The other day I said to my cat Grayson (who was sitting on my stomach at the time), “if I gave you a list of what I needed, could you go to the grocery store for me and get the stuff I want to make dinner?”
He slow blinked at me and continued purring.
It was barely an acknowledgment of my request.
I kissed his head, but realized how incredibly easy that cat actually has it.
Do you know what life is really like for a well-loved indoor cat?
I mean think about it. No rent to pay. No car payments to make. No student loans to pay off.
Their bathroom is cleaned daily. And they don’t have to lift a paw to do it!
They don’t even have to worry about food or water. The food apparently magically shows up each day in the bowl and fresh water is supplied. Actually, in Grayson’s case, every time I go to the bathroom he meows for me to turn on the faucet in the bathtub so he can get a drink straight from the tap. And I do it for him! Every time!
See what I mean?
Indoor cats have veritably no dangers – not like cats who live on the street, at any rate. There’s not going to be any mean humans trying to get them off their property or other nasty cats to threaten their sleeping spot.
Although mine squabble like siblings, but it’s nothing like the life of a cat on the streets.
Grayson has more places to sleep comfortably than I do. I’ve gotten dog beds for them and they are placed throughout the house and there are piles and piles of blankets for them whenever they would like a soft spot.
When the weather is nice, I open the windows for them so they can get the experience of the outside without the added fear. They have places near the windows – whether they’re closed or open – where there are chairs or benches for them to repose where they can perch to witness what’s going on outside.
In my head, I equate that to television for them. I will often catch them watching a squirrel or a bird in the same way I watch Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural on my television. I feel like I can relate to their excitement at what’s going on outside the window if I make that comparison.
Whenever any of them wants a snuggle, they know they can jump up next to me and I will provide it.
I can’t tell you how many times I wake up in the middle of the night to find one of them sound asleep beside me and I give them a pat and they start to purr.
Grayson has developed this little meow he does in greeting every time I touch him. It’s utterly adorable.
Again, I ask you to think about it. All of this is provided to my cats and they don’t have to go to work to make a living, they don’t have to pay taxes, they don’t have to worry about paying bills or anything even related to that. They don’t have to worry about food or groceries or electric bills or rising gas prices – none of it!
All in all, a well-loved indoor cat may be the real lottery winners in this world – the same is true for dogs.
The kicker is for all their freeloading, they actually give me some of the best moments of my day. When I get home and search them out and say out loud, “Where is Grayson?” or “Where is Zippy?” they will inevitably search me out for some kisses.
That, right there, is worth absolutely anything to me. They are a comfort. They are a presence in my life. They give me unadulterated joy.
And even though I know they’re totally mooching, it is completely, without a doubt worth it.
Even though Grayson never did go to the grocery store for me…
**
Jennifer Vanderau is the Public Relations Coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
