Everything I Need to Know I learned From My Cat

Cats have the life. They sleep when they want, eat when they want, play when they want, and enjoy a sunny day as much as a rainy one.

Humans are the only mammal that sleep eight hours and then pound out an uninterrupted sixteen hour day. Cats sleep in several spurts with a few naps on the long side each day. An early evening nap leads to a short burst of horse-play, followed by a prowl around the house. Mid-morning is a good nap time for my cats. However, they get up early and get their exercise in. My goal is to take a power nap, or at least, a gentle, refreshing nap, once during the day. Hope the boss isn’t watching. If the cats are a guide, I’ll spend less time overall sleeping and have more productive time each day. Infants do it; old people do it; and cats do it. So I am going to do it. Does this mean I’m getting old?


Cats eat when they are hungry and not massive hunks of food either, unless it is a special treat and there is competition. Usually cats eat small amounts at various times of the day. Outdoor cats eat a mouse or a bird when the urge strikes and house cats chomp kitty food when they feel like a snack. The point is they eat pretty much the same thing daily. To follow the cat’s lesson, I’ll eat less more often and focus more on fresh fruits and vegetables. It is healthier and better on the stomach.


Cats jump and play when the urge strikes. They jump and run at the drop of a hat when they are in the mood. They chew human legs and arms when they get spicy. The cat lesson for humans is: Sing when the urge strikes; laugh, smile, jump, hop, or even take a little jog. So what if others think I’m nuts? My wife has known I’m nuts for over two decades, so the secret is out.

So many people whine about the weather. It is either too hot or too cold, windy or calm, wet or dry, humid or not. I’ve noticed cats watch a gentle rain, raging thunderstorm, snow, and sleet with the same calm pleasure. Their blood pressure must be purrrfect as they take whatever weather comes their way and enjoy it all. If a cat can paw at a snowflake, why should I complain about shoveling the snowflake later? The cat doesn’t care about ice, flood, or shoveling. They take it all in and then settle in for a long nap. Just because I have to shovel later doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy this moment first. And I will. If it is good enough for the cat, it is good enough for me.

We can all learn from our mammal friends. They take one day at a time, live life for the moment. That is my goal: to enjoy the moment, live the now. The past is already gone, tomorrow not yet here. All I have is now, this moment, to enjoy and savor. I think I’m going to hop, skip, and sing, followed by a light snack and a nap. Ahhhh! That is too much of a plan. I’ll just sing a silly song and dance around the house until… the wife and kids get home. Then I’ll act civilized. I will. Honest.