As I get older, I'm starting to realise I'm a bit, well, odd about cats. I tend to like them more than I like most people. Lying on the sofa with a glas of wine, watching a movie with my wife, with the cat on my chest, is my idea of a perfect evening.
When I lost my little Burmese kitten Eva a couple of years ago I was devastated. As in can't go to work for a fortnight, stopped eating and lost weight, spent every waking moment crying, saw her in my dreams and the corner of my eye kind of devastated. I remember during the "bargaining" phase of grief crying that I would do anything, anything at all, to hold her again and hear her purr for just one moment more. I would have literally done anything. Anything.
Fast forward 18 months and I fell in love with another little Burmese cat called Mia. She was harder work than Eva. Eva loved everything. The other cats. The dogs. People. Chairs. The toaster. Everything. It was hard NOT to love Eva. Mia was not so well socialised and quite withdrawn. Even at two years of age she is only now becoming truly relaxed around us. so when she started doing the Burmese thing - following you around the house, screaming at closed doors, demanding your constant attention etc, I was absolutely overjoyed. I felt so lucky. So priveledged.
So here's my rule, that I have spoken of with no-one until today. My wife, bless her, would just roll her eyes. And maybe call the people in white coats.
"Never turn down a cuddle". You never know when it will be the last.
Mia gets into incredibly affectionate moods perhaps once every two days. At those times she must be on my chest. She nibbles my chin and rubs her head against mine. She follows me around screaming if I do not pick her up. Doesn't matter whether I am cooking dinner, in bed, or embarrassingly on the toilet. When it's cuddle time for Mia it's cuddle time. One day I realised how awful it would be if I pushed her away because I was busy and then never had another opportunity. I think that would crush me.
So I never turn down a cuddle. It only takes up 5 minutes and then she calms down and I can put her down. She still wanders after me with her tail quivering in the air, but she's had her fix. I've been late for work. I've been late for meetings. I've been late for dinner appointments. I've missed a train. But the funny thing is, that once you re-prioritise your life to make time for the important things, you realise that it doesn't really matter if you are 5 minutes late now and again. It really doesn't. It doesn't matter if you have to stay away for 5 minutes longer, or wake up 5 minutes earlier. Never turn down a cuddle. Every one is precious.
The side effect of this is you start thinking about what else is important in your life. Your wife wants to cuddle on the sofa rather than go to a party? Never turn down a cuddle. Your kid wants to hug you? Never turn down a cuddle.
Your cat is with you for a limited time. Live every moment, and never turn down a cuddle.
When I lost my little Burmese kitten Eva a couple of years ago I was devastated. As in can't go to work for a fortnight, stopped eating and lost weight, spent every waking moment crying, saw her in my dreams and the corner of my eye kind of devastated. I remember during the "bargaining" phase of grief crying that I would do anything, anything at all, to hold her again and hear her purr for just one moment more. I would have literally done anything. Anything.
Fast forward 18 months and I fell in love with another little Burmese cat called Mia. She was harder work than Eva. Eva loved everything. The other cats. The dogs. People. Chairs. The toaster. Everything. It was hard NOT to love Eva. Mia was not so well socialised and quite withdrawn. Even at two years of age she is only now becoming truly relaxed around us. so when she started doing the Burmese thing - following you around the house, screaming at closed doors, demanding your constant attention etc, I was absolutely overjoyed. I felt so lucky. So priveledged.
So here's my rule, that I have spoken of with no-one until today. My wife, bless her, would just roll her eyes. And maybe call the people in white coats.
"Never turn down a cuddle". You never know when it will be the last.
Mia gets into incredibly affectionate moods perhaps once every two days. At those times she must be on my chest. She nibbles my chin and rubs her head against mine. She follows me around screaming if I do not pick her up. Doesn't matter whether I am cooking dinner, in bed, or embarrassingly on the toilet. When it's cuddle time for Mia it's cuddle time. One day I realised how awful it would be if I pushed her away because I was busy and then never had another opportunity. I think that would crush me.
So I never turn down a cuddle. It only takes up 5 minutes and then she calms down and I can put her down. She still wanders after me with her tail quivering in the air, but she's had her fix. I've been late for work. I've been late for meetings. I've been late for dinner appointments. I've missed a train. But the funny thing is, that once you re-prioritise your life to make time for the important things, you realise that it doesn't really matter if you are 5 minutes late now and again. It really doesn't. It doesn't matter if you have to stay away for 5 minutes longer, or wake up 5 minutes earlier. Never turn down a cuddle. Every one is precious.
The side effect of this is you start thinking about what else is important in your life. Your wife wants to cuddle on the sofa rather than go to a party? Never turn down a cuddle. Your kid wants to hug you? Never turn down a cuddle.
Your cat is with you for a limited time. Live every moment, and never turn down a cuddle.
until I looked under the bed. She had died not too long before I got back, because she was still warm. I never got to give her a final cuddle.
It's definitely something we should all keep in mind, no matter how hectic life gets.
