Zen and the Art of Cat Ownership

You may remember that I have written about the two cats we adopted last year. Addie came into our lives from the shelter (www.spcawake.org) and was quickly ensconced in our home. Just two weeks later we found a flea-bitten, emaciated street cat that appeared to be at death’s door. Over Jim’s protests, we brought Emma home and nursed her back to health. While not feral, she was antisocial and skittish. You would be too if you had been living on the streets for months. We assumed it was simply a matter of time for her to come to love us and her new companion Addie. I wouldn’t say she loves us but she has come to tolerate us since we provide food and that comfy ottoman in the sunshine. Not so with Addie. From the beginning, Emma clearly envisioned herself as Alpha Cat despite getting here last. In the beginning Addie played along, avoiding eye contact and even slinking away when Emma hissed, which was any time she laid eyes on her. Day after day, Addie’s overtures of friendship were rebuffed with snarls and feline sneering.

Over the winter Addie’s and my nightly routine started including her climbing under the covers while I was in bed and nestling by my feet – and occasionally licking off the peppermint foot lotion I would apply –enjoying the warmth. Amazingly, one night Emma ventured into my room and announced her presence by meowing beside the bed. She isn’t able to jump up (her odd gait makes us suspect an injury from an encounter with a car while living on the street) so I tried to coax her close enough to scoop her up. Suddenly, there was movement under the covers and the “lump” inched closer to the edge. Emma, oblivious to the danger lurking above, kept meowing and circling. The lump reached the edge of the bed. The meowing from the floor continued. The lump started lowering down the side of the bed, till the head peeked out from the bedspread. Suddenly Emma’s meowing turned into a squeal of utter shock when Addie’s face loomed right over her, like an apparition from the heavens. It didn’t matter that clawless paws have no traction on hardwood floors, she was gone in a flash. I swear I saw a grin on Addie’s furry face as she went in hot pursuit.

So what does this have to do with stress relief, you ask? Having watched these two interact over the past nine months, I do think that cats reveal all sorts of life lessons, if we are just open to them. For example, Addie taught me that appeasing someone has its limits. There comes a time when you must stick up for yourself; you’ll feel better if you are not a doormat. Secondly, constant growling rarely works long term and will eventually come back to haunt you. Plus you miss the opportunity to share that patch of sunshine when you are feuding. And lastly, watching these two was perfect therapy after a hard day. They say that having pets lowers your blood pressure. I don’t know if they know exactly why, but I hazard a guess that it is from all the laughing you do.