Ah...To Be A Cat

People that know me well know that I love cats. I have had them in my life almost since I was born, and I can't imagine what my life would be without them living with me. The one above isn't mine, though. This is Pistachio, one of my son's family's two kitties. He is a bit more sociable than either of mine and afforded me several opportunities to catch him enjoying his indulged life-style. I have often thought that if I had to be reincarnated as an animal I would want to be someone's house cat. What a life! If you know how a cat typically spends a day anyway, it's not a bad life even if you aren't also being a bit spoiled. They sleep 16 hours a day, usually in places where the owner would prefer them not to. But being a rather strong-willed creature anyway, they usually get their way in selecting favorite snoozing spots. Eating, grooming, and taking care of "business" takes up another three hours. That leaves five hours to explore, observe the world, and play. Cats with a special relationship with their "human enablers," will often get special treatments, too, like massages and getting brushed, to which they will express their appreciation by loud purring. They are easily entertained by something as simple as looking out the window, usually sitting atop a piece of furniture or windowsill. But they also love getting new toys, especially since they have a wonderful ability to lose their old ones behind and under things where even they can't find them easily. In addition to sleep locations on beds, pillows, and the best piece of furniture in the house, they like to spend part of their sixteen-hour sleep time in places that are warm, like spots of sunshine on a carpet, warm air vents, or even on occasion, stovetops. Originally cats were appreciated more for their ability to manage rodent populations. But these days most cats don't have to work at all and live in a perpetual state of indulged retirement. They have their favorite foods prepared and served to them; they have someone else to clean up after them; and they pretty much get to do what they want to do when they want to do it. Not a bad life at all to be a cat these days.