If you want insights into being healthy and happy, just take a cue from nature and the animal kingdom. Through millions of years of evolution, animals have adapted to their environments to be as strong and healthy as possible.
Sure, animals have to deal with their share of suffering, struggling, and stresses, but their natural states tend to be based in peace and harmony with nature.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go into the wilderness to tap into these amazing animal instincts. If you’re one of the 62% of US households that has at least one pet, then you already have a link to the animal kingdom.
Lukey & Lele
While I love dogs (and all animals), I’ve spent most of my life around cats. In fact, I’d estimate that I’ve owned at least one cat on and off for about 30 years (or ⅔ of my life).
My wife, Allison, and I currently own two amazing 16-year old Siamese cats who are brother and sister. It was total fate that we found Luke and Leia (aka Lukey and Lele).
Allison had always said we would only get cats if we could adopt them from the SPCA and if they were Siamese. Since Siamese cats are harder to find at the pound, we didn’t think this would happen.
Lo and behold - one summer afternoon in 1999, Allison was grabbing lunch near her office in downtown San Francisco. There was a mobile SPCA unit outside that day, so she decided to take a quick peek. As fate would have it, there were two little fluffy white Siamese kittens up for adoption.
Sixteen years later, we’re still caring for these two fluff balls as if they were our children. We joke that if they were humans, they’d be getting their driver’s licences and going to prom right about now.
Over those 16 years, they’ve taught me a lot. Here are just 10 of the essential life lessons from my cats...
1 - Get lots of sleep
Cats have no qualms about sleeping anytime and anyplace. In fact, cats sleep an average of 15 hours per day!
While we probably don’t want to sleep quite as much as a cat, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep each day. According to Health Magazine, there are numerous benefits to getting adequate sleep.
Benefits include improved memory, lower stress, better athletic performance, and longer lifespan.
2 - Don’t be afraid to play
It’s not just kittens that like to play - older cats do as well. In fact, our 16-year old cats still love playtime. They may not play as often, but they’ll still get a playful urge every couple days.
Out of the blue and for no apparent reason, they’ll run up their cat tree, chase each other, or play with one of their old stuffed toys.
I’m not sure when most humans stop being playful, but it seems to happen sometime around the 30’s. Don’t let this happen to you. Whenever you have a chance to have some fun, kick a ball, dance a jig, or just have a good laugh, do it!
3 - Get some sun
Cats love to soak up the sun! Well, not all cats. Lukey would rather sleep under the bed on a sunny day. But Lele couldn’t possibly be happier than when she’s basking in the sunshine.
Humans too need some sun to stay healthy and happy. According to Healthline, there are a number of benefits to getting sunshine (in moderation).
They include boosting serotonin, improving sleep, and reducing cancer risks (via Vitamin D).
4 - Enjoy touching & getting touched
There’s nothing better than the sweet sound of your cat purring when you’ve found that sweet spot they love you to pet.
Every cat is different - some like their belly rubbed, others like their cheeks caressed, and still others like their rump ruffled. But once you find their poison, they’ll definitely let you know and make sure you don’t stop.
Humans too need to touch and be touched. WebMD talks about the benefits of touch therapy:
“Emerging research suggests that touch therapy works: In one landmark study, 16 happily married women were subjected to the threat of a mild electric shock; touching their husbands’ hands brought immediate relief from the resulting anxiety.”
5 - Cultivate a sense of curiosity
Everyone knows the saying “curiosity killed the cat,” but I’d argue that curiosity helps keep cats healthy. They’re always exploring their environments (in a very cautious way) to see if there’s something new that could either benefit or harm them.
This is the same spirit we try to encourage with Experiencify. The whole idea is to be curious about the world around you, so that you’ll be willing to try new experiences.
6 - Food is great (& treats are even better)
Cats are typically known for being finicky eaters. However, once you find the foods they like, they’ll appreciate feeding time as much as their canine cousins.
We feed our cats dry food, but every Sunday we give them wet food as a treat. When they hear that can opening, they turn into two little monsters.
We also give them treats as rewards for things like allowing us to clip their claws. And once in a blue moon we’ll give them some catnip. The treats get inhaled in about two seconds, and they’ll spend 20 minutes rolling around the floor with the catnip (and drooling over it).
The lesson here for us humans is to savor and enjoy our favorite foods, and to especially indulge in our own treats occasionally.
7 - Grooming is important
After sleeping, eating, and playing, your cat will usually be found grooming herself. And if you have two cats like we do, then you’ll typically find them grooming each other.
Why do cats groom themselves? According to About.com, there are several reasons: maintaining healthy skin, lubricating fur, removing loose hair, and cooling themselves off (since they don’t sweat or pant).
Mutual grooming expresses comfort, companionship, and love. And of course helps get those hard to reach areas like the face and ears.
You can take a page from your cat and keep your skin and hair clean and groomed. You’ll feel clean, fresh, energized, and confident. And why not mutually groom your partner in the shower?
8 - Stretch a lot
Cats love to stretch. They make the most limber person look like a stiff board, with the way they can twist, bend, turn, and reach. Even our 16-year old cats can easily throw their legs up over their heads like it’s second nature.
We should stretch, too - a lot. Stretching offers many benefits: improving posture, decreasing risk of injury, reducing stress, and reducing muscle stiffness.
My favorite activity for stretching my body is practicing yoga. If you’re new to yoga, there are a number of ways to learn about it: find a local class at a gym or yoga studio, read a yoga book, watch a video, or check out a yoga website.
9 - If you fall, walk it off like nothing happened
Cats are so cool. They’re the absolute masters of recovering from a fall or embarrassing moment.
To begin with, cats are never afraid to just go for it. If they think there’s even the slightest chance they can jump across from the couch to their cat tree 10 feet away, they’re going to give it a try.
And if they don’t make it, they’ll just brush themselves off, take a quick look around, maybe lick themselves, and go right about their business.
This is a valuable lesson we can all learn - go for it, try things that might be outside your reach or ability, and don’t be afraid to fail. If you don’t make, it’s no big deal! Don’t hang your head down, just try again another time.
10 - Communication is key
Our cats are especially talkative, as Siamese typically are. They meow all the time. But they usually have a purpose for their meowing.
I’ve found they meow for several reasons: to let us know they’re there, to greet us when we get home, to let us know they’re hungry, to get attention, and just to check in or say hi.
Too often, we as humans don’t communicate to others around us. We hold in our thoughts and feelings, which can alienate or strain relationships. Don’t be afraid to check in regularly with your partner, co-workers, friends, and family. Even if it’s just to say hi or make sure they’re all good.
Final Thoughts
Cats are simply amazing creatures. Like many creatures in the animal kingdom, we have a lot we can learn from them.
Whether it’s the power of touching and cuddling, the importance of being curious, or the ability to take chances, we can apply cat behavior to much or our lives.
So the next time you see your cat happily lazing away in the sunshine, just realize that you too can choose to be happy and do those things that make you feel wonderful.