Life Lessons from a 17-Year-Old Cat

It was quite unexpected.

My daughter’s neighbor was talking about having difficulty finding a pet sitter for her upcoming holiday trip. Knowing my wife and I live nomadically with flexible schedules, our daughter mentioned we might be available.

A handful of emails and a few months later, we were caring for a sweet seventeen-year-old cat named Pixie. It was a great experience, and word spread around the neighborhood. Before long, we were booked by several families for almost two months of 2025. It’s been one of the many serendipitous turns our nomadic journey has taken.

As I write this, we’re back taking care of Pixie. Here are four life lessons I’m learning from this feline grandam:

1. Take naps

Pixie is a champion napper. She’ll wander the house and come out for cuddles, then disappear for hours to doze in her cat bed. Life’s better when you take regular breaks.

2. Don’t sweat the small stuff

Pixie doesn’t seem bothered by much. She never seems to get anxious or upset about anything. It’s a good reminder to not life’s bumps get you down. 

3. Enjoy the simple things

I’ve watched Pixie savor a tasty bowl of food, endlessly watch a beautiful bird out the window, and curl up in a patch of sunshine. She doesn’t fret about the past or worry about the future, but lives completely in the moment, enjoying whatever life brings.

4. Ask for what you want

Pixie is an easygoing soul who doesn’t require much, but she’s not shy about letting you know what she wants. She’ll stand on my chest and meow if she feels I’ve slept in too long, ready for her morning scritch. And if she wants attention while I’m drafting my latest novel, she walks across my keyboard until she gets it. As someone who’s hesitant to ask for what I want to avoid bothering people, I’m learning from her gentle boldness.

Which of Pixie’s life lessons jump out at you? Which ones come naturally and which do you struggle with? Take breaks. Let the small stuff go. Enjoy the simple things. Ask for what you want. If you do, you’ll follow in wise pawsteps, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.

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