In the Catbird Seat

The following post had to be embargoed until it could be determined that the outcome would be pleasant. Frankly, it was just too tense around our house to even begin to write about it ... too tense - and I was the target of all that tension!

I am getting it out now because my wife over at God's Design Not Mine will probably write her version and I want to influence history by putting my side out first!

Here is my story...

The weather was beautiful at our house last weekend. Temperatures rose to a very congenial level, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and tender plants were beginning to emerge from the ground and the limbs of trees. I was off, my wife was off, our children were riding high on a week of off days as spring break came to a close.

It was a wonderful spring weekend.

Yet some time Friday night, a pall engulfed our once happy home as tragedy stalked the house.

What horrific event had ensued, that would be vast and dark enough so as to distract our attention from the beauties God had flourished upon us?

Our cat got stuck in a tree.

Now there are, in this world, "cat-people" and "dog-people".

Personally I am just plain people but I tend to lean ever so slightly toward the canine persuasion. My wife, on the other hand - is a "cat-person" and she has managed to align the affections of both our children toward cats - and against dogs. This leaves Tanner - our old chocolate Lab, and me on the "outs" at times with the rest of the family.

When R. approached me about getting the kids a kitten this past Christmas, it soon became a point of contention.

I was against it.

Now I was against it, mainly because I feel that it is my obligation as a Dad to be against things.

It just seems natural for my first response to be "no". It was how my Dad did things and I am sure it was the way his father before him, did things.

Now, I have mentioned the idea of husbands and wives coming into agreement over things. This is the practice of agreeing to wait until both sides can agree on an issue - and honoring your spouse enough to sacrifice the issue if you can't reach a place of agreement.

Well, we didn't exactly come into agreement on the kitten. I gave in. After all, I don't mind a cat and there are probably some very helpful services they can provide. So I gave in.

Anyway, we got "Angel" and the kids love her and Mom loves her and even Tanner - tolerated her.

But before long -because it was widely known that I had not been completely in favor of getting a kitten- everyone began to view me as "the enemy of the cat". And no one misses an opportunity to go on and on about the superiority of cats to dogs... and possibly even to dads!

"Look how sweet! She's cuddling with the kids!"

"Oh isn't that precious! Look how she's cleaning her paws - cats are so clean - not like dogs who leave their markings in the play area!"

"It's okay if she eats out of your plate - cats are clean!"

On the other hand, it is constantly pointed out that dogs smell bad, they shed, they tend to stick their noses in embarrassing places at inopportune times, they are not considerate as to the timing or location in which they relieve themselves and the list goes on.

So late last Saturday morning, when I discovered that the latest addition to our happily family had somehow gotten herself stuck some 60+ feet up a Georgia Pine Tree, it was with delicious pleasure that I began to sarcastically point out all of those "supposed" advantages that the feline holds over man's best friend.

After all, my dog never did get stuck up a tree; and if he had - I think he would know how to get down.

As the weekend progressed, the mood turned ugly. My solution was simple, when she got hungry, she would come down.

A fairly constant vigil was maintained. I am pretty sure that I saw either a hawk or a buzzard circling overhead.

She stayed up the tree all night Saturday night. I had promised Ab I would do something if she didn't come down by Sunday. So on Sunday, after waking up to muse about at around 4:00AM, I arose determined to cut down the tree.

However, R. believed that cutting down the tree was not a good idea. After enduring about all the disapproval I could, I went to the nearest fire station and asked if they still got cat's out of trees. For those of you keeping score at home... they do not.

Oh and I prayed, I prayed alone, I prayed with each child, we prayed as a family. I really wanted the cat down.

She spent Sunday night up the tree as well.

By Monday, my Father-in-law had made a connection with someone with a bucket truck and Monday morning... Angel was rescued. The guy didn't even charge us!

I would love to attach some deep spiritual meaning to all this, but honestly I can find none. God did answer our prayer, though not at all as I expected. I really thought He would come through - the cat would climb down and everyone would say, "Dad - you were RIGHT all along... right not to get all panicky... right to pray ... right in your preference of dogs over cats..."

Instead God came through (Oh I pray about these kinds of things and make no mistake - it was Him) but in a way that didn't make me look good at all.

He does that sometimes.