What Makes a Cat So Special?
That is the question I am frequently asked. Why design cat fabric? Why cat dolls? Why cat cartoons? What's the deal with cats?
"Because I lie next to them and think 'Oh, you are so beautiful!'
To me, they're magical and heartbreaking and mysterious and loyal - yes loyal. They're athletic and funny and purr and cuddle. I look at them and my heart warms.
"What could I possibly do to make you better? I can't."
The quotes above could have come from me but they come from a man named Kevin Richardson, also known as The Lion Whisperer. If you love cats, you'll recognize yourself in his words.
This is my cat Rudy.
He had a rough start in life and we adopted him at 18 months of age after he was turned out of his home. He has freckles on his lips and long silky tufts of fur sprouting from between his toes.
We call him Bloomer Boy because when he darts out ahead of us in an excited, full-throttle run, he looks like he's wearing baggy bloomers. It delights me. Every. Time. When I have a moment like that, when I get out of my head and my heart smiles and I feel love for this creature, how can it be anything other than perfect and a gift?
Below is an incredible video featuring The Lion Whisperer. If you're short on time, try to watch the first 3-5 minutes. Other than a few minutes of time he spends with hyenas, the video is all about lions.
A few minutes spent warming your heart will do you good!
Richardson will admit he has been clawed and bitten often. It is the nature of lions to scratch each other and they regard Richardson no differently. He is not dissuaded by these dangers. In an interview, he mentions,
"Obviously one realizes the danger when working with animals of this caliber, I've weighed the pros and the cons, and the pros far outweigh the cons."
He warns about following in his footsteps, however. All the pictures of his adventures do not portray his years of experience and bonding.
"People like to take things out of context. They don't know the relationship I have with this lion."
As a rule, Richardson only interacts with lions he has been with since their birth. He also differentiates his work from those of zoologists interacting with completely wild animals they have not raised, or that of trainers whose animals are required to perform on stage day after day.
Richardson hopes the media attention of his movies will raise public awareness and educate them on the need to protect and conserve Africa's animals.
NOTE: Facts researched via Wikipedia.org and their excellent detail to footnotes and linking to articles!
For more information on Kevin Richardson and his cause, please visit: