Gattara: The Italian Word for A Woman Who Devotes Herself to Stray Cats
On devotion as a meaning of life and the enriching aspects of communication with nonhumans
I'm not a fan of cats. I'm not a fan of dogs either. I'm not even sure I'm comfortable around animals. However, I am actually an animal lover. I defend that they, like humans, have rights, and that nature should be respected in order to protect all animals and plants. They are as important to me as any other human being. But, no matter where I am, if a cat or dog tries to lick my hand or climb up my body, I can jump out of my chair with a helpless scream. This is a phobia or fear that I hope to overcome one day, but I have yet to be successful.
Gattara is an Italian term for women who devote their lives to the protection of stray cats. According to my understanding, when the name Gattara is mentioned, an old, possibly angry, woman appears in the eyes of Italians. Every culture, I'm sure, has an elderly, cat-loving aunt figure who is revered as gattara which shows that this is a characteristic shared by all societies.
It's wonderful to devote yourself to something in life. Having and protecting something other than ourselves, even something higher and bigger than us, serves as the meaning of life, which is required for a satisfactory life, as well as providing us with something that can lift us out of bed in the mornings with joy and desire. For people like me, it could be art, literature, or writing on its own, while for others it might be caring for orphans. Another may devote themselves to entrepreneurship, while another may live for stray cats. These naturally different traits are the reasons why the world is so colorful and generous to us as humans.
However, something intriguing lies beneath the extreme fondness for animals. People who are unable to establish satisfactory relationships with humans tend to devote their entire attention to their relationships with animals. I'm not saying that all animal lovers are like that; it would be absurd for me to make such sweeping generalizations. However, the extreme animal-loving people around me have an irresistible desire to engage with something other than humans.
Beyond that subjective observation, communicating with nonhuman creatures is extremely enriching. Other than speaking, you must communicate with animals or plants using your other senses. Take, for example, plants. My apartment now has two new plants. I adore them and want them to stay with me for a long time. As a result, I work hard to understand and meet all of their requirements. And because I can't communicate with them just by talking, I observe them closely, touch them, and occasionally speak to them. They are unquestionably new individuals of our family. I believe they are more dignified, deep, and wise than humans at times. They have my highest respect.
It's okay to exaggerate a little; they might start calling me a plant fanatic woman instead of a cat fanatic woman soon, which is totally fine with me.Â
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