Survival Instincts

On more than one occasion in the past few weeks, I’ve been asked the same question by teachers.  After describing concerning behaviors demonstrated by one of their students, they’d ask, “Why do you think he acts that way?”  And each time I heard this question, I thought about our porch cat, Panther.  “Survival,” was always my response.

Let’s be clear, Panther adopted us, and the adoption process was long, drawn out, and at times, painful.  Panther started coming around about a year ago, and we quickly learned he had outdoor scraggly survival instincts.  He lets us pet him – on his terms, but is ready to pounce or give us a good wallop if he’s startled or feels cornered in any way.  He has razor sharp teeth and claws of death, but he tries not to use them, unless of course we scratch his belly, which is just too much for him to bear. 

I don’t get mad at Panther for his challenging behaviors because I know he is just wired for survival.  When he pops me with his paw, it’s as if he’s saying, “Have you not seen where I lived and how I grew up?  That greenbelt is crazy.  I have to deal with storms, prehistoric vines, and all manner of creatures wanting to take my food, fight, or eat me.  You need to be patient and give me time to work through things.” And when I think about it that way, I realize he has a good point.

Try as we might, we will never be able to fully understand what our kids are going through – but I’m certain on some level, just like Panther, they are dealing with their own storms and survival instincts.  This does not excuse their poor behaviors, but when we approach things from a standpoint of empathy and compassion, it is significantly easier for us to take things less personally, and be more patient and understanding. 

And on that note, I believe it’s time for me to head outside and have some quality bonding time with my outdoor friend.