The inner lives of cats: what our feline friends really think about hugs, happiness and humans

They do what they want, all the time – and can teach us a lot about how to live in the present, be content and learn from our experience

A cat, thinking about keeping safe, yesterday

I wanted to know the exact amount of time I spend ruminating on the inner lives of my cats, so I did what most people do in times of doubt, and consulted Google. According to my search history, in the two years since I became a cat owner I have Googled variations of “cat love me – how do I tell?” and “is my cat happy” 17 times. 

I have also inadvertently subscribed to cat-related updates from the knowledge website Quora, which emails me a daily digest. (Sample: Can Cats Be Angry or Disappointed With Their Owner?)