--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nevertheless, once you pick up a stray…" description: "\"“Nevertheless, once you pick up a stray cat and feed it, you cannot abandon it. Self-love forbids it. The cat’s welfare becomes essential to your own p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/robert-a-heinlein-209_cats_nevertheless-once-you-pick-up-a-stray-ca_2851338.jpg" --- # Nevertheless, once you pick up a stray cat and feed it… ![“Nevertheless, once you pick up a stray cat and feed it, you cannot abandon it. Self-love forbids it. The cat’s welfare becomes essential to your own peace of mind—even when it’s a bloody nuisance not to break faith with the cat.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/robert-a-heinlein-209_cats_nevertheless-once-you-pick-up-a-stray-ca_2851338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/robert-a-heinlein-209_cats_nevertheless-once-you-pick-up-a-stray-ca_2851338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/robert-a-heinlein-209_cats_nevertheless-once-you-pick-up-a-stray-ca_2851338.jpg) > ““Nevertheless, once you pick up a stray cat and feed it, you cannot abandon it. Self-love forbids it. The cat’s welfare becomes essential to your own peace of mind—even when it’s a bloody nuisance not to break faith with the cat.”” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caring for a vulnerable being creates a bond that mirrors self‑care and inner peace. **In simple terms:** Feeding a cat makes you care for yourself. Key Takeaway Treat responsibilities as extensions of self‑love. Themes compassion responsibility self‑care Mood thoughtful inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - adopting pets - volunteering - mindful living Key Concepts ethical duty emotional attachment Questions to Reflect On - What small act could you not abandon? - How does caring for others reflect on yourself? A Different Perspective Neglecting small duties can erode personal integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat-welfare-3796427/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Faith Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-cat-3796429/) [Pick Stray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick-stray-3796428/) [Stray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stray/) [Stray Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stray-cat-856058/) ## Related quotes > [Never pick up a stray kitten . . . unless you've already made up your mind to be owned by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-pick-up-a-stray-kitten-unless-you-ve-already-made-up-your-mind/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“View a Copycat as a Stray Cat.. They stray through the day hunting down prey. They pick up a scent through steel or cement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-addino/view-a-copycat-as-a-stray-cat-they-stray-through-the-day-hunting-down/) [Victoria Addino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-addino/) > [Nana acts like a stray cat, wild, free, and proud… ...But inside her heart, she houses a wound. Dense as I am, i thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-yazawa/nana-acts-like-a-stray-cat-wild-free-and-proud-but-inside-her-heart/) [Ai Yazawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-yazawa/) > [“You’re taking a stray cat but leaving behind your man?” Colbie’s heart twisted. Her man… “He doesn’t fit into the cat carrier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/you-re-taking-a-stray-cat-but-leaving-behind-your-man-colbie-s-heart/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [“Where the hell is your sense of self-preservation, woman? You reckless, beautiful, stray cat!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-ross/where-the-hell-is-your-sense-of-self-preservation-woman-you-reckless/) [Sandra Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-ross/) > [I had two cats growing up that were indoor/outdoor and both of them died from being hit by a car. One of them, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/i-had-two-cats-growing-up-that-were-indoor-outdoor-and-both-of-them/) [Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/) > [“He fell in love with a skinny stray cat that would skulk around the dining hall during meals. Every day, Jake would offer it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/he-fell-in-love-with-a-skinny-stray-cat-that-would-skulk-around-the/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [You were a stray cat, strutting so free and full of pride. But I could see your open wound. And without really thinking I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-yazawa/you-were-a-stray-cat-strutting-so-free-and-full-of-pride-but-i-could/) [Ai Yazawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-yazawa/) > [“Of course, you know how it is when a stray cat follows you home; once they adopt you, there's just no getting rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-brooks/of-course-you-know-how-it-is-when-a-stray-cat-follows-you-home-once/) [Cheryl Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-brooks/) > [“Each of us has only a quantum of compassion. That if we lavish our concern on every stray cat, we never get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/each-of-us-has-only-a-quantum-of-compassion-that-if-we-lavish-our/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“I am a kind of stray cat, aren’t I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-am-a-kind-of-stray-cat-aren-t-i/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [“Are your bites infectious? A stray cat bit a servant at the Agam estate when I was young. She lost her whole arm." Quinton's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lidell/are-your-bites-infectious-a-stray-cat-bit-a-servant-at-the-agam/) [Alex Lidell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lidell/) > [“I'm like a stray cat. If you feed me, I don't leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-m-pillow/i-m-like-a-stray-cat-if-you-feed-me-i-don-t-leave/) [Michelle M. Pillow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-m-pillow/) > [“You were the stray cat who wandered into my verses and finally found your way home—dumpster diving deep within yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/you-were-the-stray-cat-who-wandered-into-my-verses-and-finally-found/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [I have to deal with seven ex-stray dogs, and one ex-stray cat. One dog is nearing nineteen years old. Before I go to teach,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-singleton/i-have-to-deal-with-seven-ex-stray-dogs-and-one-ex-stray-cat-one-dog/) [George Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-singleton/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. 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