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Is This a Job for a Cat?

By Allen and Linda Anderson
www.angelanimals.net

21st Century Radio News

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Life in these times requires that all us have duties and jobs. Often, these jobs produce revenue. Other times, our work is to create a wonderful, loving home. It seems that animals, who enter our homes as companions and take over our hearts, also have tasks. Of course, some people train animals to provide service or even to perform tricks that amuse. But we've learned by living with our animal companions that they assign responsibilities to themselves and sometimes to each other. Most of the time, these jobs are ones we would have never thought to ask them to do.

Recently our yellow Labrador retriever Taylor ran off when she should have stayed nearby. Perilously near the street, she frightened Linda who kept calling for her to return. But Taylor seemed to have suddenly become conveniently become hard of hearing in her senior years.

When Linda brought Taylor safely back into the house, she called Allen, who was out-of-town, and told him the frightening tale. After she got off the phone, Linda noticed that Cuddles our cat, had obviously been listening to the telephone conversation. Cuddles began to give Taylor a severe lecture.

Cuddles sat for at least two minutes, silently staring/glaring at Taylor while the dog moaned and slumped to the floor. Then the cat jumped up onto the bed, hovered over Taylor, and vocalized the rest of her tongue-lashing. Since that night, Taylor has stopped running off. Guess she doesn't want to tangle with Cuddles, The Enforcer.

On the other hand, Cuddles and our other cat, Speedy, take upon themselves the responsibility of waking us up when Taylor needs to relieve herself. The dog tries to make us get up by jumping with her paws on the bed. This doesn't always work. That's when the second wave of troops descends on us. Cuddles and Speedy walk on our heads or lick our arms until we get the message that Taylor MUST go outside.

We receive letters from around the world about cats and their jobs. Often the e-mail and letters are about cats choosing to do take on the role of healer. If you have received the gentle healing touch of a cat, who works to make you feel better, you have been blessed, indeed.

Cats Who Heal

In our upcoming book, "Angel Cats: Divine Messengers of Comfort" (to be released in September 2004), Julie Anne Mock from Santa Barbara, California tells about Melanie, her little black cat. Melanie was a healer who decided to skip nursing school and go right into practice on her own.

Julie had been attempting to feed and medicate Laska, a very sick cat she had brought home from the animal shelter where she volunteers. Laska was near death. Hour by hour, Julie struggled to save the cat's life.

Thinking Melanie might interfere with the sick cat's care, Julie locked herself alone with Laska in the bathroom. But Melanie had other ideas. She assigned herself the job of nursing Laska back to health. After Melanie pounded on the door and demanded to get in the bathroom, Julie relented.

Melanie jumped up to the sink where Julie was caring for Melanie. From that moment on, day after day, for several weeks, Melanie spent long sessions licking and grooming the sick cat with great tenderness and enthusiasm. Feeling the rough tongue on her forehead, Laska's eyes closed with pleasure. She extended her neck for more of Melanie's tender loving care.

Melanie took her job seriously and continued the treatment sessions until Laska was able to keep herself clean. Today, the two cats are the best of friends with Laska restored to full health.

Healing seems to be a natural part of a cat's repertoire of skills. Without any on-the-job training, a cat will heal in the most amazing ways. There are even studies now that show that a cat's purr is most amazing and many say a powerful healing agent. The sound frequency level of a cat's purr, like ultrasound, actually increases bone density and strengthens and heals fractures. As a cat purrs, the vibration of this sound relieves pain and heals tendons and muscles. A person can even lie next to a cat and feel relief from the pain of migraine headaches.

Karen Jenson's story in our first book, "Angel Animals: Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals," demonstrates the power of purrs as healing agents and the compassion of cats a little healers.

One day, a little kitten came into Karen's life at a time when she really needed help. She named him Kitty. Karen had recently been in a terrible biking accident that had resulted in a broken hip and pubic bone. The accident, in addition to causing painful injuries, devastated Karen. A single mother in her final semester of medical school, she had counted on graduating on time so she could begin her professional career and support her family. She definitely didn't time for a recovery that would take as much as nine months, according to her doctor.

Karen, flat on her back and unable to do anything, didn't realize that Kitty shown up in her life, determined to assist. Kitty would sprawl her little body over Karen's broken bones and purr like a freight train. Kitty purred so loud that she'd often keep Karen awake. Karen began to refer to Kitty as her "healing machine."

After only five weeks, Karen realized that she was feeling much better. She felt the urge to have new x-rays made. At first, the doctor refused, saying bone-mending in this amount of time was impossible. But after examining the new x-rays, the amazed doctor said, "I don't know what you are doing, but whatever it is, you're healed enough to use your crutches if you are careful."

Kitty had done his job -- a task he chose to do. And Karen healed in weeks instead of many months. Able to return to school, she graduated on time with her class and soon started her medical practice.

From a cat's worldview, there seems to be the opinion that when no one else can accomplish a task, well, I'll lift my paw to make sure it gets accomplished. Do you have a cat companion who has shown a disposition for taking on jobs and responsibilities that interest him or her?

Bio: Allen and Linda Anderson are co-editors of "God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine" (New World Library). You are invited to visit their Website at www.angelanimals.net and sign up to receive the free Angel Animals Story of the Week online newsletter and enter the new "Angel Dogs" contest. Send true stories for possible future publication to Angel Animals Network, P.O. Box 26354, Minneapolis, MN 55426 or by e-mail to angelanimals@angelanimals.net.

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