Feline Philosophy

An idea of an afterlife emerged along with human beings. Around 115,000 years ago, graves were being fashioned containing animal bones, flowers, medicinal herbs and valuables such as ibex horns. By 35,000–40,000 years ago, complete survival kits – food, clothing and tools – were being placed in graves throughout the world.6 Humankind is the death-defined animal.

A better understanding of cats, and of the limits of philosophy, was shown by Michel de Montaigne (1533–92), who wrote: ‘When I play with my cat, how do I know that she is not passing time with me rather than I with her?’

Cats have no need of philosophy. Obeying their nature, they are content with the life it gives them. In humans, on the other hand, discontent with their nature seems to be natural. With predictably tragic and farcical results, the human animal never ceases striving to be something that it is not. Cats make no such effort. Much of h