It’s International Cat Day and a great day to celebrate your furry companion. With all the love and recognition dogs get, I’m glad to have discovered that we have a special day just for cats! Cats are one of the oldest domesticated pets in history. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that cats chose to domesticate themselves, as it was easy for them to hunt the vermin that plagued human crops in early agriculture (but don’t quote me on it!). We all know that the ancient Egyptians held cats in high regard, as they were protectors from evil, and if you didn’t know that now you do!

Despite the negative superstition that surrounds cats, they provide companionship and comfort to their owners. Being a cat owner myself, I find cats to be quite adorable and amusing, no matter how “mean” they are. Think about all the cat-related content you can find on the internet from videos, to clips, to pictures, to memes – there’s just so much out there. The cats you find on the internet are hilarious and heartwarming. I find their behavior to be humorous, especially when they’re considered “mean” or grumpy. Something about cats acting like they’re in charge is so entertaining because they typically rely on their owners entirely.

I have a Norwegian Forest cat, and she was gifted to me when she was a little less than two months old. My mom suggested naming her something after her eyes (which were still blue when she first came home), like Lluvia, which is “rain” in Spanish, but it didn’t settle with me. I tried other names like Coco, Toffee, Hazel, but while they were all great names, they didn’t sit right. I knew those weren’t her name. It suddenly hit me as I studied our new kitten closely. Lila. As soon as I said it, she looked up and seemingly blinked in agreement. That was her name. When she was a kitten, she loved getting into mischief and exploring, so much so that she often threw herself off of high places, got trapped in the tiniest nooks of our house, or filthied herself up in the chimney. Nowadays, she simply runs up to me, tags me and then runs away, hoping to be chased and played with. She loves cuddles and being petted the most. When it comes to meeting new strangers, she lives up to the scaredy-cat trope.

Taking care of her as a tiny kitten was a huge responsibility and was sometimes challenging as she was our very first cat. But my, does time fly, because now though she’s only a year old, it feels like she’s been with us a lot longer. I am still obsessed with her. Even my anti-cat parents couldn’t resist Lila!

My cat fills my days with joy and amusement. A lot of people may say, “It’s just a cat,” but those of us who are cat owners know that our fur babies are more than that. Sometimes they are our whole world, and your heart overflows with love and affection for your cat. They can (and often do) scratch or bite, and sure, you have to keep their litter boxes clean, but nothing prepares you for or stops you from loving your cat. So please spend today with your cat by petting them lovingly and giving them lots of cuddles, playtime and treats!

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