7 Life Lessons from Izzy the Cat

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inHealth & Well-BeingTags:
I believe she enjoys having her picture taken

Pets are amazing.  Not only do they provide tons of love and support, but they are also good teachers.  Izzy is the first cat I’ve owned since I was a girl.  When we first adopted her from the shelter, I was stressed because of her daily habit of messing up the house.  But now, although I continue to clean up after her every day, I’ve let go of the stress. I suppose that was my first lesson.

Asking for love

In these last 3 years, she has taught me lots more.  Some are familiar lessons for which she gives constant reminders, and others are new to me.  In today’s post, I thought it would be fun to share some of her teachings.

She enjoys her boxes!

  1. Ask kindly for what you want.  When Izzy wants food, love, or other attention, she asks sweetly with loud purrs, chatty meows, cute head tilts, and good eye contact.  Her requests always bring a smile to my face.
  2. If you don’t get what you want, reach out your paw and swipe for it.  When I’m petting her and start to walk away, she’ll try to grab my sleeve with her paw as if to say, we’re not done here!  And if she feels I’ve been on the phone too long after I’ve closed the shutters at night, she’ll jump up and poke her paw through the slats to reopen them.  She knows that never fails to get my attention!
  3. When forced to do something you don’t like, make your feelings known.  Once a month, I take her to the pet salon to have her nails clipped, and she absolutely hates it.  She gives me a hard time about going into the carrier, and then meows very sadly to express her displeasure during the ride and while we’re at the salon.  If she had her way, she would never leave the house.
  4. Get your love battery charged regularly.  Izzy likes to receive love in small, regular doses.  Each time I climb the stairs, she runs up ahead to wait on the landing, and stopping to pet her is a password I must give before continuing.
  5. It’s better to lead than to follow.  She loves to be followed around the house.  Most times when you’re trying to play, she’ll want you to follow her to this box or to that window.  Even neighbors who help with her when we’re away have commented on it.
  6. Play often, even if you must entertain yourself.  She is no kitten, but she still loves to play.  I believe she knows what I mean when I say I have to work, as she’s very patient, but when I’m done, she’s ready to run and jump and chase!  When I’m preparing dinner, I often hear her tossing her toys up in the air and speeding through the house from window to window.
  7. Get plenty of rest.  I think the only thing she enjoys as much as playing is sleeping.  She takes a long nap during the day, and most nights, she’s a good sleeper.  (But not if she didn’t get enough play earlier!  She sometimes wakes me up at night playing loudly with her boxes and toys.) 
The bathroom sink is one of her favorite spots to sleep

Now you know Izzy’s philosophy for a good life.  She’s a really good teacher and I’m grateful to be her student!  

Kitty Blessings,

Lisa

I’d call that a look of satisfaction!

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

52 thoughts on “7 Life Lessons from Izzy the Cat”

  11. Aww, Izzy is adorable. I grew up surrounded by cats, mind you they used to adopt me not the other way round. They really are their own master (or mistress) and turn us into their slave don’t they, but in the best way! Fun post Lisa. Lots of love sent to you both. A purrrfect post! 💗

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    1. Miriam! How sweet that cats adopted you! We, too, feel that Izzy chose us at the shelter, not the other way around. Yes, I am her live-in servant, but the perks are great. 😁 I can’t wait to hop over & see where you and hubby are this week! Much love to you guys, too! ☀️

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  14. Izzy sounds a lot like my daughter’s cat Elfie. Both were shelter cats. Both seem to like their humans a LOT! Both have expressive personalities. Eye contact is important. Give Izzy an extra scratch from me.

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  22. What a cute kitty! I think she has trained her owner well. I do not know much about cats, but I can tell you poodle pups are very similar although probably more blunt when they want something – our youngest believes everyone should be up at 6:30am on the dot every day – no idea who taught him to read the clock that well (no alarms either). 6:31am he stands on Linda and starts licking her face until she responds to his request. Izzy’s “asking for Love” is uber cute. Oh, and our boys can related to the distaste for the groomer.

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    1. Izzy says thanks for the compliment! And yes, she has me trained very well. Today, she has been very whiny, and not satisfied by anything other than petting & sweet talk. And similar to your boys, when she decides I’ve slept long enough, she’ll open the big wooden slats on the shutters by poking her paw through. She’s left a fair amount of claw marks on them, so that always gets me out of bed pronto! ☀️

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