Random Thought #1: Cats are Great De-Stressors

Once I was lying in bed feeling completely stressed out. My whole body was tense, and I simply could not relax. My cat Carmela jumped up on the bed, purring up a storm, and cuddled against me. I don't think I have ever heard her purr so loudly before. Anyway, one cannot stay tense and stressed out when their cat cuddles against them, especially when you add the rhythm and sound of the purring. It's just not possible. How did she know I was stressed out?

Cats really do sense how their human is feeling, though, as many people know. My other cat, Moonie (I am the proud mother of two cats), sometimes strokes my face with her paws when I am feeling stressed out, thankfully with her claws retracted, or that wouldn't be very pleasant.

I guess everything I've read about cats (or other pets) being good for mental health is true.

There are lots of great cat books out there; here I will just mention a few of my favorites:

Diary of a Cat: True Confessions and Lifelong Observations of a Well-Adjusted Housecat, by Leigh W. Rutledge (New York: Galahad Books, 1995). This is a "diary" from the point of view of a cat, as one can probably guess from the title. It is great fun. If you've ever wondered what a cat might be thinking about his owner, the neighbors, furballs, holidays, new cats in the house, etc., you will love this book.

The Cats' House, by Bob Walker and Frances Mooney (Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2001). This is a mini-novelty-type book. This couple turned their entire house into a haven for cats. They have elevated walkways so the cats can walk overhead, scratching posts that reach the ceiling that the cats can climb up, "mouseholes" in the wall so that the cats can pass from room to room without leaving the elevated walkway, not to mention an eclectic ensemble of bright colors. I can't do anything like this because I rent, but I would love to do some of these things for my cats someday.

The Everything Cat Book, by Steve Duno (Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 1997). This book contains a wealth of information about cats, including cat psychology, how to choose a cat and take care of it, problem behavior, first aid, emergency care, common illnesses, and breeding and showing your cat. This last part doesn't interest me much, as my cats are both fixed and "mutts." One I rescued from a shelter; the other was given to me by a friend. But anytime one of my cats has a symptom I'm not sure about, I look it up in this book. It also lists plants that are poisonous to cats, and even gives suggestions for good names for cats. The appendix lists some cats associations and organizations.