Kitty Songs of Praise

When it comes to praising the Lord, cats are megastars, right up there with King David—or at least his favorite tabby. Cats never miss an opportunity to sing praises to God. Most of these opportunities arise at three in the morning or whenever you’re trying to sleep.

Cats are mostly nocturnal, which is why they sing praises well before sunup. Besides, anyone can praise in the daytime. It takes a cat’s special abilities to belt out an aria while balancing on your bedpost or the backyard fence. This is called meow-sing.

And you thought caterwauling was all about mating. Au contraire! A cohort of cats is more like Jesus’ disciples, arguing about who’s most important. Lined up on a ledge, neighborhood kitties try to drown each other out, singing covers of show tunes and postmodern worship songs that would curl a choir director’s toes. Each furry opera-meowser hopes to outdo the others, hitting notes high and loud and longer than the other cats. The Lord is sure to notice such refined meow-sing and invite the diva to sit at the choicest seat at the table.

Cat songs and vocalizations say so much more than just meow. Oh sure, those songs try to butter us up when it’s dinnertime or persuade us to step up our servitude to them. But behind every quiet mew or loud meow, cats offer up their praises too. To look out on a lovely garden and sing praises—okay, while chattering away at a bird—cats teach us to remember God’s in charge. Felines long ago adopted David’s penchant for singing and praising God, a practice most of us could do more often.

Cats understand that singing together in community can erase ill will and melt disagreements with the power of loving meows. Whether we sing the ninety-nine verses of “The Treat Song” or lift our voices with hymns or praise choruses, the sound of all creation worshiping the living God must be music to his ears.

Paws-itive Faith Step: Sing oldies and worship songs with someone who is alone or lonely, such as a sick or elderly neighbor or relative.

Lord, help me remember to celebrate your creation with songs as heartfelt as a kitten’s tiny mew and as boldly faith filled as any turf-defending tom.