It was a hot and humid morning…the air was thick and I could feel something amiss and as I walked through the garden I noticed my little dog Hillary sniffing out what I soon realized was a crime scene. There it was...a plethora of feathers spread out like the impact site of a meteor! I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck as I walked closer to investigate. It must have been that spineless cat next door that sneaks over to rummage around and stalk little birds that play innocently in the garden. The criminal is quite evasive, but the evidence is overwhelming…
It amazes me that domesticated cats, so well-fed, in fact, some so fat they can barely walk, are still excellent hunters. The family tree of the cat family can be traced back more than 40 million years. At one time all cats were wild and now they still use the same methods as that of their ancestors. After stalking their prey, they wait quietly and patiently for the right moment before pouncing and making a kill. They chase birds, rodents, and occasionally rabbits, although I haven’t seen any rabbits in the garden lately, thank goodness.
Ten interesting facts about cats (http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-cats.html):
- A group of cats is called a “clowder.”
- A female cat is called a queen or a molly.
- Approximately 40,000 people are bitten by cats in the U.S. annually.
- According to Hebrew legend, Noah prayed to God for help protecting all the food he stored on the ark from being eaten by rats. In reply, God made the lion sneeze, and out popped a cat.
- A cat rubs against people not only to be affectionate but also to mark out its territory with scent glands around its face. The tail area and paws also carry the cat’s scent.
- In 1888, more than 300,000 mummified cats were found an Egyptian cemetery. They were stripped of their wrappings and carted off to be used by farmers in England and the U.S. for fertilizer.
- While many parts of Europe and North America consider the black cat a sign of bad luck, in Britain and Australia, black cats are considered lucky.
- Cats hate the water because their fur does not insulate well when it’s wet.
- A cat almost never meows at another cat, mostly just humans. Cats typically will spit, purr, and hiss at other cats.
- A cat’s nose pad is ridged with a unique pattern, just like the fingerprint of a human.
My favorite is the Hebrew legend! God does have a sense of humor, so I can really appreciate that one. God’s imagination in all creation stuns me. Everything he makes is so interesting, intricate, and beautiful. Evidence of His glory can be seen in every living thing, even the mischievous little cats that commit murder in my garden. The garden is such a great example of the circle of life. Plants, insects, reptiles, and animals are born, grow, live, and die in the beauty that surrounds us, and He cares about everything He creates, from the smallest of insects to the largest of animals. If He cares so much for those creatures, do you not know how much He must care for you? He promises us in His word that He knew us before we were even born, in fact before He created the world. He thought about us then. He counts every hair on our head and collects all of our tears. If that isn’t love, man I don’t know what is. Count me in God; I want all of that love I can get! It is free…it’s a gift and we don’t have to earn it. It is simple. All we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ and pass that love on to others. Elementary my dear Watson!
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." – Jeremiah 1:5
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:7
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” – Psalm 56:8
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