Connecting with Luther: Helping a Sensitive Soul Unwind

Luther is a beautiful tabby cat who I have worked with off and on for the past couple of years.  He has two adopted cat brothers, Mr. Maps and Scrumble.  They live in a wonderful home with their kind and caring people, Suzanne and Mike.

Following is a link to a post about Luther and Mr. Maps after their brother Bunny (the dear kitty who I first worked with in this household) had passed, and before Scrumble was adopted. to give more of a back story of Luther:
http://sarahsuricat.blogspot.com/2014/09/my-journey-with-luther-and-mr-maps.html

Luther is an extremely sensitive cat, and can get overstimulated easily.  When I first started working with him, this would happen more easily and he could go into attack mode.  I worked with him very gently and carefully, giving him plenty of space, and allowing him to come closer as he was comfortable.  After some months of TTouch, Reiki, Bach Flower remedies and clicker training, this behavior calmed substantially, and his people were able to be closer to him and even pick him up and hold him, which was wonderful.

But there are times when he goes back into a more stressed mode, and needs some reminding of how to be in a calmer state.  Most recently I was called to work with him because he had started peeing off the side of counters.  I came for a session, and brought a Bach Flower remedy for him as well.

Luther

Luther is extremely receptive to Reiki.  By now he is so familiar with the energy that when I start to create the Reiki space, he feels and connects with it right away, and starts to settle.

I started our session in the bigger space of the loft, which is where we usually start with some clicker training.  I left the doors open so that all the cats could join if they wanted, and move around as they pleased.  After a bit of clicker training, I sat on the floor with all of them and let the Reiki f

Scrumble

At this point I felt all the cats connect with the energy, calming.  Scrumble came right near me and settled down next to my feet, and Mr. Maps and Luther settled at a comfortable distance.  Since Luther is so sensitive, I sit with a sideways orientation to him, rather than straight-on, and soften my gaze.  This is actually something that I do when working with animals in general, but it is especially important with a very sensitive animal.

 Mr. Maps

I felt a very tangible connection of my heart to Luther's, as well as a connection with the other two cats.  And I felt this deep sense of love connecting us.

Reiki can facilitate this feeling:  a timeless, universal feeling of love and connection.  I felt all four of us connected, but particularly felt the energy that connected Luther and me, our hearts connecting and the energy passing back and forth between us.  At this time I was also speaking to him in a soft, soothing, rhythmic voice, which can add another level of calmness in combination with the Reiki energy.  After a time I was quiet, still feeling the energy of a soft voice there.  Luther visibly calmed, and I had a sense of him calming internally as well.

After a time, Luther got up and moved into a smaller room which is used as a walk-in closet.  Luther started to settle there.  I waited a moment, and after sensing he wanted me to join him in there, I went in the room and settled a few feet away from him, the Reiki energy continuing to flow.

I felt him comforted by the smaller space, as well as by feeling the softness of the carpet underneath him.  There was light coming in the window, and I could feel Luther's sense that this was where he wanted to be.  Here with the energy, coziness, softness and light.  As I continued to share Reiki with him, he calmed further and further, slowly stretching out and reaching complete relaxation.

Such a beautiful feeling, his spirit and body really unwinding.  We stayed here for the rest of his session.  It was almost difficult to end the session, as I could feel him absorbing the energy so much.  I ended the session very softly, thanking him and thanking Reiki.

Afterwards, I told Suzanne and Mike what had happened, and suggested that it could benefit him to have a smallish, soft space, such as a crate with towels inside and draped over the top and three sides of it, so that he could have a little place to go and calm down when he needed it.  They told me that he always has access to the closet as well, so that is good too.  They have a crate, so they set this up for him, and sent me this photo of him looking very cozy indeed!

I checked in with them a few days ago, and his behavior has been good.  They said they don't often see him in his "apartment", but he seems to be glad it is there:) 
With much love and gratitude, xoxo

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

Connecting with Gemini at BARC Shelter: The Generosity, Beauty and Wisdom of an Older Cat

Thank you to fellow volunteer and friend Mary G
for taking the first and last photos in this post:)

Gemini is a beautiful older gentleman cat who is at BARC Shelter.  He is gentle and sweet with everyone he meets, whether human or animal, and is so well-loved at the shelter.  At times kittens were put in a cage with him and he would be a sweet and loving father to them. He would have been adopted long ago were it not for his compromised medical status. He has a non-cancerous tumor on one of his legs which is now bandaged because it bleeds.  It would be risky to amputate the leg because he is quite old, and because of the risk of the anesthesia plus the trauma of the surgery.
For some months now, he has been roaming free in one of the play rooms at BARC (and can also be brought out into the main room during the day), which is wonderful.

I have been doing Reiki with him to help relax him, plus TTouch and Debono Moves (gentle, yet very powerful work based on Feldenkrais work and developed by Mary Debono) to help his sense of balance.  Both of those modalities help give him a better sense of his body in space, which is very helpful.

Following is a video of me doing some Debono Moves with him:

He is extremely responsive to the work, and recently we had the honor of having Mary Debono come and teach a class recently. Gemini was a wonderful demo cat!

I know that the work I share with him can not cure him, but also know that it can help provide some peace and balance so that he can be as comfortable a state as is possible, given his condition.

The moments I spend with Gemini are really so special.  He so completely opens his heart to me, and I feel us become one with the peaceful, loving energy of Reiki, which is flowing whether I am just sharing Reiki or whether I am using another modality with him.

During this time that the energy is flowing, it is a very meditative time in which I feel in touch with his very spirit:  the depth of his wisdom and experience combined with his unconditional love.  The love and the energy reverberates and expands beyond time and space.There are times when I really feel transported to another place, even though I am simultaneously present in the shelter as well.

Last week was such a time.  I have been rather concerned about Gemini's condition and comfort level, but as is just about always the case, once I am there and connect with him with the energy, that concern slides away and we are just there in the beauty of the moment.  He laid right into my hands and was so cozy, laying on his side and showing my hands where he wanted them to be.  And I knew that we both were exactly where we were supposed to be in that moment.  It was so peaceful.

Meanwhile, in the playroom where we were hanging out, there were also a number of kittens bounding about joyfully.  I suddenly felt this lovely image of us being in a playground, with sun and light all around us, and the young ones playing.  Trees blowing with a gentle breeze, and the light coming between the trees, the light of late summer.  I felt such love and connection and such gratitude.

I want to thank Gemini for sharing these beautiful moments with me, and for sharing all of his kind and loving soul with me.  And thank you to BARC and my BARC friends for showing him such love and care.

Reiki Promotes Harmony: Reiki with Sylvie and others at Downtown Veterinary Clinic

Sylvie is a beautiful cat who I have been working with for some time at Downtown Veterinary Clinic.  She was abandoned in a roller suitcase on the streets of NYC.  She is very fearful in general, and fearful around other cats as well.  My suspicion is that she was a solo cat wherever she was previously. 
I have been working with her slowly and steadily through TTouch, Reiki, Debono Moves, play therapy, etc.  She is more comfortable being touched more often than she was initially, and has become generally more comfortable in the environment where she is living - in an office space within the clinic where there are always several other roaming cats.
The people who work in the clinic say she is totally out and about now, not hiding as she usually was initially.
As far as contact with her, I follow whatever she is comfortable with, just nudging her forward gently when it feels right, always wanting to promote her feeling of safety.
On this particular day, when I arrived, she was nearly completely hidden in a box on a shelf off to the side.  She was curled up and cozy. 
I decided to just sit a few feet away and I began offering Reiki to her and to whoever was interested in joining the session.  Most often, whichever cats are in the space will come close to me and settle, which is great, as it helps all of them to learn that they can be near each other and feel this connecting, calm energy.
Soon three cats came near me, settling.

The black and white cat sitting further away is generally not comfortable with the other two, but they were all very peaceful.

Then these two (Beamer and Lego) began to groom each other.  I continued to send the energy, and felt such a calm, serene vibration throughout the room

Then, I heard a rustling inside the cardboard box, and to my surprise, Sylvie came out of the box, and with no hesitation, settled right on top of the easy chair that Beamer and Lego were grooming each other on, and right next to me.

Please watch this video that shows what happened next:

Sylvie continued to relax, and the other cats around continued to relax for the rest of the session. 

This was such a reminder to me of how important it is to release one's expectations, and to truly be in the moment and trust Reiki and, as Kathleen Prasad (who is a true master of Animal Reiki) says, "Be Reiki".  I had no idea that Sylvie was going to come out of her box and come closer to me, I merely started with the idea that I was going to share this energy with her and with the room to see what was possible.

Reiki can help to promote a sense of harmony not only within one's self and with another being, but also between other beings.  I have worked in households where other animals were not getting along, and Reiki has been so helpful in those situations.

It is not a "quick fix", but it can help a positive shift to begin, a shift which is very organic and really comes from the inside, rather than a change forcibly imposed on another being.

Thank you Sylvie, thank you to the other kitties, and thank you to Downtown Veterinary Clinic for all the good work you do and for all the love and care you give to the animals.  Look forward to seeing you soon and having more adventures!  xoxox

Rusty at BARC Shelter: The Beauty, Power and Wisdom of a Senior Cat

 

Rusty is a very elegant, dignified and very sweet older cat.  An older gentleman cat.  He is probably about 18, with kidney issues and probably other health issues as well.  He arrived at BARC Shelter probably a year ago, looking very frail and as if he would not be with us long.  

 

However, he is a real trooper, and after being cared for medically and receiving much TLC from all who know him, he has been in a holding pattern -  hanging in there, being well-cared- for, enjoying his food and getting love and attention from everyone. 

 

I love him, and often spend Reiki time with him.  He purrs and curls up, very contented, taking in the energy.

 

Colin, one of the two wonderful keepers of the cats at BARC, told me last week that Rusty was really not doing well, and he thought me may be ready to pass soon. Rusty did look even more frail than usual, and I also had a sense he was going to pass soon.  

 

I sat with Rusty for a long time with Reiki.  I told him I loved him and it was all right if he needed to leave his body.  That he was safe and everything would be all right.  I started to feel so sad for him, then I heard a very clear message from him.  He said, "I have lived a good life." 

I found that to be so moving, and I knew what he meant by that.  He was satisfied and comfortable and fine if he needed to leave his body.  For animals it is so much less of a big deal than it is for us humans.  Cats particularly are so fluid between the earthly plane and the spirit world. 

 

 

 

He wanted me to let go of my sadness, and realize that everything was as it was supposed to be.

 

And I felt so much gratitude coming from him.  And I felt so grateful for him, and grateful to learn from his wisdom.

As I sat with him with Reiki, he was purring and purring.  I pictured him big, a very big cat, the size of a cougar.  First I saw him surrounded with light, then I saw him resting in the grass.  I still felt sadness, but I felt joy as well, in these beautiful and moving moments with him.  I felt he was sharing the depth of his powerful and loving spirit.

When I left, I knew that I could be saying goodbye to him for the last time.  I told him it was fine, if he needed to fly, fly, fly.

The next day, I called Colin and he told me that Rusty was doing better, hanging in there.  It is a week later and so far he is on the earthly plane.  We realize he is near the end of his road, but if he can still have some happy moments before he goes, that is great.  We will see what happens! 

Thank you so much to my BARC friends for all that you do.  And thank you Rusty, for sharing your wisdom and love and precious time with me.

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

Slow and Steady with two Fearful Cats: Pearl and Georgi Girl (and a bit about Amy) at Bideawee Westhampton

Some months ago, I began to travel to Westhampton Bideawee to offer TTouch and Reiki to the cats there, in addition to volunteering at the facility in Manhattan.  This happened as a result of two Manhattan cats being transferred to Westhampton - but that is another story which I will explore at another time.

 Above: Pearl

As my heart particularly connects with feral and fearful cats, of course I was drawn to Pearl and Georgi Girl.

Above: Georgi Girl

Pearl and Georgi Girl were abandoned in carriers outside of the Adoption Center back in July. They were in separate carriers from one another and there was a note attached. The note said that the girls' original owner became ill and went to a nursing home and left the two cats behind with no one to care for them. The note was written by a neighbor who had taken over the responsibility of caring for them. The neighbor then had to move, and explained that the neighborhood was hostile towards cats, and they feared for the cats' lives if she left them behind. They provided the names, and a description of each of them, so the shelter could tell who was Georgi Girl, and who was Pearl. They wrote on the note "Please take care of us, you are our only hope."

Upon meeting the two girls, I could tell how scared they were.  And at the time, I did not know their whole story, and did not realize they had been in a home previously.  I just knew that they had been dumped at the shelter.  Actually I didn't know that they had previously been in a home until quite recently.  

So I thought that they were feral, because of their behavior.  They seemed so dazed and were afraid of anyone approaching them.  Yet I could tell right away that they are so gentle and sweet under the fear.  They remind me a great deal of my dear formerly-feral cats, Lulu and Natalia. 

Initially, they were in a cage, but fortunately the shelter soon had a nice room available for them to live in, where they have shelves to climb in, cozy hidey places to hang out, etc.

 TTouch with the handle of a paintbrush with Pearl

  Right away it became clear that Pearl was the less shy of the two - she would allow just a tiny bit of touch.  She was wary of tools as well as hands, so I kept switching up the tool that I was using with her.  Sometimes it was a paintbrush, sometimes a toothbrush, sometimes the handle of a paintbrush.  Sometimes she preferred a hand to a tool.  

 TTouch with a toothbrush with Pearl

But it was in tiny increments of just a few seconds.  I would let the Reiki flow the whole time I was there, so that she and Georgi Girl could feel the calming energy. I could see both of them relaxing their eyes and their bodies with the energy.  

I also spoke to them in a gentle, slow, calm voice, and they both respond to that as well.  

I have tried to connect with Georgi Girl with the tools, and touching her with a tool is still too scary for her, so I most often will work with her with Reiki, and with "Air TTouches".  I do the air TTouches either with a tool or with my hand, quite far away from Georgi Girl, sometimes even several feet or more away.  I do the circular motion of a TTouch, and then usually a pause or slide.  And my internal feeling, intention and energy is as though I were touching her.  And I feel that connection with her as I do it, that our energies connect.  It is a very definite feeling.  And I can see her respond as I am "touching" her.

 Georgi Girl

Here is a video which shows some of the processes I have done with these two kitties:

In the first part of the video, you see me connecting with Pearl with gentle play.  This can be a great way to help shift the dynamic with a cat if they are afraid to be touched at first.  And it is always done so it is at their comfort level.  Pearl didn't want to come out of her cave just yet, so I let her just reach for the mouse from where she was.

 Pearl

Another great tool to use with Pearl was treats, Temptation Treats in the yellow package, to be more specific.  I found right away that she is very treat-motivated.  Little by little I was able to urge her to come closer to me for the treats, even to come out of the cave.  And in later sessions, she would come right out of the cave for the treats.  As she grew comfortable with this, I was able to touch her occasionally while she was eating.  Mostly, she was too hesitant to do that though.
But Pearl did start to be more receptive to touch in general, just a tiny bit at a time.  I would do literally just a few TTouches or strokes under her chin, or on the side of her face, then give her a break, then try again in a while.

Above: Georgi Girl

Georgi Girl is too afraid to play, or to take treats, or to let me touch her still, but is continuing to respond to air TTouches and Reiki at a distance, and her face looks more open when I see her now, rather than being terrified that I am in the room.

Amy and me

For a short time, there was an orange and white senior kitty named Amy who was in their room.  Amy had just recently arrived at the shelter (she was surrendered by her owner who is in poor physical condition and couldn't care for her), and so she was scared to be there, but loves people.  

I immediately made a connection with Amy, and she has a REALLY loud purr.  So when I came in the room, the room would resonate with Amy's purr.  

Though Amy and the girls did not appear to want to have much to do with each other, I think there was something about Amy purring and being so comfortable that helped them.  

One day I sat on a couch in the room, with Amy near me, purring away, and the other kitties in their respective cozy places, and I felt such a positive and peaceful feeling throughout the room, connecting all of us.  Calm music was playing on the radio, adding to the beautiful feeling of unity and connection. 

I had been working very steadily and gradually with the girls, and was really happy with their progress, but nothing prepared me for the breakthrough that happened a couple of weeks ago with Pearl.
I entered their room and saw right away that the cave beds had been removed, probably to clean them.  I wondered if they were scared not to have them in there, but Pearl was out and about, and when I said hi to her, she came up to me, purring, and began to rub her head against my hand.  After she did this for a minute, she would get momentarily scared and run away, but then if I called to her again, she would come up to me again and rub and purr.  

It is hard to describe in words the joy one can feel when that beautiful kind of connection can happen, when an animal really trusts you, when you feel that you have been able to reach through the fear and touch the heart of another being.  It has to be one of the most beautiful things that one can experience.

It is interesting, too, that Pearl was now responding to the type of voice that I had been using with Amy.  Instead of a really quiet voice, it was a happy friendly voice, like "hey Pearlie! what's going on Pearlie? such a good girl", that kind of thing.  Not a loud voice, but an enthusiastic happy voice.  I had started using that voice with Amy when I first met her, just intuitively.  It worked, and just felt right.  And now, it seemed that Pearl was ready for that kind of voice. 
Please do have a look at the video embedded in this post, and if you have any trouble accessing it, it is on my youtube channel, 
direct link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKSVTLDJwtc

I look forward to seeing these girls again soon, and to my continued work with them.  They are such beautiful, gentle souls.  It is such a delight to see Pearlie actually enjoying contact with me.  

I feel that it is only a matter of time, patience, and continued love and work with Georgi Girl before she follows Pearl in feeling comfortable with being touched.  Usually when there is one in a pair that starts to feel more comfortable, it will help the other to come along, at least to the extent they are able. And in the meantime I will give her all the time and space she needs for that.
 
Thank you so much Bideawee.  It is a pleasure and honor to work with the dear animals in your shelters, and thank you so much for taking these dear girls in and for all the love and care you show to the animals. xoxo