Lessons I Learned from My Cat!

Estimated read time 5 min read

We just celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March. I am sure, like me, you might also have read a lot of inspirational stories shared by many women from different parts of the globe. We all have been inspired by one or more women at different phases of our life. It could be our grandmother, mother, sister, sister-in-law, friend, neighbour aunty or even our domestic help. Each one inspires us in different ways.

I think it’s high time that I share #mystory. The woman who inspired me, and changed my life starting with this New Year. She is none other than my loving pet cat, ‘Kurinji’.

I had doraphobia (fear of fur) and so I was not a pet-loving person. Though we had cats at home since I was in high school, I never pampered or even touched a cat, unlike my sister. Even then I used to feed them if they approach me.

Just before the last Christmas holidays, one fine morning, a cat made an appearance at home and behaved as if she was already living with us! She would have been 3 or 4 months then. She was a very cute kitten. Though initially I resisted allowing her to enter the house, she was very persistent and finally, she won! But I set lots of rules. No climbing on sofas, cots, chairs, and tables. I also put a virtual ‘No Entry’ sign in front of the kitchen for her. To my surprise, she accepted all these rules and proved to be very obedient. I named her ‘Kurinji’. Whenever she felt hungry she just said ‘meow’ very softly, as if mewing is a universal language. At other times she slept or just watched the outside world sitting on the windowsill. She rarely went out except to attend nature’s call!

When my daughter came home during her semester break, she taught Kurinji how to break all the rules set by me. She also allowed Kurinji to sleep with her. Kurinji proved again that she is very obedient! My daughter went back to her hostel after ensuring that Kurinji was thorough with her lessons except climbing on tables and the kitchen platform.

Kurinji is a grown-up woman now. Google says cats become adults when they are 6 months old. The first two years of a cat is roughly equal to 25 human years, it seems! She wakes me up by 6 a.m. by coming to my room and mewing continuously, which is her order to me to give her breakfast. She follows me wherever I go inside our home. When I am working on my blog she lies down near me. By noon she again demands food. If I don’t pay much attention her soft meow becomes a little louder. I think she is trying to remind me that she was worshipped in ancient Egypt and wants me to behave accordingly!

Anyway, I have learned a lot from her. I even started admiring her for what she is!

The lessons I learned are:

  1. Looking good requires constant maintenance. 
  2. You don’t need a yoga mat to practise yoga.
  3. ‘I love you all but I love myself more.’
  4. Don’t care about what others think of you.
  5. Don’t be scared to seek attention.
  6. Insist on the best, especially food.
  7. Teach people how to treat you.
  8. Anytime is a good time for meditation.
  9. It’s okay to take a nap.
  10. Eat only when you are hungry.
  11. Aim high. But if you fall, land on your feet.
  12. Focus on what you really want and put your 100% energy into it.
  13. Always be in the present.
  14. Walk through your fears and take a chance every now and then. Also, know your limits. Never be afraid to explore.
  15. Be independent.
  16. Muddy prints are good for home decor once in a while! 🙂
  17. Don’t use sunscreen lotion when you sunbathe because you need vitamin D.
  18. There’s a whole amazing world out there that’s waiting to be explored.
  19. Home is where the food is!
  20. If you have a loving family, food to eat and a place to nap, then be content and happy always!

Kurinji taught me the importance of self-care! There’s no point in envying supermodels and film stars. They are all putting a lot of effort, like her, to make themselves look the way we perceive them! According to her, self-love is the most important quality one should have. I used to put off practicing yoga for petty reasons. She does marjaara asana (cat stretch) every now and then without any yoga mat! Where there is a will, there is a way. We all fall from time to time. But we hold on to the act of falling instead of the act of getting back on our feet after the fall. For her it doesn’t matter how many times she falls, she simply stands up, shakes it off and moves forward. She always reminds me of what really matters!

If you have pets, observe them once in a while. You can learn a lot from them. I think cats are more practical. Every cat is a lion in her own lair! Though I have overcome the doraphobia (fear of fur) to some extent, cynophobia (fear of dogs) is the number 1 on my long list of phobias even now. Most of my friends have one or two dogs at home, and whenever I visit them I usually give them and the dogs a tough time 🙁 Hope one day I can overcome this too!

Before I conclude let me share some happy news with you. Kurinji is pregnant now. Soon my empty nest will become full. 🙂

Happy empty nesting, especially to all the feline lovers over there!

Some people come into our lives, leave paw prints on our hearts, and we are never the same! 

Update: Kurinji has been blessed with 5 kittens on 16th March, Friday. Cute little paw prints of 5 Pisceans in my home and heart!

 

3Comments

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  1. 1
    Deepa minood

    Good one. Waiting to hear your learnings from ur 🐕 dog….
    Your blog really inspires people to look at things as their teachers. ; make them awa
    re that nothing is inconspicuous.;
    Great observations…great lessons…great individual u r …

  2. 3
    Anita

    Mineetha nice writing I have ailurophobia which I had overcome for a short span. It has come back in full force. I don’t want to overcome it for the simple reason that my kids would bring home a pet cat also. Enjoyed reading your blog keep writing

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