The phrase "behaving like animals" is misleading.

It is usually used to describe people acting aggressively or destructively, such as in riots or vandalism.

However, animals do not behave in this way.

They kill for food and defend their families and territory, but always act in an orderly and sensible manner.

This is something we could learn from them.

Tigger, a stray tabby cat who came to live with us in 1962, understood about dogs.

He was once charged by an Alsatian while snoozing in the street.

He stood his ground, only moving at the last moment, back arched, ears folded, and claws extended.

The Alsatian stopped in its tracks, while Tigger calmly climbed a nearby tree.

A perfect example of defending one's territory in a sensible manner.

Having lived near open land with a wood at the bottom of the garden, we were fortunate to observe wildlife.

There was an extended family of foxes who would settle in long grass after their night's foraging.

Each fox would greet the others with a brief nuzzle before finding his own spot to absorb some sunlight.

An example of courteous group living, not every man for himself.

A pair of tawny owls nested in the wood and brought up their young.

One summer, we had four owlets.

A vivid memory is of three fluffy young owls perched on the back of a garden seat; the fourth flies to join them, misjudging his landing, bumping them so the owl at the far end falls off.

If this had been filmed, it would have been famous.

Bats made homes in old woodpecker holes, coming out at dusk to hunt insects.

The young owls chased them for flying practice, but bats are too manoeuvrable to be caught.

The young owls would return to the trees, clumsily crashing into branches, clinging to whatever they could, not yet knowing how to land properly.

Education and training are needed for life, whether learning to fly as perfectly as an adult owl or understanding the world as a young human.

In the story above, three owls landed perfectly on the back of our garden seat, the last arrival botched his landing and the first arrival didn't hold on tight enough.

So it is with us humans.

Some leave the nest well suited to the abrasions of life, sailing through school and into good jobs.

Others have more of a struggle and need parental help and guidance.

Some really do want educational special needs to equip them for life.

A cousin of mine was a total failure at school, but found a steady job at a garden centre looking after plants, while too many staff just regarded their jobs there as temporary.

He also helped in running a youth club, not as the newsworthy leader but keeping the ordinary basics going.

One of many simple ordinary bricks that hold important cornerstones in place.

Learning and parental guidance are as important for our children as for any of our furry or feathered friends.