Relationship Tips from My Cat

I know – this sounds like my craziest title ever, but work with me and take a read at my thoughts here… It’s been over a year since my cat Rocky passed away and I know,  it sounds nuts to be talking about a cat as if he were a person, yet he taught me and others around him to be a better human being.

While I was traveling on the road, Rocky would stay home with my girlfriend and keep her company and really be the “man of the house”. Jen would text me “here cuddling with Rocky” and I felt a little less sad about leaving her at home most every day of the week. One time during a local weather incident a red squirrel even got into our home and they had cornered it to let him out safely. OK on to my tips from Rocky:

Groom yourself even if you’re not going out anywhere.

Yesterday a friend emailed about how her spouse lounges around in jogging pants and a stained shirt, effectively removing any attraction at home and disrespecting her as a beautiful woman. Rocky would groom himself constantly, even if he wasn’t ever expecting company. I do the same – even if I’ll be working from home all day and never see other humans, I make time to shower, brush my teeth, and dress well.

Never forgot to tell people you love that you love them.

Without exception, Rocky made sure that every day he let us know how much he loved us. He knew my patterns even, would be in my office a minute before me at times and would jump on my chest for some awesome purring the minute I hit the sack (yes at times romantically disruptive, but we worked through that dynamic – I’m sure Jen is reading this thinking of when he would hump her foot).

Make time to cuddle. Zero exceptions to this rule.

Too many times human beings will get accustomed to just catching up and getting things done in their lives and start to not even notice the awesomeness of people around them; wake up, work, process, sleep – Rocky demanded his lap time and cuddle time and saw no reason to not make this happen.

Learn who else is important to those you love.

When new friends were introduced, Rocky would make time to get to know them – especially if they hated cats – those were his favorites I think. Basically, if I had a friend – he wanted them as his friend too, or at least to give them some respect and admiration. Although in relationships we should encourage our significant others to have friends, if they’re so important we should at least know these friends because doing so is extending love and learning more about the persons we’re close with.

I can probably think of more examples, but wanted to put this out here after some beautiful words from a couple of friends on facebook that really moved me – In fact, if I ever (rare) have a day when I don’t even for a moment remember that I’m the luckiest guy in the world – I’m reminded without exception from friends that I am.

There’s two new kitties in my home this year – they’re not the same as Rocky though they’re also very loving and follow the above rules, oddly his personality shows a little in each (playfulness in Charlie, responsiveness in Matilda) and each will take every chance to meet my friends and spend time with them. What I love seeing between them is their care for each other and their respect for me. They wrestle violently at times, biting and clawing, however if I put my hand in the mix, they retract claws to ‘respect the delicate human’. They help each other groom places they can’t reach and are always cuddling up with each other. They take interest in my iguanas too and you’ll love the interaction in a video coming up shortly called “Iguana said”.

I can probably come up with more examples and will in another blog. I’m getting ready for a meeting with Rick, had a nice chance to catch up with my mom today, I learned my friend Eric is at my favorite Capri restaurant today… The “little” connections like this mean so freaking much to me and I don’t want to be too “human” to not take a moment of my life today and let people know how much they mean to me.