From Abandoned Kitten to Forever Home: My Journey with little Sarah Hauser (now known as Beatrix!) from BARC Shelter

I experience a meaningful connection with each and every shelter animal that I work with, but occasionally those connections run especially deep, particularly when I have the opportunity to work with an animal over a long period of time, combined with the joy of experiencing a real transformation with them.  And even better is when I have the opportunity to work with the animal after they have been adopted into a loving home.
Such has been my experience with little Beatrix, who originally was named after me at BARC Shelter.  I will use her shelter name for purposes of this piece, though of course I use her new name now when I see her.
You can see an earlier post about Sarah (and her cagemate Aladdin) here:
http://sarahsuricat.blogspot.com/2013/09/sarah-hauser-meet-sarah-hauser-and-her.html

Little Sarah was dumped in front of BARC's vet's office a couple of years ago as a young kitten.  The vet tech who took her in noticed that she was quite fearful, and semi-feral.  The tech knew that I would most likely spend a lot of time with her, and so named her after me - Sarah Hauser.
Through a very slow, gradual process, little Sarah and I got to know each other, and she came to trust me with her heart.  Initially she was at the back of her cage, terrified.  One of our breakthrough moments was when I discovered that she enjoyed rubbing her face against my hand.  I kept moving my hand forward bit by bit, and before we knew it, she was at the front of the cage.  We continued doing this, and it became a routine.  Soon she began coming forward on her own.

Over some time, combining this technique with gently picking her up and placing her on my lap transitioned into her coming out on my lap all on her own.  This evolved into another whole game.  Eventually she would hear my voice upon entering the shelter, and she would begin to meow.  I would say "Sawah! what happened, Sawah?".  She would get so excited.  I brought a stool over so I would be at the same level as the cage, and the minute I opened the door to the cage, she would jump out onto my lap.

I felt so much joy and love for her, and it was such a beautiful experience to see her personality coming forth more and more.  She was affectionate, loving, and even had a little sense of humor.  It felt like she was my kitty, although she lived at the shelter.  It was that close of a connection.  I told her I was sorry I couldn't be her forever person, but that I would always love her and that the right person or people would someday give her a loving home.

I worked with her a lot with both TTouch and Reiki, and she became a perfect demo kitty to show others TTouches, as she would stay on my lap comfortably for a long time.  She was still rather shy with others, but was getting more comfortable all the time.

Then, BARC built a play room, so we were able to interact inside the room.  The first time I took her in the room, I realized the space was too big and overwhelming for her.  She just wanted to stay on my lap.  I started to work with her inside a doggie x-pen so she could get used to the space a little at a time.  Over some time, I started to open the door of the x-pen and she got used to the rest of the space.

As she got used to being in the space, she began to really enjoy it, jumping and playing and running from one end of the space to the other.
Other people began to be able to play with her and pet her more and more, and it started to feel like her day was coming soon for her to find a forever home.  Her cage buddy Aladdin (a kitty who was also very shy, who I had worked with along with Sarah) had been adopted and now it was her turn.  A couple actually had adopted both Sarah and Aladdin briefly a ways before that, but they were not quite patient enough to continue their socialization process, so they had returned them.  Anyway, it felt like Sarah's time should be soon.

My BARC friend Mary, who does a wonderful job with adoptions at BARC, called me one day and told me that a lovely couple (named Whitney and Matt) was interested in adopting Sarah.  They had another kitty, actually with similar markings to Aladdin, who they wanted a kitty friend for.  I spoke to Whitney to give them some tips on making Sarah comfortable, and for introducing the two cats, and told them I would be delighted to come over and give some advice in person as well.

On my first visit to Sarah's new home, I knew that she had ended up in the right place.  I actually knew that beforehand, but was reassured meeting the people in person and seeing the whole situation.  They had a cage set up for her for a safe space, but Sarah was already so interested in exploring her new space that she was not spending too much time in there!

I knew that the people were going to give Sarah a great home and that she was starting to connect with them really well right away.  The whole place was set up beautifully for the kitties' comfort, and the layout would work out really well to be able to keep the kitties separate at first and let them get used to each other gradually.
Over the next weeks and months, I made a number of visits to see Sarah, and each time saw things evolving really well.  Sarah has formed a very strong bond with Whitney and Matt, and I felt her getting closer and closer to them, and responding to me less, which is just how it should be. 

Sarah is a real lap kitty with them, very affectionate and loving.  It is such a joy to see this bond.  And I feel myself letting go, though of course I know she and I will always be connected in our hearts.

The relationship with her new brother Nero has taken a little time, but has been getting better and better, thanks to a lot of love and sensitivity and work on the part of Whitney and Matt.

Everyone now actually sleeps on the bed together, and Sarah and Nero are hanging out peacefully near each other more and more often.  Which is just great!

Sarah with Nero

A week ago I went to see them, and I decided in the next appointment, it would be great to do a dedicated Reiki session with both cats.  Most of my sessions before that had been more just visiting and hanging out, doing a bit of TTouch and discussing things having to do with acclimating the cats to each other, etc.

Sarah with Nero

Today when I arrived at their apartment, I sat down on the floor and let the kitties figure out where they wanted to be for the session.  Nero settled on a chair near me, and began to settle into the energy right away.  Sarah took a bit of time, first going into the window, then into a sun patch near me.  She kept coming to me intermittently to nuzzle my hand just as she used to do.
Then she meowed in a way that made me wonder if I should go sit on the couch to see if she would join me.
Sure enough, she jumped right into my lap and stayed there for the rest of the session.  I felt her sink into the energy in layers, getting deeper and deeper and deeper.  The room was filled with Reiki energy and a feeling of harmony.  Nero was snoozing comfortably, totally sinking into it.  And I felt my heart and Sarah's heart completely connected. 

Connected in the way we used to be when we were together at the shelter, though of course it was different now.  I felt some images go through my mind of some of the times there.  And then we were present together there in the room.  I told her silently how happy I was for her.  That this was her home, that this was her place.  That she was so loved here, that she was safe here.  And that I would always love her.  That her dear soul would always be in my heart.  And I thanked her for her love, all the love that she has given me. And all that she has taught me. And I felt so much gratitude from her.

When Whitney came back in the room, Sarah went back into her lap, which again was just as it should be.  But I will feel that experience of togetherness with her, that unity with her in her new environment, and the bond that I have with her that is beyond time and space.

 Sarah with Whitney

Thank you so much, Whitney and Matt, for giving little Sarah (Bea) such a loving home.  I am so grateful for you, and look forward to continuing updates.  And thanks also to BARC Shelter and those who work with BARC, for taking her and so many other animals in, and giving them so much love and care.
xxoo

Sarah and Nero

Update on Alison at BARC Shelter

Alison is a lovely cat who I worked with at BARC (read post to end for update!).  She had been rescued from outside and brought in by a kind volunteer.  Alison was really scared being in the shelter, and not happy being around other cats.  I worked with her very slowly with Reiki and TTouch.  The Reiki I was doing mostly from a short distance away, and TTouches I began using tools such as a back scratcher, and eventually had been able to have more contact directly with my hands.

When I last wrote, Alison was really coming out of her shell with me.  She was really comfortable with me while I worked with her within the cage.  However, I knew that the next step was helping her to be more comfortable in a playroom.  BARC had a larger-size playroom, which was really scary to Alison.  I took her in a number of times, and she would eventually settle to some degree with Reiki, but it was overwhelming and hard for her to be at ease there.

Recently BARC built a second, smaller playroom and I had a feeling that would work really well for her.  Alison could see it being built from her cage and I kept telling her how wonderful and cozy it would be.

The moment I took her in the new playroom, she seemed right at home.  I let her settle in a bit, and it wasn't too long before I was getting the same ease that she had in her cage, purring and coming to me for TTouch and Reiki, and eventually getting in my lap as well. 

The day when I took these pictures, I was so happy to feel her being so at ease.  I felt such a connection of love and joy with her.  And to have her get in my lap for a cuddle was just so sweet.  It made me smile later on just to think of it, and just thinking of it made me feel that experience all over again.

Being able to work with her in the small playroom really helped her get to another level in her ease with people and ease in being in a room, which of course is more akin to a home environment.

And Alison to become comfortable with contact with other people when she was in there.  She began initiating contact more and more, and asking for cuddles, etc. when in there.

When a positive momentum like this gets going, I usually start feeling that it is going to be her time to go home soon.  Of course, there is plenty of wishful thinking in there as well.  But you can imagine my delight when Mary, who does a wonderful job with adoptions at BARC, called me with news that Alison would be going home with two lovely people.
I thought it might take a while for Alison to get acclimated in a new environment with new people, so I made a list of tips for her new people to help her feel nice and cozy.
I was filled with joy to see photos posted on Instagram within a day that showed Alison making herself right at home!!
Many thanks to her adopters for taking this beautiful girl in, I know her inner and outer beauty will flourish in your home.  And thank you to BARC for taking Alison in and giving her this chance to have the loving home she deserves (and for making the great playrooms for the cats!). xxoo

TTouch and Reiki at Bideawee: Update re Pixie

Hi folks! For some reason, blogspot re-posted my 2014 post about Pixie.  So for my email subscribers, sorry about the repeat!  

However, this error did prompt me to share an update about this lovely kitty.  Recently, a very kind woman came in and fell in love with Pixie, really made a good connection with her.  And she ended up taking her home, yay!  

Shortly after adopting Pixie, the woman called Bideawee to share that she and Pixie were doing great together - that Pixie was completely affectionate and loving with her.  No overstimulation and swatting as happened sometimes at the shelter (it appeared to be due to Pixie wanting to be the only cat, which she is in her home), just cuddles and love.  

As if Pixie had been waiting for this particular woman to arrive, and they were meant for each other.

These are photos I took in recent months during my Reiki sessions with her, before she went to her loving home.  We miss her, of course, but are delighted for her to be in a great home.

Congratulations to Pixie and her new person, and thank you Bideawee for all you do for the animals! xoxo

Happy Tails for Olivia!

Hi folks - some months back, I worked with a very fearful rescue cat named Olivia (through the Picasso Veterinary Fund/Mayor's Alliance/Tavi and Friends).  Below, you will see a video of me working with her.  Though she was quite shy, I knew that once she could shed some of her fear, a gentle, sweet being was underneath.  As I continued to work with her, I could do the TTouches directly with my hands.  And she grew to enjoy contact more each time.

I am happy to say that she was adopted, and today this beautiful photo below came my way from Barbara Tolan from the Mayor's Alliance.  You can see how comfortable she is.  This certainly made my day!!

Thank you so much to Barbara and all from these organizations who work so hard to find these dear creatures forever homes.  This photo brings such joy to my heart.

The Adventures of Emmylou and Natalia: Closer and Closer

Emmylou and Natalia are my two lovely kitties who I adopted from BARC Shelter in July.  They were brought into the shelter as feral cats, so I have been going through a very gradual process of helping them to become acclimated to the apartment and to us, which has been going so well - better than I ever could have dreamed.  Every day there is visible progress. 

When I get home, they greet me at the door, waiting for me to give them attention, which is so sweet.  As soon as I can after getting back home from somewhere, I sit on the floor to do TTouches with them.  Each day they are comfortable with longer periods of contact, and with me being in closer proximity to them.  I can pick Emmylou up briefly, and sometimes can put an arm around one or the other before beginning TTouches with them.  Natalia is starting to come up to give me nose-kisses. 

They still can get startled with sudden sounds or when friends come over, but even that is becoming easier for them to handle. 

It has been very important for me to continue to use the socialization tools which I have been using all along with them:  TTouch, Reiki, play, and often just sitting on the floor and hanging out with them.  Feeding them baby food off our fingers is also a great tool, as they will come right to us and even climb up on us to get to the food.  They are coming around for attention more and more, and emjoy hanging out near where I am.  For example, as I type this, Natalia is sleeping on the floor right near the computer chair.  Yesterday when I was in my art studio, Emmylou was watching me through the glass-paned doors that separate the living room from the studio.

Calm music is also wonderful for keeping the environment very peaceful.

Play is also a very important way to connect with the cats and to let loose any tension, and these two really love to tear around.  What a pleasure it is to see them chase a toy or each other around the apartment!  They also have a cat tunnel, which is fun for them to play in, as well as a place they can hide if someone comes over and they want to hang out in there.

When friends come over, the girls may initially go up to the platform bed and watch us from there, but sometimes they come down in the living room, especially if we give them treats, which we always do.  We are starting to let others try giving them the baby food off their finger as well, which works really well, as it gets them accustomed to being in closer proximity to other people and having something nice happen (the baby food treat!).  Others are starting to be able to pet them a bit too.

I am so grateful to have these two special creatures in my life every day.  They both have such a sweet, gentle nature, and it is so lovely to see them stretch out and feel like they are truly at home. xo

Update on Peanut Butter and Jolly

Yesterday I was please to receive an update on two cats I worked with well over a year ago, Peanut Butter and Jolly.
Jolly (the one-eyed black kitty above), who we knew as Baby in the shelter (Social Tees), had been through so much. She was one of a bunch of cats who came from a hoarder, was extremely shy and in a very weakened condition. She had gotten very sick and got such a bad eye infection that an eye needed to be removed. I worked with her a lot at the shelter, and she had gotten quite comfortable with me. Meanwhile, at one point she was put in the window enclosure along with a bunch of kittens, and Peanut Butter was among the kittens. Jolly was so sweet and loving with the kittens, it was beautiful to see.
Dana and Anthony are the lovely couple who adopted Peanut Butter and Jolly. They had seen Jolly in the window enclosure, and knew that she had had a very rough go of it, and they were interested in adopting her along with another cat, possibly Peanut Butter. I told them that I thought these two would bond really well. I knew how loving Jolly was to Peanut Butter and the others already, and Peanut Butter was SO social and friendly, I thought she would help Jolly to feel more at ease, as I knew that Jolly was so shy. I also gave them some tips on ways to connect with Jolly through TTouch.
Baby was re-named Jolly, which makes sense as Peanut Butter and Jolly go so well together:)
So here is what I heard from Dana:
"Everything is going well with us and Jolly and Peanut Butter are just the best! They are the dearest kitties and the best of friends. I attached some recent shots so you can see how big they look (esp PB:)) and how much they love to be together. Jolly still doesn't let us pick her up but we can both pet her more and more all of the time and she comes up on the bed with us too. It's a constant work in progress but she has come so far and whenever she's rolling on her back and playing with her toys so happily we're grateful she got her chance - thanks to you and ST."
It is so heartwarming to hear how well these two are doing, and Dana and Anthony are giving these girls the most patient, sweet, loving home that these kitties could possibly have. Thank you for taking these sweet girls in and for being so patient and understanding with Jolly.

Happy Trails to Sweet Camilla

Camilla is a petite, lovely kitty, about 8 yrs old, who arrived at BARC shelter about a year ago with about 18 other cats, after their owner passed away. I gave her a bath when she first came in, and of course became bonded with her from then on. I remember drying her, doing TTouch on her as I was drying her, and then her nestling in a fresh towel when I put her back in her cage, looking like she felt so much better to be nice and clean. She was in pretty rough condition when she first arrived, but thanks to veterinary attention and a lot of love on the part of the wonderful staff, vets and volunteers at BARC, over the months she really blossomed.

I spent a lot of time with her all along the way, but particularly in the beginning, as she was having very bad digestive troubles, so I felt that Reiki energy would be comforting to her.


When you do Reiki regularly with an animal, they grow to recognize the energy, so they respond to it more and more quickly, as they realize that it is something that makes them feel good. Camilla would come right onto my lap and settle in for a Reiki session. Reiki helps facilitate a very intense connection -- your energy merges with their energy, and it is as though you become one being for a time.
Camilla has a very sweet, gentle personality, and even in the beginning at the shelter when she wasn't feeling great, was a real trooper and was always eager to give and receive attention and love. She had quite a fan club at the shelter!
A while back, Camilla was put into a larger cage with another cat from the same household, Animal. They grew close to each other, and when Animal became very sick (sadly, she passed away a short time ago), Camilla laid right next to her and was very comforting to her. It was so touching to see this selfless caring.

I feel a very special heart connection with her, especially because I have worked with her so much over the months. Whenever I came to the shelter, even if other animals needed special attention, I would always make time to connect with her.
Yesterday a kind family came in and fell in love with her, and decided they wanted to adopt her. I was very glad to be in the shelter yesterday - to meet the adopters, and to have the opportunity to say goodbye to her. All the pictures in this post were taken yesterday, minutes befores she was taken home. I spent a few last TTouch and Reiki moments with her, and wished her well.

I told her that I will always feel that a part of her lives in my heart, and for her to contact me any time (I mean telepathically). I will miss her, but am so glad and so grateful that she is in a loving home. Many thanks, as always, to the BARC people for all the love and care they gave to her and give to all the animals. Much love to you, Camilla, and thank you for showing me so much about selfless, unconditional love.

The Cat Loft at BARC Sept 25-Oct 1 The Journey of Cher

Cher is a gorgeous tabby cat who looks a bit like a little leopard. I was told she has been at BARC since she was a kitten, and she looks to be about a year old now. She originally was there with her brother Sonny but he got adopted a long time ago. When I first started at BARC about a month ago, Cher's default reaction on opening her cage was to swat really hard, a bunch of times. People were not able to touch or pet her except for one or two people, and even then, their contact was extremely limited from what I saw, generally ended in getting scratched (as it did with me at first!).

I started out by working with her a little bit at a time, using a couple of brushes - if she tried to swat at one, I did a few circles and strokes using the other brush. Lately she started coming out of her cage and standing on my lap while I have been working on her.

Sept 25 - Cher is continuing to be more and more comfortable with me. Now when I open her cage she immiediately steps onto my lap. I have been continuing to use what must be a brush for barbecuing - a brush on a long metal rod with a wooden handle. Sometimes I use the brush, and today I also started stroking her by rolling the wooden handle against her sides, which she really responded to. This was the first time I had thought of using the handle. I like to experiment with different types of surfaces, as cats are so individual as to what they prefer. I also did some TTouches on her using the back of my hand.

Sept 28 - Again Cher came right out onto my lap. Today, for the first time, she briefly curled up and settled in my lap. I was so pleasantly surprised at this. She is now doing things that demonstrate that she is really seeking contact - she will rub herself against my hand or arm. She still seems a bit unsure, but she is getting more confident every time I see her. Again I used the long-handled brush - both the brush side and the handle side, and the back of my hand to do strokes and touches. She also got very comfortable sitting right at the doorway to her cage, with the front part of her body and her front legs and paws resting on my lap. These are huge steps for her! I give her many breaks, doing a few circles and strokes with her, then waiting for her to signal that she is ready for more. This approach in general is so important when dealing with her.

Sept. 30 - Again Cher came right into my lap. I did strokes and circles on her with my hand, a little bit at a time, and she curled up in my lap. She was rubbing her head against me, nuzzling me in a way that prompted me to hold her briefly, which she really relaxed into.

Oct. 1 - This was an amazing day. Cher is surprising me with each time we have contact, and today really was exciting to me. Today she came into my lap, rubbing her head against me a lot. I did circles and strokes with the back of my hand and she settled in my lap for more TTouches on her body and some on her forehead. She really got relaxed there until somethimg startled her and so she jumped back into her cage. I gave her a break for a while, then came back to her.

When I opened the cage the second time, she came right back into my lap and REALLY settled there as though we were hanging out on a couch at home. I was able to do circles and strokes with the back of my hand, and a bit with the front of my hand. I also did raccoon touches on her forehead, which she really responded to. During this time, a couple of the cats who are loose in the shelter came to see what was going on, and one of them, Cody, tried to put his paw on my lap. I quietly told him that I would let him have his chance later, and he got back down. I was surprised that these other cats didn't throw Cher off at all.

And she was PURRRING most of the time today, the first time I have heard and felt her doing this. And no swatting.

She just really melted into my lap, and even when it was time for them to close up the shelter, she didn't want to get back in the cage. I didn't want to startle her by picking her up, so I just gently tipped my legs in the direction of her cage, She still didn't want to go, but finally she went back in. I thanked her so much. She is a cat who has taught me so much about patience and truly remaining in the moment. I have to thank a few other folks who have been patiently working to help Cher feel comfortable as well.

TTouch with Cookie from Homeless Cat Network

Above: Cookie with my sister Katie's cat Luigi

While in San Francisco, I had the pleasure of giving a refresher lesson on TTouches to Cookie McCrory (check spelling) from Homeless Cat Network. I visited her and the wonderful shelter where she works last time I was in San Francisco, and every time we speak on the phone or get together we have very animated conversations about animals. She and a number of the other volunteers at Homeless Cat Network shelter offer both TTouch and Reiki to the cats there. These techniques can be so soothing for the animals, and can also help them to become adoptable sooner, which is terrific!

My sister Katie was generous enough to let us meet in her apartment and interact with her three cats, Iggy, Luigi and Zoe.

Cookie was so sweet, and had brought gifts for the cats – a wonderful cat toy which is comprised of a long stick with a flexible rubber squiggly thing at the end and catnip toys which they make at Homeless Cat Network which contain especially wonderful catnip – the cats were extremely pleased by this!!

I demonstrated a number of TTouches to her and showed her a bunch of the many tools which I use when working with cats, especially cats who are afraid to be touched. She has also been having a bit of trouble with a kitten who wants to bite, so I showed her some TTouches and techniques that hopefully will be helpful.

She was a pleasure to work with and was excited to share the information with the others at the shelter. She called me the next day to tell me that she was already trying the new TTouches on her own cat Oreo and she said he was just loving it.

Great to see you Cookie – I really appreciate all the lovely work you do with the animals and look forward to speaking with you soon. Thanks for all the beautiful work you do for the animals.

Below: Cookie says hello to Iggy

TTouch at Whiskers - August 29 - Lily, Lil Fred and Doc

Today I went to do TTouch on the rescue cats in the window of Whiskers Holistic Pet Supply store. As previously mentioned, the little tabby Lorraine had been adopted, so from the previous session, only Doc remained, and there were two new cats who did not have names yet as they had only very recently arrived, so I have given them the temporary names of Lily and Lil Fred.

Doc (pictured above) can easily get over-stimulated so I am careful to work with him in very short bursts and primarily with the back of my hand. Today, Doc greeted me and rubbed his face against my hand. I did TTouch on him, primarily on his forehead, base of ears, back of neck, and then a few strokes down the body here and there. He mostly sat in his favorite perch in the sun, though when I was doing TTouch on the others, he did come over to investigate and see what I was doing. I worked on him several times during the session, giving him breaks. He is getting more comfortable with TTouch, though I am still only doing a few strokes on the body, and mostly working on the head area.

Above and below you see Lil Fred, he appears to be a young little cat. He is a gentle, sweet guy, and he was sitting on one of the cat condos off to the side, a little out of the way . He was a tiny bit shy at first but was extremely receptive once I began to touch him. I did TTouches on his head with back of finger and hand, including TTouches around the outside of the mouth area. Then I began to gradually work in TTouches on his body starting out with back surfaces of my hand, using the chimp and llama TTouches, and then turned my hand over and did some clouded leopard touches on his body. I noticed that at the base of his tail there was a tightness, probably due to him being generally a bit nervous in a new situation. As he grew more comfortable, he was rubbing himself against me a bit so I felt comfortable enough to do some raccoon TTouches down his tail. I use extremely light pressure when doing these little circular TTouches on the tail, just barely pushing the skin around in a circle. These TTouches were done in several stages.

When working on cats, I will most often work on one cat a bit, give them a break and work on the next one, etc, so as not to be too overwhelming. Cats are so extremely sensitive that it is most often more productive to do a short bit, give a break and then do a bit more. Sometimes though, they just really get into a groove with it and you can do a longer session. You have to use your intuition and really stay in the moment with the animal to see what they are most comfortable with. It is a tricky balance.

As I was working on Lil Fred, I saw the other little kitty, a small, young-looking little tabby who I am calling Lily (pictured below), come down from an upper perch. She looked curious as to what was happening.

She seemed shy at first, but still seemed up to try some contact. To provide a safe distance between her and me, I first used a long feather to do TTouch circles and strokes on her head and body. Then I gradually began to touch her with my hand, a little at first and using back surfaces of my hands and fingers, as these surfaces are less threatening than front surfaces. These sensations seemed as though they were a bit new to her but she was responsive so I continued, first doing TTouches on her head and then on her body. Again, I gave her a couple of breaks as I was doing all this, working on one or another of the cats in between. By the end, she seemed quite comfortable - though she was not coming down from the perch where she was, she appeared to be extremely comfortable with the TTouches.

All the best to these three and I look forward to seeing them soon unless they are adopted :)

Mayor's Alliance Cats August 2 Update

Today I went again to work on the Mayor's Alliance cats thru Tavi & Friends' TTouch-in-Rescue Program. There were some new faces as well as some cats I have been working on for a while. Other volunteers come in at other times during the week to help out as well.

Smoky (above) and Oreo (below) are two new cats who had come in together and were in a cage together. Oreo came right to the front of the cage for attention, and when I tried to do TTouch on Smoky, Oreo would nudge right in front, so I did TTouch on Oreo with one hand and on Smoky with the other. Oreo kept rubbing himself against my hand as I did TTouches on his head and TTouches and strokes down his body.

Smoky has a gentle, sweet, personality and was very receptive to TTouch, he started nuzzling his face against my hand. I did have to keep reaching around Oreo though as he is so dominant. Oreo seemed as though he can get a bit overstimulated if he is touched too much.

Next was Vaska (pictured below).

Vaska is a lovely gray tabby. He looks awfully wistful here but he was actually extremely seeking of attention and receptive to TTouch. He appears to be generally a bit afraid of other cats but he is very sweet to people. He walked back and forth rubbing his body against my hand as I did TTouches on him.

Diego (pictured above) is a gentle, quiet, sweet soul who seems like he would like to be a lone kitty. He appeared to be intimidated by cats in adjacent cages. I did ear TTouches and TTouches on his face and then down his body. He really relaxed into the touches and seemed to be just so appreciative of the attention. I could feel his body relax and settle as I did TTouch on him.

Ziggy (pictured above) loves people but not other cats, he seems to be one who wants his kingdom to himself. He has a quirky and lovable personality, and as you can see from the picture, was talking to me and seeking attention. He walked back and forth, rubbing himself against my hand as I did circular TTouches and strokes on him.

Next was Blacky. Blacky is an adult cat with a very gentle personality and doesn't seem to get too bothered by anyone, cats or people. He came out of his cage and plopped down by his scratching post, stretching out as I did TTouch on him. He especially responded to connected abalone TTouches going down either side of his body.

Last but not least is the dramatic-looking Zorro. He is an absolute love with a very distinctive look and personality. He is so excited for attention that it is best to do TTouch on him in shorter bursts than some of the others, as he can get over-stimulated from too much touch.

Reiki and TTouch with Tammy

Dear mama Tammy, she has been thru a journey! her paperwork from the city shelter says she is 10, but it is unclear what her real age is. Shortly after she arrived at the shelter, one day we discovered that during the night she had three babies! some wonderful folks fostered her and her kittens, then her kittens were adopted out, and for a while she was acting as mommy to another kitten. She is back at the shelter now and I have started to work with her, as she is pretty temperamental about getting touched - most often you can only touch her on the head, and even then, just for a short time because she gets overstimulated.



sorry for the blurry pictures here. once I get the camera out, she keeps moving! but in a way the blurry pictures give a better feeling of the dreamlike sensation that can happen when I'm working with these animals.



So with Tammy I've been doing a combination of TTouch and Reiki. If she is receptive to it, I will start by doing some raccoon touches on her forehead, while I am sending her Reiki with the other hand. If she seems too overstimulated to touch at all then I hold my hands in the offering position and imagine energy going from my hands to her body, and sometimes I really feel like I can even see the energy, I feel it that strongly. Once I start this, I generally see her either start to relax or, today she went to her food bowl and started eating, which seems to happen because she feels more relaxed and comfortable.


Somtimes when I start to send Reiki to Tammy, she will come and sniff my hands.

I had to take a break and do something else for a few minutes after she had started eating. When I came back and began Reiki with her again, she went up on the shelf in her cage, laid down and looked so relaxed, it was a pleasure to see. I could really feel a strong energy between me and her.

Thank you Tammy, I look forward to working with you more and even more forward to seeing you off to a forever home sometime soon.