Today’s World of Distress from a Cat’s Perspective
Cats Listen
Hi, I’m Dancer, the local cat mascot for Apositiva and today is my turn to write a blog. I’ve been watching my humans and listening. You seem to be in a conversation about your world. I’m only in the background and people typically don’t ask me for advice, but I could give it. What am I hearing around here? Divorce, poverty, death, personal abuse, substance abuse, illness. Stories of suicides, cancer, safety fill the news portals.
From a cat’s point of world, we are watchers. We find a safe perch and observe. I like to watch you people, and I think you are fascinating animals, but sometimes you seem like you can’t see yourself. We as cats learn a lot by watching and listening. For instance, just by hanging out I’ve learned how to recognize signs that a person may show when they are in distress. It’s good to remember that any of these signs can be caused by physical as well as emotional challenges. Here are some signs I’ve seen in humans when they are struggling.
o Physical issues like tired or red eyes, drowsiness, fatigue, bruises, eating too much or too little
o Erratic mood swings, apathy, or lethargy
o Secrecy
o Chronic lying
o Withdrawal from school and family
o Hygiene and personal appearance are neglected
o Less enthusiasm, loss of ambition, and abandoning goals
o Falling quality of work
As a cat I think that hygiene is very important. Anyone who has watched me knows I take excellent care of my feline attributes from whisker to tail. When I see you people it makes me want to give you some tips. Since no one has asked and the computer was left unattended I feel it’s my feline duty to feed you a little. After all you can be a leader and make a difference by helping others:
Let’s start with these steps:
o Trust. Create an open and comfortable atmosphere when humans express themselves.
o Listen, listen, listen … seriously. Listen with your heart, mind and your gut!
o Put aside your story and let them finish before adding your ideas.
o Differences. Humans come in many colors and shapes and sounds. Be sensitive to differences.
o Be real. If you hear a myth or hyped up information talk about it and help get the facts.
o Relax with them. Go for a walk, share a good story, smell something nice.
Being there when a human is going through a crisis can make a difference. I know this, because when my master is struggling I come over and sit on his shoulder. After he pets me for a while he feels better. Come to think of it… so do I!
Helping humans in crisis around you makes it more pleasant for we cats. So, I’ve done my bit today. If you want to learn more you will need to contact my master Rich Aanrich at Apositiva. Oh, look! Here’s his personal cell phone number: 503. 754.8226! Tell him you saw his cat’s blog.