My cat made me who I am. I know this sounds crazy and extreme, but many dedicated, diehard cat owners can agree that owning a cat makes you who you are. Owning a cat is not the same as owning a dog. Owning a cat is probably one of the most important, impactful things you’ll do in your life. From age 1 to 90, being a cat owner matters. When you’re young, your cat is your favorite play date, when you’re older, your cat is your life partner; but it’s always there. As we grow up, our cat is our first love and our strongest love. Every person’s relationship with his or her cat is different and every cat has a different personality, but a relationship with a cat is one of the strongest, most intimate, unbreakable relationship you can have. Your cat sees you coming home and leaving, even if they’re asleep. Your cat knows how you’re feeling and it may seem like they don’t care, but they do. They understand you, and you understand them. You know when they’re happy; you know when they want to be left alone. The best part of my day is when I get to unwind in my bed with my lifelong friend. My cat sleeps with me every night and has committed to sleeping with me every night since the day I got her, my first cat slept with me every night too. My cats and me have grown together and we have a relationship different than any other human relationship. My cat is there to comfort me and cry with me. No matter if it’s a new cat or an old cat, your cat is always there. They have seen you at your worst and at your best. When I look back at the past, when I’m not home and feeling homesick, I remember how it feels to have a cat. You don’t realize how dependent you are on your cat until you are forced to live away from them or be without them. You miss their presence and their steady purrs. Everyone should experience owning a cat and parents should buy a cat for their young child. Your cat and your child will take care of each other. You may not have one of those internet-famous cats, but your cat is special. You and your cat have a bond that can never be broken. Your cat has been here, your cat is part of what makes you, you.