Feline Failings

Over the years I’ve had many cats.  And though they’ve all had different personalities they’ve been extremely lovable. Then came Nutmeg.  Don’t get me wrong, I do love her.  She’s a big part of our family, and has been for nearly nine years. But she’s far from the sweet, compliant cats I’m used to. 

The basic problem is she wants her way in everything: what she eats, where she sits, what time she comes in or goes out.  And if she doesn’t get it she’s not above hissing, biting, deliberately upsetting something on the counter, or taking flying leaps off a high place to land near your head.

She’s smart enough to know how to be an anarchist, but not always smart enough to know what’s good for her.  She doesn’t understand, for instance, that her favorite food produces crystals in her urine so she can’t have it anymore.  Or that it’s not good for her to go outside when the pest control man is spraying. Or that I can’t work when she sits on top of my keyboard.  (One of her favorite positions is in front of my monitor and sprawled over my keyboard. She actually deleted some of my text last week!)

But because I love her even during these times she’s decidedly unlovable, I try to be patient without encouraging or rewarding her bad behavior.  After all, it’s my responsibility to train her. And that’s a challenge due to her strong rebellious tendencies.

And all this to say, sometimes we’re not lovable either. And most of the time we want our own way, even when it’s not good for us. And just as I don’t stop loving Nutmeg when she’s less than what I’d like her to be, so God doesn’t stop loving us because of our failings. And how patiently He trains us! Even during those times when He allows unpleasant circumstances to enter our lives. It is, after all, His duty to discipline His unruly children.

And in the end, aren’t you glad He does? There’s nothing so unattractive as an out of control, disobedient child . . . or cat.

Until next week,

Sylvia