We prescribe you a cat

Jan 31^st, 2025 Friday Cloudy

I recently finished a Japanese fiction, “we prescribe you a cat”.

It described a mysterious “clinic” with a bizarre address tucked in the old streets of Kyoto, and apparently only traceable by those who truly need help. Throughout the story, people troubled by various issues in their life entered the clinic, portrayed their problems to the “doctor”, and was always prescribed a cat to take home for ten to fourteen days, along with the basic supplies for the cat and a brief, vague instruction leaflet. Reluctantly, they followed the directions, and without exception, their situations all improved, sometimes completely resolved.

Is that an exaggeration? Or can there be a kernel of truth to it?

Well, by definition, all the details from a fiction must be fictitious. However, I find the idea quite plausible, that I wish there were such a clinic in real life 😉

So why the magic of cats?

First of all, for many people, bringing a cat into their otherwise routine life is a BIG change, one that forces you to pause and reflect on what you do on a daily basis. This disruption allows one to be more mindful of oneself and the environment one is in, and often prompts an action. For example, you may have been living alone for a long time, in a pretty messy apartment. The untidiness of the surroundings makes it hard to relax after work or focus during work. But you do not realize it, or rather, think much about it, because it has been that way for as long as you can remember, and you are used to it. Now a young cat moves in, and you immediately need to clean up the space to ensure the safety for the little fur ball (yes, young cats may swallow anything that fits in their mouths, and chew on other things that do not, including that important document for your meeting tomorrow). Then this new experience of a well-organized space gives you hope for life and yourself again. Isn’t that amazing?

Also, owning a cat helps to create social ties, which is the key missing piece for many people in modern societies. Sometimes we are so busy with our days that we barely connect with others, even those closest to us like our family. Yet kitties, with their well-acknowledged irresistible charms, draw people around them to admire, pet, laugh, take pictures and share (which creates more bonding opportunities), and enjoy some quality time together. If you have ever felt lonely, or unable to fit in, you know these moments of positive interactions with others are the most effective remedy. At a setting that people are in the same room (e.g. family dinner, office coffee break) not sure what to say to each other, talking about cats is the safest, most exciting topic that is sure to bestow a good mood.

Of course, besides these probably unexpected effects, cats do teach us important lessons about life as well. They take a very simple approach, live fully in the moment – play with all their energy, eat with enthusiasm, sleep as if there is no care in the world, and explore with insatiable curiosity. By observing them, we tend to grow aware of the unnecessary complications that we have weaved around ourselves and seemingly cannot break away from, and take a step back to reassess. Does this dilemma really have no solution, or we are just hesitant to choose the most obvious way out? In addition, the independent nature of cats (compared to many other pets) means an element of unpredictability that we must learn to accept and live with. Once we become comfortable with this aspect of life, things seem to start flowing miraculously.

So it turns out, cats ARE the purrfect cure for everything 🐱