Life Lessons from One Skinny Cat

Wise Old Taz, photo by Marianne M. Smith

He jumped from the 17^th vertical cage and landed squarely on the back of my neck.  I somehow managed to stay upright.  The surprised animal shelter tech hadn’t expected the six-month-old kitten to launch himself into the air when she opened his cage from a library ladder.  (The shelter in Vail couldn’t afford much of their pricey real estate, so they built in an upward direction.)

Life Lesson #1:  When you see what you want, go after it with gusto.

He wrapped himself around my neck and wouldn’t let go, even when the tech and I both tried to wrestle him into a crate for the ride home.

Life Lesson #2:  When you get want you want, hang on for dear life.

I was on vacation but staying at home, and that kitten rode around on my neck for two days before deciding he could actually walk on the floor.

Life Lesson #3:  It’s ok to change your mind once you have examined your options.

Although I tried many names on this cat, he would only answer to one:  Taz.

Life Lesson #4:  Never let anyone else define you.

Taz was one of the most loving cats I’ve ever been around.  He never missed an opportunity to be as close to me as possible.  He’d even sleep on my face.

Life Lesson #5:  Love like there will be no tomorrow, even if you need to wake someone up.

He liked to announce himself whenever he entered the room, always claiming his space as top cat, even though he never weighed more than seven pounds.

Life Lesson #6:  It’s ok to claim your space and be self-confident. 

Taz also loved to get right in front of me whenever I was on a mission, intentionally tangling  my feet up to slow me down.  That way, he could get whatever he needed next.

Life Lesson #7:  Live like there’s no tomorrow.  Be passionate about everything!

While passionate, Taz was a Zen Master.

Life Lesson #8:  Eat when hungry, sleep when sleepy, and lay in the sun and watch the birds in the garden when you’re not either one.

Taz , photo by Marianne M. Smith

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point.

I had Taz longer than I’ve ever had any other animal.  Two vets told me that they hadn’t ever treated a cat as old as Taz; I had him over twenty years!  On Saturday, when he could no longer rally, we made the hard decision to put him down.

I’m now convinced that he lived as long as he did because he had so very much to teach me.

We buried him near the pond in a sunny spot, finding few words to speak.

Life Lesson #9 (perhaps my hardest):  Appreciate what you have, and when the time comes, let it go.

Thanks for the life lessons, my dear friend!

As always, I'd love to hear your comments.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com