Branding Lessons from a Three-Legged Cat

By Susie Taylor | Contributor WBN News | 19 Jun 2025

Cassie is my three-legged cat and one of my best business mentors — though she doesn’t know it.

About 15 years ago, Cassie was living the rugged life of a farm cat. After being run over by a piece of equipment, she roamed the farmyard for nearly a year with a mangled front leg, still catching mice and birds, still raising a litter of kittens. She didn’t stop. She adapted. She kept showing up, even when her body said she shouldn’t be able to.

Eventually, she developed a serious infection, and I brought her home. The vet removed her damaged leg, and I wondered if her days of bold survival were over.

They weren’t.

Cassie is still going strong. Sure, she’s slower now. She doesn’t hunt anymore (unless you count chasing sunbeams). Her right cheek is always smudged — turns out grooming is tricky with only one front paw. But she still explores, plays, and climbs with a defiant charm that says, “I’m still here, and I’m still me.”

And that’s where the marketing lesson lives.

Your brand doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be resilient.

Too many business owners believe that a “strong brand” means glossy photos, flawless messaging, and never showing vulnerability. But people don’t connect with perfection. They connect with persistence.

Cassie’s story reminds me that the quirks and scrapes in your journey are the very things that set your brand apart. When you acknowledge your imperfections, the hard-earned lessons, the failures, the pivots, you humanize your business. You build trust. You invite your audience to see themselves in your story.

Here’s how Cassie’s resilience translates into marketing strength:

Authenticity builds connection. Cassie’s not trying to hide her missing leg. She owns it. Brands that show up with honesty, not just hype, create deeper, lasting relationships.
Adversity creates brand loyalty. When people see what you’ve overcome, they root for you. They remember you. They refer you. Just like I tell Cassie’s story, your clients will tell yours if you make it meaningful.
Differentiation lies in your story. No one else has Cassie’s path. And no one else has yours. Use that. Your journey is part of your value proposition. Don’t bury it. Brand it.

So next time you’re wrestling with what to say in your About page, launch email, or keynote talk, channel Cassie.

Tell the truth.
Show the limp.
Share the lesson.
Then leap anyway.

Because branding isn’t about perfection. It’s about perseverance. And Cassie — even with three legs and a dirty cheek — is still my favorite example of that.

Contact: Susie Taylor - susie.taylor.writer@outlook.com

Tags: #Resilient Branding #Authentic Marketing #Storytelling #Entrepreneur Life #Cassie The Cat #Marketing Mindset #Brand Messaging #Business With Heart