1. For a cat, life is pretty simple.
2. She doesn’t linger about the past.
3. She doesn’t worry about the future.
4. She lives in the moment.
5. She is a constant reminder about keeping things in perspective.
6. She reminds me not to sweat the small stuff.
7. She doesn’t judge me… or at least, I don’t think she does.
8. Transporting those 33 lb bags of kitty litter keeps me fit.
9. The loud meowing greeting I get when I get home from work is always a treat! It could be that maybe she’s just hungry and wants her food now, but I hear “I missed you” in every meow.
10. When I come home from work and I need to make the immediate transition to cat dad, it helps me to leave the office at the office.
11. My cat doesn’t care if I’ve had a bad day. She’s just happy I’m home.
12. She is a good listener. I know I can share my thoughts with her without feeling like I am dumping or imposing my problems on someone else.
13. She cracks me up, every day!
14. That time she sat on my head when I had a migraine still cracks me up.
15. The attentiveness she shows on those rare occasions when I am sick is mind-blowing. She is a feline Florence Nightingale! She will even forego her afternoon nap to sit next to me and watch me.
16. Her shedding encourages me to vacuum more often.
17. Even though she shows signs of being a good hunter when running at top speed after rubber balls, feathers and ribbons, the fact that she slowly walks backwards when she spots an insect makes me wonder (… and laugh).
18. I couldn’t have imagined how much I’d learn about feline health and dental care in 3 short years.
19. Contrary to my worry before I adopted her, it didn’t take long for her to adapt to my schedule (and vice versa).
20. She keeps me on schedule and on time for work, as she meows at me when I am off the normal routine.
21. When I am stretching or in a yoga pose, it is interesting how she thinks it is an invitation to walk under or through my pose.
22. A weekend afternoon nap with a twelve pound cat on my chest is a ritual I wouldn’t trade for a million bucks.
23. When she sits in my lap and locks me into the sofa, I take it as a sign from the Universe to slow down and to just be. The dishes and laundry can wait.
24. It always puts a smile on my face when I have to wash little triangular shaped marks from my glasses from somebody’s nose print.
25. Pets are a good conversation starter with other pet owners.
26. Because a favourite toy, food or treat can suddenly become a least favourite with no prior notice, it keeps me on my toes. For a guy who likes certainty and consistency, it is good practice for real life in expecting the unexpected.
27. In the days when the world can be a big scary place, stroking a furry cat can bring great comfort.
28. Her purring while sitting on my chest is the reassurance I need that things will be alright.
29. Having a young, adult cat in the house who needs some active play time keeps me young and active too… someone needs to drag those toys around for her to run after them.
30. She is amazingly photogenic and a great subject for practicing my photography… when she is in the mood for it.
31. She reminds me to stay true to my own gentle and kind nature, especially in a world that isn’t always so gentle or kind.
32. It always makes me laugh (and occasionally cringe) when I am watching TV and she climbs on me with no particular attention to which body part she is stepping on.
33. Watching a pet play is one of life’s simple pleasures.
34. The pure joy she radiates when she stomps around in tissue paper makes me grin from ear to ear.
35. When I am writing, instead of staring off in the distance between paragraphs, playing with a cat is considerably more fun.
36. I don’t have much of a green thumb when it comes to plants, but I have been successful in keeping a cat alive for over 3 years.
37. She has made me see things from a unique ground-level perspective I probably wouldn’t have seen on my own. I think the baseboards need some paint touch-ups.
38. Any random object I would have automatically tossed into the garbage now make me pause for a moment and wonder if she would be interested in it as a cat toy.
39. It makes me laugh to wonder if I have trained her or if she has trained me.
40. Watching her play with a toy containing catnip is always fun.
41. I’m pretty sure the ship has sailed when it comes to me and parenthood, but having a cat has probably given me a taste of what it must be like. Parental guilt is a very familiar feeling now!
42. Getting a cat has helped me to realize and truly understand the unique bond between humans and their companions.
43. Watching her develop a new skill is gratifying as a parent.
44. But I am grateful that she hasn’t discovered how to unravel a complete roll of toilet paper yet!
45. When she follows me around like my shadow, I take it as a sign that I must be doing my job right.
46. When she is relaxed, content and starts the kneading motion in her cat bed or on her fuzzy blanket, I take it as a sign that I must be doing my job right.
47. When I am writing and she is by my side, sleeping, everything seems right with the universe.
48. She’s just so darn cute!
49. Her needs are pretty simple: food, water, sleep, play, attention (when she wants it), love, security and a clean litter box. It’s a pretty easy and inspiring philosophy.
50. Adopting a rescue cat has definitely been one of the best life experiences for me. I’m not sure why it took 50 years for me to get a pet, but I am so glad I did.
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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André
It's the Journey 