Of Cats and Humans

Uggy

Zaza

Maffin

Zaza is sick. She is our 80 (human) years old cat who's been with us since the kids were still kids and my husband was still alive. Her alternate name when she gets grouchy is Ms Touch-Me-Not-Or-Else.  Well, that's what I call her anyway. She is not your everyday nice kitty. In fact she is really not very nice; she even bites the hand that feeds her, whosoever hand that happens to be. So you better not even go near her when she's in a foul mood. You can tell that is when she flicks her tail at you. And no, she's not grouchy because she's old (unlike her human owners). She is just plain grouchy, even when she was young.

We have 2 other cats lazing around and in the house. Actually discounting all that fur flying in the air, the occasional vomit and smelly poo in the garden, the cats all make for interesting observation, not to mention we get to love them in a way we can't seem to do with humans. So we all go Ooh and Ahh over sweet old Uggy, the eldest ''queen' of the house whenever she mews as her stomach calls, which is often. Of course on the off-side, we also get to scold and reprimand in a way we don't do with humans. Especially when the youngest kid on the block, Maffin the Terrible somehow gets his claws under the food-cover to drag out the nasi lemak we just bought for breakfast or sips from our mugs on the table, ignoring his own bowl of water on the floor. Zaza obviously takes the cake for bad moods.

Incidentally, all 3 cats are not related to each other, yet they know how to live together under 1 roof, as peaceably as cats can. Typically Zaza fights and bullies her way to be big boss. The other 2 give way, although occasionally Maffin would risk a swipe to get at more food than his given share. Uggy the sweetie pie of course just walks away. Sometimes she just sits with her face to the wall and stares at it for ages. And I wonder in fascination, what's going through that cat-brain of hers; what does she see on a white wall?

Animals can be so like human beings,  or perhaps it is the other way round. Some people you can relate to and love so easily. Some you touch at own risk with a 10 foot pole. Others you just wish you could give them 2 (or more tight) slaps to get them to behave. Or lock them up in the bathroom for time-outs like we do do to Maffin when he continually jumps onto the table to join us at dinner. Yet if we consider we are all under the 'homo sapiens' family, we really should, must, love one another, in spite of our individual differences.  After all God doesn't just love the sweet obedient people, or the folks who run up a mile long list of good deeds. And even if I were dumb enough to spend all day staring at blank walls, He would still love me. The strangest thing is He can love the unlovable - the 'grouches' of the world - the ones who resent, rebuke, reject, doubt, desert and deny Him, the ones with a Touch-Me-Not 10 km steel barb fence guarding their hearts.  Which just goes to show it isn't about us. He loves us because He chooses to.  It's that simple  Isn't it great to know Someone loves you not because of who you are/aren't, what you have/don't have, can/can't do, did/didn't do, but just because He does. 

Coming back to cats, we had to take Zaza to the vet several times. Every trip is a nightmare because she just hisses and glares at us when we try to get her into the cage.  As for the vet, well, he once remarked, "This isn't a cat, it's a tigress." Hmmm, with that kind of history, I am wondering if he increased his fees this time for increased 'hazards' of the job. Zaza's injections and medication have crossed the $600 mark. And she is still not well. Apparently she has a bad case of gingivitis which has spread to her lungs. Heck, I didn't know cats can also get their gums infected like humans. And I thought it was just a stuck nose and dirty eye muck. Worse case scenario - pull out all her teeth, which leaves me thinking that's pretty cruel, I mean what if I had all my teeth pulled out, how am I gonna enjoy my food? Not to mention it would probably cost a bomb - what, this would be like major open heart surgery on a human being, right? Absolute worst case scenario - put her down. Man, that would be tough. After such a long time with us, and despite her being such a grouch, Zaza is family and much loved.

I tell my kids, please if ever I get to such a stage where I can't talk, move or whatever, don't you dare  put me down. If you can't or won't take care of me, pack me off to a nursing home for me to die alone.' I tell them it's not their call to make. Only the owner of my life can take away my life. Not even I have that right, because I have given my life over to Jesus, my Savior. So only He can pull the plug on me, so to speak. I will go when He says it's time to go. No sooner no later.

If I must suffer or others must suffer with me in the meantime, well, just too bad, I won't like it; surely no one likes it. I know because I was care-giver to a terminally-ill husband for some 3 over years watching him suffer. It drained me out physically, emotionally and yes, spiritually. There were times, many times, I asked God why, why why. I am sure there are many bottles in heaven containing the tears I cried during those dark moments. God never answered my why's; I don't think He's in the business of answering  anyone's why's anyway. But He did something better - He walked me through the shadows; He held my hand. He's still doing it today. That makes all the difference in my life, because now I know even and in spite of suffering, I just need to hang on tight to Him. He has proven Himself faithful. What was it someone said about suffering...We should grow better, not bitter, because of it. And I certainly grew better -  at knowing and appreciating that when I let God be who He is, I experience what only what He can do.

The vet gave medication to be fed to Zaza. But she's worse than a kid at taking it. She hates the syringe; it takes 2 of us to hold her down. She sniffs at and refuses to eat the food because she knows it's been mixed with the meds. How is she to get well if she doesn't take her meds? I guess that's how it works with God too. If I had refused His 'doses' of love, grace and mercy, my broken heart, spirit and soul would not have been healed. Actually it came to a point where I was just too tired of trying to 'get over things' on my own. Getting over horrible stuff and carrying on with living isn't the same as being healed. We all reach that point of exhaustion sooner or later in life. Better sooner than later, and better later than never.

Our cat needs to be force-fed for her own good. God doesn't force any one; He cares for us too much to take away the freedom He gave us to choose to be loved by Him, and to love Him in return. Tragically many people just don't want or can't let God love us the way He wants to. I venture God wishes we would all understand His love for us and allow Him to touch us, as much as I wish Zaza would understand we love her and let herself be touched so we can take proper care of her. But then she's just a cat....



"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,  neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39