Bryan Dijkhuizen

This Is Why You Should Always Pet a Cat When You Encounter One on the Street

Not long ago, I got my hands on Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. In which the psychologist answers some of the most asked questions of life.

Number 12: Always Pet a Cat When You Encounter One on the Street.

I agree. Only people without hearts just walk by cats and don’t pet them. Me and my girlfriend witness it all the time from up our window looking down on people walking on the streets.

It’s just cruel.

Here’s why you should never skip a cat again.


Not Everybody Sees the Cat

Imagine: you’re walking the streets, alone, together, doesn’t matter. You see a cat laying on the ground or just walking by, and you pet it.

You like petting cats, don’t you? Not everybody does, not even everybody sees the cat.

We all live in the same world. Walk the same street. But not everybody sees the cat on the streets.

For some of us, it’s invisible. How that comes, you might wonder? Well, it’s an easy metaphor to explain. Some people don’t appreciate the small things in life — that’s the key to seeing everything.

That cat represents the things that most people don’t see that aware people see.

When you’re so busy in your world and have no idea what’s going on around you, you won’t see the cat and don’t even notice the little kid falling off his bike when you walk by.

Peterson’s Metaphor tries to shake the world up and tell it: “Look up and around you, see the beauty of this world — appreciate it.”


Just Pet the Darn Cat

The point Peterson is trying to make here is that life is so short and so full of wonderful things that most people don’t notice, I’m guilty myself.

Aren’t we all?

In a world where there are so many bad things to worry about and negative thoughts that flourish over good ones, it’s about time to pet the cat.

Before you can snap your fingers, the cat is gone, and you can’t pet her anymore.

I’m always petting cats, and that will never change — I can’t walk by a feline without touching it.

Usually, it runs, but that’s okay.

Just a little trick to know if a cat is into your petting: put your hand in front of its nose and let it sniff you — if the cat wants to be petted, it will let you know. If that isn’t the case, you will notice as well.

Cats are very clear about what they want and don’t want. (Except for Speedy of course.)


What’s the Lesson?

You need to reflect.

Go outside and take a moment to look around you. What do you see? Write these things down and repeat this process.

As you repeat this exercise multiple times, you’ll see different results.

The first few times you’ll write down the same boring things, but as time progresses you start looking for the smaller things that you didn’t notice before.

That’s how to start petting cats.


Weekly inspiration and Tips to Rewire Yourself

Sign up to Rewire Yourself for free and receive a weekly newsletter about the most interesting topics to make yourself a better human.

Join 5,000+ smart people