We enter into relationships with people for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. This wisdom also holds true regarding the relationship with our pets. I want to share with you how my husband and I met our friend, Kitty Q, and how he served to activate a shift in consciousness within me, our neighborhood, and Kitty Q himself.
My husband, Tom, and I live in a cul-de-sac with eighteen other families nestled in apple country, Hendersonville, NC. Early one morning in June 2022, I glance out of my front door window as the sun is rising over the mountains, and I notice a gray kitten about six months old on our sidewalk. When I open the front door slowly, he stares, darts away, then turns back. I talk softly to him as I walk onto the sidewalk and sit down on the concrete. He scampers over, crawls into my lap, and melts my heart.
I ask him telepathically where he’s from. He shows me images of a neighborhood different from ours. I ask him why he left. He shows me images of dogs barking, feeling terrified, and leaving because of the dogs.
After a few moments of petting and purring, I decide to get him something to eat. Moving slowly, I walk into the house and head for the fridge. I find leftover roast chicken that I cut into small pieces on a dish and carry it outside onto the sidewalk. While he eats, I notice the fur on his tail is missing, he has scabs under his chin, and he’s scratching frequently. I hear the front door open quietly, and see Tom standing there.
“Look who’s come to visit us,” I say smiling, trying to quell the excitement in my voice. We aren’t looking to adopt a cat, yet the universe has other plans. The cat continues to show up.
Getting Permission
In the next few days, I meditate and ask spirit about this cat’s past. I’m shown that he was given to a little boy, however, the family is irresponsible, neglectful, and is not attending to the cat’s needs. When I ask if it’s in the highest good for Tom and I to adopt the cat, I receive a thumbs up. I also check in with the cat, and he gives us permission to be his guardians. However, he makes it clear he wants to be an outdoor-indoor cat. We agree, and the vet visits provide his much-needed care. He’s quizzical so Tom suggests calling him Kitty Q, and it sounds good to me. We now have a furry friend who’s curled up softly into our hearts.
Increasing Danger
We know adopting an outdoor-indoor cat has risks, however, Q’s preference requires being in nature. We discover the biggest risk for Q is being chased and terrified by the uncontrolled dogs in our neighborhood.
In December 2022, Q was laying on our back deck when three dogs ran into our yard, spotted him, and he them, so Q ran for his life climbing a nearby tree. I heard the racket and ran outside. After the neighbor ladies collected their dogs, Tom and I attempted to assist Q by putting a ladder up the tree, but Q jumped down and ran under a fence to an adjacent neighborhood. I found myself toggling between quelling my worry and trusting that he’d return safely. When he returned two days later, he was limping. He needed six weeks of vet care for the recovery of his leg.
Because of these repeated incidents, I decide to speak at the annual HOA meeting in June 2023. Our meetings are held outside in the early evening near a quaint, white gazebo. Twelve people, five of whom have dogs, attend. Towards the end of the meeting, I ask to speak and begin reading my notes asking for our community’s help in securing their dogs.
I needed to read from notes because I knew I’d get emotional at some point, which I did. Part of my emotional outpouring is from the love I have for Kitty Q and from the anxiousness I feel for his wellbeing. I also needed to summon the courage to speak from my heart, letting neighbors who I hadn’t met yet, learn that I’m an animal communicator and an intuitive. I had the opportunity to stand in my truth and feel a successful graduation from my people pleasing behavior.
Sharing at the HOA Meeting
The attendees hear the story of how Q came into our lives, and his preference to be an outdoor-indoor cat. I remind everyone that we all want all of our pets to feel safe, happy, and healthy. However, given the repeated dog incidents, it’s uncomfortable and disappointing to have to be so vigilant with Q especially when we’re relaxing on our own property—back deck, front porch, sidewalk, and front yard—all areas where neighborhood dogs have intruded.
I express gratitude to the neighbors with a Pitt Bull, the president and vice president of the HOA, who repaired their broken fence securing their Pit Bull who escaped their yard frequently. The dog appeared on our front porch one morning after I stepped out to greet Q who was perched on our wooden, four-inch wide, porch railing. Q was somewhat hidden by the Butterfly bush limbs and made himself small and motionless. The dog left after sniffing the length of our porch.
I let the group know that when I served as temporary president in 2020-21 when the previous president quit abruptly, I became aware that the people in our community value tangible property, yet equally, if not more important, we value the intangible qualities of respect, friendliness, and cooperation. I share my awareness hoping to remind people of these deeper, lasting values.
Tom and I would be heartbroken, I tell them, if something happened to Q when it could’ve been avoided. I make an emotional appeal asking for their awareness and cooperation and that Tom and I are open to discussing options and any positive brain storming. I mention that we already made plans to secure gates on the back deck openings and front porch area so Q would know he has safe zones. At first the group is silent, and then there’s a brief discussion with summarizing comments from the secretary. Within days, the secretary sends an email reminding the entire community about being in control of their dogs.
Kitty Q is Feeling the Love
After the meeting, Q is elated. His energy is vibrant, frisky, and playful that evening. He knows I spoke on his behalf to secure his safety. Since then, the family with two dogs who chased Q in the past has been keeping their dogs in their fenced-in, backyard area, and I’m grateful.
Coming From the Heart
In order to speak our loving truth, we need to be connected to our heart. The fastest way to connect to our heart is through a feeling of gratitude. When we focus on something for which we’re grateful, our brain entrains, or comes into harmony, with our heart. Our heart has 5,000 times more magnetic resonance capacity than our brain. Therefore, when we speak from a space of entrainment, we’re in touch with both our feelings and thoughts. Our words then can serve in ways that may inspire and move people into compassionate, courageous actions.
When we speak from a place of fear, our ego-mind is in charge. The ego speaks in tones such as anger, shame, blame, resentment, and anxiety. The ego is always afraid of losing something—affection, pleasure, money, freedom, life, health, self-image, and so on.
Although when the dog chasing occurred initially, I felt fearful and angry. Then, I dropped into my heart. I was able to speak my truth and set an intention to raise awareness about the needs of all of our pets, to feel loved, safe, and happy. This loving action also served to set a boundary, releasing feelings of being a victim or feeling helpless. Courageously speaking up with kindness and compassion moves us forward on our path of mastery, taking responsibility for how we feel, asking for what we want, and being grateful.
For more information about the Drama Triangle and moving beyond feeling like a victim and into balanced mastery, please see my blog, “Topsy Turvy Transitions and the Subconscious Roles We Play.”