Hi everyone! We have a guest post today. I rarely allow guests other than Cat Scouts Maggie and Felix, but when Patty of Working Mother Life offered to write a post about lessons learned through cat adoption, I couldn’t refuse. I believe it is important for children to grow up with pets and I am happy to see that she agrees.

The Life Lessons My Daughter and I Have Learned Through Cat Adoption

You would never think that adopting a cat would teach you some serious life lessons, but it does. As a single mother with a daughter, I can tell you that these lessons really opened up my eyes, setting me on the right track to financial freedom. In addition, I am able to coach my daughter with these in mind as l help her grow. Below, I will go over some of the life lessons we learned from just a new kitty! If you have a cat, let me know if any of these sound familiar.

Become Financially Independent

Cats are not only strong-willed, but they are very independent. When you see a cat play or even walk around, he or she does not have to have anyone else with him or her. In fact, cats can make due by themselves, and they do not have to lean on anyone else. In a way, I try to live like this financially, relying on myself to pay the bills.

While it is okay to lean on other people, it is important to become self-sufficient, especially if you have a child on your own. You need to stay on top of your money situation and stay in control. I quickly learned the hard way that this was important, but I plan on my daughter learning this the easy way early on. She has already set some money goals for herself.

Whether it’s a step-by-step process or a week-to-week plan, there are plenty of ways to get to this point. Oddly enough, I feel like the independent spirit of my cat helped encourage her to start thinking this way.

Be Able to Adjust Your Finances

Cats can adjust to any situation you put them in. Think about it for a moment. Throw a cat in the air, and it will land on its feet. I always admired this flexibility and ability to cope. As a human, I need to adapt to plenty of situations, and there are plenty of occasions when that involves money.

Financially speaking, I have had to scramble for money when it comes to my cat. That time we had to use some of our savings to make sure the cat’s broken paw was corrected. Initially, I didn’t think a cat would need so much attention, but it started to dawn on me that we had an adventurous one who got into trouble.

I decided to adjust for the future by getting a cheap policy to cover big accidents. Apparently, the majority of cat owners don’t have insurance, but I decided that it was in my best interests, especially since I could use it as a learning opportunity. I took this as an opportunity to teach my daughter about the ins and outs of insurance.

Always Know When to Be Cautious

Never throw caution to the wind when it comes to money. Just like you will never see a cat throw all caution to the wind, don’t do it either. I learned this the hard way when I incurred some debt because of poor decisions. My cat has taught me to be cautious in all financial situations just like she is cautious as she walks by the garage door or when she waits to pounce on a lizard.

I think this is probably one of the most important lessons for children. Children, teens, and young adults are often very impressionable. They are often affected by their peers; for instance, they may choose to purchase a fad item because it would make them fit in. Combining the independent spirit of our cat and its caution, my daughter has learned to think about her own needs when it comes to money. She’s also learned to separate those wants and needs from yours truly.

Responsibility is Key

Financial responsibility is key, and if you do not have any, then you will find yourself in a sticky situation. While your cat nor my cat can talk and teach us about money, take a moment to look at their personality. You might find some life lessons buried in there. Mine happens to be responsibility.

Being responsible in the financial sense has taught me how to budget for, prepare for, and adjust to my money situation. When it comes to a cat, you never know when an unexpected bill or vet visit will pop up, so you need to make sure you are prepared for it.

These are just a few lessons I have learned from my kitty cat. I think I admire the independence and flexibility of a cat the most, and I try to apply those concepts to my own life. When it comes to money, being flexible and independent isn’t such a bad thing!

Please visit Patty at Working Mother Life where she writes about the struggles of raising a daughter as a single mom while working full – time.

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