More on Toeny the polydactyl cat
A few months ago, I wrote about a kitten we adopted. It all began when we were at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.
Our son, Benjamin, had a bad case of pneumonia. He needed the critical care that the hospital would provide, so we took him to Samaritan. While he was there, our son received excellent care.
During Ben’s stay, there was a brief period of time when we took our minds off his condition. We decided to think of something more pleasant. Long story short, this led to agreeing upon what kind of cat we would like in the future. The answer was a pure black polydactyl kitten. How did this come about?
For some reason, my wife loves the look of a cat that has polydactylism (born with extra toes). For me, I had never had a pure black cat before. I think they generally have an elegant look to them. I do not hold to the superstition that black cats are somehow bad luck or evil. Tragically, these absurd notions have cost countless felines their lives.
Our polydactyl kitten’s name is Toeny. Obviously, the spelling of the name indicates that there is something special about his toes. This little guy looks a bit like a miniaturized Clydesdale horse with oversized feet, which Jeanne loves.
The only issue with Toeny is that he’s quite a character and “a bit of a mess.” He is high-energy and loves to get into trouble. For example, he will come running when he hears me cleaning out a litter box. Toeny finds great sport in trying to swat the moving target of freshly scooped waste. This is one among many challenging items we have discovered about his personality. We still dearly love the little guy.
Even though we didn’t pray for a black, polydactyl kitten, the feline caregiver who brought us Toeny firmly believes that this was “a God thing,” and I can’t argue with her.
Toeny’s sibling died in a tragic accident. He hopped into a load of clothes in a dryer. Those two kittens were a bonded pair. After the accident, Toeny required intensive care in the form of love, which was thankfully provided. He became a lap cat as a result.
This is one thing that Jeanne especially loves about Toeny. He does love to cuddle.
I believe Toeny found us because he needed a forever home that would love him unconditionally and continue his healing process, and not because we wished for a special kitten to meet our own needs. He does have a challenging personality, but we find that it is even more reason to love him.
Yes, I do believe that our connection with Toeny is a God thing. However, I believe it is a mistake to assume things from our own perspective.
This relationship is primarily for Toeny’s well-being and not as much for us.
Matthew 10:29 reads “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”
We tend to forget that God deeply cares for all of creation – from the smallest of birds, to a funny little kitten who needs a lot of love.
Walter is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and has served as parish pastor for more than 30 years.
