Be Punctual

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We had been feeding Orange for a few months when one day he showed up looking terrible—seriously injured, with blood on his left side and bite marks on his face. We rushed him to the vet. The injury was bad enough that the vet considered putting him down, but we asked them to try. After shots, antibiotics, and a little hope, Orange pulled through.

We brought him home and gave him space to heal in the garage, hoping he’d get used to being around people. But after a few days, he made it clear he wanted to go. So we let him.

Then it happened again. This time, the back of his head was ripped open. The wound was deep. We took him to a different vet, who treated him—but reported the injury to animal control. That meant we were required to bring Orange back for a rabies check exactly 30 days later, or face a $500 fine.

The date was firm: September 6, 2016.

Orange spent two weeks recovering in the garage, then—once again—decided to leave. I remember looking at him and saying half-jokingly, “If you’re not back here by the 6th, you’re paying the $500.”

And on September 4, he returned.
On his own. Two days early.
He came inside—and stayed. Permanently.

As if he understood the deadline. As if he was saying, “I’m ready now. Let’s make this official.”

From that point on, Orange never missed a moment. He came when he was called. He showed up when he was needed. He became part of the family—not just emotionally, but reliably.

And that taught me something about punctuality.

Too often, people show up late and brush it off like it’s nothing. Five minutes. Ten minutes. No big deal. But it is. Being late isn’t just about time—it’s about consideration. It tells the other person, “My time is more valuable than yours.”

But if a cat—an independent, stubborn, street-smart cat—can make a deadline when it matters most… why can’t we?

Being on time means being dependable. It means showing up for others. And in Orange’s case, it meant choosing to become part of something bigger than himself.