During the Mid-Autumn Festival, I, a social anxiety patient, went to my fourth uncle's house to visit. At first, I was so nervous that I didn't know how to face those relatives, after all, facing aunts and uncles is always a bit awkward. But unexpectedly, after playing with the cat at my fourth uncle's house for two hours, I, who had been polished by society, suddenly regained the liveliness and cuteness of my childhood, seeing only the beauty of the world.
After returning home, I suddenly really wanted to raise a cat, so I suggested to my husband to let this little life join our family. As a result, he immediately refused, saying that the cat's waste is too dirty and smelly, and raising children is more cost-effective because children can accompany and take care of their parents.
Hearing this, I was a bit worried because I had been sick for a long time before and had experienced a miscarriage, so I was a bit afraid of raising children. What I was afraid of was not knowing how to educate a child and ruining their life.
I told my husband that a cat doesn't understand, and I can throw it out at any time, but if it's a child, I absolutely cannot give up on him; I have to spend a lot of energy educating him, and during that time, there can be no mistakes. I have to be gentle but not too weak. If a pet gets seriously ill, I can choose euthanasia, but if it's a child, I have to spend a lot of money to save him, and treating a child could be a bottomless pit.
I told him, "Adopting a stray cat is the best choice; they are both sensible and strong!"
“Oh, stray cats carry parasites; in rural areas, they aren't even allowed to sleep with their owners. There was a girl who, out of too much compassion, treated a stray cat as a pet, and as a result, she ate and slept with the cat, and parasites got into her body. When she was little, her legs made cracking sounds when she walked, but her parents thought it was just because she was growing, so they didn't take her to the hospital. As a result, when the girl was 18, because the parasites had taken root and reproduced in her legs, her blood vessels and muscles were hollowed out, and her health deteriorated until she couldn't be saved.” My husband used this example to refute me.
“Don't worry! We live in the city, and the medical facilities are complete. I heard that pet cats need to be vaccinated from birth to prevent the spread of viruses, and there are special deworming medications. As long as we remember to vaccinate and deworm the cat, there will be no problem.” I confidently responded, trying to persuade my husband.
“By the way, wild cats are actually better! Stray cats include abandoned pet cats and social wild cats. Pet cats are pampered from a young age and don't have to find food themselves, so they won't starve. But once they are abandoned by their owners, their days of wandering outside are not easy. Wild cats are the chosen ones, having gone through natural selection. Pregnant wild mother cats have to find food for themselves, deal with bacteria and viruses, and can be driven away and harmed by people. In such an environment, the kittens that survive are generally strong. A mother cat can give birth to several kittens in one litter, but most of them don't live long; only the strong can survive. The mother cat focuses on teaching the surviving kittens survival skills, teaching them to avoid danger and hunt accurately.”
“However, wild cats are not easy to raise; they are not used to being domesticated. If they have a 'husband' and 'children' outside, they will run away!”
“That's not true! Recently, there was news about a mother cat entrusting her kitten to someone— a blogger found a kitten in a parking lot, about 45 days old.”
“At that time, a mother cat was pushing the kitten forward with her head, as if she wanted to hand it over to the blogger. The kitten wanted to return to its mother, and every time it turned back, the mother cat would stare at it with sharp eyes, scaring the kitten into not daring to resist anymore, wobbling over to the blogger's feet. The blogger watched this scene, feeling a bit puzzled, and unconsciously glanced at the mother cat in the distance, but the mother cat deliberately turned her head away, as if she didn't want to acknowledge the kitten. The blogger felt sorry for the kitten and casually picked it up, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, the blogger noticed that the mother cat was looking back at them as they left, waiting until they were completely out of sight before hurriedly leaving the parking lot. The blogger felt warm inside, realizing that this was not the mother cat's indifference, but a deep attachment to her child. He thought that the mother cat and the kitten should have a proper farewell; after all, before taking the child away, they should at least say goodbye. So, he hurriedly chased after the direction the mother cat had gone.
In the end, he found the mother cat hiding in a tree in the community garden, with a dog barking underneath, but since dogs can't climb trees, the mother cat was very safe, and eventually, the dog had to leave in frustration. The blogger saw that the mother cat was out of danger and urged her to come down from the tree to meet the kitten. But the mother cat was very cautious, and it took the blogger a long time to persuade her to come closer.
The blogger carefully placed the kitten in front of the mother cat, who first gently sniffed it with her nose, then rubbed her head against the kitten, as if conveying some message. The kitten seemed to sense the maternal love and obediently snuggled up next to its mother.
Later, someone explained the mother cat's "thoughts"—in the urgent situation of being chased by a vicious dog, the mother cat knew she could no longer protect the kitten, so she made the difficult choice to entrust the kitten to a human she deemed reliable. Only after the child had a safe place to stay did the mother cat feel at ease to leave and seek a new way of survival. In life-and-death situations, animal mothers first think of their children, and then of themselves.
Regarding whether wild cats will run away, I reminded my husband again: “Pet cats are physically weak and have poor survival skills; once they escape, it is very difficult for them to survive! Wild cats are strong and smart; they would love to be house cats and enjoy a comfortable life, so they won't easily run away. Moreover, adopting them is a good deed; even if they want to run away, they can survive and won't betray our original intention. Besides, even as humans, when we raise children, we have to face the day they leave home; children will eventually start their own families and careers; they can't stay with their parents forever, right?!”
“Oh dear, what about when the cat scratches people? Have you heard? There was a woman in Shanghai whose Ragdoll cat scratched her. That was a little guy she had raised for three years and cared for immensely, but once it encountered a stimulus, it turned against her!” My husband used another example to stop me from raising a cat.
“Cats scratching people is their instinctive reaction. Just like humans will fight back when faced with danger, they will self-protect when threatened or scared. We can't deny their value as pets just because of this. The key is how we interact with them, how we educate them, and let them feel safe and trusted. If we start training them from a young age, cats can learn to control their claws and won't scratch people casually. Moreover, cats scratching people is actually not common; most of the time, they are very cute. We can't generalize based on individual incidents, just like we can't think all children are unteachable because of a few naughty ones.
Furthermore, the issue of cats scratching can be avoided through proper training and management. For example, regularly trimming their nails to prevent accidental scratches during play. Also, using rewards and guidance to let cats understand which behaviors are acceptable and which are not. This way, cats can learn how to coexist peacefully with humans as they grow up.
Additionally, cats scratching does not mean they are disloyal or unfriendly. In fact, many cats are particularly loyal to their owners and express their love in various ways. For example, rubbing their heads against their owners, wrapping their tails around their owners, or even actively seeking petting and hugs. All of this shows that cats can establish deep emotional bonds with humans.
Finally, we cannot overlook the advantages of cats in other aspects just because of their occasional scratching behavior. Cats can bring joy and comfort to families; their existence is a form of healing. Therefore, we should view cats comprehensively and not deny their value because of minor issues.
Moreover, the independence of cats is also one of their charms. They do not need our constant companionship, but when we need them, they always appear in time to bring us comfort. They are not as dependent on their owners as dogs, but their companionship is equally heartwarming.
Besides, cats are known for their cleanliness. They spend a lot of time grooming their fur to stay clean and tidy. We only need to prepare a litter box for them regularly, and they can handle their hygiene issues themselves. Isn't that quite convenient for us busy urban dwellers?
Of course, before raising a cat, we do need to make adequate preparations. For example, understanding the dietary habits of cats, preparing suitable cat food and water; understanding their health needs, regularly taking them to the vet for check-ups; and providing them with enough space to move around freely and explore.
If we can do these preparations well, I believe cats will become a part of our lives, bringing us endless joy and companionship. They will become our friends, even family.
So, dear, let's welcome this new family member together!”
“Oh dear, you really know how to talk; I’m impressed by you!”