Happy International Cat Day: 10 Signs Your Cat Is Your Best Friend!

Happy International Cat Day

International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets. The festivities were put together for the first time in 2002 by IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, among other animal rights groups, to celebrate the most popular pet on the planet. An estimated 500 million cats are thought to be frolicking in neighbours’ gardens across the world, which means that most every extended family is bound to have an aunt with more kittens than former husbands, whatever the country or climate. And that’s great, because owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. So when it’s raining cats and dogs outside and you don’t have someone to cuddle with, any black, ginger, Persian, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, Shorthair, Munchkin, Balinese, RagaMuffin or any old stray cat will do the trick.

10 Signs Your Cat Is Your Best Friend!

1. You are constantly taking pictures with/of your cat

It’s one thing to take a few photos of your cat, but if you find yourself scrolling through your camera roll with dozens of pictures of them (or using snapchat filters to make their face look funny) this probably means you really adore them. But who wouldn’t? The positions they sleep in are hilarious whether they are all stretched out with their paws in the air or nestled on top of your coat.

2. You can’t stay mad at them no matter how hard you try

It’s hard to stay mad at your best friend let alone a cute furball with whiskers. At the end of the day, you forgive and forget. No matter what my cats do, there is no possible way I can stay mad at them. I will find them knocking things off the counter with their paw, trying to eat butter on the table, or even scratching me after trying to pet them (never go for the belly first). I have gotten multiple injuries from them and probably even a permanent scar or two, but I never yell at them or freak out. After all, they probably didn’t mean to, right?

3. You vent to them about your problems

Sometimes the perfect person to vent to is not even a person at all but rather a small, furry animal that spends half the day snoozing. Think about it. Cats listen to you (or so you think they do), they don’t judge/disagree with you (mainly because they don’t know what you’re talking about), and they make you feel better by just looking at them (they’re so cute and warm). They also don’t care which saves one of your friends from suffering through all your rambling.

4. You love hanging out with them

After a long day of school or work, the only thing you want to do is relax at home, sit on the couch, and watch some Netflix. Preferably, with a cat purring atop your chest. They will probably sleep most of the time, but I swear my cat watches once in a while. Another thing you might enjoy is watching them play with their favorite toy or using a laser pointer to make things interesting.

5. If something is wrong, you can tell right away

When something is off with your best friend, often times you can tell instantly. If you are like that with cats, you can probably notice things like abnormal behavior or a sign of an illness/infection. This is a really wonderful skill to have, because it could in fact save your cat’s life one day.

6. They cheer you up

A best friend is always there to cheer you up no matter what. Maybe your cat decides to come and curl up on your lap or rubs up against you. These are signs that your cat loves you and how could you not feel better after knowing your cat cares about you and loves you unconditionally?

7. You get sad when you’re away from them for too long

Whenever I leave for a trip, even if it’s just a few days, I always end up missing my cats. Are they okay? Do they have enough food and water? Are they confused about why I’m not there? Those are some of the thoughts that cross my mind while I’m away and may cross yours too.

8. You can’t stand the thought of losing them

One upsetting thing about having your cat as your best friend is that one day they won’t be there anymore. You’ll come home one day and long for their presence, but unfortunately that wish will never be fulfilled. You could adopt another cat from the animal shelter, but will any of them fill the gap? If you don’t have much of an emotional bond with your cat, chances are you two probably aren’t best friends. But if you do, thinking about this topic might make a tear slowly run down your cheek. You might even go give your cat a big hug.

9. You respect them

Sometimes people will do the most idiotic things to cats such as pulling on their tail or holding them upside down which somehow translates as “fun”. Little do they know that they are torturing the poor creature. How would you feel if someone was yanking on your tail (you know, if you had one) or holding you upside down while all the blood rushes to your head. You’d probably get pretty angry. Your cat will definitely not want to be your friend if you do any of those things. But you’re sure to get bit and hissed at! If your cat is your best friend, you definitely respect them. After all, you don’t want your cat to hate you!

10. You talk to your cat like you would a person

They may not be the best conversationalists themselves, but they know you are. If you find yourself asking your cat random questions or commenting to them about something like the weather, this could be a sign your cat is your best friend!

Source pethelpful.com