Diary of a Cat Mom
Diary of a Cat Mom is a reflective cat podcast created and hosted by Dagmar Gatell about understanding cats more deeply — and creating a calmer, more connected life for both you and your cats.
Based on real experiences caring for over 50 cats throughout her life, each episode shares quiet observations, emotional moments, caregiving reflections, and gentle insights from everyday life with cats. From routines, behavior, and emotional wellbeing to grief, gratitude, overstimulation, trust, and the small meaningful moments many people overlook — this is not a traditional “how-to” podcast, but a space for understanding, awareness, and lived experience.
Beyond cat care itself, Diary of a Cat Mom also explores our connection to nature, emotional presence, personal growth, and the way our inner state can influence the animals who share our lives. Because living with cats is never only about feeding and routines — it’s also about energy, safety, trust, patience, and how we show up emotionally in the spaces we create together.
Created for cat lovers who see their cats as family, this podcast offers companionship, reassurance, perspective, and emotional support during seasons of caregiving, uncertainty, healing, change, and letting go.
Diary of a Cat Mom is a personal storytelling podcast and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Every cat is unique, and medical or behavioral concerns should always be discussed with a trusted veterinarian or qualified professional.
You’re not alone on this journey.
We’re learning, loving, and growing together — one paw print at a time.
Diary of a Cat Mom
Ep. 67 - Why Your Cat Is Not a Low-Maintenance Pet 🐾 👑
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Many people think cats are low-maintenance pets. Feed them, clean the litter box, and let them do their own thing.
But anyone who has lived closely with cats knows the truth is very different.
In this episode of Diary of a Cat Mom, I share what I learned after living with multiple cats, why every cat has a unique personality, and how understanding your cat often feels like learning an entirely new language.
I also talk about the book Decoding Your Cat, observations from daily life with my cats, and the surprising ways our cats may be helping us emotionally and physically without us even realizing it. Based on the episode transcript.
What You'll Learn in this Cat Podcast Episode
- Why cats are not truly low-maintenance pets
- How every cat develops a unique personality
- What cats communicate through body language and routines
- Why observation is one of the most important cat parenting skills
- How cats may positively affect human health and well-being
- Why understanding your cat creates a stronger bond
Timestamps & Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:18 The Myth of the Low-Maintenance Cat
01:01 Every Cat Has a Different Personality
01:55 What Decoding Your Cat Taught Me
02:40 Why Observation Matters
03:15 How Cats Help Humans Too
03:55 The Real Gift of Understanding Your Cat
This is where I’ve gathered everything that supports me and my cats:
https://diaryofacatmom.com/cat-care-resources/
About the Diary of a Cat Mom Podcast
Diary of a Cat Mom is a quiet, personal cat podcast created by Dagmar Gatell, sharing real moments, emotions, and experiences from life with cats.
This space is meant for connection, comfort, and companionship. Everything shared comes from lived experience as a cat mom and is not intended as professional veterinary advice. Every cat is unique, and for health concerns, it’s always best to consult your trusted veterinarian.
Most of all, please remember:
You’re not alone on this journey. We’re learning, loving, and growing together — one paw print at a time.
Diary of a catmal. Day's diary entry. Why your cat is not a low maintenance pet. You're listening to Diary of a Cat Mum. People often say cats are low maintenance pets. You put down food, clean the litter box, and they take care of themselves. But if you have lived with cats for any length of time, you probably know this is not true. Cats may be independent, but they are not low maintenance. They have emotions, preferences, routines, and totally unique personalities. And sometimes understanding what they need can feel like learning a whole new language. So when I first started living with multiple cats, I thought they would all be similar. Like a cat is a cat, right? Not even close. One cat wants constant attention and follows me everywhere. Another prefers to sit quietly nearby but doesn't want to be touched. One loves visitors and runs to greet them close at the door, and another one disappears under the bed the moment someone knocks. They go and come out for days. The more cats I welcomed into my life, the more I realized every single one had a completely different personality. That really led me to read, I'm not sure if you're familiar with the book, Decoding Your Cat. It's written by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. What I loved the most about it is there are actually reasons behind the behavior. Cats communicate constantly, so body language, routine, sound. And the challenge is that we humans don't always understand what they're trying to tell us. I think the biggest shift for me was realizing that caring for cats isn't just about food, order, and letterboxes. It's really about observation. It's about learning who each cat is as an individual. And the funny thing is that while we spend so much time caring for our cats, they often help us too. Research has shown that petting a cat can help reduce stress, lower heart rates, and lower blood pressure. Some studies have even suggested that if children grow up with cats, they may have a lower risk of developing asthma. So while cats require more emotional attention and understanding, then people may realize they also give back in ways you often don't notice. If your cat feels complicated sometimes, you're not doing anything wrong. Cats are not low maintenance because they are simply not. Unique individuals, their own personalities, preferences, and ways of seeing the world. The more time you spend observing them, listening to them, and learning from them, the easier life gets together. And somewhere along the way you may discover that while you are taking care of your cat, your cat is quietly taking care of you too. Thank you for being here with me. This is Diary of a Cat Mom. Don't miss the next entry. There's always another little moment, another lesson, another story waiting to be shared. I will talk to you in the next entry. Diary of the cat mom.