English author and philosopher John Gray shares his very interesting views of life and cats in a book called: Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life (2021). But what does feline philosophy consist of and how different it is to humans? Gray not only discusses different approaches by leading philosophical figures — such as Espinoza and Montaigne — and compares them to that of cats, but also shares a few famous cat stories found in literature like the real life of Mèo — a kitten rescued from Vietnam war in 1968 by American reporter John (Jack) Laurence — or the fictional one of Saha by French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Collete published in 1933.
All these stories were a joy to read, especially that of Mèo who not only survived the war but also the immigration to different countries such as the US and later England. But what really makes cats superior to us when it comes to living? A few reasons indeed, according to Gray.
First reason, cats don’t look for meaning of life and waste it in pursuit of happiness. These human reflections are the basis behind the existence of religion and philosophy: to comfort humans from life’s constant anxieties. Cats are happy with the life they have if there is no direct threat to them. Cats also don’t fear death or worry about what happens to them afterwards. When their time comes, they just know and frequently share this knowledge with their human companions. I remember once a school classmate shared a story of his sick cat — who shortly before dying — jumped onto his lap and drew his last breath there.
Second reason, when it comes to love cats don’t seek it, demand it, or turn it into a lifetime goal where they get depressed when failing to achieve it. Instead, they provide unconditional love to those who surround them, without losing their sense of individuality and independence. Moreover, cats sense their owners physical and emotional pain and are always happy to comfort them with their endless purring that has therapeutic effects such as lowering blood pressure and relieving stress.
Gray also shares insights about how cats were perceived throughout history. From being Gods in Ancient Egypt to being hunted and tortured in medieval Europe-especially France and Germany — where cats were linked to the devil and the occult. However, other Monotheistic religions showed compassion to them such as Judaism that included commandments that encouraged treating animals with kindness and Islam where the Mamluk sultan Baybars (1223-1277) bestowed a garden to shelter the homeless cats in Cairo.
Unfortunately, cats also had their share of torture on scientists’ hands. Famous French mathematician Descartes (1596-1650), hurled a cat out of his window to demonstrate the absence of conscious awareness in animals. Gray rightfully describes the torture of animals whether in science experiments or medieval carnivals as “festival of the depressed”. He also comments on cat-hatred as “very often the self-hatred of misery-sodden human beings redirected against creatures they know are not unhappy”. Altogether, there is so much to learn from cats and philosophy by reading this exceptional and honest book.
Gray (1948-) is a retired Philosophy professor who worked in the London School of Economics and Political Sciences. He had written many influential books such as False Dawn: The Illusion of Global Capitalism (1998) and Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals (2002). He’s a regular contributor to the Guardian and The Times Literary Supplement. Whether you’re interested in philosophy and cats — or curious about either — Feline Philosophy is a perfect start of a life-time passion for both. Seriously, what more could you ask for?
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