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We learn so much from our feline friends, and along the way they keep us company, provide unconditional love, and share in the ups and downs of our lives.

What do we learn from them? Everything! Our cats make us better people. If we rescued them, they rescue us back. If we’re sad, they comfort us. If we need to have more fun, they show us how.

Here are two of my favorite stories from Chicken Soup for the Soul - Life Lessons From The Cat and the lessons learned from our feline friends!

Sometimes you have to love and let go.
E.E. King spent a lot of time at her aunt and uncle’s house, and played with their new cat, T, all summer. But when winter came around, T acted shocked. That cat hated snow and cold. The next summer, they played together again� until T disappeared on August 29th. The family searched everywhere, but the cat was gone—until he mysteriously reappeared on April 12th as if nothing had happened. He disappeared again the next August 29th, and again reappeared on April 12th, and he did the same thing for the next two years. The fifth time that August 29th came around, the family was ready. They followed T to a neighbor’s house where a silver trailer was parked. It turned out that T was hitching a ride to Florida every August, wintering there with the neighbors, and then returning to his first family in April. Everyone agreed that the cat should continue to have his summer family and his winter family.

Remember it takes two to make a fight.
Susan Yanguas adopted two kittens, sisters, because she didn’t have the heart to split them up. The two sisters were very different in coloring and disposition, and unfortunately they also developed quite a case of sibling rivalry. They were always squabbling and provoking each other. Susan found herself saying, “Why can’t you two just get along? You’re sisters!� And then she realized she sounded just like her mother. Susan started observing the cats� fights and realized how much she and her sister acted the same way. She also watched how the cats made up with each other. Susan comments, “While I can’t say I now enjoy a perfectly harmonious relationship with my sister, adopting these two siblings has showcased the dynamics of antagonistic personalities for me. I’m reminded daily that it takes two to have an argument.�


Amy Newmark

Did you know that September is Happy Cat Month?

At Chicken Soup for the Soul we tend to celebrate cats all year long! And why not � cats make us better people. They are our protectors, our role models, and our best friends!

Here are two of my favorite stories from our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul - Life Lessons From The Cat , with the lessons we can learn from our cats!

Accept it when something is meant to be
In the story "Journey of Love" Andi Lehman tested as allergic to pets, so her family had to give away their dog, cat, and guinea pig. Andi was devastated by the loss of her cat Grungy, who they had adopted six years earlier while stationed with the U.S. Navy in Turkey. That cat had survived many near-death accidents and travel adventures as they moved around the world with the Navy. Grungy was given to a young couple two islands away in the Florida Keys, but two weeks later, the wife called to tell them Grungy had gotten away. Months went by, and Andi mourned for her lost cat. And then one day, she stepped outside their Key West home and almost tripped over a matted, filthy, skinny cat. It was Grungy, who had walked ten miles to get home, traversing two bridges between the islands while he was at it. He was welcomed home permanently, with the only proviso that he sleep on the screened porch due to Andi’s allergies.

Taking care of yourself should come first
In her story "Speed Bump" Veronica Bowman wasn’t sure she wanted another cat, but she couldn’t stop checking one photo on the local shelter’s website. Finally, after two weeks of resisting, she and her husband went to see the cat in person. They fell in love. Veronica hadn’t thought she had time for a cat, because she had health problems and too many obligations. But that cat worked wonders. Instead of causing more stress for Veronica, the cat forced her to slow down. Now Veronica was brushing the cat’s fur every day and spending quiet time with her. Veronica concedes, “I was mistaken in thinking I didn’t need another cat. I needed help in getting my out-of-control days under control. I needed motivation to slow down and stop pushing my body beyond its limits.�


Amy Newmark

There's something so magical about cats � their elegance, confidence, resilience, and independence are so often combined with affection, intuition, courage, and just plain smarts. They make every day an adventure!

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from our new book Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats that show how cats added magic to the lives of our writers:

Cats remind you that rules are made to be broken.
In veterinarian Jan Rottenberg's story "Ben the Benevolent" she was about to close one night when a man brought in an abandoned, sickly kitten. He could only contribute $50 to the kitten’s care, but Jan took the poor little thing and nursed him back to good health, albeit with only one eye, over the next few months. She took him home every night but resolutely put him up for adoption when he was fully recovered. When someone offered to adopt him, Jan realized what her heart had known all along. She was going to break her very strict rule—you can’t keep a cat you’re fostering. Not only did that new cat blend in well with her other cats, but he also brought her paraplegic senior cat back to life, becoming her new friend. Since then, he has also welcomed two new rescue kittens. Jan says, “Ben not only earned his keep, but is also proof that every homeless kitten deserves a chance.�

When a cat chooses you, accept that the cat knows best.
In her story "Demands Attention" Morgan Rondinelli didn’t intent to adopt a pet but she found herself drawn to the local shelter every time she drove by. After several visits she was hooked by a dark gray cat with brilliant green eyes who walked over and plopped herself in Morgan’s lap. Jade chose Morgan and that was that. Even when Morgan thought she should keep looking, and tried to visit the cat room down the hall, Jade would have none of it, chirping at her argumentatively. Morgan hadn’t intended to adopt an eight-year-old cat either, but now she says, “I’ve heard it said that senior animals love deeper, and I think that’s true. I know from Jade’s cheek rubs and kneading my legs that she seems extra grateful to have been adopted.� Morgan also appreciates the lack of kitten energy, so they can spend “weekends lounging and napping together, with the right amount of occasional play.�


Amy Newmark

Hey all you cat lovers out there... did you know that Saturday, August 8 is International Cat Day?

What better way to celebrate than reading stories from our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats.

Here is a preview of one of my favorite stories about a cat that gave its owner the courage to have an adventure - dare I say it's purr-fect!

In her story "Westward Ho" Lori Shepard realized she was not living her best life in retirement. Lori had always dreamed of taking a road trip across the United States, but when she set out on her 8,000-mile adventure, accompanied only by her cat Libby, she had second thoughts. What motivated her to keep going was Libby’s own flexibility and delight in each new hotel room and experience. Lori says that Libby’s calm presence made it work. “She was a trooper. If she could persevere through the insecurities of what came next, then I could, too.�


Amy Newmark