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Although this parable has been around a while, its lesson is one we may need a refresher on now and then. If you’ve ever judged something or someone based on appearance, remember when looking through the eyes of compassion you may be brought to a totally different view.
The Story of the Ugly Cat
(Author unknown)
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Everyone in the apartment complex where I lived knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.
The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye and where the other should have been was a hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning a corner.
Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby, striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck and even his shoulders. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. “That’s one UGLY cat!!!”
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.
Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly’s sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly, I thought.
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear – Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying, was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battle scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful .
He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give myself totally to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, or beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.
Why did it take so long and why did so much abuse and agony have to take place for anyone to find a smidgeon of compassion for this poor little animal? I wish I didn’t have to think that there are so many heartless, uncaring, unseeing people around that not one could find the time to give some love, a little shelter somewhere and at least stop children from abusing this pitiful creature. The least anyone could have done is take it to a shelter or local animal hospital where if they couldn’t afford treatment — then it could have met a little kinder fate than being killed mercilessly by those dogs. All those people in just one area being that way makes me very frightened about what the percentage is in the world and gives me a feeling of such hopelessness. I know there are good people out there who would act to prevent the fate of “Ugly” and I feel gratitude for them, but there needs to be a lot more of us who will strive to become more like that in regard to innocent little animals and, of course, people. If you aren’t already compassionate, then get to work and develop it and other traits which will make the world a whole lot less “Ugly”. Good traits can be developed.
Sharon, it is a story, it was written to make the reader feel compassion. There are millions of us, like you that have the writers intent of this story. Do not take away a bad thought from this story, it will defeat its purpose. Read the words again with love and faith in your heart and mind, soon you will see the beauty in an ugly world.
Yes, it’s a great parable which stretches the boundaries of both sides of the story to make its point effectively.
I DO have love in my heart – so much so that I find it hard not to love almost too easily. I have faith that there are many good and compassionate people in the world, too – but that faith gets shaky when I read of so much lack of compassion as indicated by this story. Good to know that the author is perhaps being extreme in his portrayal of these people, but if it would be as described then I would hope the rest of society would feel the shock as I do to think this could happen. The final act by the person who held this little cat was compassionate, Yes, albeit a little too late to make a difference in the life of the animal. I know there is beauty in this world and I am able to and blessed to experience it every day in many ways — but I can’t believe there is anything wrong with wishing that more of it could yet be developed from one living being to another and improve what you, yourself, also called an Ugly world. It’s plain to me that the author was trying to show that we should BE more compassionate — not that we always are. That does leave me with a bad thought that the writer, I think, would “expect” in order to see the wrong in this and to get off our duffs and do something about it. If it makes one person wake up – then that definitely does not defeat his purpose.