Why they live only for 3 years when they can live for 16 years.... a corporate message

The life span of indoor and outdoor cats has an interesting management message to convey to the corporate world. It is reported that the indoor cats could survive nearly 14 - 16 years as against 3 - 4 years of survival chance of outdoor cats. Why the survival chance of cats is very short 'outdoor'?

All domestic animals are supposed to have risen from the wild. Animals, especially the cats, prefer to be 'free roamers'. The interesting question is why the cats with such instinct for 'freedom', fails to live long in outdoor environment. The distinction between domestic versus wild can be understood but not between 'indoor and outdoor'. If the survival chance of domestic animals are argued to be long as against their wild counterparts can be fully accepted. But why the distinction exists within domestic as 'outdoor and indoor'?

Chance for getting exposed to various diseases, predation, accident etc., is some of the recognized reasons for the short survival of cats in outdoor environment. The question is why the cats exhibit such high susceptibility/vulnerability? Are they not immune or resistant to these problems? Is domestication the cause for the above? If so, are all domestic animals lives short in outdoor habitat?

In fact 'domestication' includes both indoor and outdoor surroundings of human beings.

All the domestic cats are hybrids. Hybrid cats need best care and protection. They are highly susceptible to various problems in outdoor habitat, hence fails to live long.

Fate of the hybrid cats and their vulnerability in outdoor environment essentially reflects the plight of many employees in the corporate world. Many employees have transformed as 'hybrids' and may not survive anywhere else than the organization where they work. Even if they leave the corporate, will comes back the same corporate due to the above reason. Due to the corporate reality and compulsion, most employees loose their 'originality' and become the mere 'by-product' of the corporate.

Domestication is relatively less dangerous than becoming 'hybrid'. 'Get used to' is different 'getting conditioned'. If one feels comfortable to work in one corporate is fine but if the same thinking reach the proportion of they cannot live anywhere else other than the said corporate is detrimental.

Introspect deeply to understand whether you exist like an indoor cat in the corporate. Learn your vulnerability, compulsions and learn how to overcome them. Help yourself if possible and be successful. Nature, with its full of management wisdom is there to enlighten you.

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

Learn more from the following management books
1. Jungle wisdom for corporate management – lessons from the university of nature by Swami Sukhabodhananda and Dr S Ranganathan

2. Nature – The Entrepreneur by Dr S Ranganathan

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai