Halloween Kitty
Let me start by saying that I DO NOT celebrate Halloween. I don't put up
pictures of ghosts or goblins and I don't hand out candy to the "Trick or
Treat - ers". We have all seen pictures of black cats, though, with bowed
back, tail in the air and every hair sticking straight out. Thus the title.
Clyde is a Burmese cat that allows me to cohabitate with him and his sister
Bonnie. Normally Clyde is a friendly little creature, non-violent in nature, and
content to let things be as they are. He even tolerates his 'Niece', Salida, a
golden retriever, when she comes to visit. … Until one day …
Rocky, a border collie, and his 'Mommy' came to visit. As expected Clyde
disappeared into another room and Rocky was lying on the living floor listening
to the conversation between his 'Mommy' and myself. Imagine my surprise to hear
definite 'Kitty Cursing' coming from the other room. Out stalked Clyde, back
high, tail in the air and every hair sticking straight out, muttering curses
that would have caused me to spit soap bubbles had my mother heard any such
uttering from me. He swaggered into the room and attacked the unsuspecting
Rocky, all the time muttering his opinion of Rocky and all of dogdom. After a
second attack he stalked back to the other room where he proceeded to mutter and
growl for several minutes.
What caused my usually mild-mannered cat to react in such a manner? I don't know
but maybe it was because Rocky was a male and Clyde thought he should be the
only male in the house. I really don't know. He treats Salida, his 'niece', with
respect - even tolerance.
Jesus tells us: "Let me tell you how to experience real happiness. Do
something good to those who don't like you, say something good about them who
curse you, and pray for those who mistreat and exploit you to further their own
interests." (In Luke 6:27, 28 GNB) Later in the chapter he
admonishes us to turn the other cheek and if someone asks for our coat, give him
our cloak also.
We are human beings, created in the image of God. He expects more from us than
to retaliate. Clyde doesn't know any better. We do!
Wynona Gordon