Connecting with Krishna, Days 6 and 7

Krishna is a remarkably alert, smart, soulful cat who I have been cat sitting for. I have also been offering him some Reiki when I go to visit him, as well as a bach flower remedy, both of which are helping his comfort level while his people are away.

This is the longest span of time they have been away from him, and I am sure he misses them a great deal, as he is so attached to them. He generally does not allow anyone else to touch him or pet him. I feel privileged to have been able to do a bit of TTouch and petting on his head. I haven't been pushing the issue at all, sending him Reiki energy and following his lead as he comes towards me. Occasionally he will let me know with a hiss that I have gotten too close for comfort. But the past few days I have been engaging him in play and I think he has suprised himself at how close he has gotten to me, as you see above!

The day before yesterday I discovered that he was fascinated by the light that shines on the floor when I take a picture with my cell phone, so I decided to bring a small flashlight to see if he wanted to play with the light. Indeed, yesterday when I brought it out, he just couldn't get enough of chasing the light around. When we were done, I gave him one of his "actual" toys so he could feel he "caught" something.

Today , after feeding him we went into the living room area and I had put the flashlight on the floor. He came right up to the flashlight (which was right next to me) and sniffed it, pushing it a bit with his nose as if to ask me to play with him with the light. So we did - it was lovely to see him enjoying himself. I feel when I'm there with him now, it is good to allow some time for play and some time for energy work, especially as he is a young cat and he obviously enjoys getting some exercise.

Another interesting thing, I noticed that if I wanted to lure him to where I was, he would immediately respond to and follow the flashlight if I turned it on, even if he was in the process of going under the bed, which I think is a place he retreats to from time to time just to feel cozy and safe. He is definitely a hunter! and it is interesting that this instinct seems to override some of his scarediness. The flashlight seems to be a really useful tool in getting close to him, in addition to doing the TTouch and energy work. When he is playing, he sort of forgets to be scared, and often ends up sitting right next to me after the play session.

He was a bit too revved up today to try TTouch, but we'll leave that for another day.

Connecting with Krishna - Day 5, Engaging in Play

Krishna's human mom and dad were back for a day, and then went off on their honeymoon. So I went back to cat sit for Krishna today, and for the next week while they are away. I wasn't sure how he would react to me today, but he really was quite sweet. After I came in, he started rubbing himself against things, and rolling around on his back. As soon as I enter the door, I start sending him Reiki energy, and he appears to feel it and calm down.

After I fed him, gave him water, changed his litter etc I sat down with him in the living room. He seemed in a rather playful mood so I thought it would be fun to try engaging him in some play. He has a little squeaky mouse he likes, so I threw it toward him. He caught it and threw it back to me, so we continued for a while in a game of catch. So sweet! then I did some Reiki with him, and again was able to touch him with my hands briefly on his head. At one point he got comfortable and stretched his paw out to me, touching my hand.

I was getting ready to leave and took my phone out to take a couple of pictures. Suddenly he sat up and ran towards me, with big eyes. I was sitting on the floor with my legs bent, feet on the floor so there was a space under my legs, which he ran through.

I realized that my phone, when the camera function is turned on, was making a little spot of light that appeared on the floor, so Krishna was attracted by that and started to chase it. So we played chase for a bit, then I gave him one of his "actual" toys so hopefully he wouldn't be too frustrated at not being able to catch the light :)

Each time I see him, I feel like he gets more comfortable with me, but I still keep reminding myself to just take it slow and easy with him. He reminds me too sometimes! At one point I got closer to his paw than he wanted so he batted me with it, but with no claws out :)

Look forward to seeing you tomorrow, little guy!

Connecting with Krishna, days 3 and 4: Feeling Safer, Getting Closer

Krishna is a very shy cat who I have had as a TTouch/Reiki client and I am getting to know him better in the process of cat sitting for him. I am offering him Reiki and a little TTouch during this time as well. Especially the Reiki energy is very relaxing for him, and helps him to almost immediately be in a more relaxed space so that he feels more comfortable being in closer proximity to me. He is generally a cat who does not like to be touched or even approached by anyone other than his human mom and dad. Now when he sees me enter, he comes into the kitchen area, lays down and stretches his body out, paw stretching towards me.

Here you see him sitting on the edge of the tub. He loves to drink water out of the tub faucet if you let a thin stream of water drip there, very cute! So, after I feed him and let him drink his water this special way, I sat down on the floor with him in the living room. He was sitting in a box that he loves (see below), and was relaxing as the sun came in the window. I felt Reiki energy flowing quite strongly from my hands. I also did a little TTouch on his head using a paintbrush, doing circles and strokes under his chin and on the top of his head and forehead.

Then I started to say a mantra taught to me by my friend and wonderful healer Karen. She had actually taught it in the context of a class, and is meant to put yourself at ease when you are feeling nervous -- "I am very loved, and I am very safe". I have been using this but substituting the "I" with "you" for some animals I have been working with, and it is very calming. So I began to say this to him, very slowly and very softly, over and over. Little by little, he crept over to me, and touched his nose to my hand. Then, instead of walking back away as he had done before, he sat down with his face just a couple of inches away from my hand. It felt like such a huge breakthrough and moment of real trust from him.

I took a deep breath and very slowly and quietly did a few circles and strokes with my hand on the top of Krishna's head and on his forehead. He settled into the TTouches, staying where he was. I didn't want to push the issue, so just did this for a few seconds, then backed off. He looked very comfortable. I continued to send him Reiki from where I was, and felt him to be very peaceful.


Today after his food and water, for some reason he went under the bed to rest. I wanted to see if he might respond to a treat and, to my surprise, he came out from under the bed and practically put his nose in my hand when I brought out the treats that he liked. I gave him a second treat, then he came out again into the living room area.

He wasn't in the mood to be TTouched with the paintbrush, so I put that to the side and offered him Reiki from maybe a couple of feet away. After a while I was able to move closer to him and, eventually, touch him briefly on the top of the head directly with my hand.

After that, his eyes met with mine in a way that felt like we had a direct heart-to-heart connection. For some of you, this may sound a little out there, but when this happens, I literally feel it in my heart. It is a very intense, beautiful connection, as though you have a very fleeting direct connection with their inner being.

I always thank the animals after being with them. I feel it is a privilege to be given permission to connect with them in this very deep way. So much of it is truly being in the moment with them.

I know he looks a little wistful in the picture below. He seems to have such a deep, wise soul.

Thank you so much, Krishna. I look foward to seeing you soon, and seeing what will happen next.

Connecting with Krishna: Day 2

On my second day of cat-sitting for Krishna, he was comfortable with me quite soon after I entered. First there was one big MEOW, but then I sent him some Reiki and he sat down, looking relaxed, then stretched out, stretching his paw right towards me. This was a great start.


After I fed him, I went into the bathroom and pulled aside the curtain in the bathtub to turn on the water for him to drink, and he came in on cue and jumped in the bathtub. Unfortunately he scared himself as he knocked over a couple of bottles of shampoo during his jump, so he jumped back out. But after I left the bathroom I saw him go back in to drink the water that was dripping down, as he likes to do.

Then he settled in the living room for some Reiki from a short distance. I sat on the floor with him. He settled more quickly this time, and then went up to one of his very cozy spots, on a blanket on the couch. I moved gradually, a couple of feet at a time, closer to him, til I was about a foot away from a couch. He first stared at me with big wide eyes, as you see in the top picture, but then got quite comfortable, in the position you see below, with more relaxed eyes.


During the course of our session, I told him how many times it would get dark before his people came back, which is a great thing to do, as they do pick up the information on some level, and it is good to reassure them that their people are going to come back to them.


When I got up to put his dry food out before I left, he looked at me as though he was wondering where I was going? I told him that I would be there tomorrow, and every day til his people get back, to feed him, play with him, , etc, telling him in a very calm, quiet voice. The tone of your voice makes so much difference as well. love ya, Krishna!

Connecting with Krishna, Day 1

From time to time I do cat-sitting for my TTouch/Reiki clients, especially in situations where the animal may be afraid of strangers. I was asked to take care of Krishna while his human parents were on their wedding and honeymoon. In the past, he would usually bite the feet of the people who took care of him.

I taken care of him for a day a couple of weeks before that, and it had gone well - I calmed my energy before I entered the apartment, and did Reiki with him to create a calm space.




Today, I did the same thing. I was a bit nervous before I went, so I made sure to calm my own energy before I opened the door. I had a couple of hisses and a meow while I was there, but after a few minutes I felt him start to calm and the space feel calmer. I kept feeling Reiki energy coming out of my hands and out of my pores as I gave him his food, scooped the litter box etc.


He enjoys drinking from the bathtub faucet so I turned on the light in the bathroom and got a thin stream of water going in the bathtub, which is what he enjoys. Then I went and sat off to the side, continuing to send him Reiki. After a few minutes, he went in there on his own to drink the water. I left him alone to do this, then went out in the living room and sat on the floor.


He came out in the living room and sat in a box which he likes, and the sun was coming through the window, making a nice warm patch on the floor. I continued sending him Reiki, and felt him being at ease, grooming himself, etc.


Then he really surprised me - he got up, slowly walked up to me and started sniffing my hand and my arm. I didn't want to startle him so stayed very still. then he went back to the sun patch, stretching and rolling in the sun.


Thank you Krishna, for trusting me, I feel it an honor to connect with you in this way and look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

TTouch and Reiki at BARC Shelter: Update on Quinn

Hi folks, happy July 4th!

Quinn is a big grey and white cat with a big personality at BARC shelter. As with many if not most shelter cats, I feel must have gone through some serious trauma before arriving at the shelter. He seems to have some feral-ness in him, and seems to want attention but to be afraid of it at the same time, and seems to be very ultra-sensitive. He sticks his paw out of the cage to say hello, but then if you open his cage to try to touch him, he seems to be overwhelmed by a hand coming into his cage. He will sometimes swat, and, though he has never used his claws along with the swat with me, the swat is a bit unnerving because it is fast, and he also vocalizes along with the swat.

I have been working with him using a paintbrush, but thought it was time to try another texture, as he initially responded to the paintbrush but then seemed to be irritated by it. I also felt that I needed to approach him from the side of his cage instead of from the front.

So the next took I decided to try is a long feather. I did little strokes and circular touches around his head and face, working in a few strokes down the body. He immediately found these soothing, as you can see by his expression below.


I am touching him with the flat part of the feather, not the end of the feather, and using just enough pressure to move the skin around in a clockwise circle and a quarter. It is a very light touch. I stop to give him breaks frequently, and do not do too long of a session, to avoid him becoming overstimulated (which he will tell you about with a MEOW). Every once in a while I can sneak my hand in there for a few touches. I am standing to the side of his cage and putting the feather through the bars in the cage.

Using the feather with him felt like a real breakthrough, as though he was able to really settle with these touches in a way that was not possible before.

Saturday I felt another level of this breakthrough with him, as I had made him a Bach Flower remedy (a custom blend which I made of several of the essences which suit his personality and emotional state). I am trained and certified in Bach Flower essences, so I often incorporate these into the work I am doing with the animals. As I put a few drops of it into his water bowl, he started licking the dropper as though this was something he was craving or knew he needed (I washed the dropper before putting back in the bottle, which is only for him). I noticed an almost immediate shift in him -- subtle, but definitely there, as others noticed it as well. The irritatedness which I often sense in him looked like it was easing.

As I worked with him with the feather, he grew so sleepy and relaxed, it was lovely to see. I was able to work with him for a longer time than usual, and felt the relaxation to be deeper than I had seen before in him.

Much love to you Quinn, thanks for all you are teaching me on my journey, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

TTouch and Reiki with Mayor's Alliance Rescue Cats, June 27

Today I went to work with the Mayor's Alliance Rescue Cats thru Tavi & Friends' TTouch-in-Rescue Program, which I do once a week. As usual, some of these cats I have worked with for a while and some are new. I mention quite a few of the TTouches here, and I welcome you to check out my youtube channel (http://youtube.com/sarahsuricat) so that you can see demonstrations of these TTouches.
Blackie (above) usually is eager for attention, but she can get over-stimulated, and she started out in a bit of an over-stimulated mode. When she is like this, it is sometimes best to use the jelly scrubber instead of my hand with her. The jelly scrubber is a horse-grooming tool, and has two textures on it. Most cats like the texture with the smaller rubber things on it, as Blackie does. I do the TTouch circles using the jelly scrubber, going very slowly and working along the top of her head as well as going down her back. She can be a bit sensitive around her hind end so I don't always go all the way down. I only worked with her for a short time today, as that seemed to be what she preferred.


Blackie 2 was a bit shy when he first arrived at the shelter but now he is super-friendly and seeking of attention. He was very excited and was rubbing his head against my hand. I did the llama and abalone TTouches with him, as these use large surfaces of the hand and are very calming for animals who can get over-excited (or who are nervous). These began to calm him, and then I started doing some ear strokes with him, and I noticed a real shift in him when I did this. Suddenly his whole energy calmed down, and I felt so connected with him.


Honey (above) is a sweet kitty, but today she mostly wanted to just hang out outside of her cage and wasn't in a mood to be touched too much. She generally prefers more contact around the head than the body, so I did some gentle raccoon TTouches around her forehead, top of the head and around her ears.


Ices has a very gentle, sweet personality. She immediately began to rub her head against my hand. I did chimp TTouches (uses the back of your fingers), and she settled right into these and stretched out.


King Kong is a friendly little guy but can get over-excited easily, so I do the TTouches using the back of my hand and fingers such as the chimp TTouch and llama TTouch with him, which can help bring him back into his body.


Lee was very very shy when I first started to work with him, but now he meows to be let out of his cage for some interaction. He can still startle easily, so I wait for him to come to me, then do a few abalone TTouches or llama TTouches, then let him walk around some more. Eventually he is becoming more and more comfortable with contact.


Lil Panther, Tiger Lily and Sweet Mama are new and extreeeemely shy. Sometimes when there is more than one shy one together in a cage, I start with the one who seems to be the most dominant, since if they come around, then the others usually follow what he does. Lil Panther seemed to be the "top cat" here, so I worked with him first, using the back of the hand part of a back scratcher to make contact. I did gentle TTouches on his head and a bit on his back. I would do some TTouches, give him a break, then start again. He growled at first, then after a while he closed his eyes and his body began to relax. I did a few TTouches on his cagemates but didn't want to push the issue with them so kept it short.


Marette still can get startled quite easily but she has gotten so sweet. When I let her out of her cage, I sit on the floor with my legs bent up, and she walks back and forth under my legs, and I do TTouches on her as she goes by. She did a real shift today when I did little circles using my fingernail and back of my finger to do the circular TTouches first on her head, then ou her body. The forehead is an especially calming area for her. She was purrrrrring.


Mila is a very sweet girl and seeks attention, but she can get a bit worked up, so I do very slow chimp TTouches with her, mostly on her head, and it brings down her stress level.

Otto is a new little guy, he is adorable, of course, and quite friendly. He started rubbing his face against me as soon as I began to do TTouches with him, he really relaxed into them.

Thanks all, look forward to seeing you soon, unless you get adopted, which would be even better!