5 Lessons I Learnt from my Cat

The bond between humans and animals is rarely discussed or taken seriously in the region. Take a look at how a profound, joyful bond can be established between a girl and her cat, and all the valuable lessons that it brings along.

When I first got my cat, I didn’t expect it to change my perception much. Little did I know that bonding with a pet could be this life-changing, as silly as some may think this prospect is. I can say that having a pet has made me a better person. Below are some of the simple, yet valuable lessons that I have learned from my cat:

• Cultivating a sense of responsibility

With the wave of intensified individualism and delayed childbirth, opportunities for cultivating care-giving traits have become scarce. I have learned from caring for my cat that it’s very fulfilling to provide food, shelter, and care for a vulnerable being, especially if we are talking about a rescued animal.

Knowing that you have to take your cat to the vet, change the litter and bring it food and toys can provide you with a sense of responsibility that can be very rewarding in the long run, preparing you for the upcoming phases of your life.

• Being aligned with nature

My cat likes to sit in the sunny square on the carpet by the window to get some sunlight. Yet, if it’s too sunny when she follows me outside, she’ll walk in the shade. Like all cats, if she sits in a certain position for too long, she’ll do a little stretch first before moving elsewhere. If the food is not fresh, she will refuse to eat it. Cats are healthy by nature as they follow their instincts, unobstructed by the chatter of the mind like us humans. Needless to say, getting enough sunlight is essential for our emotional and physical well-being, it stimulates the body’s production of vitamin D; it’s essential for bone strength, as well as serotonin; a mood-boosting hormone.  Meanwhile, stretching helps improve our posture and increase our range of motion.

• Getting some rest

Cats get generous amounts of sleep, especially if they are sick or wounded. If there’s no reason to be awake, and the duties of the day are fulfilled –such as bug chasing, playing, and eating- cats will fall asleep after a nice cuddle session. Just being around my cat in that state helps me relax and unwind, and helps in getting into deep sleep easier. Needless to say, sleep helps the body recover and rejuvenate.

Our modern society is so obsessed with work that there’s almost a stigma around taking it easy and slowing down, but we only have one physical body and we need to give it proper care and rest.

• Awakening empathy

Even though cats can be taught to understand quite a few words, our ability to verbally communicate with them is obviously limited. I have learned to pick up subtle cues from my cat’s body language to be able to assess its mood and needs, from the movement of its tail and ears to the dilation of its pupils. To my surprise, I am now able to read people much better and connect deeply with them. There are layers of subtleties beyond words that can be seen in a person’s face and posture. Is the person facing me or is their body/feet pointing somewhere else? What emotion are their eyes reflecting? It is not what is being said as much as how it is said and what tone is being used. Most of our communication is actually nonverbal and connecting with my cat has fine-tuned my ability to pay attention to what’s easily dismissed.

• Maintaining appreciation and gratitude

Contrary to popular belief, cats can be quite loyal and affectionate. My cat can sense if I’m having a bad day and will be there for me, calmly purring in my lap. In their own little way, my cats often show me gratitude for feeding them and giving them attention. A little ‘thank you’ goes a long way and cats have been a nice reminder for me to show gratitude more often, being there for friends and family when they need me.

Reference:

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/benefits-sunlight

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-stretching