Animal healer, communicator, yes that’s me but I am just as much a student learning from these wonderful animals. One thing they have taught me is that there’s no point in making a plan. Living in the moment is actually easier and much more fun.
Last Spring Bank holiday is a case in point: any thoughts I’d had about what to do, vanished into the ether when I got a text from an old friend asking if I could find a home for a very old cat, who was living at a local pub and about to be made homeless.
Half an hour later, I’m walking into the deserted pub garden. Deserted that is apart from a strikingly pretty, longhaired tortoiseshell cat, who was sitting on a bench. Must be the cat in question? Hello Tabitha.
As I introduced myself, she let me sit down on her bench, allowed herself to be stroked whilst I explained that I understood her predicament and would do all I could to find her a loving home. At this point, Tabitha gave me one of her looks, jumped onto the pub table, had a quick wash and then jumped down and walked off.
I then went to find the landlord and explain what I had in mind, hoping that he wouldn’t be offended. Far from it, he was delighted.
Back home, I made a few phone calls to spread the word for Tabitha. Then I had a brainwave, I’d ring John. The only reason I thought of him, synchronicity again, he’d been at my house a few days before defluffing the carpets after my furry five had done their worst. We spent at least an hour talking cats, which were his passion and John knows everyone, so could spread the word. I rang him. He promised to do all he could.
The next day I went back to see Tabitha. It was the typical cold, wet Bank Holiday Monday. I couldn’t find this little cat anywhere in the pub garden, though I did find her shelter: a soggy cardboard box on a wet concrete floor open to the wind and rain. My heart sank at the sight.
That was it for me, I decided if all else failed I would offer her a home myself, six cats would be fine. I’d make it work. At the same time I asked for the best outcome for Tabitha to be put in place, whatever that would prove to be.
The night was cold and wet. I kept waking and thinking of a shivering Tabitha and repeated my prayer for her wellbeing. In the afternoon, I had an unexpected call, from John.
“I’ve been awake all night worrying about that little cat”,
…he said, before going on to explain that he had called at the pub, ready to take her, but couldn’t find her. He was offering her a home. Thank you God, my prayers had been answered.
I was back at the pub telling the landlord the good news within the hour! Now I knew that Tabitha had a home to go to, I decided there was no need for her to spend any more miserable nights alone. So, again in the pouring rain, I went back to find her. I took food and a basket. Calling her name produced a response from some dense undergrowth where Tabitha was sheltering. I sent her a mental image of my plan, she thought for a minute and out she came, straight to the food, as I picked her up and settled her and her dinner onto a blanket in the basket. Five minutes later, she was being introduced to my spare bedroom. I left her in the basket, to emerge in her own time…