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Abstract

">The cats have vastly and immensely enriched my life. They have kept me from dangerous boredom. They protect me from loneliness. They straight up improved my marriage.But one thing that I did not expect from having cats was this:They taught me unconditional love.<h2 id="23ac">What Is Unconditional Love?</h2>For the vast majority of my life, I could not answer that question. I flat didn’t understand it. My husband tried to explain — he loves me unconditionally, but I didn’t know what that meant.The closest he got to explaining it to me was, “I don’t love you less when you don’t do the dishes.” This gave me pause, but didn’t get me quiiiiiite there.Enter: The Cats<h2 id="399f">Learning Unconditional Love the Best Way</h2>As it turns out, my cats taught me about unconditional love in the best way: because I feel it.My precious angels of flawless awesomeness could not make me love them less if they actively tried. There is literally nothing they could do to affect my love for them.Throw up under the bed? Check, don’t care. Poop on the doormat and have me find it with my bare foot? I am actively insulted that you think that could affect my love for them.My cats taught me about unconditional love by existing. I learned about it because that’s what I feel for them. And,

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now that I understand what it is, it turns out that it’s all around me.I love my husband unconditionally (now that I have a name for it) and I understand what he means when he says it to me (holy shit that’s big, btw).I love some friends unconditionally. I have the tiniest glimpse of why my friends have children, and what they must feel for them. I finally understand what my parents feel for me.Unconditional love means that the concept of loving the object of your love less because of something they did is just flat stupid. Can you be annoyed with them? Yes. Can you be very very displeased with their actions? Absolutely (so help me god, STOP HUNTING YOUR SISTER).But none of that has jack shit to do with the fact that I would jump in front of a bullet for my kitty cats. They are my precious angels who have broadened my heart and my mind. Things are so much clearer now.This story was inspired by <a href="undefined">Liberty Forrest, Author</a>’s prompt to share stories of our pets. I’m so glad she did. And if you want a deeply beautiful and utterly heartwrenching story of the bond between a human and animal, you should totally check out her series about Bob the snake: <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-love-story-of-a-very-different-kind-part-1-1efeb5eada25">A Love Story of a Very Different Kind: Part 1</a>.</article></body>

The Eternal Truths My Cats Taught Me About Unconditional Love

That it exists, to start with

Cats. Fuzzybutts. Precious angel babies. Beautiful sleek house panthers who-

STOP HUNTING YOUR SISTER YES I KNOW YOU HATE HER DEAL WITH IT omfg.

*sigh*

The Advent of CATS

I have been a Cat Person since I became acquainted with the concept of Cat.

Small Carrie had many, many stuffed animal cats. She wanted to BE a cat. She pretended to sharpen her claws during recess at school (she was a little weird. I think many children are).

And at the age of 32, my friends, my husband and I got our Very Own Cats.

*dies of excitement*

Miette and Jane were introduced in the article “Um, I Was Promised A Bonded Pair.” And they are bonded. They are bonded in an enduring mutual hatred.

*sighs again*

The cats have vastly and immensely enriched my life. They have kept me from dangerous boredom. They protect me from loneliness. They straight up improved my marriage.

But one thing that I did not expect from having cats was this:

They taught me unconditional love.

What Is Unconditional Love?

For the vast majority of my life, I could not answer that question. I flat didn’t understand it. My husband tried to explain — he loves me unconditionally, but I didn’t know what that meant.

The closest he got to explaining it to me was, “I don’t love you less when you don’t do the dishes.” This gave me pause, but didn’t get me quiiiiiite there.

Enter: The Cats

Learning Unconditional Love the Best Way

As it turns out, my cats taught me about unconditional love in the best way: because I feel it.

My precious angels of flawless awesomeness could not make me love them less if they actively tried. There is literally nothing they could do to affect my love for them.

Throw up under the bed? Check, don’t care. Poop on the doormat and have me find it with my bare foot? I am actively insulted that you think that could affect my love for them.

My cats taught me about unconditional love by existing. I learned about it because that’s what I feel for them. And, now that I understand what it is, it turns out that it’s all around me.

I love my husband unconditionally (now that I have a name for it) and I understand what he means when he says it to me (holy shit that’s big, btw).

I love some friends unconditionally. I have the tiniest glimpse of why my friends have children, and what they must feel for them. I finally understand what my parents feel for me.

Unconditional love means that the concept of loving the object of your love less because of something they did is just flat stupid. Can you be annoyed with them? Yes. Can you be very very displeased with their actions? Absolutely (so help me god, STOP HUNTING YOUR SISTER).

But none of that has jack shit to do with the fact that I would jump in front of a bullet for my kitty cats. They are my precious angels who have broadened my heart and my mind. Things are so much clearer now.

This story was inspired by Liberty Forrest, Author’s prompt to share stories of our pets. I’m so glad she did. And if you want a deeply beautiful and utterly heartwrenching story of the bond between a human and animal, you should totally check out her series about Bob the snake: A Love Story of a Very Different Kind: Part 1.