Cat Nappers by Aakriti Sethi

Being an ardent ‘dog person’ I hadn’t really shown much interest in cats. It’s only when Simba and Johnny my two rescued and adopted kittens purred into my life that I could actually get to know the feline species as well as their canine counterparts. 

It was the summery month of June when I saw a naughty dog bullying two kittens. I distracted the doggy hoping the kittens would flee but surprisingly they came by my side and let out a doleful ‘meow’ looking at me with their glassy eyes. The next thing I knew, I was with them at home watching them play. They are quite energetic and active at play but their appetite for sleep is commendable. Cats can sleep for long hours in a day at different places and various positions, and much to my amazement they mostly like to cuddle up with me or each other. 

Sadly, cats have very unduly been subjected to superstitions which make their lives tougher because of the condemnation by most people. They are also known to be sly and unfriendly. But my perception changed when I was sitting and sulking after a rough day. Simba and Johnny immediately sensed something was wrong and fussed around me a lot. One licked my toes while the other insisted on sitting on my lap and licking off any tear that rolled down my cheek. That is exactly what your dog would have done! Just like dogs they too are happy when I return home. They wait for me to come back home and meow at me and rub against my legs to welcome me. But unlike dogs, cats are finicky about cleanliness. The times they are not snoring, they are cleaning and grooming themselves and each other.

But the major difference that I could spot between the canine and feline is that dogs are the obedient lot at all times but cats are moody. They respond to their names only if they approve of the name given to them, they wouldn’t just sit or sleep anywhere especially not on the bare floor. They do listen to ‘No’ though only when they feel they should. Nevertheless they love you if they live with you and they show their affection with cuddles and licks every day. Be it Dogs or Cats, it’s the bond with your pets that makes all the difference :)