Our beautiful cat is brave and curious, she is strong-willed, she is shy and will hide from strangers. She is generous and loving, she is gentle and kind, she makes us laugh. She is everything to us. We don’t have any children so she is our “daughter”. We will do anything and everything for her. In this post, I hope to show you how to hack your life, cat-style.

When I was very ill some years ago, it was she who came to give me comfort. She distracted me with her playful ways. She gave me kisses when I needed them and she made me relax when I felt anxious. I owe her so much.

She was adopted when she was a kitten from a couple who had found her on an expat urbanisation in the south of Spain. She had a broken leg when I took her on. They said that they’d found her in their garden and when they tried to pick her up, she ran away, climbed a fence and dropped down to the next garden. Still, they managed to bring her back to their home.

After a visit to the vets, she had a broken leg and determined that she must have been hit by a vehicle on the roundabout where they lived and then made her way into their garden. She was only a tiny thing. They could tell from that day on that she was a brave little kitty because even with a broken leg, she managed to scale quite a large fence in her attempt to initially run away.

Turned out that the couple (eternally grateful!) already had a couple of other pets and were returning to England and couldn’t take on another fluff.

I worked in the office on the urbanisation and one day, they popped in to ask if I knew anyone looking to adopt a kitten. I´d always had dogs, never had a cat before. However, something made me go and see her and I just couldn’t say no. I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for really but it just felt right.

So she came home with me and she was very scared. She stayed in the corner of a tv cabinet for a day and I could smell she’d wet herself, bless her. I carefully took her out and gave her a bath on my lap with a wet cloth and some shampoo, dried her off and generally held her until she felt a bit more relaxed.

Then I offered her some food. She didn’t want any at first but eventually, she took some from my hand and from then on, she had my heart.

Her tiny pink nose, the pink pads on her feet so clean! White whiskers and such round eyes. And not forgetting the beautiful pink tongue that sticks out occasionally and will stay out for a while.

After more visits to the vets about her broken leg, she was perfectly well again.

I do wonder if she left her mummy too early and went off on an adventure which led her to me. Makes me sad to think that that wasn´t her intention and she actually wanted to return to her mummy and brothers and sisters. She was being curious and that got her into mischief but I hope that over the years, she has come to love me as much as we love her.

Now, 15 years later, she is the queen of the house. She rules the roost. She has everything she could need and still, I want to do more for her! Know what I mean?

Here is how to hack your life, cat-style according to what I’ve learned so far:

1. Take time to smell the air outside first thing in the morning. So fresh.

2. No matter if it hurts, carry on regardless. If not, mummy might take you to see the vet.

3. New ventures every now and then are good for the soul.

4. We all need belly-rubs, not only as a sign of affection but it also aids digestion.

5. Being in a quiet room is extremely calming. Make the most of it.

6. Eat slowly, a little at a time, small portions. Too much too quickly will only make you sick.

7. Why sleep all night when you can siesta in the afternoon? If you cannot sleep at night, get up and do something. Don’t waste time just laying there willing sleep to return.

8. Fresh bottled water is best, not tap.

9. Look after your teeth. I don’t want gum disease thanks!

10. Be loyal to those who look after you. Contact with strangers should be at a sociably appropriate distance only!

11. Be grateful for the small pleasures in life, like a moment in the morning while everyone is still silent and you have a fluffball in your lap purring happily away. If you have time, close your eyes a bit too.

12. If she wants to behave like a dog, then throw the tiny ball so she can play fetch with you. Good exercise for both.

13. You only need to lay your head on just one side of your pillow because at some point in the night, your dreams will gain some company. Using the same side every night also means you won’t wake up in the morning with cat hair in your own.

14. Enjoy being clean and healthy.

15. Sharing (your food) is caring. In her case (IBS etc), no but generally, you know what I mean.

16. Get some sun, everyday if possible.

17. Quality over quantity.

18. Making something more complex on purpose turns a simple task into a challenge with a more satisfying end result.

19. Yoga is good for you.

20. Trimming your nails down makes them grow back stronger.

How to Hack Your Life, Cat-style

Cat owners out there, can you add to this list? Have you hacked your life to be in alignment with your feline friend? Comments below, many thanks!