As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, many Americans are staying behind closed doors in an effort to protect themselves and their loved ones. Gone are the days when we could safely go to dinner or catch a movie with friends. Instead, many people are looking to their cats for comfort and company.
Taylor Williams’ cat, August, makes her laugh when playing with a paper bag.
“My cat is my best friend,” Taylor Williams, a recent cat owner, said. “I wanted a companion during quarantine, but now I know he’ll be my companion for life.” Like Williams, many Americans have replaced their friends with cats during the pandemic. As a result, cat owners have reported greater overall happiness, higher quality of life and zero desire to leave the house or socialize again.
Francesca Sadler, a cat owner of one year, said, “I like hanging out with my cat more than others because of the obvious unconditional love. She has the sweetest and most peaceful energy around.” Sadler also noted that her cat offers emotional support when she is having a bad day. Unlike human friends, cats comfort their owners without interrupting, giving unwanted advice or talking about themselves.
Francesca Sadlers’ cat, Sneezers, provides emotional support during a stressful work day.
While cats may be sweet, they also have a playful side that’s guaranteed to get a laugh. “My cat gets zoomies at 9 p.m. on the dot every day. She will just zoom around our apartment and hop on things,” Sadler said. Other cat owners have reported their cats hiding in small spaces, delivering strange gifts and drinking from the faucet. These actions are proof that cats have a better sense of humor than most humans.
Cats are also easily entertained and are sure to entertain others. They are known to play with string, paper and even hair elastics. In choosing cats over a social life, many cat owners have reported saving time and money on concerts, sporting events and expensive nights out. “My cat is thrilled when I come home with a paper grocery bag,” Williams said. “It’s so cute!”
While many recent cat owners are reaping these benefits for the first time during quarantine, others have chosen their cats over a social life for years. Joann Bourgoin said, “Cats are superior. They are just cuter than us humans and hey, I can accept that.” Bourgoin, a cat owner of 20 years, has yet to meet a human as cute and lovable as her cats.
Socializing during a pandemic is irresponsible. But staying in solitude can get lonely. Cats are the perfect solution to this problem and will continue to be the perfect friends once it’s safe to go out again. “I don’t need a social life,” Sadler said. “I’m a crazy cat woman now and I don’t care.”
