As a cat mother and a college student, I can honestly say that having a cat in college has saved me on several occasions. My first year in college, I told my mother that if I stayed in a dorm my second year, I was registering one of our cats as an emotional support animal so I could keep them in my dorm.

She completely agreed.

She could tell just how stressed and depressed I was without having something there for me.

I got an apartment, so thankfully I didn't have to go through that process. I get to have the youngest of my family's three cats, Jasmine, and I love her to pieces.

All cat owners know how good it feels to have a cat. How nice it is to have a little purring furball to love on, to take care of, and to watch when they do something stupid. We all appreciate these things, especially when they curl up near us and purr as we pet them. But they do so many more things that we take for granted, like:

1. Keep us on a schedule

There is no real sleeping in anymore. Cats don't sleep in, so why should we? They make sure we're up and moving around around to take care of them at our normal time (or somewhere close to it).

We hate it, but maybe they know that sleeping in is the best way to ensure an unproductive morning and want to make sure we're taking care of ourselves like we take care of them.

2. Free foot exfoliation

Every time I go in the bathroom, I get a nice exfoliation for the bottom of my feet because of the litter she lovingly kicks out of her litter box.

While we hate the fact that our cats kick the annoying little buggers all over our nice bathroom floors, maybe they just want to make sure that we (and our guests) have smooth feet.

3. Parenting practice

If you have a cat and say you haven't had at least one experience where you couldn't figure out why your cat is making a noise, you're lying.

We've all had to deal with that at least once. Jasmine cries at me for seemingly no reason. She just wants to talk, so I'll talk back. I've held conversations with her that I don't think either of us really understood. I'm pretty sure this is practice for if I ever become a mother.

4. Beautiful cat music

Going along with your cat crying for seemingly no reason, have we ever thought that maybe they're wanting to sing for us? They hear us singing, which to them probably sounds like us making noise for no reason, so why wouldn't they want to sing as well?

Maybe we should thank them for letting us be audience to their solo concert, even if it's at three in the morning and taking place on your chest.

5. Getting groomed

One way cats show affection for each other is by grooming. So, really, it's only natural they'll want to groom their human.

Jasmine does this by licking my hand while I pet her. She purrs real loud, closes her eyes, and grooms me. Sometimes she'll go the extra mile and lick my face, specifically my forehead, between my eyebrows, and my nose.

It's like someone else exfoliating your pores, except that person uses a rough cat tongue, complete with the smells of cat food and cat butt. But, really, your cat is just doing their best to pet you back.

6. Biscuits in the middle of the night

Anyone who likes cats knows what a cat kneading looks like, and that is exactly what "making biscuits" is. But only some cat owners know what it's like to be woken up in the middle of the night because your cat decided to have midnight biscuits.

Jasmine has learned that the only way to have me join her for midnight biscuits is by jumping from her bed a foot above me and onto my stomach. Your cat just really wants you to be with them for this moment of utter comfort, as they purr and make biscuits because you make them that happy.

7. Forced breaks from working

Every cat owner knows the routine of trying to prevent your cat from getting onto your notebook/laptop/textbook/music, and ultimately failing.

We all know how it's impossible to make your cat go away until you've sufficiently loved on them. But maybe they're doing it for our benefit. Maybe they can tell we're getting stressed out and need a break, so they're providing that break for us.

8. You get sun

While most dogs require going outside to use the bathroom, cats have the nifty litter box. This means cat owners can lounge inside all day, no obligation to go outside. Some of our cats still demand some sun, so if you live somewhere with blinds or curtains, you have to open those up.

Cats need their sunbathing naps, after all.

So, maybe them demanding more sun is their way of making sure that you still get some sun despite staying indoors all day. They must know that it's healthy to get some sun every day.

9. Games of hide-and-seek

Even if your cat doesn't hate the vet or their monthly medicine, it's bound to have seemingly disappeared at some point, and made you look for it.

Jasmine has done that to my previous roommate and myself on more than one occasion. Cats just like to have their quiet spaces away from people, and I, as an extreme introvert, can understand that.

The perk for us humans is that it really makes us know our living space. Cat gone? Check that one corner between the couch and the end table. No cat, but you found that lollipop wrapped you lost two weeks ago! Still a win.

10. You end up doing a lot of cleaning

Litter boxes are a thing.

They're a fairly gross thing, too. Even if you have an automatic litter box, you have to clean out some part of it at some point, so why not clean the litter up in your bathroom, too?

Oh, and while you're at it, may as well shake out the bath mats to make sure all the litter is gone...and vacuum around the bathroom, a little outside the bathroom, to make sure it's all up.

Go ahead and vacuum your whole room, actually, it's been a while since it's gotten that. Since the cat's toilet is now clean, why shouldn't yours be, too? And your sink? Really, cleaning the litter box can easily turn into a slippery slope of cleaning everything.

That's not a bad thing!

11. They make you shop

While you may be able to survive off of what scraps are in your apartment, once your cat is out of food, they are simply out of food. All that can be done is to go out and buy more.

If your cat's food can be bought at a regular grocery store, you may as well buy yourself some more while you're out. After all, you're already shopping, right? Your cat may not be directly making sure you have enough food in your pantries, but having to feed them also results in making sure you're feeding yourself.