Well. Probably part of it is because you never really ‘own’ a cat. Each cat which has graced my life has always remained an individual, with a distinct personality and plenty of quirks. ‘Ownership’ never became part of their lives or mine.
Co-discoverers of the universe is perhaps a more apt description … no matter how large or small that universe was.
A cat is a cat. No contradiction in that equation.
Abishag, Ira and Kezia 