I want to be more like my cat. I think you should, too. A cat might be an unusual choice for a role model, but 2020 was an unusual year. So much still feels up in the air with the new year upon us. Even with this uncertainty, I know one thing for sure: my cat is living his best life. I think our furry friends can teach us ways to better navigate our lives. My boy – JT Catsby – is a confident, loving guy. He goes through life with his tail held high and knows exactly when a well-timed purr can turn someone’s day around. During the pandemic, I’ve spent more time at home with JT than ever before. Based on my observations (and maybe this is some pandemic-era cabin fever talking) here are a few lessons I’ve learned from JT that I plan to carry with me in 2021.
Take Time to Play Even though it pains me to admit that my baby kitty is a grown-up cat, JT still likes to race around the house just like he did as a kitten. He sprints down the hallway, shimmies up to the top of the cat tree, and then somersaults his way down onto his favorite shelf on the tree. He chases bugs. He chases ribbons. He chases treats. JT loves to run! Contrary to cats, it seems like humans get the “play” knocked out of them as they age. We learn to sit still and focus in school alongside our lessons. Misbehavior is punished. Work is prized above all. And frankly, it’s tiring. While these lessons are necessary to create model citizens, something is lost in the process. We lose our sense of play. Maybe if I had been a better disciplinarian, JT would be more settled now. But I’m glad that wasn’t the case. When JT plays, his joy is infectious. The more I laugh, the faster he goes. My laughs are his cheers! One of the best things I did for myself in 2020 was dancing along with Ryan Heffington’s Sweat Fest. In this raucous class, the focus is on play. The dance moves are optional and come with names like “pretty pony” and “happy hippie.” Lavish costumes and lip-synching are encouraged. It’s loud and silly and wonderful. I felt ridiculous prancing around the house and singing at the top of my lungs, but at the end of the class I felt good. Breaking out of the constructs of “adulting” (even in a small way like pretending to be a flailing inflatable thing at a used car lot while a Madonna song plays) is freeing. When it was time for the class, JT and I both got excited. He knew he would get to “sing” or, in his case, swing at whatever household appliance I was using as my microphone that day. He was excited to play. I want to carry that spirit with me in 2021 and remember to play. Take Time to Rest On the other side of the coin, JT sleeps A LOT. If he isn’t playing around the house or watching birds out the window, he’s usually curled up for a catnap in a cozy spot. Unlike JT, resting isn’t my strong suit. I’ve always felt like I should be doing something, working on something. When I’m at rest, I get restless. It felt like the world slowed down in 2020 and, with the slower pace, I slowed down, too. While I still wouldn’t call myself a skilled rest aficionado like JT, I’ve been learning to listen to my mind and body and take breaks when I need them. And you know what’s crazy? I’ve found out that I genuinely like resting. I watched (and loved) The Mandalorian. I’ve been watching a lot of cheesy, made-for-tv romantic movies. (Will our heroine leave her mean, businessman boyfriend for the hometown hunk who rescues puppies? Um. Duh!) They’re super predictable, but they make me laugh. Sometimes I knit while I watch. Knitting is another restful activity for me. I twist the yarn around my loom and before I know it – POOF! I made a hat. I know that making a conscious choice to rest will always be difficult for me. Even so, I’m planning to look to JT and take time to rest in 2021. Drink More Water JT likes to hop from the bathroom floor, to the hamper, to the counter before meowing for attention. Once a human comes to his rescue to turn on the faucet, he sticks his head under the stream for a fresh drink of water. While I’m not advocating for you to stick your head under a faucet (unless that’s what you need to do to get this done), I think most people can benefit from drinking more water. I have a big refillable water bottle that I lug around with me. I try to drink the whole thing and then refill it and keep going. Some days I do better on that than others. But I know that if my cat can stick his head under a running faucet, then I can handle upping my water intake in 2021. Eat the Treats JT enjoys a balanced diet of dry food, wet food, and lots of treats! He loves chasing his hard treats down the hall, but Churu treats are his holy grail. They’re basically like a meat gogurt and come in different flavors. JT begs for one every night. If there’s one big life lesson to be pulled from 2020, I think it’s that life is short and unpredictable. Go ahead and eat the treats! There is so much pressure in our society look a certain way. I know I feel that pressure. It gets even harder at this time of year. So many New Year’s Resolutions focus on losing weight and changing the way our bodies look. When I tried to think of a list of resolutions JT would make, I realized that he would never make a resolution like that! He would eat the treats. And he would still be loved by his family and Furrends all over the internet no matter what. So, that’s my plan for 2021. No foods are off limits. I’m going to eat the treats. I had Funyuns before I sat down to write this. I have a stash of flavored Tootsie Rolls near my desk. Maybe I’ll have one later… Use Your Voice For a little guy, JT is LOUD. You can hear his meow from the opposite side of the house if he wants you to hear it. He has no qualms about asking for what he wants, whether that’s attention, treats, or to go outside. He’s far from shy in that respect. It can be scary to ask for what you want or, when necessary, demand it. What if someone says no? What if they laugh at me? Whenever I feel scared, I try to ask myself, “Would it be worse to be rejected or to never have tried at all?” For me, the glimmer of hope always surpasses the fear of rejection. Rejection may hurt, but the feeling is temporary. So many moments, big and small, when I’ve used my voice have been so worth it. When I told my now-fiancé how I felt about him, my heart was going a mile a minute. It was scary then, but (fast-forward to now) I get to spend the rest of my life with the guy of my dreams. While using my voice and going after what I wanted in this instance may not have a huge impact on the way of the world, it sure had an impact on my life. I want to keep using my voice in 2021. I understand that I operate from a place of privilege and have a platform on social media. As a part of these blog posts, I want to spotlight rescues around the United States who are making a difference in their communities and in the lives of animals. If you’d like to nominate a rescue to be featured, let me know! If JT can make himself heard, then I can make myself heard and amplify other voices, too. Those are my resolutions for 2021. From what I can tell, I think JT Catsby is resolving to keep living his best life and maybe (if I’m lucky) sleep in past the crack of dawn. I hope this list give you some inspiration if you’re crafting your own list of New Year’s Resolutions. If not, I hope it at least made you smile. 2020 was a wild and often sad ride of a year. I hope 2021 is full of health, happiness, progress, kindness, and (of course) treats! More soon. Lots of love, Meowmy
1 Comment
Polly
1/3/2021 08:20:52 pm
Nice article, Hannah. You nailed it! I will follow JR's great example.
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AuthorHannah is a lifelong storyteller and cat lady. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association and holds a MA in History. Most importantly, Hannah is "Meowmy" to JT Catsby. Archives
March 2021
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