In our very brief existence on this planet, my one piece of advice to those journeying to a fulfilled life, is to have the good sense of acquiring a pet. However it is an act that should not be taken lightly. Pet ownership should be far removed from selfish means, and only be enacted through a mutual love and compassion between the two parties. It is by these motives alone that one can establish warm hearted memories with the power to ripple through the rest of your happy life and perhaps beyond.
By leading with example, let me examine this issue further by addressing the subject of one Cozy the Cat. A black and brown tabby of the feline persuasion, Cozy made her presence known to me approximately five years ago this past April. Upon meeting her, one would venture the guess that the name “Cozy” was meant to be ironic, as her crusty demeanor and standoffish presence was anything but. However we were still in the phase of understanding one another. Cozy immigrated from West Virginia with my then girlfriend (now wife), and had just spent a grueling ten hours stuck in Chicago’s O’Hare international airport inside the tiniest of carriers. On top of this, she had to adapt to her surroundings without understanding exactly what was happening. Had she known she was coming to live in Alberta Canada with cold winters and dry climates, she may have plotted an escape that day. I’m sure she would have made a new life for herself on the streets of Chicago, thriving as the leader of a feline crime syndicate. Or perhaps she would have found early retirement as the purring pet of a large bodied mafioso like Marlon Brando’s cat in “The Godfather.” However destiny had other plans for Cozy, and she found herself on the doorstep of my bachelor apartment in Calgary Alberta Canada, with my girlfriend in tow.
During our initial encounters, Cozy acknowledged me with a whiff of resentment, as if I was to blame for her ten hour layover in Chicago. Her presence proved to be an adjustment, however her small and helpless stature was enough for me to make concessions on her behalf. At the time, my partially dilapidated, crime riddled apartment complex did not allow for pets. Luckily my landlord was filled with enough goodwill and influential substances, that he was either willing to overlook the matter, or forget it in a haze marijuana smoke. My kitchen, which only had enough square footage to occupy one human at a time, became a make-shift cat lounge supplied with food, water, and litter. Despite this limited space, Cozy did not ever complain, and she was courteous enough to do her business after I was finished making dinner.
As is often the case, time moved forward. Cozy became more tolerant of me, and I of her. A breakthrough was made one day, when I was sitting down reading, and out of nowhere, she brazenly took it upon herself to lie on my stomach. I had gained a bit of weight over time, and perhaps I did bulge in that area, so perhaps Cozy mistook my stomach as a cushion. Either way she began to purr, and for her sake of comfort and my piece of mind, I did not flinch, nor did I stir. For the first time it felt Cozy and I were simpatico. Our stomachs moved in and out as we breathed serenely like a couple of lazy buddhas. It was as if she knew by instinct that lying on my stomach would give us both inner peace. Suddenly all resentment of our initial meeting had melted away. I like to believe I became co-owner of Cozy that day, as I had now met with her approval.
Soon enough, we were able to upgrade from my feeble bachelor surroundings into an appropriate sized two-bedroom apartment. Perhaps no one was delighted more about this change than Cozy. There was wider space for her to explore, and a completely private nook to separate her litter and food. She was in heaven, but no more so than when she discovered the most luxurious location for herself. Outside on our balcony, she found the perfect spot of heat generated by the sun. It shone directly onto our balcony and for those precious afternoon hours, Cozy would laze in beautiful contentment. She would assume the position of lying on her side, arching her back, and extending each crevice of her miniature body out. It was quite possibly the only time, I have seen any living creature completely free from tension, worry, or anxiety. Cozy had found her Shangri-La, that small Utopia we all strive to find in our daily lives which overtakes us with sheer happiness. For Cozy, that place was found in the distance between the sun and our balcony, and you would dare not move her.
Many things changed as time caught up with us. COVID happened of course, which is a story I may keep for another day. Needless to say, long term lockdowns hardly phased Cozy. She remained by our side as good kitties do. The times were uncertain, but Cozy’s resilience and unchanging attitude to the world became a beacon of comfort. If you saw Cozy at that time, you would believe it was she who the philosophers were referring to when they spoke of “The Good Life.” But pretty soon, it was time to depart from our COVID bohemian bungalow, and wave goodbye to Cozy’s sacred sun spot. Time does not stand still and we march on.
Throughout our time together, Cozy has remained consistent. She has never altered her lifestyle for the sake of others, because she returns the favor by staying present. However a slight alteration in her routine came about the other day which inspired me to write this piece. For the first time, Cozy displayed a small discomfort, which was enough to warrant a visit to the vet. It was discovered she had many rotten teeth that needed to be removed. We were thankful that it was minor, and she only needed surgery with mild anesthetic. However this event gave me pause to reflect how much Cozy has meant to me these past few years. Cozy came into my life during a pivotal period. She was present through a pandemic, my University graduation, and the ongoing marriage to my wife for whom she is forever linked to.
I’m aware that time is a fixed phenomenon, and one cannot revisit the past. So it is always important to appreciate who we have in our lives while they are still here, including animals. When Cozy came back from her surgery, she was not herself, and it was frightening to see her proud Zen-like existence diminished. My wife and I shared like-minded panic attacks when she would change her routine in the slightest. However, good fortune literally shone down one day and through our sliding door overlooking our balcony, a ray of sun shone through and planted its rays onto our sleeping Cozy. She was dazed from medication, but aware enough of the added heat. She very subtlety position herself further into the warm sunlight, and a light smiling daze fell on her face. For that moment our Cozy was reunited with her beloved sunspot, and like a good omen from the gods, if felt that she was not lost to us just yet.
And so I leave it with you to draw your own conclusions about the presence of a pet in your life. Others have passed through my life over time and have all made their mark, making me a better person in return. They have all made me happy in one way or another, and in return they only ask for the same treatment. As one wise person once said, “animals are people too,” and rather than looking at that quote as flippant, you might find a closer meaning. Animals deserve our empathy and understanding just like real people. There is an underlying natural language to them, and they express themselves with simple emotions. I sometimes feel they look upon the human race as a silly species who make life overly complicated. We worry and stress about so many things, yet we never try to find our spot in the sun. If there is one thing I’ve learned from Cozy, it’s to always take that moment to you need to regenerate yourself, and start anew again. Philosophy like that is hard to come by, so the least I could do is give my cat a little sun.