Midnight is a feral or previously homeless cat that began hanging around his current home. He was very skittish and initially only came for the food left out for him. Eventually, he worked his way up to coming inside for food and a warm place to sleep, though he is still very anxious around others. When I first connected, Midnight looked at me, not in a scared way, but more comfortable and confident and with the clear message: "Oh, no. No way." He said this like what I was proposing — coming closer to him to speak with him — was not even an option. So I paused there and waited a bit before asking him, "So you don't want to talk with me, Midnight?" He was now inching toward "red alert" status, hair standing up, looking around for escape routes. I found myself getting sucked into this anxious energy, so took a moment to just relax and calm my end of things. "You can talk from right there," said Midnight. I noted the way he said this, which was that I was the one to be talking and it wasn't going to be a two-way conversation necessarily. To this thought he answered, "Well, you're the one who showed up here looking for a conversation. I didn't seek it out." He didn't say this with any anger or irritation, but rather like someone who is efficiently handling a crisis. "The person who feeds you thought maybe you'd appreciate talking with someone so you could tell your side of things and even let her know how to best help you and make your life better," I explained. I could see him thinking about this and even consciously switching his thoughts to a woman who is putting food down for him. He was referencing the images of her as he thought of my statement. His first instinct was to say, "Well, I don't really live here…" but it was part of a thought process that then transitioned to "Well, I have been staying here more… am I now considered as living here? Me, in an actual home? (then indignantly:) I'm still my own person and I can come and go as I please. I'm not like those other homebodies (cats). But it does feel niiiice to have a warm place to sleep…" It felt like I was eavesdropping on Midnight's thought process. He seemed to get lost in it all and forget that I was even there. But then he looked up and said to me, "You were saying?" Instead of introducing other questions, I thought I'd just go with things related to what he had already been thinking about. "It sounds like you are appreciating having an indoor space for yourself," I posed. "Yes," he said cautiously and I could see him thinking ahead, trying to figure out where I'm going with this. Then it occurred to him that perhaps this situation is just temporary and it will all change. I could feel the panic rise in him, but at the same time, he was struggling to "play it cool" like it didn't matter to him; that he was just a drifter who can leave whenever he wants (he doesn't want, I could tell). "What do you think of the food here?" I wondered. "Gooo-oood," he said appreciatively. "It's tasty! I won't get tired of that anytime soon." I clearly hit a topic he wasn't so guarded about. "Is it different than what you've had before?" I asked. "Fresh. There's a difference. It actually smells good." I keep seeing a reddish wet, canned food. "How are you get along with the other animals here?" I asked. "They do their thing, I do mine," he answered. "You don't interact at all?" I probed further. "See previous answer," he said, trying to be "cool" about it all. "But you interact with the person who feeds you…" I mentioned. "She's nice. I feel safer around her," he said. In my head, I was formulating questions to ask, but seemed to immediately get a feeling one way or another as to whether Midnight would appreciate talking about certain things or even being asked certain questions in a particular way, so I would revise them until they "felt right." For example, I know there is a question on Midnight's page about his legs going stiff when he is picked up. I was trying to figure out how to broach this subject, but could immediately feel him getting tense and suspicious about the fact that I already knew this about him, which meant people were already discussing him and he got very energetically defensive. So I simply asked, "How do you like being picked up?" "I have no control," he said. "I am being airlifted and am at the mercy of… EVERYTHING!" He felt it was a very vulnerable place to be. "I need to have my feet on the ground. You know, grounded. Connected. In my control." I get a visual of him literally scared stiff when he is "airlifted." Jumping is a much different story, as he is still in control. "What are your plans, Midnight?" I asked. "Are you staying here for good?" He immediately tried to play things cool (again), like he is a free spirit and no one is going to tie him down to one place. "Maybe I'll go somewhere warmer for the winter…" he began posing some of his options. But I could tell it was just an act. He has no intention of leaving, as he feels good here. But he still needs to feel like he has the *power* to decide to leave and go where he wants. This "conversation" was interesting because normally I will get some insight into characteristics and personality without having to ask. But this time, I seem to have gotten much more depth into his thought process, almost so that I didn't have to specifically ask him too many things. And maybe that's what he wanted? I wished him well and told him that I was glad he found a warm, safe place to be. He seemed pleased that the interaction was over and he savored the feeling of "snuggling" back into his bed and feeling safe again. It's a newer feeling for him and he is enjoying it. Feedback from his person:He is still very sketchy with people, especially men (Hubby included) but oh yes, he is here to stay as long as he can come and go. And good news is that he is now coming right in to our lounge room and making himself comfy in one of the cat trees. The deliriously happy "cat's got the cream" look says it all and he has even taken to kissing my face with his little nose and rubbing himself all over my face with sheer gratitude and then allowing me to pet him while he writhes around in absolute joy. Til he hears a noise and the moment is all undone as he flies through the room and out the door. I call him my little toughie - such an act he puts on! You certainly got his little (or big) personality correct. He tends to talk in images too rather than words and he thinks in what would be called Virginia Wolfes' stream of consciousness style so good for you for going with his communicating style. And, of course, now that he's met you, he might lighten up and talk more. He's a little scared of men although he will never admit it, lol! Thank you so much for taking the time to communicate with him. I think you did very well - he isn't an easy cat to get to know so you did remarkably well. Keep up the good work! We both thank you for sharing your conversation.
2 Comments
Debra KLink
2/1/2020 11:26:03 pm
I so appreciate this example of showing how cats' have individual personalities. Its like interacting with a human! I too have a skittish cool Smokey cat who we rescued a few months old. He does not like to be pickup and now I know why he runs from me. This site is so valuable, gives me hope to one day experience the same levelf of communication with my 7 cats...THANK YOU.
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Josh
2/2/2020 03:27:48 pm
Debra, I love that you're so open to learning from something like a conversation with a cat you don't know or didn't talk with personally. It's really a great way to start understanding thought processes and even if they aren't quite the same as your own cats', just being aware that there are so many ways of thinking and being really helps. Good luck with your seven teachers! :-)
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AuthorMy name is Josh and I'm a learning animal communicator, hoping that sharing my journey will help others. Categories
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