🐾 Rocky: The Cat Who Taught Me About Trust

I never knew much about cats. I never had one growing up, and for years it wasn’t even an option—my son was deathly allergic. And if I’m honest, cats always felt a little mysterious to me. They get a bad rap. People are afraid of them, or they assume they’re aloof or unpredictable. Like me they have never have had a cat!

So I never expected a cat to become part of my story.

But then my son met a girl. After their first date, he called and told me he was pretty sure she was “the one.”  On their second date, she told him she had a cat named Rocky.

What we didn’t know at the time was that she had called her mom on the way home as well to say after that first date the same thing—“he’s the one”—but she was worried because he was highly allergic to cats and she knew she’d have to tell him on the second date!

Love has a way of making room for what once felt impossible.

And somehow, Christopher and Rocky are the best of buddies.

Because my kids live in another state, I only see Rocky when I visit every few weeks—but every time I do, it feels like reconnecting with an old friend. I’ve always been a dog person. Dogs come bounding toward you, tails wagging, thrilled that you exist. Cats… don’t.

So when I first met this elusive young man who didn’t approach me but instead sat back, watching quietly, I was intrigued. He wasn’t standoffish. He was being discerning. Rocky was observing.  He was deciding.

And over time, he chose me. It seems funny to say that it feels like a privilege.

My kids insist he responds differently to me than he does to anyone else. I don’t know if they’re just being kind, but I choose to believe them. Because something in Rocky recognizes something in me.

He loves to stretch out in a sunny spot on a window sill. He loves waking me up in the morning so I’ll feed him. He knows I always bring treats. And my favorite thing—he approaches me, rolls onto his back, and offers his belly. That is the feline equivalent of handing someone your heart.  Trust me I looked it up!

And when I leave, he sits on the steps next to my suitcase as if to say goodbye.

It does something wild to my heart.

Because here’s what I’ve learned:

Rocky doesn’t just give trust away. He extends it slowly and intentionally. After watching who you are when you think no one is watching.

He doesn’t rush toward affection. He assesses. He discerns. And then and only then he decides if you’re trustworthy.

And somehow, he decided I am.

It feels like a compliment from a little creature who owes me nothing and reads me more accurately than most humans do.

I am an introvert who like Rocky assess the room and the people in it before I walk in. I don’t always assume that everyone in the room is safe nor do I assume that everyone’s going to be welcoming.

Rocky will sit near you long before he will sit on your lap. I’m the same way, not that I will sit on your lap, although I could be in the room for a while with you before I ever speak to you because presence is our first language,  unlike my extroverted husband who wants to hug you and touch you and be right up in your space.

Rocky and I are both fiercely loyal and once either one of us chooses you, we will not un-choose you.

Rocky has taught me that trust isn’t loud. It isn’t instant. It isn’t earned through performance, well, let’s be honest he does love my treats!

Trust is a quiet choosing.  Trust is built through small, consistent, positive and kind interactions not just one grand gesture.

Trust must be earned.

Not through your performance, but through consistency in your presence. Through showing up the same way.

It is a gift never to be taken for granted.

Trust has to be “kept”  It’s not a one time achievement. It’s something that grows when we honor it, but it can be destroyed when we take it for granted.

Rocky reminds me that God often works the same way.

He doesn’t force Himself on us

He doesn’t overwhelm

He watches us

He waits for us

He approaches us, inviting us to trust Him at the pace that our hearts can handle

Have you ever seen the picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking, this particular picture has been around for many years. Did you ever notice that there’s not a handle on the outside of that door? That’s because Jesus waits very quietly for us to open the door, He’s not going to force Himself into our life, a lot like Rocky.

Rocky makes me feel as though I am trustworthy, Luke 16:10 says “one who is found faithful in very little is also faithful in much”.   

“Lord may I always be found faithful and trustworthy like Rocky believes I am”……

Sometimes, the most unexpected teachers come with whiskers, amber eyes, and a soft thump on the stairs as they sit beside your suitcase as you leave to say, “I’ll miss you”!