By: Elaine Xu

If you had the ability to transform into one animal, which one would you choose? If I had this amazing ability, I would choose to turn into a cat. This kind of cute animal is usually someone’s pet, so I would be treated nicely. Also, cats aren’t really that small, so I wouldn’t get eaten or stepped on by other animals.

Cats usually have a simple life. Imagine a life where everything that you want, from a full food bowl to a perfectly scratched tummy, is provided for you. Also, they spend a lot of time napping and playing. That’s the life of a cat.

A cat’s senses of smell, sight, and hearing are much better than a human’s. Cats can smell the faintest whiff of tuna from across the house or someone barbequing two blocks away. A cat can spot the flutter of a moth in the dark, which is invisible to human eyes. Their ears can hear the rustle of a grasshopper meters away, a sound that won’t be heard by the human ear.

Cats are incredibly athletic and can jump, climb, and contort themselves in ways humans can only dream of. They have legs like springs, so a cat can launch itself onto countertops in a single, silent jump. Their bodies can twist and turn, which lets them squeeze easily through impossibly tight spaces.

Unlike insects, cats don’t have a lot of predators, especially if they’re someone’s pet. Insects are constantly on someone’s “to-eat” list. Birds, lizards, frogs, and even other insects see insects as a tasty snack.

If you turn into one of the animals in legends, like dragons, unicorns, or dinosaurs, you would have to stay hidden from humans. If the humans find you, they’ll put you in a museum or a zoo, where you won’t have any freedom, and people will always be looking at you.

Some people may want to turn into birds because they want to fly and look at the world from high above the ground, where most animals are stuck. However, I think flying is a bad idea. When flying, it is easy for birds to crash into airplanes or trees and fall right down. Also, you might suddenly get tired and stop flying. Both of those possibilities wouldn’t end well.

In conclusion, becoming a cat allows you to be comfortable, have great senses, and be athletic, all without the risks of being hunted or eaten. So, if I were given the chance to transform into an animal, I would definitely choose to change into a cat.