rejoyce: Cats Don't Have Body Image Issues—And Other Life Lessons from our Feline Friends

Thursday, July 16, 2015

It has now been over 9 months since we adopted our little kitten Tywin! Can you believe it? I thought I'd use this post to share life lessons I've extracted from having him around:

1. Nap anywhere you'd like, whenever you'd like.

Cats don't beat themselves up for taking naps. They don't lament the could-have-been productive hours spent chasing z's. They don't awake from their slumber with a sense of guilt, admonishing themselves for midday laziness. They just sleep.

(In this pic, he's sleeping on my legs that are wrapped in a blanket)

2. Anything is a toy once you set your mind to it.

If you are an indoor cat (as Tywin is), you're entire life is, really, quite confined. You don't get to gallivant around Europe backpacking with your boyfriend. You don't get to try a new restaurant every weekend. I mean, really, you don't even get to catch the birds you longingly watch out the window. But, that doesn't stop you from making the most of your surroundings. A shoe string? A toy! A nectarine? A toy! Behind the toilet? A place to explore! A box? A new piece of furniture!

If only I could view slight changes to my environment with as much enthusiasm.

3. Cats don't have body images issues.

Cats do not look in the mirror and immediately start to pick apart their own appearance. In fact, cats don't really understand the concept of mirrors, from my experience. They do not count the calories of their dry food, or turn down any offered treats. They don't get mad at themselves for eating an astronomical amount of wet food (really, I didn't mean to give him that much that one time). Cats just eat.

Well, it's seeming I'm hitting the critical limit of sharing too many cat pictures in a single post—so I'm going to share two more and call it a day. If you're considering adopting a cat, I highly recommend it. Also, if you're in Madison, feel free to email me. I volunteer at a shelter so could help you out (I am a big fan of #adoptdontshop)!