Good point. And actually, the Israelites in the OT had a built-in rest for wives around that time. Chris Taylor and I recently discussed the need for more understanding on our podcast for husbands: Episode 25: What About Sex During Her Period? – Knowing Her Sexually (khsministry.com)

What strikes me though is that the cats, and I am presuming other mammals, have a period of “rest” during their reproductive cycles in a way that human women are not allowed to have—or at least not in our current culture. Some women may really need during their menstrual cycle, this given the amount of pain or bleeding they experience. It is sad that there is not more understanding about this, imo. I have had periods that I barely noticed at all–have also had periods with cramping at the pain level of labor.

This is an excellent question. Sadly, I don’t know the answer.

That is, I have the same questions you do about certain members of the animal kingdom and their rough reproductive activities. My sister-in-law even explained to me how her rooster copulated with the hens, and his aggressiveness showed in bald areas on his favorite chickens where he’d clawed out their feathers. Female dragonflies have been known to fake death (crash-dropping to the ground) to avoid male suitors, because of their sexual aggression. Then there are female bugs who eat or sting their partners. And so on. My theory is this is a broken world. It doesn’t appear that animals ate one another at the beginning, but they did after sin entered the world. Likewise, reproduction in the animal kingdom at times represents life after Eden, in which sin colors our existence. But again, I don’t know. I would like to ask God about all that someday (assuming I can form words beyond “holy, holy, holy,” of course).

That said, there is also tenderness in the animal world. We have all seen it among pets and in the wild, so God’s goodness is there as well. Glimpses of His glory come through in nature, even if it’s tainted as well. But when God restores His creation fully, perhaps then it really will be as Isaiah 11:6-10 says:

“The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.”

Ultimately, however, humans are the ones made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

(Total aside, bonobos are the only other species known to regularly have sex face-to-face. Interestingly, females are dominant among bonobos, so maybe it’s the gals saying, “Hey, look me in the eye, buddy!” ~wink~)

Thank you, Scott! Means a lot coming from you.