Some Fun Reading for Caturday: Excerpt from My Cat Made Me a Better Man (Feig): I Am Not Wearing That Leash

 

I Am Not Wearing That Leash 

Cat Tale: Shelly was an indoor cat so I thought she might benefit from going outside. She could breathe the fresh air and smell exciting new things. But since my apartment was on a busy street, I didn’t have the nerve to let her go out untethered. I was afraid she might run away or get eaten by a pack of coyotes. So, I decided I’d walk her on a leash. The idea made sense at the time. After all, why would a pet store sell cat leashes if it weren’t at least theoretically possible to put one on a cat? 

The leash was really more of a harness, where you slip each of the cat’s front paws through a loop, then tighten the cord so the whole thing fits snugly. I’ve seen them on dogs before, mostly bulldog types with portly bodies and stumpy little legs. 

I brought the leash home and put it on the floor, letting Shelly check it out. She was suspicious but also curious. As she started to sniff it, I made my move. I took her paw and slipped it through one of the loops. Of course, Shelly flipped out. She hissed and thrashed, hurling herself against my mini-fridge and knocking off a magnet. 

Shelly was stubborn, but after many attempts, I finally managed to put the leash on her. It was snug yet comfortable. Shelly gave me the evil eye for making her wear it, but I knew her hostility was only temporary. Soon, we’d be frolicking outside together, racing on the sidewalk and chasing small dogs. Her eternal gratitude was inevitable. 

I opened the front door and gave the leash a little tug. Shelly didn’t budge, her paws firmly planted on the floor. I called to her sweetly as I gave another tug. Again, no movement. I dropped a few treats outside the door to outright bribe her to walk outside. Nothing. Shelly had decided that if she had to wear this torture device, she wouldn’t move. It was as simple as that. 

When I thought about it, it was all about control. Shelly couldn’t control where she lived or when she got fed or how often I’d clean the litter box, but she could control her body. And she would never allow a collar or leash around her silky black frame. 

Cat Lesson: Control matters. Nobody wants to feel powerless, like everything is decided for us. We want the freedom to make our own choices. So, try to control what can be controlled--and learn to live with what can’t.

For more posts about Jeremy, his award-winning book, and excerpts with cat tales and cat lessons, click HERE.

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