Life Lessons Learned From Cats

My mascot, Muffin.

Hello, readers! As you all know it's Friday the 13th. This is a happy day for me. Although, I never figured out why, there seems to be something in the air that makes me smile despite anything. For fun, I've decided to evaluate my cat's actions and justify them into short lessons I've learned from life. I'm not one of those people who consider their pet one of their children. Muffin is my best friend and lady's companion, if you will.

For those who are interested, Muffin (pictured at left) is my 5 year old tailless rescue kitty. She is very sweet and generally a very happy cat no matter what. I envy her attitude towards life sometimes.

Here are Muffin's life lessons:
1) Don't sweat the small stuff.
Like every good pet owner, I take her to the vet. She hates her black carrier so much I have to trick her to get into it. Luckily, after the horrible experience is over with, she'll get out and not look at me for a couple hours. Then when it comes down to feeding time, she won't ignore me anymore. I realized that despite everything she goes through (whether she likes it or not), is just a small hurdle in her life. No matter how upset my cat gets at me--through dirty looks or otherwise--she is over it within 24 hours. Some people hold grudges for years. We seem to hover in the past and continue to blame the same people over and over for our mistakes. When something stressful happens, we tend to lose sight of what is good in our lives. We don't see what really matters. No matter how mad Muffin is, she knows I'm the one who cares for her. And that is the most important thing.

2) Always dream bigger than you are.
Muffin is a certified window kitty. What cat isn't? Humans get to leave the small home world for something most cats never truly understand. The outdoors. We must realize that animals think differently than us. The world may be big to us, but to them, the neighborhood (or yard) is a dream. All they want is to chase birds and squirrels in the grass. Fortunately as humans, we know there is more to the outdoors than a few birds. There are cars, beaches, skyscrapers, and mountains. Since we see these things everyday, they don't seem like a big deal to us at all. When you start a project in hopes it will become successful, broaden your horizons. You are but a speck in the universe, and at the same time you are unique. Use this knowledge for your own purpose. No one can write like you can, no one can dream like you can. Reach new audiences.

3) Never give up.
This is one of my favorite life lessons. My cat likes to rub my legs or "meow" when she is hungry. No new information there. Well, if I don't pay attention to her...she will do it again. This is probably one of the most prolific examples of a cat's propensity never to quit. Of course hunger plays a big factor in it, but what about when Muffin tries to jump onto her cat tree and falls. She doesn't walk away, she tries again. Rejection should never be an excuse to give up on what you love doing. Find something that motivates you enough to keep trying.

4) Always look at the world through curious eyes.
Unlike some animals, we take things for granted. Every time I've moved with Muffin (about 4 or 5 times) she's explored the whole house/apartment with her nose. She wanted to know every nook and cranny, every hidden corner. She is the epitome of nosy, but she is the only one who knows exactly what she looks for. Don't be afraid to question yourself or others. Sometimes, knowing the whole truth about something/someone can mean everything. If I don't know something, I'll ask. I'd rather be informed then misinformed. Wouldn't you?

5) Love unconditionally.
Muffin, well more like pets in general, love their owners unconditionally. When you choose to fall in love or care about someone, do it without conditions. Race, sex, height, length, weight, etc. don't really matter in the long run. When it comes down to it, the only thing that matters is whether the love is returned or not. We don't judge the animals we love, why should we judge the people?



I know this post wasn't writing-related, but I think these life lessons are good to know. We could all use them on our writing journey. Do you live with a dog, ferret, hamster, etc.? I'd love to know your learned lessons. Please feel free to provide input in a comment below and subscribe if you haven't already!



Happy writing!
Diva J.