Feline Mystery: Can you Help Solve it?

Cats indeed are mysterious beings. But the one thing I know about for sure about them is the moment we think  that their purrsonalities are open books or they are predictable creatures, they will do something to communicate that we are being arrogant and really don't have a clue. In the 40 plus years I have been owned by felines the one thing that I have learned about them for sure, is that they really are quite unpredictable at times.

Take my cat, Hush Puppy! (It's just an expression, folks... you can't have him). Puppy absolutely despises riding in our car. The instant he spies me retrieving his carrier, he gives me THAT look, and we all know what that look is saying. He quickly finds  his favorite hiding place in the closet in order to evade any possibility of coming in contact with  the automobile monster.

This being said, I recently discovered that it is not traveling that bothers him.

Walking can be difficult and painful for me, due to Lyme Disease which resulted in Arthritis. Strolling around outdoors and in our house can become almost impossible at times.Thankfully, I was blessed to be able to finally obtain a power wheelchair to assist me in getting around more efficiently. I love my power chair. it faithfully takes me wherever I need to go.

It seems that Hush Puppy, our lilac point Oriental Shorthair neuter, has developed a fondness for taking rides with me when I am in my chair. He frequently jumps on my shoulder as I am riding around the house to join in what he considers to be the greatest fun. He purrs up a storm whenever I take the opportunity to pick him up and take him for a ride. I have no idea why he has a rooted antipathy to our car, but will  beg me to take him for a ride when I am in my chair. He often sits on the head rest looking longingly at me. I find it hard to resist his invitation most of the time.

But the strangest thing of all, is that we have a hybrid car which is almost as quiet as my powerchair. So I don't think it is the noise factor, and we don't always take him to the vet when we may travel elsewhere with him in our car.

So I am wondering what it is that is so upsetting to him about the automobile. He will begin "singing" from the moment we leave the garage, only stopping his raucous serenade when we stop for a traffic light or reach our destination. 

Either he is being empathetic toward me when I am in my wheelchair, letting me know he is thrilled that I can get around, or it is more complicated.

It is indeed a mystery to us.I need some help here. so If anyone has suggestions about what his problem is, I would be delighted to receive some input.

To Dream the Impossible Dream: Do You Have One?

This morning while I was indulging in one of my recent favorite hobbies, "Yahoo Answers", I ran across a unique question asked by a young lady who wanted to know if anyone believed in unicorns or Pegasus. It got me to thinking about these two mythical horses and how they have impacted me over the years.

Do I believe in them? While I have no absolute proof, I must admit that I lean toward the belief  that they exist in spirit and can touch us on many levels.

Pegasus, the flying horse, has always been inspirational. My mare, Patti and I spent many hours volunteering in the Pegasus therapeutic riding program. The name of the program was well chosen, as it offered disabled riders the opportunity to experience what may have seemed to be impossible for them.

Much more enjoyable and enriching than  impersonal  machines and other "orthodox" physical therapies, the horses and the folks who involved in handling them, provided  the healing effects which traditional physical therapy provides, but in an enjoyable and delightful way.

The Unicorn, on the other hand, to me is a symbol of what is possible if one truly believes in something. Just because we cannot see something, does not mean that it doesn't exist. Maybe there is a unicorn in my garden. I would like to think that one day, I might actually get to see one.

"The Unicorn in the Garden" a fable of our time written by James Thurber is a truly inspirational and thought provoking metaphor. Please take a few minutes to view the video,(classic UPA cartoon 1953)  from erose7en

So why not dream the impossible dream? They can only come true if we dare to.

Do you believe in unicorns and Pegasus? Have these mythical horses touched your lives in any way? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with us.

Kitty Cure for Insomnia? A Picture is Worth. . .

I have been having difficulty sleeping for the past few nights. I am frankly exhausted by now.  Not wanting to take a sleeping pill, I thought it might be a good idea to consult with my cats for any assistance they might be able to PURRvide for me.

This photograph does have a somewhat hypnotic effect on me . . .

Are you getting sleepy too?  Leave a comment . . . or a lullabye, please!

The Healing Power of Animals: Meet Jeff and Freedom

This morning I received an email from my dear friend, Sheila. I never know what I am going to blog about each day, but I always seem to receive something that strikes my eye and touches my heart. This story is really powerful. Not only does it demonstrate the will to live and thrive in wildlife, but how these miracles can touch the humans who are involved in their rescue.

I hope it moves you the way it did me.

Freedom and Jeff

"Freedom and I have been together 10 years this summer. She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way even after surgery, it was broken in 4 places. She's my baby.

"When Freedom came in she could not stand. Both wings were broken, her left wing in 4 places. She was emaciated and covered in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to the vets office.  From then on, I was always around her. We had her in a huge dog carrier with the top off, and it was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in. I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes. We also had to tube feed her for weeks.

"This went on for 4-6 weeks, and by then she still couldn't stand. It got to the point where the decision was made to euthanize her if she couldn't stand in a week. You know you don't want to cross that line between torture and rehab, and it looked like death was winning. She was going to be put down that Friday, and I was supposed to come in on that Thursday afternoon. I didn't want to go to the center that Thursday, because I couldn't bear the thought of her being euthanized; but I went anyway, and when I walked in everyone was grinning from ear to ear. I went immediately back to her owl cage; and there she was, standing on her own, a big beautiful eagle. She was ready to live. I was just about in tears by then. That was a very good day.

"We knew she could never fly, so the director asked me to glove train her. I got her used to the glove,and then to jesses, and we started doing education programs for schools in western Washington. We wound up in the newspapers, radio (believe it or not) and some TV. Miracle Pets even did a show about us.

"In the spring of 2000, I was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. I had stage 3, which is not good (one major organ plus everywhere), so I wound up doing 8 months of chemo. Lost the hair -the whole bit. I missed a lot of work. When I felt good enough, I would go to Sarvey Wildlife and take Freedom out for walks. Freedom would also come to me in my dreams and help me fight the cancer. This happened time and time again.

"Fast forward to November 2000, the day after Thanksgiving, I went in for my last checkup. I was told that if the cancer was not all gone after 8 rounds of chemo, then my last option was a stem cell transplant. Anyway, they did the tests; and I had to come back Monday for the results. I went in Monday, and I was told that all the cancer was gone. Yahoo!

"So the first thing I did was get up to Sarvey and take the big girl out for a walk. It was misty and cold. I went to her flight and jessed her up, and we went out front to the top of the hill. I hadn't said a word to Freedom, but somehow she knew. She looked at me and wrapped both her wings around me to where I could feel them pressing in on my back (I was engulfed in eagle wings), and she touched my nose with her beak and stared into my eyes, and we just stood there like that for I don't know how long. That was a magic moment. We have been soul mates ever since she came in. This is a very special bird.

"On a side note: I have had people who were sick come up to us when we are out, and Freedom has some kind of hold on them. I once had a guy who was terminal come up to us and I let him hold her. His knees just about buckled and he swore he could feel her power coarse through his body. I have so many stories like that.

"I never forget the honor I have of being so close to such a magnificent spirit as Freedom's.

Hope you enjoy this.
Jeff"

There is such a strong connection between animals and humans, as we can clearly see from this story. The healing power of love can't be denied.

Do you have any stories about how animals have inspired you or have touched you deeply in your own personal healing? Please leave a comment and let us know.

 

A Picture is Worth . . .

My husband and I have been fighting the "Flu" for over a week now.  Sneezing and coughing, exhausted and aching, my energy is about tapped out. So is his.

So this morning, with my imagination and creative juices at a standstill, and wondering about what to blog, I found this photograph in my email box.

It felt so purrfect in its ability to describe precisely how I am feeling, and convey my condition to my readers! And as a bonus, maybe our kitties will get a little insight into my physical condition as well and appreciate me a little more.

So while I generally don't use "stock" photographs, this one just grabbed my attention.

Maybe I am over identifying with this sad looking feline, but I don't think so!  Her little puss says it all.

Our cats are beginning to scatter around the house every time I  sneeze. Their sensitive ears must be overloaded But you would think they would be a little more compassionate, especially considering that I am always there for them when they are under the weather.

Time to clean another litter box and serve up a meal.  Sick time does not apply to a cat servant, right? 

I really am trying not to feel sorry for myself . . . but you would think that one of my furry friends would show enough interest to take care of me.

Don't you agree? Leave a comment directed to our cats telling them just how you feel. Thank you!

Lesson In Courage: Meet Dominic the Dog

I was deeply moved by the remarkable courage and adapability shown by Dominic, a two-legged Greyhound, in the video presented by diLattinho on YouTube.

It got me wondering how animals are able to adjust quickly to challenges that we humans might consider to be obstacles almost impossible to overcome.

What is it about the human species that stops us from living in the moment with such grace? Is it that the gift of self-reflection which humans possess, which is supposedly absent in animals, creates our fear-based doubts and suffering which hinders our healing?

Is it that animals live fully in the moment, while our analytic minds chatter relentlessly with our endless "what ifs", as we step outside the present and engage in negative projections?

Or is it just simply that animals react from their hard-wired strategy for survival? What do you think?

But no matter the reason for their ability to adjust to adversity, animals are powerful teachers and a source of inspiration and encouragement for me when I am witness to their determination and grace.

Amore The Feline Way : Happy Valentine's Day

Are you thinking about that special "someone" today but are at a loss for the right words to express your affection with passion?

After extensive research we found some excellent answers to your questions. Just take a moment to watch this informative video from Planet's TV, made by Bonnie Rogers, Brandon James and Daniel Wolfert. CPOC.

If you faithfully follow the suggestions made by this very romantically adept kitty, you will win the heart of your beloved.

We wish you a  purrfect Valentine's day!

Animals as Teachers

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"South Pacific" was one of my favorite musicals when I was a child. One of the songs from the show made a lasting impression on me since it beautifully illustrated the early teachings about compassion, respect and love for my fellow humans that my father bestowed upon me. I was blessed to be raised to always keep an open mind and heart.

"You've got to be taught to hate and fear, you've got to be taught from year to year, it's got to be drummed in your dear little ear . . . you've got to be carefully taught."    I will never forget these powerfully prophetic words.

When I saw the heart-warming photograph above it triggered the memory of that song. And while we do learn to fear the unknown, and experience its concomitant hatred , we can also be taught, through our relationship with animals, the possibility of allowing ourselves to remain open to the miracle of diversity and how it can enhance our lives. 

And when I hear stories about the ease with which different species can so magically connect, I often wonder about our lofty status in the animal kingdom. Who in reality  need to be our teachers? To whom do we we need to pay attention if we are to heal the open wounds from which we suffer?

If we can learn to hate and fear, we can also learn to love and trust if we are willing to do the work.

Watch the inspiring video uploaded to YouTube by normankremer. These powerful teachers give us a delightful lesson upon which to reflect.

 

The Dog, The Cat and The Rat