I have three cats, one of whom is attached to me very strongly. Chloe loves to sit in my lap and get petted. She is sitting next to me as I write, chatting at me and rubbing up against my sleeve. I don’t know if cats understand love, or if their attachment to us is just self-interest, as we are the beings that give them food and pettings.
I want my cats to understand that I love them, even though I don’t know if this has any meaning for them. My cats are precious to me, even when I yell at them. I want them to know they’re important in my life, and that I will miss them when they’re gone. I want my cats to know I’m there for them.
My cats won’t understand that. But they do understand that I keep them in a cozy place where they don’t freeze in the winter, and that I feed and pet them, and they understand that they get positive attention when they sit in my lap or rub up against me. Maybe that’s enough.
Words Like Me 