For weeks now I’ve been watching our cats consider our new baby. A sniff here. A peak inside the bassinet there. Mostly keeping their distance. Sometimes getting close but a sudden sneeze sending them leaping off the bed.
I often wonder why they are so cautious. Maybe they are scared. Maybe they are afraid they’ll hurt her. Maybe they think she’s an alien. I can’t possibly know since cats don’t speak let alone speak English.
But I feel eventually they will be comfortable enough to actually snuggle with her. They won’t worry they’ll hurt her. They’ll know how to behave around her to keep her safe.
Because they study her. Watch her. Observe and listen. All before they act. Their cautious interest in her is what keeps all of them safe.
Not everyone is a fan of cats. But I think there is something that be learned from this way of interacting with someone new. Instead of getting in her face they are trying to understand. How she feels. How they feel. And what feels safe. Building trust one small interaction at a time.
If only we approached everyone new with this kind of consideration. Our relationships might be stronger and the world a safer place to be.
But maybe I’m making too much out of my cats. Wouldn’t be out of character for me to do so.
