Cats

There are two orange cats in our household. They are brothers and they look very similar to each other. Sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart, like they're twins. They come in and out of the house all the time. Apache, the more agile and athletic of the two, can open our heavy wooden front door from both the inside and the outside. It's somewhat incredible. The problem is he doesn't have the consideration for the rest of us to ever even think of closing the door behind him.

The other one has softer fur and somewhat of a baby face. His entire demeanor exudes a sense of innocence. When he comes into the house he likes to start following you around and rub up against your leg. The other cat does that too, but this one will stand up on his hind legs to rub his head on your hand if you hold it over him.

I have to live with the fact that these cats would kill me if they could. If I were the size of a cat to them, and they were then the size of a human, they would hunt me down and kill me for pleasure's sake. Thank God that He made us bigger than them. Have you ever seen one of these things jump? They literally jump up to places that are maybe five or six times their hieght! I'm sure you've heard of the phrase, "having reflexes like a cat." I've witnessed these cats in their hunting and playing. It's absolutely sinister. I once saw one of them dash up a pole to strike at a bird that was sitting up top. It was an instantaneous act of violence. The bird fell to the ground, unable to do anything but twitch its maimed and useless body. The cat looked at it and wandered off as if nothing had happened. Animal instincts are baffling, especially when the motive to kill overrides even the motive to eat. My dad at least put the bird out of its misery by clubing it with a plank of firewood.

Yes, our cats are inconsiderate bastards. They maim you for no reason and walk away. They come and go throughout your house, leaving doors open during the coldest of the cold season, tracking their muddy paws on your carpet, bedsheets and clothes. Even on a workday, they will do nothing but lounge around for hours on your sofa or your rocking chair, and if you disturb them in the slightest they can give you the most disgusted glare. Disregarding that they themselves have plenty of food in their dishes, they will not cease to annoy you when you are eating your own meal, climbing into your lap and sniffing at your food no matter how many times you have to pause your intake and drop them back on the floor. They drag their wounded into the house and leave you to be startled later on when you unexpectedly encounter them either lying helplessly in blood or running around, frantically looking for shelter or a way outside. And let's not forget their whining "meows" when they can't do something for themselves and feel compelled to get your attention, be you sleeping or awake!

Yet we love these things. We choose to have them around to keep us company. We forge relationships with these creatures that have no rational minds, feeling loved when they come to sleep on our laps and betrayed when they turn and scratch us. Perhaps, to live with a cat, the remorseless killer and most selfish of selfish creatures, is to foster the trait of human compassion. If nothing else, our cats teach me that I must allay my personal grudges and love them unconditionally.