Listening and Following Intuition: Exatias (and Friends Bandit, Sherrie and Amana) at Bideawee

Exatias, after becoming more at ease

Exatias is a handsome kitty who was among a group of cats taken into Bideawee from a hoarder. Most of those cats were super-friendly and were adopted right away.  Exatias seemed more feral - very scared of people, and was lashing out at the staff who were trying to care for him while he was in a cage in the Receiving area.

Exatias in first session in cage

I quietly sat down outside Exatias' closed cage.  I think that at first, even speaking to him felt like a lot, he was so scared and reactive to every sound and movement.  I first connected with Exatias through Reiki, and slowly felt him beginning to soften his eyes and to relax his body a bit. 
I have been learning about some of Donna Eden's energy techniques, one of which uses a figure 8 movement of the hands.  This feels like something that is both centering and connecting.  I began to do a figure 8 with my hand below the cage, out of Exatias' view, with the 8 going sideways, really more like an infinity sign.  The motion would go towards him, then towards me.  I kept imagining that it was connecting our energies.  I did this just for a couple of minutes, and when I stopped, I still felt the energy of that motion, and felt it was helping connect us in a very powerful way, along with the Reiki energy.  And not in a forced way.  I felt our hearts connecting.

After I sat with him quietly for a while, I put a few treats in the cage, rather close to him.  At first he wasn't sure, but slowly he began to inspect the treats and eat them. Little by little I put treats closer and closer to me, and, walking low and slowly, he would creep towards them and take them, then retreat to his place at the back.

I kept letting the Reiki flow, and did more of the figure 8s with him again.  Slowly, he crept up to the top of the Kuranda bed and laid down tentatively at first, but then relaxing there.

Then I just sat with him with Reiki for a while longer.  He looked more settled, more at ease.
Soon he was moved to a room upstairs with cats who I had worked with a long time, so that was great.  In the beginning, I think it was just Bandit and Sherrie there.  They are both former ferals who I adore, and who have grown to trust me and who are quite comfortable with touch. I will have to write more about them in a separate post soon!
I had heard that Exatias was scared and lunging at people.  So I walked in slowly and sat down. 
I put one of my paintbrushes near him, and he began to play with it.  He wanted to play!
So I got a string toy, and began a bit of gentle play with him.  He quickly came near me, and seemed to want to be close by me.  The toy was helping him to be more comfortable.  I started to work out a process where he would come towards me with the toy, then when he would settle near me, I could stroke him just a couple of times with my hand or the paintbrush (usually my hand, as he often thinks the paintbrush is a toy). 

I would not generally combine playtime energy with a relaxing modality like TTouch or Reiki, but this process worked for him.  Which reminded me that I always have to be open to what the cat is telling me, and to follow my intuition and be open to experimenting.
Cats are so individual.  We need to be sensitive to what is going to be most beneficial for them, rather than having a set agenda in mind.  As someone recently put it in a conversation with me, socialization is not a "one size fits all" type of process, but is usually a combination of strategies that can help the cat to connect with us and trust us.  In their own time schedule and on their own terms.  What works for one cat may not work at all for another cat, and what works one day for one cat may not work the next.  So we always need to be flexible and open.
The Reiki precepts are so wise and so helpful to keep in mind when working with animals:  For today only, do not anger, do not worry, be humble, be honest, be compassionate.  With those precepts always in mind, we can be truly in the moment with an animal, and open to what we can find in our connection with them.  Reiki is always flowing during the session, and is always in my heart and in the center of whatever other modalities I may be combining with it.
I would only do a few strokes or TTouches, and then wait to see if he would settle or wanted to play more.  Any time he looked like he was unsure, I would distract him with the toy for a bit, and that immediately helped.

I was still working very slowly and carefully, as I did not want him to get overstimulated and swat at my hand like it was a toy.  But I would start to stroke him with my hand behind his head, not coming towards it, and that was working.  Little by little he began settling more and more.

I would often come in and just put down my paintbrush near him and that seemed to calm him and we got started.
And, over a couple of weeks, we were able to stop using the toy, and I would just come down and sit on the floor.  I could sit near him and gently begin to stroke or TTouch him.  Or, increasingly, he would come and sit near me.  It was as if he was slowly discovering that he could be comfortable being close with a person, and even enjoy the contact:)

Generally when I come into the room, both Bandit and Sherrie approach me, so he started to do the same thing.  I think that their comfort level with me was definitely helpful in showing him that I was ok.
Now he is coming right up to me and pushing his face into my hand!.

The next thing that happened is that Amana, who was a shy cat who had been recently returned, was brought upstairs and was to be slowly introduced into the room.  She had a cone on her head from ear surgery, so she stayed in the cage til she could have the cone off.  I would sit and work with her in the cage and the others would come near me.  It was a great way to get everyone used to each other before actually being in the same space without the cage.

Amana

 

I had worked with Amana before she was brought into the cage in the room, and she was quite at ease with me when I had worked with her in the cage, purring and rubbing against my hand.  The staff were unsure as to how Amana would act with the other cats.

Sherrie, Bandit and Exatias

I do think that the fact I had worked with all of these cats extensively, and that they are comfortable with me helped them in the introduction as well.   I sat outside Amana's cage and would work with her in the cage with one hand, and TTouch the others as they came near me, using my other hand.  The other three cats readily came up to me, in close proximity to Amana, and everyone seemed all right with each other.  Reiki was flowing the whole time, as usual:)

Bandit and Exatias

Amana is now out of a cage and doing really well. There is good vertical space in the room, so everyone can find their own comfortable places.  Amana tends to stay up high, but lately when I have gone in the room, she comes down to ground level and all four of them gather around me, which is really sweet. In the following photo, you will see Exatias settled next to me, and Bandit and Sherrie lined up for Reiki.  Amana is sitting close to me out of the camera's view, on my left side.

Sherrie, Bandit and Exatias (Amana is to my left out of view. 
You can see that my paintbrush is close by.  Sherrie loves being stroked with the paintbrush.

Here are two videos showing my progress with Exatias, and his comfort level with his roommates.

 

The second video was shot with a different camera, and focuses on his progress once he was in the room.  He loves being brushed with a mini jelly scrubber brush. Often he will be comfortable with me brushing him as he is eating.   First, here is a still, followed by a video.

 

This is a horse-grooming tool, but a lot of cats enjoy it as well because it is soft. 



The staff members and a few other volunteers are starting to be able to pet him now, and to have more connection with him, which is great.  Staff member Annie said she was able to pick him up, and so of course I had to give it a try.  I know he looks a little funny here, but he was in a bit of awkward position as I had to hold my phone with one hand to take a photo:)

Exatias was recently moved into a different room, with some new kitty friends, where he will get more exposure to potential adopters.  Hoping that this sweet, and very individual kitty will be adopted into a wonderful home soon. 
Thank you Exatias, for reminding me to always be open, humble and to listen.  And thanks, as always, to all those at Bideawee for all the love and care they show to Exatias and to all the animals every day. :) xoxo

Bringing Balance and Confidence to Chancey Lou at Bideawee Through TTouch, Reiki, Treats and Love:)

Chancey Lou is a beautiful black and white kitty at Bideawee.  She was terrified when I first met her, hissing and swatting when people opened her cage.  She also has ear issues which affect her balance, so I am sure that makes her more apt to be anxious as well.

This photo is from when I first started working with her.  I sensed she really wanted to connect - actually she WAS connecting with me in the most direct and beautiful way one could imagine, heart to heart with her energy.  But I could sense she also wanted to connect with touch, but that she was just afraid at the moment.  At first, I mostly offered Reiki to her, sharing the gentle energy with her and fostering that connection with her.
Her thoughtful eyes connected with me deeply right away.  I sent her the feelings that I understood she was scared, but that she was very safe here.  That she would be very loved and cared for here.
That I loved her dearly.
Then after she got more relaxed, I started slowly trying a back scratcher or stick end of the stick toy with her.  The back scratcher seemed like it was too big a tool, so I just used the stick for a while.
At first, she was unsure about this, and would walk away.  So if that happened, I would give her a break, continuing to let the Reiki flow, and perhaps try again a bit later.  Over time, she started to understand that the stick was going to be used in a gentle way.

I also found that talking to her in a calm, slow voice was helpful.  The power of a soothing intention, combined with the calm voice, can be so powerful.
After a few weeks, she stopped the initial hissing, and I sensed she was looking at me to see what we were going to try next.
I started using treats with her, which worked out really well.  At first I would just put them near where she was, and after a bit of practice, she would take them from my hand.  I put my hand very flat on the bottom of the cage, so that it was close to the feeling of her taking the treat off the floor.  I was able to get her to come a bit closer to me for the treat as well.
After incorporating the treats, she started to come forward in her cage when she saw me.
Her face had started to look more and more open, and she was starting to trust others in the shelter who interacted with her as well.

At about this time, I brought in a long-handled paintbrush with a rather small brush at the end, thinking something small would work well, and maybe the softer surface of the brush would help.
After a bit of work with the treats, I gave her a break, then started to stroke her under her chin with the brush, and she started leaning into it a bit - yes! I love those moments when an animal really starts to respond on their own to touch, letting you know that they are starting to enjoy it, and that they are starting to trust you as well.

With a bit of gradual work, I was able to start to stroke and TTouch her on other parts of her head, always going back to under the chin when I sensed she needed that.  At times, I was able to touch her directly with my hand. She began to stretch her body completely out, sometimes kneading with her paws as well:)

About a week ago, I started to stroke a bit down her body with the paintbrush, and she got up and started to walk away from the brush.  I thought I had done too much, but actually she came to the front of the cage and began to rub her head against my hand!  You will see this breakthrough somewhere in the middle of the following video.  I know it is a bit lengthy, but it will show in more detail my process with her.

On this same day, she kept coming to the front of the cage, rubbing her face against my hand.  I was able to do some circular TTouches, strokes and zigzags on her body as well.

It literally felt like a wall or shell that had been in between us had melted, and that she was celebrating our connection.

I felt like my heart was completely open, and that a circular energy was moving from her to me to her, with such an expansive, opening feeling.  This beautiful, loving energy filling our hearts and filling the room.

She jumped up on a little shelf and started to stretch and roll around when I stroked her with the paintbrush there.  So sweet!
And things have continued to progress from there:)
Even people who don't have as much contact with her are noticing the change.  She will come to the front of the cage to say hello and ask for pets.
She has also started to venture out of her cage a bit, which is great.
Can't wait to see her again!
Love you, Chancey Lou!  Thank you for sharing your love with me, and for reminding me to be patient and in the moment, always.
And thank you to all the lovely Bideawee staff and volunteers who do so much to help these dear animals:)

Reiki, TTouch and Play with Daisy at Bideawee Westhampton: Peacefulness to a Sensitive Cat

Daisy is a beautiful kitty at Bideawee in Westhampton.  She is friendly with people, but not so fond of other cats, so she is lucky enough to have her own room there.

Daisy wants to have connection and friendship with people, but she gets so overexcited that it can turn into overstimulated behavior, with tail twitching, sudden hissing or meowing, etc.  Some people would say this is "unpredictable" behavior, but to me it is actually expected, if you watch her very clear body language.

And I do not agree with people who think this type of behavior is set in stone and cannot change.  We cannot know what will happen, but I believe that improvement is always possible.  It is a type of behavior where one is likely to always have to be extra-mindful of the cat's body language, but I strongly believe that by sharing a calm space, we can help these animals to understand what being calm feels like.  And the more that they feel it, the more possible it can be for them to get to that place on their own.

I have been working with Daisy really slowly, and through this process and combination of Reiki, TTouch and play, we have established a lovely bond.

My cat Garbanzo had a somewhat similar pattern, though his was more extreme, as he could get very aggressive when he was in overstimulated mode.  He trained me well to learn how to stay calm and neutral, and how to go slowly and gradually, always aware of body language.

When I first met Daisy, I had worked with other cats first, so without even consciously thinking it, Reiki was flowing before I entered into the room.  I entered and sat down calmly.  Daisy ran up to me before I even sat down and started rubbing and rubbing against me.  This behavior alone made her so overstimulated that suddenly she hissed at me.  I had a wonderful toy with me ("Go Cat Cat Catcher" - basically a stick toy with a mouse on the end of a wire - most cats love it!) - so I started playing with her a bit with the toy - enough so she could get some of her energy out on the toy, but not so wildly that she got amped up even further.  At times I was able to stroke her with the stick end of the stick toy - just once or twice.  Mostly I was just sitting calmly and letting the Reiki flow.

Our first few sessions were brief, as I wanted to make sure that we had a positive interaction, and it was left at that.  With each session, Daisy responded to the Reiki more and started to recognize the calming energy.

And so after a little bit of play, I would just sit calmly, and she would end up laying right next to me, even falling asleep.

It was so relaxing in her beautiful room, with the light coming in the window.  The light from outside, the light from within both of us, the light of the Reiki energy, becoming one with the light.



At the end of our most recent session (actually part one of it!), when I ended the session and got up to go to the door (which I do gradually and calmly), Daisy came after me, as she often does, and she started getting back into a hectic mode.  I was feeling from her, "why are you leaving?  don't go! why are you leaving?".  When I end the sessions with her, I tell her that I love her always, and that I will be back, but still this is often what happens when I leave the room.

After I worked with a couple of other cats, it was getting near time for me to leave the shelter, but I really wanted to spend a few more minutes with Daisy.  I felt I had something more to share with her, and I wanted to see what would happen.

I went back in the room, letting the Reiki flow again, and she calmly settled on the floor across from where I was.  I started telling her silently, "You can always have the light in you.  You can always have the light all around you, protecting you.  I love you always, and always, and always.  Feel the light inside you, and the light all around you, protecting you." I started repeating these words, and variations, like a mantra, for a few minutes.  I may have said them quietly, in addition to silently, I am not sure.  I saw her looking so peaceful and happy and settled.  And when I got up to leave, I was still feeling these words in my head, and she stayed right where she was, at peace and very settled.

Later on, I heard from one of the shelter people that Daisy and some of the others were much calmer.  So lovely to hear!

Thank you so much, Daisy!  It is such an honor to learn from you, and to share this beautiful energy with you.  I look forward to seeing you soon:)

And thanks, as always, to the wonderful Bideawee people for all that you do for these sweet creatures. xxoo

Reiki with the Cats at Bideawee: Oneness and Eternal Love

I always love my time with animals, and have meaningful connections with them every day.  But at times there are those special moments that sneak up on you and surprise you in the most beautiful way.

Ashanti

Last week, towards the end of my afternoon working with the cats at Bideawee, I decided to go into the main cat room to work with Ashanti, one of my long-time kitty friends there.  The cats in this room generally are cats who prefer to be only cats, so they reside in cages but are let out to roam freely in the room in shifts, so they all have time out.  There are two adjacent cat rooms which each house 4-5 cats, and one can see the cats in this room through the glass walls.

Ashanti was having his time out.  As it was a quiet time of day, I decided to sit on the floor in the middle of the room and offer Reiki to him.

Ashanti first came up to me, looked at me, and then climbed to an upper area in the room, where he loves to be, and laid down, squinting his eyes, absorbing the energy.

As the energy began to flow, it expanded through the room and I felt it connecting with the other cats in the room as well.  The radio was playing quietly.  I felt such a peacefulness come over the room.

Coral

I felt the energy become stronger and stronger, and felt the connections with all the cats in the room, as well as those in the adjacent rooms.  I felt the history of my connections with these cats, some of whom I have known for a good while.  The strength and beauty of that shared history.

Buddy

I felt a huge energy of love filling up the room.  This feeling of an eternal kind of love, a love beyond the boundaries of time and space.  Boundless joy and infinite connection with the cats and with the universe.

Bandit

I felt such happiness and gratitude for the animals for this time with them, for all the time I have had with them, for their openness with me, for all that they give to me and teach me, and for all the love they share with me.

Rocky

I felt suspended in time, connected with these beautiful animals with the energy and connection of love and gratitude.  Connected with them all and connected with the eternal feeling of love.  Love that goes beyond time and space.  Feeling like I am exactly where I need to be, that we were all exactly where we needed to be in this moment. 

Jax and Jayne

All the cats in the room, and in the adjacent rooms, were peaceful and calm.  A few cats were eating or grooming, others were just resting peacefully.

Jo

It was such a beautiful way to end my day with them. When the time was right, I slowly ended the session, thanking Reiki, and thanking the cats.  I looked around the room at all of them, and told them to have a wonderful night.  I can't wait to see them again! xxooo

Jungle

The Power and Beauty of Intention (and the Importance of Flexibility) - with Lenore and Bandit at Bideawee

 Lenore

This is a post about the power and beauty of intention, which is so vital to keep in mind when working with animals.  It is also about the importance of being flexible, and always being open to learning.

In the following post I will share with you a beautifully simple, but powerful technique that I used with both Lenore and Bandit at Bideawee, as they were both in the cat receiving area when I first met them. (I will do separate posts on Lenore and Bandit at another time, as these are both cats who I have worked with quite extensively).

 Bandit

Bandit was brought in as a feral cat.  She has one eye, and also went through treatment for breast cancer before arriving at the shelter.  So one can imagine that those factors, in addition to the complete change of environment, added up to a very scared cat.  She was extremely shut-down, and would hiss any time her cage was opened.  

 Lenore

Lenore was also extremely frightened when I first met her, but more apt to lash out when approached rather than hide at the back of the cage like Bandit.  She had been adopted as a kitten by a family with a child, and then was returned about a year and a half later as she had been reactive in the home.  Without knowing all the circumstances, I think there is a good probability that the energy of the child was just too much for her.  Cats are extremely sensitive beings, and the hectic and out-of-control energy of children can be too overwhelming for some cats. And of course, as great a shelter as Bideawee is, Lenore was still extremely stressed by being back at the shelter.

When a cat is extremely fearful and hesitant to be approached, it is best for me to begin by using techniques that can be done from a distance, such as Reiki from a short distance, or TTouch using tools such as a paintbrush or back scratcher.  

 TTouch with Bandit with a paintbrush

Lenore and Bandit were both extremely receptive to Reiki, as I did not have to even open their cage to share the energy with them.  The Reiki helped them both to relax in my presence, their body postures relaxing and their eyes closing. 

I also found that both cats were very receptive to being spoken to in a calm, slow, quiet voice.  

Which is what brings me to this technique that I used with them.  It is something that was taught to me when I was learning about using muscle testing.  When using muscle testing, especially in the beginning, it is easy to be unsure about what you are doing.  So I was taught this mantra, which is helpful in centering and relaxing in such a way that one can go forward with the muscle testing.  When one is doing the mantra for oneself, one says, “I am very loved, and very safe”.  This is repeated over and over a number of times.

So then when working with the animals in the shelter, I thought why not use this to help the animals?

So I would sit in front of Lenore’s cage or Bandit’s cage, first sending Reiki to them, then imagining the words before I said them.  Then when I said it, I said it slowly, pausing after “loved” and “safe”, really feeling and imagining what I was saying.  “You are verrryyyy loved………. And you are verrrry safe.”  I repeated it quietly, slowly, continuing the Reiki flow and imagining the cat safe and protected with light and love.  Both Bandit and Lenore really responded to this, closing their eyes, relaxing, taking it in. 

 Lenore relaxing

I have used this with other cats as well, and it always helps to create such a beautiful energy around the animal and me, that we are connected with this calming light and energy.

 Bandit enjoying TTouch

Many months later, after much slow, careful work with Reiki and TTouch, Bandit is now doing really well and is comfortable with direct TTouch from me.  You will hear more about her soon!

Here is a video of the technique, early on with Bandit, and a later session with Lenore which you will read more about below:

And to skip some months down the road with Lenore, she was transferred a ways back to Bideawee’s Westhampton facility, which has been a great change for her.  She is able to be in a room with a lot of space, and she is so much more at ease.

 Lenore at Westhampton

I have been going out to the Westhampton facility every week or two to work with Lenore (and, of course, a number of other kitties!).  One day recently, I just felt like Lenore and I were not connecting.  And it occurred to me to try the mantra again. 

“You are verrry loved, and verrry safe, you are verrry loved, and verrry safe”.  

 Lenore

Lenore had been sitting several feet from me, facing out the window, a bit hyped up because of some flying leaves and birds outside.  After the first time of saying it, I saw her body posture visibly relax.  She shifted herself and looked right at me.  It was as though she had gone back to that moment when she had been so scared, and when I had said that, and it had helped her.  I felt she was thanking me.

I kept saying it, slowly, pausing after “loved” and “safe”, really visualizing and feeling it.  She kept facing me, and her eyes slowly closed, getting so relaxed.   

After a while I stopped saying it out loud, just kept hearing it in my head, and kept feeling the energy of that.  

Sky

There is a glass wall in her room separating Lenore from another room where there were two cats, Sky and Pumpkin. They always respond when I am doing Reiki with Lenore, and they were responding to this as well.  Sky was sitting near the glass, relaxing his eyes, and Pumpkin was sleeping.

 Lenore

We were all part of this lovely, relaxing energy.  And it was interesting, too, to feel that connection with Lenore that felt like it stretched back those months ago when she was first learning to trust me.

This session reminded me, too, that it is always important to keep my mind flexible.  The animals remind me of this every day.  If something is not working, try something else.  Sometimes it will be Reiki, sometimes it will be TTouch, sometimes it will be play time, sometimes it will be talking in a calm voice, etc.  If one TTouch doesn’t work, then maybe another will.  If one TTouch tool is not effective, then maybe another one will be. 

The most important thing when working with an animal is to truly be there in the moment with them.  Because when you are really there in that moment, that is when the magic can unfold.  

I thank the animals for reminding me of that, and for all they have to teach me.   And I thank all the beings at the shelter, both human and animal, for all the love, caring and beauty that they have to share. :) xxoo