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.

Hit by a Car (and survived)

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.

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.

Understanding Behavior. Humans and Unconscious Telepathy

Sitting in a soft pile of alfalfa hay I gaze at five llamas, as Rob and Alice stand nearby. The communication session this morning reminds me of how many lessons animals have to offer us. The llamas are so observant of human energy and thoughts, it is an amazing learning to simply notice their reactions to our movements. Alice reaches for her camera and points it at the llamas. A couple of them quickly move away in opposite directions."Why do they move as soon as I try to take their picture?", she asks.I close my eyes and connect with Ebony, one of the male llamas that moved away. He describes the " situation" to me. First he presents an image of Alice calm and still, her energy contained. Then as she picks up the camera and aims it, energy floods towards the llamas, at the same time Ebony receives a telepathic message, "I'm going to capture you".I find this small incident fascinating! Ebony is showing us how humans tend to flow energy and thoughts unconsciously, and that animals are picking up on our communications even if we are unaware of what we are saying. This situation also emphasizes the fact that "odd" animal behaviors are often based on human actions, even if we are unaware of our influence.Similar situations are common with pets and their people. Often our thoughts and feelings do not match our verbal statements. Animals challenge us to seek purity, honesty and consistency in our lives.