Dogs and Cats

Dogs and Cats!

I care not for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. Abraham Lincoln.

Mom has a dog - a Shih-tzu named Chi-Chi - and I have a cat - a Ragdoll Siamese named Pepe. I had my cat first, but Mom brought Chi-Chi home about 6 years ago while I was at MFP. The cat was traumatized - moved into my bedroom - food, water and litter box - for 9 months - only coming out when we slept. We have pictures of Chi-Chi's tail sticking out from under the bed while she visited with the cat; no way was the cat coming out of from under the bed. Eventually, the cat figured the dog was here to stay and came out of hiding - and now......they are virtually inseparable.

A few years earlier, and it would have been a totally different story. My older cat was a Maine Coon and would not have tolerated Chi-Chi. The first visit under the bed would have been the last after he ripped her face off - but Chi-Chi and Stroker never met.

Is there a point to these stories - yes. Many people today use religion as the measure by which they decide whether to like or dislike someone. Catholics and Protestants fight in Ireland - Muslims and Jews and Christians fight in the Middle East - and even within religions there is conflict and intolerance for those who are different either by their actions, their lifestyle, how and to whom they pray, race and more. We fight like cats and dogs - but not all cats and dogs fight - and neither do we - although it sure seems like it sometimes.

We were all created by the same God - regardless of the name you use - Yahweh, Jehovah, or Allah - we are all children of the same creator. Do children squabble and fight - sure they do - but usually we find out as children that our disagreements are minor - not always - but most of the time. Just like Chi-Chi and Pepe, we need to spend time 'talking' together and learning about each other instead of judging without the knowledge to make an informed decision.

Jesus taught that we should uphold the dignity of all people - he didn't say just this race or this religion or that country over this one - he said ALL. Is it difficult - sure, but Jesus didn't say it would be easy. Is it scary - yes, but God and Jesus are with us - we need only to take the first step in faith and trust. Sometimes we need to wait for the right time to introduce changes that may result in conflict. IF Mom had brought Chi-Chi home 2 years earlier, Stroker would have been there - but Stroker had died, and Pepe was more tolerant of the puppy maybe because he hadn't seen a dog before - and because he was lonely. But it still took 9 months to form the friendship that exists now between them.

Mom and I were witnesses to the Chi-Chi and Pepe 'peace negotiations' that took place under my bed. Let us pray that the great religions of the world can learn the same techniques - and bring peace to our world.

Dogs never lie about love. Jeffrey Masson

Cat Motto: No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look like the dog did it. Unknown

JoAnn