The Cat

Ok, it is not an invention, but the cat as a phenomenon is certainly interesting. My calendar on my desk is one that gives me a new picture of a cat every day except for some days when it gives citations of things said about cats and the citation for today is "Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.". I kind of like that citation even if I don't consider it to be true: cats have a function even if it is a very subtle one. Cats are company. Cats are companions. Cats can make the owners feel good about themselves. If you make a cat purr you feel a warm lump in your stomach of satisfaction for some reason. Cats as individuals might be the most selfish creatures in the world, but for some reason they still have the ability to make us feel good. They are soft, warm, and, if you have befriended them enough, very loyal. Well.... in short: cats are, if you are frank about it, completely useless, but we still are prepared to shape our lives around them.