How a cat changed my life

A year ago, when Hilary Wise adopted the cat Lola, she did not yet know how much her life would change.

Hilary’s family has always had pets, and she got along well with them since childhood. She loved dressing up cats in baby clothes, and they loved it.

Now, says Hilary, a special relationship with the fluffy little beauty helps her cope with everyday anxieties.

Life “before”

Before Hilary took Lola from a friend who was leaving the state, she felt that her “stress was piling up more and more: both at work and in relationships.” She paid too much attention to the assessments of others, especially when she felt that her “weirdness” prevented her from connecting with people.

“There was a lot of negativity in my life,” says Hilary, “but now that I have Lola, there is no room for negativity. She taught me a lot to endure and a lot to ignore.”

Hilary says that what changed her the most was Lola’s approach to life. Watching how calmly her furry friend looks at the world, the girl gradually gets rid of stress.

Hilary explains that what helped her the most was her newfound ability to “tolerate and ignore”, for example, the evaluations of others. “Things that seemed so important to me before just evaporated,” she says with a smile. “I stopped and thought, is it worth it to be upset about this? Why did it seem so important at first?”

Hilary, retail decorator, believes that Lola’s positive influence touched every aspect of her life. The girl likes working in a shop that sells jewelry and unique gifts. This profession allows her to show creativity and implement original ideas.

“I used to pay a lot of attention to the opinions of others,” admits Hilary. “Now, even if Lola is not around, I remain myself.”

family member

When Hilary and her boyfriend Brandon first took Lola, they had to win her love.

The tabby, sweet-faced cat, who was only three years old at the time, was unfriendly and aloof from people (perhaps, Hilary believes, the previous owner did not pay enough attention to her), as different as heaven and earth from the friendly, active cat in which she turned.

At that time, Hilary had been living without a cat for eight years, but her skills in caring for pets quickly returned to her. She set out to win over Lola and decided to approach building these fateful relationships with all responsibility. “I also wanted her to pay attention to me,” Hilary reflects. “Give your cat time, and she will answer you the same.” She believes that furry pets do not have to be taught affection and playfulness, it is enough to “just be” with them. Cats need attention and can do all sorts of things if they don’t get it.

During the relationship building period, Hilary often caressed Lola and talked to her a lot. “She always responds well to my tone of voice, especially when I sing along to her.”

Lola eventually developed into a well-mannered cat. She is no longer afraid of people. Joyfully greets Hilary and Brandon at the front door and demands their attention, especially if they are distracted. “If I’m talking to someone, Lola jumps on my lap and makes noise,” Hilary laughs. Lola becomes attached to some people more than others (like any self-respecting cat). She feels when there is “her own person” next to her and, according to the girl, makes efforts to make him feel “special” too.

friendship forever

Over time, Lola has taken a liking to the shaggy throw that Hilary and Brandon use to cover the sofa, and she makes it clear that she doesn’t want it removed. Young people have already come to terms with the fact that the plaid has become an integral part of their interior, as well as paper grocery bags and all kinds of boxes, because if a fluffy beauty has claimed her rights to any item, then she will not give it up. Never!

Hilary is justifiably proud that she was able to build a relationship with Lola, and admits that her life without a furry friend would be very different. “Cats are more outgoing [than people],” the girl reflects. “They treat small things with a positive attitude” and do not react to them as painfully as Hilary used to. If life before Lola was characterized by physical and emotional stress, then in life with Lola there is a place for simple pleasures – to lie on a cozy blanket or soak up the sun.

How does the presence of a cat in the house affect your life? What makes you change your routine the most when you have a pet? His health. Hilary quit smoking before taking Lola and has never returned to her addiction because she now has a cat to relieve her stress.

For Hilary, this change was gradual. Before she had Lola, she did not think about the fact that cigarettes help her relieve stress. She “just let the stress happen” and “carried on with her life” by continuing to smoke. And then Lola appeared, and the need for cigarettes disappeared.

Hilary notes that it is impossible to overestimate how wonderful everything around has become with the appearance of Lola. At the very beginning of their relationship, the positive effects were more pronounced, “but now they just become part of everyday life.”

Now that Lola has become an integral part of Hilary’s life, the girl has become more emotionally stable. “It’s sad when you can’t be yourself,” says Hilary. “Now I don’t hide my peculiarity.”

Using the example of Hilary and Lola, one can be convinced that a cat in a house is not just a cohabitation of a person and an animal. This is building relationships that change your whole life, because the cat loves its owner for who he is.