The spirituality of cats — yes, cats

Then, there is Cleopatra (Cleo for short), a black and white smart aleck who arrived in the arms of a neighbor some years ago. I could not resist and took her in. Just one thing, however: she was pregnant and did not tell me! A few weeks later, she gave birth to three kittens in my bed in the middle of the night.

I kept one of the kittens, who has grown into a sizeable long-haired black and white cat named Napoleon.

Now, if you are someone who has cats — no matter how many — you may wonder how in the world these creatures can have a "spirituality." And even I will admit that there are times when I question it.

But cats can be reflective. Even as I sit here writing this, Cleo is sitting on a chair in front of a screen door watching nature. (OK, she's probably thinking about the birds, but she is also relishing the fresh air and sunshine, perhaps at some deep level, sensing that a higher Being is behind it all.) Einstein is back on my bed sleeping — as he does most of the day. He is always a "sweetheart," showing a kindness that would be called "virtue" in a human being.

And Napoleon is wandering around, looking for pets or snacks (either will do). He would make a great "mendicant" friar, since he is well practiced in the art of "begging."

Seriously though, cats (and dogs as well) sometimes do display a sense of spirituality — not often perhaps, and certainly not all the time. But they seem to sense that they were created by a higher Being and in their best moments, they know they should be kind to each other.

And sometimes, when one of them is sitting on my lap, I sense that he or she might be communicating with that higher Being and encouraging me to join in the feline prayer.

[Maureen Fiedler is a Sister of Loretto and has been involved in interfaith activities for more than three decades.]