All The Kitties In The Neighborhood

We’ve raised many things on our farm over the years. Crops, sheep, cows, turkeys, pigs , dogs, kids and cats. Oh did we ever have cats. Which was a good thing because we also had rats and mice.

We had a cat we just called mama kitty. Her and I were in competition I think, to see who could have the most babies. Just kidding of course.

Dan had a cat named “Damit.” Pardon my language, but that was his name. He was black as midnight. Michael had a cat named “Pooper.” He was as wide as he was long. The original “Fat Cat.” There were too many others too numerous to name.

Having a large family, we had lots of table scraps and most every evening, one of the kids would grab the pail and head out side calling, “all the kitties in the neighborhood”..  and cats would come scrambling from all corners of the farm, tails in the air, big ones, small ones, male and female.

As the kids left, so did the cats and soon we had none.

Our last dog was named Lucy. She was a black Lab, the runt of the litter. From the time she came to us, her heart belonged to “daddy.”

He put a basket on the back of the 4-track and Lucy would hop in and together, they would explore all four corners of the farm. In her old age she got quite jealous of her place on that machine and would get very upset if I or any of the grandkids dared to sit on her spot. She was good with the kids, but she adored my husband. You could see it in her eyes when she looked at him. She died this year of old age. Alas, no dogs, no cats.

You might wonder, why all this about the ghosts of animals past?

Well, about a month or so ago, we started getting fleeting glimpse of this beautiful calico cat. We found her babies, but they soon died. She was so wild, we could not get near her. We didn’t even try.

One day she showed up on our back deck. We started putting food out for her. Now she comes in the house and sits on my lap. Thats a first for me. Animals belong outside, don’t you know? Am I getting soft in my old age?

I call her Josephine, for she has a coat of many colors. I don’t know if we will ever have “kitties in the neighborhood” again, but for now, we have Josephine.

In the beginning God made the animals for mans companionship and pleasure. He gave Adam the responsibility of naming each one. We know God cares for the animals. Remember the sparrows? Two sold for a copper coin and not one of them falls to the ground apart from the Fathers will. He also knows the number of hairs on our head.(Mat 10:31)

I also remember these beautiful words from an old hymn.

All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

I’m sure He smiles when He sees Josephine curled up on my lap. Who would have thought!