Connecting with Krishna, Closer and Closer

When I am working with animals, I always try to be sensitive to what they are comfortable with, and work from there.  There are times when it is good to give a little nudge so that they can try something new, but it is good to first find what makes them feel safe and at ease, rather than having a pre-conceived notion of what you would like to have happen.  What happened today may seem rather subtle to the reader, but for this cat I believe it was a huge step.

Today I went to work with Krishna, a stunning black kitty who is generally fearful of those other than his human caretakers, particularly his human "mommy" Rebecca.  However, over the time I have worked with him, we have developed a lovely connection.  He is still very shy though, so I have to be very sensitive to what he is comfortable with at any given moment.
I hadn't seen him in a while, and, as I always try to do, I began sending him Reiki energy as I was on my way there, feeling the connection with him and picturing him responding in a positive way. 
When I arrived, he came right up to me.  I slowly went down on a knee to be closer to his level, and he put his nose right on my hand.  The least movement can startle him, so I stayed very still, speaking to him in a very calm, soft voice, telling him I had missed him so much and was so happy to see him. This was the boldest greeting that I have ever received from him.  I feel so especially honored when such a shy kitty feels comfortable enough to let down their guard to connect with me.
Since our last appointment, Rebecca and Krishna had a session with my friend and colleague, Eileen Garfinkel (http://dreamsofamelia.com), who is a fantastic animal communicator.  One of the things Eileen had picked up from Krishna was that he would like Rebecca to let go of what her expectations of him were.  And it had seemed that often I have been able to achieve a closer connection with Krishna when she is not present - possibly he felt some pressure from her or maybe just was more interested in connecting with her than with me.  So we decided it would be beneficial for her to leave the apartment for at least half the session.
After she left, I sat down a few feet away from Krishna, sending him Reiki all the while.  I brought out a very soft paintbrush that he had responded to in the past, and, as he had done previously, he immediately sniffed it and then began rolling around, rubbing himself against it.  I was not even holding on to the handle of the brush, just letting him experience the brush.  In doing this, he was practically touching me, and suddenly he got scared and and hissed and swatted me and ran way from me for a minute. 
But it was just a moment for him of being scared.  He didn't run in the bedroom to hide, which is where he will go if he is very afraid.  Instead he remained in the living room, and got in his cat bed, which feels like a safe place.  I went and sat on the couch near where he was, and continued to send him Reiki energy.  I could see him start to relax, his eyes getting a bit droopy.  After a while, I sat down on the floor near him and got a bit closer.  He relaxed more and more, came out of the bed and began getting closer.  When I put out the soft brush again, he rubbed against it and rolled on his back, very comfortable and looking right at me.  So sweet!  I resisted the temptation to try to hold the other end of the brush and touch him, I just wanted him to be cozy being near me.  After this, he laid down near me and, as I continued to send Reiki, he started to lay down and put his head down.
Just a few moments after this, Rebecca returned and sat on the floor near where we were.  Krishna wanted to interact with her, so they did for a little bit, then she stopped and he came over near where I was again.  I was continually sending Reiki during this time, so again, he began to get comfortable.  I did try touching him with a couple of different paintbrushes, but I could see by his reaction that the best thing to do for this session was to continue with the Reiki energy and see what could happen.  I tried to very much keep in mind what Eileen had said about allowing Krishna to be who he was and not push him too much.  He got more and more calm and ended up laying down just inches away from me, actually facing away from me.

This felt like wonderful progress - first of all, it was amazing how close he was to me and had his guard completely down.  Also, when he is nervous, he faces me direectly and stares with huge open eyes at me, so the fact that he was comfortable facing away from me was interesting as well.  We stayed this way for quite a while, and I continued to send Reiki to him, imagining the energy relaxing him, filling him with light, releasing any worries from the past or present.  I could feel him pulling the energy from my hands. 

Sometimes when we can really let go of our expectations are when these breakthrough moments are truly able to happen.
After I ended our Reiki session and slowly stood up, Krishna was looking at me, but not with a wide-eyed fearful look - much more of a centered, grounded, relaxed presence.  It was lovely to see him feeling so at ease.
Thank you so much Krishna - you teach me every time I work with you.  Look forward to seeing you soon...

Connecting with Krishna, February 2012: Day 4

I've been cat sitting for Krishna, who is quite a shy guy, but I feel we get a little closer every time I see him. Today was the last day cat sitting for him.

When I entered the apartment, he was sitting on the windowsill, looking out the window. He surprised me so much when he looked at me, then jumped off the windowsill and came running right up to me. He actually seemed to want to play first, and then eat, so we played our game where he chases the light from the flashlight around on the living room rug.

After that, he ate some, and I told him his people would be back later in the day.

We then played some more, and he then settled quite close to where I was sitting.


I took out the soft brush which I used yesterday - a soft paintbrush that looks like a makeup brush with a long handle - and this time instead of directly touching him with it, I let him come to the brush, and he rubbed his nose against it, then rolled on the ground rubbing his face against the brush.

He was OK being stroked under the chin with the brush, but what made him most comfortable was if I just put the brush on the ground and let him rub his face against the brush.

Doing this helped him to be extremely comfortable being right next to where I was sitting. Below you see him looking up at me as though to say, "I can't believe I'm right next to you!" During the whole time, I was sending him Reiki energy - he is so receptive to it, it helps him to feel very at ease. Sometimes with him I am completely silent, and other times I speak to him in a soft voice, telling him he is very loved and very safe.

Even though it is hard for him when his people are away, and he still gets frightened once in a while, I feel that we got closer to each other over the past few days, and it feels like a big step for him to be able to be just hanging out right next to where I am without being afraid. I think the combination of interactive play and the very quiet TTouch and Reiki work is a good combination for him. Hope to see you soon, little guy! xo

Connecting with Krishna, Feb. 2012: Day 3: The Comfort of a Soft Brush

Today was my third day cat sitting for Krishna, who is fearful of people other than his guardians, Rebecca and Tim, so when they are away, it is especially hard for him. We have been doing well though, and I have found that a combination of play and relaxation techniques have helped me to feel a stronger connection with Krishna. One of the most important things for me is to respect his space and what is is ready and comfortable to do. It is OK to nudge those boundaries a bit in order to move to the next level, but a very gentle nudge.

Today when I entered the apartment, he was irritated at first, greeting me with a loud meow and hiss. I'm sure he is missing his people, and he was also hungry. As in the past he has pounced on other cat sitters' feet, my approach when this happens is to stand very still sending Reiki, as he gets in a bit of a stalking mode and is more apt to pounce if I move at that point.

As I continued to send the energy he calmed down, actually pretty quickly, and laid down to wait for me to fix his food.

He ate a little, then looked at me as though he was ready to play. So for a while we played his favorite game to play with me, which is chasing the light from the flashlight as I move it around. He can really get going!!

After he was done, he ate a little more and was in a more relaxed mode.

Then I took out a very soft paintbrush - it looks like a makeup brush but with a longer handle, which works well with him as it is good to have more distance, at least in the beginning. He was very curious about the brush, sniffing it a lot and began to rub himself against it a bit. Perhaps it was something about the texture of the brush, but at this point he got very cozy and he began to roll around and rub himself all over rug. I have seen this reaction sometimes with shelter cats who are initially very frozen but there is something about the paintbrush (or other tool that I use with them) that helps them to feel a LOT more at ease, and they begin to roll around on their back and stretch out etc.

I stroked Krishna a bit under his chin with the brush, and then a little on the side of his face, but I found he was more comfortable if I put the brush on the floor and he rubbed himself against it. At one point he was on his back and touched his nose right to my hand. I just stayed still, not wanting to startle him. At that point he was stretched out right next to me.

I feel so honored when a very shy cat lets his guard down that and is able to trust me enough to be so close to me.

I felt such a strong connection to Krishna today - I think the brush helped us to make a wonderful breakthrough.

Shortly before I left I was speaking to a friend on the phone and, instead of going back into the bedroom for some private time, as he often does when he has had enough socialization with me, he actually followed me back into the living room, sitting near me and blinking! xo

Connecting with Krishna, February 2012: Day 2

Today when I went to cat sit Krishna, he started out with a hiss - I'm sure he is missing his people. So I just stood still, sending him Reiki energy, and he quickly settled, sitting hear his food dishes, waiting for me to feed him. He ate a little and then we played the game he loves to play, chasing the light from a flashlight. This seems to be a good way for him to get pent-up tension out, and generally after that he is more open to receiving TTouch and/or Reiki. He really can tear around! and if I stop and put down the flashlight before he is ready to stop, he comes up to the flashlight, nudging it, as though to prompt me to continue :)

After he took a break from playing, he ate some more, then came back on the rug, where I was sitting. I did a few TTouches on him, using a long-handled paintbrush, but thought it better to just get him comfortable being near me without him being scared of being touched. He is very comfortable with his people touching him, but very fearful of others. So we sat quite close to each other and I began to send him Reiki. He got more and more at ease, and eventually he stretched out, extremely comforable, looking at me. I felt such a peaceful vibration in the room. It is such an honor when a shy cat feels enough trust to really start to let his guard down.
I know his eyes look pretty big in the picture below, but this is actually a much more relaxed gaze than we started out with :)
Thank you Krishna, see you tomorrow!!!

Connecting with Krishna, February 2012: Day One

Hi folks! Krishna is a wonderful kitty I have worked with for a while, and occasionally I have the opportunity to cat sit for him. He is very shy, and it is hard for him when his people are away. I approach him very quietly and gently.

Today when I went, it was the first day of cat sitting him, and I wasn't sure whether he would be a bit miffed to see me. I began to send him Reiki energy as I was on the subway traveling to his apartment. For those unfamiliar with Reiki, it can be done remotely or hands-on. When I arrived, he was actually pretty calm, given the situation. He sat down near his food bowls and waited as I prepared his food for him. I was sending him Reiki energy as I got his food ready, cleaned his box etc. He ate a bit, then was ready to play.

He loves to chase the light from a flashlight, so this was a great way to get any pent-up energy out and get him more relaxed. He really got going chasing the light around, and when I stopped for a minute, he did something he usually does, went up to the flashlight to sniff it, as if to prompt me to continue.

He appears to know that the light comes from the flashlight, but that doesn't diminish his enjoyment of the game!

After he had enough, he seemed much more relaxed. He was very cute, started rubbing his face against the legs of an easel that was near where we were playing.

He then went to eat some of his food with gusto, unconcerned that I was sitting nearby. After he was done, he sat off to the side of his bowls, and I did some Reiki from a short distance away. I could see him relaxing as I did this. I tried something which I recently did with a feral at the shelter - I used a paintbrush and just gently made a stroking motion a few inches in front of where his whiskers are.

The feral cat had found this relaxing, and he responded to it as well. He is so sensitive that it was as if I was actually touching him.

He then went to eat some more, and I got ready to go. I had explained to him how many times it would get dark before his people returned, reassured him that they would return, and told him that I would be there every day to give him food, play with him etc. Thanks a lot Krishna, it was such a pleasure to spend time with you once again.

Connecting with Krishna: Helping Him to Feel Safe

Today I went to cat sit for Krishna, a beautiful cat who I have worked with and cat-sat for before a number of times. He is generally very fearful of people other than his human mom and dad, Rebecca and Tim, and I have been working with Rebecca and Krishna to help him to become more at ease in general, and more at ease around someone other than Rebecca and Tim. When I went to do a session with him on Friday, I think he was a bit miffed as he assumed that my presence meant that his people would be going away soon, so he went under the bed. I did have a good Reiki session with him there though, as I just calmly sat right near the bed, sending energy to him, and he visibly calmed little by little as I did this - I think we even heard a few snores from him as the session progressed!

Today when I went to cat sit for him, he greeted me with a hiss and meow, but once I began to speak calmly to him and sent Reiki to him, telling him that I was here to give him food and that everything was going to be all right, that his "dad" was coming back tonight, etc, he began to calm. When I first put down the food for him, he hesitated to eat, but once I put a couple of greenies leading to the food bowl and continued to send energy, he began to munch away.

After he was done eating for the moment, I took out a flashlight that I have used to play with him before (he loves to chase the light), and he perked up and began to chase the light around the living room. After a bit, I put the flashlight down and started to send him Reiki again. He wanted me to continue playing with him so, as he has sometimes done before, he walked up to the flashlight (which was a few inches away from me) and began to sniff it.

Then he looked at me as if to say, "OK, I'm ready for more!"

So we continued the chasing the light game for a while......
When he was finished, he got very brave and came up to me and began to sniff me, first my boots....

Then my sweatshirt...
I sat very very still as I did this, continuing to send Reiki, and in my mind telling him he was very loved and very safe. Even though I was talking to him with my mind, my voice was very soft and speaking slooowly.

Then he seemed like he wanted to hang out near me, but in a more protected spot, so he went underneath a high stool, which is one place he feels safe. I was just a foot or so away, continuing sending Reiki all the while. He grew more comfortable , and his eyes began to relax. He has very big eyes, which look about twice as big vertically as they do in the photo below when he is frightened or over-stimulated.

A bit later, I went to get him his dry food, and I was delighted to see him sitting nearby, quite comfortable, and then he stretched out completely, extending a front paw in my direction. It touches my heart so much when an animal who is generally very fearful becomes brave enough to start to trust.

As I gathered my things to go, he went under the bed, where he felt safe, and I told him his "dad" would be home tonight, and that everything was ok. Thank you so much Krishna, much love to you and look forward to seeing you soon.....

Taking it Slooow and Easy With a Shy Cat: TTouch, Reiki and Cat Sitting with Krishna: Day 2

Today when I arrived to feed and work with Krishna, he was sitting in his usual place on the couch. He got off the couch right away and started walking towards me. When working with him, I always start sending Reiki to him before I get to the apartment, and continue when I am entering the apartment. It is especially important to do this with him, as when it's someone other than his people entering the space, he can be very frightened and sometimes pounce. The Reiki energy seems to lessen his concern, and he has not pounced on my feet yet.
After giving him his food and water, we settled down for a little play, TTouch, and Reiki. First of all I engaged him in a bit of play to get out some of his pent-up energy. He loves to chase the light from a flashlight. This is a great toy to use with him, especially for someone other than his people, as you can do this and be quite far away if necessary. However, I actually was in quite close proximity to him most of the time I was there today. Quite often today when I would give him a break and stop playing or doing TTouch etc, he came closer to me all on his own, to sit closer to me or sniff me or, in once case, he actually pawed my sweater a bit as though to get me to continue.


After chasing around the light for a while, I gave him a short break and did a bit of TTouch with him using a paintbrush. As he can become easily overstimulated, I would just do a few TTouches and then stop, then start again. Though his tail was twitching, indicating he was rather ramped up, it seemed more in a playful mode rather than a terrified mode. He was rolling around and doing little somersaults, which seem to be part of his play mode. Another thing he did occasionally was let out a little "brrrring" or chirping type of sound, which felt like he was telling me he was ready to play.

I also did some TTouches using a thin dowel with a bit of ACE bandage wrapped around the end, but as he can sometimes want to pull the ACE bandage off, I went back to using the paintbrush. I continued to give him breaks and during the breaks I would also be sending Reiki to him to continue the flow of calm energy.

I could tell that he was still somewhat wary of me but curious at the same time. I'm sure that he misses his people too, which affects his mood. When cat sitting, I always make sure to tell the cat how many times it will get dark before their people return, and reassure them that the people are going to return.

So, back to the events today During the breaks as I sent him Reiki, he would often come up to me to sniff me a bit. I stayed very still while he sniffed me, so as not to startle him. One of the places he likes to go to, where it looks like he feels safe, is underneath a chair. I did a few TTouches on him with the paintbrush while he was under the chair, then gave him a break again, and he came back out from underneath the chair. When working with the paintbrush, I do circular TTouches and straight strokes on him, sometimes rolling the paintbrush on its side, improvising to see what the cat responds to the most. Today I was just working on Krishna's head area, as it seemed it would be too much to work on his body today.

After giving him a break and taking care of his litter box, I sat on the floor again with him. This time I made a conscious effort to slow the TTouches down a substantial amount as I did them on his forehead, and it really made a difference. This time he really settled into the TTouches for a while. I saw his body relax, and his eyes close. After we were done, I looked at him and he blinked at me, always a wonderful sign!
Rebecca texted me when they got back, saying that Krishna was doing great, which is always so lovely to hear.

Love ya Krishna, hope to see you soon!

TTouch, Reiki and Cat Sitting with Krishna, Nov: Day one

Today was my first day cat sitting with Krishna, a cat who I have worked with and cat-sat for before, and then recently had an appointment with. He is generally fearful of people other than Rebecca and Tim, his guardians, but I have been able to get closer and closer to him the longer I work with him.

When I first arrived, he seemed a bit scared, so I sent him Reiki from across the room, and he began to calm, rubbing his body against a wall and stretching out. After giving him food and water, scooping the litter etc. we settled down for a play/TTouch/Reiki session.

Last time I cat-sat for him I discovered that he loves to chase the light from a flashlight, so this is how I started out with him. I thought it might be good to get some of his nervous energy out before trying some Reiki and TTouch. He really got into it, chasing all over the place.
It is interesting too, as he clearly realizes where the light is coming from. If I stop, and put the flashlight down, he comes towards the flashlight and nudges it towards me, to encourage me to continue.

After playing, I began to send him some Reiki from a short distance and he began to calm, stretching out on the carpet.

Then he went under a stool, one of the places he likes to go to feel safe. I began to do some TTouch with the paintbrush, doing a little bit at a time, then stopping, then starting again.

As we went, I sometimes incorporated some a few circles or strokes on the body as well, then went back to the head.

Giving him frequent breaks felt very key, as he is so ultra-sensitive, and can become over-stimulated quite easily. So I would just do a few touches or strokes, then stop, then start again.

Sometimes during the breaks, he would come towards me and put a paw out or do something else which felt like he thought we were playing a game and he was ready for more. Sometimes he would start to play with the tool, especially when I tried touching him with a dowel with a bit of ACE bandage on the end, so I would then give him a break, then went back to using the paintbrush. Always keep in mind that the touch is done very lightly with TTouch, as you are connecting with the nervous system, not the muscular system.

After we were done, I gave him the rest of his food, which he readily went to eat, which was a great sign.

See ya tomorrow, Krishna! xo

Taking it Sllllow and Easy with a Shy Cat: TTouch and Reiki with Krishna, Nov. 2

Krishna is a beautiful black cat who is generally very afraid of anyone except for his people, Rebecca and Tim. I have worked with him off and on over the past months and he has gotten progressively comfortable with me, though I still have to give him the time he needs to warm up to me and go very very slowly as far as contact goes - mostly touching him with a paintbrush, or, at most, a few seconds of TTouch with my hand on his head area.

Rebecca contacted me recently, as she wanted me to have a session with Krishna and also to cat sit for a couple of days with him. She said that after their move to a larger apartment, Krishna is doing better - that he seems more comfortable in general, and doesn't seem so terrified when other people come over -- that, in fact, he can even seem OK sometimes with other people around, which is great.

I hadn't seen him for a few months so really wanted to take it slow. I started out by sending him Reiki from a short distance away. After a few minutes, he settled down and started to get somewhat more comfortable. Then I started to do some TTouches on his head using a paintbrush - just a little at a time. Little by little he became more comfortable, stretching out his body and rolling a bit on the floor. It seemed he was also more comfortable today because Rebecca sat near us (instead of across the room, or further away) and occasionally would pet him or reassure him, as sometimes with me he will be very comfortable, but then suddenly get unsure and frightened. We agreed that will probably be a good strategy when she is getting him used to another person, and that the person should touch him with a tool instead of their hand at first.

I gave Krishna breaks as I went along, so any tension building up had a chance to dissipate. Today I found I was able to incorporate TTouches on his body with the paintbrush, going from the head to the body and back again. This was the first time I was able to do this, so this was great progress. As I was doing the TTouches, I was also consciously letting Reiki flow through both hands.

I tried using a thin dowel about a foot and a half long w/a bit of Ace bandage wrapped around it, and he was pretty comfortable as I stroked his back and rolled it a bit down his back. Again, it felt like real progress for him to be comfortable with this. I also tried TTouching him with the back of the hand of a plastic back scratcher, but this seemed to scare him a bit, I think the size of the tool was too big to him.

Later on, after Rebecca and I spoke for a bit, Krishna really seemed to know that this meant that they would be going away soon, so he started to get pissy with Rebecca, trying to attack her feet a bit. Then he went over to his blanket on the couch, one of his cozy places. After he was there for a few minutes, I went and sat down on the couch, a couple of feet away from him and began to send him Reiki. I could see him start to calm down again, grooming a bit.

Then I began to do some TTouches on him, using the paintbrush. I could see him being calmed by these, so I slowly worked my hand down the paintbrush and began to do some raccoon TTouches on his head directly using my hand. Occasionally I would go back to using the paintbrush if he seemed like he was starting to get a bit unsure. He started relaxing into the TTouches done with my hand, and so I did some more around his head area, going down the back of his head and around the back of his neck area. He seemed quite relaxed there, til he suddenly became unsure and jumped off the couch - so that taught me that next time I need to keep this part (doing TTouches with my hand) a bit shorter - but I felt that we made really great progress today. I do believe that, given time, he will get more and more used to contact with people other than Rebecca, it will just take continued time and patience on everyone's part. Rebecca said that she has been regularly doing TTouches with Krishna, and now Tim is also regularly doing TTouches with Krishna as well, so this is all good. In addition to the TTouches being calming for Krishna, they will help him to be more comfortable, as he has a congenital hip issue. So I'm sure it will maximize his potential for comfort and mobility as well.

Look forward to seeing you soon, little guy, for some cat-sitting, Reiki and more TTouch!

Staying in the Moment with Krishna: And Getting Ready for a Move

Krishna is a lovely cat who is very comfortable with his people, Rebecca and Tim, but extremely fearful of most other people. I have worked with him very slowly and gradually he has come to trust me more and more, though I still have to always give him time to warm up to me.

Rebecca asked me to come for a session with him, as they are getting ready to move to a new apartment. This is a change that can be stressful, especially for animals who are fearful. I made a bach flower remedy for Rebecca to give him, and made a spritzer bottle of Rescue remedy (10 drops of Rescue Remedy, the rest water) which she can spray in his carrier, and around in the new apartment, to help him feel more at ease there.

I was very happy to see Krishna, who I hadn't seen in a while. Rebecca said that he does seem to be less stressed now when people come over - and it makes a difference too that she has told them not to try to pet him, as he needs a lot of time to get accustomed to a person - it is a real accomplishment just to sit calmly in near proximity to him. Then the next step would be to gently touch him with a tool. Another approach would be to gently engage him in play with something like a flashlight, which doesn't require you be in very close proximity, but is another way to connect with him.

I tried a few TTouches using the paintbrush, but decided it would be most beneficial for this session to do Reiki with him to help him really relax. I started sending him energy from a couple of feet away, and got closer and closer. He grew sleepy quite soon, and went to lie down in one of his favorite cozy places, on a quilt on the couch (as pictured above), and he laid down and went to sleep. Animals will often nap while they are receiving a Reiki treatment, and this generally means they are really accepting and taking in the energy, which I truly felt today. Slowly I moved closer and closer to him, til my hands were just inches away. I felt waves of heat coming out of my hands, and felt him absorbing the energy, as though my hands were being pulled towards him.

This went on for a very long time. I was very close to complete contact, but still kept my hands just an inch or so away, afraid to startle him. I felt the energy going to several different chakras during this period of time, but especially to the heart chakra. I felt a lot of heat in that area, and felt something really let go in him. I saw him do a very deep sigh a couple of times, which is always such a pleasure to see animals do - like they are realllllly letting go.

All of a sudden Krishna woke up and was staring at me. I had wanted to get up so I was sitting on the couch so my face would not be so close to him but hadn't wanted to move too much as I didn't want to startle him. At any rate, I think he was surprised at how close I was to him. He told me that it was too much with a hiss and he sort of jumped at my arm, but didn't leave a mark of any kind. I really think it was just too much for the moment and he needed to tell me to give him some space.

I moved away for a bit, then very quietly sat on the couch a couple of feet away from him. Rebecca told me she often sits on the couch next to him to pet him, so this seemed like a good place for me to be. I slowly began to send energy to him again, trying to keep the stream of energy less intense than it had been. He began to get sleepy again, and rolled on his side. Sometimes he opened one eye and sometimes he closed both of them. I did a few TTouches on his forehead area with the paintbrush. As Rebecca noticed, he ALMOST really let go there when I did it, he seemed like he was just not quite ready to do that. I backed off and finished up the Reiki session.

I slowly moved away from him and as I spoke with Rebecca for a short while, I was happy to see that he was in a very relaxed mode, as though he could easily drift off into another nap.

Krishna teaches so much to me every time about how important it is to really listen to what the animal is ready to do, and to truly stay in the moment with him.

Sending you best wishes for a smooth move, and look forward to seeing you sometime soon in the new place!! xoxox

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

Hi folks, recently I had a call from a woman named Rebecca who had picked up my card in a local pet store.

Her lovely black cat, Krishna, is about two and a half years old. He used to be friendly with his owners and with other people, but ever since they went away on a week-long trip about a year ago (with a cat sitter staying in the apt with him), he reacts to anyone other than Rebecca or her fiance by swatting and scratching. They would love to be able to have him more comfortable with other people so that they could go away without too much of a trauma, and it would be great to have him comfortable enough to connect with friends who come to visit.

He is a highly intelligent, playful, inquisitive being, and is extremely comfortable around Rebecca and her fiance. They pet and handle him even in more touchy areas like around his teeth, etc., without being scratched.

I took with me a variety of tools (paintbrushes, feathers, wands, paint rollers, makeup brushes, a dowel with an ace bandage wrapped around it, etc), as well as two stuffed cats so that I could show Rebecca the TTouches if it was not possible to touch the cat.

I have to admit that when I saw Krishna, I felt so pulled towards him that I couldn't help but try to touch him gently using the back of my hand, oops! He wasn't ready for that, so he did give me a swat, but nothing serious. So then I gave him a little break, and then started in the way I should have started with him, using the tools. :)

First I tried a few circles using one of the TTouch wands. He batted at it a bit. I tried a couple of times, then decided to show Rebecca some TTouches, which we did, using the stuffed animals. Krishna was watching us, very curious about the stuffed animals and about what we were doing.

Then I tried a few of the tools, to see what he was most comfortable with, and where he was most comfortable being touched. I found that he was very comfortable with a paintbrush which had a rounded tip and was not too soft, but not too stiff. I started to stroke under his chin just the tiniest bit, and do little circles around his mouth. I would just do a little bit, then stop and let him have a break for a minute, then start again. At first he was biting a bit at the brush, but as I continued, he realized that the strokes were actually feeling pretty good :)

His tail was going back and forth, but he was also blinking at me, so it seemed like he was both curious and cautious at the same time. Rebecca was very tuned in to all of Krishna's signals, it was clear how truly connected she and Krishna are.

Little by little, Krishna started to be more responsive to the little circles and strokes, and I began to work in some strokes down the body. He was coming closer and closer to me as well. I also worked with him using a thin wooden dowel with part of a 2" ace bandage wrapped around the end (in TTouch we call it a "corn dog"). Krishna was responsive to this surface as well. I did little circles on his skin, as well as rolling the "corn dog" along his body, and stroking him with it.

Krishna's tail was not whipping back and forth now, and he seemed much more calm. He came towards his food bowl, which was right next to where I was sitting, and when Rebecca gave him some food, he ate it with no hesitation or concern that I was sitting so close.

From where Krishna was at the beginning of the appointment, I thought this was wonderful progress for him. I told Rebecca to make sure that when her friends use the paintbrush or the wand and corn dog with him, to make sure to use a light touch, and just do a little at a time. I also gave her a Bach Flower remedy which combined several flower essences which should all gently work to help Krishna to be feel more comfortable and safe.

I feel confident that with a combination of them doing the TTouches on him and the friends trying to touch him with the tools instead of their hands, eventually Krishna will be more confident. I look forward to hearing what happens next.