In these uncertain times, many people are embracing their warm, fuzzy side and entering the realm of pet ownership. In their better moments cats can lend a lot of tranquility to your domicile. Actually, there are SO many reasons to own a cat, but I’ve chosen a few just to give you a taste of what you may be missing. Read below to find out why now may be the perfect time to add a feline to the family.

But before I get to the list, let me explain what got me thinking about cats (other than the fact they’re in my face night and day…) A few months back… a simpler time it was, really… people were posting lists on FB of “things everyone else likes but I don’t.” (Who comes up with this stuff??) 

I was amused but also saddened at the fact that most lists included cats. I thought to myself, “Wait… if almost ALL those lists had ‘cats’ on them, then I’m not sure who ‘everyone else ‘ is who actually likes cats! Am I right?” There was a lot of cat bashing going on! There seemed to be a disconnect in the perception that everyone loves cats versus the scores of my facebook friends “admitting” they don’t like them.

I actually know several former cat-haters who are now devoted cat people…

I’m gonna go out on a limb here, but I think most of those people claiming not to like cats have probably met a cat they didn’t like at some point and are judging all cats based on that experience. I AM talking about cats here, and nothing deeper, but that is sometimes an unfortunate human tendency, no?

Since cats are a little more homogenous in their features than dogs, perhaps some people think that they all must likewise be equally homogenous in their temperaments.  However, cats have personalities just like dogs and horses and people. No two are really alike.

On the other hand, cats as a species do have certain traits in common, which may get misunderstood or become exaggerated for those who have never had a personal connection to a cat, or perhaps have had a negative experience.

Maybe people are put off by their night-time shenanigans, or the way they shed, or like to claw on things. There’s also the dreaded litter box, and the tendency they have of circling your feet, and nearly causing you to trip and fall to your death in your own home. Aside from these minor drawbacks, cats have many lovely qualities.

So from the less-frequently-heard voice of a cat lover, here are ten reasons that may give you pause or cause to consider “owning” a cat…

1. Because sleep is overrated.

You don’t really want to just sleep all your nights away, right?  Okay. I’ll just say it: Cats ARE gloriously nocturnal animals. Much like teens when left to their own devices, they lie around most of the day and then often decide to get up and prowl about the time you’d like to be sleeping. They generally settle down at some point, but they’re most often back up before we are (unlike teens).

But if productivity is what you’re after, having a cat is a foolproof method to keep from sleeping in! (You might want to plan ahead and go to bed a little earlier…) They like breakfast early, and usually will preempt your alarm in waking you up for the day. Some “models” have a “snooze” feature. If you acknowledge that you’ve felt their gentle paw taps or toe bites or them opening your curtains to call at the birds or them sitting on or near your face, sometimes they’ll lie back down and wait for a few minutes before a second round of attacks.

Electric/battery operated clocks fail from time to time, and even your phone settings get skewed and the alarm may not go off, but your feline will never fail to wake you for his/her breakfast!

2. Because you want to get your money’s worth out of that high end vacuum cleaner OR have a great excuse to buy one…

Remember when seven-hundred dollars seemed an entirely ridiculous price for a vacuum cleaner?? But after repeatedly hearing about loss of suction IN A BRITISH ACCENT that sounded so intelligent and authoritative, I finally got sucked in (no pun intended) to buying a machine that would last more than a year or two, and actually do the job right.

I can honestly say, with three long-haired human females plus two cats in my house, I have gotten every penny’s worth. Cats DO shed some hair. They are guaranteed to put that powerful vac to good use.

If you don’t own a cat or two, you’re gonna be hard pressed to justify that shiny, powerful vacuum cleaner just to pick up the dirt from your shoes. You should downgrade to one of those boring old floor sweepers like everyone had in the 70’s. I guarantee you no one with a British accent is advertising those things….                              

3. Because otherwise, you might get tired of your furniture before having to replace it.

How long do you really want that ugly chair to last…? You CAN have your indoor cats declawed, but since it seems cruel and costly, we just let them go to town, sharpening their claws on certain pieces of furniture and rugs of their choice, of course. The good part is you’re not committed to those items for decades. Your cat will surely wear them out before then and you can get a fresh, new look, guilt-free.

You can just do like me and buy disposable (yet sustainable) furniture from IKEA. No need to go high end. You’ve already spent your money on that fancy vacuum cleaner anyway. (Of course, you’ll be so productive from all the early mornings, you can probably afford whatever you like!)

4. Because it keeps you humble. 

Unless you opt for an outdoor cat (which brings its own set of colorful challenges, like fleas and parasites), you’re gonna be scooping some “litter.” These days we’ve gotten away from a lot of former menial tasks. Smartphones, smart homes, and lots of high tech appliances, keep us from having to do many of the nitty-gritty tasks of former days.

We can get to thinking we’re pretty hot stuff when we can even tell a little black box in our living room to switch on the lights and turn on music for us. But taking care of the cat’s litter box reminds us of our humble estate. And of who’s really in charge… We all know pride goes before a fall, which brings me to the next point:

5. Because cats keep you on your toes.

Think of them as your personal agility trainers. Most people lose coordination as they get older, but I think cat owners just keep getting better at staying on our feet from the daily challenges. Getting up from a dead sleep and having to grapevine your way to the bathroom without landing on the cat is a REAL live obstacle course. No “cross-fit” training needed here. My cats have kept me nimble and in peak physical shape (ha!) for years.      

I sense that perhaps you’re not yet convinced… maybe I have been a little tongue in cheek… But don’t rule out your NEED for a cat just yet. 

6. Because you like to avoid mice.

Remember I said I admire most of God’s creatures? I have never yet, however, made peace with living in the same house with mice.

Remember the plague…? Yep, fleas on mice carry that stuff. Plus they leave their little droppings everywhere, as they forage through food and paper and fabric, eating and nesting. Not to mention they could run across the floor and give you a bona fide heart attack.

And worst of all, they’ll choose somewhere inconvenient to die (like behind sheetrock) and make you have to sell your house because you can’t get rid of the smell.

Everywhere we’ve ever lived and did NOT have cats, at some point we’ve had mice. Cats and mice are not just enemies in quaint yet violent vintage children’s cartoons. Cats really will keep the mice away.

In one of our notorious moves (someday I’ll chronicle them all), the very first night spent in the new house—before our bed was put together and mattresses up off the floor—a mouse scurried across our bedroom. Thankfully, there was a new sheriff in town, i.e., “Lacey the cat,” who showed that little field mouse who was boss, and that he/she would NOT be living with us.

7. Because you’re not into dog slobber or late night trips into the yard.

So the trade-off for having to scoop the litter box once a day is NO midnight trips into all kinds of weather and having to scoop stuff out of the yard. Neither do you have to take them for a walk and then carry a “special baggie” home. Scooping the litter box keeps you humble, but not carrying-it-around-the-neighborhood-humble.

You don’t even have to walk them for that matter, because like their larger cousins, they rest most of the time, conserving their energy for the big “hunt,” however brief.

Additionally, cats definitely slobber less. Anecdotally, some puke less. And they for sure have fewer “accidents” in the house. In my experience, even young kittens know instinctively to go in a litter box. If they don’t, it’s usually because they’re sick or having some other problem which they need to communicate, and sometimes toileting inappropriately is the language. But toileting outside a designated area is rarely accidental for cats. Not hatin’ on dogs here—just sayin’…

8. Because cat purrs are scientifically proven to be therapeutic.

This one will blow your mind, if you’re easily impressed like me. No doubt, cuddling up with the right cat is soothing and relaxing, but their purrs are also their super power from which even humans can benefit. Get this: the vibrational frequency of their purrs is reported to increase bone density, promote healing, and relax tense muscles. Of course, cats themselves are the main ones to benefit from this therapeutic action, but humans can at least get second-hand benefit. AND THIS: Studies have even shown a reduced risk of heart disease or stroke-related death among cat owners—by up to 30%!! I think we could all use some effective stress reduction these days. But who knew?? Cats are good medicine for the mind and body!

9. Because they lend a certain air of elegance to any space.

Female cats are often referred to as queens. But all cats have a certain majestic bearing about them. They’re graceful in their movement. They have large eyes that resemble jewels and they strut around in their glorious fur coats.  They are fastidiously clean (they spend 30-50% of their of the waking hours grooming themselves ). And they share something like 95% of their DNA with the king of the jungle! No wonder it seems like they expect you to treat them like royalty. They practically are! I may be biased, but in my opinion, cats really are a thing of beauty that bring style to any room where they choose to drape themselves across your furniture. (Just keep the lint-roller close at hand…)

10. Because everybody needs some cuteness in their life.

I have one hundred and thirty three pictures of my cats in my phone. (I do also have some pictures of my children. But we all are constantly taking pictures of the cats because we feel compelled to try to capture the cuteness.)

My daughters (19 and 17) gush daily over how cute they are even though we’ve had both cats for years now. They never tire of watching them groom themselves (how cute is it when they use their paws to clean their faces??) or play with a string or chase the shadow on the wall.

We’re not the only ones who think they’re cute. Cat videos were completely dominating YouTube around the mid-2010s. At the time cats were said to “rule the internet.” There were even studies done on the video phenomenon, that incidentally concluded that watching them relieves stress and makes people feel happy.

So at what point did cats fall out of favor? Perhaps their fifteen minutes of fame has passed. Or maybe everyone was just a little embarrassed at HOW MUCH we were collectively enthralled watching online videos of cats. It’s a little weird, right? Or perhaps it’s just a swing of the pendulum back in the direction of “dogs rule.” 

Popular opinion aside, cats are perennially a great choice for a pet. If you’re not allergic, cats make superb companions, in spite of list #s 1-5… Like the rest of us, they have their drawbacks, but you never know, a gorgeous cat somewhere may be waiting to become your favorite pet and enrich your life!