Order it up
Sometimes things can feel overwhelmingly bad. We may be ready to give up or even question why we would want to be alive.
This was the case with a gorgeous purebred foster cat I began working with a few months ago. She came into rescue sick and malnourished, obviously neglected, and from a hoarding type of situation. She was a breeder mother with kittens.
A compassionate humane society and a regional cat rescue worked closely and quickly together to get this girl and others like her into safe foster homes.
Once in foster, this girl began to give up. She vomited and obviously wasn’t feeling well. She wouldn’t eat. She continued to nurse her kittens, but she couldn’t continue to do so without taking in nourishment herself.
She was seen by an excellent veterinarian. They tried all the usual and reliable ways to help a cat like her turn around physically. But the issue wasn’t entirely physical. I volunteered to try to help her with animal communication.
What previous experience of life this kitty had was grim. She felt that she didn’t want to live in such circumstances and couldn’t conceive of how her future life would be any different. I chatted with her gently for a few days, praising her bravery, her strength, and her devotion to her kittens.
I showed this kitty visions of what it could be like to be loved and cherished as a housecat and explained this could be her future path, if she was willing to try. My passed cat Nimbus, who had fostered in the same home, reinforced to her that the foster mom was to be trusted. He too, had come to this woman from an unfortunate breeder situation, and she had taught him that people could be kind and trustworthy.
After a few days, the girl kitty indicated that I could call her Lilibet. This felt hopeful to me. You don’t ask for a name if you’re planning to die. But she continued to struggle physically and refused to eat.
Her wonderful vet had her in vet hospital for a few days, tending to her carefully and tube feeding her. But the critical juncture would be when she was willing to eat on her own. She just wasn’t ready or willing to do so. We all wondered if she ever would be.
I asked my passed cat Orion for insight into Lilibet’s situation. In life, he helped me with numerous animal communication sessions. And he continues to do so from the other side. He indicated that Lilibet just needed a couple more days to turn around. Then all the patience and veterinary care invested in her would be rewarded.
The vet gave it one more attempt, giving her a medication that is known to sometimes produce ravenous hunger as a side effect. And it worked! Lilibet finally began to eat on her own. I praised her lavishly.
She returned to the loving foster home, but still was very scared and withdrawn. But we all felt she could turn into a content and loving cat, given the time to blossom. This sort of turnaround is something her foster mom is expert at. She just needed patience, consistency, and time.
Her kittens had been bottle fed while she was in hospital and were able to be on their own. Lilibet was willing to let them go on their own paths. She had done what she needed to do, to keep them alive until more help could be given to them.
As weeks progressed, Lilibet tolerated petting well and was more comfortable with human contact. She was actively trying to bridge the gap between where she was currently at and the vision I had shown her of life as a house cat.
Some weeks later, I was mildly surprised to see Lilibet posted for adoption. She told me she was ready. And then time passed, without any approved applications. I reached out to her yesterday to ask how things were. She indicated she had been waiting for the perfect humans. And she felt they would arrive soon.
Today the foster mom texted me to say Lilibet had been adopted. She had done amazingly well at the meet and greet, showing no fear and great willingness to interact. I asked her about this. Her reply: “They are respectful and treat me adoringly.”
Today’s message, with a boost from Lilibet, reminds me that I should dream up what I need and want and not forsake my vision. I just need to place my order and stay confident it will be served up to me, while making any changes in myself required to support my dream.
Please reflect and share. What might you order up for yourself?
