HEAR OUR HUMBLE PRAYER,
O GOD, FOR OUR FRIENDS THE ANIMALS,
ESPECIALLY FOR ANIMALS WHO ARE SUFFERING;

FOR ANY THAT ARE HUNTED OR LOST,
OR DESERTED OR FRIGHTENED OR HUNGRY;
FOR ALL THAT MUST BE PUT TO DEATH.

WE ENTREAT FOR THEM ALL THY MERCY AND PITY
AND FOR THOSE WHO DEAL WITH THEM
WE ASK A HEART OF COMPASSION
AND GENTLE HANDS AND KINDLY WORDS.
MAKE US, OURSELVES, TO BE TRUE FRIENDS TO ANIMALS
AND SO TO SHARE THE BLESSINGS OF THE MERCIFUL.

Albert Schweitzer

HOOR ONS GEBED HEER, VOOR ALLE DIEREN.

MOGEN ZE GOEDGEVOED, GOED BEHANDELD EN GELUKKIG ZIJN.
BESCHERM HEN TEGEN HONGER, ANGST EN LIJDEN.
EN WE BIDDEN U, HEER, BESCHERM SPECIAAL DE KLEINE KAT
DE KAMERAAD IN ONS HUIS,
BEHOED HAAR WANNEER ZE NAAR BUITEN GAAT
EN BRENG HAAR TERUG OM ONS TE TROOSTEN.

Oud Russisch gebed.

A CAT'S CAROL

A WINTER NIGHT, A STABLE BARE;
MOTHER AND BABE ALONE WERE THERE.
WISE MAN HAD LEFT THEIR GIFTS AND GONE ,
ONLY THE OX AND ASS KNELT ON.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS CREPT A CAT,
HE STOLE TO WHERE THE MOTHE SAT.
'LADY', SAID HE, 'SO FULL OF GRACE',
CATS ARE A PROUD AND MIGHTY RACE.

'THUS I HAVE NEVER LEARNED, I FEAR,
TO KNEEL, AS DO MY BROTHERS HERE.
YET CATS ARE GRACIOUS - I WOULD BRING,
SOME TRIBUTE TO THIS NEW-BORN KING.

'WE CATS OWN NOTHING BUT OUR FUR
I CANNOT BRING A GIFT OF MYRRH,
NO GOLD NOR FRANKINCENSE HAVE I,
INSTEAD, I'LL SING A LULLABY.

'LADE, FEAR NOT! NO WAILINGS WILD,
SHALL TERRIFY THIS HOLY CHILD.
I'LL SING MY ROCKING SONG WITH LOVE,
AS SOFTLY, GENTLY AS A DOVE.'

WITH THAT, HE CROUCHES UPON THE FLOOR.
MARKING STRICT TIME WITH KNEADING PAY
THEN SWEETLY ROSE, WITH NAUGHT ELSE STIRRING,
THE MUSIC OF A SMALL CAT PURRING. 

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

ONCE AGAIN IT'S CHRISMAS TIME,
FESTIVE FUN, GOOD FOOD AND WINE,
TANGERINES, DATES AND TURKISH DELIGHT,
CHRYSALISED FRUITS, A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.

SLICES OF BEEF WITH REAL ENGLISH MUSTARD,
SHERRY TRIFLE WITH GOLDEN CUSTARD,
SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE WITH CUCUMBER SLICES,
FRES FRUIT SALADS AND VANILLA ICES.

LIQUORICE ALSORTS, INDIGESTION KEEPS ME AWAKE,
MARZIPAN TOPPING ON HOME-MADE XMAS CAKE.
WEEKS OF THIS, WE ARE GETTING SO FAT,
PLEASE SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE POOR STRAY CAT.

HE'S COLD AND HUNGRY OUT IN THE DAMP,
CATCH SIGHT OF HIM SOMETIMES BY THE STREET LAMP.
MISERABLE AND WET FUR STUCK TO HIS SKIN,
WISHING A KIND SOUL WOULD LET HIM IN.

HE DOESN'T ANDERSTAND WHAT HE'S DONE WRONG,
WHERE'S HIS MUM? THE NIGHTS ARE SO LONG.
CROUCHED IN THE HEDGE OR UNDER THE CAR,
NOT FOR HIM A CHRISTMAS STAR.

ONCE HE HAD TURKEY ON THIS SPECIAL DAY,
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE'S A STRAY.
SO WHEN YOU THINK 'A CAT WE'LL GET',
HE SHOULD BE YOUR PAMPERED PET.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH BOTHER OR STRIFE,
A CAT'S NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS, IT'S FOR ALLE OF HIS LIFE…

WATCHING

I WATCHED HER ON CHRISTMAS DAY,
SITTING SILENTLY 'NEATH THE FRAGRANT PINE NEEDLES.
GAZING WIDE-EYED AT THE SPARKLING ORBS DANGLING
ON SILVER THEADS, FROM THE BOUGHS.
I WATCHED AS SHE GENTY TOUCHED HER OVAL PAW
TO THE DELICATE GLASS, AND SET IT SWINGING
TO AND FRO, AND I SAW HOW IT MESMERIZED HER.
AND OH, HOW SHE MESMERIZED ME AS I WATCHED
HER SITTING THERE, ABSORBED IN HER PLAY.

I WATCHED HER ON CHRISMAS DAY,
WHILE SHE POUNCED AMONG THE WRAPPINGS,
SCATTERING THEM HITHER AND THITHER
AND CROUCHING AND SPRINGING ON INVISIBLE PREY.
I WATCHED HER CLIMB INTO BAGS AND BOXES,
THEREIN TO HIDE, AND PEERDISCREETLY OUT
AT THE CHAOS SHE'D CREATED.
AND OH, HOW SHE CREATED CHAOS IN MY HEART AS I WATCHED HER
HIDING THERE, BLINKING WISE BLUE EYES.

I WATCHED HER, THEN ON CHRISTMAS EVENING,
AS SHE STRETCHED HERSELF AND YAWNED,
DROWSY FROM THE HEAT OF THE CRACKLING LOG FIRE, IDLY KNEADING
THE RUG AS SHE SQUINTED SLEEPILY, AT THE LEAPING FLAMES.
I WATCHED AS SHE SETTLED HERSELF DOWN TO REST,
TUCKING HER DAINTY PAWS NEATLY BENEATH HER,
AND I SAW A DREAMY SMILE OF CONTENTMENT LIGHTING HER FACE.
AND OH, HOW HER CONTENTMENT ENVELOPED ME AS I WATCHED HER
LYINGTHERE, SERENELY PURRING.

SUE WINGETT

I adopted…

I adopted your cat today.

The one you left at the pond.

The one you had for ten years,

And no longer wanted around.

I adopted your cat today.

Do you know he lost weight?

Do you know he’s scared and depressed,

And has lost all faith?

I adopted your cat today.

He had fleas and a cold.

But don’t worry none.

You’ve unburdened your load.

I adopted your cat today.

Were you having a baby or moving away?

Did you suddenly develop allergies?

Or was there no reason he couldn’t stay?

I adopted your cat today.

He doesn’t play or eat much.

He is very depressed.

But he will learn again to trust.

I adopted your cat today.

And here he will stay.

He’s found his forever home

And a warm bed to lay.

I adopted your cat today.

And I will give him all that he could need.

Patience, love, securety, and understanding.

Hopefully he will forget your selfish deed.