The Healing Power of Cats – Guest Post by Ingrid King
The Healing Powers of Cats
There are many stories of animals as healers. Research shows that simply petting a cat or dog can lower your blood pressure. Therapy animals who visit nursing homes and hospices bring peace and joy to patients who may not have smiled in months. There are stories of horses who help people heal emotional and psychological issues, stories about dogs who can somehow sense cancer in people, even before doctors can find it, and dogs who can tell when a person is about to have a seizure. At one time or another, all pet owners have experienced the comfort of having our pets close by when we are sick even with something minor like a cold or the flu. Research has even shown that the frequency of a cat’s purr can aid with healing of bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles as well as provide pain relief.
I’ve met a number of these healer kitties during my years of working at veterinary clinics. They would work their magic in various ways – by curling up next to a recovering cat or dog, by cuddling up to a worried client in the waiting room, or by comforting a staff member who had just assisted with a difficult case or a euthanasia.But none of these cats was more of a healer than Buckley, the subject of my book Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher.
Buckley would do all of the things mentioned above while she lived at the animal hospital. After she came home with me, she became my assistant Reiki practitioner. Reiki is an energy therapy that originated in Japan. As a Reiki Master Practitioner, I transfer energy to my client by placing my hands either directly on or slightly off the body. I work with pets and with people, and I’ve found that animals, especially cats, are incredibly receptive to the Reiki energy. Some even say cats invented Reiki. While that may be a little far fetched, cats seem to intuitively how to utilize the energy for their greatest good.
Buckley loved being in the Reiki room while I was giving treatments, and as long as the person receiving a treatment liked cats and did not mind Buckley’s presence, she was allowed to stay. But just being in the room was usually not enough for her—she became an active participant in the healing session. She would get up on the Reiki table and often curl up next to or on top of the client. I realized after a few sessions like this that she intuitively knew where extra energy was needed, and the client would often report an added feeling of heat or pulsing in the areas where Buckley had been situated during the session. I often skipped the areas Buckley laid on during a session and concentrated on others instead. I knew my little healer kitty had it covered.
I think she also transmuted the energy in the house in general. All cats do this to some degree. Cats are sensitive to energies and have the ability to change negative energies into something peaceful and calming. Buckley seemed to be a master at this. More people commented on the peaceful energy in my house after she came to live with us than ever before.
Animals bring a spiritual component to healing as well. Buckley’s intuitive knowing during a Reiki session about where the energy was needed came from a spiritual dimension. It takes many human Reiki practitioners years of practice to achieve that level of intuitiveness.
How have the animals in your life helped you heal? I’d love to hear your stories.
Ingrid King is the author of Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher. A former veterinary hospital manager turned writer.She publishes the EzineNews for You and Your Pet, covering topics ranging from conscious living to holistic and alternative health. She shares her experiences with consciously creating a joyful, happy and healthy life for pets and people on her popular blog, The Conscious Cat. Ingrid lives in Northern Virginia with her tortoiseshell cat Amber. Visit www.ingridking.com.
I have always sworn that Sagesse, our calico, was the one keeping me sane during those late night baby feedings. She would curl up next to me and just purr while the baby was eating. Some nights, it was the only way I’d get through the lack of sleep.
They really do know when you need the support.
It is amazing how our cats know when we need that extra support. There’s nothing more calming to me than a cat’s purr – clearly, Sagesse knew this!
Ingrid-this is a great article-and so true. I remember at a veterinary hospital I worked at, that one of the hospital cats was injured and ‘laid-up’ in a cage for the weekend after her surgery. One of the other hospital cats would sit below her cage-just staring up. I finally set a step stool at the cage door and Malley spent most of the weekend there-posted right outside her door. He’d never shown much interest in this other cat before, but this time he clearly knew that she needed help. My own cats have shown that they can tell when I’m sad or coming down with something. They truly are amazing creatures!
Renee, I love this story of Malley and how he was taking care of his buddy. I’m sure he appreciated the step stool, or else he’d have had a crick in his neck by the end of the weekend!
SHaring from Nancy because the links wouldn’t let her post:
Thank you for sharing this sweet story about Buckley! I particularly agree with:
My beautiful Sable (http://twitpic.com/24oni), the one I rescued from the Humane Society because no one else would want her (she was so mean & hated humans at the time), helped me heal from a horrendous marriage, subsequent divorce, and adjust to life as a happy single mom.
Gorgeous Mischa (http://twitpic.com/24ovg), the feral I rescued from euthanasia when the shelter said he could never be a pet, went on to teach me how to instantly shift my energy *by thinking of him*. As soon as I did, wherever I was in the house, he came and *found* me. Learning to shift my energy is a gift I use everyday in honor of him. He also became more loving after Sable transitioned, and helped me mourn her.
My current girls, sisters Thelma (http://twitpic.com/hirbe) and Louise (http://twitpic.com/hiqwv), helped me mourn the transition of Mischa as I helped them mourn the transition of their previous owner. I really feel the three of us heal each other, as needed.
Don’t get me started on all the neighborhood cats that have loved and healed me…
Thank you for letting me remember how healing kitties have been for me!
Many blessings,
Nancy
Thanks for posting Nancy’s comment, Stacia – I wanted to add that Nancy’s website is http://www.affirmingspirit.com.
Nancy, thanks for the comment – your babies are all beautiful! I love the transformation of Sable from human-hater to healer. And what a wonderful thing to learn from Misha – being able to shift energy is such a vital skill, and I’m sure it means even more each time you do it because you remember him in this way. What a special bond you and Thelma and Louise (love the names!) share – a bond that came from shared sadness and then turned into healing. It doesnt get any better than that.
Stacia and Ingrid, thank you for the extra effort to post my comment ~leaving the photo links in helps the reader get a feeling for each kitty-healer.
Many blessings,
Nancy
HI dude, can i post articles to your blog ? Let me know if you are interested
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Very interesting info, i’m waiting for more ! Keep updating your blog and you will have a lot o readers