Gabriel in Profile (photo) plus living a lot with a cat
When you’re retired you can live a lot with your cat. I can spend hours close to him. I believe you can achieve a relationship with your cat which takes you to the next level and goes beyond the normal sort of relationship that a person has with their domestic cat companion.
I’m not saying that retired people always have this connection but if you like cats and if you are at home a lot you can spend many hours with your cat companion which allows a “special relationship” to develop. There are dangers in this. Perhaps your car learns to only relate to you and sees every other person who visits the place as alien and dangerous. This is not true socialization.
In addition, if you have a special bond and a close relationship with your cat, it can be very hard to leave it behind. A person can become possessive or obsessive! However, a very close relationship with a cat companion brings the kind of benefits and delights that people who don’t like cats could never fathom. It is totally beyond the comprehension of people who don’t like cats but it is beautiful and very tender.
It is a relationship in which the human communicates with the cat without any words being spoken. There is an intimate understanding which is communicated fluidly and immediately. Words aren’t required. It is communication through behavior and actions. These are stronger than words. Words are easy to create. Actions are an expression of words. They are a demonstration of commitment. Cats understand actions.