How to Think Like a Cat - Stephane Garnier 2018

Your Cat Adores Its Home, and Marks Out Its Territory

’Happy is the home with at least one cat’

ITALIAN PROVERB

Cats adore their home, whatever the size. Their home is their domain, and they are the sole masters of the place. People who have a cat will often say, with a smile: ’The cat doesn’t live with me. I live with the cat!’

With a cat’s propensity to be the boss, to ’delegate’, to get others to serve them, to be stubborn and do only that which pleases them, some cat owners let themselves — out of love — become overwhelmed by their cat’s needs and desires. Everyone needs to set their boundaries in order to live in harmony.

But what interests us here is the love, attention and protection that a cat accords to its house, its territory. It is worth noting that a cat living in the countryside may have a territory covering eight to ten acres — even if they are domesticated. So don’t be surprised by your cat’s very long walks, since it spends much of its time keeping watch over its domain.

That said, cats are extremely attached to their home, even if it’s just a one-bedroom flat, for it represents the very heart of their world of comfort, and the locus of their physical and psychological wellbeing.

Have you ever paid attention to the interior of your friends’ homes, their cleanliness, tidiness and decoration? Do they spend much time there? Or are they out most of the time? Are you often invited round?

If you look closely, can’t you see a link between these people’s homes and their emotional state? There is very often a connection between a person’s internal happiness and the upkeep and decoration of their living space. It’s like a mirror effect, a direct visualisation of their state of mind, even the image they have of themselves.

What about you? How do you feel at home? What are the walls and furniture like? Do you find it to be a comfortable and relaxing place? Do you enjoy having friends round for dinner? Are you proud to show off your home? Have you got a comfy sofa, covered in cushions and throws, for those Sundays snuggled up with a film and a bottle of wine? Have you created all of the conditions for your own wellbeing?

Unlike your cat, you don’t need to mark your territory (!). Your home should also be a sanctuary, somewhere for you to truly relax, recharge your batteries and cut yourself off from the hustle and bustle outside, just for a while.

Your home is the nerve centre of your happiness, and you can constantly expand its frontiers — as your cat does — in concentric circles. There’s your immediate neighbourhood, the local shops and businesses you get to know, the little park at the corner of the street where you go to read quietly in summer. Like your cat, you can extend your territory, your comfort zone, your safety perimeter.

Your cocoon should be a cosy nest you can always return to whenever you need to relax, take care of yourself, re-centre, and receive the people you love.

Home sweet home! Cultivate the comfort and aesthetics of your little gilded palace, and you’ll feel so much better.