Excerpt from How My Cat Made Me a Better Man (Feig): Fear



Fear 

You Can’t Always Hide behind the Toilet 

Cat Tale: Shelly lived in a lot of different places: upstate New York, Manhattan, Los Angeles, and even a brief stint in New Mexico. Every time she moved someplace new, she’d be utterly terrified. I signed a lease for a great new apartment in Santa Monica, California. The place seemed ideal for a cat. It had a long layout she could race through, a few steps for jumping fun, and ample sunbeam access. I knew Shelly would love it. 

As soon as I got the keys to the empty apartment, I took her over to check it out. I figured she’d enjoy exploring her new digs, especially since there was no pesky furniture to get in the way, but from the moment I turned her loose, she was scared to death, darting out of sight almost immediately. 

Of course, it’s easy to find a cat in an apartment with no furniture. She was hiding in the bathroom, wedged behind the toilet. I tried to coax her out with some treats, but she wouldn’t budge. I stepped away and gave her a little time to see if she’d come out on her own, but she never did. She was in a strange, new environment where she wasn’t comfortable. She only felt safe behind her ceramic fortress.

Eventually, I convinced Shelly to come out from behind the toilet. By “convinced,” I mean that I physically pulled her out—gently, of course, because she was already completely frazzled. 

After that traumatic afternoon, I didn’t take Shelly back until after I’d fully moved in. As soon as we were inside, she rushed right back behind the toilet. This time, I let her stay there until she was ready to come out. She emerged an hour later but remained near the safe perimeter of the bathroom. A little while later, she came out into the den, then the living room, gradually expanding her comfort zone. Pretty soon, she had fully adjusted to the new apartment, frolicking on the steps, jumping in the shower, and joyfully scratching the screen door. It took some time and a lot of reassurance, but Shelly was finally comfortable in her new home. 

Cat Lesson: We all have fears. Whether they’re physical or psychological, they’re real. You can try to overcome them or refuse to acknowledge they exist, but you can’t let them rule your life.


Read the rest of this chapter in How My Cat Made Me a Better Man.

Read more posts about fear HERE.



Read more posts about Jeremy and his award-winning book HERE.






Book of the Year Award Finalist

Legacy Award, Humor, Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards



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