How to Raise a Messianic cat?

Just for the record, my cat is not a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And despite the feline pretentions to royalty, cats are not even human. To be even more bluntly honest, cats have no desire to be human. They are perfectly happy just being cats!

Cats are not for everyone. They can be moody, often suffering from chronic PMS (even male cats!). They can be very loving one moment, and later on can be very unfriendly. They don’t have an insecure bone in their furry bodies. Self-esteem was invented by cats.

We human beings may be the only flesh-and-blood creatures with the ability to worship the Creator. Nevertheless, animals are a very important part of Creation. They are also far more numerous than people. According to Scripture, animals were created before mankind (and woman-kind!).

“And Elohim made the beasts of the earth… and the cattle… and everything that creeps on the ground… and God saw that it was good. Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the cattle, and over all the earth.’ ” [1]

We humans were intended to be good stewards (or guardians) of Creation. As in other areas, we have fallen woefully short.

In the beginning, both man and beast were vegetarians, per Genesis 1:29-30. Isaiah 11 tells us that we will again be vegetarians in the Millennium. We may also have some rather unusual pets: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little boy will lead them (Isaiah 11:6).” Scripture does tell us that the wolf will lie down with the lamb. However, I wonder: Does the lamb ever get back up again? Also, as much as I enjoy my cat, I would be thrilled to have a lion as a pet. (Of course, I prefer the lion as an outdoor pet. I would not want a giant kitty litter box inside the house!)

For now, we will have to settle for more mundane pets, such as dogs and cats. If you really lack self-esteem, I would recommend getting a dog. When you leave for work in the morning, a dog will stick his nose next to the edge of the door and stand there like a statue waiting for you to return home. Cats don’t handle rejection well. Under similar circumstances, a cat will stalk you until you doze off and then suck the air out of your body.😊 Actually, that isn’t true. Your kitty will probably find herself a place to lay down for a nice long nap, and then happily greet you when you walk through the door.

A basic need that we all have is the need to love and to be loved. Most people today live in urban or suburban environments, surrounded by people. Ironically, many of these same people are lonely. It is important for us all to learn to relate to our Creator, and to our fellow man. When Yeshua was asked what the foremost command was, He answered with the Sh’ma (Deut. 6:4-5) and Lev. 19:18, which, taken together, includes loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:29-31). When we give love to others, we are more likely to receive love from others.

Another source of comfort and love which can make our lives more satisfying is the joy of pet ownership. I can testify to this on the basis of personal experience, as can many of our readers. A cat or a dog can easily endear himself to the individual or to the family, and becomes a part of the family.

In an issue of Prevention magazine, there was an article by Dr. H. Jon Geis entitled, “Why Not Prescribe a Cat?” He believes that a loving involvement with a companion animal can be a missing link to “greater health and happiness.” Dr. Geis is a psychotherapist who has seen the benefits of pet ownership among his patients.

Dr. Geis endured one session with a 37-year-old unmarried typist. She described her hopeless situation, nervousness, tension, despair, and loneliness.

Later that same day, he had a session with a 38-year-old unmarried typist. Both lived under nearly identical circumstances. But this woman had gotten a new outlook on life. Six months earlier she had also been despairing. But now she was the “picture of health and happiness.” Dr. Geis asked her for the reason for her changed attitude. She said, “It’s Marshall. I’m in love. I’m being loved. A lot. And I’m giving love, too. Everyday for the past three months, when I come home from work, he’s there. Waiting for me. On the bed.”

The good doctor was rather shocked. “Well, that’s great. But… doesn’t he work?” “Oh, no, no!” she giggled. “Marshall is my cat!”

Two similar women. Two totally different attitudes. The first was stagnating; the second was turned on to living. Why? The first woman was isolated, with no love in her life. The second woman had a true loving relationship, and as a result, she glowed.

Pets are not exact substitutes for loving relationships with people. However, they add meaning and joy to anyone’s life. The good doctor we mentioned now “prescribes” pe

pets to many of his patients. However, you cannot pick up this prescription at the drug store. But there are plenty of dogs and cats looking for a forever home. The doctor prefers cats. They adapt easily to city apartments. With the little care that they require, they return enormous affection and comfort. Cats and dogs are now included in the therapeutic programs for the elderly, the sick, the lonely, and the troubled. Dr. Geis says, “With cats, physical caressing and loving are more readily available.”

If your landlord doesn’t allow dogs or cats, perhaps you could pick up a gerbil or a guinea pig. Chameleons are also cool, as they change colors right in front of you. Try getting Fluffy or Fido to do that! I tried a fish as a pet, but he really resented being taken out of the aquarium and being petted. 😊 We named him Sushi. He probably didn’t appreciate the name. And he was delicious! (Just kidding.)

A 68-year-old widow lived alone. She “didn’t feel okay. Then I got Jean-Paul (her cat). I began to feel better. He helped me keep my equilibrium… see things more clearly. Just having him around has had a real calming effect on me. I’m not alone anymore.”

Jenny McFadden says of her cats: “They trust me. They’re really comfortable around me. And I’m the same around them. They don’t reject me at all. And I don’t feel awkward or self-conscious around them. I talk to them about my most personal feelings. Why not? There’s nothing to be afraid of. They accept me.”

Chickee Perez, a 16-year-old student, says of her cat: “It’s embarrassing, but I tell Kate (her cat) everything, including that I really do love her, and sometimes the bad things I do – and she just loves me anyway. It gives me a whole relaxing way of being, even though things are rough.”

These are real people that told these stories, which I obtained from other sources. I don’t know them personally, but they certainly helped to make this article more interesting! And although it is fine to talk to your cat, we strongly recommend that you also talk to our Heavenly Father. He wants to hear from you also! He is a great Comforter in both the good times and in times of sorrow.

By the way, I also talk to my cat. She really doesn’t understand me, although she looks up at me and pretends to understand. She knows when I am speaking nice to her, or when I am angry. And she really listens to me! She is great fun, and a great companion. She has even joined us for Shabbat services on rare occasions. She wanted to be counted as part of the minyan. However, she is far too young to be counted, and she isn’t even human!

Here’s a little background about our kitty. Her name is Tzippy. This is a common name for girls in Israel. It is an abbreviation of Tzippora, which means “bird” in Hebrew. This turns out to be a good name, because she really likes birds. Well, actually she tries to catch them, apparently for a snack. I occasionally put on a bird video made especially for cats, shown on Youtube.com. She loves watching the birds, and sometimes tries to catch them. She is great company for us both!

Tzippy is a rescue kitty. Our daughter teaches at a school in the city. Tzippy would arrive at the bus stop for the kids. Each day, she was getting skinnier and skinnier, and the weather was cold. Finally, one day our daughter called me and asked me to come to pick up the kitty at the bus stop. So I drove to the school bus stop and picked up the kitty. She bonded to me right away, laying on my chest and snuggling her nose into my beard while I was driving home. She is a very lucky kitty, because the very next day the schools all closed in March 2000 because of that disease which we then called the Corona-virus, but is now Covid-19. If I had not picked her up, she probably would have died. She still likes to ride in cars, which is unusual for cats.

“A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast, but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.”                                                 (Proverbs 12:10)

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^[1] Bereisheet (Genesis) 1:25-26.

By Richard Aharon Chaimberlin.

Source: How to Raise a Messianic Cat (petahtikvah.com)