Cats have always held a special place in my heart. Their grace, independence, and sheer audacity make them endlessly fascinating. But despite my affection, I don’t keep pets—not because I lack the desire, but because I have a deep respect for the natural order of things.
When I had a garden spacious enough for a cat to roam freely, I shared my life with a feline companion. He came and went as he pleased, living as cats are meant to—scratching trees instead of furniture, roaming the earth instead of confined walls. That’s the way I believe animals should live: true to their nature, unaltered by human convenience.
I can’t bring myself to clip a cat’s nails or neuter them simply because I want to protect my belongings. It feels wrong to alter an animal’s natural state for my comfort. The same goes for keeping birds in cages—it’s a concept I find deeply unsettling.
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of hosting the daily visits of neighbors’ cats—each one adopting me in their own way. One of these felines was a grey tabby I nicknamed Oscar della Renta. This feline wonder kept me company for many years until I left the city of Milan. My neighbors knew that Oscar was practically living on my terrace year round. They were ok with it and so was I.
These unspoken arrangements have brought me joy without the trappings of ownership. They’d saunter in as if the house were theirs, share a moment of quiet company, then leave to follow their instincts.
It’s a dynamic I treasure: animals choosing to be with me, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Words Have Power 