Nikita's Tale

Nikita and the Chipmunks

Nikita, my friend and business partner, is often the subject of these newsletters. He is an orange tabby cat and his favorite pastime is hunting. One time my friend asked him why he felt it was acceptable to kill and he replied, "This is a ridiculous question. The prey has a soul, and is an equal spiritual being, therefore it is fine to kill it. No being can live without eating life. You cannot find food with no soul, and survive. It is necessary, part of live, and enjoyable. Most beings understand this rule, including predators and prey. We all live by this truth." Sometimes, despite Nikita's wise words on the topic, I am disturbed by his killing habit. However, I try to honor his ways as special and part of who he is.
      One night I wanted him to come inside, but he did not come. He told me (telepathically) that he was on the hunt and had a chipmunk cornered. He requested that I let him stay and finish the hunt. I agreed and went to bed. The next morning there was a dead chipmunk waiting for me on the back steps. Nikita said, "This is for you because you let me stay out for the hunt." I immediately recognized the generosity of the offer because one of my cat clients told me that chipmunks are very tasty (prize catch).
      Several months later my client Machelle called for a consultation. She enjoys Nikita's insight and asked if he would offer her some advice. He was thrilled and talked quite a bit. At the end of the consultation he decided that he would like to give her a gift. He said, "I will catch a chipmunk for you, leave it on the step and Dawn will mail it to you." We laughed at the idea of mailing a dead animal and told him that although it was generous, it was not necessary.
      I had a suspicion that Nikita was planning to follow through with the hunt regardless of my refusal to mail the gift. I knew that if a chipmunk did appear that it was not coincidence, because none of the cats had ever left a chipmunk with the exception of the one time noted above. They had left many other offerings, but not chipmunks.
      The next morning I opened the door and found a freshly killed chipmunk on the step. Nikita was not in sight, but I told him that he should come back and enjoy it himself, because I really couldn't mail it to Machelle. I walked away and five minutes later it was gone.

What will Nikita do Next?

Those of you who have been receiving my newsletter over the past few years know my cats, Nikita and May, well. If you have missed the past stories about them you can catch them on my website on the "photos" page.
      After my last newsletter I received many requests to talk about May, as Nikita had been the subject of many stories already. May is a quiet gay female with beautiful fawn strips. She is only three years old, but acts much older and wiser. My most recent newsletter featured Nikita as a hunter ­particularly good at catching chipmunks. May decided to showcase her hunting abilities during my Animal Communication Part 11 workshop. In a matter of two days she killed four or five chipmunks and told two different people at the workshop that they were her favorite prey. She had never killed a chipmunk before that time, and has since ended her killing spree. I assured her that her talents would be commended in my newsletter.
      Shortly after May secured her place in my newsletter however, Nikita my orange and white tabby, got himself into trouble. He did not come home one Saturday night, and there was no sign of him the following night. Several days went by and I was worried. I tried to communicate with him and felt that he was not going to survive. On the seventh night I slept with a scrapbook of Nikita and missed him desperately. The next day he hobbled home. He had (once again‑ as told in a previous newsletter) been stuck in a tree. While fleeing from an enemy, he burned up his paws and ran up a tree. For seven nights he sat with no food or water on injured paws. No wonder he thought he would not survive!
      Tim (my boyfriend) and I were happy to have our boy back and did what we could to help him heal. May on the other hand was furious with him. He had caused great upset and distress to the family and she made sure that he knew it.
       With May still angry and the humans simply thankful that he was safe, he disappeared again one month later. This time we searched the woods for hours, knowing that it was likely he was stuck in a tree again. After three nights we managed to find him in a pine tree, half a mile from the house. Tim climbed the tree and (with great difficulty) carried Nikita to safety.
       Needless to say I have talked extensively with Nikita about safety and his fear of heights. We all hope he has learned to stay out of trees (or at least not to climb too high).

Casey's Consultation

In late August I received a call from Gerard about his black lab Casey. She was a very sweet nine-year-old until earlier in the summer when she suddenly became dog aggressive. Gerard tried to understand her new behavior, and even worked with a local trainer, but she continued to be more unreliable. The placid lab that used to walk freely through the dog park was now feared by others and confined to a leash.
      Gerard called me and told me honestly that he was skeptical, but willing to try anything. We agreed that a house-call was in order.
      During our consultation Casey explained to me that she had an injury in her right shoulder/back area. It caused her to feel vulnerable with other dogs, so she was attacking them to give the impression that she was fierce and strong.
      I told Casey that Gerard would protect her, and did some body work on her. Immediately after the session Gerard took her to the dog park and she has been fine ever since. In fact many people comment on how differently she behaves and notice a new bounce in her step.

Princess May

May is a three-year-old gray cat with white markings, and is one of my companions. She became "mine" when she was six-months-old as a stray, starving and full of parasites. After several months of recovery she began showing her wildly playful kitten side. Joyfully in love with any cat toy, she would leap and play all day. Then her strength gradually lessened and she began a two-year battle with ear infections and bellyaches. Perhaps her struggle as a kitten had weakened her immune system. I took her to a couple of veterinarians on several occasions but they could only offer topical antibiotics for the ears. She was constantly complaining to me about her discomfort and finally one day she looked at me and said, "If I don't go outdoors everyday I will die." At the time our apartment was on a busy road, so I began looking for a safe place to rent so that she could be outdoors. Finally we moved and she loved being outside. Her health seemed to rebound for a while and she would hunt and play everyday. After about six months she gradually slowed down, once again complaining of sore ears and bellyaches. We went to the vet, but nothing appeared to be wrong with her except ear infections that returned as fast as they were treated.
       In the fall of 2000 May was the worst she had ever been. Sleeping under the bed, non-social, and completely inactive. We did more blood tests and still nothing was "wrong". I treated her ears again for the infection and changed her diet, in case the loss of energy was due to food allergies. Then I got an air purifier as a gift for Christmas. May's energy picked up, she became a lap cat, she started playing with toys, playfully teasing Nikita (my other cat) and talking telepathically all the time.
       We can't tell you how wonderful it is to have "Princess" May back in health! She now has great interest in my consultations, and loves talking at workshops. I hope some of you have the privilege of hearing from her soon.

P.S. Nikita (my orange tabby cat), is very unhappy about his lack of involvement in this newsletter. He says "hi" to all of his fans.

Framing Floyd  

If you are considering bringing a new animal into your home, it is important to prepare your current animal companions. Most humans don't spend 24 hours a day in the home, but many of our animals do. This means that your pets have a relationship with each other that involves them spending more time together than most humans spend with their spouse or children!
        Many times I have consulted with animals who do not like their new animal companions. Often the situation can be handled through compromise and understanding, but sometimes the animals refuse to live together and one must move away or be kept in a separate room. To prevent such situations I recommend that people ask their current animals about bringing home a new pet before the animal arrives. Find out what they like in a companion and have them meet several times before the final decision.
       Last spring I decided to bring home a new animal companion because I was lonely and wanted more company during the day. My cats had been busy outdoors and were rarely around to talk with me. When I told them about my idea to have a Guinea Pig, they were both solidly against it Instead they decided to take turns spending time with me, so that when one was outside the other would come in. They sat on my lap and paid more attention to me than ever before. That was enough to show me that we did not need another animal. Solutions are not always so easy to come by, but please consider discussing your plans with your animals before bringing home the new companion.

Nik's Notes

Hello, my name is Nikita, and I am an orange cat. I enjoy being a domestic pet and have helped other animals understand the joys of living amongst humans. I want to let all good pets know that although people are wonderful naturally, it is a good idea to train them. Despite a considerable language barrier, I have managed to train my humans to perform some basic behaviors, and found that after a bit of resistance they relaxed and began learning quickly. One of the most practical behaviors to teach your human is to open a door on command. Most "pets" are unable to master the doorknob and are at the mercy of random luck ‑ being near a door when it opens. One day I was pacing around the house, frustrated that the door would not open. My person was at her desk staring at that boring light box and I jumped up looking for some entertainment. I knocked over a picture frame, dented the desk, and scattered some papers. It was fun, but I still wanted to go outside. Much to my delight she picked me up, complaining about the damage to the desk, opened the door and threw me out! I used this lucky event to my advantage. My person quickly learned that when I knocked things over I wanted the door opened. Most of the time she would even carry me out...
      My human tries to talk to me telepathically, something humans do on occasion. I have found that humans only listen to their telepathic messages occasionally, so often my needs are not met in a timely fashion when communicating that way (although it is my preferred method). It turns out that my human didn't like my command for opening the door and asked me to "meow" instead. I was reluctant because my method of training had been so effective. However, she seemed very determined and kept reminding me. She even asked other people to remind me to meow instead of knocking things over. I gave it a try and so far the results have been outstanding- the response time is down to seconds! When training humans remember one thing: they like to think everything is their idea. Be subtle but persistent and your human will get trained quickly.

Moving Story

Only an animal lover can understand why I have moved three times based on the happiness of my cats! Our most recent apartment on Matthew Drive was perfect for them. They had expansive forest, a very safe dead-end road, other cat friends, and good window seats when indoors. Then we (the humans) decided to buy a house. The cats, May and Nikita, were not interested in moving, but I promised them we would find something good for all of us. So, imagine the delight when I told them I was buying a house on the same block; their beloved territory would not have to be abandoned!
      About six weeks before the move I told them all about the new place and explained that once we moved we would not be able to go inside our old apartment (about 200 yards away). After the talk, Nikita stopped coming inside. He was out about 23 hours a day and I missed him. Finally Tim said, "I think Nik has moved out already because you told him we were moving". I have given up the idea of being a perfect animal communicator when it comes to my own pets, so I took the advice gratefully and asked Nikita to move back in until we all moved together. He happily slept indoors for an entire day!
      There are many ways to prepare pets for a move. I find that telling them in advance to pull together their energy webs and territory is useful. My cats however, had their own concerns. May talked to several people, each time asking about her window perches with quilts on them, I promised over and over that she would have good views in the new house. As the day approached both of my cats became ill with a sinus cold. They were wheezing, coughing, and sneezing. I panicked, as I can't bear to see my kitties sick, but after talking it through with friends and family we decided against a last minute vet visit on moving day- too stressful for everyone! (Don't worry, they are ok now).
Our first night in the new house was miserable, Nikita kept us awake with his continuous sneezing while May whined and cried (out loud) about wanting to go home. The next morning May escaped and met us over at the old apartment within an hour. She ran in the door glad to see that we had moved back too. We explained that we were only there to move the rest of the furniture, and carried her back to the new house. Again she ran out the door and showed up at the old apartment, so we let her stay until she was the only object in the building. That was the beginning of a week with May crying and pacing in the new house, escaping and returning to the apartment. I tried everything, asking her what she needed, but to no avail. Finally she began accepting the move and is now sleeping happily on her new window perch as I write.
      Nikita on the other hand loved the new house. He proudly walked in and out, enjoying his deck, yard and new hunting grounds. The day the new tenants moved into our old apartment I went to meet them. They told me that Nik had boldly marched through, inspecting all of the rooms, and then he sat under a bush and watched them empty the moving truck. I saw him there and he looked very sad, so Tim walked home with him and gave him a treat (it doesn't take much to cheer him up).
      Cats often have specific preferences when it comes to sharpening their claws. Nikita is a horizontal scratcher, and enjoys carpeting. In our old apartment we made a deal with him, he was allowed to use the carpet for scratching, but randomly (never in the same place twice). The carpet was very durable and he never left marks or damaged it. The first time he did this in the new house I was concerned. I could see that the damage would be considerable to the carpet, so I asked him to use the cardboard horizontal scratcher upstairs and to use the carpet randomly in the finished basement. He complied immediately. One day Tim and I witnessed Nikita stretch, extend his claws, look down at the carpet and stop. He got up and went to his scratcher instead!
      I love both of my cats immensely and am constantly reminded that when we are all communicating and trying to understand each other, life is more harmonious.

Common Success

When people attend my workshops to learn telepathic communication, they often arrive with doubts. I watch them with the animals and feel confident that the ability to communicate telepathically is already within all of us. I enjoy the last exercise of the day the most, when people start to get messages from the animals. Although, there is often a doubt or hesitancy, I can see the animals relaxing as the humans "get it".
      The two day workshop is usually just a start. To feel comfortable and skilled at telepathic communication, people often need time and practice (I sure did!). However, I am often impressed with the communication that happens on the first day of a workshop. At one workshop a participant told me that Nikita (my cat) wanted his old brand of cat food again. I said, "I know, but I want him to eat this new brand." When I got home I realized that Nikita had brought his message to the workshop because I was not listening. Apologizing, I went to the store and bought the old brand. He has been happy ever since.
      During one of my workshops this fall, I happened to mention that my cat May did not tend to stay on my lap if I put her there. In the next exercise May was supposed to tell everyone about her life. Many of the participants at that workshop shared accurate information that they had received from May.
      One woman said, "May doesn't stay on your lap because she is physically uncomfortable when she purrs, and being on your lap makes her want to purr." I thought that message was odd, but did not doubt the validity of it. Ever since then, May has been crawling into laps several times a day! Also, I recently had her treated with a homeopathic remedy and for the first time in her life she has an audible purr. Obviously something really was amiss with her purr, and the remedy somehow fixed it. What is amazing to me is how that seemingly random comment changed our lives. I love having a lap cat, and it is thanks to the woman at that workshop. When we take the time to make a connection with other beings, listening and understanding, we are literally enhancing their lives (and our own of course).
      Frequently in my newsletters I write about a success that I had communicating with animals. Of course it is always nice for me to hear that I have helped someone, but I really want to make it clear that all of you can do this work. In your own way you understand animals and they understand you. Many of the people who attend my workshops don't even know the depth of their impact on the participating animals. Every conversation someone has with Nikita and May has brought about some change in his or her lives. Please take the time to connect with your animals, send them mental images, thoughts, feelings, and try to listen back. They really love to communicate!
      I find that the participants in my workshop are truly gifted at communicating with animals, they just need confidence and trust. If you have been to a workshop already, I encourage you to practice or attend other workshops for more experience. Your animals want to talk to you‑ just listening will make them very happy. It took me weeks, then months, then years before I felt confident about the messages I was receiving, so don't give up on yourself (the animals never will!).

Introducing Ted

            Sometimes the best lessons in life arrive in small furry packages.  This is certainly true of Ted, the small rex rabbit I adopted on January 6, 2002 .  Throughout my childhood and teen-age years I shared my life with pet rabbits, but nothing prepared me for this guy!  He is older, having spent the past 6 years in a home where he was obviously loved by his woman (later I understood from him that he was not treated well by the man).  When I picked him up from the MSPCA shelter, he came with his own personalized Christmas stocking!
            Ted was afraid in the shelter, but seemed very affectionate.  He wanted a guarantee that he would be a “house rabbit”, he would not have a cage, and would run free in the house.  I said, “no problem”.  When we arrived at our house with Ted, I explained to him that I needed him to live in the spare bathroom for a day or two while we “rabbit proofed” the house, the cats adjusted, and most importantly he proved his litter training.  Needless to say he was very offended.  Whenever I opened the door to visit him he would say, “you told me I was going to be a house rabbit!” 
            Ted seemed surprised that I knew what he was saying to me.  At first he tried to pretend that he could not understand me.  When he realized that I was willing to help him if he talked with me, he opened up.  At the end of the first day I asked him if there was anything I could bring him and he replied, “parsley”.  I did not have any on hand and promised to buy some the next day.  It turns out that parsley is Ted’s favorite so we make sure that the refrigerator is stocked.  (Like many bunnies he loves bananas most of all, but they are not considered healthy treats, so we offer them sparingly.)
            Understanding how important it was for Ted to be a house rabbit, we put all of our energy into “rabbit proofing” the lower floor of our house.  This involves making certain that all wires are out of bunny reach, and being sure that no shoes, quilts, or favorite things are within chewing range of the rabbit.  Once rabbits find something they want to chew, it is often destroyed before you know about it, so it is best to be safe from the start.  When we finished rabbit proofing that floor, we let Ted out, and he danced and played and was very happy for two days.  On the third day he started biting our ankles and letting me know that his care was “unacceptable”.  I asked him what was wrong and he replied, “You promised that I would be a house rabbit and I want the rest of the house.”  So, another weekend was spent rabbit proofing most of the upstairs.  We let Ted up during the day, but put him in the bathroom at night (both of the cats were afraid of him and we did not want to leave them together unattended).  He was joyful and happy for two days.  On the third day he started biting again and told me his care was “unacceptable”.  He explained that he wanted to be free all day and all night.
            I had a long talk with Ted and the cats, and explained that if Ted was free all of the time, then I needed to know that they were all safe with each other.  They all assured me that although they were not friends yet, Ted could be free at night and no one would get hurt.  A few days later Nikita accidentally fell asleep on the floor.  Ted discovered him and began to groom him, licking the fur on his hips.  Trying to cover the entire cat, Ted put his front foot up on Nikita, and he still slept.  Then Ted put his other foot up and Nikita stirred.  He slowly looked over his shoulder and to his horror realized there was a rabbit standing on him, licking him!  I was worried that he would react violently, but he quietly scooted out from under Ted, and has not slept on the floor since.  This interaction gave me the assurance that although Nik feared Ted, he would not hurt him.
            Ted was happy for several days with his new freedom, and then I made a huge mistake.  I wanted to clip his claws, so we sat on the couch holding him and clipped a few.  He became very upset.  That night he attacked Tim and I while we sat on the same couch, and for the next eight days he got on the couch and raged (biting and digging at it).  He accepted my apology, but would not forgive the couch.  I tried communicating with him about it everyday, but nothing seemed to help (my couch was worse for the wear).  He told me again that my care was “unacceptable”.  Part of me felt like giving up on him.  I began resorting to training techniques like blowing a whistle while he was on the couch, putting perfume on the couch to “stink” him out, and bribing him to stay off with banana chips.  Everything made him worse, and I felt guilty for trying such techniques on him.
            Finally I had a long talk with him and told him that I would follow any care instructions he had, and I would take new instructions each day.  He told me that he was hurt that his other people left him at the shelter and wanted to speak with them.  I made an effort to contact his woman, but could not.  I told him that I would do everything I could to make him happy here.  He said he wanted full freedom all of the time, parsley every day, and a furry friend.  I could not adopt any new friends for him, but I asked May to give the rabbit a chance.  She immediately walked over and rubbed on him, flirting as best she could.  He licked her a few times then nipped her on the leg.  She looked at me and said, “This is just too much to ask!”  I explained to Ted that it was very hard for our family to give him what he wanted when he was constantly pinching everyone on the ankles.  We continued our daily talks and he slowly became content and decreased the ankle biting- even May gave him a chance every couple of days.
            I built him the most fantastic rabbit fort, made of sticks, 100% edible, and it creates a safe hiding spot for him.  After the arrival of the fort he was really happy for many days.  All of his grumbling ended, except an occasional fit on the couch.  So, I talked to a Behaviorist who suggested putting a plastic carpet runner prickly side up on the couch.  That cured the problem immediately (although I prefer to solve issues with communication in general).
            Now Ted has lived with us for six-weeks and for the most part all is well.  He still becomes very angry or upset (pinches our ankles) when we have visitors or if we watch too much T.V. (particularly sports).  As I become more aware of his thoughts, habits, and emotions, I feel us growing closer.  This experience has shown me that I still have a lot to learn about patience, animal communication and myself, and I am sure Ted is ready to teach me!
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Issue 17:  June 1, 2002

Rabbit Celebrations

            In my previous newsletter I wrote about Ted, our newly adopted house rabbit.  (To catch up on the story visit the “photo” page on my website).  At first he was quite a handful, and very demanding, his favorite thing to say was, “my care is unacceptable”.  I am very pleased to share that Ted has been nothing but happy for the past two months, and is not bossy anymore. 
Upon his request we moved his food dish so that he could eat alongside the cats.  He wanted to be “a real member of the family”, he said.  He also has two stick forts, one for upstairs and one for the lower level, so that he can spend time with us wherever we go.  Finally I ordered a flower remedy for him, which seemed to help with his anger and sadness.
Ted has rewarded our patience with his love and humor.  When we call his name he flicks his ears around and comes running (ear flicking is his version of celebrating an event- he also does this for good food).  Walking in the front door after an evening out, we are greeted by a gray cat and gray rabbit at the top of the stairs. (The orange cat is usually outside).
Ted claims the cats as his greatest victory.  They finally accepted him as a family member.  When the cats come back inside, they walk up to Ted and press their forehead against his.  I have never seen a bunny smile as big as he does when they greet him.  He has yet to convince them to play or snuggle with him, although I believe he might have a chance with May (gray cat).
Ted is my daily reminder that when I offer love, patience, and understanding it is eventually returned – in this case the return is far greater than what I gave.  Thank you Ted, we love you.

Living with Humans

My mission is to help people and animals understand each other.  More specifically I enjoy assisting my clients reach household harmony and happiness through mutual understanding.  Many of the animals that I work with are what we call “pets”.  Their primary reason for being invited into the homes of my clients is to become a member of the family, a companion.  This is not to say that they don’t have other roles, but they are not used for work, meat, products, transportation, etc.  The animals are invited to live with their people, and once there they should be treated like family.
         I treasure the friendship my companion animals offer me (two cats and a rabbit).  In return I make an effort to give them the best comforts of domestic life, including food, grooming, medical attention, and training.  I believe that “training” is one of the most important things you can offer your animal friends.  Imagine how stressful it would be if you had never learned any social skills as a child.  What if you had never learned to use a toilet, to shake hands, or to eat with silverware?  Your life could be really difficult.  For the same reasons your parents and teachers taught you how to “be” in your own culture, you need to teach your animal friends how to behave with humans. 
          A concerned client once said, “We don’t want to do any obedience training with our dog because it might ruin his personality.”  As long as kind methods of teaching and mutual understanding continue, the personality will remain intact.  If you do not teach your animals how to live in a people world, then they will not fully enjoy their time with you.
          Whether you have a bird, cat, dog, horse, rabbit, or pig, the concept is the same. First your animal friend should have a physical space to live in comfortably, or it should be taught how to live in a human home safely and without destroying it.  Second, they should be comfortable greeting and spending time with other humans or they need to have a situation where they will not under any circumstance be injured or injure a person.  Third, their existence should not cause tension in the home or danger to themselves.
            My favorite method of working with my animals is telepathic communication of course!  I just let them know what we expect of them and they tell me what they need to be happy and comfortable- together we work it out.  I have also found this useful in my consultations with my clients.  Frequently I find myself explaining potty training to a puppy or the purpose of scratching posts to cats.  I also encourage my clients to send mental pictures to their animal friends that show them exactly what behaviors are desired.  As much as I encourage this method of “training”, I also highly recommend working with trainers, especially if you have a dog or horse.  The kindest thing that you can do is teaching your dog how to be safe and polite with people- it could some day save her life.
          I want people to know that they can and should live happily with their animals- too many homes are damaged unnecessarily. I also want to see animals living comfortably with their humans- too often they are misunderstood or punished without ever being properly informed about their behavior.  Please remember why you have invited animals into your life.  Treat them with love, respect and help them learn the human way.  In return they will give you companionship and teach you the ways of their species.  Remember, it is not likely that anyone will know all of the answers, so use the resources you have available- your animal, trainers, vets, behaviorists and animal communicators!
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Issue 18:  September 1, 2002

Lost Animals

            As many of you have noticed, I do not communicate with missing animals professionally.  However, cats, dogs and other animals do sometimes get lost and although I do not offer consultations, I would love to aid in finding them.  Having your animal missing is a really traumatic event.  People often call me, saying they just want to know if their animal is “alive or not”.   I understand the desire to know, because it is torture to imagine your loved one wandering, trapped or uncared for.  In my past newsletters I shared stories about when my orange cat, Nikita, was missing.  He was once gone for seven nights, and hobbled home after being stuck in a tree the entire time!  On that occasion I was sure that he died, and I was really grieving.  (I later understood that he told me and others he was dying because that is what he believed, but then he passed out and fell from the tree.)  That week I went through the experience of continuing the physical search of posters and phone calls, yet trying to let go and grieve.  Of course I felt great joy to see him again, but the stress of the experience stayed with me for a long time. 
            Years ago I wrote about my childhood cat, Pussywillow, who was living with my parents, and how he disappeared.  He never returned and my father and I both understood from him that he had been killed by Coyotes.  The understanding came to us within twenty-four hours of his disappearance.  On that occasion I felt the grief of losing him, but none of the anxiety around trying to finding him.  The message felt clear to me as Pussywillow told me that being in spirit was wonderful and that he had greeted one of our other cats that had passed on.  He expressed how sorry he was that he didn’t have a chance to say goodbye, and understood that everyone would have liked to give him one more hug.
            On another occasion my gray cat, May, was missing from a place I had just moved into.  I was completely hysterical.  After searching, phone calls, posters, and lots of crying I realized that I needed to get quiet and contact her.  I asked my other cat, Nikita to help me get May home.  We sat down together and I held his paw in my hand. We connected with May and she described where she was (in the woods) and which direction she had originally walked.  Nikita offered to enter her perspective and point her towards home.  His eyes rolled back in his head, he began twitching, convulsing, and meowing (a condition I have never witnessed before or since).  He gradually fell asleep and May told me she would try to find her way.  Three hours later she was waiting by the door!
            I have suggested this meditation to clients and it has brought several animals home.  I find the involvement of another family animal in the meditation to be particularly helpful.  Their telepathic skills are greater than many humans so they can really be useful to the lost animal.  Obviously the meditation has its limitations because the animal may be physically unable to return.
            Meditation is also a powerful way of receiving information about your missing pet.  If you can get quiet and calm your fears, their message will come to you.  This is not an easy process, but I believe that in most cases it is more effective and accurate for the animal’s person to do the meditation rather than a hired animal communicator.  When you are in the home you can send light or energetic treads from your heart to lead the animal safely home.  If they have died you can feel them close to you, and they will tell you gently.  The communication may come to you in words, or it might be a gentle “intuitive” feeling.
            If you feel like you need help finding a lost animal and you have done the conventional posters and the meditation I suggested, then it can also be useful to call an animal communicator.  To find an animal communicator for missing animals go to the resources page on my website.

Nikita, May and Ted

            I just can’t stop talking about these three cuties!  Ted (the rabbit) has lived with us now for eight months, and we all enjoy his company.  Every morning he waits in the hallway for breakfast, and then bounces over to his dish.  As we feed him, Nikita (orange cat) waits by the glass door only a few feet away.  When we open the door he trots in and rubs Ted with the top of his head.  May (gray cat) quietly wakes up in the living room and strolls in with sleepy eyes.  She likes to wait for the canned food while Nikita gets started on the dry food.  (The photo above depicts a typical breakfast for the kids.)
            I enjoy watching as the cats and rabbit build their own relationships.  Often humans expect to be involved in every aspect of “their” animal’s lives.  Sometimes it is appropriate for us to intervene if animals are disagreeing, but most of the time I find that if we provide a harmonious environment then they develop and grow in their relationships on their own (please be sure all animals are physically safe).
          Nikita was terrified of Ted when he first arrived, but slowly he got to know the rabbit and began to feel differently.  Now they are learning how to play together (see photo on front page).  The cat enjoys predator games while the rabbit likes prey games.  Sometimes Ted finds the game to be too “real” and quits playing, but he usually returns for more.  Nikita likes batting at Ted, but always keeps his claws retracted!

Letters to Dawn

Dear Dawn,

It has occurred to me that while I have told everyone and his brother about the great job you did with Kelley, I have yet to tell you!  If you remember, Kelley, my Morgan mare, wouldn't stand for me to get into the cart after being harnessed.  When you spoke to her she told you that the cart "grabbed" her and that she got scared as it seemed to be pulling her backwards and down so she had to move forward.  That was so in-line with what an observer had noticed one day when this happened.  She told me that Kelley seemed terrified and I had gotten that impression too when I tried to make her stand.  After puzzling over it for a time, I realized that the tugs of the harness were too high, making the shafts of the cart slant sharply up.  Then, when I added my weight to the cart, the harness would pull back and down.  I tried to find a new harness I could afford, but hated all that we tried (she did too!).

  So, I took her old one, which had been her brother's and was cob size actually, and rigged extensions for the tugs.  After a little talk with her to assure her that the problem was solved and that the cart wouldn't "grab" her anymore, I tried it.  It worked.  We have had no problems since (once she remembered that we don't canter in harness!).  I can't thank you enough.  As I said, I have told everyone "how come" we can drive again. 

 Best always, Shirley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Dawn:

It's working!

Pee Wee doesn't pee where she shouldn't.  [I had done a consultation with Pee Wee about inappropriate peeing in the house.]  We can keep our bedroom doors open and invite the cats in and if all goes well, I'm going to buy a sofa.  (I had to throw the old one out as it had become Pee Wee's personal potty.)  You are brilliant and our whole family is grateful.

Many thanks, Gwen

Update:  Pee Wee did have a slip-up in her behavior after several months, this can happen with animals (just like people).  Continued communication with their people usually clears up the issue quickly.
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Issue 19:  December 1, 2002  

Ted's Departure

On Wednesday September 25, 2002 our beloved rabbit Ted died of natural causes in his hospital bed.  On Monday morning, just three days earlier, he was running and eating vigorously, apparently in good health.  That evening when Tim and I got home Ted was lethargic and not eating.  He told me his symptoms and I immediately called our homeopathic vet.  She instructed me to give him a remedy and call her in an hour with his progress.  As soon as he got the remedy his symptoms improved and he felt slightly better.  A few hours went by and although improved, Ted was not moving or eating, so I drove him to the animal hospital.  When I arrived the vet on call was not very concerned.  The remedy had perked Ted up and he was almost cheerful in the exam room (by that time it was midnight ).  We were advised to leave him for observation, but no course of treatment was decided on until morning.
          From the time I left him at the hospital until the time he died I began a practice of checking in with him for new symptoms every two to three hours, even in the middle of the night.  The next day, Tuesday, I went into the hospital and met with his homeopathic vet.  I was concerned because although he had less pain than he had at 4 AM he seemed out of sorts and hard to communicate with.  I asked if he was on medications as his specialist vet entered the room.  She had started him on medications, including a pain med, which explained his state of mind.  He looked very sick and I cried as I reported his symptoms.  I didn’t want to lose him and could see that he was really suffering.  He couldn’t even sleep.
            My vet quickly came up with another homeopathic remedy to complement the traditional treatment he was receiving.  Seconds after the dropper touched his lips he perked up.  He looked better immediately, responded to food for the first time, but did not eat it, then went to sleep.  I was relieved to see how much better he felt and left the office to go home for the first time in almost 24 hours.
          Tuesday evening I called in to ask how he was doing and the vet tech told me he was spitting out the food they were giving him in a dropper.  She said it was important that he eat, so I asked him to swallow everything the next time they fed him.  That night was difficult.  I woke to check on him and knew he was in a great deal of pain.  I called early that morning and much to my delight they said he had swallowed all of his food and he was being co-operative.  Ted also told me that the pain was relieved (they had given him more medicine).
          I arrived at 11 AM to visit Ted and his situation had worsened.  His head was limp and he was very uncomfortable.  Ted’s eyes brightened slightly when he saw me and he melted as I stroked his head.  I asked him to try.  Try to eat, try to get better, and try to live.  As I said the words I knew it was unlikely that he could stay, his body was protesting life and Ted no longer looked like he could fight.  At the end of our visit I kissed him on the head and said, “I love you.”
          When I arrived at home after the long car ride from the hospital there was a message on the machine.  It was the vet in person and I knew what that meant.  I started crying before I heard the official words.  Ted had died one hour after visiting with me, quickly and peacefully.
           May and Nikita, our cats, missed Ted immensely while he was in the hospital.  May knew I had taken him and demanded that I return him immediately.  When I told her that he died she was very upset and ran from me, she went outside, angry with me for what happened.  Later that day she returned and gave me a hug, realizing it was not my fault.  Nikita meowed a lot and looked at the empty floor where Ted had been.
          Three days later we brought Ted’s body home for burial.  Nikita sniffed and looked; clearly sad but also relieved to experience the loss physically.  May chose not to attend the open casket.  She paced on the other side of the glass door, understanding the situation but not wanting to look for herself.  Both cats continue to miss him of course, but they are significantly more at peace since the burial.  Tim and I miss Ted terribly; knowing his spirit is still with us is comforting, but we miss his joyful little body.
         When Ted was really happy, running in the house we would say, “hop-bop-it Ted” and he would flip his ears and kick up his heels.  After he died I communicated with him and he told me, “hop-bop-it”, and I knew he meant have fun, dance, enjoy life.

Clyde's Arrival

            I desperately missed “rabbit joy” after Ted died.  Those who have lived with a house-rabbit know what I am talking about.  They bring peace, happiness and fun loving excitement to the house, and once you are hooked it is hard to live without it!  After a few weeks I called my connection at the House Rabbit Society and told her I was ready to adopt.  At one point we thought we had the right rabbit, but it just didn’t work out, so I tried to resolve to no bunny for the time being.  Well that lasted a week and then I got a lead on a rabbit in the shelter.  I went to visit him but he was too rambunctious for me.  However, in the back room, not yet moved into the official adoption area was a beautiful big white lop-eared rabbit.  I petted and kissed him and was instantly in love.
            We had to leave him there for five days until he could be neutered.  I talked to him every day in preparation for his arrival.  The first day he told me his name was “ Clyde ”, not Fufi as his previous owner had called him.  The next two nights I dreamt about a huge horse called Clyde and realized that the rabbit’s full name was meant to be Clydesdale. 
            Finally the day arrived and I went to pick Clyde up from the vet office after his neuter.  They had bad news for me; he had mites and abscesses so I was sent home with medications.  This also meant that he had to be quarantined and could not meet the cats for two weeks.  It was very frustrating to only visit him in the spare bathroom and to have to wash thoroughly after each visit.  His health continued to be a major issue with multiple vet visits, medications and a second surgery.  Throughout the process he was such a trooper, always positive and helpful.  He has now been given a clean bill of health.
            Clyde is very excited about animal communication and already wants to host a workshop.  He loves talking to me and picks up on anything that is said or thought about him.  The first night he stayed with us he did not use the litter box once!  I was very disappointed with the mess and explained my expectations.  He told me that the hay in the box was too pokey after his recent surgery.  I put in a new soft litter, put him in the box, and visualized him peeing.  He peed right away.  We continued to have discussions about litter box use and within three weeks he was 100%.  I found that his favorite reward for good behavior was cheering, “Go Clyde go, woo hoo!!!”
            During our first three weeks together he had to take antibiotics twice a day.  At first he would dance and celebrate, taking the medicine as if it was a bottle.  Then, as he was having health complications, we were treating him homeopathically and his vet told me to ask him if he thought the antibiotics were disrupting the remedy.  He didn’t answer, but immediately refused to take the antibiotics from that day on.  I learned that it is important to be careful about what I say to Clyde !
            Now Clyde happily lives in the kitchen and living room, fully litter trained and greets everyone with enthusiasm.  The cats have become fast friends with him, they both enjoy “head butting” him.  Nikita always looks for him when he comes inside, but Clyde isn’t sure yet if he really enjoys Nik’s attention.  Sometimes it turns into a bit of play batting and Clyde leaves the scene.
            We all feel very fortunate to have Clyde in our home and look forward to many exciting adventures with him.

The Wedding

            I am pleased to announce that on November 1, 2002 I joyously married Tim Allen.  We had a beautiful wedding with many of our friends and family. 
            After our reception we took a two week honeymoon and went to Aruba for a few days, then worked on our house.  Our animals had a great pet sitter and therefore did not miss us as much as I missed them!
            What did May and Nikita have to say about the marriage?  Well, it would be interesting if they took notice, but to them it feels the same… they already felt like we were a family forever.
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Issue 20:  March 15, 2003

Myths, Ideas, and One Fuzzy Bunny

Myth #1: Animals can be “made” to change a behavior.

            I have asked animals to change their behavior and they have responded promptly and generously.  When that has happened I always heard their side first and offered alternatives, compromises or explanations. Telepathic communication can be useful in helping both sides understand one another, but animals ultimately decide for themselves when it comes to behavior.  (Their instincts and natural inclinations also make certain behaviors more challenging for them.)

Idea: Help them visualize the new behavior.

            If you want your animal to change a behavior, then help them see what you want.  Close your eyes and visualize your animal in their daily routine (omit the negative behaviors).  As they sleep, eat, play, and interact with others send the feeling (emotion) of happiness and peace.  Then visualize the specific behavior that you want them to perform (using the litter box, scratching their post, or sitting quietly when guests arrive).  Do this exercise everyday for two weeks.

Fuzzy Bunny: Clyde chews the couch.

            Not all behaviors can be changed.  I have visualized good behavior in the living room to my rabbit Clyde many times, but his instinct is to dig and chew.  In the case of natural behaviors, sometimes it is the human who needs to change their expectations rather than the animal.    We understand that bunnies explore their environment by chewing and digging, so we made one room bunny safe; that is where he spends his days and nights.  When we are available to watch him and play with him he can be in the living room. 

Myth #2:  Animals need an animal communicator to help them talk to each other.

            All beings, animals and humans included, are capable of speaking telepathically to one another.  Some humans don’t use the ability or even believe in it.  Other animals have no reason to talk to one another.  Most domestic animals do communicate with each other; this doesn’t mean that they will be friends.  I have talked to animals in households that were not getting along and helped them resolve their differences.  My assistance was in the form of therapy, not translations, because the animals were already capable of understanding each other.

Idea: Realize the intensity of living with another species 24 hours a day in a small house.

            We ask animals to set aside their natural relationships and live together harmoniously.   They often rarely leave the house and have to share the affection of their person.  For some animals this is easy, for others it can be a real challenge.  To help your animal friends get along it is important to discuss new members before you bring them home.  It is also helpful to demonstrate relationships- if you want peace then be peaceful.  Again, you can visualize the behaviors you would like to see.  Finally, be sure each animal is getting what they need in terms of food, love, litter boxes, and exercise.

Fuzzy Bunny: Clyde and the cats are constantly working out their relationship issues.

            We (the humans) do what we can to help our rabbit and cats get along.  Sometimes the best thing to do is to let go and understand that the humans are not the center of the universe (surprising isn’t it?!)  The cats both like to “bat the bunny”; they lift their paw and hold it suspended for a moment in front of Clyde- then they lightly smack him.  Clyde flees, then turns and runs straight at the cat.  Sometimes it is a game, and sometimes they get in a bit of an argument.  No one ever gets hurt and we all continue to work on understanding one other.

Myth #4: An animal communicator can diagnose an illness.

            When I talk with animals they tell me how they are feeling physically; sometimes in detail.  I can relay this information to their people or vet, but this does not give me knowledge of their specific medical condition.   Practice over the years makes it is possible to become familiar with the symptoms of certain illnesses, but this does not make me a vet- the animals should be treated by professionals.

Idea: Health issues are often felt internally before physical symptoms are visible to the animal’s person.

If you notice your animal behaving differently, she may not be feeling well.  Also, there are different types of veterinary medicine- you might consider acupuncture or homeopathy for some illnesses.

Fuzzy Bunny:  Clyde became healthy with the help of a team of vets.

            When we first got Clyde he was very sick. After his recovery from surgery Clyde would sleep too long and too deep.  My homeopathic vet treated him and he became much more alert and happy.  Then I took him in for acupuncture and chiropractic work and he really felt better!  He became very alert and physically comfortable.  By talking with him I knew he wasn’t feeling 100% and he could tell me what was bothering him, so it was very rewarding to find a way to help him feel good.

Myth #5: You need an animal communicator to help you tell your animal about a life change.

            Animal Communicators appreciate your business of course, but everyone is capable of sending clear messages to animals.

Idea:  Send your animal pictures and feelings about the next upcoming change.

            If you are going on vacation, moving, or preparing your pet for surgery, then you can visualize and describe the feelings to them and they will understand.  Try to be quiet and listen for their message to you about what they will need.

Fuzzy Bunny:  I told Clyde about his upcoming visit to the chiropractor.

            Even though Clyde was given an idea about what was going to happen, he was hesitant to get into the carrier.  Once he was there, however, he relaxed quickly when he saw that I was accurate in my description of the upcoming visit.

Rabbit Tricks and Training

            I always dreamed of having an animal companion that wanted to “do things” with me.  Cats are my first love and they are the animals I have spent the most time living with., but none of my cats volunteered to play circus; Nikita and May carry on the tradition of independence for cats.  When I adopted my rabbit Clyde I knew he was different.  He told me that he wanted to go places, teach people and do things with me.  I am thrilled to finally have a partner who shares my love of silly animal tricks.
            Clyde and I practice our tricks twice a day.  He looks forward to practice and bounces around my legs in-between stunts.  So far he performs “sit-up” (standing on his hind legs), “spin” (spins in a circle), and he jumps through a hoop.   Clyde finds it frustrating to learn something new in the beginning, but once he gets the idea he can’t wait to do more.  I find it best to work on one new trick at a time until it is perfected before we go on to the next trick.  I want the work to be fun for him, so I never ask him for behaviors that are unnatural or scary.  In addition to fun, Clyde ’s rewards are bananas, raisins or bread- yummy!
           Clyde always performs for our guests, which has created some serious jealousy issues for my cat May (she used to be the favorite of our friends).  She doesn’t want to do tricks, but she does her best to take the attention away from Clyde ’s performances.  We encourage people to adore her as well.
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Issue 21:  July 15, 2003

Sasha's Arrival

            We have a “new” cat friend living in our home these days.  She is new to our home, but I have known her for over five years.  Sasha, an eight-year-old, long hair orange tabby female, previously lived with a wonderful lady.  I knew Sasha when I worked in her “Mom’s” office five years ago.  Sadly her person passed away this spring and Sasha needed a new home.  I asked each of my animals what they thought about us adopting Sasha, and at first my cat May was hesitant, but I described her circumstances and they all agreed it would be ok.  Sasha said that she would be good with the cats, but she was not sure about the rabbit-- she said she had never seen one as big as Clyde .  She agreed to move in with us.
            When Sasha arrived, May and Nikita (my cats) were waiting.  They greeted her immediately, happy to see her.  Unfortunately Sasha was overwhelmed and hissed at them.  She was so scared at first; she would only sit on my lap, hissing at the other animals, my husband, and me if I tried to take her off of my lap.  In the first month she was grieving her mom’s death and was extremely clingy.  Some days she sat in my lap for more than eight-hours; I would have to peel her off in order to stand up.  I asked her what she needed and she said she wanted her mother’s friends to visit her.  Several of them called and spoke with her over the phone, which seemed to really cheer her up.  Then I had a workshop and she made some connections with the participants.  That was a turning point!  She loved the idea of helping people (her mother was a healer and Sasha loved assisting her.)  Once she realized this was also a “working” home she became happier.
            The next issue was her health.  She had a bad tooth and an infection (possibly in the kidneys).  Her mom had always taken good care of her (in fact we have the same vet), but the emotional stress of moving to a new home and losing her person had left Sasha in poor health.  We are still treating her for her conditions, but she is greatly improved.
            Finally with Sasha feeling healthier, going outdoors, and being more independent, we were able to work with the interrelationships.  People kept saying to me, “You can talk to them, why don’t you just tell them to get along?” Well, partly I can tell them what I would like to see happen, but mostly I can listen to how they feel and try to help them.  Animals are not our servants, they are our friends, and when friends have emotional stress it is not always appropriate to just tell them what to do.  I found that explaining my perspective, giving love and offering some advice was the most helpful for the cats.
            Sasha’s relationship with our other animals is still evolving.  After her first week of hissing at everyone, May became scared of her.  In the past week, after much discussion with me and others as facilitators, they can now eat near each other and be in the same room if people are with them (if they are alone May gets scared and hides).  Nikita long ago accepted her, despite her unnerving habit of stomping up to him and chirping (a very odd noise).  Sasha is still scared of Clyde (the rabbit), but is now willing to be in the same room as him.  It took Clyde several weeks to notice that this was a different orange cat!  (Silly bunny.)
            We feel fortunate to share our home with Sasha, she brings a lot of love and joy.  You can all look forward to hearing more from her in the future.

One Brave Bunny

            I just can’t stop talking about my rabbit Clyde .  He is the cutest, sweetest, smartest… well you get the idea.  So to all of you who are not familiar with the joys of living with a rabbit, I encourage you to visit www.hopline.com.  In the meantime I want to tell you the latest adorable tale.
            One day in June it was very hot, in fact it was ninety degrees in the kitchen (that is where Clyde lives).  I kept checking on him and he was huffing, puffing and looking very lethargic.  I happened to talk with my vet that day and I asked if she thought it was better to leave him in the heat or move him to the basement, knowing that a move would make him unhappy.  Since rabbits live underground in nature, where it is cooler, their bodies are not equipped to handle the heat.  She agreed that it was better to move him, so I scooped him up and carried him downstairs.
            When we got downstairs I told him that I was not punishing him and he would only stay for a week.  (We had already ordered central air-conditioning that would arrive in soon).  He said that he was sad because he didn’t want to be put away from everyone and all of the action.  I tried to explain that our TV and my studio are down there, so we tend to spend a significant amount of time there.
            A few days went by and he was comfortably cool during the heat wave, but very sad.  He missed his cat, Nikita, who normally gives him a head rub several times a day.  Now Nikita could only visit Clyde when we helped him because there was a high gate blocking the way.
            We thought teaching Clyde a new trick might cheer him up, and he had requested many times that we teach him how to use the stairs.  We showed him to the base of the stairs and lured him up with raisins.  He was really scared, but wanted to learn, so he practiced by going up two, then going back to his “den”, then up three, and back to the den…  He was so afraid, the whites of his eyes showed and he was a bit shaky, but he kept practicing.
            After about four days, I was working in my studio, and Clyde was practicing the stairs.  I checked on him and he had made it halfway, but was looking really scared.  I told him that he didn’t need to learn if it was so scary.  Then he made a final effort and ran the last four stairs as fast as he could.  He hopped to his home in the kitchen, lay down, and said, “Thank goodness I made it home!”  I said, “ Clyde you are living in the downstairs until we get air-conditioning, remember?”  He looked both relieved to be home and horrified at what I said.  He pleaded that I not put him through the torture anymore.  He was so desperate and adorable, I had no choice but to move his stuff back upstairs and hoped that happiness would keep him healthy despite the heat.
            Tim (my husband) and I named the event, “Homeward Bound”.  Since then Clyde absolutely refuses to go near the stairs.  He says they are too scary!  As I write this paragraph the air-conditioning company has arrived, so all is well in the end.

Meditating with Animals

            Animals respond to centered calm peaceful energy.  Meditating with your animals not only helps you relax and feel good; it also really helps your animals.  Animals and people sometimes have misunderstandings about behaviors because of the emotions involved.  For example: several cats have told me that they scratch the furniture when the people aren’t looking because they want to spare their people from the stress that they experience when they see the cat scratching.  This is sweet of the cat, but she obviously does not understand the person’s true feelings.  In such a circumstance it is important to show the cat that it is not the act of scratching that upsets you, but the place where they are scratching.  To do that you can meditate on the topic and visualize the desired results.
            I have often seen misunderstandings arise when a new animal joins the family.  The humans often panic if their animals fight, and sometimes react with quick movements, yelling or even punishment.  The energy and emotional tone of the reaction actually matches the energy of fighting.  This only leads to more stress and discord.  When my animals fight, if I have the proper mindset, I sit quietly and meditate.  I try to understand the deeper issue of the conflict and visualize peace.  I find it more effective than punishment.  (Of course if there is danger of physical harm then you need to end the fight first.)
            To meditate with your animal, you do not need them to be physically present.  Simply sit and be quiet, evoking their image, love and wellbeing.  After a few sessions you might find they join you physically.  I notice that my animals bring me a lot of comfort and good advice.  They all have so much to offer if we listen.  Enjoy the animals around you, give them hugs and try to match your energy to your desired results in life.
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Issue 22:  January 15, 2004

Bunny Love

            We adopted Clyde , the rabbit, in October of 2002 and he is a fabulous contributor to the household.  He constantly wants company, love, and of course food!  Even though I work from home, he often felt lonely and pleaded for more petting.  The cats gave him occasional head-butts, but Clyde always wanted more.  He said it would be nice to have a furry friend to sleep with.  So, I started visiting www.hopline.com for adoptable rabbit friends. 
            Along came Arthur, a sweet five year old French Lop.  I made arrangements to have Clyde go to Arthur’s foster home for a “date”.  We told Clyde that it was up to him to decide if Arthur would come home with us.  When they met they were both more interested in the people and exploring than in each other.  Arthur was being a bit dominating with Clyde , and Clyde seemed confused.  I asked him what he wanted to do, and he decided he would like to give Arthur a try at our house. (Of course I also asked Arthur if that was ok with him!)
            That same night we brought Arthur home and put him in a fenced pen in the same room with Clyde .  For five days they got together for meals and supervised play time, but stayed separate when we weren’t there.  Arthur continued to be a bit dominating but also had moments of tenderness with Clyde .  They got along best when eating, as this is their favorite activity. 
            Clyde pleaded with me every day to let him and Arthur be free together all of the time.  I was concerned because Arthur was still chasing him, but Clyde assured me that they would be fine.  Taking a leap of faith I removed the fence and put them together.  They were fine, and gradually started snuggling more and more.  Now they love to cuddle, groom, eat and drink together.  They smoosh their faces together and sleep for hours.  Clyde couldn’t be happier, and Arthur is also thrilled to have a friend.

"I don't use Litter Boxes"

            When Arthur, the French Lop, lived with his foster family he was very good about using a litter box.  Upon arriving at our house, he was going everywhere but the box.  I soon discovered part of the issue; we used hay in our litter boxes and he thought that made a really nice bed.  He had been using a pellet litter in his former home, so I got a second box and put litter in it and let him keep the hay box as a bed.
            The problem was not solved.  Still he was going everywhere (occasionally in the litter box too).  I sat and meditated, visualized and communicated several times each day.  Things got a little better but still not great.  I would ask, “Why Arthur?”  Rarely did I get any reply at all.  During the first few weeks he seemed to be in his own world of adjustment, uninterested in my communications.  I went on the assumption that he was marking his territory.
            I begged Clyde , “Please teach him, then you can both have nicer things and more freedom”.  Clyde was very sweet about it, “OK, I will show him how to do it.”  After that Arthur began using the hay box for a litter box.  I would cheer and congratulate him.  Slowly we had fewer accidents, and better communication.  Now Arthur responds to my inquiries and lets us know if he needs something.
            During the time of Arthur’s non-box use, I would sometimes feel despair.  “How will this ever work out?”  I had to take time outs, breathe deeply, and remember that he is a living being, ever capable of adjustment, change, and cooperation.  Keeping in mind that it was not my will against his, but our mutual desire for him to have a new healthy happy life.  When feeling stressed about his behaviors I would go in a separate room to avoid upsetting him.
            When it comes to undesirable behaviors with animals it is so important to remember that they are beings with feelings, thoughts and free will; just like us.  With love, cooperation, and compromise on our part, the goal of meeting both parties’ needs is possible.  Sometimes it is necessary for humans to identify the difference between chosen behaviors and natural behaviors with animals (i.e. rabbits by nature feel a need to mark in a new environment- we need to allow for that need).

Hit by a Car

            One day in October I was beginning a morning of phone consultations, when Nikita (the orange cat), walked in and went to bed on the office sofa.  I was on the phone, but glanced over at him just to say hi.  He matter-of-factly said, “I have been hit by a car”.  I was stunned, he looked perfectly healthy!
            After the consultation I went to examine him.  One claw on each back foot had been broken off completely.  The stumps were bloody and terribly painful.  Still I thought maybe I was imagining the message about the car.  I called his vet and she said it made sense that those injuries could be from getting hit by a car.  She treated him with a homeopathic remedy and he began to feel better instantly.
            I found it hard to believe; we live on a very quite cul-de-sac and wouldn’t he have more injuries?  I checked his head and found some road rash with bits of gravel, so I concluded that he had indeed had some incident on the road.
            I suspected a particular teenager that likes to cruise our street (because Nikita said it happened late at night.)  I asked another communicator for a description of the car, and she described the same color vehicle and loud music.  However, I know this teenager drives slowly and seemingly careful.  I gave Nikita a lecture about staying out of the street and away from cars.
            When I first got Nikita as a kitten I began with a goal of having him as an indoor cat, but he becomes destructive and violent if kept in.  He says he would rather live 2 years outdoors than 15 years indoors.  Communicating with our animals sometimes means compromising or even giving in to their ideas.  Nikita reminds me frequently that he does not have a “boss”, “I am an equal peer”, he says, “I am an adult”.
            I am grateful that my “adult” Nikita survived the car incident with minor injuries.  Today he is well; one of the claws is still raw but slowly growing back.

Arthur's Health

            Arthur is a large breed rabbit, but was kept in a very small hutch outside for the first five years of his life.  Due to his lack of exercise and inability to move in his early years, he has scoliosis, arthritis in the spine, low bone density, and almost complete muscle atrophy.
            Just after his rescue (when at the foster family) he complained of pain in his back feet.  At my house (three months later), he still has difficulty hopping, sometimes collapsing in pain and exhaustion.  With the help of our homeopathic vet, rabbit expert vet, and acupuncture/chiropractor vet; we are already making great strides in improving his level of comfort and wellbeing.
            Arthur is also slowly learning for the first time the value in communicating about his health.  At first he said very little to me; in fact he still rarely uses telepathic communication.  Now he is realizing that he can feel better, and have more fun if he helps others understand how he is doing.
            It may take as long as one year for his muscles to develop, but Arthur is just happy to live in a comfortable house with no cages in sight.

Enjoying My Furry Friends

            Often in my newsletters I share the trials and tribulations of living with animals, but on a day to day basis we have a peaceful household.  I treasure each moment with my five furry friends, constantly petting, hugging, kissing or playing with the cats and rabbits.  Without a doubt, my favorite part of the day is feeding the rabbits their vegetables.  They leap and dance with joy when they hear the bag, then they dig in and chew fast and loud!
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Issue 23:  June, 2004

Cute Things

            I love animals. Obviously!  One of my favorite aspects of being an animal communicator is hearing all of the cute and amazing things animals do.

            For this newsletter, I wanted to share some adorable moments that occur in my household.  Many of these instances do not directly relate to telepathic communication, but I feel they speak to the ever important issue of enjoying every moment spent with animals.  Our animal friends live in the moment, inventing very unique places to sleep, things to eat, and other crazy antics; rarely to be held back by public opinion.

Brussel Sprout Rugby

            The rabbits, Arthur and Clyde , live for food.  Each day at lunch they get two Brussel sprouts; presumably one per rabbit.  If either of the rabbits drops their sprout, they are incapable of finding it again.  The farsighted nature of rabbits combined with impatience seems to explain this phenomenon.  So the rabbit that drops their sprout attempts to steal the other one’s sprout.  This results in a raucous game of Brussel Sprout Rugby.  They run, body slam, steal the sprout back and forth, and try to chew really fast whenever they manage to take a bite. (They never hurt each other, it is just a game.)

Speaking Their Language

            My husband Tim and Nikita (orange cat) have a special language.  When Tim comes home from work Nikita meets him in the driveway.  Tim makes a purring sound and Nikita stretches his head up and waits for Tim to swoop his hand down, petting Nik from the nose to the tail.  Nikita will do the same for me, but Tim was the inventor of this communication.

That is Not Our Property

            When I am outside with May (gray cat), she gets very upset if I talk to any neighbors, or go on their lawn.  She stands at the edge of our property and meows.  She says, “That’s not our property, you don’t belong there”.  The irony is that she feels perfectly fine about visiting the neighbors when she is on her own.

Sugared Cushions

            The rabbits with their bottomless pit stomachs, will attempt to eat anything that smells good.  If anyone is eating fruit or sweets, it is necessary to wash hands before playing with the rabbits because they will take a “taste”.  They never bite, but they are not adverse to nibbling flavored fingers. 

            One day Tim (husband) was eating strawberries dipped in powdered sugar while sitting on the couch.  The next day Clyde chewed several holes in the couch cushion.  He said, “It tasted like powdered sugar”.  Who can argue with that?

The Door Must Stay Open

            Sasha enjoys the outdoors, but also has fears.  She will not go outside unless the door stays open.  However, she doesn’t trust us to leave the door open, so she will only go outside if we are outside and the door is open.  Then she watches us, and runs to the doorway if we go anywhere near it, to make sure we can’t close it with her outside.  I have tried promising, but she likes to make sure.

Take it and Run

            Arthur and Clyde , our food hounds, love to eat almost anything.  We have to keep the dry cat food out of reach, and we must protect our own meal while we are eating at the coffee table.  On several occasions the boys have stolen a full can of soda, promptly spilling it on the carpet.  One time Clyde stole an apple from a student’s purse.  Whenever they take food, they always run as fast as possible carrying the loot in their mouth, back to a “safe” spot.

Flirting

            May (gray cat), loves to flirt with people.  She will do little half somersaults and stretch out with her belly to the sky.  She rolls on her back waiting for belly rubs.  Whenever we make eye contact with her, Tim and I squint, and then she squeezes her eyes closed.  That is “I love you” in cat language.

Chirping at Cats

            Our long haired orange cat, Sasha, has the cutest habit of chirping at other cats.  If she is on the bed and Nikita enters the room (even in the dark), she will start chirping.  It is a sound reserved only for other cats, her own special greeting.  The other cats think it’s ridiculous, but she keeps doing it.  We love it; it is like a combination purr, meow, and chirp.

Consolidation

            Clyde (white rabbit) loves to be petted.  He could spend hours getting a head rub.  Arthur always wants to do whatever Clyde does- he is the eternal sidekick.  Whenever we are petting Clyde , Arthur slides his head under our hand and smashes his cheek against Clyde ’s.  We call this consolidation; very convenient because we can pet two rabbits with one hand.

I’m in the Litter Box

            I previously wrote about our efforts to litter train Arthur (French lop).  He is 99% accurate in terms of using the litter box, if you go by his definition of “using”.  He likes to put his front feet in the box and hang by his armpits over the side.  This leaves the hind end (the important end) just outside of the box.  No matter what I tell him about it, he says, “I am in the litter box.”  We tried every kind of gadget, strategy, and communication, but nothing seems to work.  I even made him a handicap accessible box to make it easier to climb in with his arthritic hips.   Finally I surrendered to the cuteness!

This Food Tastes Like S*&%

            Nikita, “the man”, likes canned cat food; or so he says.  He usually looks forward to the meal, but when he gets it sometimes he disapproves of the flavor.  He scrapes the linoleum around the bowl as if to bury the food.  I asked him why, and he said, “This food tastes like S*&%!”  (The other cats think it tastes fine.)

            Thank you for indulging me in my tails of cuteness.  I had a hard time narrowing the article down to only a select few.  Please love and cherish the moments you have with your animals.  Understanding animals is sometimes more about appreciating them, and less about trying to “figure” them out.  
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 Issue 24:  November, 2004

Clyde and Arthur

            I have never struggled so much when writing a newsletter.  In the past I shared many stories about my animals in detail, this time my heart can only bear the brief version.  Sadly, my dear rabbit Clyde died on June thirteenth and Arthur died on June twenty-fifth. 
          Clyde died in my arms at the vet’s office, very gently taking his last breath with a slight sigh.  I cried hysterically, shaking all over, and my husband kindly stroked Clyde ’s head.  When we arrived home we had open casket time with all the animals, and Arthur ( Clyde ’s rabbit friend), put his arms around Clyde hugging him goodbye.  Arthur and I both resisted sealing the casket, but it was late in the day and with much sorrow we had to bury him.
         My husband and I did everything we could to help Arthur after Clyde ’s death.  Unfortunately twelve days later he also died in my arms at home.  He had succumbed to previous ailments and primarily heartbreak over losing his friend.  His death was drawn out and painful (we worked with a vet over the phone at 6 AM , offering pain meds to ease the suffering).  It took me a long time to physically recover from the trauma of watching him die; the emotional sadness lingers.
        After Arthur’s death I heard from the rabbits and they are together, peaceful and happy.  I still miss them terribly and sometimes feel sadder if I think about them, so our communication is limited to very short sessions. 

In the Moment

One time we had guests at our house and they asked, “Does your rabbit save his favorite vegetables for last when he eats dinner?”  And of course, the answer is “no way!”  Rabbits understand that the present moment is the only moment.  They eat their favorite food first, because anything could happen in the future so they enjoy the “now”.  To be clear: rabbits don’t sit and contemplate what might happen in the future, they just accept that anything could happen, allowing themselves pure enjoyment and total alertness.  
            Animals are more focused on the current moment than any other thought or feeling. They do think about the past and future, but far less than humans.  It is amazing how much emotional ease living in the moment can provide.  In particular, I am always amazed at how peacefully animals react to physical injury and illness.
            The animal view of terminal illness is so very different than most of their human counterparts.   When an animal has cancer, they do not become emotionally involved in the potential debilitation of the disease.  They understand that only the moment they are currently living is important.  Humans sometimes follow their minds into the future, contemplating impending pain and suffering, or look longingly at the past, thinking of the activities they used to do with ease.  Animals don’t think like that.  Their emotional ease is considerably more than most humans, because they only live one moment of the illness at a time, rather than processing the entire gravity of the disease all at once.

           Baby Bunny Bramley

 It is truly hard to imagine a more delightful boy than my baby Bramley (Brom-lee).  He was born May 15^th 2004 in a litter of 6 sisters- he was the only boy.  Being a Flemish Giant, he will eventually grow to 14-18 lbs, so he makes a big impression.  I cuddled him and showered him with attention the moment he arrived at our house.  He has no idea that he is a rabbit, and often acts like a cat or person or baby.  He loves to lie in my arms and cuddle on the couch for hours every day.  Even more than that, he loves to lick my face, and resents being told to stop.  When we set limits with him he makes a “huffing” noise. 
           I look forward to sharing the adventures of raising a baby bunny with everyone.  
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Issue 25:  March, 2005

What color is your living room?

            My baby bunny is growing up.  Bramley is 10 months and 16 lbs, with giant ears and a fluffy white cotton tail.  His favorite activities are cuddling, licking my face or hands (a sign of affection), sleeping and of course – eating!
            In early January he seemed to lose his sparkly personality; he was sleeping more and skipping his dances of joy.  In the mornings he no longer did wild runs back and forth on the couch, and his leaps in the air became smaller.  I tried to understand what was wrong, but he didn’t have an explanation—he just didn’t feel as happy.  We doubled our cuddle time.  Every night I lay on the couch and he snuggled up in my arms (under a quilt) for at least an hour.  He really enjoyed our time together but it didn’t bring back his dances.
            Then Bramley started complaining about not feeling well.  He didn’t have many specific symptoms, but we discovered that he had parasites.  He was treated for that and given a homeopathic remedy.  He became a bit more animated and said he felt much better, but he still wasn’t quite himself.
            In early February, I decided to paint my living room.  I choose a color “pear green”, which is very bright and happy.  My husband and I painted the trim and fireplace white, and the walls green, having an overall effect of a much brighter room.  I love redecorating, so I have painted many of the rooms in our house over the past few years.  The animals have never commented on the colors.  The cats specifically don’t care (yes cats can see colors.)
            Bramley was doing crazy happy acrobatics the next day!  He loved the new color.  He couldn’t believe his great fortune of having a green room.  I realized that his food is green; his natural environment (in the summer) is green, so of course he would love it!  For weeks he has continued to practice his racing moves on the couch and do his cheerful ear flips in the morning.  He has slowed down a little bit since getting used to the new color, but he is in for a pleasant surprise because now we are painting the hallway and foyer green too.  
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Issue 26:  July, 2005

Telepathy with Animals

Do animals communicate telepathically with each other?

            Animals can communicate with one another telepathically, with their own species and cross-species.  This is not to say that they always understand one another, or agree to “get along”.  In consultations I have received complaints from dogs that the cat is “saying rude things”; on the other hand some animals who seem to interact very little physically, are sometimes close friends because of their telepathic connection.  Animals are very aware of telepathy, and they consider their thoughts to be “out loud”.  A wild rabbit will avoid telling its fellow rabbits about an illness to avoid having a fox intercept the telepathic message.  

Are animals surprised when a human communicates with them telepathically?

            Animals are rarely surprised when I contact them.  They are accustomed to “hearing” the thoughts of humans, and many assume that humans can hear their thoughts.  Usually it is the opposite; people are surprised at how much their animals have been paying attention to what they say in the house and on the telephone!

Do animals wish that their people could talk with them telepathically all of the time?

            Most species are not chatty; people tend to communicate more than many animals.  Telepathy is not small talk; it is about feelings and understanding.   Animals are generally comfortable in the moment, not feeling a need to discuss every detail, just being together is enough.  When I am around animals, I usually receive a sense of peace and quiet, not telepathic chatter.  Animals living with humans appreciate when the human understands their emotional state and looks after their needs for physical and mental well-being.  This can be achieved without special telepathic abilities, and over time can be enhanced with more telepathic practice.

What can I do to listen to my animals?

            Meditating with your animals is a very effective way of receiving thoughts and feelings from your animals.  Don’t expect a booming voice in your mind; the feelings are much more subtle than that.  You might like to sit with your animal and enjoy the sunshine, breeze, and delicious smells of the outdoors.  There is no need to try hard to understand, just allow moments to unfold, appreciate the surroundings, and your animal’s natural ability to be in the moment will help you focus.
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Issue 27:  November, 2005

Disney and Sea World

            I was thrilled to visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Sea World in Florida this fall.  I understand many people object to zoos, and for some very good reasons, but I had a wonderful time visiting the animals.  Most of the animals I met were extremely happy and fulfilled.  For me it was inspiring and humbling to meet some of the amazing creatures that I rarely get to be with.
            The question on everyone’s mind was: Did the animals talk to you?  Happily I answer: very little, in fact some animals did not talk to me at all.  I am happy about that because the reason they did not talk to me, was because they were in their own world, not interested in the humans around them. 
            For example, the tigers were amazing.  Four grown female tigers were playing in a beautiful enclosure, full of nature, completely happy with each other’s company.  They went swimming, wrestled, stalked one another, and rolled in a dust bath.  One slept under the bushes, looking out over her expansive grassy area.  They were not interested in my telepathic messages because they were happy being tigers.  Nothing could thrill me more than watching them be who they are, enjoying being in the moment.  I stayed and watched for a long time.
            My next favorite encounter was with the river otters.  Mom, Dad and baby, rolled, swam, wrestled and played.  They clearly had so much love for one another and were reveling in the pure fun of their enclosure.  They had a lot of fish and human company, but were so into one another that they took no notice of any other creatures.  There is something really incredible about watching a joyful being.  Try it some time with your animals- just watch them being happy!

Testimonials

Dear Dawn,

I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for your help regarding my recent talk with you about Kitten Kitty. Let me help your recall--I asked if he wanted a little actual kitten about, and you confirmed for me that he didn't, which is what I had felt myself, but wanted to be sure. Then I asked you about his lack of coming to bed with me at night after I had inadvertently terrified him by jumping up in bed one night when I felt a bug crawling on me. He had been leaning against me and my sudden action and my yell and my frantic gestures to get the bug (spider) off me REALLY shook my gentle, emotionally fragile boy up. At the point I called you he wasn't returning back to bed with me after even a couple of weeks of my trying to console him, and regain his trust, and I was very upset about that. You said that he knew that the bonding we did at night was very important to me (TRUE!), and to him, too, and he was trying hard to overcome his fear. You told me he asked me to be patient, it would just take a little time. Well, it was a LOT less time than anyone expected! After that phone call with you, he promptly that night returned to bed with me and has done so ever since. I think he probably just needed to hear on that powerful telepathic level that I was so sorry for scaring him, would never do so again, and really wanted to snuggle with him at night again. I was amazed he came right back to bed with me, and has done so like normal since. Your communication cure was immediate and I am SO thankful.

From M.M. in Arizona

Dear Dawn,

On July 12th I spoke with you about my 2 cats (mother, Momma and son, Punky) and how they suddenly started to fight really badly. Well, I am very happy to report to you that we are all back living as a happy family again! A few days after we spoke, my husband and I started to let them see each other and finally we opened the door up so they could actually see each other...wouldn't you know, no screaming, puffing or whining. We are so pleased. I really have you to thank.

I seriously noticed a difference after we spoke. They knew that I was trying to work with them and they really appreciated it. I really felt like I understood them for once. Everything you communicated made so much sense to us. I can see Punky tries hard not to torment his mom like he used to and she ignores him so they can co-exist (unlike before, hence the fighting).

After listening to their comments, my husband and I changed to accommodate their needs. For instance, Momma gets more attention and play-time now and we don't let Punky "steal the show" anymore. Josh doesn't play "too rough" with Punky anymore. Momma said we should share our food more and we try to give her a bit more of the healthy things we eat but she doesn't want to acknowledge she's a kitty and can't eat the pizza we just cooked :)

I am just so happy we can all live together peacefully again as a big happy family!! Thank you so much for opening our minds to their world. I look forward to making more appointments and taking one of your classes. I will absolutely hand your name out to everyone I know. You have such a great gift!!

PS. I took your advice and did some meditating with the cats around. I believe this helped them to mellow out a lot. I try to send them happy thoughts through-out the day too ;)

You're the best, Dawn!!

From R.T. in Massachusetts  
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 Issue 28:  March, 2006

Petting Zoo

            I am constantly reminding people that animals live in the moment, and animals are constantly reminding me “to live in the moment”.  Like many households, my husband and I have a “lap rule”.  If one of us has a cat or rabbit on the lap, the other one answers the phone or checks on dinner.  Cuddle time is to be treasured and never interrupted (sometimes we all have to break this rule in the morning when it is time to go to work!)
            When I went to Animal Kingdom at Disney, one of my favorite attractions was the petting zoo.  There were goats, sheep, and a few other barnyard animals in a large pen.  They had roped off several shady areas with toys where only the animals could go.  So, if an animal didn’t want petting, they were free to stay private all day.  Most of the animals love the petting and happily followed people around (no food bribes).
            I fell in love with a goat (more on that later).  I spent most of my time there with just a few animals, because as I said, once you are having a moment together it should not be interrupted.  I looked up to see a very young boy petting a goat.  The goat was in heaven; he had lain down and closed his eyes.  After only a moment of petting the boy’s father tugged on his arm and said, “Come on we have to see the rest of them”.  I felt sad, the goat was disappointed, and the boy was confused.  For the man, the experience was about quantity, not about making a real heart connection.
         I know I have written on this topic more than once, but the animals keep showing me how important moments are.  All we have is a string of “moments” with our animals.  I am a busy person, often up and down from the couch doing chores or phone-calls, but my animals have shown me that I have to make exceptions.  I can’t thank them enough!

            While at the petting zoo I fell in love with this goat (photo right).  I started giving him TTouch and he melted (the TTouch is a type of bodywork for animals).  In the middle of bustling people and animals, he slept on the ground while I massaged him.  I asked him what he thought about getting bodywork and he said, “More please”. Cute!

The Gate

            We have a 2.5 foot gate in our hallway, separating the living room/kitchen from the bedrooms.  The function of the gate is to keep Bramley (Brom-lee), our house rabbit, in the living area (to prevent him from chewing wires in the office and bedrooms).  Our cats have always simply jumped over the gate, so that they are free to go everywhere. 
            One morning I heard a clatter and thud, and peered around the doorframe to see a dazed rabbit on the wrong side of the gate.  Nikita (orange male cat) was also there, looking pleased.  I put Bramley back on his side of the gate, and then watched as my cat encouraged him to jump again.  Bramley was shaken by the experience and seemed happy to have breakfast instead of pursuing the task. 
            On several more occasions I have caught Nikita coaching Bramley over the gate.  He demonstrates, and then telepathically instructs him on how to do it.  So far Bramley has been too frightened to do it again, but Nikita isn’t giving up.  He thinks Bramley deserves his freedom, and has an ulterior motive; it is a great way to get our attention!
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Issue 29:  July, 2006

Expecting

            My husband Tim and I are expecting a baby girl in late September.  The baby and I are both healthy and I intend on working up to the day she arrives.  After she is born I will be taking some time off, but intend on returning to work with a modified schedule December 2006.  Of course it is hard to predict the birthday, but I anticipate her arrival between September 15^th and October 5^th.  When the time comes, I will have information on my voicemail and website about her arrival and details of my maternity leave.  It is my intention to take care of myself, my baby, and my well-loved animal clients.  I always appreciate your business and hope to serve everyone’s needs as best I can.  Please continue to use my services during the next two months!
            Everyone asks, “What do your animals think about the baby coming?”  Well, I have explained the situation to all of them, but the idea feels very abstract and futuristic to them.  (None of my animals have real life experience with infants.)
            Bramley (the rabbit), had a few weeks of all out temper tantrums when I told him he could no longer leap onto my belly full-force (he is 18 lbs).  He threw little bunny fits- jumped all over me worse than ever- sulked and pouted.  Then he started to hear the baby in my belly and got scared (rabbits can hear better than humans).  He spent a few weeks running away from me!  Finally we came to an understanding and now he is very gentle, loving, and peaceful.  He jumps up carefully and lays on my belly unafraid of the kicking and “noises”.  We are confident that he will learn to be gentle with the baby, but I know it will take some time for him.
            May (gray cat) has enjoyed lying on me and feeling the baby kicks with her head, finding it healing.  She is ready for a quiet baby, but the crying, crawling and eventually walking is still sounding a bit overwhelming for her.  Thankfully she is an indoor/outdoor cat, so if she needs a break she can always go out by herself.
            Nikita (orange cat) is the protector of our household.  He stands guard over the property, willing to take on any trespasser including dogs (even if they are invited).  He is looking forward to taking care of the baby by closely scrutinizing visitors and watching the door.  He loves to work. 
            Unfortunately Sasha (cat) is very ill and is putting all of her focus on healing.  I am sure if she can recover she will really love the baby, but right now we are just taking it one day at a time.

The Gift

            My friends adopted a beautiful Cocker Spaniel named Max this spring.  I really adore him, and shortly after we met I wanted to buy him a toy.  I looked in two stores, but nothing seemed right.  Several months passed and I found myself looking at dog toys again.  I asked Max telepathically which type he might like, and he helped me narrow the selection.  I chose a stuffed animal squirrel with a squeak noise and a crinkle noise.  My husband Tim and I met up with Max for a walk and showed him the squirrel – still in its box.  He was very excited and happy.  We promptly un-wrapped it for him and as I held it out he looked happy but refused to take it.  Apparently he was too polite to take the toy away from me, so I put it on the ground and he joyously played with it.
            That could have been the end of the story, but Max is such an appreciative fellow I must continue.  His person sent me an email letting me know how he felt about his toy. She said, “My goodness - it has not left his side!”  She also went on to tell me how he showed it to guests, carried it around and used it as a pillow.  You see, I have cats, no dogs, and although my cats adore me and give much love, they really don’t care about gifts; so when Max so deeply appreciated the squirrel – I really felt touched.  Here is this little bundle of dog love that had so little up until recently and now he shows so much joy and appreciation for everything in his life.  I am very inspired by him and I also thrilled at how much he appreciates my friendship and a small gift.

Issue 30: February 2007

Animals and the Baby

Welcome to my daughter Sierra, born September 27^th 2006 ! 

The day Sierra was “due”, September 24^th, I went out in the morning and when I returned I found Nikita feeling very ill.  He said that he couldn’t pee.  Of course it was Sunday (do cats ever get sick on weekdays?)  I called his homeopathic vet and she recommended a remedy but said that if he didn’t start to pee then I needed to take him to emergency care.  So, I took Nikita to the emergency vet and while we were in the room waiting for the vet we heard a cat screaming in the back.  Then we heard some of the vets talking and laughing over top of the screaming.  Nikita interpreted the sounds to mean that the vets were cruel and torturous.  I tried to reassure him, but it was hard to be convincing with all the evidence to the contrary.  Finally it was our turn and they took Nikita into the back room.  I felt terrible.  I knew he didn’t want to go, but it was Sunday and our usual office was closed.  When he came back, he told me they had treated him nicely, so I was relieved.  The vet said he wasn’t blocked- just crystals.  Nikita said he had a blockage, so I questioned her, but she said she was sure.
           When we got home it was apparent that Nikita was definitely blocked.  And I was in labor.  Then Nikita admitted the reason he was blocked was because he was so worried about me.  My being in labor only made him worry more.    In the morning I got in touch with my vet and she said she was willing to take Nikita until the baby was delivered.  I ended up being in labor for two days before she was born, then in the hospital for four more, but I kept in touch with the vet and Nikita.  He ended up getting better quickly, but refused to take his medicine for our pet sitter!  I tried talking him into it but sometimes free will reigns supreme.  Fortunately, with homeopathic remedies, Nikita has been healthy since this incident.

Nikita at the emergency vet clinic.

When we brought Sierra home, I put her carrier on the floor and Bramley hopped over immediately to greet her and give her a lick on the head.  From that moment on he has been in love!  He calls her, “my bunny”.  When she nurses he tries to cuddle between our bellies (he doesn’t fit- he weighs 18 lbs)!  For the first four months of life, Sierra rejected Bramley.  She made an unhappy face when he was nearby, but he didn’t give up.  Then she finally decided to give him a chance.  Now she pets him and watches him as he hops around.  This morning he jumped up next to us on the couch and licked her hand and she giggled.  Bramley was in heaven!

May was afraid of Sierra at first.  While I was pregnant she had cuddled my belly and said she loved the baby.  In person was a different story.  For the first month she stayed at least 10 feet away.  I really missed May during that time.  I kept telling her that Sierra was harmless, but the strangeness of the “creature” was just too much for her.  Slowly she is getting more comfortable, but she still avoids physical contact with Sierra most of the time (a few interactions have occurred recently).

Apparently my oatmeal looks appealing.

Nikita has enjoyed all of the new “beds” in the house.  He sleeps on Sierra's blankets, changing table, crib, and play pen.  Sometimes (with adult supervision) he sleeps in the crib with Sierra for a short nap.  He considers her a friend, and they coexist nicely together.
            I love everyone; my animals, my baby and my husband.  We seem to find the time and energy to give everyone the affection and care that they need.  Now, as Sierra gets older, the animals will have another human to enjoy.  It seems to be a well balanced household.

New Home in Westfield

            My husband and I had a house built in Westfield , so my home office has a new location.  The mailing address is: 690 Montgomery Road , Westfield MA 01085 and the business phone is 413-562-2227.
            We loved our other home, but I had dreams of having a horse and donkeys and goats… you get the idea!  So now we live on a farm (no barn yet) and I can plant a vegetable garden and eventually have more animals.
            The new house is an ideal workshop space, so I hope you will consider attending this summer.
            The animals are adjusting to the new home.  Bramley arrived and immediately considered himself “home”.  May and Nikita were very startled and unsettled for the first week.  I had done a lot of preparations telepathically with the animals, but cats often find it hard to pull up their roots.  (I think I might be a cat, because it was hard for me too!)

Sierra

          I am really enjoying being a mom.  Sierra is amazing (of course).  She communicates telepathically with me since the day she was born.  At first I just got messages about her physical needs and emotions.  Now she is beginning to talk about what she wants to do or where she wants to go.  So far she has not tried to communicate with the animals.  She seems to only consider humans as beings for interacting and communicating.  I am sure that will change soon.  I sometimes wonder if Sierra will continue her telepathic communicating once she learns to speak.  I think whatever she decides to do will be fine, and for now it is really nice to know what my baby is thinking!  One of her favorite things to do is shopping (not my favorite!).  Her favorite stores are Bed, Bath and Beyond and Whole Foods.  She dislikes some stories because of noise, smells (like the car parts store), and looming displays.

Sasha

          On July 31, 2006 Sasha was put to sleep.  Her health was marginal for years, but we kept her going strong with homeopathy and love.  The last few weeks of her life were difficult.  She was very ill and stopped eating for twelve days.  I tried to help her with medicine, but we suspect she had cancer and there was nothing we could do in the end.  My husband, Tim, told me it was time for her to go.  I knew it was true but it was too hard for me to believe that Sasha was leaving us.  My communication skills did not make the decision easier- I was just too sad.  I am so glad that Tim encouraged us to go to the vet and help her go.  She was so happy when we got there, and she died quietly in my lap.  I felt a great sense of relief and peace as we drove home that day.  I still feel sad that she never met Sierra or our new home, even though I know she is with us in spirit.  She died just as our lives were taking such an exciting turn.

            Some of you may remember that Sasha came to me after her human died of cancer.  It is nice to know that they are together along with two other cats.

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Issue 31: June 2007

Bramley's New "Bunny"  

Bramley has a new "bunny" friend.  He and my daughter, Sierra, are the same size and he loves to cuddle and groom her... or at least he did last month.  He said, "Oh now I have a new beautiful bunny friend.  I love her so much."  When she was fussy I would say, "Bramley will you come bunny-sit?"  He would hop over and snuggle his head into her lap and she would get very quiet.  Now she is not gentle enough, so he has been taking more breaks from her.  She loves his ears and pulls them, but that hurts!  So he calmly turns his body, releasing his ears and hops away.  He never reprimands her.  He is so full of sweetness, he says, "I don't understand why she won't pet nice."  I reassure him that she will grow out of this stage.  He says, "for now I think I will stick with cuddling you Mama."  So when we are on the couch or the floor I have a baby to my left and a bunny to my right.  

Happy Cats

Hi, Dawn.
       Just wanted to share the good news with you. Last week, our Cali had told you that she’d been trying to be less skittish, and that she wanted to know if we had noticed. We asked you to tell her yes we had, and that we’re very pleased. Well, guess what… Cali has climbed into bed with us, two nights in a row! We are so very thrilled! She’s still skittish, but she’s obviously been working on it.  Meowzi likes to climb into bed with us sometimes at bedtime, and I know Cali told you she tries to learn from Meowzi - it looks like Cali’s been taking very good notes!  
      As for Meowzi, the vet visit last week didn’t go too badly. She was vocal,  but did not try to bite the techs. And they even had to bring her in twice because they didn’t get the right samples. They wouldn’t let me go with her, but I was told she behaved relatively well.  Thank you so much for your help! We’ll be in touch!
- CW

Our New Home

        We moved to our new home in Westfield, MA in the end of January.  Our cat Nikita, an avid outdoorsman, was so sad to leave his old territory and afraid to go out in the new place.  He spent three months inside, not wanting to go out.  Finally our newly constructed house got some grass planted around it and he began to feel more comfortable.  Then I planted my vegetable garden and I told him to take care of it.  He loved having a job and takes it very seriously; he sits in the garden and watches for any sign of moles or other small intruders for hours.  So far my garden is doing great thanks to him!  
        I have been welcomed by some wonderful new friends in the neighborhood.  We built our house in one corner of a 10 acre horse pasture.  The wildlife was already used to the area being mowed twice a year, but our house is new to them.  One day a beautiful doe came walking up the field, right up to the house.  She stood twitching her tail and thinking for several minutes.  I said, "hello" and asked her what she was thinking, she said, "huh- this wasn't here before."  I told her that I was sorry to have disrupted the area, and she said, "that's ok, I just came for a look, I don't always travel this route", then she turned around and went back the way she had come.
        We have a big briar patch in the back yard with an extensive rabbit den.  They are so cute and delightful!  I often look out the window to see one or more rabbits grazing in the back yard.  I planted several fruit trees near their area (and wrapped them in wire cages so the rabbits wouldn't eat them).  A couple of the babies were taking dust baths at the bases of the trees, rolling back and forth on their backs - little white bellies in the air!
      I had a workshop here in May and it was really nice, but our landscaping was not complete at the time so we couldn't enjoy the outdoor wildlife.  Now gardens are in full swing and the lawn is a little sparse but growing nicely.  I am so excited to share this beautiful location and friendly wildlife with more students.
      One of my May students wrote me a nice note after the workshop:
      I keep meaning to drop you a line since class. The class was so awesome! I really had such a great time. You really made communicating so fun and easy. I can't believe how great everyone did. You are a great teacher and your so down to earth and easy to chat with. You really made everyone so comfortable in your beautiful house. Thank you so much for offering such a wonderful class! I look forward to future classes especially the wildlife one you were thinking about. Thank you again, you're the best!  - RS

May hasn't come outside much since the move, but here she is exploring the new grass.	We had a beautiful rainbow over our house yesterday; you can see a trace of it to the left of the house.
Return to Menu Issue 32: October 2007
The Horses Arrived!         We put up a fence for our neighbor's horses, so now I have six beautiful chestnut horses grazing in my field all day.  I am in heaven when I hear thundering hooves, whinnies and nose blowing.  They are so friendly and we all enjoy walking in the field and visiting with them.  I asked them, "How do you like my field?", and they said, "OUR field is fantastic".  Point taken! (it was their field before we moved here, we just put up the new fence).          Now you can meet the horses too!  I had several wonderful animal communication workshops at my house this summer and my October date is already full, so... I  added a session November 10-11 and you can come learn from my animals and the horses.    Hawk, shaking his head.   Crybaby looking over the field toward our house. How I Care for My Baby by Nikita Allen      Whenever Sierra goes outside I make sure to stay close by.  One time her parents put her in a backpack and walked far into the horse field.  I remembered what my people told me, "keep your tail down when walking under the electric fence".  Even if it is a long distance and near big scary horses I follow; I even crossed the stream by hopping across some stones.   My baby needs me so I stay close.       Sometimes Sierra plays with me.  I taught her to hold the ribbon while I bat at it.  I am careful with my claws because my people told me she is very delicate.       Sierra loves me and calls out "Ditty!" when she sees me.  I enjoy my roll as guardian and guide.         This is my front porch; I sit here often and keep watch over the house and my baby.         Sometimes Sierra cries when it is time to go to bed.  I don't want her to be sad, so I carefully jump up on her changing table to comfort her.  She always stops crying when I arrive.   She reaches out to touch my whiskers.  My people remind her to be gentle.         Even though I am very strong and able, there are some things I can't do for my baby.  We both need big people to open the door for us so that we can enjoy the great outdoors together. May:  sweet kitty, wild panther. Bramley: Yes, he really is that big!  ...and we cuddle every night. Issue 33: December 2007
Bramley and Everyday Communication        People often ask me what it is like living with my animals when I can "hear" them all the time.  For the most part it is really the same for me as it is for "non" telepathic people (really, we are all telepathic).  My cats and rabbit don't chat, they live in the moment, mostly content and enjoying the day, occasionally making a request or comment.  Every once in a while my cat Nikita says something a little unexpected; like the other day when he asked me to "call his vet".  He wasn't feeling well with a belly ache and he stood next to me while I dialed the phone.  She wasn't there so I left a message.  He was frustrated about having to wait and said, "that's it, I'm annoyed, I am going outside."  (He still loves his vet - he was glad once we got a hold of her).       Although they don't "chat", I really enjoy watching the animals interacting with each other and my family, and the sweet moments and side comments that I am privileged enough to witness.  Here are some typical thoughts in Bramley's day.       First thing he says to Tim every morning, "Good morning, I am ready for breakfast."  Sometimes Tim leaves for work in a hurry before feeding Bramley and I hear, "Oh no!  What about my breakfast?" (of course I feed him right away.)      After a little nap he comes into the living room and says, "what is this toy doing here!".  If it is made with wood or soft plastic he chews it, if it is a book he just nibbles, and other toys he tosses out of his way.  He likes order, especially on the couch, he says, "this must stay clear (and tosses everything to the floor)".      Sometimes he visits with Sierra and asks, "do you have any treats for me".  She always understands and comes into the kitchen asking for food.  Often I assume she wants it for herself, only to look up and see Bramley waiting expectantly.  She loves feeding him and he loves to eat!  One day she "fed" him the TV remote, so now it is missing a few buttons (I caught her giggling as he munched away, the remote lovingly resting in her palms.)       Whenever possible he cuddles; with a cat, me, Tim, Sierra, or even a stuffed animal.  He hops over, snuggles up, and says, "I need some love."  In the evening he gets very desperate for love and tells us, "I haven't gotten enough cuddling."        Finally it is the end of the night and he does a little dance of celebration, because it is time for "snackpacks" (a big bag of vegetables)!  We go to bed and he stays up eating.  After a while he adjourns to the couch for the night and waits for breakfast. Return to Menu Issue 34: February 2008 Communicating with Animals is Natural       My daughter, Sierra, is sixteen months old and communicates with animals every day.  She inspires me to be a better animal communicator.   I see how animals respond to her and I realize some "grownups" are missing qualities that really attract animals to her.   f Sierra shares her snack with Bramley i Sierra and Nikita hang out in the 1/2 bath Here is what I have observed: Sierra views animals as equally important beings in a room.  When she enters a space she immediately says "Hi" to the humans and animals one at a time.  Nikita is never just a cat sleeping on the couch.  He is important and loved.  She walks up right to him, looks him in the eye and says, "Nik! Hi!".  This is not the type of greeting Nik appreciates from most humans.  I asked him why he accepts such forward behavior with Sierra but not with other people.  He said, "She is pure joy with no expectations.  She just wants to be with me-- she doesn't want something from me."  I asked, "What do you mean 'from me'?"  He said, "Sometimes people want me to love them or react to them or talk to them; but with Sierra I can just be myself-- relaxed." Sierra is open to communicating with animals in their own language.  We went for a walk on the bike path and met up with a puppy.  The little pug was tiny and bouncing up and down with excitement.  Sierra leaned over and started barking.  She barked and barked for several minutes (the puppy was not barking.)  I tried to get Sierra's attention so we could continue our walk (the man with the puppy was ready to go) but she just kept barking.  The puppy loved it-- the puppy clearly loves attention, and Sierra really wanted to keep the connection going.  I am not saying we all need to bark at dogs, but maybe humans try to impose our view of the world on animals too often. Sierra stays present in the moment and observant of the animal's needs.  One day our cat, May, came down the stairs and I picked her up for a hug.  Sierra came over, put her face up to May and said, "May, Hi!"  Then she said "eat" and with her finger and thumb pinched together she offered May a pretend bite of food.  I set May down and she walked to her food bowl and started eating.  Sierra had clearly known that May was hungry. h Si and Bramley play with stuffed animals g Nikita and Si spending time together       I am convinced that we enter the world free of judgment about animals.  We arrive believing they are important sentient beings.  Most importantly we arrive believing that we can understand animals and they can understand us.  Several clients have shared very sweet stories about their children understanding animals.  These stories all have something in common; the animals and children are thinking and feeling in the moment.  It is always something simple like, "I want to go outside".  Sierra notices when our animals need to go in and out, eat, or have another simple need, before I notice almost every time.  She is so connected with the present moment.  Sometimes I am thinking about other things- not tuned in.  When I do my work as an animal communicator I  deliberately get myself in sync with the moment, and I think that is one of the secrets to connecting with animals.        After seeing how Sierra is with animals and how they are with her, I feel more certain than ever that everyone can learn to understand animals.  I am inspired to help people reconnect with this innate ability and I hope to see you at one of my workshops soon. Ten-Year Anniversary!       Ten years as a professional animal communicator!  It all started when I was in college, and I read an article about Linda Tellington-Jones and the TTouch (a type of bodywork for animals).  I said to my mom, "Now that is what I want to do for a living."  She said, "Look in the back of the magazine, she probably teaches workshops."  So a year later I was an intern at the TTouch office in Santa Fe, New Mexico!  While I was becoming a TTouch practitioner I also started attending Animal Communication workshops with Dawn Hayman, Jeri Ryan and Penelope Smith.  And... I was still in college (Goddard), so I wrote my final semester thesis, titled "Deepening our Connection" about holistic methods of training animals, TTouch, and animal communication.  I graduated in February 1998 and started Dawn's Animal Connection.  The rest is history.  (If you are interested in reading past newsletters they are archived on my website click here).       The most inspiring aspect of my work is the enthusiasm and love people have for their animals.  I never knew so many people love animals as deeply as I do.  I feel truly grateful for the referrals and the belief in me and what I do. Thank you! Fun Dawn's Animal Connection Statistics Taught nearly 50 workshops About 15,000 consultations (many repeat clients) At least 8,000 animals communicated with to date Current human client list over 3,000 Average 10 new clients every week (testament to community and word of mouth) Most "regulars" call me 3-6 times a year (I have a few that call more often) Animals I have been hired to talk to: dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, rabbits, pigs, hamsters, mice, parrots, ducks, chickens, prairie dogs, bees, insects, skunks, orangutans, rats, ferrets, frogs, fish, snakes, squirrels, llamas, goats, cows, lizards, and looking forward to meeting other species Sessions 7 days a week, and book appointments on my website 24 hours a day: www.dawnallen.org   Meet the Staff Dawn Allen Founder of Dawn's Animal Connection Roles: Animal Communicator Communicator, appointment scheduler, web designer, bookkeeper, writer     Nikita With Dawn's Animals Connection since August 1998 Roles: Teacher of Animal Communication Assists with some consultations, helps animals understand their humans, writer, protector of the office   May Co-founder of Dawn's Animal Connection Roles: Teacher of Animal Communication Dawn's support system, assists with some consultations, offers love to workshop attendees, writer   Tim Allen With Dawn's Animal Connection since November 1998 Roles: Technical Support Dawn's husband and moral support, assists with web design, computer trouble shooting,  proof reader, helps with workshop set-up and parking Bramley With Dawn's Animal Connection since July 2004 Roles: Pure Love Assists with some teaching, writer, mostly offers love at workshops and keeps Dawn and Tim very happy   My Mom!         My mother, Nancy Costerisan, is an amazing body work therapist and she helped put together the list of names for my first mailing in April of 1998 to about 35 people.  Now I would like to return the favor and tell my clients about her.         I recently designed her website, please check it out: www.nancycosterisan.com Issue 35: April 2008 Communication with a Baby Horse      My neighbor's horse had a colt on April 12th.  I was very excited to meet him and see how newborn horses communicate telepathically.  His name is Magnitude and he has a very sweet presence.  The first time I met him he was six hours old and taking his first nap.  I didn't receive a lot from him telepathically, just a feeling that he was content.         When Magnitude was about five days old he went outside with his mother and "Auntie" for the first time.  I was fortunate enough to be there and "listen in" on his thoughts.       First, his person led his mother out of the stall.  He was very scared.  He thought, "it is so bright (sunny) and big out here."  He did not want to leave the box.    After he finally went out they set his Auntie free.  She was very upset at having been kept in so many days and galloped and bucked circles around him. He thought, "I am getting dizzy and don't know where to look.  This is all so big and overwhelming."       But, within a few moments he was running though the mud with his mom and Auntie!  "Wee!  My legs are running!"       Magnitude's Auntie was jealous and wanted the baby for herself.  She kept running between him and his mom.  I asked him what he thought, "they both seem warm and nice to me."  I guess soon enough he will discover only one has milk.       On his second day out (one week old), he was running next to his mom like an old pro.  He thought, "this is fun, I love it out here".  I walked over to say hello and Mom ran away from me.  I  was shocked and asked her why she ran away. She replied, "You can't put me back in that box, I just got out!"  "So sorry Mom, I just wanted to say hi to your baby, I don't want to put you inside."  After that was resolved, I squatted down about 10 feet from Magnitude.  He thought, "Hello.  What's this?  You look interesting."  (I had Sierra in a backpack on my back so I did look different.)       Magnitude walked up and stood directly in front of me.  His front legs were shaking, not from fear, just lack of muscle control.  He thought, "What do you taste like?  Do you have milk?"  He reached out and tried to suck on my fingers.  I couldn't believe how open, sweet and curious he was.      I look forward to more adventures with Magnitude this spring.  I hope some of you can come meet him at my workshops. Return to Menu Issue 36: June 2008          I am so excited to announce the release of "Bramley's Little Sister" by Bramley and me.  During the past year several of my newsletters have featured pictures and stories about my daughter, Sierra, and Bramley.  I found the photos so inspiring, I decided to create a children's book starring Bramley.  Of course the story needed to be in Bramley's voice, so I sat down with the little guy and asked him to talk to me about Sierra and the adventures they have together.  I compiled his comments with other thoughts he had expressed during their time together and wrote a true summary of their relationship.          I asked Bramley if he had any comments about the promotion of his book.  He said,  "the fun was in the moment and it is time for new adventures."  And I wondered, "don't you want to be famous?"  "No I am content just being a happy house rabbit!"   So here I am left to promote our book on my own!               I asked Laurie McLeod, Artist and Mother, for her thoughts about our book.  She said, "First there was Peter Rabbit, then Pat the Bunny, then the Velveteen Rabbit and now there's Bramley! Only this time the rabbit is real!  Children will delight in the extraordinary relationship between Bramley and his little sister, and adults will be amazed at the hilarity of life with a giant rabbit. This book is a tender winner for fur lovers of all ages."   "Bramley's Little Sister": New Children's Book from the Rabbit's Perspective               Bramley and Dawn's first children’s book is the story of a sibling relationship that develops between a real-life giant rabbit, Bramley, and his human baby sister Sierra.              While many children’s books have been written about bunnies, Bramley’s Little Sister offers a unique story experience told from the rabbit’s perspective.              Bramley’s Little Sister reveals the thoughts and feelings of an animal without turning him into a cartoon character or over-personifying him while giving children an opportunity to witness an authentic relationship between an animal and a baby.             The narrator, a four-year-old Flemish Giant, runs free in his home where he enjoys playing with the cats, cuddling on the couch, and eating bananas.  Bramley is a sweet, gentle giant with a huge heart and willingness to make friends.  Once the baby of the family, Bramley soon meets his new human baby sister, Sierra. He is a little uncertain at first.  After a bit of hesitation, however, he befriends her and begins to enjoy her presence as the relationship grows and a bond develops.  As with any sibling relationship, there are trying moments, such as when he struggles to share his Mama’s lap, or when Sierra plays a little too rough.               “Sierra likes my ears.  She pulls on them and sometimes nibbles.”  Bramley proclaims adding, “I don’t like that!”                 Eventually Bramley and Sierra play together, share toys and snacks, and become good friends.  By the end of the story, Bramley realizes the benefits of having a baby sister.              Bramley’s Little Sister is an opportunity for me to share my insights as an animal communicator and offer children a kind, humane, and realistic perspective on animals.  I want to demonstrate that animals have thoughts and feelings, and are important members of the family. Available at www.dawnallen.net Return to Menu Issue 37: December 2008 Three New Babies         Our family is growing quickly.  My second  baby, Hannah, was born on October 30th, 2008. Our two year old, Sierra, took to her role as big sister very well.  She felt a little sad and left out at times, but overall she is really proud of her baby sister.   However, Bramley, our Flemish Giant rabbit, was jealous of Hannah.  Despite being the author of a book on accepting a new sibling, he took her arrival very hard.  He was constantly trying to shove her out of the way so he could sit on our laps.  When she needed to nurse in the middle of the night he would have a temper tantrum because he wanted to snuggle.  I talked with him about it, but he was feeling desperate and was not consoled by my words.  He told us he really needed to be cuddled and petted, regardless of what Hannah might need.  His behavior was so difficult we found it necessary to lock him in his room a few times.            When Hannah was three weeks old I met two brother kittens waiting for homes at the vet clinic.  I asked everyone in the family if we could adopt them.  My husband Tim said, "yes if May and Nik say it is OK."  Nikita, our orange cat said, "alright", but he wasn't thrilled.  May, our gray cat, said, "OK, but I am worried that they will be aggressive with me."  The kittens had been living with two older cats at the clinic and were not aggressive with them, so we felt fairly confident that we could work with them and May.  Bramley thought the kittens were a great idea.  Sierra was very excited to have new cats.            I asked the brother kittens if they wanted to live with us and I described our house.  They were very flexible with the idea of change, so we made arrangements to pick them up.  They said they wanted to share a cat carrier for the ride home.  The kittens don't care about names and we can't think of anything to name them, so for now we call them Black and Gray.           Black and Gray are fitting in very nicely.  Nikita was upset by them a little, and growled, but he is already relaxing around them.  May is still afraid of them, but we are all trying to help her get more comfortable.  Sierra is thrilled and loves playing with them (click here to see video clip).  They are really helping her to feel more included and less displaced.  And finally... Bramley is in heaven!        Bramley's jealous behavior has almost completely ceased since the brothers arrived.  The moment he met them they touched noses and became friends.  Bramley says, "I finally have the bunny friends I have always wanted."  They all cuddle together and we no longer have arguments with Bramley and Hannah.   Return to Menu Issue 38: March 2009 Driving Horses       We share our property with my neighbor's herd of Haflinger horses.  Most of the year the pasture belongs to the horses and I take the occasional walk-through to enjoy the wild flowers.  In the winter I enjoy cross country skiing, and the pasture is the perfect place when I don't have time to leave home.        I usually ski with my daughter in a sled that gets pulled behind me.         A few weeks ago I headed into the pasture with four of the horses and they reacted with disbelief.       Hawk, the lead horse, took one look at me and the sled, and bolted.  The others followed.  They ran around getting more and more agitated.         I left the pasture and asked my neighbor if they would hurt us and he said, "not on purpose".  I went back to the pasture and checked in with the horses.  I felt they would not be harmful, they were just startled.       After my second lap of the pasture they were still upset and it finally occurred to me to talk with them.       "Hey, guys, you are all driving horses.  You have all pulled a cart behind you.  How can this possibly be so foreign to you?", I asked.       A calm look came over all of their faces.  "Oh, you're driving!", Hawk said.      "Yes!  Now please stop running around, you are making me nervous", I said.       After that they slowing walked behind the sled, enjoying the concept of a human doing the pulling for a change! Naming Kittens       We spent several weeks calling the new kittens "Black" and "Gray" because none of us could come up with the right names.  Then "Black" got into serious trouble with me.         At the time my baby, Hannah, was only two months old and needed to nurse often.  Black would harass Hannah while she was nursing to the point where I had to lock him in a room during every feeding (1/2 of the day!).  It became very frustrating and upsetting for all of us.  I tried every way I knew to explain things to him and he would not listen. Finally one day I lost my temper and told him that I wasn't committed to keeping him and if he couldn't behave better I would send him back and only keep his brother.  He was shocked and immediately changed the behavior for twenty-hours.       That night I was talking to someone on the phone after my girls were in bed and I said that if I kept the black kitten, he would be my fifth pet.  He was listening.       The next morning my two-year-old, Sierra, was playing hide and seek and calling, "Number Five, where is you?"  I thought she was talking to a stuffed animal  but when "Black" came around the corner she exclaimed, "Number Five there you is!"       Sierra is a natural with the animal communication and it was clear that Number Five had giving himself a name and communicated it to my daughter.  It is a name with staying power (the power to stay and remain the fifth pet).       Since then Number Five has been trying and with the help of neutering and homeopathy, his behavior is dramatically better.  We love him and I let him know I was very sorry for what I said.       "Gray" still needed a name.  One day my husband, Tim, walked past him and said, "Hey casual Calvin."  We all agreed it is a very nice name and suits him well, so welcome Calvin!       Bramley continues to be madly in love with Number Five and Calvin.  They cuddle on the couch every afternoon and I could not resist including photos of the love.