I love my cat He is Ginger Tom and in an amazing burst of imagination we named him Gingy. He has been living with us in our small flat in central Norwich for the past six years. Some may describe it as a home invasion, others may describe it as settler state colonialism, but for us he is the perfect example of how we can live our lives while providing plenty of drama for Hollyoaks. It has had a deep impact on people's lives.
Cats are like vampires in that you have to invite them into your home before they take over your life. When we first met him, he was a kitten living in an apartment a few streets away from where we live now. An elderly woman regularly fed the neighborhood's stray cats while standing on her doorstep. One morning he chose to go with us, always stopping a few feet behind us to see if we were following. A few months later, he plucked up the courage to walk up to the door and tap his handle. The rest is history.
Many pet owners will tell you that dogs accept humans as masters, but cats treat humans like slaves. He wakes me up early every day. It begins with a tap and a gentle purr, a gentle awakening sensation that lulls you into a false sense of security. Then the tapping sound becomes like stroking with claws, and the rumbling sound turns into a loud chirp. In cat language, he is hungry and I have to feed him.
In the darkness, I fumbled for the light switch and the bag of whiskers, tipped it upside down, and hoped that at least some of the congealed brown droplets would fall into the bowl. Gingyi is happy. not me. It's 4am, but I'm already wide awake. Unable to sleep, I sat with him, curled up in his lap, in my dressing gown, watching. cheers I rebroadcast it and lightly insulted him.
Everyone in the hood knows Gingy. Locals often tell me how he enters the house every morning for his second, third, and sometimes fourth breakfast. We frequently receive gifts in the mail from his fan club. One package simply said, “For the #1 cutest cat.”
Don't get me wrong. He also has a lot of pain in his butt. Because of Gingy's curious and affectionate nature, she was often bitten by snakes and used in tug-of-war by affectionate children. Last year, while chasing a pigeon off a ledge, a pigeon fell 20 feet off our balcony. My girlfriend was in shock as she believed him dead during the 5 days he was missing. We had to cancel a long-planned weekend trip after he came home limping home covered in scabs, scrapes, and bruises, followed by vet bills.
I am fully aware that animals are not humans. I don't dress my cats in ridiculous clothes for Christmas or put tinsel on their collars. I also don't like the recent social media trend of people anthropomorphizing their dogs. It's just a cat, right? A little bundle of fur chasing spiders, attacking invisible enemies, and climbing up and down stairs in the middle of the night. Indeed, it may seem strange to talk about the joy of owning a pet, considering everything that is happening in the world right now: earthquakes, famines, civil wars.
However, I think owning a pet emphasizes the fundamental ethical concept of care and the accompanying moral virtues of kindness, compassion, and nurturing. According to rational choice theory, our goals are driven by self-interest, and most market decisions are purely transactional. This allows us to move quickly through the world and escape the monotony and routine of modern life.
But we also enter into seemingly illogical relationships. Let's think about love. This idea will seem counterintuitive and perverse to many. We are prepared to risk a significant portion of our lives by spending our energy, resources, and emotions on things that may not last.
A similar problem occurs when owning a pet. Why spend all your time on something that will soon die? When Gingy arrived at the door, I was prepared for what would happen. He is the 4th ginger cat I have had. The previous three moggies were run over when I was little. Another option was to slam the door. It's a tradeoff. Sadness is the price we pay for love.
A great example of this is a recent conversation I had with an elderly neighbor. Every morning I would see a man – I'll call him Tony – walking through the park with his old Yorkshire terrier. I always saw Tony at least three times a day. When he's alone, this guy in his 80s is very opinionated and very irritable, and has privately warned me not to talk to him because of his controversial political views. Ta. And suddenly he disappeared. He spoke to a neighbor and was informed that his dog had passed away. He hadn't been seen for several months. The woman told me that Tony, who lost his wife a few years ago, no longer leaves her house. Like many elderly people, he had no living relatives and I was worried that he would die alone. I was worried that the first thing I would learn of his death would be a casual conversation from a neighbor.
Almost six months later, I met him by chance. This time, I walked with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. It turned out that the woman I spoke to had been asking local dog owners if she would allow her to walk her dog. He now felt proud and full of his purpose. The short-tempered Italian native finds meaning in his life again. Thank God for that little platoon, right?
Despite what the misanthropic Malthusians claim, owning a pet is one of life's simple pleasures.
A recent newspaper column raises the rhetorical question of whether it's time to give up our pets to save the environment. We were asked:Is it time to let go of your dog or cat?? ” surely, guardianThe columnist did not answer “yes” unconditionally. But while she made some good points and rightly highlighted that careless and selfish attitudes towards dog ownership during lockdown led to overcrowding in animal shelters, I I completely disagree with her widespread problematization of pet ownership. Why do we always have to worry about the worst side of things?
Despite what misanthropic Malthusians may claim, owning a pet is one of life's simple pleasures. Teaching your child how to care for a pet instills responsibility in your child and fosters trust. Pets teach us the true meaning of companionship and the strength of love. They have the power to make us cry and laugh. Moreover, they show us what it means to be human.
I know that someday Gingy's time will come. I'm ready. But the moments we shared and the memories we made will always be there. Yes, he's just a cat, but I love him dearly.
