I found an interesting article a while back when I was in Richmond. It talks of how a child can be compared to a dog, and when he or she grows into a teenager - to a cat. I was able to relate to the article especially when I recalled how I was when I was still growing up. During my teen years, my world revolved around my friends so I rarely paid attention to my family and relatives (don’t we all?).
Anyway, read the essay or article and tell me your thoughts. I still haven’t found the one who wrote this - even after searching on the Internet - so if you know, kindly tell me (with proof) and I’ll edit this post to give credit to the author.
The Cat Years
I just realized that while children are dogs - loyal and affectionate - teenagers are cats. It’s so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, boss it around. It puts its head on your knees and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.
Then around age 13 your adorable little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your footsteps, it disappears. You won’t see it again until it gets hungry - then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen to turn its nose up at whatever you’re serving.
When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then gives you a blank stare as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.
You, not realizing that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won’t go on family outings.
Since you’re the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave. Only now you’re dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it wringing your hands, the more it moves away.
Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you have to learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember that a cat needs your help and affection too. Sit still and it will come, seeking the warm, comfortable lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.
One day, your grown up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, “You’ve been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you.”
Then you’ll realize your cat is a dog again.
To end things. Here’s a nice video of a cat that looks like Puss in Boots from Shrek. Cute!
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