The stray cat had a mission

Many of you don't like cats. If you like pets at all, you prefer dogs.

There's only one thing wrong with dogs: They aren't cats.

Cat lovers around the world understand that.

But that's not what's on my mind this morning.

Last week I told you about the sick stray cat who showed up at our house on the Monday of Holy Week. I said if the cat showed up again on Easter, it might signify Something Big.

Something Big is the world of the unknown and unprovable -- but bolstered by faith. Most of us may not recognize when Something Big is happening. But if a sick cat shows up at my door, I assume there might be some significance beyond (A) there's another cat in the neighborhood and (B) it's sick and should go away.

You'll recall that my course of action was to call the animal-control officer at the police department. His job is to get rid of problem animals. My problem is that I don't know if this sick stray cat was a problem or a messenger.

You have to be careful with messengers who know Something Big.

To your many questions over the past week, I now have an answer: No.

The sick stray cat did not show up again. He went away as mysteriously as he came. I have been reluctant to call the police department to see if the animal-control officer had any part in this.

But here's the upside.

Here's why I still think the sick stray cat may have been sent for a purpose.

A week ago I did not know of the compassionate efforts being made right here in our own community to help homeless animals -- and that includes sick stray cats.

Rick Hetzel, who served as police chief in Cape Girardeau, and his wife, stockbroker Cheryl Mothes, have a cat rescue service.

They will catch stray cats, nurse them back to health if needed, make sure they get attention from a veterinarian and then find a home for the animal.

If I had known that a week ago, I would have been dialing the Hetzel phone as fast as my fingers could move.

And there was another phone message from a woman who told me about the "safe harbor cat" program offered by Heartland Veterinary Clinic in Jackson. "Just take the cat to them and tell them it's a safe harbor cat," she said. "They'll take care of the cat."

If I had know that a week ago, I would have wrapped the sick stray cat in a towel and high-tailed it to Jackson as fast as legal speed limits allow.

Just because I didn't know all of that doesn't mean others didn't. Which is the good news.

Now you, dear readers, know about it too.

You can help spread the word.

You can make sure other stray cats get the help they need.

That's good.

Whenever we talk about Something Big, we have a tendency to think we have to try to save the world.

It takes a while to figure out that anything we do to help others, including our furry friends, contributes to saving the world

If we don't stop to help a sick stray cat, how serious are we, really, about saving the world?

And that, my friends, is Something Big.

Do you think that sick stray cat showed up out of nowhere? I don't. However, I can't say exactly where the cat came from. Or where it went.

But for a couple of weeks it has touched our lives. That's something we can all try to do every day of our lives.

And our cats can do it for nine lives.

Imagine that.

R. Joe Sullivan is the editor of the Southeast Missourian.