“Cats don’t like their humans.” “Cats prefer to be alone.” These are two of the many myths we’ve hear. We know cats love their humans. They are happier with a kitty friend or human family member than they are alone. We have come up with 5 ways cats enrich our lives, but we know there are more!
It’s a sometimes hotly debated topic of conversation among “cat people and “dog people” as to which pet is the “best.” We know neither pet is best because we love all pets equally.
If you share your life with a cat we are certain you can add to our list of reasons to love cats, but let’s get started!
5 Ways Cats Enrich Our Lives
Cats make us laugh. Watching a cat or kitten roll around with a catnip toy, means you can’t help but laugh. Catching a glimpse of your cat making his way across the highest bookshelf in the house will bring a smile to your face. Having more than one cat or kitten in the house, means your felines will have one another to roll around with and chase through the house. Attempting to catch the ever-elusive “red dot” always brings a smile to our face when we see our cats concentrating so fully on the red dot.
They are emphathetic companions. Sure, your kitty may not want her belly rubbed, but she can tell when you need emotional support. Cats sense our moods. They offer unconditional love and support. Cats will curl up in our lap, head bumping us or lying by our sides purring.
Cats teach us unconditional love. If we pay attention to our cats, we see they don’t judge. This isn’t to say that all cats will get along, but they love their humans rain or shine. This is a lesson they teach us, if we are open to learning. When you are in line at the grocery store and see someone who looks unhappy or who is moving too slowly for our liking, take a moment and realize you don’t know what that person is going through. Offer unconditional, or at least nonjudgmental, thoughts.
What is your cat thinking?
Cats live in the moment. The moment your cat is enjoying right now is the best moment of her life. Is she eating? It’s her favorite meal! A cat lying in a warm patch of sunshine is enjoying that warmth. A cat who is chasing a new toy or rolling in some catnip or scratching her post isn’t thinking of anything other than what she’s doing right then and there. Cats don’t live in the past. They don’t plan for the future. Cats live in the now.
Each cat is unique and has a unique story. If you can accept your cats and their quirks, it might be easier to accept the quirks of humans. You may not know your cat’s past — before you rescued him — and how it shapes his behaviors (good, bad or oddball) but you love him anyway. You don’t have to shower strangers with unconditional love, but remember, you don’t know what’s shaping their behavior. Try to forgive tailgaters and the person who jumped the line at the coffee shop because that person has a unique story, too.
The next time you see a cat or visit a friend who has a cat, take some time to get acquainted. You, too, may find yourself developing a love and appreciation of felines!
Robbi Hess, award-winning author, is multi-petual. When not caring for her pets or taking them on walks, she is a speaker, efficiency and effectiveness guru, content creator, social media manager and blogger. She writes at All Words Matter, My Divas Dish, and is the story editor and chief cat herder at Positively Woof/Crimeless Cat.
