The Cats Who Choose Us
“He chose me, you know,” the woman said as her cat swirled at my ankles, asking to be petted. It was the second time I’d heard that sentence during our visit. I wasn’t sure if she was reiterating it for emphasis or if her failing memory was to blame. Regardless, for her, it was worth repeating. The cat leaned in as my fingers traced his silver stripes from his shoulders to the tip of his tail. “That seems to be the way it goes,” I replied.
Indeed, the universe has a beautiful way of conjuring cats seemingly out of the void and pairing them, unasked, on Earth with the people who need them the most. It gives further weight to the concept that “People don’t choose cats… Cats choose people.” Online, this is lovingly called the Cat Distribution System.
The Cat Distribution System works through shelters, parking lots and dumpsters. Like a wise matchmaker, it knows what you need better than you know yourself. It scans its inventory, makes a selection, and often through bizarre circumstances, brings you the cat you never knew you needed.
Of course, I do not mean to glamourize the life of stray cats that freely roam without homes. Many of these cats suffer, decimate local ecosystems, contribute to overpopulation, and even perish before they find a family. But I also believe that no cat comes into our lives without reason.
You’ll know this personally if you’ve already been chosen by the Cat Distribution System. Maybe a cat has brought humour to your household throughout a difficult transition, absorbed the tears of a broken heart, or has been your anchor when you were drowning in the depths of grief.
A few years ago, the Cat Distribution System scanned its shelves, selected a silver-coated tabby, and distributed him onto the porch of an unwilling woman. Reluctantly, she took him in. Little did she know, in the years to come, he would go on to be her joy and stability as her health and memory declined. And then, we’d have the privilege of being trusted with his care today.
Only by opening our hearts, and sometimes our homes, can we receive the gifts that only a cat can give. If you can’t relate, then keep patiently waiting… You just haven’t been chosen yet.
Dr. I. Wonder is here to answer your questions regarding your furry family members. If you have a question, email it to us at danielle@NeighbourhoodPetClinic.com. Our team at Neighbourhood Pet Clinic will tap into their collective experience to answer your various questions.
