Stray Cat Finds Exhausted Nurse And Snuggles Up For A Nap, Providing Them Both With Much-Needed Comfort

"He felt a connection with the cat, as if they both needed comfort"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• July 20, 2023

Researchers simply don't know if cats can comprehend that you are upset in the same manner that we humans can. There is evidence that cats can lift people's spirits in either case, as they rub against pet parents more frequently when they're feeling down.

When it comes to providing comfort to humans, dogs are the species that are more frequently known to be a shoulder to cry on, with their reputation as social and devoted companions as well as their desire to please their fur parents. It is likely that your cat is responding to your emotional state by trying to comfort you or get your attention.

In a hospital in Egypt that is busier than ever, Ahmed Flaty's training as a nurse during the pandemic has been hard. He takes breaks outside in the sunshine to decompress.

A stray cat recently approached him, almost as if feeling his need for solace.

“I was sitting down to talk with a friend of mine in front of the hospital where we have our internship year and…this tiny kitten walked up to me,” Flaty told The Dodo. “[She] didn’t meow or anything — just looked at me, then climbed onto my lap, looked at me for a bit and then slept.”

A stray cat approached Ahmed Flaty, almost as if sensing he needed comfort

Given how frequently stray animals in Egypt are abused, Flaty was taken aback by the animal's fearlessness. He sensed a bond with the cat, as though they both craved solace.

“Stray animals in Egypt are not treated very well,” Flaty said. “So a kitten or a dog coming up to a human this way, especially when there wasn’t any food involved, is very weird.”

The stray cat cuddled and dozed for about fifteen to twenty minutes on Flaty's lap, a nurse-in-training. Even though the cat eventually went, Flaty was deeply affected by the fleeting devotion.

Flaty was surprised by the animal’s bravery, as stray animals in Egypt are often mistreated

Despite working long nights, he felt immediately better after the cat's visit. His hectic schedule prevents him from adopting a pet, despite his wish.

Since their encounter, he hasn't seen the stray cat, but he still keeps an eye out for her when he takes a break.

“I had been on 12-hour shift continuously for like 20 days straight but that cat made all that seem like nothing,” he said. “Honestly, it really was the best moment of this whole year so far.”

Flaty, a nurse in training, sat still as the stray cat snuggled and slept on his lap for approximately 15-20 minutes

Meanwhile, as seen in innumerable internet memes, cats may have been inaccurately depicted as being unaware of human feelings. However, research has shown that cats are also capable of identifying human emotions, and they are able to modify their behavior in response to the emotions they sense.

While research suggests that cats do have a broad sense of emotions and respond in their own unique ways, helping their human companions, their emotional perception may not be as well-known as that of canines.

Maryjane