Animals always seem to know when you are sick, hurting or stressing and they make themselves available to you as little furry comforters. My cat is no exception, even though she only tolerates just so much cuddling, she will always hang around me if I'm not feeling well. If I'm stressed out a bit, I can reach for her and her soft fur does help a little. Getting away from the stressful situation is what helps me out the most, but my kitty is a huge health benefit and I love having her around. When I lived with multiple cats they were a real blessing. If I needed a little cuddle time, one or another of them was always around to provide that, so a nice little soft and furry squeeze would always bring a smile to my face even during the worst stressful moments. I call it 'stealing some soft', and sometimes I'll say that to my girl. "Hey baby girl, I need some soft, can I steal some from you?" I swear that cat rolls her eyes at me. Then she sighs and puts up with my hugging, but only for a little bit. She does have self-respect, you know. It's a give and take thing too, I've noticed. When she's stressing out, she will come and find me wherever I happen to be, and sit by my feet, as if to say, "make it stop, mom." Cats are just that smart.
