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Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief after an elementary school in Washington was locked down when a mountain lion was reportedly spotted. It turns out a fat cat was mistaken for a predator. Once the mistake was realized, the lockdown was lifted, and the school resumed normal activities.

According to reports, the cat was seen eating a rat, leading to the misidentification. While this is a humorous story that leaves us scratching our heads asking, “How?” there are some lessons to be learned.

We Can Jump to Conclusions

There is a big difference between the size of a mountain lion and a cat. How big does a cat have to be for people to confuse it with a much larger predator? Although the cat pictured in the cited article is quite large, it does not resemble a mountain lion. Perhaps the confusion arose because the person who reported the cat had never seen a mountain lion and simply assumed that is what it had to be.

We often jump to conclusions, but unfortunately, they do not always leave us laughing at our mistake. Sometimes, they lead us or others to a different opinion of someone, or their character is viewed differently because we thought we saw something we did not. Before we know it, others are affected by being mislabeled in some way. Jumping to conclusions may not have ill intent, but it can cause unnecessary and unwarranted drama.

Everything Is Not Always as It Seems

No matter how much weight this cat has gained, that does not make it a mountain lion. The coloring of the fur might be the same, but that is where the similarities end. This is a good reminder that not everything is as it seems.

Of course, when the safety of children is the concern, it is wise to take precautions and err on the side of caution. However, this instance is a great reminder that appearances can be deceiving.

This Had No Effect on the Cat

The fact is, the cat does not care if it was mistaken for a mountain lion. If it had human reasoning, the cat might take that as a compliment—or an insult, now being called a “fat” cat. Regardless, the cat does not care; he is just looking for his next meal.

Unfortunately, we care much more than the cat when we are incorrectly accused of being something we are not. This should remind us to be slow to jump to conclusions, especially since people have feelings.

If this happens to you, try not to take it personally. Mistakes happen. At least the cat was not mistaken for a skunk.