Cats And Self-Esteem

Last night, Andretti caught a mouse.
Two months ago, this would not have been significant, but since then, he was hit by a car and landed in the cat hospital with a fractured pelvis, torn muscles, burned skin and a cyst on his leg, the size of his urinary bladder.

It was a long recovery, but he faced it bravely for a little cat. The vet couldn’t set the break, so the bones had to align naturally. The cyst had to be surgically removed, the wound sutured up with several stitches. For poor Andretti, it meant a lot of inactivity, and he’s not used to that.

Even cats can suffer from depression. Andretti showed me that. Lonely and bored, he slept a lot, but he often just lay there, staring holes into the air. I am able to empathize, since I too am very active and the mere thought of being laid up for weeks triggers violent attacks of cabin fever.

Last night, I learned something else from my little feline. When suddenly, he dashed off into the entertainment center after a careless mouse, I realized the following:
1. My frail kittenish patient is doing much better than he thinks.
2. The hunter in there is alive and well.
3. Cats have self-esteem issues too.

Andretti was as surprised as I was at the return of his abilities. He devoured that mouse, leaving nary a whisker. From the time he spotted the little gray shadow to the time the last bite was gone, less than two minutes passed.

Of course, we praised him and called him a hero. After all, he saved me, the mouse phobic from having my feet chewed off.

Afterwards, he plopped down and washed, taking great care to lick and rub his ferocious, mouse-catching chops. The rise in self-esteem was visible to the naked eye. He was no longer the frail kitten, dependent on human charity. No! The fierce hunter was he, self-sufficient and unstoppable. May all take notice!

Even a cat needs to feel useful and know its place in life. Self-worth is so tightly wrapped up in living one’s purpose that even our feline friends languish if they lose their functional independence. Andretti rediscovered his last night. I believe he carries his head and tail a bit higher today.

Andretti caught a mouse. That’s nothing earth-shaking, but it is the little things that give us our sense of satisfaction. A job well done, a moment of usefulness, a contribution to society, and proof of self-reliance. And of course in Andretti’s case, a meal of delicious, succulent freshly caught wild game.