DESPERATELY CALLING
By Christy Lowman
Burke County
Ancient Egyptians loved to have cats for pets. They even worshiped a half-cat goddess named Bastet. The Egyptian’s law for killing a cat was death. They loved their cats so much that they would even shave off their eyebrows to show mourning when their beloved pet cat passed away.
House cats have almost the same genetic make-up as tigers. They can run up to 30mph which is fast enough to get a ticket for speeding in a school zone!
Cats can jump up to five times their height with ease. Cats don’t always fall on their feet but most of the time they do. This is because the cat can twist his backbone while falling to position it where his feet will land first. Along with being able to balance themselves while up high cats also have a walking sequence. They walk moving both right feet at once followed by both left feet. Giraffes and elephants are the only other animals that can do this. Most cats do not like water but occasionally some enjoy swimming or a shower.
Cats love to be clean. They spend 30-50% of their time grooming. This act also tones down their scent to keep from being smelled by predators. It helps cool them down, improves blood flow, and distributes their natural oils evenly on their body that helps keep them warm and dry. A cat’s saliva is also a natural antibiotic.
Some Vets think that purring can promote the cat’s healing and improve bone density. Cats also purr when they are happy, sick, stressed out, or giving birth.
Merlin holds the record for the loudest purr at a whopping 67.8db(A)! This would be about the same volume as the bathroom shower being on. Most cats only purr at 25db.
Not all cats love catnip, but for the ones that do, it makes them act crazy and hyper! Sort of like how you feel when you eat too many sweets or have too many caffeinated soft drinks. Just like cats, some people aren’t affected by sugar or caffeine either! Did you know that cats can’t taste anything sweet! They are missing out!
People have only had 206 bones but cats have 244 bones. Cats also sweat like us but only through their paws. They will also pant like dogs do when they are overheated. Some Maine coon cats are born with an extra toe.
You would think the Sphynx cat came from Egypt since Egyptians built a Sphinx statue. But an actual Sphynx cat came from Canada and is named after the Sphinx. They are hairless so you would think they would freeze all the time not having any fur. However, their body temperature is 4 degrees warmer than a regular house cat! Thank goodness, because it gets really cold in Canada! Is it not amazing that God made this particular cat’s internal temperature hotter since they don’t have any hair! God thought of everything, and has made provisions for animals just like He does for us!
A few months ago, we were about to have a really bad storm. All of us along with the dogs were hunkered down in the house. I called for Thomas, our cat, to come inside. I wanted him to be safe too. Thomas came inside the fenced-in dog lot and was getting ready to come inside when a moth got his attention. He then played with the moth and ignored my calls to come inside.
I called, “Thomas! Thomas! Come inside quickly!” I yelled until I almost lost my voice.
The wind had got up and it was starting to drizzle. It was going to be a downpour any second. The weatherman was calling for a terrible storm and winds. I really wanted him to come inside so I would be assured he would be safe with the rest of my little family.
I frantically kept calling for him. He kept ignoring me and kept playing with the moth. The thought came over me that I bet this was how Noah felt when he begged and desperately pleaded for people to come into the ark. He was desperate and wanted what was best for everyone, for everyone to be safe with his family. But they ignored him just like Thomas ignored me.
Then a feeling of peace came over me and I realized I just had to give it over to God. I had to let Him take care of Thomas and trust that He would keep him safe. This was the same thing that Noah had to come to terms with. He knew he had to quit worrying, he couldn’t fix it, he had to just give it over to God and let Him handle and do what was best.
Sometimes it is so hard for us to give our problems over to God. We like to worry, and we want to fix it ourselves. But did you know that you can give any problem over to God, no matter how small, and let Him take care of it? God has what is best for us in His heart, all we have to do is trust Him and let Him handle it.
Dear Lord, please help us remember to give all our worries and problems over to you. Help us trust you with our lives because you truly do have what is best for us insight and somethings are out of our control that only you can fix! Amen.
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1Peter 5:7 NLT
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at Amazon HERE.
You can reach her on Facebook HERE.
or christyssoaps@yahoo.com. You can read more good news from Christy HERE.
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