Why do humans name cats? They never come when you call. If you have a routine that lets them know it’s time to eat, they will come running. But most of all, the cat will be there staring at you with a look on its face that implies ‘where in hell have you been? I’ve been hungry for a whole five minutes now.’
No matter which species of cat you have, the animal will not acknowledge you unless it gives permission. Yet, we call them by a name we have given them, and they ignore it.
Cats are nocturnal, primarily. They will sleep at night, but don’t be fooled. Have you never woken past midnight to see a cat staring out the window in the middle of the night, yearning to be out there among its friends?
Cats are fussy eaters. It is difficult to try different brands of food on them. They’ll turn their nose up on it and refuse to eat until you replace that generic stuff with some of the most expensive food on the shelf. And yet, they’ll eat almost anything they can find in the wild during their romp around town in the wee hours of the morning.
They will never let you know where they are. A cat can be gone for days, and you’ll worry about its welfare until it comes home. Don’t try to scold it; it doesn’t pay attention to what you say.
Sleeping the day away is one of its favorite pastimes. In the sun, on the couch, in a bedroom on top of an unmade bed, cats will sleep like what seems forever. Then, when you make a noise, it will stretch, arch its back, and move on to some other place where you can’t bother it.
But cats are lovable. That’s why we have them. They are capable of giving us love and companionship. Unlike dogs, who come running from anywhere in the house to greet you when you arrive home, cats will slowly emerge from a far-off room to see if you brought them something while you were away. And if you did, don’t wait around for a ton of thanks. It’s as if it was a gift they deserve, and you finally came through.
But with all their faults, we still love our cats – immensely!
Now, go back and read the essay one more time, and instead of the word “cat,” replace it with “teenager.”
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Lol! And our cat is named Smokey, who requires vet prescribed kibble plus a small can of Gravy Lovers wet cat food at about $1/can. We just got ye estimate on some dental work he may need in the future—a mere $450 or more. We do love our cats—and teenagers grow older (thankfully)!