'They literally saved my life': 27 Wholesome And Heartwarming Cat-ecdotes From Cat Owners Whose Kitties Helped Them Learn How To Love Themselves

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Sep 23, 2023 1:00 PM EDT

One of the things we love most about this job is hearing stories about how cats helped people overcome things in their lives. That may sound silly to you, but having something to love and take care of can do wonders for a person. Never underestimate the power of the motherly (or fatherly) instinct! One Reddit user took to the interwebz and asked fellow cat connoisseurs, "How has your relationship with a cat benefitted your life?" Get some tissues, because this one is a real tear-jerker!

These cat-themed heartwarming stories in this post are truly awwww-spirational! There aren't your everyday wholesome cat adoption stories, these are stories of people with real, serious problems, and how their cats literally saved their lives. It's wholesome, it's adorable, and it made us cry just a little bit. It's purrfectly feel-good. But, if this ends up being too much of a downer, be sure to check out some hilarious cat memes to liven up the mood!

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    Cat
    via u/groundhog-265
  • 02
    Font - I got home yesterday from my hair cut and sat at the chair beside the one he was sitting in the sunroom and he immediately comes over for pets and purrs. And then I catch him staring at me as if I'm the reason the sky is blue. Having him in my life has kept me present and grateful for what I have in the here and now. How has a relationship with a cat benefitted your life?
    via u/groundhog-265

    Story time! Once we were cooking dinner and we were wearing a loose hoodie. We turned around to get something else and the back of our hoodie caught fire from the stove. Our cat noticed immediately and started screaming at us. If it weren't for her we would have gotten seriously burned!

  • 03
    Font - Sarahcastic13. 14 hr. ago My cat made me realise the unconditional love my heart can hold. I'm a very self involved person and never thought I was capable of it. I will be ever grateful to my kitty for making me a better person. 719 Reply Share
    via u/Sarahcastic13

    Where are the tissues?? We need a whole box to process how absolutely crazily adorable this comment is. It's so true. We will do anything for our pets. They make us better people, more giving, more responsible. Please pass the tissues, and keep 'em coming!

  • 04
    Font - Lost Soup1779 - 12 hr. ago I relate to this so much. Additionally, an unexpected bonus is a huge reduction in my anxiety. He brings me joy and contentment too.
    via u/Lost_Soup1779
  • 05
    Font - Galaxy_IPA 13 hr. ago edited 12 hr. ago My cat has helped me make through the wost days and worst nights that I would have...unhealthy thoughts. When the anxiety and powerlessness is unbearable, I would just lie down on focus on taking deep breath. My cat is usually a troublemaking rascal, but it can sense when I am stressed out, sick, and unwell. She would stay with me as I am taking long breath calming down. My cat really helps me calm down, go to bed, and buckle up for another day. I d
    via u/Galaxy_IPA
  • 06
    Font - JoOples 13 hr. ago I'm new to the party cause we adopted our first ever cat about 2 months ago but she just makes my day brighter. I have a terrible day at work, I come home and see her waiting for me by her scratch post and the terrible day just melts away :) She always makes me laugh and it's just an absolute joy caring for her. Feeding time is honestly my favourite time of day because she is so vocal. That and she's a very snoozy lady and there's just something about her cat snoozy fac
    via u/JoOples
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    Cat
    via u/JoOples
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    Font - griffonfarm 13 hr. ago Cats have literally saved my life. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here. They also provide all the companionship and unconditional love I could ever need. I'm never lonely and my cats fill my life with joy. They give me a purpose and give me something meaningful to do, too. I do rescue work in my free time. I do TNR for the neighborhood feral and stray colonies, I socialize and rehome the ones I can, I provide daily food and shelter for the ones I can't catch a
    via u/griffonfarm
  • 09
    Font - bajahkazu 14 hr. ago . i own 3 cats, and they all mean the world to me. they're one of the few things holding me to life really :")) i don't know what i'd do without them whenever they do something i don't like or approve, instead of getting mad and start yelling, i remind myself that although they're going to be a small part of our lives (forever in my heart), we're their entire world<3
    via u/bajahkazu
  • 10
    Font - swallowyoursadness 11 hr. ago One of my cats was stolen from me for six days, by the worst kind of people. She was pregnant and they wanted to sell her babies. I saved her the day before she gave birth. Sometimes when I'm sitting with her now I get this really intense, overwhelming feeling of such deep gratitude that we got her back, that she is loved and safe and cared for. Sometimes she looks at me like she feels the same way
    via u/swallowyoursadness
  • 11
    Font - proveitlikeatheorem 12 hr. ago When my ex of 12 years and I got divorced, I rescued a 5 week old stray kitten who was on the brink of death. Having a kitten who legitimately NEEDED me for survival is probably the main reason I didn't collapse under the weight of heartbreak & depression. It's like that old rescue phrase, "who saved who?"
    via u/proveitlikeatheorem
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    Font - Obvious-Band-1149 14 hr. ago My cat helps to reduce my depression and anxiety. He's very attuned to moods and will sit near me when I'm sad. When my husband and I have one of our rare fights, he'll come sit between us as soon as he hears raised voices, and that usually calms us down. He also reminds me to slow down, be mindful, and enjoy a patch of sunlight.
    via u/Obvious-Band-1149
  • 13
    Font - gargravarr2112 - 13 hr. ago I read that, because cats have huge eyes and ears in proportion to their faces, we subconsciously interpret them as good listeners. It's why many people talk to their cats like people. I certainly do. My cat has become chatty since I started talking to him and he now talks back to me, and he has a really beautiful voice. I didn't know cats could sound as nice as he does. He's almost always demanding food but he still sounds lovely!
    via u/gargravarr2112
  • 14
    Font - He's a listener, a companion and an equal (or superior!). He's always around when I need someone to talk to. And he gives such lovely headbutts and physical contact, he's really affectionate. He makes me absolutely treasure our friendship.
    via u/gargravarr2112
  • 15
    Font - Ready Player_1984 · 13 hr. ago My little girl is the most empathetic creature I've ever encountered. She's always checking on her brothers if they're not feeling well. One of our cats has bad anxiety and she's basically his emotional support friend. She's also insanely silly and playful. Everything is a game to her, everything is about maximizing fun and happiness. I laugh all day long with her, just endless entertainment. But she also has seizures and has to take medication three times a
    via u/Ready_Player_1984
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    Font - amorypaz2015. 13 hr. ago I am a person who has adamantly never wanted kids. I still don't want them, but having cats has made me understand why people want them. I find myself cleaning their bums when something upsets their stomach (long hair cat probs), wiping up poop, and wanting to show everyone pics of them. I even happily let them inconvenience my sleep by laying in the centre of my bed at night leading to some interesting contortion in order to avoid kicking them.
    via u/amorypaz2015
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    Font - justanothermaroon - 12 hr. ago About 25 years ago, I was going to end my life but couldn't stand that nobody would take care of my cat.
    via u/justanothermaroon
  • 18
    Cat - NoWeight4300 9 hr. ago December 23rd, 2019: I had a bottle of sleeping pills in my hand and was about to swallow all 60. Mystique climbed onto my knee and started to yell at me. She saved my life.
    via u/NoWeight4300
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    Font - muppetnerd 11 hr. ago Pickles brought me out of a DEEP depression on top of reaching me what absolute unconditional love is. Did I spend most of my afternoon yesterday cleaning up liquid cat poop that what stepped in and then walked all over my tan carpet while also telling him I'm sorry his tummy hurt and snuggling him after I cleaned the litter mat in the bathtub and then bleached the bathtub down while not being annoyed or frustrated what so ever? Yes. Yes I did
    via u/muppetnerd
  • 20
    Cat - He is my literal number one. If there's a fire husband knows I'm saving pickles first
    via u/muppetnerd
  • 21
    Glasses - Such-Ordinary 10 hr. ago Our cats have literally saved our marriage. My husband is so.sweet with them, I can't help but live him.
    via u/Such-Ordinary
  • 22
    Font - ms_chiefmanaged 11 hr. ago Romantic relationship is not a possibility for me. But I needed to channel all the love I can give to a being. My cat is that repository. One day she will cross the rainbow bridge with all these love I gave her. I don't know what I will do then. I don't want to go back to feeling like I did before I met her.
    via u/ms_chiefmanaged
  • 23
    Cat - Summer NightAir 12 hr. ago He's the reason I'm still alive
    via u/SummerNightAir
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    Cat - Honeykombbaggins 12 hr. ago Russian Blue She's the reason I am
    via u/Honeykombbaggins
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    Font - scarr991 12 hr. ago When i was around 14 i got my cat. I was a gamer and spent every free Minute on my pc. hadnt had any friends and i fought with my mum everyday. I felt So lonely and unwanted. But when i got my cat she was always with me she was my only Light back then. About 7 yrs later i moved to my own Apartment but cats arent allowed there. I sneaked my cat in and it worked for a year. And then my neighbors found and instantly called my landlord. I rly hate These old Bastards. Movin
    via u/scarr991
  • 26
    Font - i See my grandpa He Talks alot about her and seems to rly enjoy her. Well if i move out here i think i cant take her back anymore cause my grandpa is rly happy with her.
    via u/scarr991
  • 27
    Font - SpicyChipDevourer. 13 hr. ago It's made me appreciate the little moments in life a lot more. My cat is getting up there in age at 14 and every moment I get to spend with her is all the more precious knowing how limited her time is. I'm going to miss her a lot when she passes.
    via u/SpicyChipDevourer
  • 28
    Font - reticular_formation 13 hr. ago I look forward to seeing her every day. I love waking up to her cuddles and purrs. It's like my life is filled with love where there was none before
    via u/reticular_formation
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    Font - obviouslyfbi 12 hr. ago My cat is possibly my reason for living these days. I'm in good mental health, but I feel my boy's world revolves around our time together. He's not the perfect cat, but he's the most loving animal I've had in my life. I used to be a 'dog person' before he came into my life.
    via u/obviouslyfbi
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    Font - uselessZZwaste 12 hr. ago When I cry my cats come to me and make sure I'm okay. They are the ones that make me feel like I'm supposed to still be here in the world. They cuddle with me when they feel I'm in a low spot. I don't know what I'd do without them.
    via u/uselessZZwaste
  • 31
    Font - FourFurryCats . 11 hr. ago My cats have been the most stabilizing force in my life. I've screwed up from time to time. Cats don't care. They won't bring up things from your past. I worry about the future from time to time. Sometimes to the point of sleepless nights, such is the life of a self-employed entrepreneur. Cats don't care. They live in the moment. The moment is everything.
    via u/FourFurryCats
  • 32
    Font - sarcasmismygame. 12 hr. ago Oh boy let me tell you how! My husband and I both had cats and dogs that we loved and lost so we vowed to never have one. My husband was especially firm about that. Anyways, we bought a house and someone dumped a lovely little grey tabby who had her first litter at 8 months old. She looked at us, went "Hmmm...." and we fell madly in love. She gives us purpose in our lives. No matter how bad a day we've had she's always there, greeting us and just enjoying our c
    via u/sarcasmismygame
  • 33
    Font - catefeu 14 hr. ago . They just make everyday so much more fun and exciting. I always considered myself a dog person but couldn't get one because of circumstances - so I figured cats would be a better choice. That was 3 years ago and now I can't imagine my life without those furry little . The way they greet you when you come home (when they're not asleep because LAZY), the way they tell you little meow-bbrrrr- maaaaaah stories, playing hide and seek with them... I'm just so much more rela
    via u/cafetu

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aww wholesome life adorable pets heartwarming cute saved save true story cute cats love kitty kitties stories Cats animals self love
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