I often tell my 2 cats how stupid they are while i cuddle them - as long as your voice tone says “you are such a cute furball and i love you” they don’t care, and it is therapeutic for me after the batshit insane one goes on a rampage destroying dishes (not on purpose, just collateral damage), creating chaos either with his zoomies or using his tail like a wrecking ball to shove everything on the couch table onto the ground including my glass of water, and hunting his sister who absolutely does not approve.