One unassuming day, I found myself in an animal rescue, looking for a four-legged friend to keep me company during some long, dark evenings and rainy days.
The rescue was full of dogs and there was also a room filled with cats and kittens. There was this little fella, who was really friendly and entertaining, as if he was trying to say to me: hey look at me, I am so cool, pick me, pick me. And I almost did since he was very cute. But then, from beneath the bench I was sitting on, this tiny paw emerged, and sank its claws into my foot. After the initial pain and wtf, I lifted that little ball of fur from under the bench and saw a scared, big eyed kitten, smeared in, what I can only assume was, its own poop.
Right that moment she immediately stole my heart, and after the question was posed to me: “Are you taking the friendly one or the smelly one?” the answer was obvious. And so Smelly entered my life. The first three weeks she spent hidden behind the washing machine, so my dreams of having some company while watching TV were put on hold, luckily only for a short while, and the benefits of having her were starting to present themselves.
According to science cats can:
1. Lower the risk of having a heart disease – they lower your stress levels, which in turns lowers the risk of having a heart disease, including stroke.
2. Apparently, they make you sleep better – there was a study from a Mayo Clinic Centre for Sleep Medicine confirming that 41 per cent of people taking part in it slept better because of their pet.
3. Cat’s purring will aid in helping bones and muscles healing – the vibrations produced when a cat is purring have a positive effect on joints, muscles and bones after injury.
4. Owning a cat is better for the environment – all the resources that are needed to feed a cat are leaving a significantly lower carbon footprint than those needed for a dog.
Not so scientific benefits of owning a cat include bringing energy into the household, and a lot of it. From hanging off the curtains to digging a hole in every plant I have, Smelly is unstoppable. Every piece of paper, including toilet paper, string and shadow were attacked and destroyed. Also flies and spiders, yuck.
She also brought a lot of weirdness - she has these fits of meowing and running around, either sober or on catnip, she attacks your toes at 3 o’clock in the morning, asks for switching on a tap (also in the middle of the night) so she can drink, even though her bowl was full of fresh water. When she is hungry the whole neighbourhood can hear that. And clearly.
Owning a cat is pure entertainment. It is like watching the many cats’ videos on YouTube but obviously better, in real life. Cats are also very affectionate; they have an attitude and will make you laugh. I highly recommend owning one, but remember, pet is for life, not just a lockdown, so do your research before you get one.
