Our cat Sherlock brought us a gift yesterday: a bird; a LIVE bird.

Frequently he brings us his toy hedgehog and receives much praise for being such a fell hunter! As an indoor cat, his opportunities for exercising his hunting skills and instincts are quite limited.

Yesterday he was out sunning on the balcony and apparently the bird bearded the lion and paid dearly for the dare – almost. Because when Sherlock set the bird down at our feet, my husband quickly and carefully grabbed it and took it outside, away from our fierce striped predator. It sat a minute to get its bearings and then flew away.

Loving cats and loving small wildlife always puts me in a predicament. Love is full of contradictions and conflicts. I was hauling the family cat up by its tail when I was a toddler, and have rarely lived without a cat in my home. My mental health is keyed into the warmth of soft fur and purrs in my ear. I just wish I could convince them to leave smaller beasties alone.

I love, I tolerate and I forgive. What else can we do?

IN wisdom & grace,

Rev. Ruth