Musing: 10 Life Lessons I Learned From My Cats

Okay, so I have been planning to write this post for quite some time now. I have been sneakily photographing the little beings who help to keep me motivated and who have always shown me how to get back up again every time I crash and burn. They have taught me invaluable life lessons.

So here are the 10 Life Lessons I Learned From My Cats: 

1. EXERCISE

Pippo Darling 

Of course Pippo likes sitting on my static cycle, conveying the silent message of "healthy bodies and healthy minds." He likes to do numerous stretches too, just to show off how fit he is. And then stares at me - as though daring me to be able to follow in his paw steps. I used to glare at him initially. Then I gave up and now fit in 30 minutes of free hand exercises and 30 minutes of the static cycle. 

Guess what? He was right. I find I function better and for longer hours on the days I do exercise as opposed to the days I don't. 

2. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE 

Rambo (Motu) & Me

This picture clearly says it all. I really did not know how much I could love someone until I met these beloved cats. My love for them helped me realized the kind of love and the power of love my mother has towards my sister and I. I honestly never thought my heart could be filled with so much of joy, love and laughter - till the day Pippo walked into my house. I believe it is because of them I have learned to be kinder and more compassionate. I like looking for the good in people. Because my cats have taught me how most people are just severely misunderstood. 

3. PRIORITIES 

Garfield (Potki) and Jerry: watching over me as I study

I loved seeing the way the little ones had bonded with each other. (It's a different story now.) But it had made me realize that even though we keep meeting new people, and we have old people in our lives we need to understand who will always be there for us and who will love us no matter what. 

4. BLACK CATS ARE AWESOME!

Chhotie & Me 

I used to wonder why it is such a taboo to have a black cat in the house. Then we adopted Chhotie and I realized that the colour of the fur is equal to the dark-skin being looked down on. *sigh* Chhotie is the prettiest cat I own, and she loves posing for the camera. She more friendly that the whole Brahma gang put together.

It was after I adopted her I began to campaign more actively for black cats. How can they help the colour of the fur that they were born with?

5. ASKING FOR HELP 

Pippo Meowing 

I am too single-minded, independent and reckless for my own good. I have learned almost all life skills possible. But my cats taught me that it was okay not to know things, it was okay to ask for help, it was okay to just sit helplessly and MEOW very loudly. There is nothing wrong in asking for help. While it is good to be independent, I learned that one could always, always ask if they needed help. (Of course to the right people.)

6. DREAM BIG 

Globetrotter Potki

Their worlds must be a fraction of what my world is. But I have never seen them give up on anything they have set their mind too. (Mostly it is guilt-tripping me for food, or just trying to sneak into the room they are not supposed to be in. Or climbing up very high almirahs and meowing piteously until they are rescued.) But what inspires me is how they keep on trying to achieve their simple goals - no matter what obstacles might come up! 

7. THE HABIT OF READING

Motu

I am completely addicted to books. And I have stayed up at ungodly hours, reading. My mother hates that habit in me (staying up late - not reading). But for my cats that is the one time they know they can cuddle down next to me, and lie there peacefully until I finish my book. They like being assured of their "hooman" being there for them. This picture, in particular, was taken on a day when I was not too well, and bored of sleeping all day I decided to read the Love Signs Book. Knowing that my mother, my father and my uncle would not be around, Motu settled down to keep an eye on his rather sick hooman. 

8. LEARNING TO IGNORE THE NASTINESS

The Judgy Jerry Look 

There will be people around you, who no matter what you do, will find faults with you. They would never give up the chance to pass snide comments about you. So the solution to the best way to deal with them came from Jerry. If you can copy the expression he has in the picture above, the haters are going to shut up right away. Or just show this picture to them. That should work too. 

9. GUILT-TRIP 

Chhotie & Her Ploy To Get Cat Food 

And because they like to guilt trip me every time they want some cat food, it helped me never get influenced by the guilt trips someone else might try on me. I just roll my eyes and think, "My cats do this to me ten times a day - and they are ten times more adorable." It honestly helped me learn how to deal with comments like, "You have forgotten me completely!" or "So now that you're working, you've forgotten us, mediocre folks?" 

Seriously? *rolls eyes*

10. THE CAT NAP

Pippo taking a cat nap

But the best thing they taught me was the cat nap. For one thing, it does help to shut everything off for a while. And for another - you wake up with a lot of energy and a fresh mind to begin working again

These were the 10 Life Lessons That I Learned From My Cats. If you have ever met my cats, do write a comment for them. Let me know if you liked reading this blog post too. 

If you found this blog post useful and entertaining, please do share it. 

Cats really are severely misunderstood creatures. I would like to do my bit to tell people that cats are not as most people assume them to be: selfish, self-centered creatures. 

They are funny, cute, compassionate and sensitive. I will share more stories about them in subsequent blog posts. 

If you would like to hear the stories from the horse's mouth, then go here and remember to become a follower of their blog!