“Suddenly, Birbo came into my life. I was helping a stranger for just a few days… her story about that little cat, who had come all the way from Sicily by plane thanks to a relay, had been kept in a vet's cage for a month to be treated for ringworm, and was now living with a family tired of broken knick-knacks, scratched curtains, and forced to keep him in the dark all day because it was crucial to secure and alarm the house in the safest way, gripped my heart like a vice. I didn’t know her, and I didn’t know cats either, but I certainly couldn’t remain indifferent to her words. It was important to get him out of that situation—then I would figure out what to do. I couldn’t bring myself to part with him. Today, my Birbo is a handsome big cat who shares my love for good food and company, wearing an elegant black coat that may have intimidated our ancestors… but certainly not me! My adventure with the feline world began like this, leading to many events, some of them dramatic, such as the sudden loss of my very young Sgrinfio. But I didn’t stop, and today I know so much more about them than I did before. I treasure this knowledge every day, and I can proudly say I have a wonderful life with my feline family, made up of my five splendid companions who form a close and united group. My fundamental question has often been: how did they manage to change my life so much, enriching it to the point of wanting to learn more about them? Is the cat truly such a magical being? Yes, for me, it is. And I am ready to mobilize the world to see them happy and well.”

I was delighted to discover that I am in good company with this idea. After all, this animal—listed among the 100 most damaging species on the planet, which kills prey not out of hunger but driven by movement, sometimes performing impressive martial arts just to achieve its goal—walks with a stealthy step at night only to pounce on us in our sleep with its full weight. Shaped by evolution to be a solitary predator yet capable of forming profoundly deep bonds, it is now the most common animal in our homes. Despite Winston Churchill’s famous phrase, “Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us,” those who own one often end up with more—sometimes even too many! Thankfully, today, Churchill’s remark, much like many others that describe cats as selfish, solitary, independent, or opportunistic, is being reconsidered and challenged.

In my discussions and consultations—some scientific, others psychological, and others empathetic—I aim to describe the many advantages of understanding the nature of cats: their sociability, their social behavior, their feline communication (both social and empathetic). By understanding our feline companions and establishing a proper and balanced dialogue and relationship with them, we can achieve truly positive outcomes on a global scale.

Promoting a cat's social well-being also means promoting its physical well-being. Today, we are aware of certain pathologies caused by the unnatural environment of our homes, and their occurrence is increasing. These issues lead to behaviors such as elimination outside the litter box, idiopathic cystitis, destructive behaviors, and even depression.