Cat is an extremely sensitive animal in its relationship with the world. When we admire its remarkable perceptual abilities, such as its capacity to detect, even while sleeping, the faint squeak of a mouse or its mastery in moving through its surroundings as if it possessed the perfect rhythm for every gesture, we must understand that these talents are deeply linked to specific measures of awareness and sensitivity.
The Cat’s Strength is the Key to Its Fragility
Even those kitten-like tendencies that so satisfy our nurturing instincts, as well as the playfulness that turns the feline into an amusing clown, have a counterpart: a marked sensitivity and a strong need to find comfort and reassurance in human relationships. It is as if the cat were asking us to make the universe around it coherent with its needs and expectations.
For this reason, I have often felt like a sort of blanket for my cats, capable not only of warming their bodies but also of serving as a transitional object, creating a continuum between them and the world, a safeguard against any precipice or disruption. To our eyes, the cat presents internal contradictions: on one hand, it loves to move within a familiar and, in many ways, controlled reality; on the other, it cannot stand monotony and repetition, constantly seeking to fuel its curiosity with new surprises. But upon closer inspection, there is no real conflict or ambivalence in this need, because only if something remains still can the movement of something else be perceived.
Our feline intersects with the world with great emotional intensity, but perhaps for this very reason, it requires a backdrop. Cats form a deep bond with their environment, which explains why they often seem more attached to their home than to us. If relocated, they will sometimes travel great distances to return to their previous residence. To a cat, we are a kind of director, responsible for ensuring that its world is properly staged—choosing the most suitable backgrounds according to the scene and the corresponding melodies. However, in doing so, we always run the risk of becoming absorbed into the setting itself, becoming part of the very stage on which it moves.
Sources
Roberto Marchesini, L’Identità del Gatto, Apeiron, 2017
