Learning Resilience from our Pets

Max’s Story of Resilience

About a month ago, I was able (mostly because he allowed it) to catch my outside cat, Max and get him medical attention for an infected wound he received courtesy of the neighborhood bully, I’ve re-named “Mr. A-hole”. Let me preface this by saying, to the best of my knowledge, Max spent his first 8 or so years living outside. He came to me at about 1 1/2 after making his home on the patio of a family who adored him, but were all deathly allergic. On a rainy day in December, he learned what it was like to have a space completely sheltered from the rain, when he joined my garage cats, Cinders and Hailey.

Though Hailey disappeared a few years later, he and Cinders shared as close a bond as two cats can share until she passed at the ripe, old age of 16 last summer. By then, I’d taken in a cantankerous little fluffball I renamed Sable as I wanted something that sounded less aggressive than her given name, Panther. Over time, Sable came to tolerate Max, mostly because he has never had an interest in being the alpha cat. If he had, the neighborhood bully might have been the one nursing infected wounds instead of him.

Long story short, after 2 weeks inside, wearing the cone of shame until the wounds completely healed so he couldn’t lick them open again, I held my breath while he and my inside cats grew accustomed to more than the quick, before-breakfast visits they’d been sharing. It soon became clear he was quite happy becoming an inside cat, to the point where he’d run the other way if I opened a door. Though I still worried he might change his mind when the weather improved, and despite the fact he’d carved out his own space on my bed at night, I was grateful for the choice he’d made because it meant he’d no longer have to fight off Mr. A-hole.

Seeing Change as Just Another Mouse to Stalk

Little did I know, the best was yet to come. While watching TV with Scrappy Doo claiming his spot between my legs, Ishy on the back of the sofa, and Lazarus and Artemis checking in from time to time (Pyewacket prefers the floor most of the time), Max jumped up on the sofa beside me. I thought nothing of it, as he’s been claiming his spot on the sofa or love seat for a couple of weeks now.

To my surprise, he climbed on the pillow I rest my left arm on…and kept going until his massive, ginger body was snuggled deep into my lap! Though he changed positions a few times, he remained on my lap for over an hour before getting up and moving to the floor, probably because he knows from sharing my bed, I get up to use the bathroom rather frequently.

My gentle giant, aka MaxiCat has had no trouble making the transition from free-roaming garage cat to confined, but pampered house cat. Though I still have to move somewhat slowly to avoid spooking him after years spent having to watch his back out in the wild and woolly world, he’s made the transition seamlessly, and above all, stress-free.

Learning to Better Navigate Change

Meanwhile, we humans tend to experience stress with every change we navigate; often going into new spaces, jobs, and adventures kicking and screaming. Unlike Max, and so many other animals, we fail to understand the best way to navigate change is to go with the flow, expecting everything to turn out better than it was before.

I know my world; our world will change dramatically sooner, rather than later. I’m going to do my best to take a page out of Max’s book. I may not like what I see immediately before me, but rather then stress myself out about it, I’ll maintain the expectation and belief whatever’s coming, no matter how bleak and scary it might look right now, is going to be a step in a much better direction. I’m going to trust the Universe has a few aces up its sleeve it will play when the time is right.

It doesn’t mean I won’t be tuning my TV to the NatGeo channel on January 20th, but that’s a story for a different time, a different place, and a different day.

Grateful for the Examples My Cats Set

My gratitudes today are:

1. I’m grateful for Max’s easy transition to being a house cat instead of a garage cat.
2. I’m grateful for the examples my animals set, knowing they are, in most cases, wiser than humans.
3. I’m grateful for a plethora of non-news stations on my streaming services.
4. I’m grateful for sparks of hope, and trust in the Universe. Even on the darkest of nights, there’s a glimmer of light somewhere.
5. I’m grateful for my Sundays with the rescue kitties, even if many were not accessible until they’ve been fully cleared by the vet. Next week, there should be at least 3 kittens, if not 5 kittens and a mama cat to help socialize.

About the Author

Sheri Conaway is a Holistic Ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats and mental health. Sheri believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful.