love people like you love your pets.
i love cats, i love all cats.
the grumpy cats that don't want to be petted: ok, buddy, keep your space, i'll admire you from afar and give you some snacks.
lap cats that only want to lay on you all day: yes! we shall lay together for hours and hours and sleep together and snuggle at every opportunity!!
feisty cats that lure you in wanting you to pet them only to bite you after two pets: it's ok baby, i'll pet you at your pace, if you only want two pets at a time, that's ok!
the hygienically challenged old cats: ooh, your fur is so interesting going every which way, i can brush it if you want, or maybe just some scritches for now?
terrified cats that hide whenever they see you: so sweet, so smol, i will sit near you and keep you company and also make sure you have food and water, okay?
angry cats that growl and attack when you're near: oh, baby, who hurt you, here's a stuffy to make you feel safer, and here's some food, i'll put it in your cave where you feel safest.
energy filled monster cats that only know play or destruction: yes, let us explore the world together, let's play with your favorite toy for hours (plus plenty of forgiveness for demolished furniture, paper towels, etc.)!
they're just...we love them all, right? the chonky boys, the fuzzy hunters, the aloof queens, the growlly grumpies. when you give pets space to be comfortable in who they are, they surprise you in wonderful ways. you learn their language, and sometimes you realize they've been telling you they love you the whole time.
we just have to remember to maybe give people that same kindness, that everyone has different needs at different times. sometimes they need space, sometimes snuggles. if they're grumpy, it is almost always an expression of pain, and it usually has nothing to do with you. but every pet has value. remember grumpy cat (may he rest in peaceful crotchetiness), we loved him for his adorable cantankerousness.
maybe what i'm trying to say is, i adore cats, (i like dogs, too), and i adore people, too, often in the same way. and, it's nice being at the point in my life that i can feel this way. (also, i'm high on the fact that my slightly aloof cat was happy to be snuggled like a teddy bear today)
*this isn't to say that if someone's being toxic you have to put up with it. obviously if someone is hurting you, get out of that situation. but, even so, understanding can help you move on, forgive (not forget), and put it behind you with the closure of knowing why.
**also, i'm talking about actual cats, but apply it however you wish! ;P
