'/> Amazing Animals: December 2014

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Seven Life Lessons My Cats Taught Me

I have two cats which I consider not only companion pets, but more of advisers. They have taught me things that formal education deprived me. These cats are more like angels than domesticated felines. I believe God uses them as instruments to guide my way to live a joyful life. Read on to learn the seven life lessons my cats have taught me.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

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Watching my cats playing on the lawn helps me realize that these felines never worry. Unlike us, that waste much of our time worrying about the present, past, and the future. Hearing about approaching weather disturbances like typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, and the likes, get us easily bothered and spend a lot of time pondering what to prepare if such calamity arrives. In so doing, we deprive ourselves of precious time that should have been spent productively for today.

My two cats live for the day. ‘Kuskos’ spends much of his time on the lawn watching for possible prey to get trapped in his self-made trap, yet he never worries nor gets anxious if he can catch another victim the next day. He’s just contented of what the day offers him. My cat taught me to live for today and not be anxious about tomorrow, because God is always in control of everything.

Eat What is Served at the Table

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I take my hat off for ‘Kiskis’ – when the day brings in unsavory situations, he just keeps his cool and takes it all in stride. Fate at one time had been cruel to this cat. As an adventurous kitten, he was run over by a speeding car and suffered dislocated hind limbs. But in spite of having an abnormal movement, he never questioned God. He still remains the playful, sociable cat and the endearing Big Brother to his younger sibling ‘Kuskos’.

What lesson did I learn from my cat’s behavior? God has a Divine plan for each one of us–good or bad, they all fit to solve life’s puzzle. We have two options to choose from, be content and take things as they come, or have a life centered on complaining, ranting, in anger or full of woes.

Show that You Care

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I am just too lucky to have two thoughtful and loving cats. There was a point in my life that I’d almost lost a left leg because of diabetes. For almost three months, I was bedridden after an operation, but my two cats constantly visited me each morning. They always MEOW to catch my attention and always gave me some licking of the face. Isn’t it such a good gesture for them to remind me that they care? They have open my eyes on what genuine relationship is – where Love, Trust and Care are integral ingredients to foster one.

Show Generosity Without Expecting Anything in Return

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Another life lesson that I’ve learned from my cats is the divine virtue of sharing unselfishly and going out of your way to lend a helping hand to those needs without expecting anything in return. My cat ‘Kuskos’, being the more aggressive between the two, always share with his brother ‘Kiskis’ whatever catch he had done for the night. Be it a big rat or just a small bird – and my you, he never gives his brother leftover. He always shares unselfishly whatever he has and never expects anything in return.

Don’t Let the Sun Sets on Your Anger

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The most remarkable thing about my cats is their ability to spring back from problems. Seldom would I see them being offended. Yes, I do tease them, at times I let them sleep outside of the house. There was also a time, that instead of the usual cat food, I gave them toy meat.. They do get mad or show anger, but after a few hours, they forgave me and return to their normal behavior. What I’ve learned from my cats is that they don’t hold a grudge. Isn’t it nice that we too can learn how to forgive others.

Be Content!

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I don’t pamper much my cats. No fancy bedrooms for them, just a place that suits their needs. They don’t live an elaborate lifestyle. They don’t have expensive mouse toys, instead they're just happy playing with an old plastic ball. Ah! These cats learn to like what they have. We can ponder on this saying…“We can dream to have what we like, but we must also learn to like what we have”.

Accept Who You Are

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Though they can’t talk, but their behaviors lead to one thing… my cats are just happy for who they are! They have learned to accept the facts that they are stray cats – not knowing who their parents are. I believe my cats knew they are not the same breed as my neighbor’s Siamese cats. Nevertheless, they carry themselves as if they are the most beautiful and intelligent cats in the neighborhood. ‘Kuskos’ and ‘Kiskis’ know that they are love by my family, just the way they were made. We can take a cue from their behavior- we should hold ourselves in high-esteem, confident enough to accept that each one of us was created uniquely by God.