Finding Forrest

If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

IT WAS GETTING CLOSE to Christmas, and the Hutchins family hadn’t seen their cat, Forrest, in days. Ever since they had found the tan, gray, and black tabby two years ago living in the woods behind their house, he had shown up on the back deck for dinner every day. Forrest was an affectionate cat who let his adopted family love him back.

At first, the family didn’t worry too much about Forrest’s absence. They figured their tough cat could take care of himself. But as one day turned into two and two into three without any sign of him, they began to worry.

On Christmas night, they heard a louder-than-normal yowl coming from the back deck. When twenty-year-old Matt opened the back door, he found Forrest standing there, shaking and wide-eyed. Then Matt noticed Forrest’s fur was matted with blood from a wound on the cat’s neck.

“Quick!” Matt yelled to his family. “Forrest is hurt!”

Matt carefully picked up the cat. His mom, Barb, was already in the garage making a bed for Forrest out of a discarded box that had contained a beanbag chair. She put a flannel sheet and an old comforter inside. Matt gingerly laid Forrest inside.

“Oh, he smells awful,” Barb said, sighing. “What on earth happened to him?”

Samantha, her sixteen-year-old daughter, came into the garage with some pieces of turkey from their Christmas dinner and a bowl of water. She hand-fed Forrest, who gulped everything down. “He probably hasn’t eaten for days.”

Barb called the emergency vet and got instructions for keeping Forrest as comfortable as possible. After a family discussion, they agreed it would be less stressful to keep Forrest at home and have a mobile vet come to them.

“Yes, Forrest was definitely attacked by another animal,” the vet concluded, after cleaning the wound. “It could have been a fox or a dog, or possibly a raccoon.”

Thankfully, Forrest was current on his rabies shots, so the vet gave Forrest a shot of antibiotics.

“Call me if there are any problems,” the vet said.

For the next week, Forrest stayed in the garage, feasting on leftover turkey, using a litter box, and lapping up lots of extra attention. Eventually, the wound healed, and Forrest was ready to return to the outdoors.

At first, he seemed thrilled to be back outside as he ran straight to the edge of the woods.

Matt watched Forrest stalk a robin in the underbrush and silently rejoiced when the bird flew away before Forrest got too close.

Before long, Forrest was on the deck, napping in his favorite spot.

But as the sun disappeared below the horizon, Forrest began yowling and scratching at the back door. The moment Barb opened the door, Forrest ran inside and straight to the door leading into the garage.

“A little scared to be out there tonight, huh, bud? You’ll be safe here,” she said, opening the door. Forrest ran straight to his king-size bed and snuggled in for the night.

The Hutchins family never found out what happened to their cat during those few days before Christmas, but it seems Forrest has not forgotten. He now sleeps in the family’s garage every night.

“You think Forrest knows that whatever hurt him is still out there?” Samantha asked Matt.

Matt smiled. “Well, it’s that or he discovered the comfort of a soft bed and regular tasty meals. Either way, he’s a pretty smart cat.”

PAWS & PONDER . . .

Have you ever suffered because you acted foolishly? Can you think of a specific benefit you received when you acted more wisely? Why is it often hard to change our behavior, even when we know we should?

Paws & Pray

Father, never stop teaching me. Please help me to fill my mind with knowledge and to use that knowledge when it’s needed. When I wander into danger, please draw me back to you. Help me to be an example to others.