E is for Ewok.
No, not that kind of Ewok…..this kind!
This is my Persian cat, Ewok. She’ll be 5 years old tomorrow. Plenty of studies have shown that pets are good for your mental health. They reduce tension and can improve your mood (except when they pee on something). Research has shown that spending just 20 minutes with your pet can lower cortisol, the stress hormone, levels and elevate serotonin. Interaction with animals is even a form of therapy in some cases. I am thankful every day that I have Ewok. She does so much for me. When I am at my worst and am sure everyone in my life would better off if I were gone, I think of Ewok. She is the only one I know wouldn’t be better off. I am her person. She needs me.
Ewok keeps me company. Spending time with her makes me feel better. Petting her, playing with her or listening to her purr gives me something besides my inner monologue to focus on. Also, she needs me. As much as she’d like to think she was a ferocious little beast that could take care of herself, she can’t. She needs me, her little world revolves around me. It’s nice to be needed. Ewok is going to want me around and love me regardless of my mood, whether or not I got that grant for my research and despite my eating the whole chocolate cake. Pet love is unconditional, that’s a reason to keep going.
Ewok helps me sleep. I love listening to her purring. Cats purr at a frequency of 25Hz, the same frequency that is used to help heal wounds faster in humans (reference). The rhythmic sound Ewok makes often helps me sleep. When I’m tossing and turning or my mind is racing, I put her beside my pillow and focus on the sound she is making. This usually helps me drift off. I’m assuming her purring means she is content which means I am doing something right. This gives me a peaceful feeling, allowing me to sleep. How do I get her to stay? I’m lucky she just likes to sleep with me every night. Unfortunately her favourite spot to sleep is on my face. So if I want her to stay, I have to wait until she is sleepy and then I can position her like putty.
Ewok keeps me active. No, I don’t take her for walks. Ewok is a bit of a princess. She doesn’t like it when the wind ruffles her fur. Ewok and I do yoga together. Yes, you read that last sentence right. Yoga. Every time I do a workout video, I get out my yoga mat and I have to get Ewok’s mat out for her too. If I don’t workout often enough, she starts to remind me to get to it. Let me explain….. I do workout videos at home for which I use a yoga mat. I would start my workout and Ewok would be there……batting my ponytail as I did sit-ups, climbing under me as I did push-ups and weaving in and out of my legs as I did squats. Not to mention scratching my mat to pieces! She was driving me nuts and making it impossible to workout at home. One day I got fed up with her antics and her scratching, so I got out another mat, only half hoping she’d stay on the old one and leave me alone. To my surprise, she did! She loves that ridiculous hot pink mat! Without me in the way she was free to scratch and roll and contort herself all over it. So now we workout together. Me on my mat, Ewok on hers. If I haven’t worked out in a while she’ll head over to where I keep the mats and start scratching her pink one. Hey Mum, workout time!
Ewok gives me purpose. She injects some humor in among the darkness. I’m not in a smiling mood at the moment, but here I am writing a post about Ewok and her ridiculous yoga mat and its already making me feel a little lighter. She sometimes inspires creativity too. I’ve made treats or toys for her in the past. I even make cartoon versions of her sometimes. I know it seems insignificant, but anything to distract me from the over-thinking and getting into that negative snowballing effect helps.
For one reason or another, not everyone can have a pet. That doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from the interaction. I’m sure you have friends or relatives with pets that you can visit. If you are open to a little more commitment, you can also volunteer to walk neighbourhood dogs or work at the local animal shelter. For a less committed interaction try a bird feeder in the backyard or even going to the zoo could provide a nice distraction.
Do you have a pet, or wish you had one? What kind of animal do you wish you could interact with more often?
For more Ewok, visit “Meet Ewok” in my top menu.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 13:40:47
Ewok is adorable, and unikitty is my favorite thing today.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 13:43:29
Hahah 🙂 thanks. Unikitty is just cute, ridiculous happiness all in one.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:05:30
Super cute little girl you have there! I can’t believe she works out with you, that’s just too much. Evie Cat likes to have her chair pulled over next to my desk while I’m trying to work, but that’s about it. The kitty-kids are definitely good for our mental health. 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:29:05
Ewok is so beautiful! She looks like a wonderful cat! I have always had cats at home. I got a new one (since my old lady passed away in 2013). Kenzi (named after the Lost Girl character) is a fierce and cuddly short haired tortie. She makes my life better for sure! 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:34:11
Kenzi, what a cool name! 🙂 Ewok is my first cat. I didn’t have pets growing up. I never understood how great a bond you can have with an animal until her.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:33:12
I like your Ewok much more than the one others are more familiar with 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:34:53
Ewok looks like a fabulous companion! We have a beloved pup, Frank…I’ll be blogging about him tomorrow, obviously. 😀
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:41:23
Ewok sounds awesome! I used to have a cat (when I was growing up) but haven’t gotten a new one. I don’t have the space for one. Instead I sometimes borrow the dogs that belong to the rest of the family but…I miss having a cat of my own. One of these days I might consider getting one again (though, I’d feel bad because it would have to pretty much be an indoor/one-room kitty…)
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:45:21
I know what you mean. I feel bad for Ewok sometimes because we have a tiny apartment, two rooms. She doesn’t know any better though. As long as I play with her a bit she doesn’t get bored.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:01:27
I think if I got a cuddler it would be okay. 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 14:55:59
Aw…she looks so cuddly! She sounds like the perfect feline friend. I adore cats. It’s about time I got another! I had a cat named Clovis years ago and she was amazing. I still miss her 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:00:08
She is cuddly! She goes completely limp when you pick her up….perfect for hugs!
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:01:48
That is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard! I want an Ewok hug 😀
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:01:19
I totally get this, i had to re-home my cats, but they were my best friends, and so funny too, I really miss the soothing sounds of their purring and when the cuddled up to me at night.
Pets are fantastic companions and bring much into peoples lives.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:09:06
Aww 😦 I’m so sorry. I’d have been heart broken to have to re-home Ewok. Hopefully you can visit them? Or at least look forward to having another cat one day.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:11:27
visiting was too much I had them both for 12 yrs, when I get myself permanently situated a cat is first on the list:)
Apr 06, 2015 @ 15:23:26
I love the name! And cats are awesome. Our Hazel is a chatty cat and super cuddly. I have a friend who has a Cornish Rex who has the most amazing ears. They’re huge and bat like. I love him so much I want one of my own. I can totally see myself being that crazy cat lady who has fifteen of them. Cats are awesome.
Apr 06, 2015 @ 18:38:56
lol. Crazy cat ladies are awesome!
Apr 06, 2015 @ 17:25:13
That yawn photo is adorable!
Apr 06, 2015 @ 19:00:39
I’m not even a pet person (life-long allergies) and this post got me!
I’m so glad Ewok is around to help you and give you joy. I love the drawing of you both.
Thanks, Ewok, for helping Somber Scribbler when she needs it. ❤
Apr 06, 2015 @ 19:03:31
Thanks for commenting! I don’t know what I would do without my crazy little Ewok 🙂
Apr 06, 2015 @ 20:37:34
Love love love this! And totally agree–I can’t begin to tell you how getting Brokkr (our dog-bear) changed our lives for the better 🙂 As always, love the doodles! Especially Unikitty ♥
Apr 07, 2015 @ 08:15:46
A dog-bear? That sounds really cute! We always say Ewok is part stuffed animal. She is too cute to be entirely real.
Apr 07, 2015 @ 03:05:15
She is so cute! She definitely fits her name. She sounds like a pretty smart little kitty. I’m lucky enough to have a kitty who sleeps next to me as well. He’s super cuddly. It’s always nice to feel loved so unconditionally.
Apr 07, 2015 @ 08:20:11
Aww, he sounds sweet!
Apr 07, 2015 @ 09:12:24
I have a cat and she is nothing like Ewok except she knows where I dropped the food cans and tries to dig them out or lie on them. She is not affectionate at all. I can’t even pick her up and she hates people (other people, not me, although somtimes I do wonder).
Apr 07, 2015 @ 09:38:02
Have you had her since she was a kitten? Cats usually have to have things on their terms. We are lucky with Ewok, she’s not very assertive.
Apr 07, 2015 @ 10:09:15
No she was 3 years old and set in her ways. Now she is 6 going on 7 years.
Apr 07, 2015 @ 12:30:52
It’s hard to change the habits of an adult cat
Apr 07, 2015 @ 14:10:39
She was raised in a home that terrified her, they had 8 cats and 4 large dogs. She does love my son very much though.
Apr 07, 2015 @ 15:53:56
Aww what a perfect name. She looks a little like an ewok!
Stephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
Apr 08, 2015 @ 15:36:27
Ewok is the perfect name for her. Animals are indeed a brilliant form of therapy.