I always thought, and even sensed that there was something special, even spiritual about cats as a kid.
They fascinated me. As they did for a lot of kids that grew up to own cats.
This recently made me ponder some interesting questions and look into this a bit deeper.
Are cats spiritual guardians or protectors?
Is there something more to cats than just the lovable balls of fur that enjoy petting and fussing that we see on face value?
I think there is. In fact, I know there is. But it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is.
It’s an interesting topic, here are my thoughts and on the subject and what I’ve been able to find out through doing some research.
Are Cats Spiritual Guardians?
This is a really subjective topic. I’ve spoken to spiritual people and believers, and they are happy to talk about how cats (and other beings) are spiritual guardians and watch over us.
I’m not sure I buy into it on that deep of a level, however. But there are some other ways of looking at cats and how they may be ‘watching over us’ that can cause some people to call them their spiritual guardians.
Here are some interesting things to consider:
Cats Can Sense Some Dangers Before We Can
Cats can sense when someone is outside the home. It’s not some kind of magic, it’s mainly due to them having better hearing than us and being able to pick up on vibrations.
There have been numerous stories about cats alerting their owners of someone breaking into their home or prowling outside when they shouldn’t be, so that’s one way they alert owners to potential dangers.
They also know intuitively (more than we do) when another animal is posing a threat. This is due to their animal and survival instincts, but can potentially be helpful to us in the right circumstance.
There have also been numerous stories involving cats raising an alarm to their owners when the house has caught fire, to alert them to a gas leak, and even when earthquakes are due!
So I think it’s fair to say their heightened senses allows them to recognize certain dangers before us and protect us from a lot of potential hazards.
Cats Can Pick up on Our Emotions
This is an interesting article explaining how a study performed by the University of Oakland found out that cats can pick up on their owner’s emotions.
Have you ever had your cat come and rub against your face, legs, or wherever else they can reach when you’ve been feeling down?
It’s likely because they have noticed you’re not in a good mood and want to do what they can to help you feel better. (or they are just hungry, can never rule that out with cats!).
This is kind like them looking out for you. I mean, they can’t really right the wrongs and help with the issues that are causing you to be down as such. But some love from a cat goes a long way to help!
Cats Have Healing Powers!
Did you know that cats really do have healing powers?
I’ve read some interesting articles about how the Egyptians thought cats had healing abilities back several thousand years BC, all the way up to modern day scientific studies into the subject.
This article goes into more detail about how a study in 2006 found that cats were more effective than traditional medication in preventing heart disease.
As someone who prefers to find natural alternatives over popping pills, this is pretty exciting. They also help lower cholesterol, stress, anxiety, and a whole host of other conditions that can have a negative effect on your health.
How exactly are cats helping reduce all of these health concerns?
Just by being themselves and being in your home. Stroking cats is believed to be the main factor in reducing stress, which in turn helps reduce the number of other health issues.
Let’s be honest here, it feels great to stroke a cat, doesn’t it?
Is there anything better than chilling out on your favorite chair, watching a movie with your cat on your lap hearing them purr as you give them a stroke?
So, while it’s not mystical healing – cats really do have healing powers.
Cats Increase Happiness!
Health and happiness, two of the most important things in most people’s lives. And cats are responsible for increasing both!
This article does a great job of summarizing some of the reasons why cat owners are happier than those boring people who don’t own cats (not bias at all).
The main reasons revolve around not feeling as lonely with cats in the home. Having a companion there to talk to, stroke, fuss over, and even the added exercise involved in running around caring for them.
All of which boost our bodies production and release of biochemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins. Pretty cool benefits to having a cat lazing around the house, huh.
In Summary
Are cats spiritual guardians?
It’s a complex question because spirituality and viewing something as being a spiritual guardian means different things to different people.
What I did find out during my research however is that there are loads of wellness benefits to having a cat around the home.
I’m talking about physical, mental, and yes, spiritual for some people. Cats are able to pick up on our emotions, make us aware of dangers, and provide a huge amount of love and affection towards us.
So, without being too ambiguous in my answer, I think I cats are our spiritual guardians in some sense of the word, yes.
They are there for us. As we are for them. There are certainly many layers to cats that are still to be fully understood in my opinion, and as I look over at one of my cats sleeping near me right now, I can’t help but smile.
