Needy cat or needy human? Lockdown psychology

Needy cat or needy human?

Here’s an example of lockdown psychology: my cat Ursula started to astonish me and then smother me with her closeness. But why? Surely nothing much has changed for her in lockdown.

Here’s where the creative process enlightened me. I was drawing my (sort of) self, increasingly alarmed by Ursula’s encroachment into my personal space.

Then all by itself my right hand drew my avatar reluctantly embracing this giant cat, showing a smidgen of compassion.

Then my brain got it—eureka! This wasn’t a needy cat. It was a needy human. Ursula picked up my sensory starvation and was doing her very best to help a human too dumb to acknowledge her need for cuddles.

Thank you, Ursula, for your empathy and compassion. These qualities do pop up in the strangest places. I never expected this normally snooty, standoffish, feline princess to take on the role of therapist. (Of course she has a vested interest in my mental health.)

Am I alone in experiencing this form of lockdown psychology? I wonder if you have also been shocked by warm behaviour from your pets, enemies or other annoying people in this time of lockdown.