Cats: The Gifted Who Bring Gifts

by Mariana Burgos

It is Christmas time! Every time this season comes, the spirit of gift-giving is so much in the air. Oh, but if you have a cat for a pet, you will surely get gifts anytime of the year. Sometimes, even every day!

I am a cat person. I love cats because they are not as dependent as dogs on their human owners. Since I was a kid, I have always chosen a cat for a personal pet. But, of course, I love all kinds of animals, too. Cats are just my favorite.

When I was in my elementary years, I remember dreaming of having a lion or a tiger for a pet. I love the thought of having a big, awesome-looking cat in my house just chilling there. It is pretty funny and cute when I picture him playing with a ball or a ball of thread on my lawn. It must be so nice to feel his soft, warm fur and hearing his purr as he lays beside me for a nap. The idea is just so calming for me.

Cats are such gifted creatures and very smart. They are excellent hunters and are very careful and accurate with their movements in crowded areas or narrow spaces. Rarely have I seen a cat who is sloppy with his actions. Things only get broken around them when they intentionally want to drop them from the table. Have you seen cats do that? I do. You would think, “Now, what’s with the dropping and breaking stuff?”  I don’t know how it is with other cat owners but in my case, I have noticed that there are times when they are pissed off with a few of my house rules, you would see them pushing things from the table to drop and break them. As if they were trying to prove a point or something. Or, just a display of tantrum, perhaps?

I remember our Siamese cat, Princess, when I was young. Our visitors always mistook her for a stuffed cat when they see her on top of one of our bookshelves. She would sit there straight up and very still for a long time. She looked so majestic whenever she does that. Nothing on our shelves gets toppled down even if she goes up there considering my family is one who likes to have so many “abubot” (trinkets).

She was very good in catching mice and roaches. She doesn’t eat them, though. But every time she is able to catch one, she plays with it for a while or until it dies. And then, when she is done playing with it, she would bring it to one of us humans. It is as if she telling us, “Here, you try. It is quite fun, you’ll see.” (LOL!)

I could not forget my pet cat, Flippy, back when I was only around 8 to 10 years old. Since he was a kitten, I would carry him like how one would carry a baby resting on one’s shoulder. I would rock him back and forth to make him sleep and sing him a lullaby hum. He would fall asleep drooling all over my shoulder after a few minutes or so. He was also so good at getting things for us especially food from our neighbors (LOL!).

There was one time, I remember so clearly, my grandma was wondering, talking out loud, what she could cook for our lunch. All of a sudden, Flippy comes home with a very large fried tilapia (St. Peter’s fish) in his mouth, still whole and it was still very hot. Meaning, it was newly fried! He dropped it in front of us. It is as if he was telling my grandma, “I got it covered, Granny, don’t you worry.” (LOL!)I saw a video in Youtube one time. It was about a cat who brings in lots of money for his owner ( This cat brought his owner a lot of MONEY every day. The man installed a camera and was SHOCKED. ). Well, he was not really his owner but since he rescued him, he sees him as his owner. I guess, the cat was simply very, very grateful to him for adopting him that he decides to be useful for them by doing a job for them----displaying his cuteness for a fee! I wish I had a cat  who is that smart.

This is how pet cats are---they love bringing gifts to their owners. And they can be very dramatic sometimes. That is just how they show their love for their humans. If you really think of it, they are quite romantic. For creatures as independent and as skillful as cats are, you would think that they would be very proud to not even show the slightest care for you. Some people do think of cats that way. But cats do the opposite. They display a tremendous form of affection and generosity. And with that attitude, it is clear that they are not a proud breed but rather, a very humble one.  For me, I see them as the most loving, generous and smartest pets one could have.  They are truly gifted creatures of God.

About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 14 years now because she is wife to a desaparacido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.