Remember my recent blog post where I suggested there’s a lot to learn from animals. I started with lessons that dogs teach us: to be loyal and thankful, to be confident, to live simply and not to worry too much. Today, I want to share my thoughts on 5 things to learn from cats.
Tabby & Timmy when they were cuddly kittens
1) Don’t give up
If a cat wants something, she’ll damn well get it, whatever it may cost. Whether it means jumping to record heights, squeezing under the slit of a closed door, begging their human or waiting stealthily for the perfect time to pounce – cats know that giving up won’t get them anywhere. We can learn perseverance from them, something that is paramount to reach your goals. If you think you have the right to something, demand it or come up with a plan that will eventually lead to the desired reward.
2) Relax
Okay, this one is obvious. Cats definitely know how to take the chill pill. They spend up to three quarters of their day sleeping or snoozing. They’ll sleep in any position, on any surface, and for as long as they want. If you own cats, you’ll know the dilemma of not being able to shift your position, get up or use your hands because your kitty looks so comfy while she’s deep in dreamland. We people, on the other hand, are filled with stress and go, go, go until the battery is dead and we need a recharge. How much better it would be to use whatever time we have—or better yet, make time—to relax and soak up new energy.
3) Cleanliness is next to godliness
Whatever part of the day is not spent with sleeping or eating is reserved for grooming. Cats will lick themselves after waking up, after feeding time, after their trip to the litter box (or the garden), after a fight, for comfort and socializing… if there’s so much as a hair not its place, they’ll start grooming. To me, cats are very clean animals and we could use a good dose of cleanliness. Body hygiene is important. That may be a given, but apparently some people need that drilled into them.
4) Don’t worry about what others think of you
A cat is confident and content enough not to worry about the opinions and expectations of others. Be it the family dog or their human, cats have mastered the art of ignoring others if they don’t matter. We, on the contrary, put way too much value into what other people might think of us. How much happier it makes us if we forget about the rest and do our thing, live our life and stand up for what we believe in. Nobody actually walks in our shoes, and nobody has the right to judge us. If we stop fretting about public opinion, self-realization is that much easier.
5) Be independent
This is closely related to #4. Cats can be affectionate and loyal, but mostly, they fend for themselves and hate being dependent on anyone or anything. They value their independence because it means less worries and more freedom, even though they won’t hesitate to form bonds if they will benefit from it. I’m not saying we should all be hermits and introverts or lonely sociopaths – what I mean is that it drags us down if we connect ourselves too tightly to somebody. As nothing is permanent, we might lose what we have tied ourselves to, which means disappointment, pain and problems. Love and friendship and family are important, but being dependent is not the key. Don’t lose yourself in the process!
If a cat wants something, she’ll damn well get it, whatever it may cost. Whether it means jumping to record heights, squeezing under the slit of a closed door, begging their human or waiting stealthily for the perfect time to pounce – cats know that giving up won’t get them anywhere. We can learn perseverance from them, something that is paramount to reach your goals. If you think you have the right to something, demand it or come up with a plan that will eventually lead to the desired reward.
2) Relax
Okay, this one is obvious. Cats definitely know how to take the chill pill. They spend up to three quarters of their day sleeping or snoozing. They’ll sleep in any position, on any surface, and for as long as they want. If you own cats, you’ll know the dilemma of not being able to shift your position, get up or use your hands because your kitty looks so comfy while she’s deep in dreamland. We people, on the other hand, are filled with stress and go, go, go until the battery is dead and we need a recharge. How much better it would be to use whatever time we have—or better yet, make time—to relax and soak up new energy.
3) Cleanliness is next to godliness
Whatever part of the day is not spent with sleeping or eating is reserved for grooming. Cats will lick themselves after waking up, after feeding time, after their trip to the litter box (or the garden), after a fight, for comfort and socializing… if there’s so much as a hair not its place, they’ll start grooming. To me, cats are very clean animals and we could use a good dose of cleanliness. Body hygiene is important. That may be a given, but apparently some people need that drilled into them.
4) Don’t worry about what others think of you
A cat is confident and content enough not to worry about the opinions and expectations of others. Be it the family dog or their human, cats have mastered the art of ignoring others if they don’t matter. We, on the contrary, put way too much value into what other people might think of us. How much happier it makes us if we forget about the rest and do our thing, live our life and stand up for what we believe in. Nobody actually walks in our shoes, and nobody has the right to judge us. If we stop fretting about public opinion, self-realization is that much easier.
5) Be independent
This is closely related to #4. Cats can be affectionate and loyal, but mostly, they fend for themselves and hate being dependent on anyone or anything. They value their independence because it means less worries and more freedom, even though they won’t hesitate to form bonds if they will benefit from it. I’m not saying we should all be hermits and introverts or lonely sociopaths – what I mean is that it drags us down if we connect ourselves too tightly to somebody. As nothing is permanent, we might lose what we have tied ourselves to, which means disappointment, pain and problems. Love and friendship and family are important, but being dependent is not the key. Don’t lose yourself in the process!
The rulers of the household
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