue())
+
+
     def test_cat_not_abs_path(self):
         """In non-interactive mode, cat should handle path without leading / as absolute anyway"""
         self.cli.process_command_line("cat test/test_vars/test_table")