Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five funny cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
I have a confession to make: I am addicted to my phone. There, I said it. I’m not proud of it, I try to fight it, but I know I’m not alone.
I’m sure many of my fellow Catsters out there are familiar with that compulsion to check your phone every 5 minutes (if we can wait that long) for messages, likes, gossip, or funny clips. Losing hours in the TikTok rabbit hole, “doom-scrolling” into the wee hours of the morning, knowing too well that we are victims of addictive algorithms designed to keep us doing exactly that. At one stage, I even downloaded an app to try to break my phone habits; the irony of using a phone program for my phone addiction is not lost on me! But the allure of adorable animal videos, funny antics, and emotional rescue stories keep me coming back for more.
There is one thing, however, that never fails to make me put my phone down, even if it’s reluctantly, and that’s a big fluffy cat’s butt on my face!
Cyril is definitely the main culprit in my house, and unfortunately he is also the heaviest of my cats sitting on my chest. Although she is initially met with frustration, her determination to place herself firmly between me and my screen, eventually forces me to put down the phone and enjoy her demanding feline attention. Clutch and Alex’s approach tends to be a combination of sad meowing and forcefully rubbing their head against my phone until I give up and turn my attention away from the screen to give them the distraction they want, and deserve . And if you think about it, how ridiculous is it that I ignore the real, wonderful creatures I live with at home to watch clips of other people’s cats, dogs, or pets?
Side note, I don’t think that wild animals should be pets, but I want a raccoon so badly!! 😆
Why Should I Fight It?
I love cats. I love all animals, as I know you all do. So why is irritation my first reaction to my cats between me and my phone? Crazy right? If you’ve watched it The Social Dilemma, it’s really scary to see how smartly technology social media companies and advertisers are using our habits and keeping us glued to our screens. Like many people, I deleted the apps and suspended my Instagram account immediately after the documentary ended. And like most of them, I was back within a few weeks.
The problem is that without our phones, we miss out on so much of what’s going on in the world. Not only that, but our knowledge and awareness can be greatly enhanced by what we watch and read online, as long as we look in the right places. So, I accept my constant companionship as a necessary evil, and hope that by clicking on more educational links, my personalized algorithms will help keep me on track, although I still can’t resist a good racoon clip!
With the help of my cats, I am also learning to relax.
How My Cats Helped Me Switch Off
With the possible exception of the latter grumpy cat, our feline friends don’t care about the internet. They are not into following trends or likes, and the only tweets they care about are those coming from birds. What matters to them is that the person they love, the person they deem worthy of their attention and affection, worships the little rectangle in their hand instead of them.
We all know that cats can be aloof. Their independent nature means they don’t seem to needed our love, making it even more special when they seek it. So when I find my screen blocked by Cyril’s squishy butt, or my phone being nudged by gentle head bumps, I take that as my cue to put the phone down and spend time with my cats. I give them my full attention, which they really deserve. As a result, I find it easier to put down my phone more often, disconnecting from it to connect with the world around me.
Although it may not be their intention, my wonderful cats help me manage my phone addiction and improve my mental health and well-being; another reason cats are awesome.
